Written Business Communication
I was doubtful that I needed this class as I took it near the end of my studies and had written so many pieces in pursuit of my degree. However, I found the class to be very informative and full of technical information in regards business writing. As students we learn to write in APA, MLA, and other academic writing formats. What we are not taught is how to write a simple business memo, email, or report. Claudia Reyes-Olivera was a great instructor and is a good friend. Take this class if you are unsure of what is expected in business communication.
Final Exam
FINAL EXAMINATION
Glen Sallee
University of Laverne
Final Exam – BUS 346
1. Illustrate with the help of an example, two primary purposes of a negative message.
a. The primary purposes of a negative message: to give the audience bad news, to have the audience read, understand and accept the message, to maintain good will if possible (Locker, 2013). Here is an example:
b.
Alpine Investigation Services
49173 Alpine Rd
Victorville, CA 92392
Dear Joe Shoe:
We will not be able to continue investigating on your behalf starting immediately due to an illness to the investigator, Max Cool, assigned to your case.
The uniqueness of your case demands an experienced forensic accountant. Unfortunately, Mr. Cool was the only investigator employed by our firm who is an experienced forensic accountant. Therefore, we have included contact information for several independent investigators who do the type of work that your case requires.
We are also refunding the upfront deposit that you paid our agency and we are marking your invoice as paid in full.
We hope that we might have an opportunity to do business with your firm in the future investigating other areas such as family law or medical malpractice.
Sincerely,
Glen Sallee
2. How can one build credibility through the use of appropriate language and strategy? Explain.
a. We base a person’s credibility on the person’s expertise, image, and the relationship to the audience receiving the message. Using appropriate language or technical jargon enhances one’s credibility when talking to specific audiences. Talking to accountants about items like the balance sheet, acid test, or liquidity would be appropriate. There are three main strategies used to persuade audiences: direct request, problem-solving pattern, and the sales pattern (Locker, 2013). The time to use the direct request is when there is little anticipated resistance to the request. We use the direct request when we think that the audience will do what we ask. We use the problem-solving pattern when we think that the audience may resist implementing the message and that using logic may convince them more than an emotional appeal. We use the sales pattern when we think that emotions will appeal to the audience and help overcome resistance.
3. Explain why threats do not work in messages
a. Threats do not work to persuade people to change permanently. A parent can threaten to punish a child if they do not clean their room. The child may respond to the specific threat but he has not learned to continue keeping his room clean and in a short amount of time, the parent must threaten the child again. Threats may stifle creativity. Perhaps the child had a dirty room because of some role-playing. Threats are threatening! The recipient of the threat does not view people who make threats positively. In addition, people who are threatened may threaten or fight back against the threat or person making the threat.
4. What are the three things a good purpose statement should clarify?
a. A good purpose statement makes three things clear: The organizational problem, the specific technical questions to answer to solve the problem and the purpose the report hopes to achieve (Locker, 2013).
5. List some of the tips for using and documenting sources in a research paper
a. Documenting sources means providing the information required for the reader to go and find the original work you used when you wrote the paper. The University of La Verne uses APA format for documenting sources and Victor Valley College uses the MLA format. Any format used or required for use has pamphlets designed to cover the basics of that style. The pamphlets are cheap; every student should have the appropriate pamphlet for the format used by their University or College. In addition, electronic databases and online libraries frequently have a link that allows the student to import the bibliographic information from the sources they use directly into their paper. It is especially important to document every idea that you take from someone else. Even if you receive information from an impromptu interview that you conduct from an expert there is a way to document and use that in your paper. Ideas that do not need documentation are ideas that are clearly your own, ideas that are already in the public domain, or ideas that you might have learned about in the past but which are now part of your own knowledge (Locker, 2013). Also, the text states: “Long quotations (four typed lines or more) are used sparingly in business proposals or reports” (Locker, 2013).
6. Explain with the help of an example, what the problem section of a proposal deals with.
a. The problem section of a proposal outlines the problem that needs to be solved:
Problem
Alpine Investigation has lost a major client due to the fact we only have one forensic accountant employed at the firm. Adding additional forensic accountants will allow Alpine to pursue lucrative contracts in this area.
7. What are some of the questions that a good proposal must answer convincingly?
a. What problem are you going to solve? Why does the problem need addressing now? How will I solve the problem? Can I solve the problem? Why should I be the one to solve the problem? What is the timeline for solving the problem? How much will solving this problem cost the organization (breakdown the costs involved)? How exactly will I solve the problem (Locker, 2013)?
8. What are some of the guidelines to keep in mind, which helps one to organize report data in a way that is most useful to readers?
a. To organize data in a useful way for readers one should keep in mind to: Check the quality of the data, Determine the story you want to tell, chooses the right visual to relate the story, follow conventions, use color and sound with restraint, be accurate and ethical (Locker, 2013).
9. Discuss with an example, the SWOT analysis pattern of organizing data in reports.
a. Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats.
i. Strengths and weaknesses are usually internal factors in the organization. Opportunities and threat are usually external factors to the organization (Locker, 2013).
ii. Example:
Alpine SWOT Analysis for Adding Additional Forensic Accountants
1. Advantages of giving current investigator additional training in forensic accounting
2. Disadvantages of in house traing of forensic accountant, Cost, no investigators currently employed with educational background or talent
3. Hire forensic accountant from a competitor
4. Recruit at local colleges and start a pipeline of qualified replacement investigators in multiple fields
References
Locker. (2013). Business and Administrative Communication. New York: McGraw-Hill Irwin.
Glen Sallee
University of Laverne
Final Exam – BUS 346
1. Illustrate with the help of an example, two primary purposes of a negative message.
a. The primary purposes of a negative message: to give the audience bad news, to have the audience read, understand and accept the message, to maintain good will if possible (Locker, 2013). Here is an example:
b.
Alpine Investigation Services
49173 Alpine Rd
Victorville, CA 92392
Dear Joe Shoe:
We will not be able to continue investigating on your behalf starting immediately due to an illness to the investigator, Max Cool, assigned to your case.
The uniqueness of your case demands an experienced forensic accountant. Unfortunately, Mr. Cool was the only investigator employed by our firm who is an experienced forensic accountant. Therefore, we have included contact information for several independent investigators who do the type of work that your case requires.
We are also refunding the upfront deposit that you paid our agency and we are marking your invoice as paid in full.
We hope that we might have an opportunity to do business with your firm in the future investigating other areas such as family law or medical malpractice.
Sincerely,
Glen Sallee
2. How can one build credibility through the use of appropriate language and strategy? Explain.
a. We base a person’s credibility on the person’s expertise, image, and the relationship to the audience receiving the message. Using appropriate language or technical jargon enhances one’s credibility when talking to specific audiences. Talking to accountants about items like the balance sheet, acid test, or liquidity would be appropriate. There are three main strategies used to persuade audiences: direct request, problem-solving pattern, and the sales pattern (Locker, 2013). The time to use the direct request is when there is little anticipated resistance to the request. We use the direct request when we think that the audience will do what we ask. We use the problem-solving pattern when we think that the audience may resist implementing the message and that using logic may convince them more than an emotional appeal. We use the sales pattern when we think that emotions will appeal to the audience and help overcome resistance.
3. Explain why threats do not work in messages
a. Threats do not work to persuade people to change permanently. A parent can threaten to punish a child if they do not clean their room. The child may respond to the specific threat but he has not learned to continue keeping his room clean and in a short amount of time, the parent must threaten the child again. Threats may stifle creativity. Perhaps the child had a dirty room because of some role-playing. Threats are threatening! The recipient of the threat does not view people who make threats positively. In addition, people who are threatened may threaten or fight back against the threat or person making the threat.
4. What are the three things a good purpose statement should clarify?
a. A good purpose statement makes three things clear: The organizational problem, the specific technical questions to answer to solve the problem and the purpose the report hopes to achieve (Locker, 2013).
5. List some of the tips for using and documenting sources in a research paper
a. Documenting sources means providing the information required for the reader to go and find the original work you used when you wrote the paper. The University of La Verne uses APA format for documenting sources and Victor Valley College uses the MLA format. Any format used or required for use has pamphlets designed to cover the basics of that style. The pamphlets are cheap; every student should have the appropriate pamphlet for the format used by their University or College. In addition, electronic databases and online libraries frequently have a link that allows the student to import the bibliographic information from the sources they use directly into their paper. It is especially important to document every idea that you take from someone else. Even if you receive information from an impromptu interview that you conduct from an expert there is a way to document and use that in your paper. Ideas that do not need documentation are ideas that are clearly your own, ideas that are already in the public domain, or ideas that you might have learned about in the past but which are now part of your own knowledge (Locker, 2013). Also, the text states: “Long quotations (four typed lines or more) are used sparingly in business proposals or reports” (Locker, 2013).
6. Explain with the help of an example, what the problem section of a proposal deals with.
a. The problem section of a proposal outlines the problem that needs to be solved:
Problem
Alpine Investigation has lost a major client due to the fact we only have one forensic accountant employed at the firm. Adding additional forensic accountants will allow Alpine to pursue lucrative contracts in this area.
7. What are some of the questions that a good proposal must answer convincingly?
a. What problem are you going to solve? Why does the problem need addressing now? How will I solve the problem? Can I solve the problem? Why should I be the one to solve the problem? What is the timeline for solving the problem? How much will solving this problem cost the organization (breakdown the costs involved)? How exactly will I solve the problem (Locker, 2013)?
8. What are some of the guidelines to keep in mind, which helps one to organize report data in a way that is most useful to readers?
a. To organize data in a useful way for readers one should keep in mind to: Check the quality of the data, Determine the story you want to tell, chooses the right visual to relate the story, follow conventions, use color and sound with restraint, be accurate and ethical (Locker, 2013).
9. Discuss with an example, the SWOT analysis pattern of organizing data in reports.
a. Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats.
i. Strengths and weaknesses are usually internal factors in the organization. Opportunities and threat are usually external factors to the organization (Locker, 2013).
ii. Example:
Alpine SWOT Analysis for Adding Additional Forensic Accountants
1. Advantages of giving current investigator additional training in forensic accounting
2. Disadvantages of in house traing of forensic accountant, Cost, no investigators currently employed with educational background or talent
3. Hire forensic accountant from a competitor
4. Recruit at local colleges and start a pipeline of qualified replacement investigators in multiple fields
References
Locker. (2013). Business and Administrative Communication. New York: McGraw-Hill Irwin.