Part - A (5 marks) State the best channel for delivering information in the following situations.

You may suggest a personal letter, memo, company newsletter, telephone call, face-to-face conversation, or some other form of communication. In one sentence briefly state one reason for your selection. 1. Informing many external groups that your company cannot allow them to tour your bottling plant this summer because of remodeling. Personal Letter Despite the fact that you are informing several groups, each group should receive a letter because it provides a personal response to a direct request. 2. Asking your boss for permission to attend a two-day seminar to improve your job skills. Memo A memo will effectively showcase a need in the business and a way to provide a solution. Launching a major company campaign to encourage employees to submit more ideas for improving the way they do their jobs. Other forms of communication This can include emails, memos, face-to-face conversations and meetings which addresses employee questions and informs them of the campaign in a variety of different ways. Informing employee-of-the-month award winners. Company Newsletter This will be an easy way to provide everyone in the firm with pertinent company information in an informal and easy going way. Checking the references of a job candidate Telephone A person can quickly and effectively validate information without much inconvenience to both parties.

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Part - B Communication Barriers (5 marks) For each of the following situations, state in one sentence what barriers the message senders might anticipate (see page 7- 8 in your textbook).Be sure to use the communication barrier terms listed on these pages. 1. During a recession an executive with an MBA from Queen's University must write to all employees persuading them to agree to temporary wage cuts. The sender may experience emotional barriers as wage cuts during recessionary times may be hard for employees. An accountant wishes to explain to the marketing department why it must report monthly sales figures differently. The sender may experience lack of knowledge barriers as the marketing department may not be fully aware for the various financial implications/procedures. An administrative assistant has been asked to organize and publicize a departmental surprise party for the boss. The sender could face barriers related to values, opinions and the attitudes of employees towards the boss. You try to summarize an instructor's lecture for a friend who was absent. The sender may face barriers relating to language and lack of knowledge due to the fact that the friend did not attend the lecture and missed learning new materials, terms, and information. You are in charge of writing the company's annual report, which will be read by stockholders, suppliers, customers, management, and others. The sender may face barriers relating to language and lack of knowledge due to the fact that the stockholders may/may not be fully in tune with the workings of the company.

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Part - C - Communication Failures (5 marks) Communication is not successful unless the receiver understands the message as the sender meant it.. In a sentence or two, briefly describe the failures in communication. What went wrong?
a. Seeing Jason in the hallway reminds the manager that she needs his report within the week. She says, "I want that report as soon as you can get it done", and hurries on to a meeting. A little startled, Jason calls after her, "Sure. Uh, right away?" The manager waves her hand as she disappears around the corner. To himself, Jason says, "I guess processing that big order will have to wait so that I can get the report to her today." When the manager learns of Jason's decision, she is angry. What went wrong? (2 marks) When requesting the report from Jason the manager should have added something along the lines of Friday at the latest in order to give him a reminder of the deadline. Jason should have been direct in his response by saying Before or after processing the big order? because he was already aware of this other task, which is time sensitive also, that needed to be completed. As manager of a grocery store, you have made some complex policy changes. You have a meeting with the sixty store employees to inform them of the changes. (3 marks) Why would some employees be confused or angry. Employees would be confused or angry because when complex changes are made most cannot understand them in the form of a meeting these changes need to be communicated through a memo or a newsletter so that employees can have a good reference if they have any questions/concerns.

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Part - D Case Study (5 marks) A sales manager wants to announce a new product to the sales staff. Using the Two-way Communication Model in your textbook as a reference, answer the following questions:
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What channel(s) of communication would best transmit the message? Why would it be the most effective channel? A memo would be the best channel of communication because it would allow for the employees to have a reference point and also understand the changes at their own pace. What barriers might interfere? Lack of knowledge, physical barriers. How could the sales manager reduce or prevent these barriers? The manager could hold a meeting afterwards which addresses any questions and concerns. How could the manager ensure feedback from the sales staff? The manager could ensure that feedback by including a question form where employees can write their questions/concerns and drop them off in abox. These questions can be addressed in an email addressing FAQs or in a staff meeting.

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EVALUATION Marks for Assignment One Questions Part A Part B Part C Part D Total Maximum 5 5 5 5 20 Your Mark