HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGERS’AND
BUSINESS COMMUNICATION STUDENTS’
PERCEPTION OF SELECTED COMMUNICATION
COMPETENCIES
Donald E. English, Professor and Head
Department of Business Administration and MIS
Texas A & M University-Commerce
Commerce, TX 75429
Office Telephone (903) 886-5692
Fax (903) 886-5693
E-mail donald_english@tamu-commerce.edu
Edgar Manton, Professor
Department of Business Administration and MIS
Texas A & M University-Commerce
Commerce, TX 75429
Janet Walker, Professor
Department of Business Administration and MIS
Texas A & M University-Commerce
Commerce-TX 75429
WHAT WE DID
Developed a questionnaire pertaining to
communication competencies
Mailed the questionnaire to human resource
managers in the 200 largest companies in the
Dallas/Ft.Worth area.
Questionnaires mailed
200
Questionnaires returned
48
Return Rate
24
Usable questionnaires
41
THE QUESTIONNAIRE WAS DISTRIBUTED TO
STUDENTS ENROLLED IN BUSINESS
COMMUNICATION CLASSES AT TEXAS A&M
UNIVERSITY-COMMERCE. A TOTAL
231QUESTIONNAIRES WERE RETURNED BY
BUSINESS COMMUNICATION STUDENTS.
HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGERS AND
BUSINESS COMMUNICATION STUDENTS
WERE ASKED TO USE THE FOLLOWING
SCALE TO RATE EACH OF THE BUSINESS
COMMUNICATION COMPETENCIES
4=EXTREMELY ESSENTIAL
COMPETENCY IS VITAL FOR INITIAL
EMPLOYMENT
3=HIGHLY ESSENTIAL
COMPETENCY IS QUITE ESSENTIAL FOR
INITIAL EMPLOYMENT
2=ESSENTIAL
COMPETENCY IS NEEDED, BUT COULD BE
LEARNED ON THE JOB
1=NOT ESSENTIAL
COMPETENCY IS NOT ESSENTIAL FOR
INITIAL EMPLOYMENT
0=UNDECIDED
A weighted average was calculated for
each competency.
Communication Competencies
1. Spells correctly
Weighted
Average
Student
HRM
3.527 (3) 3.553
2. Understands the importance of business 3.503
relationships with superiors, coworkers,
subordinates, customers, vendors, and
other business associates.
(7)
3.368
3. Punctuates and uses correct
grammatical written communication.
3.473
(4)
3.513
4. Writes effective resumes and letters of
application.
5. Interacts in a positive, productive, and
thoughtful way
6a. Maintains appropriate confidentially.
3.450
(10)
3.270
3.396
(9)
3.316
3.373
(2)
3.641*
6b. Effectively proofreads, edits, and revises 3.373
written communication.
(5)
3.462
(19)
3.026*
8a. Avoids stereotyping people from
other cultures, and understands their
norms and values.
3.320
8b. Collaborates effectively in groups and
on teams.
3.320 (17) 3.051*
10. Uses personal integrity in all
communication (includes all relevant
information, and does not present any
deceptive information.
3.314 (1) 3.795*
11. Effectively focuses on the main idea in
the message.
3.308 (11) 3.205
12a. Knowledge of general principles of
writing effective business
communication.
3.302 (6) 3.385
12b. Recognizes the importance of neat,
organized, and attractive written
documents.
3.302 (8) 3.333
14. Demonstrates appropriate social
courtesy and etiquette.
3.290 (12) 3.158
15. Uses eye contact effectively.
3.249 (19) 3.026**
16. Uses appropriate nonverbal behavior
(kinesics,
personal appearance,
paralanguage, and proxemics, etc.).
3.231 (16) 3.053
17. Demonstrates leadership abilities.
18. Uses a clear, distinct, and pleasant
speaking style.
3.213 (28) 2.718*
3.183 (24) 2.921**
19. Effectively delivers an oral
presentation.
3.172 (34) 2.605*
20. Writes effective letters.
3.167 (15) 3.077
21. Writes well-organized paragraphs
(words, strong languages,
abbreviations etc).
3.148 (13) 3.105
22. Proficient research and data
collection, analytical, and
interpretation skills.
3.142 (27) 2.763*
23. Understands and exercises conflict
resolution strategies and techniques.
3.124 (33) 2.667*
24a. Writes effective business e-mail
messages without emotions and
cyber speak abbreviations.
3.107 (14) 3.103
24b. Possesses sensitivity to the
language values and behaviors of
other cultures.
3.107 (35) 2.579*
26. Writes strong messages (with active
verbs and concrete words).
3.089 (28) 2.718*
27. Effectively uses persuasion and builds
strong arguments
3.083 (36) 2.526*
28a. Knowledge of grammatical,
semantical, and interaction
speaking rules.
28b. Organizes and develops effective
speeches.
30. Possesses skills in informal business
and social conversation.
31. Learns appropriate professional and
social behaviors of the culture with
which he or she is communicating.
3.065 (26) 2.816**
3.065 (40) 2.342*
3.059 (25) 2.842**
3.041 (32) 2.684*
32. Writes from the standpoint of the
reader’s Interests and benefits.
3.036 (31) 2.711*
33a. Exercises empathy by
understanding how readers may
interpret written messages.
33b. Uses appropriate
communication skills to share
messages with someone whose
first language is not English.
33c. Uses varied and appropriate
vocabulary.
36. Writes effective short reports.
37. Understands the importance of
intercultural business practices
and customs.
38. Writes concisely (leaves out
unnecessary words and phrases).
39. Writes effective long reports.
40. Demonstrates intercultural
communication competence.
41. Effectively evaluates audiences.
42. Knows how to use and interpret
tabular and graphic data.
3.302 (17) 3.051**
*p<.01
**p<.05
3.302 (37) 2.395*
3.302 (23) 2.921*
2.988 (22) 2.974
2.982 (42) 2.237*
2.970 (21) 3.000
2.953 (28) 2.718**
2.941 (40) 2.342*
2.930 (39) 2.368*
2.911 (37) 2.395*
Do you believe that college graduates are well prepared
in communication skills?
Response
Yes
No
Undecided
Number
95
62
74
Percent
41
27
32
Total
231
100
How valuable are good communication skills in the
business world?
Response
Very Valuable
Number
206
Percent
89
Valuable
25
11
Little Value
0
0
No Value
0
0
Total
231
100
Do you believe that college graduates are well prepared
in communication skills?
Response
Yes
No
Undecided
Number
18
73
25
Percent
16
63
21
Total
116
100
How valuable are good communication skills in the
business world?
Response
Very Valuable
Number
111
Percent
96
Valuable
5
4
Little Value
0
0
No Value
0
0
Total
116
100
Do you believe that college graduates are well
prepared in communication skills?
Response
Yes
No
Undecided
Number
11
12
18
Percent
27
29
44
Total
41
100
How valuable are good communication skills in
the business world?
Response
Very Valuable
Number
39
Percent
95
Valuable
2
5
Little Value
0
0
No Value
0
0
Total
41
100