03 Bcom3 Im ch03

Chapter 3 Planning Spoken and Written Message
Chapter 3
Planning Spoken and Written
Messages
Learning Objectives
1. Identify the purpose of the message and the appropriate channel.
2. Develop clear perceptions of the audience to enhance the impact of the
communication and human relations.
3. Apply techniques for adapting messages to the audience, including strategies for
communication ethically and responsibly.
4. ecogni!e the importance of organi!ing a message before "riting the #rst draft.
$. %elect the appropriate outline &deductive or inductive' for developing messages
to achieve the desired response.
Chapter Overview
()ective spo*en and "ritten communication involves a process of careful analysis,
planning, adaptation, and organi!ation that precedes the actual creation of the
message. +hapter 3 focuses on these essential steps of preparation, &1'
determining the purpose of the message and an appropriate channel, &2'
envisioning the audience, &3' adapting the message to the audience, and &4'
organi!ing the message.
Key Ters
+lich-s 4.
+onnotative meaning 44
Deductive $3
Denotative meaning 44
Doublespea* 43
(uphemism 43
/ood"ill 43
Inductive $3
0argon 41
2ibel 42
3utlining $2
edundancy 41
%lander 42
%ub4unctive sentences $1
5one 43
Chapter O!tline
%5(6 1, D(5(7I8I8/ 59( 6:63%( A8D +9A88(2 31
%5(6 2, (8;I%I38I8/ 59( A:DI(8+( 31
%5(6 3, ADA65I8/ 59( 7(%%A/( 53 59( A:DI(8+( 4<
=ocus on the eceiver>s 6oint of ;ie" 4<
+ommunicate (thically and esponsibly 41
? 2<11 +engage 2earning. All ights eserved. 7ay not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly
accessible "ebsite, in "hole or in part.
@uild and 6rotect /ood"ill 43
:se +ontemporary 2anguage 4.
:se %imple, Informal Aords 4.
+ommunicate +oncisely 41
6ro4ect a 6ositive, 5actful 5one 4B
%5(6 4, 3/A8ICI8/ 59( 7(%%A/( $2
3utline to @ene#t the %ender and the eceiver $2
%equence Ideas to Achieve Desired /oals $2
PowerPoint Slides
Lect!re Slides D %tudents can revie" *ey chapter concepts on the 2ecture
%lides &found on the companion "ebsite &%tudent>s esources''. %lides can be
do"nloaded for convenient printing of handouts for ta*ing class notes.
Slide Number and Title
1. +hapter 3 6lanning %po*en and Aritten 7essages
2. 2earning 3b4ectives
3. 6rocess for 6lanning and 6reparing %po*en and Aritten
7essages
4. %tep 1a, Determine the 6urpose of the 7essage
$. %tep 1b, %elect a +hannel
E. %tep 2, (nvision the Audience
.. %tep 3, Adapt the 7essage to the Audience
1. Adapting, =ocusing on eceiver>s ;ie"point
B. Adapting, +ommunicating (thically and esponsibly
1<. Adapting, @uilding and 6rotecting /ood"ill
11. Adapting, :sing +ontemporary, (asily :nderstood 2anguage
12. Adapting, Ariting +oncisely
13. Adapting, 6ro4ecting a 6ositive, 5actful 5one
14. %tep 4, %elect an Appropriate 3utline
"#lect!res D %lides "ith engaging narration of *ey conceptsDuseful as
reinforcement of lectures and eFam revie"sDare available through the
+ourse7ate site for @+373.
$eso!rce Slides D A larger dec* of slides for instructors for displaying in
the classroomG these slides for class enrichment and solutions to activities
and applications are also available at the companion "ebsite &Instructor>s
esources' and on the Instructor>s +D.
Slide Number and Title
1. +hapter 3 6lanning %po*en and Aritten 7essages
2. 2earning 3b4ectives
3. 2earning 3b4ective 1 Identify the purpose of the message and the
appropriate channel.
4. 6rocess for 6lanning and 6reparing
%po*en and Aritten 7essages
$. %tep 1a, Determine the 6urpose of the 7essage
E. %tep 1b, %elect a +hannel
.. 2earning 3b4ective 2 Develop clear perceptions of the audience to
enhance the impact of communication and human relations.
1. %tep 2, (nvision the Audience
B. Audience 6erceptions
1<.2earning 3b4ective 3 Apply techniques for adapting messages to the
audience, including strategies for communicating ethically and
responsibly.
11.%tep 3, Adapt the 7essage to the Audience
12.Adapting, =ocusing on eceiver>s ;ie"point
13.Adapting, +ommunicating (thically and esponsibly
14.Adapting, @uilding and 6rotecting /ood"ill
1$.+ommon 3ccupational (uphemisms
1E.:sing +onnotative Aords
1..Adapting, :sing +ontemporary, (asily :nderstood 2anguage
11.(liminating +lich-s
1B.Adapting, Ariting +oncisely
2<.Adapting, 6ro4ecting a 6ositive, 5actful 5one
21.6ro4ecting a 6ositive, 5actful 5one
22.2earning 3b4ective 4 ecogni!e the importance of organi!ing a
message before "riting the #rst draft.
23.%ender @ene#ts from 3utlining
24.eceiver @ene#ts from 3utlining
2$.2earning 3b4ective $ %elect the appropriate message pattern
&deductive or inductive' for developing messages to achieve the
desired response.
2E.%tep 4, %elect an Appropriate 3utline
Teaching S!ggestions
Learning Objective %
Identify the purpose of the message and the appropriate channel.
&ntrod!ction
5o set the stage for emphasi!ing the importance of "riting s*ills, discuss the
startling statistics that begin +hapter 3,
A study by the 8ational +ommission on Ariting found that t"o thirds of salaried
employees in large corporations have some "riting responsibilities. 5he same
study found that H3.1 billion annually to train employees to "rite e)ectively. As*
students, IImagine ho" mar*etable you "ould be as an employee in any #eld if
you could sho" that you have these "riting s*illsJK
As* students to read these articles available from @usiness %ource +omplete
database and use them a springboard for discussing di)erences bet"een good
and poor communication. 5he articles stress simplicity, uneFpectedness,
concreteness, credibility, emotion, and stories.
@ennetto, 2. &2<<., 0anuary 2$'. Leeping it simple. Money Management,
21&2', 14.
("ers, 0. &2<<., 0anuary 2B'. 7a*ing it stic*. U.S. News & orld !eport,
1"2&4', ((2M((1.
2arocque, 6. &2<<3, 7ay'. DumbMMor dumberJ. #uill, $1&4', 4<.
%mart, 5, N @oc*, 0. &2<<., 0anuary 2B'. Ahat stic*s...and "hat doesn>t. U.S.
News & orld !eport, 1"2&4', ((E.
Invite students to relate eFperiences about the value of communication s*ills.
6eople currently "or*ing are often enthusiastic for an opportunity to improve
"riting s*ills. %tudents "ill listen attentively to a classmate "ho begins "ith
something li*e, II>ve been in business for 2< years. I>ve made progress, but it
"ould have come much faster and easier if I had learned the basics of (nglish
and "riting.K
6ro4ect some sentences, paragraphs, or short letters that contain poor "riting
and grammatical errors. Invite students to identify the problems and to discuss
such questions as these, Does the error &a' *eep the message from being
understood correctlyJ &b' cause the reader to "aste timeJ &c' distract your
attention, causing you to thin* more about the error than about the messageJ
and &d' raise questions about the author>s educational bac*ground, selfMrespect
&or respect for the reader'J =rom their o"n ans"ers, students can increase their
appreciation of the necessity for correctness.
As* students to give "ritten or spo*en rebuttals to each statement. %uggested
responses are summari!ed as follo"s,
IIf I need to know the answer to a grammatical question, Ill
simply use my references.
If basic *no"ledge is scant, references may be diOcult to use. 2oo*ing
up basics is time consuming, and references may not be available "here
and "hen needed. A college graduate "ho "ants to #nd "hat
percentage one number is of another should be able to ma*e the
calculation "ithout referring to a math teFt. 2i*e"ise, a business "riter
"ho "ants to *no" "hether to use I0ohn and IK or I0ohn and meK should
*no" already, "ithout having to refer to an (nglish teFt.
II can write without making a mistake because I know my
limitations. If I dont know whether a certain word is appropriate
or how to punctuate a sentence, I can fnd another way to
express myself and thus avoid a problem.
Ahy "or* under such limitationsJ /etting by on a limited amount of
*no"ledge is some"hat li*e ta*ing only a club or t"o to the golf course.
Ahy not *no" the basics and eFpress ideas in the manner you really
preferJ Also, *no"ledge of basics assists in understanding "hat is read.
ST"P %' ("T"$M&)&)* T+" P,$POS" -)( C+-))"L
Discuss the siF steps in the process of planning and preparing spo*en and
"ritten messages illustrated in =igure 3M1 and outlined on the visual. 5he #rst
four steps are covered in +hapter 3 and the remaining t"o steps in +hapter 4.
Discuss ho" the purpose of a message impacts the channel chosen. As*, 9o" do
you *no" "hat your purpose isJ +ompare choosing a purpose to thin*ing about
"hat audience members might tell friends or colleagues after hearing a
presentation.
!esource Slide "% &rocess for &lanning and &reparing Spo'en and ritten Messages
!esource Slide (% Step 1a% )etermine the &urpose of the Message
Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each communication channel
presented in +hapter 1.
:se these activities as you discuss the importance of selecting an appropriate
channel,
As* students to recall the various channels for sending messages, personMtoM
person conversations, telephone, faF, email, meetings, mailed
correspondence, etc. evie" the recommendations in =igure 1M2 &+hapter 1'.
6ose several situations and as* students to choose the best and "orst
channel for each. 5he situations might include the follo"ing, announcement
of a layo), dissemination of ne" procedures for logging information, response
to a colleague>s request for routine information, submitting of a bid on a 4ob
or pro4ect, feedbac* on an employee>s performance appraisal, etc. Discuss
the reasons for each choice. Initiate a discussion of the selection of an
appropriate channel for the scenarios sho"n on the resource slide or +hapter
1, Activity 1, and Activity 2. +hoose one of these activities for use as a qui!.
Assign Application 3, "hich requires students to read an article about the use
of email for as a communication channel.
!esource Slide *% Step 1b% Select a +hannel
Illustrate the inadequacy of a communication channel in meeting its desired
purpose. As* a student to leave the classroom and ma*e a paper airplane from a
single piece of paper or build a model "ith building bloc*s. As* another student to
study the design of the airplane. 5ell the class that the student "ill give them
instructions for ma*ing something from a piece of paper. &;ary the activity by
having the student create a simple origami ob4ect, e.g., paper cup'. Pou may have
completed this activity "hen discussing communication channels in +hapter 1.
Learning Objective .
)e,elop clear perceptions of the audience to enhance the impact of communication and
human relations.
ST"P .' ")/&S&O)&)* T+" -,(&")C"
5o begin this discussion, pro4ect the Pour 5urn visual and as* students to consider
the consequences of failing to consider the audience "hen constructing a
message.
Discuss perception as a part of the communication process, that "e base our
ideas on our o"n limited vie"point, #ltering messages based on our eFperiences
and our stereotypes, hearing and seeing only "hat "e choose.
Discuss *no"ing as much about the receiver as possible. 5ell students to
consider age, economic level, educationalQ occupational bac*ground, needs
and concerns, culture, relationship "ith the receiver, and the receiver>s
eFpectations.
Assign Activity 3 that requires students to provide a brief analysis of the
audience for several situations.
!esource Slide -% .n,ision the /udience
!esource Slide $% /udience &erceptions
Web "nrichent' Tact and Tone "ssential in P!blic $elations
Co!nication
Assign students to read the "eb enrichment content from the companion
"ebsite.
Discuss the letter from +ynthia 6harr>s company to a all Street 0ournal #nancial
analyst "ho made negative remar*s about +huc* (. +heese>s pi!!a. ather than
using a defensive approach to 4ustify the restaurant>s food quality, 6harr crafted
the lighthearted response that focuses on the many satis#ed customers "ho
have gro"n up "ith +huc* (. +heese. 5his approach avoided a confrontational,
accusatory interchange that might have occurred other"ise. Ahy did the
particular tone used in the letter "or* in this caseJ Ahen "ould it be
inappropriateJ 5he #nancial analyst might be some"hat disarmed in his criticism
"hen surveying the mailing. 5he enclosed rubber pi!!a might produce a chuc*le
that "ill prepare the reader for the lighthearted message. 5he overall result
might be to help the analyst see that the restaurant>s aim is to please childrenD
the company>s intended target audienceDrather than to appeal to an adult>s
discriminating palate.
$e0er to Case -ssignent %' Tackling the Challenge o0 -ge (iversity at
1ed"2
Assign students to read this case and complete the activity or activities you specify.
=ollo" up "ith a class discussion of the mentoring program =ed(F has instituted to
"or*ers of di)erent ages to bene#t from the *no"ledge of one another.
Learning Objective 3
/pply techni1ues for adapting messages to the audience2 including strategies for
communication ethically and responsibly.
ST"P 3' -(-PT&)* T+" M"SS-*" TO T+" -,(&")C"
After determining the purpose and the channel and envisioning the audience,
students must learn to adapt the message to the audience by focusing on the
receiver>s point of vie"G communicating ethically and responsiblyG building and
protecting good"illG using simple, contemporary languageG "riting conciselyG and
pro4ecting a positive, tactful tone.
!esource Slide 11% Step 3% /dapt the Message to the /udience
1oc!s on the $eceiver3s Point o0 /iew
Assign Activity 4 and discuss student responses in class.
emind students that using IyouK to ma*e a message receiverMcentered is
especially important in good ne"s situations, such as appreciation or than* you
messages.
!esource Slide 12% /dapting% 4ocusing on the !ecei,er5s 6iewpoint
2ead a class discussion about communicating directly "ith employees in positive
situations, using a receiver>s point of vie". Also discuss the issues that can occur
"ith bringing personal issues into the "or*place.
Co!nicating (ecisions "thically and $esponsibly
6ro4ect this visual as you discuss this section. 5hese siF guidelines for
communicating responsibly and ethically are an eFcellent previe" of principles
that are integrated in the applications chapters that follo". 8ote these ethical
principles are incorporated in the I/eneral Ariting /uidelines,K provided at the
companion "ebsite &select +hapter E, "eb enrichment' and in the I+hec* Pour
+ommunicationK chec*lists in +hapters 3R14 evie" +ards.
!esource Slide 13% /dapting% +ommunicating .thically and !esponsibly
(mphasi!e the importance of ta*ing responsibility for the po"er of e)ective
communication. %tress that students> communication should reSect their
company>s standards of ethical conduct and their o"n personal values.
Discuss the ethical and legal implications of the arrest of @ernie 7ado), the man
"ho admitted to cheating thousands of investors out of billions of dollars in an
illegal scheme. =or classroom discussion, as* students to read the article belo",
"hich discusses "hy small ethical challenges can lead to larger ethical
dilemmas. 5he article also provides speci#c eFamples of small decisions leading
to "orld"ide issues ,
=euer, 7. &2<<B, August'. PouTd better start s"eating the small stu). Smart
7usiness /tlanta, *&B', 3<. Available from @usiness %ource +omplete
database.
Discuss the legal and ethical implications of 7erc* 6harmaceutical>s decision to
"ithhold information about the drug ;ioFF. 5he company "as sued by thousands
of patients and families for not revealing the heartMrelated ris* associated "ith
the drug. =or classroom discussion, as* students to read,
2am, 7.D. &2<<4'. AftershoFF, 7erc*>s "ithdra"al of bloc*buster ;ioFF ble" a
H2$ billion hole in its revenues and stirred up a storm of suspicion and
speculation accompanied by a chorus of "ild laments. %ome perspective,
anyoneJ &harmaceutical .8ecuti,e2 2"&11', 4E. Available from @usiness
%ource +omplete database.
Discuss ethics in academic research, referring students to the teFt
discussion of the :niversity of ;ermont researcher "ho fabricated application
data for federal grant funding. efer students to the follo"ing article that
discusses nation"ide issues "ith academic research ethics,
7edo!a, 7. &2<<$, 0uly 1<'. Allegations of fa*e research reach ne" highs in
:nited %tates. The /merica5s Intelligence ire.
4!ild and Protect *oodwill
%ho" the visual and lead students in a discussion of time necessary to build
good"ill and to lose it.
As* students to give eFamples of situations "here they have eFperienced a loss
of good"ill to"ard a business or its employees because of poor communication
&selfMcentered attitude, biased language, condescension, etc.'. Assign and
discuss the additional situations presented in Activity $.
!esource Slide 1"% /dapting% 7uilding and &rotecting 9oodwill
As* students to thin* of a business that they have eFperienced to have good
customer service. +onduct a discussion as to "hat constitutes good customer
service.
,se "!pheiss Ca!tio!sly
Discuss the role tone plays in building or destroying good"ill and previe" the
types of eFpressions that can damage good"ill, condescension, Sattering tone,
demeaning eFpressions, and connotative tone.
As* students to share the list of demeaning eFpressions that they have heard
recently.

5ell students about the 1B.B disaster at 5hreeM7ile Island nuclear po"er plant.
5he plant engineers used Ibu!! "ordsK or doublespea* in a memo that outlined
eFactly "hat "ould happen in the coming "ee*s. @ecause of the diOculty of the
language, managers regarded the memo as unimportant. 5heir poor language
use "on the doubleMspea* a"ard of the 8ational +ouncil of 5eachers of (nglish.
efer students to this article that outlines other doublespea* situations,
Aood, A.%. &1BB<'. Pou have to *no" so much to "rite so little. +ommunication
orld2 :&E', 11MB2.
Show !esource Slide 1(% +ommon ;ccupational .uphemisms
-void Condescending or (eeaning "2pressions
,se Connotative Tone Ca!tio!sly
As* students about the connotative messages conveyed by the terms Ichic*
Sic*K and Idrama queen.K 9ave students "or* in groups to generate revisions to
the terms, or come up "ith other eFamples of ideas that are eFpressed
connotatively and denotatively.
Show !esource Slide 1*% Using +onnotati,e ords
Discuss the di)erence bet"een a dysphemism and a euphemism. Discuss the
eFample of using I7ic*ey 7ouseK to refer to something simple or unprofessional
and ho" this negative connotation lost Aalt Disney %tudios as an account for a
ma4or soft"are developer. As* students to come up "ith other eFamples of
dysphemisms. 5heir responses might include death taF, death committees, and
cronies, proMdeath &not proMchoice'.
,se Speci5c Lang!age -ppropriately
/ive student eFamples of speci#c language that "ill paint intense, colorful "ord
pictures to ma*e their "riting easier to understand.
eneral
%ales have slumped this quarter.
A large number attended our recent +lient Appreciation Dinner.
!pecifc
%ales for the fourth quarter of 2<<. dropped $< percent from the previous
quarter.
8early $<< contractors attended our +lient Appreciation Dinner on 3ctober
21.
6oint out that general statements can be appropriate and useful in building and
protecting good"ill by lessening emphasis on negative ideas.
,se 4ias#1ree Lang!age
2ead a discussion of the types of bias, gender, race and ethnic group, age,
religion, and disability.
,se Conteporary Lang!age
6ro4ect visuals as you emphasi!e that contemporary language "ill ma*e "riting
fresh and original and sho" receivers that you place enough value on them to
spend time thin*ing of ne" and di)erent "ays to say the same thing.
As* students to substitute fresh, original eFpressions for the follo"ing clich-s
and outdated eFpressions sho"n on the visual &right'.
9ave students complete Activity . and sho" the solution as you discuss in class.
!esource Slide 1:% /dapting% Using +ontemporary2 .asily Understood <anguage
!esource Slide 1-% .liminating +lich=s
,se Siple6 &n0oral Words
Discuss the value of using simple, informal "ords to ma*e a message easy to
understand. +ompleFity of "ords contributes to readability as measured by the
readability indeF discussed in +hapter 4.
As* students to revise the statement, I%olicit the employee>s assistance in
achieving resolution to the problem.K 5heir ans"er should resemble, IAs* the
employee>s help in solving the problem.K
9ave students complete Activity 1 and sho" the solution as you discuss in class
and complete the activity included on the resource slides to increase students>
"ord po"er.
Assign Activity 1< to chec* students> understanding of all facets of adapting the
message to the audience.
Co!nicate Concisely
6ro4ect the visuals for students to vie" and discuss the improvements in
conciseness.
6ro4ect a typical business paragraph ta*en from a letter, teFtboo*, article, etc.
Assign students to "or* in pairs to revise the paragraph for increased
conciseness.
Assign Activity B and sho" the solution as you revie" the ans"ers.
Show !esource Slide 1$% /dapting% riting +oncisely
Project a Positive6 Tact0!l Tone
6ro4ect the visuals as you discuss strategies for ensuring positive, tactful tone.
9ave students complete Activity E and sho" the solution as you discuss in class.
Discuss appropriate "ays to end an unproductive conversation "hile still
maintaining positive, tactful tone.
!esource Slide 2>% /dapting% &ro?ecting a &ositi,e2 Tactful Tone
!esource Slide 21% &ro?ecting a &ositi,e2 Tactful Tone
Case -ssignent %' &t3s -ll in the Translation
Assign students to read this case at the end of the chapter and complete the
activity or activities you specify. =ollo" up "ith a class discussion of the challenges
faced in language translations, even in an era of technological advancements.
!ecogni@e the importance of organi@ing a message before writing the Arst draft.
ST"P 7' O$*-)&8&)* T+" M"SS-*"
;utline to 7eneAt the Sender and the !ecei,er
6ro4ect the visuals as you discuss the bene#ts outlining provides the "riter and
the receiver.
emind students that bestMselling author, 0ohn /risham, believes that outlining is
critical for developing an e)ective plot and for minimi!ing the number of pages
that "ill be "ritten and then discarded.
!esource Slide 23% Sender 7eneAts from ;utlining
!esource Slide 2"% !ecei,er 7eneAts from ;utlining
Select the appropriate message outline Bdeducti,e or inducti,eC for de,eloping
messages to achie,e the desired response.
Se:!ence &deas to -chieve (esired *oals
6ro4ect the visual or direct students> attention to =igure 3M3. Discuss the threeM
step process of determining "hether a deductive or an inductive sequence is
appropriate.
Assign Activity 2 that requires students to identify an appropriate channel and
outline for several situations. %ho" the solution as you revie" ans"ers.
Show !esource Slide 2*% Step "% Select an /ppropriate ;utline
S!ary
As you complete this chapter, allo" students to share their eFamples of possible
areas of miscommunication.
Assign students to complete the I+hec* Pour +ommunicationK chec*list on the
student edition evie" card.
Chapter $eview
% Why is selecting an appropriate co!nication channel iportant to
the overall e;ectiveness o0 the essage< Provide two e2aples= >Obj=
%?
%electing the appropriate channel of communication increases the li*elihood that
the receiver "ill understand and accept your message. =or eFample, a "ritten
document is appropriate for routine or pleasant information. +ompleF
information may require a "ritten document and follo" up "ith a faceMtoMface
meeting. A faceMtoMface meeting is appropriate for sending unpleasant or
highly emotional messages that may be sub4ect to misinterpretation. (mail is
especially e)ective "hen sending the same message to many people and
communicating "ith people in di)erent time !ones but should not be used
"hen con#dentiality is required.
. +ow does perception and a!dience analysis a;ect the co!nication
process< What 0actors abo!t the a!dience sho!ld yo! consider< >Obj=
.?
6erception a)ects the "ay the message is encoded by the sender and decoded by
the receiver. Ahen a sender analy!es the intended audience for a message, that
analysis "ill a)ect ho" the message is encoded. Ahen analy!ing the audience, one
should consider age, economic level, educationalQoccupational bac*ground, needs
and concerns, culture, relationship "ith the receiver, and the receiver>s
eFpectations.
3 What di;erences in the ideals o0 the older and yo!nger generations
ay e2plain co!nication clashes between these gro!ps in the
workplace< >Objs= .6 3?
5he older generations have placed high importance on "or* to #nance the debts
they>ve acquired and to ful#ll personal goals. 5hey tend to be competitive and loyal
to employers because of tight 4ob mar*ets. As a result of time spent alone "hile
both parents "or*ed long hours to succeed, the younger generations are highly
independent and media savvy. 5hey are less loyal to employers and strive for a
healthy balance bet"een meaningful "or* and personal life. espect is earned, and
is not automatic "ith the younger generations.
7 What val!e is gained 0ro c!ltivating a @yo! attit!deA in spoken and
written essages< *ive an e2aple o0 a writer# and a reader#
centered essage to ake yo!r point= >Obj= 3?
+ultivating a Iyou attitudeK or communicating from a receiverMcentered point of
vie" conveys that messages are crafted eFclusively for a speci#c receiver and that
the sender is considering the receiver>s interests and position. (Fample of IIM
centeredK communication, I "as thrilled that you received the a"ard. (Fample of
IreceiverMcenteredK communication, +ongratulations on receiving the (mployee of
the 7onth A"ard for 7arch.
9 (isc!ss 5ve writing techni:!es that enable co!nicators to b!ild
and protect goodwill= >Obj= 3?
:se euphemisms cautiously because eFcessive sugarcoating can sound li*e sarcasm
and o)end the receiver. Avoid condescending or demeaning eFpressions by not
Ilording it overK your receiver because you "ill divert attention from the real
message and stir emotional issues. :se connotative tone cautiously because "ords
"ith underlying meanings can introduce needless negative ideas. :se speci#c
language "hen colorful, vivid "ord pictures are desiredG use general terms "hen
they can be useful in building good"ill. :se biasMfree language to avoid putting up
barriers "ith your receiver.
B When is the !se o0 a e!pheis appropriate< When is it detriental<
,nder what conditions are connotative words acceptable< Why are
speci5c words generally pre0erred in b!siness writing and speaking<
&n what sit!ations wo!ld general words be pre0erred< >Obj= 3?
(uphemisms that present negative ideas politely and courteously "ithout eFcessive
sugar coating are recommended. (uphemisms that represent eFcess sugar
coating or that appear to be deliberate sarcasm should be avoided.
C Provide 5ve g!idelines 0or projecting a positive6 tact0!l tone= >Obj= 3?
/uidelines include the follo"ing, &a' state ideas using positive language, &b' avoid
using second person "hen stating negative ideas, &c' use passive voice "hen
conveying negative ideas, &d' use the sub4unctive mood, and &e' include a
pleasant idea in the same sentence.
D Why is conciseness val!ed in b!siness co!nication< Provide at
least three s!ggestions 0or red!cing word co!nt witho!t sacri5cing
content= >Obj= 3?
+oncise messages save time and money for both the sender and the receiver. 5he
receiver focuses on the important details and is not distracted by eFcessive "ords
or unnecessary information. 5o reduce "ord count, &a' eliminate redundancies, &b'
use active voice, and &c' include only the details relevant to the message>s purpose.
E What priary bene5ts does the writer gain 0ro o!tlining be0ore
writing or speaking< +ow does the receiver bene5t< >Obj= 7?
3utlining before you "rite encourages brevity and accuracy, permits concentration
on one phase at a time, saves time in "riting or dictating, provides a
psychological lift, and facilitates emphasis and deMemphasis. eceivers bene#t
because the message is more concise and accurate, relationships bet"een
ideas are easier to distinguish and remember, and reaction to the message is
more li*ely to be positive.
%F What three :!estions assist a co!nicator in the decision to
organiGe a essage ded!ctively or ind!ctively< >Obj= 9?
Uuestions to ans"er in order to select inductive or deductive pattern include the
follo"ing, &a' Ahat "ill be the central idea of the messageJ &b' Ahat "ill be
the most li*ely receiver reaction to the messageJ &c' In vie" of the predicted
receiver reaction, should the central idea be listed #rst in the outline or should
it be listed as one of the last itemsJ
-ctivities
Teaching S!ggestions and Possible Sol!tions
% "pathetic -ttit!de >Obj= .?
In small groups2 identify possible communication problems created from a
manager5s lac' of empathy when communicating to employees. Select a
spo'esperson to share your group5s ideas.
a= /n audit manager for a U.S. Arm2 who has been transferred to the company5s
oDce in 0apan2 pro,ides the following message to launch the
mar'etingEproduction team5s wor' on a new product.
e are bac'ed into a corner here. The S.+ reporting deadline is set in
concrete2 so let5s put the pedal to metal to get this audit completed. Feep
me in the loop2 but don5t waste my minutes. .,erybody got itG
-nalysis' 5he "riter uses numerous acronyms and eFpressions that are
peculiar to the :nited %tates that the 0apanese manager may not understand.
5he blunt question at the end may be confusing and considered rude to the
manager from an Asian culture.
b= /fter months of uncertainty at )owns2 Inc.2 a corporate oDcial ,isits an oDce of
the national corporation with the following response to concerned 1uestions by
mostly lowerHwage2 technical and support staI regarding layoIs and oDce
closures%
e are realigning our resources companyHwide to be more competiti,e in
the mar'etplace and to ma8imi@e wealth creation for our stoc'holders. ;ur
stoc' has been declining at an unprecedented rate2 but we are conAdent
that these initiati,es will ensure future mar'et ,iability. 4urthermore2 we
pledge to remain completely transparent during the restructuring process.
+orporate is aware of your concerns and will continue these discussions to
pro,ide a forum for dialogue.
-nalysis' 5he use of overly compleF "ords may intimidate this audience or
cause readers to question the "riter>s motive.
c= /fter se,eral trips to Me8ico and nearly a year of negotiation to set up a ?oint
,enture2 a U.S. partner fa8ed the Anal contract to the Me8ican chief e8ecuti,e
oDcer. The Anal contract included a re1uest that the +.; personally guarantee
the loan2 a stipulation that had not been discussed pre,iously.
-nalysis' 5he use of a faF to communicate a sensitive issue, particularly after
the e)ort put into the 4oint venture, may cause the 7eFican +(3 to question the
entire process. As*ing for a personal guarantee on a 4oint business venture does
not sho" empathy for the +(3.
d= Jour unit manager2 Mar'2 accused 0oshua2 a highly talented member of your
design team2 of being permanently attached to his 7lac'berry2 laptop2 and other
technology fads that are timewasters and belie,es 0oshua5s wor' ethic is right ip
there with his Kip Kops2 faded ?eans2 and baggy sweaters. 0oshua is frustrated at
Mar'5s insistence on fre1uent progress reports2 criticism when the team isn5t
willing to wor' past A,e o5cloc' to get a ?ob done2 and general disinterest in
e8panding his technology s'ills.
-nalysis' @oth 7ar* and 0oshua, members of di)erent generations, need to
consider the needs of the other. @oth of them have something to o)er the
companyD7ar* has eFperience and management s*ills and 0oshua has
technology s*ills and creativity. 5hey need to spend some time getting to *no"
each other on a more personal level to learn empathy to"ard each other.
Discuss the ans"ers in class, or assign the %tudent 9andout &at the end of this
guide' as home"or*.
. -ppropriate O!tline and Channel >Objs= %6 .6 9?
+omplete the following analysis to determine whether a deducti,e or an inducti,e
outline is appropriate for the following situations. Identify the channel you belie,e
would be most appropriate for con,eying this messageL be prepared to ?ustify your
answer. Use the format shown in the following e8ample.
!ituation "ecommended
channel
#entral idea $ikely receiver
reaction
The annual
merit raise of
an increase to
( percent.
Mailed memo or
email messageL that
should reach all
employees in a
timely manner
Inform employees
of an increase in
annual merit raise.
)educti,e
a. Seller to customer% /n eHcommerce site is promoting an e8tended
warranty to customers who recently purchased a plasma tele,ision.
b. #uality manager to production manager% )iscontinue production until
a Kaw ?ust disco,ered in the production process has been corrected.
c. Seller to customer% e cannot pro,ide a free cellular phone upgrade
until the ser,ice contract is renewed.
d. U.S. +.; to +anadian business partner% )eli,ery of promised shipment
will be delayed due to inability to obtain raw products from a warHtorn country.
e. Management to employees% / meeting to announce upcoming
professional de,elopment opportunities.
f. Seller to customer% !efunds are being issued to customers who
purchased a speciAc production run of Model )M cell phone because the glass is
o,erly susceptible to scratching.
g. Seller to customer% /n increase in the company5s share of health care
insurance premiums2 costs will re1uire a price increase eIecti,e 0une 1.
h. /ssistant to manager% The assistant has been as'ed by his manager to
research an issue and respond immediately while the manager is still on the
phone with the customer.
i. Management to employees% / new policy prohibiting ,isible body art.
?. Technology department to customer% / solution is made a,ailable to all
current and prospecti,e customers for a common problem users are
encountering while upgrading software ,ersions.
6ro4ect the %olution slide and discuss the ans"ers in class, or assign the %tudent
9andout &at the end of this guide and online' as home"or*.
3 -!dience -nalysis >Obj= .?
rite a brief analysis of the audience for each of the situations presented in /cti,ity
2.
%tudents can easily classify the audience as eFternal or internal. 3ther ideas "ill
varyG ho"ever, students should consider the audience>s age, economic level,
educationalQoccupational bac*ground, culture, rapport established, audience
eFpectations of "riter>s credibility, and needs.
7 $eceiver#Centered Messages >Obj= 3?
!e,ise the following sentences to emphasi@e the reader5s ,iewpoint and the NyouO
attitude.
a. e5re encouraging all employees to ta'e ad,antage of the annual
wellness beneAts pro,ided by our health insurance carrier.
b. Puman !esources re1uires all employees who wor' with dangerous
goods or ha@ardous materials to ha,e a complete physical annually.
9 Stateents that 4!ild and Protect *oodwill >Obj= 3?
!e,ise the following sentences to eliminate a tone that will damage human
relations. Identify the speciAc wea'ness in each Hsentence.
a. Management e8presses appreciation for all the en,ironmental health
oDcers.
b. ;ur call center has e8hibited substantial signs of wor'Kow
ineDciencies o,er the past budgetary period which has triggered potential
irreparable damage to the customer fulAllment and branding initiati,es
instigated in con?unction with the operationali@ation of the board5s strategic
plan.
c. /s e8pected2 the spin doctors Ared a 1uic' response to the complaints
of the consumer ad,ocacy group.
d. /s anyone must surely 'now2 the a,erage employee is concerned
about his retirement sa,ings.
e. )id you hear that Punter was crowned the top sales rep at last wee'5s
meetingG
f. Se,eral patient satisfaction sur,eys ha,e included negati,e comments
about 0im Foch2 a male .! nurse.
g. ;ur 1uadriplegic ArstHshift super,isor mo,es around the plant in a
motori@ed wheelchair.
h. Meanwhile bac' at the reser,ation2 1uality control is wor'ing to design
a more green pac'aging solution.
i. 7rad Pan'ins was recogni@ed for his eIorts.
B Positive6 Tact0!l Tone >Obj= 3?
!e,ise the following sentences to reduce the negati,e tone.
a. The ta8payer5s failure to ma'e 1uarterly estimated ta8 payments resulted in
penalties and interest.
b. Jou cannot recei,e beneAts until you ha,e been with our company for three
months.
c. Jou neglected to inform these potential buyers of the 1>Hday cancellation period.
6ro4ect the %olution slide and discuss the ans"ers in class, or access a
do"nloadable version of this activity from your companion Aeb site.
C Conversational Lang!age >Obj= 3?
Substitute fresh2 original e8pressions for each clich= or outdated e8pression.
a. That 3 on 3 bas'etball game during my lunch brea' was a reality chec'Q
b. 9i,e me a minute hereL I5m drin'ing from a Are hose.
c. e are in receipt of your letter of 0uly 1(.
D Siple Words >Obj= 3?
!e,ise the following sentences using shorter2 simpler words.
a. The ethics committee has abrogated its o,ersight responsibilities to the human
resources department.
b. 0an5s dubious disappearance yesterday instigated a police in,estigation.
c. The attendees of the con,ocation concurred that it should terminate at the
appointed hour.
E Conciseness >Obj= 3?
!e,ise the following sentences to eliminate redundancies and other wordy
construction.
a. /lthough some damage to the building was ,isible to the eye2 we were directed
by our attorneys not to repair or change anything until the ad?uster made a
damage assessment.
b. Mia5s past wor' history includes wor'ing as a sales cler'2 waiting tables in a
restaurant2 and stoc'ing shel,es in a boo'store.
c. 0acob was gi,en instructions to ma'e note of any strange and unusual
transactions completed in the recent past.
%F -dapting the Message to the -!dience >Objs= %H3?
!e,ise the following sentences by adapting the message to meet the audience5s
needs. Identify the speciAc wea'nesses in each sentence.
a. e want our employees to begin using Twitter as a way of identifying customer
complaints and humani@ing the people behind our products.
b. /n eIecti,e presenter is ne,er surprised by the reaction of his audience.
c. She thought she was Kying under the radar2 but Marie has been called on the
carpet for spending so much time on 4aceboo' at wor'.
d. &lease be ad,ised that the company5s new smo'eHfree policy is eIecti,e on
0anuary 1.
e. Since I too' a leadership role on this pro?ect2 the team5s performance has
impro,ed.
f. I 'now he is good at diagnosing computer problems2 but he5s such a dor'.
g. Jou failed to read the disclaimer on our website that clearly indicates that the
transmitter you ordered does not wor' with older generation M&3 players.
Unfortunately2 we cannot honor your re1uest for a refund.
h. Through strategic alliances and by internal e8pansion of programs2 <o8
.nterprises is see'ing to de,elop a substantial mar'et presence as the leading
pro,ider of management consulting ser,ices in Illinois and its neighboring
states.
i. The best computers a,ailable for lease through corporate channels are horribly
outdated.
?. The super,isor as'ed #uan to go bac' and ma'e re,isions to the Anal draft of
the report so the data will be completely accurate.
-pplications
$ead
%= -sk st!dents to cond!ct an online search to identi0y strategies
copanies have adopted to raise their eployees3 awareness o0 diversity
in the workplace= The st!dents sho!ld6 in chart 0or6 s!ariGe the
inde2es they !sed to locate articles6 the copanies they read abo!t6 and
the s!ccess0!l strategies that copanies !sed to proote diversity= >Obj=
. I 3?
%tudent responses "ill vary. IndeFes such as @usiness %ource 6remier, Academic
%earch 6remier, and 2eFisM8eFis Academic :niverse might be used to locate articles.
7any companies have underta*en diversity initiativesG students should not have
diOculty locating appropriate articles. 5he lists of strategies might include various
types of training, communication forums, role playing, sensitivity activities, etc.
Write
.= -ssign st!dents to cond!ct research on social networking sites s!ch as
Twitter= They can begin with the 0ollowing article' *raha6 J= >.FFD6 J!ly
.%?= Twitter took o; 0ro siple @tweetA s!ccess= %!& 'oday= -vailable
0ro Le2is)e2is -cadeic database= Once st!dents coplete their
research6 assign the 0ollowing activities'
a= Copile a list o0 advantages and disadvantages o0 this
co!nication edi!6 incl!ding e2aples o0 how two b!sinesses
have !sed this social networking site=
b= $egister at Twitter >or !se yo!r e2isting acco!nt? and e2change
essages with a sall gro!p o0 st!dents in the class= Prepare an
engaging Kyer describing eLcient !se o0 Twitter that will be
distrib!ted to sta; as an attachent to an eail= >Obj= % I .?
a. A list of advantages and disadvantages appear belo". +ompanies covered in the
article include @lip.tv, Cappos.com, +omcast, and Ahole =oods.
-dvantages (isadvantages
Direct communication "ith
customers
5oo many IpersonalK t"eets
3pportunity to learn build better
relationships "ith customers
+ustomers must be technologically
savvy
%ystems crashes, ma*ing tool
unusable
+an ma*e +(3 available to public
each customers "ho might
other"ise be inaccessible
b. %tudent Syers "ill vary. +onsider constructing a 5"itter page for your course to
test 5"itter and its academic uses. equire students to follo" this 5"itter page
during the semester and use it primarily for inconsequential course
communications. 3r consider adding small eFtra credit opportunities that students
can see only by follo"ing the class on 5"itter.
Think
3= -sk st!dents to copile a list o0 the advantages and disadvantages o0
eail6 as well as recoended !ses and preca!tions 0or its !se6 a0ter
reading the 0ollowing article'
Seckler S=6 I Tooey6 $= >.FF96 (eceber %D?= Coentary' "#ail'
Career opport!nities and pit0alls in workplace co!nication= 'he
(aily "ecord >Kansas City6 MO?= -vailable 0ro Le2is)e2is -cadeic
database= >Obj= %?
esponses "ill vary. %ome eFamples are sho"n belo".
-dvantages o0 eail Preca!tion with eail
+an be sent to a large number of
recipients
5empation to for"ard mass emails ma*es
communication less personal
(ase of providing information to
clients and employees
3veruse of email can result in too much
communication
(ase of use, lac* of confrontation %ome people prefer more direct
communcation channels, such as the
telephone or a faceMtoMface meeting
Uuic* "ay to send and obtain
information
7ost uses ta*e little time for deliberation
and revie" of message.
7= (ivide the class into a n!ber o0 sall gro!ps in which they sho!ld
disc!ss a speci5c sit!ation in work or ed!cational e2perience that
ill!strates the negative e;ects o0 an individ!al who did not consider the
ipact o0 his or her essage on the receiver=

5his activity "ill encourage students to identify and to share speci#c incidents that
illustrate the importance of adapting a message to the audience. %tudents are more
li*ely to respond to students> discussion of these realistic eFperiences than an
instructor>s comments about the importance of sensitivity and audienceMcentered
messages. If you are follo"ing the sequence of chapters in the teFt, students "ill
not yet have been eFposed to concepts related to message impact, such as
adaptation and strategy. +onsequently, evaluation of this assignment should not
focus heavily on such factors. Depending on the editing capabilities of your email
system, you may grade spelling, grammatical content, and basic formatting.
Speak
9= +ave st!dents generate a list o0 phrases and nonverbal e2pressions
pec!liar to their c!lt!re that gro!ps 0ro another c!lt!re ight not
!nderstand= -sk the to identi0y any conKict sit!ations that co!ld arise
0ro the isinterpretation o0 the collectively !nderstood ters= +ave
the also consider how gro!p nors play a part in the !nderstanding o0
collective c!lt!re= &0 tie allows6 assign each st!dent to select one ite
0ro his or her list as the topic 0or a 5ve#in!te presentation to the class=
>Obj= .?
esponses "ill vary. %ome eFamples are sho"n belo".
/erbal phrases )onverbal e2pressions
It>s raining cats and dogs.
5his bear mar*et is *illing me.
3ur boss is such a tight"ad.
5ell me "hat "as said. I>m all ears.
+ongratulationsV Pou aced that
presentationV
Direct eye contact "hen spea*ing "ith
someone &not accepted in Asian
countries because conveys
aggressiveness'
6ointing to indicate an ob4ect &not
acceptable in some cultures'
7aintaining a personal space bubble
&=or Americans, this bubble is about
t"o feet.'
Collaborate
B= "2plain to st!dents that however e2perienced b!sinesses are at writing
0oral b!siness doc!ents6 s!ch as press releases6 advertising6 and
5nancial reports6 creating an online brand or a!thentic voice thro!gh an
online blog provides a new challenge 0or any b!siness co!nicators=
To learn ore6 have st!dents locate the 0ollowing articles6 which are
available 0ro Le2is#)e2is database'
#ardis, ). *+,,-, .ctober/. 0logging for business. )rofessional 0uilder.
et caught in the net. *+,,1, 2ay 34/. 5inancial &dvisor.
6ow to write a better blog. *7uly +,,1/. 0usiness 8orld *8eekender/.
-0ter reading the articles6 st!dents sho!ld work in sall teas to prepare
an engaging Kier describing eLcient blog co!nication that will be
distrib!ted to sta; as an attachent to an eail essage= >Obj= % I .?

esponses "ill vary. %tudents should focus on understanding the goal of the blog,
*no"ing the audience, di)erentiating a blog from an advertisement for a business,
#nding an appropriate style for a business promotion blog, planning the blog, and
promoting its eFistence.
(igging (eeper
% What is epathy and how does it a;ect b!siness co!nication<
+ow are epathy and sypathy di;erent<
%ympathy is merely the ability to feel or eFpress sorro" or pity for the pain or
distress of another. (mpathy is an attitude that enables a person to identify
another>s frame of reference &*no"ledge, feelings, and emotions' and to
pro4ect or communicate understanding bac* to a person. (mpathy is an
eFcellent "ay to establish rapport and credibility and to build longMlasting
personal and business relationships. %econdly, seeing a situation or problem
from the receiver>s perspective not only "ill permit you to address the
receiver>s needs and concerns but "ill also enable you to anticipate the
receiver>s possible reaction to the message.
. "2plain what is eant by writing to express and not to impress=
5he purpose of business messages is to communicate a clear message that can be
read and understood quic*lyDnot to impress the recipient "ith a "ide vocabulary
that is not readily understood.
3 +ow can yo! ens!re :!ality in a collaboratively written doc!ent<
Perhaps soeone on yo!r tea akes !nnecessary additions or
:!estionable edits6 s!ch as revising to ake the doc!ent so!nd
@ore pro0essionalA while sacri5cing clarity= What wo!ld yo! do<
5he purpose of "or*ing together is to produce a higher quality document rather
than one that is chopped up and #lled "ith too many di)erent "riting styles.
%omeone on the team should be charged "ith the #nal productionQsubmission of the
document to assure sound "riting and clarity.
Cases
C-S" -SS&*)M")T %' &t3s -ll in the Translation
The case addresses the problems associated with using translation software with
lower 1uality documents because these documents2 including web pages2 chat
rooms2 and email messages2 use more collo1uialisms and idioms than traditional
business documents. The case focuses on using downloadable and webHbased
translation programs2 comparing these translations to how a nati,e spea'er of the
language would translate the piece2 recommending translation ser,ices to a foreign
company2 and comparing and contrasting the features a,ailable with diIerent
translation options.
@usinesspeople frequently communicate by eFchanging documents, either printed
on paper or transmitted electronically. 5hose "ith overseas clients, customers, and
contacts can improve their communications dramatically by using soft"are to
translate these documents. %uch soft"are is used by organi!ations to produce
documents ranging from international correspondence and invoices to compleF
#nancial and legal documents.
/ro"th in the use of the Internet has boosted demand for language translation
as users around the "orld struggle to understand pages in languages other than
their o"n. 7ultilingual translators allo" companies to open up their "ebsites to
everyone around the globe. 5he soft"are determines the country of origin of the
vie"er, displays the site in the appropriate language, and provides a menu for
selecting an alternate language if preferred. 5ranslation pac*ages are typically
based on t"o types of bilingual dictionaries, one for "ordMforM"ord translations and
another for semantic and idiomatic phrases. %peed of translation is about 2<,<<<
"ords per hour, "ith a B< percent or higher degree of accuracy. ;arious "ebMbased
translation systems are available. Arguably the best *no"n online translation
system is @abel =ish, "hich is a "ebMbased application on PahooV that machine
translates teFt or "eb pages from one of several languages to another. @abel =ish
"as originally developed by Alta ;ista and relies on %ystran soft"are. 5he service
ma*es no claim to produce a perfect translation. 2anguage translation soft"are that
includes interfaces for teFt and speech is also available for handheld computers.
:sers enter "ords as teFt and can have the translation returned as teFt or speech.
5ranslation systems "or* best "hen they are customi!ed for a particular sub4ect
areaG this involves analy!ing typical documents and adding common "ords and
technical terms to the system>s dictionary. :sing the soft"are to translate Internet
pages, "hich can be about anything at all, often produces dismal results. 5o ma*e
matters "orse, most translation systems "ere designed for use "ith highMquality
documents, "hereas many "eb pages, chat rooms, and email messages involve
slang, colloquial language, and ungrammatical constructions. Internet users,
ho"ever, typically "ant speed of translation, rather than quality, and are more
li*ely to accept poor results.
It is also possible to use commercial computerMbased translation facilities via the
telephone, using modems and faF. 7essages can be translated using a message
translation service for a perM"ord fee. Although such services may appear costly,
imagine the bene#t that an organi!ation may derive from conveying an
appropriately translated message to a potential client or customer.
In a technological environment that greatly simpli#es language translation, some
challenges still eFist. 3ften the problem is not to translate the "ords, but to convey
ideas across cultures. A "riter from the audience>s culture may be employed to ta*e
translated material and "rite the ideas in the local language. (Fperienced
practitioners understand the need to consider cultural as "ell as linguistic
di)erences.
%ources, @a*er, 2. &2<<E, April 2.'. Pahoo @abel =ish translation tool. Search .ngine 0ournal. etrieved from
""".searchengine4ournal.comQyahooMbabelM#shMtranslationMtoolQ333$QG 8obel, +. &2<<2, %eptember 23'. Industry
capsule, 5ranslator runs on poc*et 6+s. .ee', 11.
M!estions
1. Write a one#page s!ary e2plaining the 0actors that led to the need
0or ore translation services=
%tudents should include in their summaries a discussion of increased international
business activity that heightens the need to communicate "ith people "ho spea*
other languages.
Ahile "orld business activity is focused on several Ileading languagesK &(nglish,
=rench, /erman, %panish, etc.', the emergence of ne" "orld partners has brought a
plethora of diverse languages into the business environment. =e" business people
have a mastery of all languages they may encounter in their various activities.
5ranslation services are essential to global communication.
2. Write a one#page s!ary e2plaining the di;erence between
word translation and c!lt!re translation= *ive e2aples o0
interpretation probles that res!lt when word translation alone
is !sed= Provide instances when word translation wo!ld be
bene5cial to a copany=
Aord translation focuses on literal translation of individual "ords. +ulture
translation focuses not 4ust on the translation of "ords but on the proper
conveying of ideas in the particular culture. 2iteral "ord translations can
produce embarrassing and ridiculous interpretations. 5he student might
provide instances "hen "ord translation "ould be bene#cial to a company.
3. (ownload a 0ree online translator and translate a saple
doc!ent s!ch as yo!r personal web page into a target lang!age
o0 yo!r choice= -sk a person who speaks the target lang!age
>pre0erably a native speaker? to eval!ate the e;ectiveness o0 the
translation= Write a one#page s!ary e2plaining the :!ality o0
the translation= Work in gro!ps i0 directed by yo!r instr!ctor=
esponses "ill vary.
4. -ss!e that yo! work 0or a copany that has j!st entered the
Japanese arket= No!r copany wishes to translate
correspondence6 prootional aterials6 and invoices into the
Japanese lang!age= ,sing the sites listed above as starting
points6 visit 0o!r sites o0 organiGations that o;er translation and
interpretation services= Prepare a two#page written report that
>%? copares the services o;ered by each organiGation and the
accopanying costs6 and >.? recoends the one yo!r copany
sho!ld !se 0or its translation services=
8umerous sites are available that students may consult. ecommendations
should be based not only on cost, but on available services.
$. $esearch the two so0tware translation progras entioned in
this case= Prepare a chart that s!ariGes the capabilities and
0eat!res available with each= Write a recoendation 0or the
s!perior prod!ct=
5his assignment can be completed in pairs or small groups. 5he comparison
should be made bet"een @abel =ish and the full version %ystran translation
soft"are and should reSect the follo"ing di)erences. @abel =ish is available
as a free online translation service at altavista.com. @ased on %ystranTs
translation technology, it tallies more than three million page vie"s per day.
Anyone see*ing to translate a message or a simple document can log in,
enter the teFt, and choose a language. :sers get "hat they pay for, ho"ever,
and the quality isnTt al"ays the best. @y purchasing a %ystran translation
program, users can get a higherMquality machine translation. Aith the paid
service, speciali!ed dictionaries are applied. @oth products have limitations,
ho"everG so "hen quality translation is a must, companies often hire a
human translator. Aith a human translator, issues such as regional idiomatic
eFpressions should be resolved.
C-S" -SS&*)M")T .' +allark Cra0ts Messages 0or Changing
Cons!er Market
The following case highlights communication challenges at Pallmar' +ards2
Inc.2 showing how the company is dealing diIerently with employees and
consumers.
8ation"ide, American consumers spend about H..$ billion a year on greeting
cards. /reeting cards can be a meaningful communication tool for customers,
co"or*ers, and important business contacts and can provide a memorable,
costMe)ective "ay to build loyalty and increase customer retention. 9allmar*
+ards, Inc., located in Lansas +ity, 7issouri, has been helping people say the
right things at the right time for 1<< years, and the continued success of its
cards is directly tied to e)ective analysis of an everMchanging audience.
As American society has become increasingly heterogeneous, 9allmar*
product o)erings have also become more diverse. eali!ing that 9ispanics
currently account for 1$ percent of the :.%. population, the company has
eFtended the appeal of its cards to 9ispanics through its %inceramente
9allmar* line, "hich includes more than 2,$<< %panishMlanguage cards.
9allmar* targets its African American consumers "ith its 7ahogany line. 5he
5ree of 2ife series, mean"hile, is aimed at 0e"ish customers, and in 2<<3,
9allmar* began carrying Di"ali and (id alM=itr cards to appeal to its 7uslim
clientele. (Fpansion into international mar*ets has sho"n 9allmar* that
message appeal is largely inSuenced by cultural values. 5he Dutch audience,
for instance, tends to be more direct than Americans, "hile @ritish consumers
are more reserved and less direct.
%hifting cultural demographics is only one challenge faced by 9allmar*.
eferring to recent internal research, 9allmar*>s +(3 Donald 0. 9all, 0r. says,
IAe>re not #lling all the needs that people have "hen it comes to their
relationships, but "e have their Wpermission> and opportunities to do so.K
/enerational changes, such as the tendency of baby boomers to purchase
fe"er cards than their parents, and the current popularity of eMcards and mM
cards designed for delivery to mobile devices have given rise to the design of
ne" products to entice consumers to card shop more often. @ecause "omen
buy 1< percent of all greeting cards, 9allmar* "or*s to attract today>s
"omen, particularly those older than 4$ "ho no longer have children at
home. 5he %hoeboF and =resh In* lines are designed to provide o)beat and
entertaining options for those "ho prefer an alternative to traditional
sentiments. I/reenK cards made "ith recycled paper, musical greeting cards,
and recordable voice cards are all recent additions to the card line up that
appeal to various subsets of the card mar*et.
9allmar* *no"s that building good communication "ith friends and family,
as "ell as customers and business partners, means that it must design teFt
and visual messages that e)ectively convey intended meanings and
emotions. 5he company must accurately visuali!e its everMchanging audience
in order to design appealing greeting cards.
Another challenge faced by 9allmar* involved communication issues
bet"een senior management and employees. 9allmar*>s private o"nership
and a highly competitive retail and intellectual property environment had led
to a culture in "hich senior management had traditionally shared little "ith
employees in terms of company #nances, business plans, and mar*et
challenges. 7anagement>s guarded approach to communication had resulted
in declining trust levels among employees. Director of +orporate
+ommunications, Dean odenbough, directed an eFtensive communications
audit that led to the establishment of a much more open atmosphere for the
eFchange of ideas and information throughout the company.
%ources, 5hiruvengadam, 7. &2<<$, 8ovember 1'. 9allmar* and others adding cards for foreign holidays.
San /ntonio .8press News. etrieved from @usiness N +ompany esource +enter databaseG 7ann, 0.
&2<<$, =ebruary 13'. 9allmar* greets fresh challenges. The Fansas +ity Star. etrieved from 2eFis8eFis
databaseG About greeting cards, 5rends. &2<<1, 7arch 2B'. /reeting +ard Association. etrieved from
""".greetingcard.orgQabout.phpJIDX3
M!estions
%= +ow has c!lt!ral change ipacted the ission and activities
o0 +allark<
9allmar* has been impacted by cultural shift a"ay from communicating "ith
clients via greeting cards and to"ard communicating via email and eMcards.
9allmar* also has been impacted by bigMboF retailers o)ering greeting cards and
cutting into the 9allmar*s> pro#ts.
.= (ean $odenbo!gh is :!oted as saying that @the C"O is
traditionally the voice o0 any ajor decision ipacting o!r eployees
or one o0 o!r b!sinesses and is o!r pre0erred spokesperson=A &0 so6 why
does +allark need a director o0 corporate co!nications< (isc!ss
yo!r response in class or online=
9allmar* needed a director of corporate communications to help employ
changes in mar*eting strategy and internal communications. odenbough came
to 9allmar*s and instituted a communication audit to determine ho" internal
communication &or lac* thereof' "as impacting employees and franchise o"ners.
5his audit allo"ed 9allmar* to communicate "ith employees better and to
promote their products more easily.
St!dent +ando!t6 Chapter 3
-ctivity %' "pathetic -ttit!de
In small groups2 identify possible communication problems created from a
manager5s lac' of empathy when communicating to employees. Select a
spo'esperson to share your group5s ideas.
a= An audit manager for a :.%. #rm, "ho has been transferred to the
company>s oOce in 0apan, provides the follo"ing message to launch the
mar*etingQproduction team>s "or* on a ne" product.
Ne are bac'ed into a corner here. The S.+ reporting deadline is set
in concrete2 so let5s put the pedal to metal to get this audit
completed. Feep me in the loop2 but don5t waste my minutes.
.,erybody got itGO
-nalysis'
b= After months of uncertainty at Do"ns, Inc., a corporate oOcial visits an
oOce of the national corporation "ith the follo"ing response to
concerned questions by mostly lo"erM"age, technical and support sta)
regarding layo)s and oOce closures,
Ne are realigning our resources companyHwide to be more
competiti,e in the mar'etplace and to ma8imi@e wealth creation for
our stoc'holders. ;ur stoc' has been declining at an unprecedented
rate2 but we are conAdent that these initiati,es will ensure future
mar'et ,iability. 4urthermore2 we pledge to remain completely
transparent during the restructuring process. +orporate is aware of
your concerns and will continue these discussions to pro,ide a forum
for dialogue.O
-nalysis'
c= After several trips to 7eFico and nearly a year of negotiation to set up a
4oint venture, a :.%. partner faFed the #nal contract to the 7eFican chief
eFecutive oOcer. 5he #nal contract included a request that the +(3
personally guarantee the loan, a stipulation that had not been discussed
previously.
-nalysis'
d= Pour unit manager, 7ar*, accused 0oshua, a highly talented member of
your design team, of being permanently attached to his @lac*berry,
laptop, and other technology fads that are time"asters and believes
0oshua>s "or* ethic is right ip there "ith his Sip Sops, faded 4eans, and
baggy s"eaters. 0oshua is frustrated at 7ar*>s insistence on frequent
progress reports, criticism "hen the team isn>t "illing to "or* past #ve
o>cloc* to get a 4ob done, and general disinterest in eFpanding his
technology s*ills.
-nalysis'
-ctivity .a' -ppropriate O!tline and Channel
+omplete the following analysis to determine whether a deducti,e or an
inducti,e outline is appropriate for situations a through l. Identify the channel
you belie,e would be most appropriate for con,eying this messageL be
prepared to ?ustify your answer. 4ill in Pandout 2b with your answers.
Sample Situation%
The annual merit raise has increased to ( percent.
$ecoended
Medi!
Central &dea
O!tline
>(ed!ctive or
ind!ctive?
(Fample,
7ailed memo or eMmail
messageG pleasant ne"s
should reach all
employees in a timely
manner.
Inform employees of
an increase in annual
merit raise.
Deductive
a. %eller to customer, An eMcommerce site is promoting a special digital
music subscription to its customers "ho recently purchased a portable
music device.
b. 5o company from customer, An incorrect part ordered from a "ebsite must
be eFchanged. 8o return instructions "ere provided "ith the invoice.
c. Uuality manager to production manager, Discontinue production until a
Sa" 4ust discovered in the production process has been corrected.
d. %eller to customer, Ae cannot provide a free cellular phone upgrade until
the service contract is rene"ed.
e. +(3 to managers, 6ension plans "ill be discontinued to ne" hires.
f. :.%. +(3 to +anadian business partner, Delivery of promised shipment "ill
be delayed due to inability to obtain ra" products from a "arMtorn country.
g. 7anagement to employees, A meeting to learn about the company>s ne"
stoc* option plan is announced.
h. %eller to customer, efunds are being distributed to customers "ho
purchased the 7odel DY laptop, "hich had a faulty board.
i. %eller to customer, @ecause of an increase in fuel cost, the company>s
price structure "ill increase beginning 0une 1.
4. Assistant to manager, 5he assistant has been as*ed by his manager to
research an issue and respond immediately "hile the manager is still on
the telephone "ith the customer.
L 7anagement to employees, A ne" policy prohibiting employees from
smo*ing at "or* and at home is introduced as a means of managing rising
health care costs.
l. 5echnology department to customer, 5he solution to a common problem
users are encountering "hile upgrading soft"are versions is made
available to all current and prospective customers.
-ctivity .b' -ppropriate O!tline and Channel
$ecoended
Medi!
Central &dea
O!tline
>(ed!ctive or
ind!ctive?
(Fample, 7ailed memo
or eMmail messageG
pleasant ne"s should
reach employees in
timely manner.
Inform employees of
an increase in annual
merit raise.
Deductive
a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
i
4
*
l
-ctivity 7' $eceiver#Centered Messages
!e,ise the following sentences to emphasi@e the reader5s ,iewpoint and the
NyouO attitude.
a Ae>re encouraging all employees to ta*e advantage of the annual "ellness
bene#ts provided by our health insurance carrier.
evision,
b 9uman esources requires all employees "ho "or* "ith dangerous goods or
ha!ardous materials to have a complete physical annually.
evision,
-ctivity 9' Stateents that 4!ild and Protect *oodwill
!e,ise the following sentences to eliminate a tone that will damage human
relations. Identify the speciAc wea'ness in each sentence.
a 7anagement eFpresses appreciation for all the maintenance engineers.
Aea*ness,
evision,
b 3ur call center has eFhibited substantial signs of "or*So" ineOciencies over
the past budgetary period "hich has triggered potential irreparable damage to
the customer ful#llment and branding initiatives instigated in con4unction "ith
the operationali!ation of the board>s strategic plan.
Aea*ness,
evision,
c As eFpected, the spin doctors #red a quic* response to the complaints of the
consumer advocacy group.
Aea*ness,
evision,
d As anyone must surely *no", the average employee is concerned about his
retirement savings.
Aea*ness,
evision,
e Did you hear that 9unter "as cro"ned the top sales rep at last "ee*>s
meetingJ
Aea*ness,
evision,
RcontinuedS
f %everal patient satisfaction surveys have included negative comments about
0im Loch, a male ( nurse.
Aea*ness,
evision,
g 3ur quadriplegic #rstMshift supervisor moves around the plant in a motori!ed
"heelchair.
Aea*ness,
evision,
h 7ean"hile, bac* at the reservation, quality control is "or*ing to design a more
green pac*aging solution.
Aea*ness,
evision,
i @rad 9an*ins "as recogni!ed for his e)orts.
Aea*ness,
evision,
-ctivity %F' -dapting the Message to the -!dience
!e,ise the following sentences by adapting the message to meet the audience5s
needs. Identify the speciAc wea'nesses in each sentence.
a Ae "ant our employees to begin using 5"itter as a "ay of identifying customer
complaints and humani!ing the people behind our products.
Aea*ness,
evision,
b An e)ective presenter is never surprised by the reaction of his audience.
Aea*ness,
evision,
c %he thought she "as Sying under the radar, but 7arie has been called on the
carpet for spending so much time on =aceboo* at "or*.
Aea*ness,
evision,
d 6lease be advised that the city>s ne" smo*eMfree policy is e)ective on 0anuary
1.
Aea*ness,
evision,
e %ince I too* a leadership role on this pro4ect, the team>s performance has
improved.
Aea*ness,
evision,
RcontinuedS
f I *no" he is good at diagnosing computer problems, but he>s such a dor*.
Aea*ness,
evision,
g Pou failed to read the disclaimer on our "ebsite that clearly indicates that the
transmitter you ordered does not "or* "ith older generation 763 players.
:nfortunately, "e cannot honor your request for a refund.
Aea*ness,
evision,
h 5hrough strategic alliances and by internal eFpansion of programs, 2oF
(nterprises is see*ing to develop a substantial mar*et presence as the leading
provider of management consulting services in Illinois and its neighboring
states.
Aea*ness,
evision,
i 5he best computers "e can lease through corporate channels are horribly
outdated.
Aea*ness,
evision,
4 5he supervisor as*ed Uuan to go bac* and ma*e revisions to the #nal draft of
the report so the data "ill be completely accurate.
Aea*ness,
evision,

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Chapter 3 Planning Spoken and Written Message

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