CMM001_Communication Skills

Writing Skills 95 are caused and fires are started. Underground railways are wrecked. Buildings collapse, bridges fall, dams burst, and gaping crevices appear in busy streets. If the quake strikes at sea, huge tidal waves sweep inland. If it strikes in mountain regions, avalanches roar down into the valley. Consider the terrifying statistics from the past 1755: Lisbon, capital of Portugal – the city destroyed entirely and 450 killed. 1970: Peru: 50,000 killed. In 1968 an earthquake struck Alaska. As this is a relatively unpopulated part, only a few people were killed. But it is likely that this was one of the most powerful quakes ever to have hit the world. Geologists estimate that during the tremors, the whole of the state moved over 80 feet farther west into the Pacific Ocean. Imagine the power of something that can move an entire subcontinent! This is the problem that the scientists face. They are dealing with forces so immense that man cannot hope to resist them. All that can be done is to try to pinpoint just where the earthquake will strike and work from there. At least some precautionary measures can then be taken to save lives and some of the property. (330 Words)’ 7.2 Précis Writing Passage z Earthquake – The Great Destroyer Earthquake is the mankind’s deadly enemy. Earthquake strikes all without a distinction of nationality or political affiliation. The power of a quake is greater than that of any man-made weapon of destruction. An earthquake strikes mankind without a warning. Amodern city when struck is reduced – to a nibble. A quake strikes plains, seas and mountains causing all round destruction. The quake struck Lisbon in 1755 killing 450; Peru in 1970 killing 50,000; Alaska in 1968 moving it 80 feet into the Pacific Ocean. Scientists are trying to find out means to combat earthquakes, to predict the origin of the quake so that precaution can be taken to save man and property from destruction. (115 words) 7.3 Leave Application Letter It is necessary to take leave from school or office at some point of the time. It is necessary to give a leave application letter in office if you are going out or have medical reasons. Your boss will be able to understand your real situation if you write a good Leave Application letter. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

96 Communication Skills Difference between Memo and Letter z Memo – It is used for internal communication. Letter – It is used for external communication. z Memo – It is written on a plain sheet of paper. Letter – It has letterhead. z Memo – It does not have inside address, salutation, courtesy titles, etc. Letter – It has very formal appearance. z Memo – It has no complimentary close or signature. Letter – It has complimentary close and signatures. Leave Application for Office Sender’s name and address: Date: Receiver’s name and address: Subject: Application for leave from [start date] to [end date] Respected Mr. /Mrs. [Name of the recipient] (or Sir/Madam), I am writing this application to ask for leave from office. I have a wedding function of my sister to attend. I need leave from [start date] to [end date] to attend this wedding function. As I am a responsible member of my family, it is necessary for me to attend this function. After attending the function, I will be joining back the office on [date])RUWKHXSFRPLQJZHHN,KDYHFRPSOHWHG all my work and have delegated my colleague, [Name of the colleague] for any urgent matters. Please consider my leave application and grant the same for this period. I shall be really thankful to you. Yours Sincerely, [Name] [Signature] CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Writing Skills 97 Sick Leave Application for Office Receiver’s name and address: Sender’s name and address: Date: Subject: Sick Leave Application Respected Mr. /Mrs. [Name of the recipient] (or Sir/Madam), I am writing this application to inform you that I am suffering from severe lung infection and therefore, I need sick leave from work. I came to know about this infection last week and my doctor suggested me a week’s bed rest. My doctor told me to have complete bed rest unless I recover fully. The letter from the doctor is also attached for your reference. Kindly allow me a leave for 7 days. In case of any urgency, I will be available on phone. Please contact me as per your convenience. I hope you will understand and allow me a leave for 7 days period. Waiting for your approval. Yours Sincerely, [Your Name] [Signature] Permission Letter Permission letterLVDIRUPDOOHWWHUWRLQIRUPRXUVXSHUYLVRUVRURWKHUSDUW\\WRWHOOWKHPDERXW our plans and if it will affect them. It could be any plans like going on vacation, visiting your family, attending a funeral or any other activity. Sender’s name and address: Date: Receiver’s name and address: Subject: Permission to hold a dance party at Raj Banquets Dear Sir or Madam We are students from ___________ college. We are all getting together to host a farewell dance party for a few friends of ours who will be relocating out of here. We would like to hold the party on 15th January 2020 from 7 pm to 10 pm. We would like to ask you for the permission to host the party at your Banquets. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

98 Communication Skills Our Guests will behave well that is our assurance. As it is a dance party, there will be loud music. We also assure you that we will clear the place and will not leave it in a mess. We understand that there would be a cost attached to this party and will be glad to pay as per your advice. We hope you will give us the permission requested. I am thanking you in anticipation. Yours Sincerely, [Your Name] [Signature] 7.4 Business Letter Writing Correspondence refers to communication in writing. An exchange of ideas, information, views and opinion are done in a written form. It can be done in the form of letters, invoices, bills, memos, reports, etc. The business letter must be clear; understanding the needs of the reader. The seven C’s of business letter writing include being: Clear, Courteous, Convincing, Concise, Conversational, Complete and Correct. Persuasive letters are also important as a reader has to be convinced. So, the letter should be clear, concise, friendly and helpful. 7.5 PRINCIPLES OF EFFECTIVE BUSINESS CORRESPONDENCE 1. Place the reader first: When reader is kept in mind and when we write a letter, we use right tone, appropriate language and right details. All the relevant information is presented in clear and easy-to-understand style. Readers just want to understand the gist of the message. So, think from the reader’s perspective. The writer should visualize the reader’s problems and possible reactions to the letter. 2. Keep to the point: A business letter is drafted after good thinking and planning. The letter should be clear and free from confusion and ambiguity. Maximum possible information should be conveyed in minimum words. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Writing Skills 99 Try not to waste the time of the reader. Try to be focused on the information that supports your central aim, and to remove the information that is irrelevant. 3. Set the right tone: Using the appropriate tone in business writing is an important aspect of communicating the desired message and of achieving the desired results. The tone should be friendly, yet efficient. There should be conversational approach with helpful tone. 4. Write effective openings: The most important thing is to grab the reader’s attention. So, the important principle of effective writing is to put the most important information first. We need an opening line to make reference to previous correspondence or to say why you are writing to the recipient. For example: (i) With reference to your letter of 8 June, I……….. (ii) After having seen your advertisement in ……, I would like …………. Your first paragraph should stand out so don’t waste the reader’s time and get straight to the message. Be direct and use your words positively to create a good impression before the reader. 5. Write effective conclusions: Ending a business letter professionally can help you ascertain the professionalism and credibility. Because the ending of the letter is the last part that the recipient will read, it is what will be freshest in his memory. It should end in a polite and business-like note. For example: (i) If you require any further information, feel free to contact me. (ii) I look forward to hearing from you. 7.6 Components of Business Letter 1. Heading: The heading is a very important component of a letter as it contains vital information on the company/sender, reference number, address and the date. Mostly, writer’s name is not included in heading. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

100 Communication Skills 2. Inside address: The inside address of the recipient is always written on the left-hand margin of the letter. It shows the name, designation and full address of the recipient. The suitable title of the recipient like Shri, Smt, Mr, Ms, etc. must be typed. 3. Salutation: It refers to greeting to the addressee. It is written just below the inside address. Sir, Sirs, Madam, Madams, Dear Sir, Dear Madam, Dear Mr. Mehta, Dear Mrs. Suresh Mehta, etc. to be used depending upon the relation with the receiver. 4. Subject or reference line: It announces the main business of the letter. The subject line helps to sort out the letters and immediately the receiver may come to know the purpose of the letter. 5. Body of the letter: It has the subject matter which is divided into paragraphs. The main contents of the letter are in the body. 6. Complimentary close: It refers to the regards or respect which the writer wants to convey to the reader. Some common ones are Thanking You, Yours faithfully, Yours sincerely, Yours truly, etc. 7. Enclosures: They are documents sent along with the letter and it is necessary the recipient knows that these items accompany the letter in the same envelope. So, they use indications as ‘Enclosure’, ‘Encl’. 8. Copies: There may be a number of copies of the original letter meant for different people. Details should be indicated in the letter through which the recipient also gets to know the people who will be reading the mail. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Writing Skills 101 Sample Business Letter Begin your heading 1 to 1.5 inches from Heading the top of your paper. Side margin should Type the writer’s address (no name), followed also be 2 to 1.5 inches. by the current date 1234 Melrose Street San Diego, CA 92127 December 10, 2002 Four to seven spaces Inside address Ms. Helen Moss Type the name and address of the receiver Poway Unified School Board Member 13626 Twin Peaks Road, Salutation Poway, CA 92064-3098 Begin with Dear, end with a colon. Double space Dear Ms. Moss: Double space I am curently a student in the Poway Unified School District, and I am Body writing to you regarding the recent ban on soda sales in the Los Angeles The first questions states Unified School District. I am concerned that the Poway Unified School the letter ’s subject and District will attempt to do the same, and in doing so, will be making a purpose. grave mistake. There are many reasons not to ban soda sales. It answers the question: Double space between paragraphs Why are yo writing this Our schools desperately need the money brought in by soda sales. If letter? we sacrifice such profits, we will have greater difficulty supporting the The middle presents details events they fund. Furthermore, the ban might not even work, since of the message. banning soda sales is not enough to combat the problem of childhood obesity. Students should adopt healthier lifestyles, not use quick- The ending requests action, solution diets. In addition, it would be hypocritical to refuse to sell shows appreciation, or sodas but still offer foods like pizza, French fries, and doughnuts. motivates the receiver, It Schools instead should better educate students on how to make healthy answers the question: What choices on their own. do you want the reader to As you can see, banning the sale of sodas on high school campuses do? would be an inadequate solution for teen health problems. I have enclosed an essay on this topic that gives evidence to support my cliam. Please read my essay, and when youreceive the chance to vote on whether to enforce a soda ban, please vote against it. Double space Complimentary closing Sincerly yours, Capitalize the 1st word; end with a comma. Sean Kosmo Four spaces Signature lines Sign your name in blue or black ink above your Sean Kosmo types name. Indicate whether you are including enclosures Student and/or sending copies of the letter to others. Double space Enclosure CC: Mr. Lopez, Poway Unified School Board member CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

102 Communication Skills 7.7 Parts of a Business Letter Sales Letter For selling products, sales letters are useful. A letter which is written to promote sales of products is defined as a Sales letter. A bond of goodwill between a customer and seller can be created with the help of a well-designed sales letter. It influences the reader to purchase a product. AIDA formula is very necessary in a Sales letter. Attention, Interest, Desire and Action. First, we should grab the attention of the customer by having a catchy headline, then create an interest by creating suspense then create a desire by telling features of the products and discounts then take action by giving contact details. THE DIAMOND Charni Road, Mumbai Date – 28th December 2019 Dear Shopper, Looking for a relaxed and enjoyable shopping experience? A difficult thing to dream of in a busy city like Delhi. The Diamond is dreams come true for many of our shoppers. The Diamond, which is spread over four storeys, includes a car park, lavatory facilities and a small play-area for young children while you shop in peace. You’ll find all your favourite brand of products at The Diamond: clothes, cosmetics, leather goods, cutlery, and confectionery. You name it and we have it. The Diamond ensures that each and every visitor will be pleased and happy customer. You can be guaranteed of the quality of our products. Our trained people will be at your service, to help you make the most of your shopping trip at The Diamond. And there are lots more. Join our Frequent Customer Club and win gifts and special holiday trips anywhere in India on purchase amounting to more than ` 75,000/- a year. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Writing Skills 103 Shopping need not be an annoying job. Come to the Diamond today and be a part of its magnificent offers. Yours sincerely, Kartik Sharma CEO The Diamond Request Letter When you need any information, permission, favour, or any other thing you need to make it in a polite and humble way which is called a Request letter. These are few topics related to Request Letters: Credit Line 1. Request an increased credit line 2. Request correction of an error in a credit report 3. Request or apply for a credit account Information 1. Request information 2. Request information on a product or service Sales 1. Request a discount or a complimentary product or service 2. Request samples or information about products or services Service 1. Request an individual to volunteer services 2. Request government service or action CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

104 Communication Skills Miscellaneous Request 1. Request confirmation of receipt of earlier mailings 2. Request correction of an insurance company’s error Request Related 1. Announce an employee training session 2. Appeal to higher authorities when complaint letters don’t work 3. Decline a request for credit 4. Inform a customer of an incorrect payment amount and ask for the balance Example: There was an advertisement in newspaper for which we have received various responses and resumes for the Manager position in J.P. Cellar Company. From many applicants, Kartik stands apart. The kind of experiences and qualifications detailed on his resume propose that he would proficiently perform the necessities of the Manager’s position. However, in addition to taking into account the applicant’s documented experiences and testimonials, in the process of finalizing our decision; I am contacting all of the references listed on his resume. Since you are one of the applicant’s primary professional references, I am writing today to request your individual insight into Kartik’s abilities and qualifications. At a time suitable to you, I would be thankful to you for the chance to speak with you about the applicant, either over the phone or in person. My personal contact information is given above. I thank you in advance for your support, and I look forward to hearing from you. Order Letter: When a company or the concerned person writes a letter to place the request of purchase from another company, it is known as an Order Letter. It confirms the details of a purchase of goods or services from one party to another. It generally includes more information about what you are ordering, like quantity, model number, or color, the payment terms, and the matter in which the products are to be shipped. There could be Trial order, Repeat order or Routine order. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Writing Skills 105 Universal Kitchen Equipment Arun Monteiro Kolaba, Mumbai Dear Mr. Monteiro, We would like to purchase thirty two (32) individual stand mixers (Model #73723), all in the color blue. We would like you to charge this purchase to the preexisting account that we have with you, business account #842134. We hope to receive this order no later than Monday, February 11th, 2020. Attached to this letter please find our preferred shipping method and receiving address. Please confirm that you received this order by calling us at 022 424846 anytime during business hours, Monday to Friday. Thank you for your cooperation Nikka Kitchen Co. Inquiry Letter When a trader wants to buy goods for selling then he writes to the manufacturing firms or suppliers of goods a Letter of Inquiry. Firstly Quotations are asked and after comparing the advantages the trader places an order with the best offer. It could also deal with various matters like job vacancies, funding, grants, scholarships, projects, sales, pre-proposals and others. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

106 Communication Skills Bell Manufacturing Company (Letterhead or sender’s address) 1-1-2 Shibaura, Minato-Ku Takyo, Japan May 27, 2009 (Date) Mr. Neo Chan In-charge of Customer Reltaions (Inside address) Kowlooa Company 13 Bayvlew street Kowlooa, HongKong Dear Mr. Chan : (Salutation or greeting) I am systems engineer at Bell Trading. We are planning to launch a new cell phone model. We need an advanced semiconductor for this project. My company is considering using your new release semiconductors of your company. We need, however, information about the following : 1. discount 2. Unit Price 3. Delivery 4. Terms of payment 5. Warranty I would be happy to talk to you further about your product. You can e-mail me at [email protected]. Sincerly, (Clsoing) ___________ (Signature) Jun Suzuki (Printed Name) Senior Systems Engineer (Position of sender) Cc: Mr. E. Stanton (Carbon Copy Receiplent) Acknowledgement Letter When a person formally acknowledges the receipt of something, it is known as an Acknowledgement letter. They are mostly short and have a legal purpose to confirm the receipt of goods. There are different types of Acknowledgement letter like Application acknowledgement letter, Acknowledgement of resignation and Business Acknowledgement letter. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Writing Skills 107 Important phrases to be used in writing acknowledgement letters Usually, acknowledgement letters use very similar wording, such as: 1. Company is acknowledging receipt of the following documents: 2. I hereby acknowledge the receipt of the following document/s: 3. I am writing to confirm the receipt of: 4. We wish to thank you for sending us (quotation, goods, documents, etc.) 5. I am writing in reference to our telephone conversation to confirm the … (Date) (Name of recipient) (Position) Dear (Name of recipient) We would like to acknowledge the receipt of ____________ (document name). We are presently examining it and if there are no issues to be addressed, the signed (document) will be returned to you within _______ business days. If there are any further concerns regarding the (document), we will contact you by (date). Thank you for your continued trust in our company and we look forward to doing business with you in the future. Respectfully yours, (Name of sender) (Position in company, company name) Complaint Letter Complaint letter is the one in which reader’s interest if often in conflict with those of the writer. In these letters, indirect approach is used. They are written with restraint and caution. In a routine operation of a company, a majority of complaints can be quickly adjusted. If we talk about viewpoint of the customer, it is an appeal for justice. The situation in which the letter is written and honesty of an individual is important. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

108 Communication Skills There are different reasons or occasions to write a Complaint letter: 1. Delay in the implementation of an order. 2. Damage of goods in transportation. 3. Supply of wrong goods. 4. Insufficient quantity of goods supplied. 5. Inferior quality of goods supplied. 6. Rudeness from staff member. 7. Price of goods vary from price in catalogue. Sunita Glass Wares Dadar West, Mumbai – 400 028 28th December, 2019 The Manager, Deluxe Potteries, Bandra West, Mumbai. Dear Sir, Subject – Our Order No. 8657 I am writing with reference to the delivery of Eureka Coffee sets we received against the above order. Thank you for your quick service. However, out of the 40 coffee sets that we ordered only 15 were without any damage. The seal on the crates seem to have been broken in shipment and some of the additional items were found missing. We have enclosed a list of damaged and missing pieces along with the letter. We will store the consignment at our storehouse till we receive your instructions about this matter. Yours sincerely, Das Sales Manager CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Writing Skills 109 Collection Letter Credit sales are a promotion tool, which is used to strengthen the company’s competitive position in the market. It shows growth of its business. But money extended in the form of credit is sometimes not easy to realize. All sales transactions are completed in time and at minimum cost is seen by Credit control. You require professional trainers for this. A warning sent in writing, informing a consumer of his past due payments is called a Collection Letter. The first collection letter is a friendly reminder that you have passed your due date. The second collection letter could be toughing where you need to be more assertive. The third collection letter is where you will tell customer to pay immediately otherwise he will be taken to the court. 8th January, 2020 Blue Plumbing, Bangur Nagar, Goregaon West, Mumbai. Account# or Invoice #:456 Balance due or Past Due Balance: 30,000.00 Dear Ajitesh, This is a reminder that your account balance of ` 30,000.00 was overdue as of October 28, 2019. Please pay this amount today; I have enclosed a stamped payment envelope for your convenience. Thank you for your payment. Yours sincerely, Hema Patel Hema Plumbing CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

110 Communication Skills 7.8 Memorandum Writing When a management writes a short notice to inform about a certain policy or make an announcement or changes in an organization, it is known as Memorandum or Memo. When a person is writing to confirm to his suppliers that he has received certain goods in a business case, it is called a business memorandum. There are different types of memos like Request memo, Confirmation memo, Suggestive memo, Report memo, etc. How to Write a Good Memo? 1. Make it as short as possible. 2. Use simple English. 3. Use an attractive headline. 4. Use bolding on emphasize. 5. Use a different colour for the heading. 6. Avoid simple grammar and spelling errors. MEMORANDUM To: All students taking IT course at the University. From: The department chair. Date: 15th July, 2019. Subject: Submission of your final project. It has come to our notice that some of you have not submitted their final year projects which is very essential at this minute because it determines whether you will graduate or not. In the previous years, there were many students who came to us crying stating that their name was not there in the graduation list. The project should be taken seriously as forty percent of your final grade is based on that. On that note the department has given out a time limit of 3rd August 2019, if you do not have submitted your project by then, you will have to wait 1 academic year to graduate. You are all advised to submit your project before the due date as we do not want you to suffer when it comes to graduation. Thanks in advance. Yours sincerely, Sign……. Department chair. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Writing Skills 111 7.9 Office Order When an order is issued by the employer or a senior employee, it is called an office order. The organization specifies instruction related to work in it. The employees need to accept it. Mostly, these orders are given at the start of the month or on Mondays to keep track on the progress. It carries out the communication about the change in the designation of the employee or suspension of a particular employee and granting of privileges, disciplinary actions, imposing restrictions, etc. Office orders are specific and short to the point and they clearly give information. Office orders are given either to the individual or to the proposed target group of audience. ZENTH COMPUTERS 8/10, PITAMPURA, NEWDELHI 20 MARCH, 2010 REF. NO. 86/05-06 ORDER Mr. P. C. Gupta has been transferred to the marketing department and has been promoted as chief of Marketing Department. He shall take the charge from 1 May 10, after handing over his current charge of Product Manager to Mr. R.C. Chander. For more details contact undersigned. R.K. Chowdary Chairman C.c. To R.C. Chander P. M. Thakur CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

112 Communication Skills 7.10 Circular The circulars are at large for information given by the employers. The circulars are related to the rule and regulations or handing out of general information. It is issued to a group of employees or to the entire organization. Example: You need to invite your department for a meeting or inform about the dress policy to entire organization – a circular is the best means of communication for these purposes. PONDICHERRY UNIVERSITY (A Central University) R. Venkataraman Nagar, Kalaper, Puducherry - 605 014 HOSTELOFFICE Date : 25.07.2015 CIRCULAR Sub : PU - Hostel accommodation - Reg. ŠŠŠ Based on the request and representation received from the Students Council of Pondicherry University, it has been decided to provide hostel accommodation for all the First year students in the recreation halls of the concerned hostels. All the students who are willing to avail this facility are instructed to contact the hostel office on 26.7.2015, (Sunday) at 10.30 A.M. for confiming their accommodation. \\\\BY ORDER\\\\ SD/- P. SUBRAMANIAN DEPUTY REGISTRAR (HOSTELS) CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Writing Skills 113 7.11 Notice The office notice serves the purpose of information about the occasion or the occurrence of the event in the establishment. It is a written or a printed information or news announcement. It is displayed in important places or published in newspapers or magazines. As it is a formal announcement, its tone should be formal and factual. It should be brief and to the point. There are several types of notice: public noticeRU OHJDOnotice), actual notice, FRQVWUXFWLYHnotice, and implied notice. Important tips to be followed while writing notices: z Stick to the particular word limit of 50 words. z Write the word NOTICE at the top. z Name and place of the school, organization or office issuing the notice should be mentioned. z Give a suitable heading. z Write the date of issuing the notice. z Clearly mention the target group (for whom the notice is to be displayed). z Reason of the notice. z State all the appropriate details (date, venue, time). z State whom to contact for extra information. z Signature, name and designation of the person issuing the notice. z Put the notice in a box. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

114 Communication Skills NOTICE WRITING Delhi Public School, New Delhi Date : 18 Feb. 2014 NOTICE Meeting of Science Society On the occasion of National Science and Technology Day, the school has decided to organize a fair. All office bearers are requested to attend a meeting. in the School Library on 20 Feb 2014 at 10 am to discuss the arrangements for the fair. _________ (Signature) VIKRAM SINGH (Secretary, Science Society) 7.12 Summary Writing is a very important part especially in business. There are seven C’s of business letter writing which are Clear, Courteous, Convincing, Concise, Conversational, Complete and Correct. For effective business correspondence, we should place the reader first, keep to the point, set the right tone, write effective openings and write effective conclusions. A Letter should have Heading, Inside, Address, Salutation, Subject or Reference line, Body of the letter, Complimentary Close and Enclosures. Leave application letter when a person has to go on a sick leave or for a function, Permission letter for a particular occasion is important. It could be any plans like going on vacation, visiting your family, etc. Précis writing is like a summary of a particular thing. It is a synopsis of a published work or scholarly article. Different business letters like sales, order, request, inquiry, complaint, collection, etc. are very important for business dealings. In offices on a regular basis, memo, order, notice and circulars are used. A letter which is written to promote sales of products is defined as a Sales letter. AIDA formula is very necessary in a Sales letter. Attention, Interest, Desire and CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Writing Skills 115 Action. When you need any information, permission, favor, or any other thing, you need to make it in a polite and humble way which is called a Request letter. When a company or the concerned person writes a letter to place the request of purchase from another company, it is known as an Order Letter. When a trader wants to buy goods for selling, then he writes to the manufacturing firms or suppliers of goods a Letter of Inquiry. Complaint letter is the one in which reader’s interest is often in conflict with those of the writer. When a management writes a short notice to inform about a certain policy or make an announcement or changes in an organization, it is known as Memorandum or Memo. 7.13 Key Words/Abbreviations z Précis writing: It is the general idea of a passage expressed in as few words as possible. z Leave application: When a person takes leave from office. z Permission: When you officially allow someone to do a particular thing. z Request: When you politely ask someone. z Inquiry: When you ask someone for information. z Collection letter: When you inform a customer of past due payments. z Memo: A Memo is a small official note that is sent by one person to another within the same company or organization. z Office order: An office order is an order given by the boss or senior employees. 7.14 Learning Activity 1. Write a complaint letter about the dispatch of wrong goods. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- 2. Write a sales letter to sell a branded perfume. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

116 Communication Skills 3. Write a collection letter for the payment due of a credit card. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- 4. Write an inquiry letter to inquire about t shirts. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- 7.15 Unit End Questions A. Descriptive Type Questions 1. What is Précis writing? 2. What is the difference between Notice and Circular? 3. Explain different types of Collection Letters. 4. Explain the scenarios when leave can be applied. 5. What are the key points to précis writing? 6. What is the difference between memo and letter? B. Multiple Choice Questions 1. A short notice is written by management about policy change is called ______. (a) Memorandum (b) Notice (c) Circular 2. A short summary is called _________. (a) Précis writing (b) Inquiry writing (c) Acknowledgement 3. For selling products _________ letter is useful. (a) Complaint (b) Credit (c) Sales CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Writing Skills 117 4. When a person formally acknowledges the receipt of something, it is known as an ___________ letter. (a) Circular (b) Request (c) Acknowledgement Answers 1. (a), 2. (a), 3. (c), 4. (c). 7.16 References 1. https://www.slideshare.net/NaveenKumarsaini1/precis-writing-39372679 2. https://edubirdie.com/blog/how-to-write-a-precis 3. https://gdpi.hitbullseye.com/precise-writing.php 4. https://www.successcds.net/learn-english/writing-skills/leave-application.html 5. https://www.letters.org/permission-letter/permission-letter.html 6. Business Communication I and II – Reliable Series 7. https://www.writeexpress.com/request.htm 8. https://howtowritealetter.net/letter-of-order.html 9. https://www.sampletemplates.com/letter-templates/letter-of-inquiry.html 10. https://acknowledgementsample.com/write-acknowledgement-letter/ 11. https://www.thebalancesmb.com/sample-collection-letter-the-effective-way-to-get-paid- 2951433 12. https://www.aresearchguide.com › write-a-memorandum http://www.pondiuni.edu.in/news/ circular-hostel-accommodation-university-hostel-office 13. https://www.nextgurukul.in/wiki/concept/madhya-pradesh/class-10/english-writing-skills/ short-writing-skills-i/notice-writing-format-types-and-sample/3963278 14. https://www.slideshare.net/StephenAntonyRaj/notice-writing-47891535 ‰‰‰ CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

118 Communication Skills UNIT 8 LISTENING SKILLS Structure: 8.0 Learning Objectives 8.1 Consonant Sounds 8.2 Social Etiquettes 8.3 Polite Interruptions 8.4 Polite and Respectful Conversations 8.5 Grammar 8.6 Summary 8.7 Key Words/Abbreviations 8.8 Unit End Questions 8.9 Reference CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Listening Skills 119 8.0 Learning Objectives After studying this unit, you will be able to: z Learn consonant sounds z Learn social etiquette z Learn to make a polite conversation z Learn tenses z Learn SWA z Learn Punctuation z Learn vocabulary concepts like one word substitutes, synonyms and antonyms 8.1 Consonant Sounds Consonant sounds are basically those sounds which do not relate with a vowel. The non-vowel words which we speak or use regularly are known as consonant sounds. There are 21 consonant alphabets. However, when we speak about consonant sounds, there are 24 consonant sounds. As we all know, there is never a direct relationship between sounds and words. Articulation of place is the different ways of how the consonants are produced. As we all know, some sounds are created with two lips, sometimes twisted tongue, sometimes teeth, and may be alveolar ridge, etc. There are various types of consonant sounds which are as follows: 1. Bilabial sounds are those sounds which are produced with the help of two lips for words which often start with p, b and m. 2. Labia dental sounds are those sounds which are produced with the help of lower lips and upper front teeth for words which often start from f and v. 3. Dental sounds are those sounds which are produced with the help of the tip of the tongue taken backwards and upper front teeth usually for words which start from /d/, /n/, /t/, /l/. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

120 Communication Skills 4. Alveolar sounds are those sounds which are produced with the help of the tip of the tongue and the alveolar ridge for words which often start with t, n and d. 5. Palatal sounds are those sounds which are produced by clubbing the blade of the tongue and the hard palate usually for words which sound, “y” 6. Velar sounds are sounds which are produced by contacting the back of the tongue with the soft palate usually for words mostly starting with k or g. Definition of Consonant Sounds Consonants in simple language are the non-vowel sounds. They are the ones which often hide under an adjective or into descriptive words. These words are often used in musical tunes making it sound soft and not harsh like vowel sounds. Consonant all alphabets excluding the a, e, i, o and u. Speech Mechanism Diagram Nasal cavity Palate Alveolar Uvula Ridge Lips Tongue Teeth Pharynx Larynx Vocal cords Epiglottis Learning Activity: Identify which type of consonant sounds are there in the following sentences: 1. Planets are the most important part of the solar system. 2. Foreign visitors usually find India very peaceful. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Listening Skills 121 3. Kite flying is a popular festival in Gujarat. 4. Songs sung by Enrique touches the heart of the audiences. 5. Yak is the sheep of the snow regions. 8.2 Social Etiquettes Social etiquettes form a very important part of any personality. They are also known as social manners which make a lasting impression on an individual. Etiquettes are more about respect and kindness and respect in communication and dealings with others. These are the most accepted and expected code of conduct which are usually expressed during communication or through body language. Social etiquettes can be learned through observation or sometimes by reading about it. Expressing right social etiquette at the right time and with the right person is one of the most important forms of non-verbal communication. Some basic and expected social etiquettes are as follows: z Always look into someone’s eyes when you have a conversation with the individual. z Never speak between in someone else’s speech, always keep the respect for the speaker. z Any kind of sarcastic or negative expression should be avoided especially when someone is speaking to you. z Always be punctual and on time, it leaves an impression that you value the person who has given you time. z Use polite words like please, thank you, sorry, grateful, etc. It turns the conversation into a positive one. z If the person is willing, have a confident handshake at the start and end of the meeting. z If you are eating something, always offer the person in front of you. z Never use commanding words like must, should, have to the person you are communicating with, it makes the person feel restricted or bounded. z Always look for the positive thought about what the person is talking about. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

122 Communication Skills z Never simply assume and do not ask. If there are queries, the questions must be asked while the conversation on the topic is active. z Avoid making too much noise while writing, talking or even eating. The above are some ways in which one can develop social etiquettes and leave a lasting impression on every person they meet. Learning activity: Make a list of table manners you know of, you can also look up to the internet for more ideas and discuss in the class. 8.3 Polite Interruptions We all are familiar with the curiosity to ask or correct an individual when they are speaking. This is quest of knowledge we feel, but it is not necessary that the other person treats it positively. It is usually bad manners to interrupt someone while they are speaking. When you interrupt someone, it breaks their flow of thoughts which they have for speaking their next sentence. This is not appreciated and rather found rude in parts of the world including India. Sometimes, there are situations where a person may need to ask certain things so that he can understand the next part of the sentence spoken by the speaker. In fewer situations, the information given by the speaker may be wrong. So, the listener may feel the urgent need to rectify the information before other people sink it in. Interruptions during such situation isn’t wrong, but there is definitely a polite way of interruption which will be far more appreciated and taken positively. Some polite ways of interruptions are as follows: 1. Always ask permission before you interrupt in between of someone else’s talking. You can start conversation with, “May I interrupt” or “Please excuse me, I want to gain clarity on something” 2. Begin with an apology for speaking in between. You can begin with sentence like, “I beg your pardon for interrupting, I have a question” or “I am really sorry, but I need more information about your speech” o “I regret cutting you between your lines, but I have a question” CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Listening Skills 123 3. Make your interruption sound like a discussion. You can begin either with a permission or an apology and have conversations starting with terms like, “While I agree to all your points, I have some questions” or “On the topic that you were just standing at,” or “In agreement to whatever you said”. While making your interruption sound like a discussion, don’t go off topic as the speaker may not appreciate that his preparation is going the other way. This may not be fully appreciated by the person who has done his work and may not want to break his flow of speech. 4. As audience, one thing you can ask at the very beginning of the speech is what will be the preferred pattern of the speaker and if he will be comfortable with questions been asked in the middle of the session or he would prefer the questions in the end. If he says, he is comfortable with questions in the end, you can comfortably make a list of key point questions to be asked in the end or probably in the question and answer session round. If he is ok with questions been asked in the mid of the speech, the same can be done with a polite or an apologetic interruption in a very soft and respectful tone. Learning Activity: Prepare a speech on, “Awareness of CAB & NRC” and have a mock session in the class. Make sure the mock session has polite interruptions. Practice of the tips should be the motive of the mock speech. 8.4 Polite and Respectful Conversations One of the most imperative qualities for a social animal like humans is having a polite, fulfilling and a respectful conversation with each other. It is very easy to be loud, unsympathetic and not caring about people or their preferences. The nature of having polite and respectful conversations comes with a lot of practice and self-training. In order to be able to have polite and respectful conversations one must try to follow the tips stated below: z Avoid words which sound like an order like, “I want you to hand over the wine to me.” z Make use of words like sorry, please, thank you, mention not more often as it sounds very polite. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

124 Communication Skills z Try to ask for things before you actually do them, you may ask for formality sake too. Questions like, “May I?” or “Could you please” or “It would be great if..” z Speaking in a low tone of voice can be very relaxing to the person speaking also for the person who is listening. When words are spoken in the loud tone, it makes the person more hyper than usual. Often, words said loudly, can also be a major reason for a person to over react on situations or even take them negatively. z Compliment very often. When you compliment a person genuinely, the approach of the person becomes far more positive and receptive towards you. This makes the conversation easy and allows scope for more conversations to erupt. z Laugh and have enough comic timings in your conversations. The more a person laughs during a conversation, the experience of talking with the person becomes more fulfilling, enriching and memorable. z Even if you disagree with somebody, remember you disagree on the conversation or on the opinion not with that person. Even in disagreement, respect the person enough by speaking politely and keeping your point across in a very neat manner. z Never make use of abusive words for a person as it demoralises the person’s self-esteem to a very large extent. It also plays with the person’s confidence and shatters it. z Speak to everyone in a low pitch, respectful and caring tone of voice. To have a polite and respectful conversation, the tone of the voice is very important. z Address the person correctly when speaking to them, giving proper respectful titles is highly essential in having successful conversations. If you are speaking to an elderly the titles like Sir or Madam would be impactful. If you are speaking to a person your age, then giving titles like Mr. or Ms. (for a formal greeting) or respectfully by the name is preferred. When speaking to someone younger, terms like darling, sweetie, love is far more appreciated. Such loving words make the children feel very safe and appreciated. Learning Activity: Write a polite conversation between a father and a son regarding savings, investments and being a responsible man in the big world. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Listening Skills 125 8.5 Grammar Grammar is the very foundation of English. All sentences get formed and modified with the help of grammar rules. Even basic grammar like nouns, verbs and articles are important in day to day speaking and writing. Grammar enables sentences to be formed and adds value to it. Tenses Tenses are basically of 3 main types, viz., Present Tense, Past Tense and Future Tense. Each tense has further sub types. Present tense relates more with what is happening currently, past tense relates with what has happened and future tense relates with what is going to happen. Present Tense has three types; Present Perfect Tense, Present Continuous Tense and Simple present tense. Present perfect tense is about a complete action currently. E.g.: They have written three letters already. Here, the action is complete in the current situation. Present Continuous tense is about an action which is going on in the current situation. E.g.: They are writing three letters now Here, the action of writing is still going on and hence it is complete. Simple Present Tense Simple present tense is about action which is at current situation. E.g.: They write letters The above sentences indicate that the action is still on. Learning Activity: Convert the following simple present tense sentences into Present Perfect and Present Continuous Tense: (a) She sings for her friends. (b) She writes stories. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

126 Communication Skills (c) She plays cricket with her friends. (d) He strokes puppies playfully. (e) She writes with passion. Past Tense has three types; Past Perfect Tense, Past Continuous Tense and Simple Past tense. Past perfect tense is about a complete action which has already taken place. E.g.: They had written three letters already. Here, the action is complete and has already taken place. Past Continuous tense is about an action which is going on but has already taken place. E.g.: They had been writing three letters now Here, the action of writing was going on and has already taken place. Simple Past Tense Simple past tense is about an action which has been done and has taken place. E.g.: They wrote letters. The above sentences indicate that the action is done and complete. Learning Activity: Convert the following simple Past tense sentences into Past Perfect and Past Continuous Tense: (a) She sang for her friends. (b) She wrote stories. (c) She played cricket with her friends. (d) He stroked puppies playfully. (e) She wrote with passion. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Listening Skills 127 To make things easy, Future Tense is an action which will take place in the time to come. There are no sub types which have different forms, future tense usually relates to activity which will be done at a future date and at a future time. Learning Activity: Convert the following into Simple Future Sentences: (a) She sang for her friends (b) She wrote stories. (c) She played cricket with her friends. (d) He stroked puppies playfully. (e) She wrote with passion. Concord Concord is a subject and verb arrangement in a sentence where they agree with each other. The subject of the sentence and the verb of the sentence are kept positively together. Subject-Verb concord For instance, when the subject is plural and the verb is plural too, it means they agree. Similarly, if both would be singular, then they would agree. E.g.: The pages are held together by the staple. In the above sentence, pages is subject and held is the verb. They both are written in plural form which makes them a concord. Learning Activity: Identify from the following sentences, if the underlined subject and verb are concords or not. 1. The group of dancers are dancing here. 2. The books have been kept together with an identifier. 3. The peacocks are dancing very beautifully. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

128 Communication Skills 4. The student is writing his notes very neatly. 5. The puppies have eaten their food very joyfully. Punctuation Punctuation is a glue which explains us the importance of stressors in a sentence. It is only because of punctuation that we know when to pause, when to know types, when to distinguish between more words and much more. Without punctuation, there would be a thousand meanings of one sentence and there would be no clarity of the language at any given point of time. Punctuation usually comprises of the following symbols: . Full stop used to mark the end of a sentence. , Coma used to show more types or options. : Colon used to precede an explanation. “ Inverted commas used to show a dialogue said by someone. This is put in the start and end of the dialogue. ; Semi colon used to separate major sentence elements. ‘ Apostrophies usually used on nouns e.g.: Doctor’s advice. Use of capital letters in the start of the sentence and for proper nouns. Learning Activity: Add the necessary punctuation in the following sentences. 1. sometimes people fall for false love and false company 2. did you ask old peter about the famous story haunting this villa 3. often life throws such things at people which they least expect 4. travelling with good people fulfils the meaning of life in true sense 5. half of people’s lives are spent worthless in pleasing people they mean nothing to CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Listening Skills 129 One Word Substitute One word substitutes are those words which explain the full sentence in just one word. They are smarter ways of writing and also leaving a lasting impression. For example: Joyous – it is a one word substitute for the meaning happy and fulfilled occasion. Learning Activity: Find the one word substitute for the following sentences 1. that through which light can pass – 2. book written by an unknown author – 3. grass eating animal – 4. place where orphans live – 5. life history written by someone else – Synonyms Synonyms are basically one meaning which has many words. You will always wonder that different people use different words to express one feeling. There are many words which have same meaning and are different words. E.g.: kind – affectionate, amiable, humane, sympathetic, gentle In the above example, you witnessed 5 different words for the word kind. They all mean the same. Learning Activity: Write 5 synonyms for the following words: 1. curious 2. happy CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

130 Communication Skills 3. breathtakingly 4. serene 5. horror Antonyms Antonyms are words which mean opposite but with different word forms. For example, the opposite of right is wrong but it can also be error, incorrect, etc. E.g.: Antonyms of Kind- inattentive, unkind, uncaring, inhospitable, uncivil Learning Activity: Write 5 antonyms for the following words: 1. security 2. seldom 3. separate 4. terrible 5. take off 8.6 Summary z Consonant sounds are the various ways of sounds which one uses in pronunciation of words in verbal communication. These sounds are very important especially to bring out different effects into the language. Knowledge of these consonant sounds is very important to give the desired effect on the language spoken. Therefore, it is very important to use consonant sounds effectively in spoken and written language. This usage of language with consonant sounds is very promising and adds new value to the words spoken. z Social etiquettes are basic manners in behaviour and politeness in speaking which a person should maintain. A person with good social etiquettes is more liked and preferred by people over those who lack this quality. Social etiquettes include being polite, understanding, helpful CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Listening Skills 131 and understanding. The people who have good social etiquettes are always easier to approach. Their way of handling things is also very rational and productive. z Grammar forms the very base of the English language which can only be evolved with a lot of knowledge in grammar. Without proper grammar, the meaning of the sentence would not be expressed in a far better manner. Grammar enhances the flavour of the sentence. In order to obtain 100% success from the language, it is very important to use grammar effectively. The effect of grammar makes the sentence more meaningful and adds value. 8.7 Key Words/Abbreviations z Synonyms: Meanings. z Antonyms: Opposites. z Social manners: Accepted norms of being a part of society. z Etiquettes: Basic assumed formalities to be maintained in a social set up. 8.8 Unit End Questions A. Identify which type of consonant sounds are there in the following sentences. 1. Dental care is primary not only in childhood but in all ages. 2. Florentine is becoming increasingly popular amongst the tourists. 3. Verbal communication is the fastest and the most effective forms of communication. 4. Always learn from mistakes, never repeat them again. 5. Nina has her masters in human psychology and social sciences. B. Make a list of social etiquettes which are important in day-to-day life. Make sure your list is different from the pointers mentioned in the chapter. You can refer to the internet for some points. C. Prepare a speech on, “Time Management” and have a mock session in the class. Make sure the mock session has polite interruptions. Practice of the tips should be the motive of the mock speech. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

132 Communication Skills D. Write a polite conversation between two men in their 50’s who are discussing about the changes in the technology which they have witnessed and how it is necessary to keep evolving with changing times. E. Convert the following simple present tense sentences into Present Perfect and Present Continuous Tense: 1. He plays basketball with national team. 2. He dances for world competitions. 3. He cooks Italian for his special guests. 4. He paints all things which describe love. 5. He designs pots and cutlery with resin art. F. Convert the following simple Past tense sentences into Past Perfect and Past Continuous Tense: 1. He played basketball with national team. 2. He danced for world competitions. 3. He cooked Italian for his special guests. 4. He painted all things which describe love. 5. He designed pots and cutlery with resin art. G. Convert the following Simple Future Tense. 1. He played basketball with national team. 2. He danced for world competitions. 3. He cooked Italian for his special guests. 4. He painted all things which describe love. 5. He designed pots and cutlery with resin art. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Listening Skills 133 H. Identify from the following sentences, if the underlined subject and verb are concords or not. 1. The group of deer are chasing here. 2. The clothes have been kept together in the rack. 3. The kids are dancing very beautifully. 4. The girl is writing her letters very neatly. 5. The senior citizens have eaten their food with a lot of peace. I. Add the necessary punctuation in the following sentences. 1. Sports has an amazing way of exercising the body 2. given at any period of time advice from the elderly helps 3. friends are a family which we get to choose 4. living life king size has its own share of luxuries 5. uncle john said that I will be late for the dinner tomorrow kindly excuse me J. Find the one word substitute for the following sentences. 1. people who work together – 2. people who live in similar locations – 3. study on animals – 4. one who always looks at the negative side of things – 5. one who works for free – K. Write 5 synonyms for the following words: 1. dance 2. shining 3. awesome CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

134 Communication Skills 4. rejoice 5. care L. Write 5 antonyms for the following words: 1. supporter 2. happy 3. teach 4. urban 5. sugar 8.9 Reference 1. Wren and Martin Grammar Book. ‰‰‰ CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Cross-cultural Communication 135 UNIT 9 CROSS-CULTURAL COMMUNICATION Structure: 9.0 Learning Objectives 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Importance or Significance of Cross-cultural Communication 9.3 Different Communication Styles 9.4 Cross-cultural Communication Strategies 9.5 Summary 9.6 Key Words/Abbreviations 9.7 LearningActivity 9.8 Unit End Questions 9.9 Reference CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

136 Communication Skills 9.0 Learning Objectives After studying this unit, you will be able to: z Learn different concepts of cross-cultural communication z Learn different elements of cross-cultural communication z Learn different barriers to cross-cultural communication z Learn different cross-cultural communication strategies 9.1 Introduction According to Edward T. Hall, ‘Culture is communication and communication is culture.’ So, they both go hand in hand. Culture is a complex concept which has many definitions. ‘Culture refers to the behavioural characteristics typical of a group of people.’ A group or community with which we share common experiences is Culture. These groups are the ones where we are born into. It can also include groups which we want to become part of. For example: We can acquire a new culture if we move to a different country. The people who belong to different cultural background communicate in a different way which is looked by Cross-cultural Communication. It just wants to understand how people who belong to different cultures communicate with each other. There might be misunderstandings which people face and culture is often at the root of communication challenges. 9.2 Importance or Significance of Cross-cultural Communication Business has gone global today. In the modern workplace, there are people of different cultures. There are many challenges and language or cultural barriers often stand in the way. Miscommunication or misinterpretation can hinder team progress and make pointless differences in the workplace. (a) Understand Cultural Diversity New communication strategies are required in the global workplace as people belong to different cultural backgrounds. The solution to build the most of those opportunities and fight the challenges is to understand the importance of cross-cultural communication in business. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Cross-cultural Communication 137 For an effective communication to happen, cultural differences should be considered as employees speak the same language though they belong to different locations. (b) Facial Expressions Many times when people are interacting with their team members they misread facial expressions as they belong to different culture. The people should be familiar with these differences and avoid misconception. The individual training sessions should be given to employees for successful communication. In spite of the culture, a pleasant expression is universal. If a person is communication through videos still, he should have a positive and friendly facial expression which can lead to successful cross-cultural business communications. (c) Pause Before Reacting A person should take a moment to react to any statement or behavior as people belong to different cultural backgrounds. This enables you to step back, process the information, and create your response. There is no chance of misunderstanding and you give enough time to understand the message. Become a better listener and communicator. (d) Be Present Your eye contact, facial expressions, and commitment are obvious in person by the use of video conferencing. So, a person can make out whether you are paying attention or not. In phone meetings as well, your interaction and engagement is important. If you are inattentive, it can cause you much. There may be a breakdown in communication and you might end up offending others. You might get distracted because of mobile device. We live in a universal village. Working with people from different cultures, both in person and through digital platforms is commonplace. That is why, it is important to be alert of cross-cultural communication in business. In this way, you can achieve common goals and these skills will cultivate productivity and creativity. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

138 Communication Skills 9.3 Different Communication Styles Communication styles refer to how people communicate between and within cultures. Two major aspects of communication style are language usage and non-verbal communication. These are also the elements of cross-cultural communication. 1. Direct/Indirect or High/Low Context: The communication styles are different in different cultures. Cultural context is the pattern of physical gestures, environmental setting and shared understanding that conveys meaning between members of the same culture. In a high context culture like Thailand or Japan, people rely heavily on non verbal actions and environmental setting to convey meaning but in low context cultures like United States or Germany, they rely more on Verbal Communication. The primary role of communication in high context culture is building relationships but in low context culture, it is exchanging information. In high context cultures, information is shared with everyone but in low context cultures, information is highly centralized and controlled. 2. Ethnocentrism Ethnocentrism can be defined as the tendency to judge all other groups according to the standards, behaviours and customs of one’s own group. So, we see other cultural group from our own cultural view point. For example: When an Indian employee in UK bow slightly to greet his manager, the comment may be the Indians always behave like this. If an American gives an Arab, a deadline to finish the work, he is seen as aggressive. But if same Arab prefers a handshake over a written contract, he is seen as untrustworthy by the American. So, they have attitudinal difference because of Ethnocentricity. People start making assumptions which leads to misunderstandings. Ethnocentrism reactions may be taken care of if we gain knowledge about other cultures, avoid assumptions and start being empathetic to other cultures. 3. Cultural Variables and Communication Sensitivity In a workplace, individual differs in national and cultural backgrounds. So, there is workforce diversity which lends a much richer workplace environment and variety of viewpoint. Hence, a manager should possess the skills to manage workforce diversity. People believe that the word CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Cross-cultural Communication 139 culture refers to the people from a specific nationality. National cultures do exist but culture also has other dimensions. Within a country, regional differences may exist. Attitudes, values, customs, race, etc. can influence behaviour. Other important cultural differences are religion, gender, age, non- verbal signals, etc. 4. Variables or Barriers of National Cultures: In a foreign nation when a person interacts for business purpose, he should realize that the overall national as well as individual cultural difference will exist. In various ways, national environmental constraints such as education, language, politics, religion and social norms affect a national culture. (a) Education In every nation, the education system is mostly different. For example: The universities, colleges, schools all over the world may function differently. They will have different curriculum, evaluation system, etc. In western culture, students are imparted education about local and national politics but in India and Asian countries, most of the students spend their childhood in the classroom. This shows that same educational criteria cannot be applied while recruiting people for an organization. (b) Law and Regulations: For the sale of products, Government regulations are important. For example: If children are targeted in advertising, then American countries keep a watch on them. Advertising of cigarettes and their budget are restricted by European nations. Even there is a limit to the usage of foreign language in advertisement in countries like Mexico. In English Common law, someone is presumed innocent until proved guilty but in Turkey someone is presumed guilty until proven innocent. (c) Politics: The concept of democracy and the form of government also differs from country to country. For doing a business, even political stability or instability of the country is important. (d) Religion: The difference in religious beliefs and religious diversity leads to cultural barrier. Some have single religion while others have multi-religion. Nations like India and US tolerate several religions CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

140 Communication Skills while Iran does not accept multiple religions. The work schedules can be hampered or responses to queries get delayed because of religious holidays. (e) Social Norms: All the above things – Education, Laws and Regulations, Politics, Religion – influence social norms of a country. Some nations have a Patriarchal society which affects business decisions. Nuclear or joint family also influence the social norms. Culture also tries to dictate the roles that people play. For example: In some countries, women don’t have an important role in business so if women executives visit their country they will not be taken seriously as business people. (f) Language: Language is an important factor as sender and receiver if comes from different linguistic background will need to understand each other through a common language. English is a language used throughout the world. There are many misunderstanding due to language problems. A Hindi- speaking person when visits Kerala where people speak Malayalam will face lot of troubles. 5. Individual Cultural Variables or Barriers: There is a unique lifestyle of personal habits and ethnic diversity which an individual follows. For example: There are individual cultural traits seen in the following matters: (a) Non-verbal Signals: Gestures, posture, eye contact, facial expressions, etc. are non-verbal signals which are different all over the world. For example: In some countries, people shake hands while greeting but in India we embrace and fold our hands. In some countries, direct eye contact is considered as friendliness but in Japan, it might be considered as aggressive. (b) Time (Chronemics): In some countries, people are ‘Time Conscious’ but in others they are less concerned with precision in time. For example: In India, arriving late is a socially accepted custom. Punctuality is treated differently across cultures. In some countries, people take afternoon naps and close shops but in others, they have specific hours of opening and closing shops. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Cross-cultural Communication 141 (c) Space (Proxemics) In India, it is common if a person stand close to you while speaking but in America, people demand more space between them while speaking. Some cultures think that if a person is not standing close he is uninterested while others feel if a person is standing close he is rude and pushy. (d) Food: Eating habits, the preparation of food, serving, type of food, etc. is different in every culture. Table manners are also very important. People in Asia like to eat with their hands while Chinese people refer chopsticks. (e) Dress: Norms of acceptability and non-acceptability differs in every culture. In America, males refer business suits and females refer tailored suits. (f) Decision-Making: InAmerica, they prefer individual decision-making, while in Japan, they prefer collective decision making. So, it varies with culture. 9.4 Cross-cultural Communication Strategies There are many communication problems which may arise because of cultural differences. So, we have to make an effort to overcome these problems. Some precautions are as follows: z Jumping to conclusions to be avoided. Active listening is important and confirming the understanding of the communication can be done by repeating what the person heard. z Words are used differently which can lead to misunderstanding so prior knowledge about such words is preferable. z Translators who are familiar with both cultures can help. z Recognize the diversity and ethnicity of people and respect them. z Avoid drawing conclusions about entire cultural group or avoid stereotyping. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

142 Communication Skills z Direct experience like access to sources of the other culture is the best way to understand any culture. z Try to use a common language which both sender and receiver are familiar with. z Instead of looking at the differences try to find out similarities between two cultures. z A business manager especially should try to update his knowledge about different cultures as he will be interacting with people from different cultures. z Provide relevant and truthful information to avoid misunderstanding in culture. 9.5 Summary ‘Culture refers to the behavioural characteristics typical of a group of people.’ Globalization means that for a company to survive, it must establish markets not only in its own country but also in many other countries. Employees should understand each other’s cultures. There are different elements like high or low context which exist. There are language barriers, ethnocentrism, etc. The importance of cross-cultural communication understands cultural diversity, facial expressions, pause before reacting, be present. There are different communication styles like direct/indirect or high/low context, ethnocentrism, cultural variables and communication sensitivity, variables or barriers of national culture and individual cultural variables or barriers. There are many strategies which are developed to overcome these cross-cultural barriers like jumping to conclusions to be avoided, active listening, translators who are familiar with both cultures, recognize the diversity, try to use a common language, find out similarities between two cultures and provide relevant and truthful information. 9.6 Key Words/Abbreviations z Cross-cultural Communication: The way people from differing cultural backgrounds communicate is called Cross-cultural communication. z Cultural Diversity: In our society, there are people from different cultural or ethnic groups. z Facial Expressions: It is a kind of non-verbal communication where you don’t use words. z Ethnocentrism: We judge other cultures as per our own culture. z Variables: Any feature or element that can be changed. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Cross-cultural Communication 143 9.7 Learning Activity 1. A Role play can be done on different cultures. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- 2. Each student should give one example of how culture contributes to one’s view of the world. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- 3. Each student should identify and connect to cultural experiences that is similar and different to one’s own. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- 9.8 Unit End Questions A. Descriptive Type Questions 1. Discuss the cross-cultural barriers to communication. 2. Define cross-cultural communication. Discuss about different communication styles highlighting low/high context cultures. 3. Discuss variables of national culture in detail. 4. Explain the importance of Cross-cultural communication. 5. What are the different cross-cultural communication strategies? CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

144 Communication Skills B. Multiple Choice Questions 1. The role of communication in _________ context culture is building relationships. (a) high (b) low (c) centralized 2. _________ is judging others groups according to customs of own group. (a) ethnocentrism (b) variables (c) context 3. The information is highly controlled in _______ context culture. (a) low (b) high (c) chronemics 4. Jumping to ________ should be avoided. (a) conclusions (b) people (c) culture Answers 1. (a), 2. (a), 3. (a), 4. (a) 9.9 Reference 1. https://myonline.centralchristian.edu/news/2018/10/24/importance-cross-cultural- communication-business ‰‰‰ CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)