Chapter 1 - Starting points for business communication

Question 1

Why is it important to get to know your audience?

Answer 1

If you know personal aspects, it makes the most meaningful approach for the intended audience, but never assume culture & be willing to adjust.

Question 2

What is a low context culture? What other culture names go with this?

Answer 2

It is straight to the point & explicit, like in NA, prefers a bottom line approach.

• individualist
• low-power
• linear monochromic (deadlines important)

Question 3

What is high context culture? What other culture names go with this?

Answer 3

It has implied meaning, body language is important, like in Asia, indirect style of communication

• collectivist
• high-power
• flexible polychromic (flexible deadlines)

Question 4

What is an individualist?

Answer 4

It focuses on the needs of individuals in decisions over those of the community. Values individual expression & independency.

Question 5

What is a collectivist?

Answer 5

It values the group more than the individual in decisions. Values loyalty and consulting the team before decision making.

Question 6

What is low-power culture?

Answer 6

It takes a more democratic approach and allows individuals to give their input and tends to have greater productivity

Question 7

What is high-power culture?

Answer 7

It takes a non-democratic approach with a strict hierarchy of top-down communication. Many factors like gender, age, dialect, family connections, education, clothing, etc. determine someone’s level of power.

Question 8

Why is it important to know what previous knowledge your reader has?

Answer 8

• if they know a lot, you only briefly restate info and then expand on new info
• if they know little, you give as much detail as possible to make it clear without talking down to the reader by using appropriate style/tone

Question 9

Why is it important to know how the reader will benefit from info?

Answer 9

• give a purpose to make them want to read info
• figure out so you can subtly prompt usage of info & give evidence for how it will help the reader (ex. help make money, productivity, etc.)

Question 10

Why is it important to understand your relationship with the reader?

Answer 10

• if you know them well, it can be more informal

- if not, share qualifications to build credibility

Question 11

What is primary research?

Answer 11

• it is information you gathered firsthand and did not previously exist
• it can be collected through surveys, interviews, etc.
• no citation required but specify how you gathered info

Question 12

What is secondary research?

Answer 12

• it is data that already exists/is published that someone else wrote
• it can be collected through the library, internet, etc.
• a citation is required

Question 13

What is a reliable research source?

Answer 13

• library
• internet (scholarly articles, academic journals, etc.)
• businesses databases
• sector specific info

Question 14

How should research be organized?

Answer 14

Create an outline to ensure logical order

1. use keywords to find main ideas
2. break ideas into segments
3. check for logical order/completeness
4. put notes/headings in outline to ensure focus

Question 15

Why document sources?

Answer 15

• adds value to document (can find additional info)
• indicates professionalism and builds credibility
• allows reader to trust info
• taking credit for someone else’s work is unethical

Question 16

What are helpful sources when looking for different words?

Answer 16

• thesaurus
• dictionary
• sector specific dictionaries
• style guides

Question 17

Why is formality important in tone/style?

Answer 17

• ensuring culturally correct terms
• avoiding jargon and idioms
• direct or indirect format used