Chapter 7- Management Skill Of Communication Flashcards
What is formal communication?
Pass through the approved channels of communications.
- What are communications?
The transfer of information between people.
What is informal communication?
The informal network of communications that exists within every organisation and industry.
- Why is communication important in business?
Communication between internal stakeholders:
To employees?
Must be able to communicate with managers to ensure the correct work is done, on time and to the correct quality standard.
To managers?
Must be able to communicate relevant information with each other to ensure that they had all the information they need to make good decisions.
To investors?
Must be supplied with accurate information about the financial performance of the business.
Communication with external stakeholders:
To customers?
Should be kept informed of new product developments, especially if problems arise that will affect customer satisfaction.
To suppliers?
Need to be kept informed of the firms supply needs.
To government?
Businesses need to communicate with government agencies when applying for grants, lobbying for changes in the law or reporting breaches of the law.
To society?
The reputation of every business with the general public is very important as it affects the firms ability to recruit staff, win customers and avoid conflict with vested interest groups.
- What are the methods of communication used by businesses?
What is communications medium?
The actual method used to send the message or data.
What are external communications?
Used to communicate with people outside of the business, such as customers, suppliers, investors, government and the general public.
What are internal communications?
Used to communicate between staff in the same business.
What are communication channels?
The routes in an organisation through which information flows between people. They can be upward, downward, horizontal, formal or informal.
What are upward communications?
Refer to staff reporting up the chain of comment to their supervisors and managers.
What are downward communications?
Messages sent down the chain of command from managers to their subordinates.
What are horizontal communications?
Travel between people of the same rank and authority in the chain of command.
What are the types of business communications?
Verbal Written Visual Electronic Physical.
- What are meetings?
Occur when two or more people get together to communicate with each other.
Why are business meetings held?
Provide information and pass in instructions to staff
Discuss an issue and share views and ideas
Make a decision.
What are formal meetings?
Who do they involve?
Highly structured because they are planned and run according to agreed procedures. They usually involve a chairperson and a secretary who takes the minutes of the meeting.
What are AGMs (annual general meetings)?
Meetings open to all shareholders of a company.
What are EGMs (extraordinary general meetings)?
Called to discuss a very important or emergency matter that cannot wait until the next AGM.
What are ad hoc meetings?
Take place at short notice to deal with a problem or issue that has arisen.
- How is a formal business meeting organised?
What does a chairperson do?
Responsible for the correct running of a meeting Set an agenda Open the meeting Follow the agenda Facilitate contributions Keep order Calls for votes.
What is a quorum?
The minimum number if people who must attend before an official meeting can begin.
What are standing orders?
The agreed rules for running the meeting.
What is a point of order?
A question to the chairperson regarding how the meeting is being run.
What does the secretary do?
Responsible for notifying the participants in advance about the meeting. During the meeting, take notes and take notes of the decisions made during the meeting.
What are minutes?
A written record of what was discussed and decided at a meeting.
What is an agenda?
A summary list of all the items to be dealt with at the meeting.
What are the advantages of meetings?
Clarity
Rapport
Speed
Feedback.
What are the disadvantages of meetings?
Cost
Recurs
Clarity
Accuracy.
- What is a memo?
A short written note about one particular issue.
- What are business letters?
Commonly used in important situations, especially where a written record of the communication is required.
What are press releases?
Written communications send to journalists by organisations or individuals wanting to get publicity for an announcement or to respond to negative publicity.
- What is a report?
A written document about a specific topic or issue presenting information, evaluations and recommendations to the specific person or group who requested it.
Why are reports used?
To investigate an incident
To solve a problem
To identify possible courses of action
To monitor progress.
What do you include in a report?
Terms of reference
Main body of the report
Conclusions and recommendations.
What are the features of a good report?
Gathers relevant information
Provides a good analysis
Assists management decision-making.
- How can business information be communicated visually?
What are the benefits of visual communications?
Improves presentation
Simplifies information
Speeds up the absorption.
What are pie charts?
Compares different categories as though they were segments of a pie.
What are pictograms?
Diagrams that use small pictures to represent different quantities of people or objects.
What are line graphs?
Use the path of a line to show the change in figures over a period of time.
What are bar charts?
Used when comparing a large number of different categories.
What are gantt charts?
Used to visually illustrate the amount of time taken to complete work compared to the amount of time originally planned.
What are maps?
Useful to illustrate physical locations, such as where a firms premises are located.
What are organisational charts?
Show who does what and how different people in the organisation are connected.
What are break-even charts?
Show what level of sales must be achieved before a product will break even (i.e cover it’s costs) and begin to make a profit.
What is graphic design?
Using computer software to make it easier for businesses to communicate information visually.
- What are the elements of effective communications?
Sender?
Timely.
Message?
Accurate
Brief
Clear.
Medium used?
Appropriate Fast Low cost Provide a record Satisfy any legal requirements.
Receiver?
Allow feedback.
- What are the barriers to effective communication?
Sender?
Inappropriate time.
Message?
Inaccurate information Badly worded Jargon Inappropriate message Too long.
Medium used?
Inappropriate method of communication that does not get heard
To slow or unreliable.
Receiver?
Wrong receiver Receiver not listening Receiver misinterprets Cannot provide feedback Mistrusts the sender.
- How can ICT help business communications?
What is ICT?
The use of computers, telecommunications and electronics to gather, store, process and distribute information.
What is the internet?
An international network of computers connected through the telephone network.
What are intranets?
Networks of computers within a business.
What is EDI (electronic data interchange)?
An automated stock ordering system that allows orders to be placed automatically from a computer in one business to a computer in another business, using the internet.
What is video confrencing?
A type of virtual meeting where participants can see and hear each other through the use of video cameras, telephone links and monitors.
What are types of computer software applications?
Word processors, databases are spreadsheets.
What is database software?
Allows a business to store huge amounts of data electronically.
What is spreadsheet software?
Allows users to do complex financial and statistical calculations quickly and present the results in graphical form.
What is desk top publishing (DTP)?
Used to produce professional quality leaflets, brochures, websites, newsletters and other publications at a very low cost.
- What are the benefits and risks of ICT in business?
Benefits?
Faster communications Advertising Stakeholder relations are enhanced Reduced marketing costs Reduced staff travel costs Staff motivation.
Risks?
Information security
E-crime
Business disruption risks
Can be expensive.
- What are the Data Protection Acts 1988 and 2003?
Require that any organisation storing information on other people on computer or in manual files must ensure that the information is accurate and kept up to date.
What is a data subject?
Anyone who has information held about them on someone else’s computer.
What are data collectors?
The people or organisations who keep information about other people on their computers.
What are the right of private individuals (data subjects)?
Access to files
Correction of errors
Compensation where inaccurate information causes harm
Not to be subjected to automated decision-making.
What are the responsibilities of business and other organisations (data controllers)?
Information obtained fairly
Information used for purpose it was given
Information stores securely
Subjects have right of access to information
Information is accurate
Subjects can have incorrect information corrected.
What does the data protection commissioner do?
Responsible for ensuring that the data protection acts 1988 and 2003 are obeyed.
What is their job?
Providing information to the public
Maintaining a register
Help businesses develop codes of practise
Investigating complaints.
