Commerce ePathshala NOTES
(IGNOU)
Important Questions & Answers
IGNOU
: BCOM
BCOLA
138 – BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
Q – State the Personal
Barriers of Communication.
Ans.
Personal Barriers
Personal Barriers are of two types, namely intrapersonal barriers and interpersonal
barriers. Let us learn them in detail. Intrapersonal Communication Barriers
An individual’s own limitations that pose hurdles in the communication are
known as intrapersonal communication barriers.
Intrapersonal
barriers can be sub-classified under five
categories as explained below:
1. Physiological Barriers: These are caused by a
person’s own dysfunctions. Some of the physiological dysfunctions are
stammering, difficulty in hearing, poor personality, etc.
2. Psychological Barriers: These barriers include:
mental and psychological disorders, such as shyness, nervousness, stage-phobia,
etc. Some people suffer from inferiority complex and are not able to face and
communicate with their superiors with ease. On the other extreme, a status –
conscious superior does not feel comfortable while discussing some problem with
his/her juniors.
3. Attitudinal Barriers: These types of barriers are
the result of an individual’s own attitude and assumptions built up over a
period due to one’s own socio-economic and cultural background. For example,
certain people are introverts, whereas others are very social. They will
communicate with different attitudes. Some people have huge ego and are not
comfortable while communicating in the presence of many people.
4. Emotional Barriers: These barriers result due to
one’s emotions for certain situations. For example, some people are not
comfortable while seeing an adverse situation and may start crying instead of
communicating with other people to resolve the crisis.
5. Perceptual Barriers: Perceptual barriers are related
to an individual’s perception to certain situations. People coming from
different backgrounds, namely educational, social, cultural and family, etc.,
have different perceptions to the same situations.
Interpersonal
Barriers
Interpersonal barriers are outside an individual’s own
self. These barriers come between the sender and the receiver of the message
due to various reasons. Sometimes these barriers can be corrected and sometimes
they are outside an individual’s control. Some of the reasons of interpersonal
barriers are prejudices, misconception, disinterest, incorrect facts, anger,
obsession with a certain outcome, etc. Some of the important interpersonal
barriers are explained below:
1. Cultural Barriers: Diverse cultures have diverse
sayings or phrases that reflect differences in values, customs and traditions.
The phrases and sayings in a language convey a particular meaning in a context
which may look odd in other culture. For example, in North America, people
often say “The early bird gets the worm”. which means that one who is prepared
and prompt gets the reward. But if you want to convey the same meaning in
Hindi, it will be said differently. For example the English translation of a
popular Hindi saying is “Who is awake, he gets the reward”. Thus while
communicating, one has to be conscious of cultural sensitivities.
2. Linguistic Barriers: Language and culture are
inter-woven. As explained earlier, the sayings having the same theme are expressed
differently in different languages. An effective communication is possible if
one has control over a certain language. For example, when a Chinese speaks
English, he may not be comfortable while communicating in English. The
understanding of ethnic speech patterns is helpful for an effective
communication.
3. Ethical Barriers: Ethical barriers are concerned
with the situations where an individual’s ethics come in conflict with his
professional performance. For example, a salesperson in a retail showroom is
under pressure to sell the products even if they are of inferior quality
because his salary comes out of the profits of the sales.
4. Hierarchical of Status Barriers: As mentioned
earlier, some people have ego and are status-conscious and are not comfortable
while communicating with their juniors. On the other extreme, a person of lower
cadre may not communicate with his/her boss with ease. This type of barrier is
very common in feudal societies.
Q – State the Environmental
Barriers of Communication.
Ans. Environmental
Barriers
The communication barriers resulting from the outside
factors are known as environmentbased communication barriers. Some of these
factors may be within the control of the organization and others may be beyond
its control. These barriers may be further sub-divided into several categories.
+
Physical
Barriers
Physical barriers to communication result from the
environmental and natural conditions and include factors such as noise,
technological problems, eco due to faulty design of the rooms etc. Thus, they
can be further sub-divided into the following categories:
1.
Noise: An unsuitable surrounding may be the reason of barrier
to communication. For example, if a leader speaks in a rally, the noise from
nearby traffic or even of the crowd will make him inaudible. Noise may be
caused by faulty design of the rooms or sitting arrangements or poor condition
of the furniture which cause eco and cracking sound of furniture. Due to this
reason, the sender’s message will be unclear and the same quality of message
will be received by the receiver.
2.
Technological Problems: The technological problems are
associated with the poor quality of instruments used for communication. For
example, there may be noise in the telephone lines or mobile connections due to
which receiver does not get accurate message. Sometimes, internet connections
are very slow or even disrupted and people are not able to communicate in the
desired manner. Other technological reasons include: computer virus, delivery
of spam, delivery of email in the spam box due to non-recognition of the
sender, etc.
Chronomatic
Barriers The problem related to time such as delayed delivery
of the message are known as chronomatic barriers. These barriers may be the
result of physical distance between the sender and the receiver, different time
zones of the sender and receiver of the message, etc. For example, if a manager
of a multi-national company is placed in India and he/she wants to seek some
important information from the head office in U.S.A., the time difference may
cause hindrance in the immediate delivery of the information. For such
situations, the meetings have to be planned much in advance.
Organizational
Barriers
Organizational
barriers may result due to several factors associated with a particular
organization. Following are the main reasons of organizational barriers:
1.
Poor communication facilities: It includes telephone,
internet, WiFi, fax, computers, stationery, etc. If these facilities are not
updated regularly, employees feel handicapped in effective communication.
2.
Complex hierarchical structure: Sometimes the employees
are not permitted to communicate with the outside agencies directly; instead,
the prepared text of the communication is required to be routed through a
complex hierarchical structure upward and then it is routed back downward to
the concerned employee, who then sends it. This complex procedure is an
organizational barrier and it affects the overall performance of the company.
In many Indian public enterprises, this procedure is still followed, which
affects their productivity.
3.
Cumbersome rules: It is related to the previous point
discussed above. In some organizations, employees are asked to use some
pre-fixed communication mode to communicate. Among themselves also, they are
allowed to communicate through certain media only. In other words, free flow of
information in the organization is restricted, which delays the over
communication.
4.
Inefficient delivery network: In big organizations,
letters and other outside material are received by the receipt section, and
then these are redistributed to the concerned departments. If this delivery
network is not efficient, the documents may not be delivered to the concerned
departments, which may delay the response.
Q – State the Principles of
Effective Communication.
Ans.
PRINCIPLES OF EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
The American Management Association has identified
essentials of effective communication. They are popularly called as the ten
commandments of effective communication.
1.
Clarity of ideas: Before sending the communication, the
sender should first clarify the ideas in mind as to what he/she wants to
communicate. According to Terry the principle of effective communication is
‘first to fully inform oneself.’
2.
Appropriate language: The communication should be in simple
language. Jargon and technical words should be avoided.
3.
Consistency: A consistency in the communication should
be maintained. One should try to avoid to give too many things at a time.
4.
Adequate information: Communication should have complete
information about the subject under consideration, because incomplete facts may
create confusion and irritation.
5.
Proper time: The communication should reach the
receiver at the proper time. A late delivery of communication may lose its
relevance.
6.
Draw attention: The communication should be so worded that
it draws attention of the receiver and he/she goes through it with attention.
7.
Touch of informality: Although official communications are
generally formal, a touch of informality here and there may create positive
environment. Many problems can be solved amicably through informal channels.
8.
Consultation: If necessary, one should not hesitate to
consult appropriate authority before sending the communication.
9.
Perception of future: Communicate with future as well as
present in mind.
10.
Feedback: The sender should seek feedback so that future action
can be planned.
Q – What is Oral
Communication? State It’s Advantages & Disadvantages.
Ans.
Oral Communication
In this mode, communication is done through spoken
words. It may be face-to-face talk, telephonic talk, video-chat, television,
radio or chat over internet, such as Skype or Whatsapp. Personal traits such as
clarity of pronunciation, pitch, slang, volume, speed, etc. influence this mode
of conversation. It is an effective form of communication.
For example, when the teacher teaches in the class, it
is a face-to-face communication. During Covid-19 pandemic, classes were held
online using Zoom, Google meet or Microsoft Team platforms. It is also
face-to-face verbal communication as the teacher and students could see each
other although they were not present in the class bodily. When two persons talk
on Skype or Whatsapp, they communicate face-to-face verbally. In telephonic
talk, the communication is verbal although it is not face-to-face as they
cannot see each other.
Advantages
of Oral Communication
There are certain advantages of oral communication mode
which are stated below:
· High
level of transparency and understanding
· Quick
feedback
· Flexibility
· Time
and other resources saving
· Helpful
for teamwork
· Best
for confidential exchange of information
· Quick
resolution of disputes
· Receptive
and encouraging
· Facial
expressions and body language visible
Disadvantages
of Oral Communication
But at the same time, there are some disadvantages also
of oral communication mode which are stated below:
· Informal
and no proof of decision, if any
· Poor
personal traits, such as stammering, weaker command on language, slang,
noncoherence visible
· Less
authentic
· May
consume long time in meetings
· Requires
great attentiveness and receptivity
· No
legal standing
Q – What are the essentials of Oral Communication
?
Ans. Essentials of Oral
Communication The following are the essential factors that one should follow to
be effective in oral communication:
1. Clear pronunciation: The message should be
pronounced clearly, otherwise the receiver may not understand the words of the
sender.
2. Brevity: A brief message is considered the most
effective factor since receiver’s retention capacity is limited in oral
communication. The sender should be as brief as possible.
3. Precision: The sender should ensure exactness of the
message. Only relevant issue should be included in the message and that too
with accuracy.
4. Conviction: The sender should believe in the facts
that are being communicated to others. The oral presentation should evince
confidence of the sender.
5. Logical sequence: The sender should present the
message logically. The points to be spoken first and what should follow to
convey the meaning and motives of the sender effectively to the receiver need
to be looked into.
6. Appropriate word choice: Words are symbols. They
have no fixed or universal meanings. The meanings of words at that moment are
in the mind of the sender. Therefore, the sender should select the words which
are suitable and understandable to the other party and those which convey
exactly the same meanings as the sender wanted.
7. Use natural voice: Natural voice conveys integrity
and conviction. It is advised to use natural voice in oral communication.
8. Communicate with right person: It is essential to
know whom to communicate. If you communicate a right message to a wrong person,
it may lead to lot of problems. Be sure in recognizing the right person to
communicate with.
9. Do not get guided by assumptions: Never assume that
your listener has knowledge already on the subject matter. You may be wrong
many times in such assumptions. You can be good only when you are confident in
your message without any omission.
10. Look for feedback: When communicating, if you are
smart enough in collecting feedback verbally or non-verbally, you can quickly
alter the message, if necessary.
11. Allow to ask questions: It is important to give
freedom to the receiver to rise questions whenever he feels ambiguity or
confusion. In a way, the communicator should encourage the receiver to ask
questions. Such questions are opportunities to clarify doubts.
Q – State the Role of
Business Communication.
Ans.
In
this era of globalization, effective communication network is an imperative
requisite for any business organization. A modern communication system
establishes not only perfect coordination among the staff of the organization,
but also enhances its ability to make contacts with its clients, seek their
orders and comply with the same promptly. Through communication network, a
company advertises its products more quickly, identifies new markets speedily,
contacts its prospective buyers aggressively, and thus increases its turnover
and profits effectively.
1. Movement of Information:
The communication helps in transmitting various types of information within and
outside the organisation. The information may be in the digital form or in the
form of posters, letters, brochures, etc. The internet based technologies make
the movement of information very fast and the management can remain in touch
with the employees and also with the outside agencies. Thus, a continuous chain
of movement of information is maintained in a vibrant organization.
2. Smooth Running of Organization:
As emphasised above, an efficient communication network keeps an organization
running smoothly and efficiently. A free, coordinated and efficient movement of
information acts like a lubricant which makes the enterprise run frictionless
and without any contradictions.
3. Proper Planning:
It is related to the previous point. As elaborated above by citing an example
that an effective and fast movement of information in an organization helps in
better planning. The managers get new ideas from different websites and can
plan accordingly to face new challenges. For implementing strategic plans
effectively, management relies upon the inputs of a wide range of people
including marketing strategists.
4. Helpful in Decision Making:
In a business organization, after a group of workers have worked on a project,
it is found highly beneficial if decisions are made by taking views of a
majority of the members. The group-based decisions often offer the potential of
achieving better outcomes than the decisions made by individuals working in
isolation. Members with diverse perspective views provide the group with a
comprehensive view of both opportunities and threats.
5. Basis of Cooperation:
In a business organization, after a group of workers have worked on a project,
it is found highly beneficial if decisions are made by taking views of a
majority of the members. The group-based decisions often offer the potential of
achieving better outcomes than the decisions made by individuals working in
isolation. Members with diverse perspective views provide the group with a
comprehensive view of both opportunities and threats.
6. Basis of Coordination:
You are aware that the communication ensures free flow of information and
suggestions in an organization. These two aspects ensure coordination i.e. all
the persons involved in a particular project are well-informed about the
planned strategies for achieving certain goals. Free flow of information
vertically as well as horizontally, generates new ideas and plans which are
then circulated among all the stakeholders removing possibility of any
confusion at any stage.
7. Effective Public Relations:
Public relations play an important role in developing a favourable image of a
company in the eyes of public, investors, consumers and other stakeholders.
Public relations experts are hired by business organizations to achieve this
goal. Effective communication is an important component of developing public
relations. Two way communications between the organization and the public must
flow unhindered. The receiver namely public, investors, employees, wholesalers,
retailers and other stakeholders must be impressed upon by the credibility of
the organization.
8. Effective Leadership:
An effective and vibrant leadership is a must for the success of an
organization. Fast movement of information contributes a lot to enhance
leadership capabilities, because the leaders are well-versed with the latest
developments in the field of the organization. Leaders know how to communicate
with different stakeholders in an organization including employees, customers,
investors, etc. Each group may require a different communication style and
leadership style.
9. Maintaining Harmony: A
harmonious atmosphere in an organization is a key factor in achieving its
objectives. Effective communication helps in creating and maintaining harmony.
Two-way communication helps to develop mutual understanding and cooperation. As
discussed earlier, through downward communication, the management sends its
words of appreciation besides instructions, directions, advice to their
subordinates. On the other hand, through upward communication, the subordinate
staff can acquaint the management with their grievances, complaints,
suggestions, etc.
Q – State the Basic
Principles of a Business Letter.
Ans.
BASIC PRINCIPLES OF A BUSINESS LETTER
To convey any message effectively, business letter
writing needs the application of certain communication principles. They provide
guidelines for the content and style of presentation. A business letter should
be written keeping in view the following basic principles of business
correspondence.
1) Clarity and Coherence:
In order to be effective, a good business letter should be concise, precise,
relevant, concrete and consistent. Be clear about what you want to say and then
say it clearly. Difficult words requiring the use of dictionary, flowery
expression and poetic language should be always avoided. The words used should
not be vague or ambiguous. The letter must convey to the recipient the exact
meaning which the writer wants to communicate. The clarity of a letter, to a
great extent, depends upon its unity or coherence. Therefore, a letter should
be written in a logical manner and reflect consistence of thought.
2) Consideration:
The writer of the letter should place himself in the position of the reader and
give a consideration as to what does he need. Emphasise on “you-attitude”
instead of “I-attitude”.
Example: - Improper: We sold 4000
dozens of handkerchiefs of this description last month. Proper: You and other
businessmen like you bought 4000 dozens of handkerchiefs of this description in
the last month.
3) Brevity: A
good business letter should be concise and exact. Economy of words is possible
only if the writer of letter has extensive vocabulary at his command. A long
letter containing irrelevant matter gives a poor impression of the writer and
also of the business house. But for the sake of conciseness, completeness or
clarity should not be sacrificed. The letter must explain in full what it all
desires. “Be conscious that the reader does not have much time”.
4) Courtesy and Friendliness:
The tone of the business letter should always be courteous and polite. While
drafting a business letter bluntness should never be regarded as a sign of
strength. On the contrary, a poor image is bound to result from an offensive
attitude conveyed through the letter. Courtesy is like the oil which removes
friction and creates goodwill. Courtesy should not be restricted to obligatory
words like “Thank you” or “please”.
5) Conciseness: A
business letter should be concise and direct, written in simple language with a
natural flow of words. Wordy phrases and high flow expressions should be
avoided. The letter should not contain quotations, or words which are pedantic
(bookish) and which sound artificial. Business people are very busy and may be
irritated by unnecessary lengthy letters. Therefore, one must focus directly on
the message.
6) Correctness: A
business letter should be grammatically correct and factually accurate.
Incorrect information and inaccurate facts conveyed through a letter are bound
to make the position of the writer vulnerable. The addressee, may stop further
dealings with the writer of the letter. In letters of enquiry, orders,
complaints, references, etc. information given should always be correct and
exact.
7) Completeness: A
business letter should include all the necessary facts and background
information that supports the message being sent. An enquiry which does not
contain necessary particulars, or explanation which is partial, is never
appreciated. An incomplete letter may compel the receiver to make further
correspondence on the subject involving waste of time or prompt him to act
according to his own judgement which way lead to disputes.
8) Originality:
Originality of form, expression and style are often necessary to make business
letters more appealing, particularly for sales promotion, and on special
occasion, such as introduction of a new product. Indeed, with changing times,
old and stereo-typed forms and expressions have been replaced by more appealing
forms, expression and style of presentation of matters in business letters. For
instance, the layout of the contents of a letter is often intended to mark-out
significant lines.
9) Neatness: A
neat and tidy letter, clearly typed or written on a reasonably good paper with
proper paragraphing makes a letter attractive to the reader. Any overwriting,
rubbing or cutting of expressions, improper spacing between paragraphs etc. do
not create a favourable impression. So the appearance of a business letter
should be impressive, neat and tidy to the maximum extent possible.
10) Effectiveness:
The ultimate goal of a business letter is the desired response in a positive
manner within a reasonable time. Obviously, delayed or negative response shows
the ineffectiveness of the letter. The time and stationery used in writing such
letters involve wasteful expenditure. Thus, effectiveness may be regarded as
the most essential feature for a business letter.
Proof
Reading: Though proof reading is not an essential part of
writing a letter, it is a very important precautionary aspect of business
correspondence. A good letter can be ruined by careless attitude towards
grammatical and typing errors. Thus, wrong spelling of names, incorrect numbers
typed, and failure to enclose specified items need to be corrected before a
letter is signed. Proof-reading is essential for correcting grammatical
mistakes, errors of spelling and typing errors. Indeed, proof reading is a
double check on competences.
Q – State the essentials of a
Business Letter.
Ans.
Essentials of a Business Letter Following are the essentials of a business
letter:
1) Clarity of thought: Every business letter should
depict clarity of thought from each of its sentence. It should clearly express
the meaning which the writer wishes to convey. The writer should have a good
command over the language.
2) Unity of subject matter: Each business letter is
written with some definite purpose in mind. Therefore, before writing a letter
the writer must know the purpose or the subject matter of the letter. A letter
should explain only one subject matter. If more than one messages are to be
conveyed, separate letters should be written. However, where one message is
supplementary to the other, the same letter may be used. In large organisations
different business matters are handled by respective sections. Thus the
principle of unity of subject mailer is taken care of to a large extent.
3) Exactness and brevity: Businessman, both as a writer
or a receiver of a letter, has little time for unnecessary details. Hence, long
sentences or flowery language expressing no meaning should be avoided. Each
sentence should be brief and must tell exact information only. Repetition of
words and messages make the letter boring, monotonous and unattractive. It
results in delayed or even negative response. Therefore, the letter should
exactly convey what is asked for, it should be brief and to the point.
4) Politeness and courtesy: The letter should be
courteous and polite. It pays to be polite and courteous in all situations. In
commercial correspondence it has a special importance as the written letter not
only conveys a message but it is also an instrument of image building. Even in
cases of disagreement and difference of opinion, expression of courtesy should
be maintained. It shows the upbringing and educational background of the writer
and leaves a good impression on the mind of the reader.
5) Convincing and effective: A business letter should
be convincing and effective. It should convince the reader that the writer is
sincere and honest and is interested in mutual benefit to both the parties. All
the statements made should be true. Untrue statements may help for a while but
once it is detected, the whole image will be spoilt.
6) Appealing and attractive: The first impression lasts
longer. Thus, a business letter should appeal to the eyes of the reader when he
holds it for the first time. Only when the letter is appealing to the eyes that
the reader would like to go through the entire letter. Good stationery,
decorative typing, systematic paragraphing, easy language and expression, and
objective of mutual advantage are the tools which make letters appealing and
attractive. A businessman acquires this proficiency through knowledge,
experience and self-discipline.
7) Neatness: Do not make spelling mistakes and do not
do overwriting.
Q – Define a meeting. What
are the requisites of a valid meeting? Distinguish between (i) Public meeting
and (ii) Private meeting.
Ans.
In
the meeting, participants present their ideas that are discussed thoroughly and
then most desirable and agreeable decisions are made usually through consensus,
but sometimes through voting. Often good meetings motivate team members to
participate in the project enthusiastically. In the meetings, good suggestions
often help the organizations to plan new strategies or take new initiatives.
The meeting is successful if the participants are well
informed about the purpose of the meeting and it is guided by good leaders.
Thus, a meeting may be defined as the
gathering or assembly of people for discussing and deciding an activity of
common interest.
REQUISITES
OF A VALID MEETING In the preceding two sections, you learnt
about the meaning of the meeting and different types of meetings. For arranging
a valid meeting, there are certain requirements. You will study about these
now. In any organisation meetings are held to discuss and transact important
matters related to the objectives of the organisation. Over the years certain
essential requirement of a valid meeting have been evolved so as to give legal
backing and respectability to the decisions taken in the meetings. These
requisites can be described as follows: .
1. The meeting must be convened properly by the person
or authority duly authorised to do so.
2. A proper notice should he sent, as per the bye laws,
to all those persons who are entitled to attend the meeting and/or to vote at
the meeting, otherwise the proceedings of the meeting will be invalid. Public
meetings are convened through advertisement in newspapers, by posters, or by
notices displayed in a prominent place. Individual notice in such cases is
neither necessary nor possible also.
3. The meeting must be lawful. It must be held at a
lawful place, that is, a place not prohibited by any law, for a lawful purpose
that is, not against public policy or interest and must not disturb public
peace and order.
4. The meeting must have a quorum prescribed according
to its rules and regulations. Quorum means attendance of a minimum number of
authorised persons for valid transaction of business. Where no quorum is
prescribed, presumable, at least two persons must be present, (as it is
impossible for one person to constitute a meeting). The quorum must not only be
present in the beginning but must be maintained throughout the period of
meeting. However, Quorum is not
necessary for any public meeting.
5. The meeting must always be presided over by a
chairman. The chairman, in the case of a public meeting, is appointed by the
conveners or by those who are present. In the case of registered bodies, the
chairman is appointed according to their respective rules and regulations.
6. Proceedings of the meeting must be regulated
according to the law governing the particular meeting.
7. Proper record of the proceedings at the meeting must
be kept. The minutes of the proceedings should be duly written, signed and
confirmed in accordance with established provisions.
Distinguish
Between Public & Private Meeting
Public
meetings: Public meetings are those which are attended by
members of the public. For such a meeting, general invitation may be published
in newspapers or displayed in posters or/and distributed as leaflets. Every one
has a right to attend public meetings unless the right of admission is
otherwise restricted. The purpose of these meetings is usually to disseminate
information, or impart knowledge, or create public opinion for a cause belief,
or some matters of general interest. Public meetings may be held to raise money,
increase membership, arouse public interest, make spiritual or material appeal,
or to educate the people. Such meetings may be held in a big auditorium to
accommodate large number of people, or in open grounds or public parks.
Private
meetings: Private meetings are those to which admission is
restricted to only the members of an association or society. These include
meetings of companies, trade unions, clubs, and similar other organised bodies.
These meetings are held to transact the lawful businesses of the respective
organisations. It is, however, essential that a private meeting should be held
on a private premises and not in a public place.
Q – State the role of a
Secretary.
Ans.
Role of Secretary
In the previous subsections, you learnt what types of
preparations are necessary before a meeting is held. For making these
preparations, secretary has an important role. In this section, you will study
about the role of the secretary. Secretarial preparations are the essential
component for the success of any meeting. Usually such secretarial preparations
include the following aspects:
1. The secretary should maintain a current file for
meetings and keep all the relevant papers and references in the same.
2. He should check and arrange all important matters to
be on the agenda for discussion at the meeting. In this connection, you should
consult your superiors, specially the chairman. In other words, you should
prepare the tentative agenda and ultimately get it approved by the concerned
authority.
3. The secretary should finalise the date, time and
place of the meeting in consultation with the chairman. In this connection,
provisions of the bye-laws, if any, must be taken into account.
4. The secretary should finalise the notice and the
agenda to convene the meeting and arrange for the despatch of the notice in the
manner prescribed in the bye-laws. 5. He should take necessary steps for hiring
a hall for the meeting, if accommodation is not sufficient in the
organization’s own premises. He should keep in mind the expected attendance of
members as well as the number of guests if they are to be invited.
6. He should appoint trained assistants and stewards to
receive the invitees and record their attendance. They should politely check
the entry cards, if entry is restricted.
7. Necessary arrangements should be made to receive,
check, verify and count the proxies, if allowed under the bye-laws. A record of
the proxies must be available before the meeting commences. 8. The secretary
should check the arrangements for recording the proceedings. Necessary
stationery by way of papers, pencils, ink. etc. should be available to the
members who wish to take notes or prepare briefs during the meeting.
9. Copies of the chairman’s speech, reports and
statements, etc., which are to be circulated among the members, must be
prepared in advance for circulation. These may be handed over at the time of”
members” entry into the meeting hall, or distributed after the members have
taken their seats.
10. The secretary should ensure that the Minutes Book,
Attendance Register, legal documents, correspondence files, or other material
related to the agenda items and likely to be required for reference, are
readily available in the meeting.
11. Preparation to ascertain the sense of the meeting
should be made by the secretary. Necessary arrangements for poll and ballot, if
required, must be made.
Q – State the Duties of
Chairman.
Ans. Duties of the chairman: The chairman of
a meeting is required to ensure that the proceedings of the meeting, from the
beginning to the end, arc conducted according to the provisions of law and
established practices. He should, thus, discharge the following duties:
1. Appointment as Chairman: The chairman should check
and confirm that his appointment as chairman of the meeting is in order.
2. Duty Convene the meeting: He should see that the
meeting has been duly convened and notice and agenda have been sent to all the
members entitled to attend. He should check that the notice has been issued by
the appropriate authority and that there is no dispute about time and place of
the meeting.
3. Quorum: Before the proceedings start, the chairman
must ascertain whether the required quorum is present. He should sec that only
persons entitled to vote are entitled for determining quorum. He should also
ensure that the quorum is present throughout the meeting.
4. To confirm minutes: The chairman has the duty to
confirm the minutes of the last meeting and put his signature on the Minute
Book to this effect if there are no objections from the members present. He
should also examine the relevant documents like copies of special resolutions,
balance sheet, and extracts of other statements.
5. Order of business according to agenda: The chairman
should see that the items on the agenda are discussed in the serial order set
down in the agenda. He can, however, vary the order if members agree.
6. To maintain order: One of the foremost duties of the
chairman is to see that order is maintained at the meeting. Improper
behaviours, embarrassing statement or untoward incidents should not be allowed
by the chairman. He should use his skill and tact to handle undesirable
situations and should see to it that all business is transacted in an orderly
manner without bad feelings being generated in the meeting.
7. Members to address chairman: The chairman should
insist that every speaker addresses him and there is no argument between the
members inter-se.
8. No discussion unless there is specification: He
should ensure that motions are moved in a positive and appropriate manner. They
should also be duly seconded. No discussion is to be allowed unless there is a
specific motion before the meeting. Motions not falling within the scope of the
meeting or badly drafted should not be allowed to be moved.
9. To give equal opportunity to all to speak: Another
important duty of the chairman is see that all the speakers are given equal
opportunity to express their view on a motion. He should specially protect the
interest of any opposition or minority group, if it exists, allow its
representative to give his views, and give him a patient hearing. But he should
not allow anybody to obstruct the proceedings on whimsical grounds.
10. To decide orders of priority for members to speak:
In case two or more speakers wish lo simultaneously, the chairman should follow
the principle of priority and take down their names in the order in which they
call his attention and then allow them b speak accordingly.
11. To allow mover of motion to reply to debate: The
chairman should allow adequate time to the mover of the motion to reply to the
debate. It is the mover of the motion only who has a right to speak twice,
other members should be allowed to speak only once.
12. To give ruling on Points of Order: The chairman
should give his ruling over points of order and all other emergent questions.
He may consult some senior or knowledgeable persons before giving his ruling.
But once the ruling is given he must stick to it.
Q – State the General Rules
of Voting.
Ans.
General Rules for Voting
The procedure of voting to be followed is generally
provided in the bye-laws or Rules and Regulations of the association. In the
absence of any provision, the chairman of the meeting decides the procedure, in
which case he should keep in mind the following general rules:
1. Whenever a departure from the usual voting procedure
is to be made, the assent of the meeting must be obtained.
2. All issues should be decided by a simple majority
unless special majority is prescribed.
3. A vote once cast cannot be withdrawn or altered.
4. Absentee votes are not counted in the meeting.
5. Only members present and entitled to vote should be
allowed to vote. 6. If proxies are allowed as per rules, they should be checked
and verified.
7. The chairman is entitled u, vote on a motion. He can
also exercise his casting vote in case of a tie.
8. If the chairman does not cast his vote fi case of a
tie, the motion is lost.
9. Whenever the chairman can assume the sense of the
house on ordinary items of business, he may get it recorded if no one present
has any objection.
10. Declaration of voting result by the chairman is
final. In case of declaration on a show of hand, members present can demand a
poll.
Q – What are the essentials
of a Good Report ?
Ans.
ESSENTIALS OF A GOOD REPORT
Preparation of a report is not easy. It demands skills
of a special kind. A report, as we all know, is more than language,
composition, just as any other good piece of writing is more than words,
commas, and semicolons. There are some common features which need to be
understood clearly by all those interested in using "reports" as
effective communication devices. These ate outlined below:
1) Accuracy: Information presented in reports should be
accurate. Inaccurate information may often land the managers in trouble. As far
as possible, the report must be based on accurate information. For example, in
the case of the project report given in the previous section, if the teams give
inaccurate information about the place or availability of the infrastructural
facilities, the company may face much problem in future.
2) Simplicity: A report should be simple. This would
help in arriving at decisions quickly and easily. If the facts are presented in
complex manner, the managers may not reach the correct decision.
3) Completeness: The report should be complete in all
respects. There should be no room for ambiguity. For example in the above case,
if report about any of the required information is missing, managers will not
be able to take a final decision.
4) Brevity: Executives do not find sufficient time to
read lengthy reports. Therefore, the reports should briefly reflect the
essential point.
5) Appearance: The arrangement, organisation, format,
layout and make-up of a report should be pleasing and as far as possible,
eye-catching.
6) Readability: Reports must be easy to read. They must
avoid technical language as far as possible. The writer must present the facts
through elegant and grammatically correct English.
7) Reliability: Reports should be reliable, and should
not create an erroneous impression in the minds of readers either due to
oversight or neglect.
8) Economy: Report writing should not be a costly
exercise. The most economical methods and standard quality must be employed,
while conveying the matter.
9) Timeliness: To be useful and purposive, reports
should reach the readers well in time. Any delay in submission of reports makes
the preparation of reports a futile exercise.
10) Logical content: The content of the report must be
presented in a logical manner. The facts must be reported in an unbiased
manner. Distinctive points must bear self-explanatory headings and
sub-headings.
Q – What are the General
Guidelines of Report Writing ?
Ans.
GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR PREPARING REPORTS
As you know, reports are used as tools of communication
in an organisation. Hence your ability to write effective business reports is
of great importance for your success as a secretary in any organization.
Reports may be of routine or special nature. Generally, the routine reports are
prepared by the subordinate staff and the special reports are prepared by
senior officers.
1.
Accuracy: As mentioned in the previous
unit, the information given in a report should be accurate and reliable.
Wherever necessary the report should be supported by adequate factual data. It
should be remembered that the method employed for data collections
significantly influences the degree of accuracy. Hence, an appropriate method
is to be selected and proper sources identified for obtaining accurate
information required for the preparation of the report.
2.
Communication: As already stated, every
report is meant for communicating information to a person or group of persons.
If a report is not communicated to the person for whom it is intended, it will
not serve the purpose. Since the reports are considered vehicles of
information, people at various levels in the organization may require them in
order to take decisions or to perform the work assigned to them.
3.
Short but Clear Title: The title of a
report should be indicative of the contents of the report. It should be
attractive too. Therefore, one should select a short and clear title which will
reflect the contents of the report. The opening paragraphs should indicate the
terms of reference or instructions, issued for consideration while preparing
the report, mentioning the date thereof, so that it is immediately clear as to
why the report is made.
4.
Language: The language used in the report
should be understandable to the people for whom it is intended. Simple language
should be used as far as possible. It should not include unnecessary technical
terms and phrases which may not be understood by the users of the report.
5.
Routine Nature: Reports, particularly
routine reports, should be prepared in a routine manner. It would facilitate
the reader to understand the nature of the report without looking into the
detailed contents. In this context formal reports are useful.
6.
Paragraph: It is desirable to divide the
report into a number of paragraphs. Each para should be devoted to a particular
aspect. For example, a report of the general body meeting prepared by the
Secretary may have several paragraphs, each of them related to different
resolutions and decisions taken.
7.
Concise: The report should deal with the
matter as concisely as possible. If details of certain aspects are essential to
be incorporated in the body of the main report, they may be separately appended
to the report and references to such appendices may be given at the relevant
places in the report.
8.
Recommendations: If recommendations are to
be made, they should be given at the end of the report under the heading of
suggestions or recommendations. It is needless to mention that the
recommendations should be based on what has been studied, analysed or
scrutinised. Normally, management takes decisions on the basis of such
recommendations given in the report.
9.
Signature and Date: It is important that
the person preparing the report should put his signature and date. Signature
acts as a check on the reliability of the findings in the report. The person
who signs the report becomes responsible for any information included in the
report. Hence reports are not accepted without signature of the presenter.
Q – State the Problems in
writing Precis?
Ans.
PROBLEMS IN WRITING A PRECIS
In writing a precis, one usually faces the following
problems.
Accuracy:
The first problem in writing a precis is to get the facts straight. One should
not make any statement without the support of facts. It is important to go
through the précis carefully to make sure that whatever is stated is factually
correct.
Using
Own Words: The second problem is the difficulty using one’s own
words in the precis to convey ideas given in the original passage. The best way
to overcome the problem is to read the passage carefully at least three to four
times, and then writing the precis without looking at the original. In this
way, one may be able to use one’s own words, without the temptation of
borrowing directly from the original. However, if some words and phrases have
been used from the original from source, the same may be underlined. At the
time of revision, own words may be used in place of the underlined words. If it
is impossible to change some words, one may retain them from the passage.
Selecting
Details: The third problem is deciding on the details to be
included in the précis. One should try to pick out only those details that are
important. For example: Two people may go to a restaurant and order many dishes
and engage in lengthy conversation. In a precis covering the above sentence,
you do not need to mention each item of food and drink. If one of the character
gets drunk, however, it may he noted that the observation made by the person
were under the influence of liquor. Similarly, one need not report the entire
conversation; only the relevant part and important points need to be recorded.
Certain things are more important than others, and one must choose details
according to the scale of importance.
Avoiding
Conclusions: Since a precis is a factual summary of a
passage, one should avoid drawing conclusions based on one’s own interpretation
of the facts. Personal opinion has no place in a precis, so it is better to
stick to details.
Avoiding
Short Sentences: Although one may concentrate on essentials
in the precis, short and choppy sentences should be avoided.
Here is an example: Mary is beginning to walk to the
Church. She is old but cheerful. She walks with a cane. She has walked this way
many times.
Q – State the key elements of
a Business Plan.
Ans.
Key elements of a Business Plan
Some of the common points in a business plan are:
Executive
Summary: It includes a brief statement about the mission of the
company, its location, operation and leadership.
Product
and Services: In this section, details of the products
and services to be offered by the company are given. It may include scale of
production, manufacturing technology, pricing and lifespan of the products and
special offers, if any.
Financial
Planning: In this section, company’s plans to raise capital from
different sources are given. It includes financial statements, balance sheets
and other financial information for already-established businesses. New
enterprises give details of the target sources and investors.
Market
Analysis: This section incorporates details of the target
markets and other competitive products already in the market.
Marketing
strategy: In relation to the market analysis, what strategies
company will adopt to be successful in competition to the other products are
detailed in this section. The pricing and special offers to attract the
customers are discussed here.
Budget:
It takes into account different costs related to development, staffing,
manufacturing, publicity and marketing.
Q – Comment on the Following
- a) Start-up b) USP c)Stock Market d)
Demonetization e)Digital India.
Ans.
A)
Start-Up
The word “Start-Up” or “Startup” is used for a new
business enterprise founded by one or more entrepreneurs with the objective to
develop a new product or service to be launched in the market. Usually, a
typical start-up is started with a modest capital, which is pooled by the
founder(s) and family members. The word “Start-Up” was for the first time used
by Forbes Magazine in 1976 in the sense of “Budding Company”. A 1977 Business
Week article included the line “An incubator for startup companies especially
in the fast-growth, high-technology fields”. This term was used extensively
during the dot com boom in the “Silicon Valley”. Thus, initially it was used
for tech enterprises, but now it can be applied to any new business. A start-up
is typically associated with a new idea of business implemented in an
unconventional office/workshop with a small number of employees. Often the
founders/owners work themselves without a formal hierarchy during the infancy
of the start-up. The auto giant BMW was started in a garage in a small town of
Bayern state of Germany. Microsoft founded by Bill Gates, Ford Motors founded
by Henry Ford and McDonald’s founded by Ray Kroc are some other examples of
start-ups.
Infosys founded by Narayana Murthy and others, Flipkart
founded by Bansal brothers, Myntra founded by Mukesh Bansal and others, and Ola
cab founded by Bhavish Aggarwal are some examples of start-ups in India.
b)
Unique Selling Proposition
Unique Selling Proposition (USP) of a company, product
or service is its uniqueness which make it different from and better than its
competitive similar offerings. A strong USP can help the company attract and
retain customers. If the market has already the products or service the company
is going to launch, it has to think about USP in its product. It is the unique
aspects of the product that energise the marketing personnel to highlight
reasons why customers should choose their product rather than going for the
product of the other company.
To develop a USP, other companies’ ads and marketing
messages are analysed carefully; their USPs, if any, are studied and then the
company tries to distinguish its product from other products in the form of a
slogan, phrase or sentence.
Charles Revson, founder of Revlon Cosmetics, phrased
“he sold hope, not makeup”. Air India’s USP is “Maharaja”. Some airlines
promise luxury, while others offer low price. Neiman Marcus sells “luxury”,
while Amazon’s USP is “the earth’s most customer centric company”. Jio’s USP is
“Affordable 4G LTE mobile network with innovative technology”. In the last
example, USP combines low price with innovation.
c)
Stock Market
A stock market can be defined as the collection of
markets and exchanges where buying, selling, and issuance of shares of
publicly-held companies take place. Such financial activities are conducted
through institutionalized formal exchanges or over-the-counter (OTC) marketplaces which operate under a defined
set of regulations.
While both terms - stock market and stock exchange -
are used interchangeably, the latter term is generally a subset of the former.
Stock exchanges are one of the most important constituents of capital market in
any country. The major stock exchanges in India are:
Bombay
Stock Exchange (BSE): It is one of the two principal large stock
exchanges of India. Established in 1875, BSE is the oldest and first stock
exchange of Asia and was formerly known by the name of –The Native Share &
Stock Brokers Association.
National
Stock Exchange (NSE): NSE is one of the youngest stock exchanges
of India which came into the picture in the year 1992. Nifty 50 the popular
benchmark index in the Indian stock market, was introduced by NSE in 1995.
Nifty lists out top 50 companies which traded on the NSE stock exchange market.
Calcutta
Stock Exchange (CSE): CSE is a regional stock exchange (RSE)
located at the Lyons Range, Kolkata and is the second oldest stock exchange in
South East Asia. Incorporated in 1908, CSE is the second-largest Stock Exchange
in India.
Metropolitan
Stock Exchange (MSE): The Exchange was notified as a “Recognized
Stock Exchange” under the Companies Ac by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs on
December 21, 2012. MSE offers a hi-tech platform to trade in the capital
market, futures & options, currency derivatives, and debt market segments
of the Indian market.
India
International Exchange (India INX): Opened in January 2017,
India INX is India’s first international stock exchange. It is a wholly-owned
subsidiary of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and is located at the
International Financial Services Centre (IFSC), GIFT City in Gujarat.
NSE
IFSC Ltd.: NSE IFSC Limited (NSE International Exchange)
incorporated on 29th November 2016, is a wholly owned subsidiary of the
National Stock Exchange (NSE) and is located at the International Financial
Services Centre (IFSC), GIFT City in Gujarat. The exchange is permitted to
offer securities trading in any currency other than the Indian rupee
d)
Demonetisation
Demonetisation can be defined as the act of stripping a
currency unit of its status as legal tender. The prevailing form or forms of
money is pulled out from circulation and is replaced with new notes or coins.
Sometimes, a country completely replaces the old currency with new currency.
For example, the “Euro” came into existence on 1 January 1999 when all European
states except the UK and Denmark agreed to it. Initially, the currency was
launched virtually in 1999 and in 2002, notes and coins began to circulate. It
rapidly took over from the former national currencies and slowly expanded
behind the rest of the EU. The Government of India announced the demonetisation
of all ₹500
and ₹1,000
banknotes on 8 November 2016 issued new ₹500
and ₹2,000
banknotes in exchange for the demonetised banknotes.
Q – Describe various steps
for the preparation of the interview.
Ans.
REPARATION FOR THE PERSONAL INTERVIEW
Facing a personal interview is an important part of the
process of getting a job. As it will be your first face-to-face interaction
with the employer, it is very important to make advance preparations for it.
Following points are helpful for the preparation for the personal interview.
1. Select a proper outfit: A properly dressed candidate
creates a positive impression on the selection committee. After selecting your
outfit, make sure that it is cleaned and pressed and you have the appropriate
accessories and shoes to go with it. Black shoes are considered appropriate for
the interview.
2. Greeting your interviewer: As you enter the room,
greet your interviewer(s) with a sweet smile. Doing this with proper etiquette
and warmth will set the things going in the right manner.
3. Read your CV: Keep a few printed copies of your CV
handy in case a member of the selection committee wants it. Read it carefully
so that you can talk about the skills and work experiences listed in it,
because the greater chances are that the interviewer will pick up an item from
it and start the dialogue.
4. Prepare for the most common questions of the
interview: You should be well prepared to answer “Tell me about yourself” and
“Why do you think you would be great for this job?” types of questions. Try to
be a great salesman and answer in a normal voice without any excitement or
nervousness.
5. Collect information about the company: You should be
well aware of the company profile and nature of the job you have applied for.
If an opportunity arises, make a positive comment about the company and raise
some intelligent question.
6. Prepare for the salary expectation question and
negotiation: If actual salary was not mentioned in the advertisement, there
will be a question “what are your expectations about the salary?” Try to be
realistic while replying.
7. Prepare your travel arrangements: There is normally
anxiety about the job interview for many reasons. Reaching the interview venue
well in time may be another cause of worry, particularly if it is at an
unfamiliar place or even in an entirely new city. To avoid becoming too
anxious, prepare your travel plans in advance. It is very helpful if you can
visit the place on the preceding day to get familiar with the route and travel
time.
8. Be aware of the day’s main news: You should be aware
of that day’s main news in the leading news papers. Furthermore, check Google
News for the latest news from - and about - the organization, such as a new
product or service recently launched, a new plant opened, a new CEO hired, etc.
9. Thank before leaving: Say a polite “Thank you”
before leaving the pace. If the interviewer offers, shake hand warmly.
Q – What is meant by
evaluation of the job advertisement? Describe briefly the points you would look
in the advertisement.
Ans.
EVALUATION OF THE JOB ADVERTISEMENT
The first step in preparing for the job market is to
look for the advertisement which apparently offers the job you were looking
for. But it is not wise to apply for every job openly without evaluating the
advertisement for certain aspects which in the long run may turn out to be more
important for your personal peace, growth and satisfaction than merely getting
the emolument. Some of the key points you should look in an advertisement before
sending the application are the following:
1.
Minimum Qualification
This
part of the advertisement is most important; read it very carefully. If you
have the desired degree or expect to get it soon, apply, otherwise not.
2.
Preferred Qualifications
In
many advertisements, besides the academic degree, some additional preferred
qualifications are also desired, which depend on the nature of the job. For
example, if it is a job of data analyst, the preferred qualification may be
knowledge of coding and to be well-versed with the computer applications. If it
is the job of a private secretary of the director of a company, the preferred
qualification may be command on English language. If you meet these
qualifications, you can apply. In case you do not have these qualifications at
present, you can start acquiring these proficiencies for a future such
openings.
3.
The Company Profile
Most
of the reputed companies, national as well as international, have their
websites where company’s profile is given. Read “About Us” page where company’s
mission, details of its operations are given. Here you can find glimpses of
company’s work culture, types of people working there and the hierarchy. It
will help you understand whether you can fit in there.
4.
Nature of duties and responsibilities
If
given in the ad, read the duties and responsibilities of the job and evaluate
whether you are prepared to take up these responsibilities. Are the working
hours fixed? Does the ad mention about the duties in shifts? Are you prepared
to work in second or third shifts or even on weekends?
5.
Future Prospects
It
is better to get yourself acquainted with the future prospects in the company.
Is it a one cadre post or there are prospects of promotion to higher cadres
also through internal promotion? If you are stagnant at the present post, and
the post offered in the ad is of higher cadre, you may apply provided other
aspects as described above suit you.
6.
Compensations package and sundry benefits
Read the compensation package and other
benefits, such as medical reimbursement, paid vacations, etc. What is the
retirement age, pension scheme, etc.
7.
Nature of job (full time, part time or contract)
Are
you willing to accept a job on contract basis? Is it a full time regular job or
a part time job? After knowing all these details about the job advertisement,
you decide to apply.
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