Solution Manual For Essentials of Business Communication, 11th Edition

Preview (16 of 125 Pages)

100%

Solution Manual For Essentials of Business Communication, 11th Edition - Page 1 preview image

Loading page ...

Guffey & Loewy,Essentials of Business Communication, 11.for1CHAPTER1SOLUTIONSSucceeding in the Social and Mobile WorkplaceCriticalThinking Discussion GuideNote:Solutions to Chapter Review questions 1-10 appear in the Annotated Instructor’s Edition.11.What could be the career fallout forsomeone who is unwilling or unable to train tobecome a better communicator? Can workers today be successful if their writingis and remains poor? (L.O. 1)Each of us probably knows at least one example of a highly successful dyslexic personor a poor writer who is admired and thrives in the world of work. However, such casesare the exception rather than the rule. Surveys of employers find over and over againthat woefully unprepared young job applicants will fall behind in their careers and not bepromoted if they are even hired in the first place.12.Why do executives and managers spend more time listening than do workers?(L.O. 2)Before they can make decisions, executives must listen to feedback from supervisors,specialists, and others. They must also listen to their bosses—boards of directors andowners—as well as to customers, especially when handling serious complaints. Mindsare like parachutes; they work well only when open. All three levels of workers shouldhave good listening skills; but because the decisions coming from executives may bemore critical, their listening skills should perhaps be most highly developed.13.What arguments could you give for or against the idea that body language is ascience with principles that can be interpreted accurately by specialists? (L.O. 3)Although few would argue that body language does send silent messages, no scientificprinciples have evolved explaining exactly what those messages mean. Mostresearchers agree that nonverbal cues contain much information, but specifically whatthose cues mean is unknown. In Nonverbal Communication, authors Hickson andStacks wrote, “The nonverbal message by itself may be ambiguous; in almost everyinstance it needs the verbal message to complete the process of communication.”[Madison, WI: WCB Brown & Benchmark, 1993, p. 8.] Julius Fast, author of theprecedent-setting Body Language, stated that “nonverbal language is partly instinctive,partly taught, and partly imitative.” [New York: Pocket Books, 1970, p. 14.] But it is not ascience with principles that always hold true.14.Imagine that businesspeople from a high-context culture (e.g., Japan or China)meet their counterparts from a low-context culture (the United States) for the firsttime to negotiate and sign a manufacturing contract. What could go wrong? Howabout conflicting perceptions of time? (L.O. 4)

Solution Manual For Essentials of Business Communication, 11th Edition - Page 2 preview image

Loading page ...

Solution Manual For Essentials of Business Communication, 11th Edition - Page 3 preview image

Loading page ...

Guffey & Loewy,Essentials of Business Communication, 11.for2Misunderstandings are almost assured if both sides are not aware of their divergingperceptions and willing to accommodate each other. A businessperson who prefersdirectness and relies mainly on precise written information (low context) will be impatientwith a businessperson who avoids saying no, seemingly doesn’t get to the point, orcommunicates in what appear to be ambiguous messages (high context). Moreover, theperson raised in a low-context culture will expect a quick decision and is “ready to dobusiness,” whereas the member of a high-context culture will want to consult with othermanagers, and the group may say yes only after lengthy deliberations. In turn, becauselow-context communicators may be perceived as pushy and rude, their foreigncounterparts may not want to do business with them. As for time orientation, Americanstend to live by the clock. Time is a commodity that can be spent or wasted. Punctuality isa generally accepted virtue. In other parts of the world, time is not such a high priorityand is kept approximately at best. Smart negotiators can test Americans’ patience andthrow them off balance simply by strategically dragging out negotiations.15.It is quite natural to favor one’s own country over a foreign one. To what extentcan ethnocentrism be considered a normal reaction, and when could it becomedestructive and unproductive? Provide examples to support your answer.(L.O. 5)The love of country can express itself in healthy patriotic sentiment or in potentiallyhateful jingoism or nationalism. Ethnocentrism can be defined as putting one’s ownculture first and making it central to one’s world. Most Americans would probablydescribe themselves as patriotic. This means recognizing the great accomplishments ofone’s country of origin and being proud of them without, however, dismissing othercountries contemptuously and viewing the rest of the world as inferior. Ethnocentrismturns into a negative trait once closed-mindedness or even hatred of other cultures setsin. The key is openness, tolerance, and empathy.Activities and Cases1.1 Introduce Yourself (L.O. 1)Thise-mail or memo is an excellent way to assessstudents’ skills and, at the same time, get to know them. Don’t grade this assignment, but besure to write a friendly comment on all papers or send friendly e-mail replies to demonstratethat you have an interest in them as students and as individuals. You may want to use theprofile function in your institution’s learning-management system to have students createprofessional profiles covering the information requested or additional information you maywant to gather. This assignment may be revisited later in the term to practice professionalonline presence (e.g., in a LinkedIn profile) when you cover employment communication. Ifyou are tech savvy and teach smaller classes, you may want to try introductions by tweet in140 characters or fewer. These messages might include a tiny URL taking the recipient to aprofile, website, or other virtual location. More information about using LinkedIn is providedin Chapter 13.1.2 Small-Group Presentation: Introduce Team Members (L.O. 1, 2)Decide whetheryou wish each student to (a) interview a group member and introduce that person to thegroup or (b) introduce himself or herself to the class. Class size may help you decide.Encourage students to consider this a casual introduction. However, it is a good opportunity

Solution Manual For Essentials of Business Communication, 11th Edition - Page 4 preview image

Loading page ...

Guffey & Loewy,Essentials of Business Communication, 11.for3for students to not only learn about each other but also start to develop the skill of speakingin front of a group.This informal oral assignment induces students to become aware of their employability skills.You could make it more structured by asking them to record in writing the information theylearn in the interview to create a short biographical sketch. The main purpose of thisassignment is to encourage students to start thinking about presenting themselves well onprofessional social media platforms such as LinkedIn and in other forums of public opinion.If students are not on LinkedIn yet, impress upon them that it’s about time they created anaccount! Many students are now urged to join LinkedIn in high school.1.3 Social Media Inventory (L.O. 1, 3, 4)The generalization that young people today aredigital natives and as such must all be extremely tech savvy may not apply to all students,not even the millennials among them. Taking stock of students’ social media and technologyuse can be important for getting to know the class and its members’ preparedness. Assignthe inventory activity to small groups or collect written responses from individuals if you fearthat students might hesitate to admit that they do not fit the stereotype of thehyperconnected contemporary and do not own the latest electronics, particularly given thatgadgets tend to be expensive. You may also want to ask about attitudes: how important aresmartphones and staying connected with friends via text or Facebook to the students? Dothey see any disadvantages in being connected nonstop?1.4 Soft Skills: Personal Strengths Inventory (L.O. 1)Your students should submit a listof four categories of soft skills. Encourage them to frame statements that will be useful whenthey prepare a résumé later in the course. For example, under “Thinking and problemsolving,” a student might write, “Learned new spreadsheet program and prepared costprojection for remodeling office,” or “Learn new software applications quickly and with littletraining.”1.5 Rating Your Listening Skills (L.O. 2)This quiz focuses on good listening techniquesas presented in the textbook. Although some of the answers are obvious, an interactive quizpresents an alternative learning mode that can pique student interest and reinforce goodhabits.1.6 Listening: An In-Person or Virtual Social Media Interview (L.O. 2)The answers willvary. Students could brainstorm and discuss their interview questions in class or preparequestions at home. Then they could approach their interviewees in person, by phone, by e-mail, or via LinkedIn or Facebook. A special word of caution when contacting professionalson LinkedIn: Warn students not to relentlessly pursue random strangers, but to work fromwithin their own established LinkedIn circle of professional acquaintances or theiracquaintances’ contacts. This assignment could be done orally or in writing (e-mail, memo)individually, in small groups, or in class. The task could be expanded to a group oralpresentation or written report.1.7 Listening and Nonverbal Cues: Skills Required in Various Careers (L.O. 2, 3)Student teams should generate lists of listening and nonverbal cues that include some of thefollowing: good eye contact, avoiding being distracted by others, not interrupting, takingnotes, paraphrasing instructions, asking pertinent questions in a nonthreatening manner,leaning forward, and showing empathy and compassion. Critical listening involves judgingand evaluating what you are hearing. Discriminative listening is necessary when you must

Solution Manual For Essentials of Business Communication, 11th Edition - Page 5 preview image

Loading page ...

Guffey & Loewy,Essentials of Business Communication, 11.for4identify main ideas and understand an argument. Teams should generate cues andbehaviors to reflect these forms of listening in relation to the professional roles they areanalyzing.1.8 Nonverbal Communication: How Do You Come Across? (L.O. 3)Answers will vary. Ask students to review the aspects of nonverbal behavior discussed inthis chapter and to focus on specific cues. Remind the class to look for aspects ofprofessionalism, such as a straight but not rigid posture, and steady yet not staring eyecontact. Students might observe slouching, playing with pens and pencils, or nervousgestures such as tugging at necklaces and ears, or running fingers through hair.1.9 Nonverbal Communication: Reading Body Language (L.O. 3)Thesebody movements do not necessarily mean the same thing when used by differentindividuals. Remember that to a certain degree nonverbal communication can be culture orsubculture specific, and context always plays a major role in the interpretation of this type ofcommunication. Students may have other interpretations, but these body movements can beconstrued to mean the following:a.Whistling, wringing hands: nervous or fearfulb.Bowed posture, twiddling thumbs: boredc.Steepled hands, sprawling sitting position: contemplative or relaxedd.Rubbing hand through hair: frustrated or nervouse.Open hands, unbuttoned coat: relaxedf.Wringing hands, tugging ears: upset or nervous1.10 Nonverbal Communication: How Best to Signal I Messed Up (L.O. 3)This is agood exercise for teams. Suggest that team members take turns demonstrating each of thenonverbal messages. They should then discuss how effective each would be. Of course,some would be quite dangerous if they require taking your hands off the steering wheel. Besure to discuss with students the difficulty of cultural implications. Although a gesture mightbe effective in one country, it might not work in another.1.11 Nonverbal Communication: Signals Sent by Casual Attire (L.O. 3)This activity canbe expanded into a research paper topic. A variation on this activity relies on studentexperiences. Instead of conducting interviews in the community, they can conduct a forumamong students who work, asking them to comment on casual-dress policies in the jobsthey have had.1.12 Nonverbal Communication: Gestures From Around the World (L.O. 3, 4)Studentsshould be able to find a number of gestures and their meanings discussed at variouswebsites. Here is one example: “The fingertip kiss, in which the tips of the thumb and fingersare kissed and quickly moved forward away from the face, is a sign of affection and may beused as a greeting in Sicily and Portugal. The fingertip kiss is not used often in Italy and theBritish Isles, but it is common in France, Germany, Greece, and Spain to signify praise.”[See Martin, J., & Chaney, L. 2006. Global business etiquette. Westport, CT: Praeger, p.53.]1.13 Intercultural Communication: Watching Those Pesky Idioms (L.O. 4)a.thinking out of the boxhaving creative, unconventional ideasb.bottlenecka slowdown or congestion

Solution Manual For Essentials of Business Communication, 11th Edition - Page 6 preview image

Loading page ...

Guffey & Loewy,Essentials of Business Communication, 11.for5c.connect the dotsbeing able to see a relationship between discrete featuresd.hell on wheelsan extremely difficult persone.drop the ballhandle things badly, make a mistakef.get your act togetherget more organizedg. stay the coursepursue a goal regardless of obstaclesh. in the limelightat the center of attentioni.low on the totem polethe last person in a chain ofcommand, least important1.14 Intercultural Communication: Probing Cultural Stereotypes (L.O. 4, 5)This activitydrives home the limiting nature of stereotypes, even positive ones. Very few of us arecomfortable representing our entire culture, although others may perceive and designate usas “ambassadors” of our countries of origin. Students may find some stereotypes flattering,but most will recognize that they are ambivalent at best. Few Jewish students, for example,would enjoy being called good with money because it’s an old anti-Semitic prejudicecouched in positive language. Likewise, being seen as a Latin lover is a mixed blessing, andnot all Asian students are studious and nerdy. Students should also recognize that we maybe amused by positive and even negative stereotypes leveled at others, but we may reactwith less humor once the barbs of prejudice are pointed at us.1.15 Intercultural Communication: Negotiating Diversity in Job Interviews (L.O. 4, 5)Role-playing relies on a solid knowledge of the workplace and interviewing techniques. Ifrole-playing is too advanced for students, a discussion of differences between theinterviewer and interviewee and how they could be bridged might be productive. In the firstexample, students should recognize the preconceived notions that come with genderexpectations. A female boss interviewing a male assistant is still in a minority.a.Students should recognize that explicit references to gender roles would beinappropriate and that the sex of the applicant has no bearing on the qualifications forthe job.b.Any questions about the candidate’s national origin should be avoided unless theinterviewee volunteers such information. If the accent does not hinder communication,only the skills, experience, and ability of the candidate should be considered.c.In the last decade, turbans and other religious symbols have been perceived negativelybecause some Americans associate them with radical Muslims and even terrorists. Yetin a job interview, turbans and other forms of religious garb should not be addressed, norshould they be considered relevant to the hiring decision.d.Age discrimination against people over forty is outlawed in the United States. Anyquestion making age a factor in the hiring process would be illegal and should beavoided. Questions should be kept relevant, referring solely to the requirements of thejob posting.e.Disability cannot and should not be used against the candidate applying for the job. Theinterviewer could put the candidate at ease by extending common courtesy to him or herand making sure to speak with the person at eye level. Patronizing behavior should beavoided.

Solution Manual For Essentials of Business Communication, 11th Edition - Page 7 preview image

Loading page ...

Guffey & Loewy,Essentials of Business Communication, 11.for6Communication Workshop: TechnologyExploring Career Prospects in Your Field With LinkedInThis first Communication Workshop encourages students to visit LinkedIn and potentiallysimilar social media networks and job boards, such as Indeed or CareerBuilder. The goal isto motivate students early in the semester to recognize the value of this course indeveloping the communication skills that many job placement advertisements require.Students should become familiar with using Internet job-search tools, LinkedIn in particular.This activity takes them through the steps of locating positions in their career fields. Theyshould find three advertisements and print them. They should analyze the skills required,tasks to be performed, and salary ranges for the listed jobs. You may ask them to discussthese findings in groups or submit them in a report.Alternatively, student teams could be asked to examine other popular job boards, such asCollegeGrad and Monster. Besides the largest professional networking site, LinkedIn,Glassdoor is potentially eye-opening as it offers accurate salary estimates and anonymousreviews from within organizations, written by current or former employees.Because students sometimes need gentle nudging to go beyond what is assigned, directthem to LinkedIn’s Learning tab; Monster’s Resumes, Jobs, and Career Resources links,which offer a wealth of job-related information; or the popular iPQ Career Planner app. Asimple Google search yields links to websites and news articles that also provide job-seeking advice.

Solution Manual For Essentials of Business Communication, 11th Edition - Page 8 preview image

Loading page ...

Guffey & Loewy,Essentials of Business Communication, 11.for1CHAPTER2SOLUTIONSPlanning Business MessagesNote:Solutions to Chapter Review questions 1-10 appear in the Annotated Instructor’s Edition.Critical Thinking Discussion Guide11. The use of digital communication has overtaken face-to-face and voice-to-voicecommunication in the workplace. How has this shift changed the fundamentalprocess of communication? (L.O. 1)The authors of this text argue that the basic elements of communication have not changedas a result of digital transmission. More messages are being transmitted faster, farther, andmore cheaply than ever. Successful communication still requires the transmission ofmeaning from sender to receiver. However, others might contend that communication hasprofoundly changed as a result of new technologies. In response, everyone acknowledgesthat e-mail and micromessaging media have shortened messages and response times. Inaddition, the communication process has changed from unidirectional to multidirectional.Yet, to be successful, communication still requires that meaning be transferred effectively—regardless of the media involved.12.Is it necessary to follow a writing process when preparing a short message? A longmessage? Why or why not? (L.O. 2)Following a writing process is helpful for any size message. Although short messages takeless time, following a systematic process helps you avoid writer’s block and the necessity ofstarting over once you get to the end of the message and realize what you were trying tosay. Analyzing your purpose, thinking about your audience, collecting information,organizing your ideas, composing carefully, and revising a message before sending it willalways result in an improved product. Following the process also saves time in the long run.13.In their e-mails, writers sometimes use abbreviations such as FYI (“for yourinformation”) and ASAP (“as soon as possible”). Others sometimes use LOL(“laughing out loud”), 4 u (“for you”), and gr8 (“great”). What’s the differencebetween these abbreviations, and how do they contribute to one’s professionalimage? (L.O.4)The first two abbreviations (FYI and ASAP) are acceptable in e-mails because mostbusinesswriters understand their meaning. The last three are informal, and many considerthem unprofessional. When business writers rely on shortcuts such as B4 (“before”), theymay be perceived as ignorant, lazy, or adolescent. Using such abbreviations in messagesto friends, of course, is perfectly acceptable. But in the workplace, it’s more professional tostick to accepted abbreviations.

Solution Manual For Essentials of Business Communication, 11th Edition - Page 9 preview image

Loading page ...

Guffey & Loewy,Essentials of Business Communication, 11.for214.A grocery clerk helps a customer with purchases to her car, and the clerk says Noproblem or Not a problem when thanked. What’s the problem with theseexpressions? What could be said instead? Why do you think some people are nowadopting these expressions instead of the conventional You’re welcome?The problem is that No problem sounds negative and may be inappropriate, as in thisinstance. A number of alternatives can work as well: You are very welcome, My pleasure,Happy to help, We are happy to serve you, We aim to please, Certainly, and Enjoy. Peoplemay be switching to Not a problem or No problem because they are bored with theconventional You’re welcome, which in itself is not altogether meaningful. The newexpression seems more contemporary and hip, but it doesn’t seem to fit all circumstances.15.To focus on the “you” view, should writers scrub all uses of I and we from theirwriting? Why or why not? (L.O. 4)Although writers are encouraged to use the “you” view, doing so does not mean that theymust remove all first-person pronouns. Doing so would make a message sound unnaturaland contrived. It would also be extremely difficult to achieve in most first-person messages.Conscientious business writers strive to focus on the audience, but they should not sterilizetheir messages by removing all uses of I and we.Note:Solutions to the Writing Improvement Exercises are provided in the AnnotatedInstructor’s Edition.Communication Workshop: Career SkillsPerfecting Your Critical-Thinking, Problem-Solving,and Decision-Making Skills1.Identify and clarify the problem.Students will first focus on the problem of the chaoscaused by multiple lines. Where should customers stand?2.Gather information.When solving any problem, we need information. Students willprobably relate their experiences at banks and airlines (which often have roped areas toclearly force single lines), sporting events (where fans frequently crowdconcessionaires), and retail stores (where people often politely form lines at checkoutcounters). Grocery stores have multiple lines, but they are physically separated.3.Evaluate the evidence.Evidence would logically come from observing customer linesat McDonald’s stores and customer lines at other types of retail establishments. At howmany McDonald’s stores was customer behavior observed? Where did the evidenceregarding alternative customer behavior originate? Was that information based on awide number of retail establishments? Was it documented? Was it anecdotal?4.Consider the alternatives.Many people prefer the orderliness of single lines.Customers know that they are being treated fairly. No one can crowd ahead. However,when big crowds of people are involved, the line can look very long. At McDonald’s a

Solution Manual For Essentials of Business Communication, 11th Edition - Page 10 preview image

Loading page ...

Guffey & Loewy,Essentials of Business Communication, 11.for3single line might snake around and at rush times actually flow out the door, giving theimpression that the restaurant is very crowded. Rushed customers might take one lookand leave to find a less crowded restaurant. However, major competitors seem to havegone to single lines. Wendy’s International and Burger King use single linessuccessfully. By the way, a Wendy’s spokesperson said, “With stopwatches we’veproved [a single line] is faster. But consumer perception is the only thing that counts.”Setting up line areas separated by physical barriers might crowd the counter area andmake it difficult for disabled people to stay in line. As an alternative, students mightsuggest that one or two of the McDonald’s try using a single-line system for severalmonths.5.Choose the best alternative.Students will select one alternative and offer reasonssupporting it in a memo or in class discussion. Most important is that they go through thecritical-thinking steps to arrive at a decision and that they are able to defend theirsolution.

Solution Manual For Essentials of Business Communication, 11th Edition - Page 11 preview image

Loading page ...

Guffey & Loewy,Essentials of Business Communication, 11.for1CHAPTER3SOLUTIONSOrganizing and Drafting Business MessagesCritical Thinking Discussion Guide11.A recent PayScalesurvey revealed a significant gap in perception between managersand new grads. “Overall, the majority of workers (87 percent) feel well prepared(immediately or within 3 months) for their job upon graduation from college. Incontrast, only about half of managers (50 percent) feel that employees who recentlygraduated from college are well prepared for the workforce.” The skill most lacking,said the managers, was writing proficiency. What could explain this gap inperception between managers and new grads? (L.O. 1–5)The gap might be explained by a difference in standards. Students have been graded ontheir work according to academic standards. It could very well be that employers havedifferent and perhaps higher standards. Students have an opportunity to rewrite someassignments, but on the job this permissive attitude doesn’t exist. Additionally, academicassignments often focus on how the writer feels rather than requiring clear organization andpresentation of data.Critics of such studies as that of PayScale contend that managers frequently do not knowhow to judge “writing proficiency.” Managers may think that a misspelled or mistyped wordreveals poor language skills. Yet, employers have a right to expect college graduates to bewell trained.Commenting on the PayScale report, Dan Schawbel, research director at Future Workplace,said, “Graduates need strong communication and problem-solving skills if they want tointerview well and succeed in the workplace, because effective writing, speaking and criticalthinking enables you to accomplish business goals and get ahead. No working day will becomplete without writing an email or tackling a new challenge, so the sooner you developthese skills, the more employable you will become.” [PayScale. 2016, May 17. Leveling up:How to win in the skills economy.]The use of digital communication has overtaken face-to-face and voice-to-voice communication in the workplace. How has this shift changed thefundamental process of communication? (L.O. 1)12. How can bad writing waste a businessperson’s time? A researcher asked thatquestion of workers who read business material an average of 25 hours per week(about half of which was e-mail). What writing flaws do you think they named?Should new employees be trained in writing effectively on the job? (L.O. 1–5)Of the 547 businesspeople interviewed in this study, 81 percent reported that what they readwas frequently ineffective because it was (a) too long, (b) poorly organized, (c) unclear, (d)

Solution Manual For Essentials of Business Communication, 11th Edition - Page 12 preview image

Loading page ...

Guffey & Loewy,Essentials of Business Communication, 11.for2filled with jargon, and (e) imprecise. The author of the study claimed that “entry-levelemployees get little training in how to write in a brief, clear, and incisive way. Instead, they’reimmersed in first-draft emails from their managers, poorly edited reports, and jargon-filledemployee manuals.” Rarely are new employees given any training in writing. Studentstaking this course, however, will receive definite training in how to avoid all of these writingfaults.13.Ashley, a twenty-one-year-old college graduate with a 3.5 GPA, was hired for her firstjob. She was a fast learner on all the software, but her supervisor had to help her withpunctuation. On the ninth day of her job, she resigned, saying: “I just don’t think thisjob is a good fit. Commas, semicolons, spelling, typos—those kinds of things justaren’t all that important to me. They just don’t matter.” For what kind of job is Ashleyqualified? (L.O. 1–5)By refusing to develop fundamental language skills or to recognize their importance, Ashleyis limiting herself to jobs such as selling shoes or waiting on tables. If she wants a job as aknowledge worker (and most college graduates do), she will have to pay close attention towords and punctuation so she can express her ideas and gain credibility among her peersand superiors.14.Why is audience analysis so important in the selection of the direct or indirectorganization strategy for a business message? (L.O. 2)Audience analysis is important because ithelps the writer decide whether the receiver willreact positively or negatively to the message. Help your students develop the habit ofalways thinking of the audience first. Ask students to put themselves in the place of thereceiver. For example, suggest that writers picture a recipient, such as Lisa, who sits in thefirst row. How would she feel if she received the contemplated message? If the message isexpected to upset her, it might be better to break the news softly. Most business messages,of course, are not sensitive and should be handled directly. But occasionally, especially withbad news, the indirect method may work better.15.Now that you have studied the active and passive voice, what do you think whensomeone in government or business says, “Mistakes were made”? Is it unethical touse the passive voice to avoid specifics? (L.O. 4)By using the passive voice in the familiar statement Mistakes were made, the speaker orwriter is avoiding responsibility by refusing to identify who or what caused the mistakes.Politicians and business executives often use the passive voice when they don’t want toreveal what happened or who was to blame. However, most people would consider itunethical to cover up wrongdoing or mistakes by using the passive voice.Note:Solutions to the Writing Improvement Exercises are provided in the AnnotatedInstructor’s Edition.

Solution Manual For Essentials of Business Communication, 11th Edition - Page 13 preview image

Loading page ...

Guffey & Loewy,Essentials of Business Communication, 11.for3Radical Rewrites3.1 Radical Rewrite: Improving a Message About Checking References (L.O. 4, 5)Weaknessesa.Lacks parallelism in the first sentence; should read as follows: . . . many of you arereviewing candidates’ applications and checking references. Match verbs: reviewing andchecking.b.Lacks parallelism in the third sentence; should read as follows: by calling or by writing.(The second by could also be dropped.)c.Lacks parallelism in the fourth sentence; should read as follows: Calling is preferredbecause it’s easier, quicker, and more revealing. Match adverbs. Note, too, that revisionwill avoid the passive voice.d.Punctuates fragment as a sentence (which can be used to prove that you did yourhomework).e.Includes dangling modifier and passive voice (When calling to check references, severalimportant steps). An introductory verbal phrase must be followed by a logical subject.Who is calling?f.Fails to begin each item in the bulleted list with a verb to match the other verbs.g.Uses a dangling modifier and passive voice in last sentence; should read as follows: Byfollowing these guidelines, you can obtain. An introductory verbal phrase must befollowed by a logical subject.3.1 Radical Rewrite: Improving a Message About Checking References (L.O. 4, 5)RevisionTo:All ManagersFrom:Mark Sanchez <marksanchez@zycamindustries>Subject: Improving Reference-Checking ProceduresWith our recent increase in hiring, many of you are reviewing candidates’ applications and theirreferences are being checked. Our CEO has asked me to provide all managers with guidance onhow to check references to obtain the best information.Generally, the two ways to check references are by calling or to make an inquiry by writing.Calling is preferred because its easier, can be done more quickly, and calling can reveal more.The main advantage of calling is that people will often provide more valuable information overthe phone then they would in writing. However writing does provide stronger documentation.Which can be used to prove that you did your homework. References from former employers arelikely to be more valuable than personal references, and can help avoid negligent hiring claims.Educational references should also checked when necessaryWhen calling to check references, several important steps should be followed to obtain the bestinformation:•Call once to schedule the reference check, then call back when you said you would.

Solution Manual For Essentials of Business Communication, 11th Edition - Page 14 preview image

Loading page ...

Guffey & Loewy,Essentials of Business Communication, 11.for4•Plenty of time for the call should be allotted.•Ask only about job-related information, do not ask inappropriate questions.•Good notes should be taken, especially in relation to the candidate’s former employment.•At the end, you should summarize and thank the reference for the information.By following these guidelines, meaningful information can be obtained that will help you makethe best hiring decisions.MarkVice President, Human Resources | mark.sanchez@zycamindustries | Office: 455-390-5539 | Cell: 455-290-9760Communication Workshop: Social MediaEight Guidelines for Safe Social NetworkingStudents should be able to generate from their own experience many tips for using social mediasafely. By conducting online research, they will find additional wise advice. If you need to primethe pump for your students, ask questions such as the following: How easy is it for identitythieves to obtain personal information about you through social media? What is phishing? Canyou name phishing attempts that you have experienced and resisted? Do you know anyone whohas been scammed or whose identity was stolen? Do you receive a lot of spam? What does itmean to overshare? Students will find many entertaining examples of oversharing as well ascautionary tales online.

Solution Manual For Essentials of Business Communication, 11th Edition - Page 15 preview image

Loading page ...

Guffey & Loewy,Essentials of Business Communication, 11.for1CHAPTER4SOLUTIONSRevisingBusiness MessagesCritical Thinking Discussion Guide11.A blogger recently asserted that “the pervasive use of email for business has madethe work of writing well even more difficult because itinvites—relentlessly—hittingSend before you have thought through, organized, reviewed, and even rewritten yourmessage.” Do you agree that the process of writing has become more difficult withe-mail? (L.O. 1–5)Some might argue that e-mail has made the process easier because it’s so simple to dashoff a message without thinking too hard about it. However, that is precisely the problem.Good writing requires thought, as well as revision. Celebrated author James Michener, whowrote over 40 books, said, “I’m not a very good writer, but I’m an excellent rewriter.”Especially in business writing, clear messages take time to create and even more time torevise.12.You have just submitted a beautifully researched report. But your supervisorfocused on the two or three little errors that you missed and gave none of the praiseyou expected. Was this fair of your supervisor? (L.O. 4, 5)It doesn't matter whether it was fair. You made mistakes, and those mistakes obscured theexcellent work you did. Take the criticism graciously, and promise to be more careful inproofreading in the future. This is a good lesson in the need for excellent proofreading. Nomatter how outstanding your research was, it was overlooked because of a few carelessmistakes. No matter how small, a few mistakes can cast doubt on the entire project.Resolve not to let this happen again.13.It’s easy to use clichés because they just roll off the tongue. What’s wrong with tried-and-true expressions such asit is what it isandat the end of the day? (L.O. 2)Clichés are so tired that they have lost their capacity to communicate any specific meaning.They are imprecise and sound boring and worn out. When you find yourself using anexpression that sounds very familiar, try to replace it with a more concrete expression thatsays exactly what you mean.14.Because business writing should have high “skim value,” why not write everythingin bulleted lists? (L.O. 3)Although listing items in bulleted or enumerated lists does improve readability, excessiveuse of such lists thwarts other business writing goals. Business writing must be purposeful,goal oriented, and conversational. Achieving a friendly, conversational tone is difficult orimpossible in a bulleted list. It’s also difficult to be persuasive or to convey a “you” view in

Solution Manual For Essentials of Business Communication, 11th Edition - Page 16 preview image

Loading page ...

Guffey & Loewy,Essentials of Business Communication, 11.for2lists. Bulleted lists are valuable to improve “skim value,” but they are appropriate only whenused occasionally in presenting related ideas. Used excessively, they begin to look likelaundry lists and turn off readers.15.Conciseness is valued in business. However, can messages be too short? (L.O. 1)Of course, messages can be too short. Although conciseness is valued, messages must beclear. If extra verbiage is needed to explain, then amessage should be longer. Persuasiveand sales messages are necessarily longer than routine business memos and e-mails.Messages should be as long as necessary to be clear and effective. However, they shouldnot be curt or abrupt.Note:Solutions to the Writing Improvement Exercises are provided in the AnnotatedInstructor’s Edition.Radical Rewrites4.1 Radical Rewrite: Information E-Mail—Negative AnnouncementWeaknessesa.Does not provide a helpful subject line.b.Starts indirectly with anexplanation instead of the main idea: scheduling interviews.c.Fails to develop reader benefits, such as explaining why the readers should beinterested.d.Sounds negative (unable to offer; avoid making poor selections; should not have to urgeyou).e.Buries a verb (made a decisioninstead ofdecided).f.Has a long lead-in (This is to inform you that).g.Suffers from flabby expression (in view of the fact that), other wordiness, repetition, anda demanding tone.h.Fails to make the interview dates and rooms highly readable with a list.i.Inserts request (send me your ranking lists) in the middle of a paragraph instead of atthe end of the message where action items should go.j.Does not include an end date and reason for returning the ranking lists.4.1 RadicalRewrite: Information E-Mail—Negative AnnouncementRevisionTo: Management StaffFrom: Nathan Weintraub <nweintraub@bien.com>Subject: Invitation to Help Interview Possible InternsYou are invited to help us interview six excellent student candidates for three paid internships.These potential interns from our local college could bring fresh ideas and talent to your projects.

Preview Mode

This document has 125 pages. Sign in to access the full document!

Report

Study Now!

Document Details

Related Documents

Essentials of Business Communication Canadian 6th Edition Test Bank

Test Bank For Essentials of Business Communication, 11th Edition

CIS 337 Unit 7 Assignment Final Project Part IV Pr

Analysis of Leadership in Monster Inc

Evaluation of Alphabet's Mission, Vision, and 8-29

Boundless Management

Uncovering the Martha Stewart Tax Scandal Insider

Boundless Business

JetBlue Airlines Case Analysis

Effective Speaker Notes Template for BUS 210 Prese

Company

Explore

Study Tools