Applied English Writing

Outline  Part I Fundamentals of business writing  Part II Criteria for effective business Writing  Part III Contents and formations of the book  Part IV Problems to be tackled in this course  Part V Requirements for teachers

Books that has influence on me  Basic Business Communication (1991)  By Raymond V. Lesikar  Business communication ( 1998) ( 2005) By Carol M. Lehman ( Thomson publishing house) By Carol M. Lehman ( Thomson publishing house)

Part 1 Fundamentals  Theories related to communications  Human needs  Stroking and Johari window  Theory X and Theory Y  Marketing concept  Intercultural knowledge /SRC

1.1 Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

Human needs  Lower level needs  physiological  Safety  Social Higher level needs -Esteem -Self-actualization

1.2 stroking and Johari window  Stroking  Transactional term ( 相互作用分析） for identifying the way others give recognition to a person  Positive stroke, E.g. receiving congratulatory phone calls or letter  Negative stroke, E.g. receiving hurtful comments

1.2 Trust Leads to Reciprocal Sharing Depicted in Expanded Open Area in Johari Window Chapter 1

1.2 Johari window  1. Free or open area---what we know about ourselves and others about us.  2. blind area--- others know about us, but we don’t know about ourselves  3. hidden area --- Things we know about ourselves,other don’t know  4. unknown area--- things we don’t know and others don’t know about us

 The purpose is to expand the open area, decrease the bind and hidden area, therefore leading to higher level of interpersonal sharing.  Trust is something that must be earned.  Trust and openness lead to better communication between two people  In business we aim at both task –oriented communication and emotional communication

1.3 X theory and Y theory of management styles  Theory X :  traditional style,  meet lower level of human needs, exercise strong control over the employees,  employ external incentives E. G. job and paycheck

 Theory Y :  Modern style  Meet higher level needs  Balance control and individual freedom  Lessen the external motivation  E.G empowerment

1.4 Changes in marketing Mix from 4 Ps to 4Cs  Product ---design or production  Price and place –distribution  Promotion--- marketing communication  The 4ps determine how a good or service is made and provided, how much it cost, where it is distributed and how it is presented in all company communication

4 cs  Customer –focus on customers wants and needs versus product  Cost – what it cost a customer to own a product instead of how to price a product ( e. g. car/ considering the repair cost)  Convenience ---focus how easy it is for customers to acquire the product, rather than how easy for the company to distribute it ( e.g. Coca Cola convince restaurants to offer its products, as well as making them widely available in every type of stores

4cs  Communication Traditionally promotion has meant sending brand message and offers customers, using one-way communication. The new way of thinking focuses on opening up opportunities for dialogue, from telling and selling to listening and learning

1.5 The self – reference Criterion  The definition : The unconscious reference to one’s own cultural values  Cultivate culture awareness and culture understanding  Learn to be careful about using our own cultural norms to judge people from other cultures

Part II. Criteria for Effective Business Writing  2.1 Courtesy --- treating people with respect and concern /employing - You –view points - Conversational language - words of positive effect - do more than expected

2.2 Correctness - grammar, punctuation, spelling,, using accurate information show respect to the receiver of the messages 2.3 Conciseness – write in the fewest possible words without sacrificing completeness and you-view point –time is money to the customers -

 2.4 Clarity –tells the readers exactly what they want and need - show concern for the readers - show concern for the readers - Short sentence, familiar words - Short sentence, familiar words 2.5 Concreteness – vivid, specific, action verbs

 2.6 Completeness –Include all the necessary information and data in the message  Following the six cs standards, you can (1) accomplish your task –get thing done, and (2) maintain goodwill with customers.

2.7 Patterns of Business Writing  Direct order good news and routine news  Indirect order bad news and persuasive messages bad news and persuasive messages

Part III. Organization of the book 3.1 contents Principles of business writing ( 1-2) Letters concerning transactions (3-7) General letters ( 8-9) Office communications ( 10-11) Employment ( 12-14) Proposal and report ( 15-16) Business documents and questionnaires( )

3.2 purpose  To inform  Units  To persuade  Units  To Entertain  Unit 8.

3.3 Organization of each unit  Writing principle  Standard letters ( questions)  Samples for analysis  Language for writing - notes - useful sentence patterns Exercises

Part IV Problems to be tackled business writing teaching  Motivation of students  Teaching materials  Teachers’ professionalism  teaching methods --

Particular nature of business writing teaching  Is a branch of English for Special purpose  Is more than specialized vocabulary  involves with theories of applied linguistics, socio-linguistics, pragmatics, HR management, psychology, cross- cultural communications