suport de curs engleza

Specializarea: Toate specializrile

LIMBA ENGLEZ COMUNICARE N

AFACERIANUL III Semestrele 1 i 2

Cluj-Napoca 2013

Cod disciplin: ELE 1050 (semestrul 1); ELE 2050 (semestrul 2)

SPECIALIZAREA TITULAR DE DISCIPLINA TUTORE

Contabilitate i Informatic de Gestiune

Conf. univ. dr. Petru Maria

[email protected]

Lect. univ. dr. Hoprtean Ana Maria

[email protected]

Economie i Afaceri Internaionale

Finane i Bnci

Conf. univ. dr. Plcintar Silvia Emilia

[email protected]

Conf. univ. dr. Irimia Eugenia Antoneta

[email protected]

Economia Comerului, Turismului i Serviciilor

Marketing

Conf. univ. dr. Irimia Eugenia Antoneta

[email protected]

Asist. univ. drd. Nan Ioana Gabriela

[email protected]

Informatic Economic Conf. univ. dr. Petru Maria

[email protected]

Lect. univ. dr. Hoprtean Ana Maria

[email protected]

Management Conf. univ. dr. Toma Mariana

[email protected]

Lect. univ. dr. Kelemen Antonia Izabella

[email protected]

Management linia maghiar Conf. univ. dr. Plcintar Silvia Emilia

[email protected]

Asist. univ. dr. Ionescu Alexandra Denisa

[email protected]

Condiionri i cunotine prealabile

nscrierea i frecventarea acestui curs presupune parcurgerea i promovarea

programei de studiu din anii 1 si 2 de la FSEGA la disciplina Limba englez, sau un

nivel de limba englez cel putin B2 conform Portofoliului lingvistic european.

Descrierea cursului

Cursul se adreseaz studenilor de la Facultatea de tiine Economice i Gestiunea

Afacerilor, care i-au nsuit deja deprinderile vizate de cursurile practice generale

de limb englez aplicat la domeniul afacerilor (anii I-II). Studenii trebuie s

manifeste curiozitatea de a recurge la bibliografie i disponibilitatea de a lucra

interactiv.

Organizarea temelor n cadrul cursului

Organizarea temelor din cadrul cursului precum i bibliografia care trebuie

consultat sunt prezentate n detaliu n paginile introductive ale syllabus-ului.

Formatul i tipul activitilor implicate de curs

Studentul are libertatea de a-i gestiona singur, fr constrngeri, modalitatea i

timpul de parcurgere a cursului. n cadrul cursului vor fi abordate urmtoarele tipuri

de activiti: proiecte de grup, proiecte individuale, studiu individual, activiti

tutoriale.

Materiale bibliografice obligatorii

Sursele bibliografice obligatorii pentru acest curs se regasesc n syllabus-ul aferent

cursului. Dintre acestea, enumerm:

Beresford, Cynthia. Business Communication. Practical Written English

for the Modern Business World, BBC English by Radio and

Television, 1995.

Bove, Courtland L, Thill, John V., Business Communication Today,

McGraw-Hill, Inc., New York, etc., 1992.

1

Brieger, N, S. Sweeney. The Language of Business English. Grammar

and Functions, Prentice Hall, New York, 1994.

Irimias, Eugenia. Business Communication Topics, Editura Fundaiei

pentru Studii Europene, Cluj-Napoca, 2006.

Lesikar, R., J. Petit, M. Flatley. Basic Business Communication, IRWIN,

Illinois, 1993.

Calendar al cursului

S

pt

m

n

a

tema termen

predare

1 Communicating in Business2 Professional Communication noiembrie3 Types of Communication4 Effective Communication5 Avoiding Discrimination in Communication6 Writing Employment Documents ianuarie7 Interviews8 Memos. Minutes. 9 Reports10 Types of Business Letters. Letter of Inquiry

and Reply. Letter of Complaint. Letter of

Apology and Settlement. Orders.

aprilie

11 Business Meetings12 Planning a Presentation13 Presentations. Intercultural Aspects. mai14 Negotiating in Business

Politica de evaluare i notare

- tipurile de evaluare ce vor fi utilizate: test gril, proiect de cercetare.

2

- criteriile de notare pentru sarcinile notate i grila de notare: evaluarea

studenilor se va realiza conform detalierii de mai jos:

Examinare n timpul semestrului (Proiect) 40%Examinare final 40%Rspunsuri la ntrebrile bazate pe materialul citit

(activitate semestriala ) / participare i contribuie la

studii de caz, simulri

20%

- situaiile n care temele/proiectele au fost predate dup data limit, studenii

nu au participat la testele pariale sau examenul final i orice alte activiti ce

presupun un termen limit, dar nu au fost realizate sau depuse la timp, sunt

notate dar n aceste situaii se vor practica deduceri din punctajul aferent

sarcinii.

- studenii trebuie s pstreze toate sarcinile realizate pe parcursul cursului

pn la primirea notei finale

- forma sub care studenii vor primi feed-back la sarcinile realizate: prin e-mail

de ctre tutori, prin comunicare direct pentru cei ce solicit acest feed-back

Elemente de deontologie academic

Codul de deontologie academic reglementeaz urmtoarele:

Frauda se refer la:

a. Copiat (utilizarea de materiale sau informaii neautorizate), plagiat, falsificri,

i orice alte activiti care pot afecta o corect evaluare a performanelor

studenilor;

b. Ajutorul acordat altora n aceste privine

c. ncercarea de a se angaja n astfel de fapte.

Studeni cu dizabiliti

3

Exist disponibilitatea de a lua legtura cu studenii afectai de dizabiliti motorii

sau intelectuale pentru a identifica eventuale soluii n vederea oferirii de anse egale

acestora. Calea de comunicare prin care putem fi contactai pentru acest gen de

situaii: e-mail sau prin comunicare direct pentru cei ce solicit acest feed-back

Strategii de studiu recomandate

Numrul de ore estimativ pentru parcurgerea cursului (suport de curs, activiti,

discuii, sarcini etc.) este de 100.

4

Contents

Chapter 1 COMMUNICATION 9Unit 1 Communicating in Business 10Unit 2 Professional Communication 14Unit 3 Types of Communication 19Chapter 2 COMMUNICATION STYLES 22Unit 1 Effective Communication 23Unit 2 Avoiding Discrimination in Communication 26Chapter 3 COMMUNICATION AND RECRUITMENT 30Unit 1 Writing Employment Documents 31Unit 2 Interviews 36Chapter 4 COMMUNICATION INSIDE THE FIRM 41Unit 1 Memos. Minutes. 42Unit 2 Reports 47Chapter 5 COMMUNICATION WITH PARTNERS 52Unit 1 Types of Business Letters. Letter of Inquiry and Reply.

Letter of Complaint. Letter of Apology and Settlement.

Orders.

53

Unit 2 Business Meetings 59Chapter 6 PRESENTATIONS 64Unit 1 Planning a Presentation 65Unit 2 Presentations. Intercultural Aspects. 68Chapter 7 NEGOTIATING IN BUSINESS 73Unit 1 Steps of a Negotiation 74

GLOSSARY 78BIBLIOGRAPHY 82

5

Chapter 1

COMMUNICATION

Basic Concepts:

Non-verbal/ oral/ written/ computer communication, business communication,

communication network, professional communication

Objectives:

a. to improve students command of English

b. to help students develop and practice basic skills to enable them to

operate effectively in real life situations

c. to increase students knowledge of business terms

Recommendations:

a. read the texts carefully and try to address the corresponding tasks

b. use the dictionary to improve your vocabulary

c. focus on content and on language use

d. improve your control of grammar and build your vocabulary by

practicing different types of exercises

Expected results:

a. improve students command of English

b. build up speaking and writing skills

c. practice writing for specific purposes

d. encourage the independent study and self-instruction

7

Unit 1

Communicating in Business

Objectives:

a) to increase students knowledge of business forms of communication

b) to provide information about the communication network of an

organization

Basic notions : types of communication, business communication, communication

network

1. Discussion

1. What do you know about the following forms of communication? Where/ when/

how/ by whom are they used?

FORMS OF COMMUNICATION

NON-VERBALORALWRITTENCOMPUTER

2. Read about some forms of communication in business. Can you identify some

other examples?

FORMS OF

COMMUNICATION IN

BUSINESS

INTERNAL

OPERATIONAL: the

communicating done in

conducting work within

a business

i.e.: giving orders,

assembling reports,

writing

memorandums, and

communicating by

computersEXTERNAL

OPERATIONAL: work-

related communication

with people outside the

business

i.e.: personal selling,

telephoning,

advertising, and

letter writing

8

Techn

ology

(com

puter,

fax)

assist

s in

makin

g &

sendi

ng

these

comm

unicat

ions. PERSONAL: non-

business-related

exchanges of information

and feelings among

people.

It may affect worker

attitudes, which, in their

turn, affect worker

performance.

3. Use the information in the table below and describe the communication

network in an organization you know.

COMMUNICATION NETWORK OF

THE ORGANIZATION

The information flow in business can be:

downward/ upward/ horizontalThe communication channels can be:

formal/ informal(adapted from R. Lesikar, J. Petit, M. Flatley 1993: 3-15)

2. Reading

Read about the importance of effective communication in the work place. The

concluding sentence in some paragraphs of the text (1-7) has been removed. Choose

the best sentence from the list below (A-I) to conclude each paragraph. There is one

sentence that you do not need. There is an example at the beginning (0 D ).

9

A We can only discuss them very briefly here, although each of these four is worth an essay

on its own.

B Encouraging a free flow of input from the receiver is the best way of ensuring that

understanding has been achieved.

C The task of the communicator is to change the aspect of "fear" into that of

"understanding".

D They need to realize that successful communication is no one-way process.

E Assimilation of a concept presented by management, or by another worker, goes a long

way towards ensuring active participation, and harmonious cooperation, in the workplace.

F To communicate successfully managers and supervisors have to understand the other

person, and have to work hard to get the other person to understand them.

G However, respect for the other person is an important prerequisite for attention getting.

H The originator of the message must play his part, too, with abundant support and

encouragement.

I Effective communication requires tools and planning.

Communicating Effectively in the Workplace: Four Essential Steps

by Azriel Winnett

Ineffective communication is a major, yet avoidable, obstacle to business

productivity. And yes, it can be avoided. Given the will, the bleakest of situations

can be turned around for the better. Management must face squarely the challenge of

formulating strategies to encourage personnel to communicate effectively. On the

other hand, managers themselves have to set the example. /0 D/

On the contrary, reciprocity is the essence of communication. This applies

whether the process is conducted verbally or through the medium of the written

word. Managers are human beings involved with other human beings. They are far

more than givers of information or instructions. Communication is as much a matter

of human relationships as it is about transmitting facts. /1__/

The vital four steps in effective communication might well help people to

correct this distorted view of the communication process. Some call them the four

A's of communication. /2__/

1

Attention. Winning the attention of the person with whom we wish to

communicate, is an obvious first step. In order to achieve this goal, we must first try

to eliminate - as far as is humanly possible - what experts in this field call "noise".

Real empathy, all the more so important in downward communication from superior

to subordinate, leads quickly to the second step in the process - apprehension. /3__/

Apprehension. Although this word usually carries the connotation of "fear",

its primary meaning is "understanding". We have preferred the term "apprehension"

here primarily to retain the mnemonic of "four A's". Its two meanings, however, are

related; they are two sides of one coin. /4__/

Achieving apprehension is a critical part of the communication process, but it

is a very subtle one also. Managers sometimes defend their inability to communicate

by asking, "Do you understand?" On the other hand, if there is the right relationship

between the transmitter and the receiver of a message, indirect ways of establishing

the degree of understanding will present themselves. /5__/

Assimilation. As crucial as is the function of apprehension (in its positive

sense as we defined it) it is not enough. Often, a person has understood a message

perfectly, but he or she has not accepted it. Alternatively, it is accepted in a half-

hearted manner, without any conviction. Communication is still incomplete if he has

not assimilated the information into his own being. The initiator has achieved an

ideal result if the recipient has assimilated the message to the extent that he becomes

one with the sender, as it were. /6__/

Action. This is the final step in our communication process. It is that

ingredient which propels abstract or theoretical knowledge into the world of reality.

If assimilation has indeed taken place, action on the part of the receiver should

follow inevitably. But what we have said about the two-sided nature of

communication applies here as well. /7__/

(http://www.hodu.com/business-communication.shtml)

3. Vocabulary

Use the following pairs of words correctly in sentences of your own, after you

discuss the differences in meaning.

accede exceed discreet discrete

1

accept except

access excess

allot a lot

born borne

complement compliment

correspondent corespondent

council counsel

defer differ

levee levy

loath loathe

material materiel

moral morale

shear sheer

stationary stationery

waive wave

weather whether (selected from Bove, Thill 1992: 613)

4. Writing

In not more than 200 words, describe the network of communication in an

organization you are familiar with

1

Unit 2

Professional Communication

Objectives:

a. to increase students knowledge of professional communication

b. to provide information about forms of communication in an organization

Basic notions : communication chain/ channels/ network/ skills/ effectiveness/

climate/ technology/ barriers/ crisis

1. Discussion

Identify the types of technology used primarily in internal and external- operational

communication to transmit messages.

2. Reading

Technical communication represents one of the most important elements that

contribute to the success of communication in the business environment. By reading

this fragment from Ten Technical Communication Myths, you will re-consider the

effect of communication technology and the contribution of the specialists in this

domain to the development of a productive communication climate within or outside

an organization. It is not business properly, but you will see that it is indispensable

to the modern business world. Decide whether the following statements (1-7) are

true (T) or false (F).

1. Despite the degree of abstraction or exaggeration that makes myths so fascinating,

there is often a grain of truth but no insight into some fundamental aspects of the

human condition at their heart.

2. The things we usually do in our daily work are strongly influenced by "rules of

thumb".

3. Some modern communicators misinterpret the occasional rule to the point where it

becomes valid for any circumstance it is applied to.

4. There are 14 central myths in modern technical communication.

1

5. It is a rule that audiences are always dynamic.

6. Technical communicators know that documentation is very expensive.

7. A culture can reinvent a myth by recasting it in their own unique context.

Ten Technical Communication Myths

by Geoff Hart

Myths often represent the very human attempt to explain something

important but poorly understood, such as the turning of the seasons, or to provide

cautionary tales to warn listeners against unsanctioned behavior, as in the myths of

Prometheus and Epimetheus. The fascination inspired by myths has kept many alive

across the millennia, but despite the degree of abstraction or exaggeration that makes

them so fascinating, there is often a grain of truth or an insight into some

fundamental aspects of the human condition at their heart. In our current enlightened

age, we fancy that we've grown beyond the need for myths, yet "urban legends"

abound (particularly on the Internet), and many of the things we do in our daily work

are strongly influenced by "rules of thumb" that are, in a very real sense, a form of

myth.

(par. 1)

As any other profession, technical communication has accumulated its share

of mythical rules of thumb, but the good news about our profession's myths is that

they too contain grains of truth and insights into things that are truly important to us.

The bad news is that we've also internalized some of these myths to the point that we

no longer question them and have begun to let them constrain our choices rather than

to help us remember and see the truth. Some communicators even overgeneralize the

occasional rule to the point where it loses its validity and becomes dangerously

misleading.

(par. 2)

So what myths do we live by? In no particular order, this paper presents my

"top 10 list" of what I consider to be the central myths in modern technical

communication. There are undoubtedly others. By acting as devil's advocate,

intentionally presenting these myths in a bad light, I'm hoping that I can persuade

1

you to question these and other rules of thumb that you use daily. When you pay

closer attention to the rules you obey, consciously or otherwise, and question why,

you can start to recognize the disabling aspects of a myth and begin taking steps to

free yourself from those constraints. And here they are:

(par. 3)

Knowledge of Specific Tools Is Vitally Important (1)

Sans Serif Fonts are Always More Legible Online (2)

Audiences are Static (3)

Minimalism Means Keeping Text as Short as Possible (4)

The Optimum Number of Steps in a Procedure is 7 Plus or Minus 2 (5)

You Can Make a Bad Interface Easy to Use Through Superior

Documentation (6)

We Cant Talk to the SMEs (7)

Usability Testing is Prohibitively Expensive and Difficult (8)

Single-sourcing Means Dumping Printed Documents Online (9)

Documentation is a Cost Center (10)

(par. 4)

But myths aren't always invalid. Myths endure because no matter how much

they simplify or exaggerate reality, they are nonetheless based on something truthful,

something important to us, or something that sheds a bright light on an aspect of our

lives. Two of the things that fascinate me most about mythology are just how

universal the themes can be and how creatively each person or culture can be in

reinventing a myth by recasting it in their own unique context. Folklorist Josepha

Sherman has observed that "Myths are attempts to explain the cosmic truths.... All

peoples have the same questions, and so all peoples have the same basic type of

myths."

(par. 5)

Each of the ten myths I've presented in this guest editorial passes this test for

that idiosyncratic group of people known as technical communicators. My hope is

that each of us will find ways to answer those universal questions for ourselves by

seeking out the underlying truths and building on them to create something more

1

useful and fascinating still. By making the myths more relevant to ourselves, we

reinvigorate them and ourselves. One obvious way to do this is to re-examine our

current rules of thumb and see how they can be refined. After all, the thing to

remember about "rules of thumb" is that thumbs bend when necessary.

(par. 6)

(adapted from: http://www.techwr-

l.com/techwhirl/magazine/gettingstarted/tenmyths.html#myth1)

3. Vocabulary

Explain with your own words; if possible, find synonyms for the following:

Paragraph 1: cautionary, unsanctioned, fancy

Paragraph 2: share, insights, overgeneralize, misleading

Paragraph 3: advocate, obey, disabling

Paragraph 4: legible, interface dumping

Paragraph 5: shed, attempt

Paragraph 6: idiosyncratic, invigorate, refine

4. Writing

Learn how to write a correct paragraph!

The paragraph consists of several sentences all related to the same topic. It is a unit

of thought. It involves logical thinking.

The paragraph consists of three basic elements:

Elements RoleTopic sentence It contains the essence of the whole paragraph

(main idea).

It indicates how the subject of the paragraph

will be developed.

It can come first, in the middle, or last,

depending on the writers plan.Related sentences Explain the topic sentence.

They are more specific than the topic sentence,

dealing with some details.Transitional elements: They indicate how paragraphs and ideas are

1

Connecting words (i.e. conjunctions)

Repeated words or phrases

Pronouns

Words that are frequently paired

related.

They make the text coherent.

Methods to develop a

paragraph

illustration - it gives examples that

demonstrate the general ideacomparison or contrast - it presents similarities or

differences among thoughtsdiscussion of cause and

effect

- it focuses on the reasons of

somethingclassification - it indicates the specific

categories of a general ideadiscussion of problem and

solution

- it presents a problem and

debates a possible solution to

that problem(adapted from Bove, Thill 1992: 129)

DO NOT FORGET:

Limit each paragraph to one general idea! Write short paragraphs (100 words or

less)! Leave out unessential details! Your message should contain unified, well

developed, and coherent paragraphs!

1

Unit 3

Types of Communication

Objectives:

a. to increase students knowledge of different types of communication

b. to provide information about the main characteristics of different

communication instances

Basic Notions: varieties, functions, characteristics, verbal/non-verbal

communication, oral/written communication

1. Discussion. Study the table below:

Types of communicationNonverbal verbal

oral written

Varieties

Facial expressions,

eye behaviour,

gestures and

postures, vocal

characteristics,

personal

appearance,

touching behaviour,

use of time and

space

Face-to-face conversation

Phone conversation

Conferences

Presentations

Meetings

Interviews

Training programmes, etc.

Letters

Memos

Minutes

Reports

Functions Supports and

clarifies verbal

communication

It largely has an interactive

function.

It can be: locutionary (say

something), illocutionary

(content), perlocutionary

(intention), constatative/

performative (according to the

informative,

persuasive,

collaborative

(inquiring,

claiming,

ordering,

acknowledging,

1

theory of speech acts).

It can be: representative

(statements); directive (order,

request, advice); promising

(promise, offer, inviting);

expressive (congratulating,

thanking); declarative

(appointment, declaration).

accepting,

refusing, etc.)

Main

characteristi

cs

Less-structured, not

learned,

spontaneous, it

often occurs

unconsciously

Easy, spontaneous, efficient,

quicker, more convenient than

written communication, it

facilitates feedback.

planned,

controlled,

organized

It is more likely

to involve

creative effort.

Importan

ce

More reliable and

more efficient than

verbal

communication

- In job interviews

- In speech delivery

It maximizes collaboration.

It saves time and provides

opportunities for social

interaction.

It increases the

senders control

but makes

immediate

feedback

impossible.(adapted from C. L. Bove, J. V. Thill, Business Communication Today, New York: Mc Graw Hill

Inc., 1992)

2. Writing. Answer in two paragraphs: Is written communication or spoken

communication more susceptible to be misunderstood and misinterpreted?

Summary

This chapter contains information about communication in general and

business communication in particular. Different forms of communication were

presented within the context of professional communication.

Test Your Knowledge

1

Take into account the following positions: company president, chief

accountant, supervisor, business consultant, and worker. To what extent is the

ability to communicate important to the successful performance of each of

them? Address the question to some other jobs you consider worth

discussing.

How much personal communication should be permitted in a business

organization?

Think of an organization you are familiar with and make a list of the means

used for downward communication (i.e. methods used by top executives to

inform individuals about the organization itself, organization policies,

employee or member responsibilities, etc.). Compare your list with another,

made by one of your colleagues. Which of the systems described is better?

How could the organization improve its downward communication?

Think of a communication experience you have had recently. Describe it

taking into account the main elements communication involves (sender,

receiver, the message, the transmission channel, feedback, any possible

barriers which affected the communication process).

Bibliography

Bove, Courtland L, Thill, John V., Business Communication

Today, McGraw-Hill, Inc., New York, etc., 1992.

Brieger, N, S. Sweeney. The Language of Business English.

Grammar and Functions, Prentice Hall, New York,

1994.

Irimias, Eugenia. Business Communication Topics, Editura

Fundaiei pentru Studii Europene, Cluj-Napoca, 2006.

Lesikar, R., J. Petit, M. Flatley. Basic Business

Communication, IRWIN, Illinois, 1993.

Chapter 2

2

COMMUNICATION STYLES

Basic Concepts:

formal/informal style, simplicity, coherence, cohesion

Objectives:


b. help students develop and practice basic skills to enable them to


c. increase students knowledge of business terms

Recommendations:






Expected results:





2

Unit 1

Effective Communication

Objectives:

a. to teach students how to compose an accurate, clear and concise message

b. to provide information about style, audience and the sender of the

message

Basic notions : style, register, formality, audience, effective listening

1. Discussion

1.1. There always exists a company style you should be prepared to adjust to as an

employee. Think of a company whose employee you would like to become. What do

you know about that companys style? Could you subordinate your own style to that

of the company you chose?

1.2. When delivering speeches and presentations you have to decide on the style you

will use casual or formal. Identify some particular events and topics, decide upon

the appropriate style and give your reasons for the choice youve made.

2. Reading

Read the following text about style in business communication and point out the

main ideas.

Have you got style?

Most people connect the word style with fashion, particularly with clothes. In

a sense, language too is either "dressed up" or "dressed down", depending on the

situation you are in or who you are talking to. Style covers a variety of subjects but

two aspects of style which are vitally important in business communication are

formality and diplomacy. (1)

2

Formality. English is different from many other languages in that its spoken

form differs considerably from its written form. Naturally, written English tends to

be more formal. Spoken English contains a great many contractions such as "it's",

meaning "it is" or "it has", "I've", meaning "I have", "he's", meaning "he is" or "he

has", "we'd", meaning "we would" or "we had". These contractions, used widely in

conversation, are not used in written English (except, perhaps, in informal friendly

letters). They would not be used in a formal letter or report. (2)

Another aspect of formality which is important in report writing, for example,

is the use of the passive voice. If you were giving advice in spoken English, for

example, you would probably use an "active" sentence, such as "If I were you, I'd

relocate the factory." This type of sentence would not be used in a business letter or

report. The sentence would probably read: "It is recommended that the factory be

relocated." (3)

Diplomacy. In addition to formal written style, English also has a unique

diplomatic spoken style. Native speakers often try not to sound too direct. Examples

of this tactful style include using I'd like instead of I want. Another example is

"Perhaps we should now consider..." rather than "Now, it's time to consider...". (4)

Native speakers also try to avoid giving an unnecessarily negative

impression. For example, instead of saying "That is impossible" they say "That is not

very likely". Notice the use of would which gives a more tentative sound to a

statement or question. For example, "That is too expensive" can become "That would

be rather expensive". Statements are usually softened by qualifiers such as rather,

somewhat, quite, some, etc. (5)

Modifying your language in this way can be a useful tactic in business

dealings when you are trying to establish a pleasant cooperative atmosphere,

particularly with people of other cultural backgrounds. In many business meetings

and negotiations such diplomatic use of the English language can be a very positive

aid to avoiding direct confrontation with your counterparts and a useful tactic. (6)

Non-native speakers whose own language is far more direct may find it odd

to use such diplomatic language. However, they should at least be aware of its

existence, especially if they are doing business with native speakers of English. (7)

(http://www.linguarama.com/ps/294-6.htm)

2

3. Writing

Does audience represent a problem for you? Explain.

A

U

D

I

E

N

C

E

Profile needs (information, motivational, practical)

take into account:

Audiences size and

composition (Who?)

Reaction (How? Why?)

Level of understanding

(How much?)

Relationship with the sender

of information (What type?)

a. Make the difference: what do they want/ need

to know?

Anticipate possible questions.

Mind the quality of information (accuracy,

logic, importance, specificity)

b. Try to win the audience to your point of view

(agreement).

c. Current problems audience may face: lack of

time, distraction, and problem priority.

Overcome them by: a convenient format of your

message, use devices that make the message

easy to understand (summaries, overviews,

headings, lists, appendixes, handouts, charts,

graphs, etc.)

2

Unit 2

Avoiding Discrimination in Communication

Objectives:

a. to provide information about forms of discrimination in communication

b. to make students avoid discriminatory writing

Basic notions : language discrimination, ethics, discriminatory writing

1 1 Discussion

Read and comment the table above. Can communication be discriminatory in certain

situations? Explain.

Possible situations in which

discrimination by

communication occurs

a. the interview for a job (discriminatory questions)b. giving/ checking references for a postc. employment testingd. others

2. Reading

Read and discuss the table below:

TIPS FOR AVOIDING DISCRIMINATORY WRITING

Tips Suggestions ExamplesDo not use

masculine pronouns

for both sexes.

a. rephrase the sentence

b. make the reference plural

c. substitute neutral expressions

(he or she, he/she, you, one,

a. When a client needs

assistance, it is his right to

get it. = A client who needs

assistance has the right to get

it.

b. When clients need

assistance, they have the

right to get it.

c. When assistance is needed,

one has the right to ask for it.

2

person)Avoid words

derived from

masculine words.

Replace these words. Man-made manufactured

Congressman

representative, member of

the Congress

Businessman business

executiveAvoid words

indicating minorities

in a stereotyped

way.

Take care to the effects of your

words!

Italians are Mafia members

Wrong!

Blacks can do only menial

jobs Wrong!

the ghetto areas of the

city - Wrong!Avoid words that

indicate age.

Carefully judge the use of such

terms.

e.g. mature, elderly, juvenile

etc.Avoid words that

describe disabilities.

Find nonbiased vocabulary to

replace such words.

Deaf and dumb = hearing and

speech disabled(adapted from Lesikar, Petit, Flatley 1993: 38)

3. Vocabulary

In each of the following (groups of) sentences (1-7), there are four underlined parts,

A, B, C, and D. For each sentence, find the underlined part, A, B, C or D, that makes

the sentence incorrect. There is always one possible answer.

What is language discrimination?

1. Language discrimination (A) means to treat someone differently solely (B)

because of his or her native language (C) or other characteristics (D) of speech.

2. (A) On the job, for example, an employee (B) may be subjected to language

discrimination if the workplace has a "speak-English-only" policy, (C) especially if

her (D) primar language is not English.

3. An employee (A) may also be the victim of language discrimination if she is

treated (B) less favorable than other employees because she speaks English (C) with

2

an accent, or if she is told she does not (D) qualify for a position because she does

not speak English well enough.

4. But (A) language discrimination doesn't only happen (B) in the job. For example,

a person may be denied (C) access to businesses or government services because (D)

he or she does not speak English.

5. The (A) question rises: Is language discrimination illegal? Although the (B) law

in this area is still developing, there are many court (C) decisions which have found

language discrimination (D) to be a violation of people's constitutional rights and

civil rights laws.

6. Some courts have found language discrimination to be (A) the same like

discrimination (B) based on race or national origin. (C) As early as 1926, the United

States Supreme Court ruled that a requirement that accounting (D) records be kept in

English or local dialects but not Chinese, violated the Constitution (Yu Cong Eng v.

Trinidad).

7. In 1974, the Supreme Court ruled that (A) failing to provide bilingual instruction

for public school students who did not speak English effectively (B) denied them

equal access to educational opportunities, and thus constituted national origin (C)

discrimination under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, (Lau v. Nichols). And,

as recently as 1991, the court ruled that (D) in some cases, language-based

discrimination should be treated as race discrimination (Hernandez v. New York).

(http://www.aclunc.org/language/lang-report.html)

4. Writing

Complain to the local newspaper that your firm has been discriminated by a

previous article that appeared in the same newspaper a week ago. That article

contained distorted data about your organization. You wonder whos to blame but

do not accuse your competitors.

Summary

This chapter contains information about the different styles that may be used

while communicating in business, the importance of the audience and the language

discrimination that should be avoided in professional messages.

2

Test Your Knowledge

Style is important in establishing a successful relation sender-audience. Do

you agree or disagree with that?

Is distorted information a source and a tool of discrimination in

communication?

How would you explain the concept of discrimination, generally, and

language discrimination, in particular?

Name some ethical dilemmas in business communication; choose one and

describe it in detail (source, elements, characteristics, ways of preventing it,

etc.)

Can a business report be discriminatory? Give examples.

In not more than 200 words make the profile of the ideal audience; consider a

particular occasion (conference, presentation, trade fair, negotiation, etc.).

Bibliography







Chapter 3

COMMUNICATION AND RECRUITMENT

Basic Concepts:

2

recruitment, interview, job application, communication skills

Objectives:





Recommendations:






Expected results:





2

Unit 1

Writing Employment Documents

Objectives:

1 1 to provide essential information about the recruitment activity

1 1 to make students aware of the skills they need when applying for a job

1 1 to improve writing skills

Basic notions : job search, application/cover letter, credibility, opportunity,

communication skills

1. Discussion

Consider the steps you have to take, the activities you should perform and the skills

you may be required in applying for a job. Do you have suggestions of your own to

improve the table below?

Essential use of communication in recruitment activity

steps activities skills requiredthe job

search

- analyze your work skills and

qualifications

- list your best prospects for

employment (build a network

of contacts)

- develop a strategy for selling

yourself

- analytical and synthetic judgment

- assessment ability

- creative thinking

the

interview

- apply for an interview

- attend the interview

1. Skills for the position you apply for:

3

- functional skills (leadership, speaking

ability,

- education and experience

- personal characteristics (i.e. outgoing,

articulate, great with people, aggressive,

)

2. Skills for the interview and the

written documents you have to produce

- speaking and writing skills

- use correct business vocabulary

- use correct grammar

- .

the job

applicatio

n

- write your CV (resume)

- write the application letter

(cover letter)

2. Reading

Read the following letter. Discuss its content (logical sequence of ideas, accuracy,

tone, style, layout, etc.). Notice what are the points the applicant is making.

3303 West Valley Cove

Round Rock, Texas 78664

August 5, 1990

Personnel Assistant

JD Employee Credit Bank of Texas

P.O. Box 32345

Austin, Texas 78745

Dear Personnel Assistant:

I am writing about your newspaper ad in the August 1 Austin-American Statesman

concerning your need for an experienced programmer in the database environment. I

believe that I have the qualifications and experience that you are looking for.

3

As for my experience with database programming, I have worked for the past year as

a programmer/analyst in the Query database environment for Advanced Software

Design. In that capacity, I have converted a large database that was originally written

in a customized C language database into the Query database environment. I am

currently working on a contract with Texas Parks and Wildlife to make major

modifications to its existing Query database application. On both of these

assignments, I have also served as customer contact person.

Related to this database-programming experience is the work I have been doing to

write and market an automated documentation utility for Query database

applications. This product was written using a combination of C, Pascal, and Query

programming languages. I was responsible for the authorship of the Pascal and

Query programs. The Pascal programs are completely responsible for the user

interface and system integration management.

Enclosed you will find a resume, which will give you additional information on my

background and qualifications. I would welcome a chance to talk further with you

about the position you are seeking to fill. I can be reached by phone between 9:00

a.m. and 6:00 p.m. at (512) 545-0098.

Sincerely,

Virginia Rementeria

Encl.: resume

( http://www.io.com/~hcexres/tcm1603/acchtml/applex2.html

3. Vocabulary

Use the word given in capitals at the end of each gapped line (1-10) to derive a word

that fits in the space.

3

Job fairs, like interviews, are face-to-face meetings

between 1__ and employers. They are one of the easiest

places to find good job leads. Every employer 2__ is

there to hire one or more workers. At a fair, jobseekers

gather 3__ about a company to help them decide if they

want to apply for a job. 4__ staff booths and answer

questions, distribute brochures, accept resumes, and size

up jobseekers. Making a good 5__ at a job fair may give

your resume or 6__ added weight. The 7__ tips can help

you make the most of any fair. But you have to find the

fair. Career centers, associations, State and local 8__,

and private companies organize job fairs. Find the fairs

in your area by looking 9__ they might be announced.

Ask a career counselor, review the business bulletin

board at your school or local library, check the

employment section of the newspaper, and search online

via an Internet job fair 10__. You know that before

attending a fair, you should prepare a resume. Bring

several copies to the fair. Leave at least one with every

company that seems promising.

SEEK

ATTEND

INFORM

RECRUIT

IMPRESS

APPLY

FOLLOW

GOVERN

WHERE

LOCATE

(http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/cic_text/employ/employ-interview/emp.txt)

4. Writing

Read the following useful phrases in an application letter and use some of them to

apply for the position of a financial adviser in a multinational:

Getting attention:

Highlight your strongest work skills: When you need a who can call

me.

Mention the name of a person highly regarded by the reader: When X of your

division spoke to our business communication class last week, he said you

need.

3

Make reference to publicized company activities or achievements: The

Financial Times reports that you may need the expertise of a ..for the

opening of your new division in Germany.

Use a question referring to the organizations needs: Can your R&D division

use a specialist in with nine - year experience in the field, a BA in

chemistry and a real desire to succeed? If so, please consider me for the

position.

Stating the reason for writing:

I am applying for theposition advertised by your firm in..

I am seeking a position in.

Subject: Application for position (you may use a title at the opening of your letter)

Expressing motivation and expectations:

If my application were successful, I should like to

I wish to become involved in // I feel strongly that

Giving evidence of work experience:

I feel I am well qualified to for the following reasons:

As a who has, my experience would be invaluable in

My particular interest is

Through I am well aware of

By ing and ing I would be able to

Ways of ending a letter of application:

I have no urgent commitments at present.

After you have reviewed my qualifications, could we discuss the possibility of

putting my skills to work for your company?

I am available; should you wish to discuss matters further, please contact me at

I would welcome the opportunity to meet you.

You can contact me on (your telephone number) between 11 am and 6 pm at the

above address.

Expressing application follow-ups:

Please keep my application in your active file, and let me know when you need a

skilled// Please keep my application in your active file, and let me know when a

position opens for a capable.

3

Unit 2

Interviews

Objectives:

a. to prepare students to attend a job interview

b. to develop communication skills that may be used during job interviews

c. to provide information about what employers look for

Basic notions : job interview, employment interviewing, opportunity, jobseeker,

employer

1. Discussion

What types of interview do you know?

2. Reading

Read the article about employment interviewing. Choose the best sentence from the

list below (A-K) to fill each gap (1-9). There is one sentence that you do not need.

There is an example at the beginning (0 C).

A Employers say they are impressed by well-informed jobseekers.

B Another important step in preparing for a job interview is to practice describing

your professional characteristics.

C But it doesn't have to be.

D Responding to interview questions should not sound as if you are reciting a

script.

E Although these interviews often have different purposes, they all require basic

interviewing skills.

F As a starting point, try to respond aloud to the following:

G Preparation can be as important as the interview itself.

H Focus on what you learned from the experience, being careful never to criticize

a previous employer or coworker.

I The company itself is often the easiest place to start your search.

3

J When responding, focus on subjects related to the job.

K Clothes should be clean, well fitting, and wrinkle free.

Employment Interviewing. Seizing the Opportunity and the Job

by Olivia Crosby

Interviewing is the most stressful part of the job search for many people. /0 C/

Interviews are an opportunity to show you are an enthusiastic worker who would do

a job well. You can make the most of that opportunity by being prepared, presenting

a professional demeanor, and describing your qualifications well.

There are many types of interviews: screening interviews, designed to whittle

the applicant pool; longer second and third interviews, intended to help employers

make final selections; and telephone and video conferencing interviews, arranged to

capitalize on available technology. /1/ Read on for advice about what to do before,

during, and after a job interview.

Preparation. Career counselors say a good job interview starts well before

the jobseeker and interviewer meet. /2/ Researching, practicing, and dressing

appropriately are the first steps to making the most of a job interview.

Research. One of the best, but most frequently overlooked, ways to

demonstrate enthusiasm for a job is to research both the company and the position

for which you are being interviewed. /3/ Before arriving for an interview, you should

know what the company does, how large it is, any recent changes it has undergone,

and what role you could play in its organization. Try to learn about the company's

goals and values. With these facts, you can show how your qualifications match the

company's needs.

/4/ Many businesses fill their websites with information tailored to

jobseekers. These sites often include a history of the company and a description of its

products and customers. And many companies' human resources departments will

send recruiting information if you request it.

Public libraries and career centers also have valuable information about

employers, including companies' annual reports to shareholders, reports kept by local

chambers of commerce, trade journals, and business indexes, such as Hoover's

Business Index and Dun and Bradstreet.

3

Practice describing yourself. /5/ Think of examples from past jobs,

schoolwork, and activities to illustrate important skills. Recalling accomplishments

beforehand, when you don't have to respond under interview pressure, will

strengthen your answers during the actual event.

Every interview will be different, and there may always be surprising

questions. Nevertheless, interviewers suggest rehearsing with a career counselor or

friend to gain confidence and poise. /6/

* How would you describe yourself?

* What did you like most about your last job?

* What types of courses do you enjoy most?

* Why should I select you over other applicants?

* What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?

* What are your hobbies?

* Tell me more about the project you described on your resume.

* Describe a work or school-related problem and how you solved it.

* Tell me about a time you worked as part of a team.

* What are your short-term goals?

* Why do you want to work in this occupation and for this company?

Each question gives you an opportunity to illustrate your favorable

characteristics. /7/ For example, if asked to describe yourself, talk about your

professional characteristics and background, not your personal life.

Some questions such as those about hobbies or interests may seem

irrelevant. Interviewers ask these types of questions to learn about your personality

and test your interpersonal skills. In addition, answering questions about your

hobbies or interests allows you to highlight some of your other strengths.

Participating in a sport might demonstrate teamwork; ability in a craft, such as

needlepoint, shows an attention to detail.

Career centers and libraries have many books with additional questions and

possible answers. The goal is not to memorize responses to these questions but to

become comfortable speaking about yourself, your training and experience, and your

career goals. /8/

3

Whatever the question, be ready to accentuate the positive. The interviewer

might ask for a weakness or failure; choose one that does not affect your ability to do

the job, or describe a shortcoming you are working to overcome. For example, if

interviewing for an entry-level job, cite your lack of paid experience. If there are

weaknesses evident on your resume; or transcript, such as being fired from a job or

receiving poor grades, rehearse an explanation before the interview in case you are

asked about them. /9/

Interviewers suggest rehearsing with a career counselor or friend to gain

confidence and poise. The goal is to become comfortable speaking about yourself,

your training and experience, and your career goals.

(http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/cic_text/employ/employ-interview/emp.txt)

3. Writing

Select a job advertisement from the local newspaper and write the following letters:

a job inquiry letter

a thank-you letter for the interview

a request for more time to decide

a letter of acceptance

a letter declining the job offer

Summary

This chapter contains information about the recruitment activity: how to

prepare for a job interview, how to write an application letter and how to detect the

skills you need when applying for a job.

Test Your Knowledge

1. Look in the local newspaper for a job advertisement or compose the advertisement

for an imaginary post you would like to apply for.

2. Write the corresponding letter of application.

3. Write a letter to follow up a job application using the information below:

3

A month ago you applied for the position of.with.(the name and the

address of the company) sending an application letter and your CV to, the

director of personnel. Since you have ten-year experience in ..industry and a

good academic record, you are very confident in your chance to get the position.

Unfortunately, you havent got any reply yet, so you decide to write a follow-up

letter to show your interest in the position.

Consider the following points in your letter:

You dont know what has happened with your resume and application letter you sent

them a month ago

Since you wrote, you.

You have submitted applications to several other firms but would prefer to work

at..

Write a follow-up letter tothat will reinforce your application with

Bibliography

Bove, Courtland L, Thill, John V., Business Communication Today,

McGraw-Hill, Inc., New York, etc., 1992.

Brieger, N, S. Sweeney. The Language of Business English. Grammar

and Functions, Prentice Hall, New York, 1994.

Irimias, Eugenia. Business Communication Topics, Editura Fundaiei

pentru Studii Europene, Cluj-Napoca, 2006.

Lesikar, R., J. Petit, M. Flatley. Basic Business Communication, IRWIN,

Illinois, 1993.

3

Chapter 4

COMMUNICATION INSIDE THE FIRM

Basic Concepts:

memos, minutes, reports, plannig, structure, conciseness

Objectives:





Recommendations:






Expected results:





4

Unit 1

Memos. Minutes

Objectives:

11 to increase students knowledge of different forms of communication

inside the firm

11 to provide information about the structure and composition of the memos

and minutes as valuable documents that help effective activity within an

organization

Basic notions : business communication, communication network, memos, minutes,

plan, composition, revision

1. Discussion

What is a memo? When and where is it used?

Are you familiar with the structure of the minutes? Why is the minutes

necessary?

2. Reading

2. 1. MEMO LAYOUT

The memo is usually used for the routine, day-to-day exchange of information within

a company.

A typical memo contains:

Date:

To:

From:

Subject:

Many organizations have memo forms printed and contain the 4 pieces of

information (arranged in almost any order, as long as they are present).

4

The characteristics of a memo are:

The subject line must be short but still informative.

The memo often has internal headings.

Qualities of a good memo: clarity, careful arrangement, neatness; to help

recipients understand at a glance what they have received and from whom.

Sometimes memos are addressed to groups of people: All Sales Rep,

Production Group, Assistant Vice Presidents, etc.

A memo does not require a complimentary close or a signature.

Read the following memo reporting an accident, addressed to an insurance company

in order to obtain money to repair the damaged car.

Is the memo adequately written? Would you have any suggestions for its

improvement?

Date: 1 May 2003

To: ARDAF Insurance Reinsurance Company

From: Tom Smith

Subject: Car accident

On 23 April 2003 I was driving the motor lorry with the registration number CX 473,

with the semi trailer YZ 209 from York to Manchester on the M 45. I was driving

according to regulations on the left lane.

At Junction 7 on the motorway I was outran on the left side by a green vehicle whose

registration number I was unable to see. After getting in front of my lorry, the driver

lost control of the wheel, crossing transversely the three lanes on the right, hitting the

right parapet, being thrown back and hitting the back of the trailer, the right corner of

the bumper.

4

We waited for the police to come and they asked for all documents and the amount

of $ 300. They took the green card and they didnt want to return it saying that this

was the procedure.

I put down the address of the police officer who took my green card.

I do not consider myself guilty for the accident as I was driving according to

regulations. The car had an excessive speed, the driver losing control of the wheel

2. 2 MINUTES

MINUTES LAYOUT

SUBJECT:

DATE:

PRESENT: (attendees are listed, generally by rank, in alphabetical order, or in

some combination)

ABSENT:

THE BODY OF THE MINUTES

includes all major decisions reached at the meeting, all assignments of tasks

to meeting participants, all subjects that were deferred to a later meeting

it objectively summarizes important discussions and the names of those who

contributed major points

additional documentation may be added, if necessary (i.e. tables, charts,

reports, etc.

CLOSE

ending formula: Submitted by (signature of the person who took the minutes,

followed by the typed name and position of the person); the typist initials should be

added if someone else typed the minutes.

3. Vocabulary

4

3. 1. Re-read the memo above and find antonyms for outrun, lose control, guilty,

excessive.

3. 2. In each of the following paragraphs (1-3) there are four underlined parts, A, B,

C, and D. For each sentence, find the underlined part, A, B, C, or D, that makes the

sentence incorrect. There is always one possible answer.

Writing meeting minutes

1. It is estimated that (A) up to 70% of small and medium size corporations in the

United States are not (B) in compliance to their State or Federal Requirements. They

do not document their corporation meetings with minutes, (C) have them recorded,

signed, and installed in their corporation record's book. One of the main reasons is

that their meeting minutes are incomplete and improperly recorded (D) due to the

lack of appropriate systems and tools to accurately record meeting minutes.

2. EasyScript/ComputerScript was introduced (A) to writing and typing faster, easier,

and more efficiently than any method (B) you have ever used. This revolutionary

way to learn speed writing and typing will enable you to take meeting minutes

quickly and accurately. (C) It doesn't take long to learn, just a few hours, and you (D)

can become effective taking meeting minutes and more comfortable with this work

assignment.

3. Real-time captioning and speech-to-text systems provide an accurate transcription

of words (A) for they are spoken into text. These systems (B) are mainly used in the

courtrooms and for deaf and hard of hearing individuals to provide real time

translation from speech to text and a written record that (C) can be reviewed later.

Currently, two major options (D) are available to provide real-time captioning and

speech-to-text processing.

4. Writing

4. 1. Consider the following situation:

4

You are a supervisor interested in your employeesopinion about the quality of food

at the canteen. You give them a questionnaire and ask them to respond to the

questions. (2 par.)

You request action: you make some suggestions for improving the service activity at

the canteen and ask your employees to vote for them. (1 par.)

You end the memo like that: Please feel free to make additional signed or unsigned

comments at the bottom of this memo. Return your completed questionnaire by

Friday.

Your task is to write the memo, following the suggestions above.

4. 2. Prepare the formal minutes of a meeting you have attended. Present it to your

colleagues.

4

Unit 2

Reports

Objectives:

a. to increase students knowledge of different types of reports used in

business

b. to provide information about report planning and composition

Basic notions : business reports, primary/secondary sources, factual information

1. Discussion

A business report is an orderly and objective communication of factual

information that serves a business purpose.

Prerequisites of a good report:

Carefully prepared

Unbiased approach

Based on real events, objective records and accurate data

Useful for the organization

Comment upon the information above.

2. Reading

2. 1. Here are some tips for writing a report:

consider the audience before beginning and while writing the report

describe facts or events in concrete terms

be clear and concise

report all the relevant facts

put the facts in perspective

give plenty of evidence for your conclusions

present only valid evidence and supportable conclusions

keep your personal biases in check

4

Choose one of them and discuss the advantages of using it and the disadvantages of

ignoring it. Work in groups.

2. 2. Generally, a report should contain:

A. title page: the report title, the name of the person/ company/ organization for

whom the report has been prepared, the name of the author, the date the report was

completed, (contract number, a security classification, i.e. CONFIDENTIAL);

include keywords in your title but omit words and phrases such as A study on,

An investigation of

e.g.: Using personal computers in PR department

Submitted to

Mr. Tom Smith

Chief Executive Officer

AMRO Bank

13 July 2003

by

Anna Thomson

PR director

B. abstract: the representation of the contents, in an abbreviated form; in a paragraph

of about 150 words, you should introduce your subject matter, tell what was done

and present selected results. The parts of the abstract are: BASIC ELEMENTS,

research problem, body, results and conclusion.

C. table of contents: contains each major section of the report.

D. introduction: your hypothesis, an explanation of your idea, your expectations//

introduces the purpose, scope (outlines the method of investigation), and background

of the research (facts that the reader must know in order to understand the

discussion)

4

E. body: it includes details, data, results of tests, facts, conclusions (it may consist of:

a. experiment: describe the method you used to collect your data and observations; b.

discussion: analyze the results; c. conclusion: summarize your results)

F. recommendations

G. acknowledgements: you should give credit to all who assisted you

H. references: the list includes any documentation that is not your own (books,

articles)

(adapted from Bove, Thill 1992: part five Reports and Proposals)

3. Vocabulary

DESCRIBING TRENDS

Trends are changes or movements. There are three basic trends: ascending,

horizontal, descending, each expressed by several verbs and nouns, as you can read

in the following table:

Trends Transitive verbs Intransitive

verbs

Nouns

increase increase increaseraise rise riseput/push/step up go/be up

grow growthextend extend extensionexpand expand expansion

boom boom

keep/ hold stable/

constant

remain stable stability

maintain (at the

same level)

stay constant

decrease decrease decreasefall fall

drop drop dropput/ push down go/ be down

decline declinecut cutreduce reduction

collapse collapse (dramatic fall)slump slump (dramatic fall)

4

4. Writing

You are the manager of a large high-tech retail store and you are concerned about

customers complaints of late deliveries of computers purchased. You want to know

the cause of the delays. Consequently, in a memo, you ask your assistant to write a

short report about this problem. Write the memo.

You are the managers assistant in the case above. Write the short report.

Summary

This chapter contains information about memos, minutes and reports as

useful tools in business communication. Details about their structure and layout are

given, as well as useful terms that may be included in the specific intended message.

Test Your Knowledge

a. Write a report about the consequence of introducing 20 new buses (bought from

Icarus) on the already existing routes of your transport agency. Mention the fact that

you had to hire new personnel (15 bus-drivers) and to train them. Link this project to

your future plans of expanding your business.

b. Write a report about the meeting between three bank officials and two groups of

students, requiring capital for their business. The first group wants to open a small

shop selling CDs. They have much knowledge in the field but they dont have

experience at all in business. The second group operates part-time computing

consultancy for two years already but they still have to improve their market

strategy. Give arguments for the choice of the three bank officials.

c. You are John McGuiver, the manager of the loan department of a commercial

Bank. Write a report to the Board in which you highly recommend Mr. Clark

Nicholson as a potential client of the bank. Highlight his qualities as a businessman

and mention some of his profitable businesses. Suggest that the bank committee may

4

trust him in offering a loan of $ 200, 000 for a new business he wants to start (The

National Gazette, a financial magazine).

d. Write short reports on the following topics:

1. What can your company do to improve the quality of its product or service?

2. Investigate the problem of unemployment in your town/city and recommend ways

to decrease it.

3. Advise your company on the advantages and disadvantages of hiring students from

the local university.

4. Report to your company on the ethics and effectiveness of subliminal advertising.

Bibliography







5

Chapter 5

COMMUNICATION WITH PARTNERS

Basic Concepts:

block style, letter layout, style, business correspondence, meetings, planning and

steps of a meeting

Objectives:





Recommendations:






Expected results:





5

Unit 1

Types of Business Letters

Objectives:

c) to increase students knowledge of different types of business letters

d) to provide information about the letter layout and structure in business

correspondence

Basic notions : block style, letter layout, style, business correspondence

1. Discussion

What function do letters perform in society/ in business?

What do the style and tone of a letter depend on?

2. Reading

2. 1. Business letters usually use the BLOCK STYLE. This means:

the addressees name and address are at the top ON THE LEFT

the date: usually, on the right

no punctuation in the address or after the salutation

the paragraphs start at the margin, with double space between them

the writers name and title are under the signature

Letter layout

The logo of the firm

The senders address

The recipients address Your ref:

Our ref:

The date

The salutation (Dear Sir/ Sirs/ Madam/ Mr. Thomson/ Mrs/ Miss/ Ms/ Kate)

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Heading (it says what the letter is about)

The body of the letter

Introduction: it says why you are writing

The main message: details

The close: it usually mentions a future, planned activity

The ending of the letter

Closing formula

The signature

The name (typed)

Keep in mind

Ref. = references: names (initials of the author/ typist of the letter)

Common introduction formulae: I am writing in connection with/ I have

received your letter ofconcerning

Ending formulae: I look forward to receiving your / Looking forward to

hearing from you

Closing the letter: Yours faithfully/ Yours sincerely/ Sincerely

2. 2. Read the following letter of inquiry and identify its main parts:

Dear Sir

We are a multinational corporation established in 2000 by the merger of two of the

biggest organizations in car industry and we have been operating in your country for

2 years, since 2001.

We are most interested in developing secondary industry in this area. One of our

projects is to establish a car-components industry and we wonder if you could help

us to find a suitable partner.

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The sort of company we have in mind is a large-scale manufacturer of wheels and

accessories, with international marketing experience and a strong technical staff.

We would be most grateful if you could recommend a Romanian company, which

fits this description.

Yours faithfully

Signature

Tom Smith

Director

2. 3. The reply to a letter of complaint: some tips for keeping the business running, in

spite of complaints, apologies, problems of any kind.

respond quickly; the correspondent needs to know the complaint has been

received and is being dealt with

acknowledge and apologize

give your version of the facts

explain what action is being taken

concede a point if possible

sympathize and reassure your correspondent

In answering complaints you may refer at three distinct situations: 1. making

concessions, 2. disclaiming possibility and 3. apologizing and excusing. Read the

three lists with expressions used in such situations and attach a suitable heading (1-

3) to each of them:

A.

We are sorry to hear/// We were distressed to learn/ hear about/// We must

apologize for the delay in returning/ replying/ forwarding./// The delay was due to

the fact that/ the result of./// I would like to explain the situation.

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B.

In the normal way we would have been obliged to/// However, in view of the

circumstances/// Under the circumstances we are prepared to/ can.

C.

We regret that in no way can we be held responsible for/// We would like to

emphasize that it is your responsibility to./// Now that you know the full facts

perhaps you/// Now that you understand the situation perhaps you/// We are

bound by the terms of our contract./// If you check, you will find that the guarantee

states.

3. Vocabulary

3. 1. Read some useful phrases you may use in a letter of inquiry:

Introducing yourself:

Your company has been recommended to us by

We have heard of your firm

We are particularly interested in

We are most interested in/ increasing/ developing/ extending

Your name has been given to us as one of the most important manufacturers in

Europe.

What we have in mind is

Making the request:

You will appreciate that We need Would you consider supplying us with?

If you could send/ give we would be most grateful.

Could you please let me/ us have

You will appreciate that we require/ need

We would like your comments/ thoughts on the possibility of opening/ becoming/

entering/ sharing/

What we require is// What we need is // We would like you to

Offering further information:

We will be only too happy to supply you with/ let you have more details.

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Please do not hesitate to contact us if you require/ need further information.

Offering an alternative: However, we are interested in

Expressing interest/ regret: We could possiblybut we regret that

Ending the letter

We look forward to hearing from you/ meeting you/ seeing you

We would be most grateful if you could help/ advise/ send/ give us

3.2. In the following list, you will find some useful phrases for a letter of complaint;

some belong to mild complaints (1), others to strong complaints (2), some suggest

warning (3), while others make a point (4). Place each expression under its

appropriate heading 1, 2, 3, or 4.

I am writing to complain about

I am sure you will appreciate the annoyance

I look forward to hearing your comments// to receiving your cheque

Unfortunately, we/I have not received We would be grateful if you could

I should like to point out

Unless. we will be forced to

It is now ten weeks since we I should like to point out that we We really must

insist that

Unless we hear from you

If you not, we will.

I should like to draw your attention to (the fact that)

Unfortunately, you forgot. Please, could you

I hope that is not necessary to remind you that

I regret// Unfortunately// I am afraid

I have had nothing but trouble.//it is still unserviceable.// I am not prepared to

I am now left with no alternative but to..

You leave me no option but to

I am forced to/ obliged to.

1. Mild

complaint

2. Strong complaint 3. Warning 4. Making a

point

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3. 3. Read the following letter and fill in the blanks with the missing words. You will

find the vocabulary items at the end of each paragraph.

Dear Mr. X

We were most 1. to receive your letter of 1 September 2003 and have given it

careful 2. . Please accept our 3. for the delay in replying. I must explain that Mr.

B was suddenly taken ill and your letter was 4. put on one side. I have been asked

to take over where he left off.

Apologies, accidentally, consideration, concerned

On re-considering the 5. we do realize that you were 6. . in a difficult position.

We appreciate that you felt it would have been 7. to expect you to stick to the fine

print on the contract. Therefore we are happy to 8 our cheque for $ 10, 000. We

would not like you to think however, that we 9. produce unsafe sewing machines.

On checking with the main agents of Toronto they confirm that the assembling

disfunctions could not have been discovered without 6 months use and careful

examination which, I have to remind you, was not possible since you ordered the

machines in a shorter period of time. You have our 10. that the misfortunes of the

production process will disappear. We hope that in spite of these problems, you still

will consider us your main deliverer.

Negligently, unreasonable, assurance, circumstances, enclose, placed

4. Writing

4. 1. You are the system chief engineer of the university. Write a letter to the

Department of Modern Languages Applied to Business in which you communicate

your plan for installing the equipment for a new computer-assisted language-

teaching laboratory.

4. 2. Write a letter in which you complain about the poor quality of the after-sales

services of the firm that sold you 20 computers and 2 OHPs.

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Unit 2

Business Meetings

Objectives:

a. to provide information about the planning and steps of a meeting

b. to develop communication skills useful in the interaction with the

business partners

Basic notions : purpose, agenda, result, goal, report, meeting information, controlled

discussion

1. Discussion

When should you call a meeting?

Debate upon the importance of the meetings for the business environment.

2. Reading

OPEN THE MEETING

invite introductions from participants (if necessary)

explain purpose

present agenda

discuss ground rules (who speaks, decision-making, etc.)

GO ALONG/ BODY OF THE MEETING

move to the first point on the agenda

hand over to another person

bring people into discussion/stop people talking

listen actively/ask for repetition or clarification

prevent irrelevance

paraphrase

summarize

(keep eye on time)

move to the next point

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control decision-making

indicate follow-up task

CLOSE MEETING

thank participants

announce next meeting

3. Vocabulary

Match the following groups of useful phrases you can use during a meeting with the

current steps of the meeting, arranged in logical order according to the table below:

STEPS OF THE MEETING

1. opening/ objectives

2. moving to the 1st point

3. handling over to another person

4. encouraging hesitant speakers

5. stopping people talking

6. listening actively

7. asking for repetition/clarification

8. preventing irrelevance

9. paraphrase

10. summarizing

11. keeping an eye on the time

12. moving to the next point

13. controlling decision making

14. indicating follow-up tasks

15. closing the meeting

PHRASES

A. Tom, do you think you could?

Tina, how about preparing some figures for the next meeting?

B. To sum up then

So, to summarize what has been said so far

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C. Well, ladies and gentlemen, I think we should begin.

Perhaps wed better get started/ get down to business.

Right then, I think its about time we got started/ going.

Right then, I think we should begin.

Lets begin/ get going, shall we?

Shall we start/ get started/ make a start?

First of all, Id like to introduce two colleagues from

Have you all got a copy of the agenda?

The purpose of this meeting is, first, toand secondly to

We are here today to consider firstlysecondlythirdly

The main objective of our meeting is

Ive called this meeting first to. secondly to.

D. Would you like to begin/ to open the discussion?

Perhaps youd like to explain/ tell us/ give us

What do you think?

Shall we continue then?

Lets move on.

Would you like to comment here?

What about you?

E. As some of you probably know,

As you know,

Some months / years ago/ yesterday

The situation now is

Right. Lets move on to/look at the first point.

F. We havent heard from you yet, Tom. What do you think about

Would you like to add anything, Tina?

Anything to add, Paul?

G. Im afraid thats outside the scope of this meeting.

Were beginning to lose sight of the main point.

Keep to the point, please.

I think wed better leave that subject for another meeting.

H. One at a time, please!

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We cant all speak at once. Tom first, then Nina, then Tim.

Would you mind addressing your remarks to the chair?

Well, thank you, Clint. I think thats clear now. Could we have some other opinions?

Right, thank you, Pete. I think weve all got the point now. Shall we move on?

Okay, Tom, thanks. Mary, I think you wanted to say something?

I. Right, George, over to you.

Right. That just about covers everything.

Id like to thank our guest for coming over from.

So, the next meeting will be on (date) at(time)

Thanks for your participation

Right, I declare the meeting closed.

J. We are running short of time.

Theres not much time left.

Could you please be brief?

K. Right, I see. / Okay, I understand. / Thats interesting. / Okay. / Right.

L. So what you are saying is

In other words/ So you mean/ So, if I understand you correctly

M. Id like to propose that/ the following amendment

Can we take a vote on that proposal?

All those in favour. Right. All those aga