BDKN3103/MAY08/F-RR

PART A

SHORT QUESTIONS

INSTRUCTIONS Part A contains 10 questions. Answer ALL.

QUESTIONS

Marks

1. Identify FOUR situations where a formal oral communication takes place in business. (Total: 4)

2. One of the common informal communication system that exists in organisations is the grapevine communication.

Describe what you understand by grapevine communication. (Total: 4)

3. Describe TWO advantages of oral communication channels compared to written communication channels. (Total: 4)

4. What do you understand by team presentation? Why is it more difficult to manage team presentation compared to individual presentation? (Total: 4)

5. Differentiate between empathic listening and objective listening. (Total: 4)

6. Explain why word choice and voice quality are important elements in effective oral communication. (Total: 4)

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7. Suggest TWO ways how a speaker can overcome his/her speech anxiety. Explain your answer. (Total: 4)

8. Buffers are often used in letters that contained negative messages.

What is the meaning of buffers? What purpose does it serve? (Total: 4)

9. Telephone conversations in the business setting should be handled professionally.

Suggest FOUR guidelines for effective telephone skills. (Total: 4)

10. The supplementary section of a written report comprised of subsections such as the appendix and bibliography.

What are contained in each of the subsections? (Total: 4)

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PART B

ESSAY QUESTIONS INSTRUCTIONS Part B contains FIVE questions. Answer THREE ONLY.

QUESTION 1

Marks

There are various strategies that can be adopted in the preparation of a formal oral presentation.

a) As a graduate of Open University Malaysia (OUM), you have been invited to deliver a speech to prospective learners who are interested to enroll for a programme with the university. Describe FIVE strategies that you would employ while preparing for your presentation. Discuss the implications of each strategy towards the success of your presentation. (15)

b) Name any TWO non-verbal behaviours that a speaker must observe about him/herself during the presentation? Provide examples in your answers. (5)

(Total: 20)

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QUESTION 2

Marks

Memos are the most common form of written communication among employees in an organisation.

a) Identify FOUR situations when a memo needs to be circulated in an organisation. (4)

b) Describe FOUR advantages of using memos for communication at workplace. (8)

c) Using any ONE of the situations you have identified in your answer in (a) above, compose an example of an inter-office memo. Your memo has to be prepared in a proper format comprising of a heading, body and closing. (8)

(Total: 20)

QUESTION 3

Proposals are types of persuasive messages often used in business correspondence.

a)

Explain FOUR types of proposals used in business communication. Provide examples for each of your answers. (12)

b)

In order to produce a successful business proposal, name any FOUR factors that the writer should consider? Discuss your answers. (8)

(Total: 20)

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QUESTION 4

Marks

a) Informative and positive messages are easier to compose compared to negative messages. Discuss FOUR guidelines to compose effective informative and positive messages. (10)

b) Assume that you are the Human Resource Manager in a multinational company. One of the staff in the company has been selected to participate in a business seminar in Australia. Compose a formal letter to convey this good news to the staff. Your letter must be in an appropriate format, with an opening, body and closing. (10)

(Total: 20)

QUESTION 5

a)

What is the difference between hearing and listening? (4)

b)

Effective listening can be disrupted by situational obstacles and internal obstacles. Discuss TWO situational obstacles and TWO internal obstacles that disrupt effective listening. Provide examples in your answers. (12)

c)

What do you understand by active listening? Suggest how active listening can overcome the listening obstacles in your answers in (b) above. (4)

(Total: 20)

END OF QUESTION PAPER