Copyright © 2011 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. McGraw-Hill/Irwin

1-2 Overview Dm2U Dm2U The importance of communication in business Current challenges The three main categories of communication in business Formal and informal networks Business communication as problem solving The contexts of business communication The business communication process

1-3 The Importance of Communication Skills Ninety-four percent of over 2,000 surveyed executives ranked “communicating well” as the most important skill for success. --NFI Research Recruiters who assessed MBA programs rated “interpersonal and communication skills, a teamwork orientation, personal ethics and integrity, analytical and problem-solving abilities, and a strong work ethic” as the most important attributes. --The Wall Street Journal

1-4 Example A woman without her man is nothing. – A woman, without her man, is nothing. – OR… – A woman: without her, man is nothing!! Let’s eat, Grandma! OR… Let’s eat Grandma!

1-5 Current Challenges for Business Communicators Ongoing development of new information technologies Increasingly global nature of business Growing diversity in the workplace Increased focus on ethics and social responsibility

Main Forms of Communication in Business Operational – Internal – External Personal Example of an Internal Portal (Intranet) 1-6

1-7 Communication Networks Formal Network – Well-established, usually along operational lines – Depends on certain established forms or “genres” in the company – Planned and managed Informal Network – Complex – Dynamic – Breakfast Club?

1-8 The Communication Networks in a Division of a Small Manufacturing Company

1-9 Factors Affecting the Communication in a Business Nature of the business Operating plan Business environment Geographic dispersion People Company culture

1-10 Business Communication as Problem Solving Most business-communication problems are ill-defined problems requiring – Analysis – Creativity – Judgment

1-11 A Model of Business Communication

1-12 The Contexts for Communication The larger context – Business-economic – Sociocultural – Historical The relationship of the communicators The communicators’ particular contexts – Organizational – Professional – Personal

The Business Communication Process The sender... – Senses a need to communicate – Defines the situation – Considers possible solutions – Selects the best one – Composes the message (medium, content, structure, style, form) – Sends the message The receiver... – Receives the message – Interprets it – Decides on a response – Replies (becoming a new sender)

1-14 The Bottom Line “The goal of business communication is to create a shared understanding of business situations that will enable people to work successfully together.”