Business Communication 1
Damelin ©
BCOM IN MARKETING AND MANAGEMENT
BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
STUDY GUIDE
2022
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Business Communication 1
Damelin ©
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Table of Contents
1
About Brand ......................................................................................................................................
5
2
Our Teaching and Learning Methodology .........................................................................................
6
Icons .......................................................................................................................................... 8
3
Introduction to the Module...............................................................................................................
9
Module Information .................................................................................................................. 9
Module Purpose ........................................................................................................................ 9
Outcomes .................................................................................................................................. 9
Assessment ................................................................................................................................ 9
Planning Your Studies .............................................................................................................. 10
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Prescribed Reading ..........................................................................................................................
10
Prescribed Book: ...................................................................................................................... 10
Video link: ................................................................................................................................ 10
5
Module Content ..............................................................................................................................
11
Unit 1: The basic foundation of effective communication ...................................................... 11
5.1.1
Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 11
5.1.2
Effective Communication ................................................................................................ 12
5.1.3
The communication process ........................................................................................... 13
5.1.4
Groups ............................................................................................................................. 15
5.1.5
Categories of communication ......................................................................................... 15
5.1.6
Formal and informal communication .............................................................................. 16
5.1.7
Verbal communication .................................................................................................... 19
5.1.8
Non-verbal communication ............................................................................................. 19
5.1.9
Conclusion ....................................................................................................................... 23
5.1.10
Revision Questions .......................................................................................................... 23
Study unit 2: Spoken communication ..................................................................................... 24
5.2.1
Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 24
5.2.2
Role of voice and language .............................................................................................. 25
5.2.3
Strategies for improvement ............................................................................................ 26
5.2.4
Self-Assessment ............................................................................................................... 27
5.2.5
Direct and indirect communication ................................................................................. 28
5.2.6
Examples of spoken communication in the workplace: .................................................. 29
5.2.7
Training ............................................................................................................................ 30
5.2.8
5.2.9
Coaching .......................................................................................................................... 30
Meetings .......................................................................................................................... 30
5.2.10
Presentations and lectures .............................................................................................. 32
5.2.11
Conclusion ....................................................................................................................... 35
5.2.12
Revision Questions .......................................................................................................... 35
Unit 3 Verbal: Written communication ................................................................................... 36
5.3.1
Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 36
5.3.2
Effective English in the workplace ................................................................................... 37
5.3.3
Types of reading .............................................................................................................. 38
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5.3.4
Types of writing ............................................................................................................... 38
5.3.5
The role of words and grammar ...................................................................................... 39
5.3.6
The layout ........................................................................................................................ 42
5.3.7
Extracting and summarising key information.................................................................. 45
5.3.8
The role of words and grammar ...................................................................................... 50
5.3.9
Conclusion ....................................................................................................................... 62
5.3.10
Revision Questions .......................................................................................................... 62
Unit 4: Understanding the work environment ........................................................................ 62
5.4.1
Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 63
5.4.2
What is work readiness? ................................................................................................. 63
5.4.3
Self-management ............................................................................................................ 64
5.4.4
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs .......................................................................................... 65
5.4.5
Self-Assessment – Self-fulfilment .................................................................................... 66
5.4.6
Goal setting...................................................................................................................... 67
5.4.7
Self-Assessment: Goal setting ......................................................................................... 69
5.4.8
Developing filing systems ................................................................................................ 69
5.4.9
Organisational Culture ..................................................................................................... 72
5.4.10
Self-Assessment: Organisational environment ............................................................... 72
5.4.11
Organisational Culture ..................................................................................................... 76
5.4.12
Conclusion ....................................................................................................................... 85
5.4.13
Revision Questions .......................................................................................................... 86
6 References ....................................................................................................................................... 86
1 About Brand
Damelin knows that you have dreams and ambitions. You’re thinking about the future, and how the
next chapter of your life is going to play out. Living the career, you’ve always dreamed of takes some
planning and a little bit of elbow grease, but the good news is that Damelin will be there with you
every step of the way.
We’ve been helping young people to turn their dreams into reality for over 70 years, so rest assured,
you have our support.
As South Africa’s premier education institution, we’re dedicated to giving you the education
experience you need and have proven our commitment in this regard with a legacy of academic
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excellence that’s produced over 500 000 world – class graduates! Damelin alumni are redefining
industry in fields ranging from Media to Accounting and Business, from Community Service to Sound
Engineering. We invite you to join this storied legacy and write your own chapter in Damelin’s history
of excellence in achievement.
A Higher Education and Training (HET) qualification provides you with the necessary step in the right
direction towards excellence in education and professional development.
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2 Our Teaching and Learning Methodology
Damelin strives to promote a learning-centred and knowledge-based teaching and learning
environment. Teaching and learning activities primarily take place within academic programmes and
guide students to attain specific outcomes.
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A learning-centred approach is one in which not only lecturers and students, but all
sections and activities of the institution work together in establishing a learning
community that promotes a deepening of insight and a broadening of perspective with
regard to learning and the application thereof.
An outcomes-oriented approach implies that the following categories of outcomes are
embodied in the academic programmes:
Culminating outcomes that are generic with specific reference to the critical cross-field
outcomes including problem identification and problem-solving, co-operation, selforganisation and self-management, research skills, communication skills,
entrepreneurship and the application of science and technology.
Empowering outcomes that are specific, i.e. the context specific competencies students
must master within specific learning areas and at specific levels before they exit or move
to a next level.
Discrete outcomes of community service learning to cultivate discipline-appropriate
competencies.
Damelin actively strives to promote a research culture within which a critical-analytical approach and
competencies can be developed in students at undergraduate level. Damelin accepts that students’
learning is influenced by a number of factors, including their previous educational experience, their
cultural background, their perceptions of particular learning tasks and assessments, as well as
discipline contexts.
Students learn better when they are actively engaged in their learning rather than when they are
passive recipients of transmitted information and/or knowledge. A learning-oriented culture that
acknowledges individual student learning styles and diversity and focuses on active learning and
student engagement, with the objective of achieving deep learning outcomes and preparing students
for lifelong learning, is seen as the ideal. These principles are supported with an engaged learning
approach that involves interactive, reflective, cooperative, experiential, creative or constructive
learning, as well as conceptual learning via online-based tools.
Effective teaching-learning approaches are supported by:
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Well-designed and active learning tasks or opportunities to encourage a deep rather than
a surface approach to learning.
Content integration that entails the construction, contextualization and application of
knowledge, principles and theories rather than the memorisation and reproduction of
information.
Learning that involves students building knowledge by constructing meaning for
themselves.
The ability to apply what has been learnt in one context to another context or problem.
Knowledge acquisition at a higher level that requires self-insight, self-regulation and selfevaluation during the learning process.
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Collaborative learning in which students work together to reach a shared goal and
contribute to one another’s learning at a distance.
Community service learning that leads to collaborative and mutual acquisition of
competencies in order to ensure cross cultural interaction and societal development.
Provision of resources such as information technology and digital library facilities of a high
quality to support an engaged teaching-learning approach.
A commitment to give effect teaching-learning in innovative ways and the fostering of
digital literacy.
Establishing a culture of learning as an overarching and cohesive factor within institutional
diversity.
Teaching and learning that reflect the reality of diversity.
Taking multi culturalism into account in a responsible manner that seeks to foster an
appreciation of diversity, build mutual respect and promote cross-cultural learning
experiences that encourage students to display insight into and appreciation of
differences.
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Icons
The icons below act as markers, that will help you make your way through the study guide.
Additional information
Find the recommended information listed.
Case study/Caselet
Apply what you have learnt to the case study presented.
Example
Examples of how to perform a calculation or activity with the
solution / appropriate response.
Practice
Practice the skills you have learned.
Reading
Read the section(s) of the prescribed text listed.
Revision questions
Complete the compulsory revision questions at the end of each unit.
Self-check activity
Check your progress by completing the self-check activity.
Study group / Online forum discussion
Discuss the topic in your study group or online forum.
Think point
Reflect, analyse and discuss, journal or blog about the idea(s).
Video / audio
Access and watch/listen to the video/audio clip listed.
Vocabulary
Learn and apply these terms.
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3 Introduction to the Module
Welcome to Business Communication! We trust that you will find this guide helpful and informative.
Business communication is the exchange of meaningful information between a sender and a receiver
until they reach a common understanding. Effective business communication promotes a business
organisation’s goals and objectives as well as increases its profits.
Module Information
Qualification title
BCom in Business Management
Module Title
Business Communication
NQF Level
5
Credits
10
Notional hours
100
Module Purpose
The purpose of this module is that you, the student, become familiar with various aspects of Business
Communication. It is vital to have good communication in the workplace, as this is linked to
performance. Problems arise when one does not receive, or understand, the message sent in the
communication as it was intended for, or when one subconsciously sends a non-verbal message that
contradicts the spoken word. This module attempts to help students understand the importance of
good communications skills.
Outcomes
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knowledge of communication theory, as a foundation and tool for effective communication.
skills for effective communication through a variety of modes including, inter alia, oral, written
and electronic communication.
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the ability to organise, conduct and report meetings in a professional manner in business
the ability to use appropriate graphic media to complement other methods of communication.
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an understanding of the role of effective communication in a business environment.
Assessment
You will be required to complete both formative and summative assessment activities.
Formative assessment:
These are activities you will do as you make your way through the course. They are designed to help
you learn about the concepts, theories and models in this module. These include assignments, min
projects, case studies, practice activities, self-check activities, study group /online forum discussions
and blogs where applicable.
Summative assessment:
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You are required to do one test and two assignments. For online students, the tests are made up of
revision questions at the end of each unit. A minimum of pre-determined revision questions will be
selected to contribute towards your test mark.
Mark allocation
The marks are derived as follows for this module:
Individual Assignment 1
20%
Individual Assignment 2
20%
Online Multiple Choice Questions
10%
Online Exam
50%
TOTAL
100%
Planning Your Studies
You will have registered for one or more modules in the qualification and it is important that you plan
your time. To do this look at the modules and credits and units in each module. Create a timetable /
diagram that will allow you to get through the course content, complete the activities, and prepare for
your tests, assignments and exams. Use the information provided above (How long will it take me?) to
do this.
What equipment will I need?
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Access to a personal computer and internet.
4 Prescribed Reading
Prescribed Book:
Bender M,C , Kotze, P & Maritz C,J. Business Communication 1.(2 edition). Cape Town: Edge Learning
Media.
nd
Video link:
Video / Audio https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMyTMTmJU6E
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5 Module Content
You are now ready to start your module! The following diagram indicates the topics that will be
covered. These topics will guide you in achieving the outcomes and the purpose of this module.
Please make sure you complete the assessments as they are specifically designed to build you in your
learning.
Unit 1: The basic foundation of effective communication
Unit 2: Spoken communication
Unit 3: Written communication
Unit 4: Understanding the work environment
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Unit 1: The foundation of effective communication
Purpose
To understand the basics of communication
By the end of this unit, you will be able to:
Learning
Outcomes
Time
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explain the importance of effective communication;
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explain and illustrate the communication process;
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list and explain the different categories of communication;
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differentiate between formal and informal communication;
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illustrate the traditional hierarchical organisational structure;
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name and define the different listening skills; and
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name and explain the different barriers to effect communication.
It will take you 25 hours to make your way through this unit.
Important terms Communication: Model including participants in communication model
and definitions
Hierarchical : Arranged in order of rank
5.1.1 Introduction
In this unit we will discuss and learn about the basics of communication and the communication
model. Without an effective communication system, no organisation can function properly –especially
when you consider the fast-paced world in which we live, and with the inclusion of digital platforms.
Improvement and development of different technological tools has also changed how communication
can be done in the business environment. Business associates should be must be able to communicate
all the time and in many different situations. In this learning unit, we are going to be discussing the key
principles of effective communication within a business.
Once you have studied this section, you should be able to explain how to communicate effectively.
In this unit, we will cover:
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The importance of effective communication
The communication process
Categories of communication
Formal and informal communication
Traditional hierarchical organisational structure
Verbal and non-verbal communication
Verbal communication
Non-verbal communication
Listening skills
Barriers to effective communication
5.1.2 Effective Communication
Effective communication is vital in the business world today. Communication is vital if we are to
bridge the gap between individuals and cultures. Communication brings people closer; it is also an
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important management function, which links to other similar functions. As the flow of information
becomes clearer, there is more feedback.
It is essential that communication must be focused on given clear information that will limit miss
interpretation of information. In many businesses the incorrect communication causes unhappy staff,
and this can lead to a lack of productivity and clients might become upset. Clear communication will
encourage staff to freely express themselves. It can also redirect employees to be more positive in
their approach to their work. Effective communication will develop good interpersonal relationships
between employees, management and the public. It is also essential to give feedback to staff on tasks
completed and clearly define what is expected from them.
Example:
A manager emails his employee to explain that new regulations from The
Department of Labour have been brought in by the board; this means that
documentation must be changed to fit in with the regulations. The email
reads as follows:
Please note that the board wants you to work on our process documentation according to new
regulations, as stipulated by Dept of Labour. This must be done as soon as possible as per your job
description. Ensure that it reaches my desk by the end of the week.
Is the above instruction clear and effective? Why? Why not? Discuss.
5.1.3 The communication process
Communication may be defined as the exchange of information, ideas or feelings. A process is a series
of actions or changes. The communication process is a two-way communication that involves different
elements (Bender, Kotze & Maritz, 2015). The elements are indicated below. Table 5.1.1: Elements of
communication process
Element
Explanation
Sender
source of communication
Receiver
A receiver decodes a message; he or she processes, analyses and interprets
the message and makes sense of it
Message
encoded using a language sent to the receiver
Encode
To create a message for the intended receiver
Decode
To analyse a message to make it intelligible or understandable
Channel/medium
The means by which the sender sends the message, for example via email, or
phone.
Feedback
Feedback is the response from the receiver to the sender. This could be
positive or negative, direct or indirect and verbal or non-verbal.
Noise
Barriers to communication: this can happen any time during the
communication process for e.g. physical noise or anxiety (psychological)
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Let us have a look at a diagram of the communication model:
Figure 5.1.1: The communication model
Source: https://www.mayecreate.com
The above illustrates the basic process that is involved in effective communication. In many situations
the receiver does not respond due to delays in receiving the message or in some situations refuse to
respond. This constitutes one-way communication.
It is important to understand who the receivers of the message are to be more effective.
Cultural, social, economic and educational background must be established before communication
begins. This will affect the message and the medium. One could ask:
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Who are the receivers?
What are their expectations?
Is there feedback?
Are they encouraged to receive?
Let us have a look at two-way communication.
Figure 5.1.2: Two-way communication
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Source: www.researchgate.net
Whereas the previous diagram indicated one-way communication, the above displays two-way
communication. This means that the receiver responds to the message by encoding a new one. In a
small group, or during face to face communication, this is possible. However, when you are watching
television, it is not possible to respond. You could send an email to the broadcaster. The latter is
referred to as delayed feedback.
There are many scenarios in which we provide instant feedback. For example, during a lecturer, your
lecturer might ask a question, at which point you would respond.
Activity 1.2
1.2.1 Consider the scenario in activity 1; identify the elements involved in this communication.
1.2.2 What should this manager consider before he sends the message?
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Provide an example from your daily life in which you provide feedback, during an online or face to face
tutorial).
Knowing the size of the group we are communicating with helps us to decide on the most effective
way to convey a message.
Let us discuss groups in communication.
What constitutes a group?
A group consists of two or more people who share a common goal.
5.1.4 Groups
For example, we have small group, based on committees, social clubs, study groups and sports clubs.
Reflect: Consider a group that you belong to. Discuss this in class.
Video / audio Access and watch/listen to the video clip listed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMyTMTmJU6E (a funny clip about shallow groups)
The amount of people involved, or the size of the group, can be said to determine the type of
communication.
5.1.5 Categories of communication
• Intrapersonal communication
‘Intra’ (inside) communication that occurs internally. This can include prayer, thinking about an
upcoming exam or preparing for an interview.
• Interpersonal communication
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‘Inter’ (between) communication involves two or more people. It includes communication between
individual employees, communication in a meeting and even communication between groups.
• Extra-personal communication
Extra-personal communication involves the communication with another species (your cat) or an
object (a plant). A response or feedback is not normally expected from the receiver, although you
would probably get a meow from a cat.
• Mass communication
Mass communication involves the transfer of information to a mass audience, namely the public,
through media such as advertising on TV. There is normally no feedback.
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Refer to Question 1.5 page 9 in your prescribed textbook; attempt the question.
In the next brief section, we will discuss formal and informal communication.
5.1.6 Formal and informal communication
We have learned that knowing your audience and the size of your communication group will help you
decide on the most effective way to convey a message. But the context is also important
communicating in formal or informal manner is another useful tool to ensure effective communication
(Bender et al, 2015). In the business contexts it is important to use formal communication, especially if
you meet the audience for the first time. The circumstances dictate the level of formality:
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High (Considered impersonal) e g an email sent by the CEO to all staff.
Formal (Used within a business context) e g a letter sent to another company.
Advisory e g when discussing and advising.
Casual (usually personal in nature) e g when your college has a function.
Intimate. E.g. when you are with your family.
Example
The family picnic below is an example of an intimate means of communication
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Source: www.bingImages.com
Refer to Question 1.6, page10 in your prescribed textbook; attempt the
question.
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In the next section we will look at the organisational structure.
Figure 3: Traditional organisational structure
Upward communication:
This constitutes communication from staff to the managers, and from there to the CEO (Chief
Executive Officer). Note that the above structure is regarded as a traditional structure. Upward
communication can include reports or feedback regarding deadlines achieved
Downward communication:
In this case instructions and policies filter downwards from the CEO to managers, and finally to staff at
the bottom. It could also be an email or memo that affects all staff.
In the organisational structure there are both upward and downward communication
example: the image below is an example of a business meeting; strategic meeting
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Source: www.dreamstime.com
Modern organisational structure
In the modern context communication can often be sideways and informal between different
departments. An example of sideways communication can be when a branch manager discusses the
implementation of a new marketing strategy with the marketing manager. All staff, including the CEO,
is often called on their first name.
Flat management
Many companies lean on the flat management style, meaning that there are few or no reporting
structures or levels between the traditional decision-makers and staff. In this kind of organisation,
there is less supervision of employees, and staff are more involved in major decisions in the company.
It is interesting to note that the Japanese do not support a traditional top-down structure, giving staff
a sense of belonging.
Respect is paramount in Japanese culture
Source: www.planetdepos.com
The round table symbolises equality in Japanese organisations
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Source: www.wallstreetjournal.com
Do question 1.7, page 13 in your prescribed textbook.
Having discussed interpersonal communication and messages we will now turn to actions, both verbal
and non-verbal.
5.1.7 Verbal communication
Verbal communication can either be oral or written. Oral communication happens while speaking and
can either be direct or indirect. When speaking to someone face-to-face in an interview we engage in
direct communication whilst a telephone conversation falls under indirect communication. Written
communication can be direct e.g. when sending a personal letter, card or email whilst it can be
indirect through the medium of a newspaper, advertising or reports.
5.1.8 Non-verbal communication
Non-verbal communication usually happens subconsciously and falls under three categories: visual;
auditory/sound and touch’.
5.1.8.1 Visual communication can further be broken down into four sub-headings:
Communication
Explanation
Example
Kinesics (Body language)
Involves body movements, Crossed arms – defensiveness
facial expressions, posture and A frown - displeasure
gestures.
Proxemics
Spaces: personal/public
Intimate space between lovers
Western and other cultures
have different concepts of
space
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Graphic
pictures, lettering, charts, Traffic signs
graphs, symbols and signs
Colour
Responses: emotional/physical
Red: danger
Auditory communication can be broken down into four sub-headings:
Communication
Explanation
Paralinguistic
tone, tempo, rhythm and accent
Filler sounds
might not have any meaning and can be used out of habit
eg ‘um’, ‘er’ etc.
Music
used to communicate more effectively e.g. action movies usually
have more fast paced and loud music while a fantasy movie often
uses classical music.
Silence
Can be an effective communication tool e.g. when a teacher is
angry with her students and she simply glare at them without
speaking. Silence can have many connotations
Reflect: Think about an emotionally charged moment you experienced. In class, share
it in a detailed discussion. Explain how the absence of words can be quite effective.
Below we discuss haptics. Is this verbal or non-verbal? Discuss.
Touch (Haptics) involves a hug, a little squeeze, a slap and other forms to communicate emotions. It is
important to remember that touch in the workplace might be interpreted as sexual harassment.
Let’s see what you have learned so far by applying your knowledge/doing this short self-assessment.
Explain why the following is important when you are presenting a new product to a
client and give examples of the correct way to have the right:
a) Posture
b) Tone
c) Colours
How well do you listen? Let us discuss listening skills.
Listening skills:
According to Bender et al (2015), active listening which is focussed on the speaker is regarded as
structured. Hearing and listening are two different things. Hearing is a passive process where we
receive sounds that enter our ears and vibrates the eardrums. These sounds might then register as a
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familiar sound. Listening is an active process where the sounds enters the ear and is sent to the brain.
The listener then concentrates on what is said, interprets it and gives feedback.
When we apply good listening skills, we will be able to give correct feedback to the speaker.
Verbal and non-verbal communication is important to show that you are listening and not just hearing
what is said.
Figure 5.1.3: Active listening
Source: www.hybrid parenting.com
Types of listening:
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Active listening involves paying attention to what is said and not being distracted by other
sounds around you
Critical listening involves problem solving. It is important to be objective and not be
influenced by emotions.
Appreciative listening involves understanding what is said to be able to respond correctly
to what is being said. This type of listening also involves asking questions in order to
understand issues before responding.
Empathic listening which involves giving cues to show that you are listening to them to be
able to provide comfort.
Attempt Question 1.11 to 1.13 in the prescribed textbook.
But what if something stands between you and communication? In the final section we discuss
barriers.
Barriers:
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Barriers can be defined as something that stands in between two persons. In communication barriers
come from external (e.g. noise) or internal (e.g. emotions) barriers.
There are six main communication barriers:
Table 5.1.2: Barriers to communication
Barriers
Explanation
Example
Physical
barriers outside the communication Loud noises during in cell phone
process; communication might then connections; a truck revving
not be effective and may cause the outside a lecture room
receiver to miss key points.
Physiological
the health of the sender or receiver or a loss of hearing, addiction, illness
handicap might cause the
communication to be ineffective
Psychological
emotional psychological issues of the Anxiety due to exams
sender or receiver
Perceptual
when the sender and receiver have
different norms and values based on
culture, attitude, sex, age, education,
intelligence,
interests,
needs,
occupation, personality, background
and religion.
Intercultural
receiver’s misunderstanding of the Sometimes a student may have
words used by the sender; social or difficulty
understanding
an
cultural jargon, dialect and slang,
international lecturer with a strong
accent
Semantic
language barriers are common
Different perceptions of space. In
the western culture public space is
important. In African culture there
is a different perception of public
space; closeness is important.
ambiguous
sentences;
pronunciation of words as in above
example
Let’s see what you have learned so far by applying your knowledge/doing this short self-assessment.
a)
b)
Provide an example of:
A semantic barrier
A misunderstanding based on cultural differences
Practical ways to overcome communication barriers:
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Speak clearly and audibly
Listen carefully what is said
Be precise in what you say
Consider the receivers background
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Allow the receiver to respond
Give criticism tactically and be able to receive it
Remove distractions such as…….
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Do not use jargon or slang
Create an environment of trust
Try to understand the other persons point of view
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Attempt Question 1.14 to 1.15 in the prescribed textbook.
5.1.9 Conclusion
One can conclude that communication is the pivot around which we revolve. It is important that
barriers in communication be overcome, in order to achieve effortless communication. It is also
important to note that feedback is important, so that there is clarity about the original message.
5.1.10 Revision Questions
Answer the compulsory revision questions below.
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
Explain the importance of effective communication
Illustrate the communication process
List and explain 3 (three) categories of communication
Differentiate between intrapersonal and extra-personal communication
List at least 5 (five) barriers in communication.
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5.2 Study unit 2: Spoken communication.
Purpose
To elaborate on verbal communication
Learning
Outcomes
By the end of this unit, you will be able to:
• define the concept of spoken communication
• explain the role of the voice and language in spoken communication
• list and define the different techniques to improve the voice
• explain the planning and preparation process within spoken communication
• differentiate between direct and indirect spoken communication
• list and define the different types of spoken communication
• list and define assertive spoken communication.
Time
It will take you 25 hours to make your way through this unit.
techniques
Methods
Important
terms
and
definitions
Concise
Brief (e.g, a brief message)
5.2.1 Introduction
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Once you have studied this section, you should be able to explain the role that spoken communication
plays in our lives.
Bender et al (2015) is of the opinion that humans, unlike animals, communicate using words and
language. In some instances, words and language causes miscommunication due to people speaking
different languages and some interpreting words differently. Spoken communication is regarded as
easier than written communication because we speak before we can write.
In this unit, we will cover:
• The role of the voice and language in spoken communication
• Techniques to improve your voice
• Planning and preparation in spoken communication
• Direct and indirect spoken communication
• Types of spoken communication
• Informal group discussions
• Giving instructions and directions
• Explaining or solving problems
• Interviews
• Training and coaching
• Meetings
• Presentations and lectures
• Customer interactions
• Telephonic or cell phone speaking
• Assertive spoken communication
Definition:
Spoken communication is communication which happens:
• face-to-face with another person
• speaking to another person on the phone
• through media such as television or radio
Reflection: Can you think of another example?
5.2.2 Role of voice and language
What role does voice and language play in spoken communication?
The most important elements of spoken communication are your voice and the language you use. 38%
of any message you get from spoken communication is relayed by your voice. Your tone of voice plays
a big role in spoken communication. The quality of your voice and the quality of your phonics matters
here. In other words, what is the person saying and what the characteristics of the person saying it
are? When we speak much information is signalled. We are being given information, something that
we were not previously aware of. Language is how we express thoughts, perceptions, sentiments, and
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a social identity. This in turn determines our perception of reality. Concise language is important in
order to be precise and clear. Human language is learned and not inherited. We should never make
use of slang in a business environment.
Spoken communication
Source:www.bingimages.com
Think…. In class, in groups of five, brainstorm your own
ideas about why spoken communication is so important in
the world of work today. Compare your answers with
those of the rest of the class and discuss them in a group.
Discussion:
At this point you have to read question 2.2 in your prescribed textbook; discuss and present it
individually.
5.2.3 Strategies for improvement
Strategies to improve spoken communication when you speak, communication should be clear and
relevant. How we can improve our voices is important, as it is a focal instrument of oral
communication. Below are a number of things you can do to improve your speaking voice:
 Practice your speeches out loud in front of a mirror
 Warm up your voice before public speaking
 Learn to breathe properly and practice deep breathing
 Speak up and raise your voice in order to be heard clearly
 Speak slowly
 Speak clearly
 Vary the pitch of your voice.
 Practice reading out loud
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Record yourself and listen how you sound
Use the correct tone of voice
Bear in mind pitch will give different impressions of your voice
Use your mouth correctly and round off your words in the right way
Pronounce words correctly
Project your voice correctly and comfortably
Emphasize certain words to create interest on certain subjects
Be assertive when you speak
Use the right tone as this will indicate what your emotions are
Remember to be relaxed. Tension in our voice will affect those you communicate with
5.2.3.1.1 Self-Assessment
Let’s see what you have learned so far by taking this short self-assessment
Using your mobile, record yourself reading the above strategies and play it back. What
can you do to improve ? Can you identity five areas?
Attempt questions 2.1 and 2.3 in yor textbook; discuss your response with your lecturer in class.
We have looked at the difference between formal and informal communication and learned that oral
communication can be adjusted to suit different situations. We also learned that written
communication is sometimes more appropriate than spoken communication. Let us discuss direct and
indirect spoken communication. Note that in direct communication we express ideas directly. Peruse
the table below:
5.2.5 Direct and indirect communication
Direct
Indirect
A speaker clearly relays thoughts and opinion
A roundabout way of gathering
information.
Instructions
or
questions
given/asked directly
A more subtle form
are
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Less misunderstanding
If electronically, some context may be lost.
Linear thought process
Indirect thought process
Concise
More detailed as indirect
Can be face to face
No eye contact as in face to face
Context included (body language)
No body language cues as in face to face
Attempt question 2.5 in the prescribe textbook.
Let us look at the different types of direct and indirect spoken communication in more detail. Oral
communication includes formal communication, such as classroom lectures, speeches, and meeting
presentations; and informal communication, such as casual phone or dinner table conversations.
Great communication skills are your ticket to success in the academic world (Grimsley: 2017)
Six types of spoken communication in the classroom:
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One-on-one speaking
Small group or team based oral work.
Full class discussions
In-class debates and deliberations
Speeches and presentations
Oral examinations
5.2.6 Examples of spoken communication in the workplace:
Informal group discussions
This type of communication happens regularly in the workplace. It can happen while having coffee in
the staff kitchen or even in the office with people sitting in an open office.
Giving instructions and directions
This is a one-way communication with an individual or a group. This type of communication is about
giving information to benefit the receiver.
Explaining or solving problems
The goal of this type of communication is finding a solution. This communication should be clear to
ensure that everybody understands the message.
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Interviews
Interviews are an integral part of any business. It is important to understand how interviews must be
conducted to ensure that the right person is employed in the business. These skills are also needed to
deal with staff complaints, complaints from customers or getting feedback.
Interviews
Interviews are an integral part of any business. It is important to understand how interviews must be
conducted to ensure that the right person is employed in the business. These skills are also needed to
deal with staff complaints, complaints from customers or getting feedback.
Planning is also very important in order to get the best results. This is also an opportunity to learn
about someone and understand where they come from. Ideas can be exchanged.
There are also a few barriers to consider:
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Physical – These are external barriers that can disturb the interview process such as a ringing
cell phone, noises, lighting etc.
Psychological – Nervousness can lead to stuttering, giggling etc. It is important to ensure that
you are prepared before the interview.
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Verbal or semantic – Poor use of words and language proficiency can hinder the interview by
not communicating clearly. Barriers can be caused by the fact that. English might not be the
person’s first language.
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Non-verbal – Body language such as facial expressions, gestures and postures can be a
problem as it will communicate more than what you say. It is important to be conscious about
these barriers and prepare not to fall into it.
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Physiological – Feeling sick might be a problem during an interview. Also be open about it if
possible.
Perceptual – People will unfortunately have preconceived ideas they will form about each
other based on the other person’s cultural and social background. (Rheeder et al, 74:2016)
Interview
Source: www.dreamstime.com
What kind of questions can be asked during an interview?
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Closed – The only answer to these types of questions is “yes” or “no”. Example: Do you meet
the requirements for the job?
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Open-ended – These types of questions are open to different answers based on how the
person feels about what is asked. Example: How do you feel about working in a team?
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Specific – This type of question only has one answer. Example: When did you complete
matric?
Leading – The interviewer leads the interviewee to answer the question as indicated in the
question. Example: We believe that the customer is always right. How do you feel about it?
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Reflective – Using the interviewee’s statement to formulate a question. Example: You said
that you have good leadership skills. Example: Explain to me how you handled any past
situations of conflict as a leader?
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Hypothetical – The interviewer gives a scenario and asks how the interviewer will respond in
the situation. Example: How will you handle a difficult staff member?
5.2.7 Training
Training has become an important part of any business. This will ensure that the staff is ready to take
on any situation in the business. This transfer of information and skills happens in a face-to-face
situation. South Africa enforces an outcomes-based approach in education where people are
supposed to understand and apply what is learned. Spoken communication, in this situation, is
important.
5.2.8 Coaching
Coaching is done by the staff’s supervisor or manager. This is done by the superior giving tasks to the
subordinate and showing how they need to be handled. They also discuss situations they might face in
the workplace and working together to tackle tasks.
5.2.9 Meetings
A meeting is a pre-planned gathering of two or more people in an organisation. Meetings can be
formal or informal. A meeting involves oral and written communication. Oral communication is the
actual meeting while there are minutes taken during the meeting. Meetings are also brought together
to conclude on something.
There are three types of meetings:
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Public meetings – These meetings are open to the public. It involves groups of people that
come together in halls to discuss issues or to announce something important. It could be
planned but, in most situations, get out of hand.
Private meetings – These meetings usually happen in boardrooms, offices, staff rooms etc. It is internal
and private. People are notified view emails or internal memos and agendas are usually handed out.
The meetings also involve minute takers that will send out minutes after the meeting.
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General meetings – Meetings comprised of members of an association or staff. They are
brought together more frequently and routinely (Rheeder, et al 126-127:2016).
Private meetings include:
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Brainstorming – Creating new ideas.
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Problem-solving – Coming to a solution to a problem.
Briefing – Handing out tasks (usually written).
Consulting – Meetings outside the business with other companies, suppliers etc.
Technology-driven – Video conferencing to cross borders. (Maritz, et al 47-48:2016)
Teamwork: brainstorming
Source: www.bingimages.com
Formal meetings have specific rules:
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The meeting must be called and convened by an authorized member.
Members, including the chairperson, are chosen to attend the meeting based on the
constitution.
There must be formal agendas and minutes.
Items must be discussed according to the list.
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Items can only be added when the general section is discussed.
The chairperson is the facilitator of the group and is the only person that can address the
meeting or appoint someone else.
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Comments must be addressed to the chairperson.
The duties and powers of the chairperson and secretary
Maritz et al (2016: 50-51) states that the chairman’s duties are as follows:
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Ensures meeting is constituted properly.
Maintains order.
Manages the time.
Keeps discussions relative.
Must be unbiased.
Summarizes arguments.
Gives casting vote.
Announces results.
Adjourns the meeting.
Closes meeting and manages minutes.
Follow up on agreements made.
On the other hand, the secretary has an equally important role. Maritz (2016:50-51) maintains he or
she does the following:
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Prepares and arranges the venue.
Notice distribution.
Agenda arrangements
Circulates the attendance registers.
Keeps times.
Correctly writes minutes and resolution.
Type and file minutes
In absence of the treasurer takes
control of finances
Counting votes
5.2.10 Presentations and lectures
Presentations and lecturers are usually very nerve racking. It is important to ensure that you are
always prepared. Presentations are used in different contexts in the workplace.
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Presentations can be effective by applying the following tips:
Practice your presentation beforehand.
Always have a written document on the presentation at hand.
Know why you are doing the presentation.
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Do some research on the audience to understand where they come from •
Start with a
catching introduction to make sure the audience remembers it.
The conclusions must connect with the objectives.
All concepts must be discussed before the conclusion. Do not add new concepts.
The presentation must be logical.
Anticipate question and be prepared.
Make sure that you understand questions by asking for clarification.
Do not make up answers to questions. Let the participants know.
Be confident.
Keep the correct pitch, tone, and language.
Do not use jargon or slang.
It is important to understand your audience before making jokes.
Stop fidgeting or doing anything that will distract the audience.
Use visual aids to maintain interest and to explain statistics.
Look at your audience.
Apply the correct colour or font size in the presentation.
Give hand-outs when discussing statistics.
Understand how to use your equipment.
Be yourself.
Remember to breath.
Dress according to the audience you are presenting.
Keep an eye on the time.
Be enthusiastic (Maritz, et al 53:2016)
It is essential to understand what you are supposed to present and the audience that you are
presenting to. This will determine the venue and layout. If you are presenting in an unfamiliar venue
you need to ask that you see the venue and find out what resources are available.
Customer interactions
“Without excellent customer service, it will be difficult to generate loyalty (Erasmus 466:
2016). Customers have more rights today than in the past. The passing of the consumers act also puts
pressure on businesses not to promise what they cannot deliver. Most customers choose businesses
they had the best experience with and could become the main reason why some businesses close
down.
There are a few tips to for dealing with customers:
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Observe the customer and his/her style.
Call them by their name (surname).
Prepare a presentation to promote the company.
If you do not know the customer, it is better to dress formally.
Speak clearly and use simple language.
It is important to be prepared and professional.
Your body speaks a lot about your motivations.
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We live in a diverse society and must be able to communicate bearing this in mind.
Being patient, friendly and helpful will make the customer’s experience effective.
Also remember to:
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Use positive language.
Focus on your client and their needs.
Give solutions to problems that will benefit the customer.
Allow time for complaints.
Do not blame the company or others.
In some situations, the customers are not always right. Calmly and tactfully explain your point
and offer to work together on a solution.
Never lie. Rather tell the truth and keep them informed.
Keep the promises you make at all costs.
Training might be needed to be able to address all the customer’s needs.
Customers become your best marketing tool. They will tell others about your service (Maritz,
et al 56-57:2016).
Speaking on the phone:
Face to face differs greatly from a phone conversation. On the phone body language does not feature.
The receiver will judge you according to the voice and language you use over the phone.
Using this medium of communication has become popular but bear the following in
mind:
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Avoid jargon.
Be concise.
Listen properly.
Use good diction and an even tone.
Smile as it reflects in your tone.
Take notes.
Be professional (Rheeder, et al. 156:2016).
Other types of spoken communication:
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Workshops – direct the activities or participants. Provide clear instructions. Guide the
participants using clear communication.
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Conversations – two people discussing a topic. Acknowledge the sensitivity of the subject,
time constraints and questions. Use active listening skills for effective communication.
Attempt questions 2.16-2.18 in the book. Discuss your answers with your lecturer/tutor/classmate.
How assertive are you?
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Assertiveness is about correct communication. It is being self-assured and confident about your point
and avoiding conflict. Avoid being either too passive or too aggressive towards the other person.
Assertive communication is something that you will learn the more you grow (Maritz, et al 59:2015)
Practising our verbal skills can help us to better deal with a host of situations correctly. It will give us
opportunity to de-escalate a situation. Assertive response can help you get your point across clearly
and quickly. Always use a strong confident voice and be direct. Make statements rather than asking
questions. It is also important to speak slowly.
Keep the following in mind when in conflict:
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Make “I” statements is a method of voicing your feelings and opinions without
offending anyone else or passing judgement or blame. It shows confidence.
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Body language is important. Do not behave in a way that may be threatening or
intimidating. Stand with planted feet shoulders back, hands available, and looking at
the other person and making eye contact.
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You always have the right to say “no”.
Never use labels, sarcasm or make assumptions. Speak directly to the person and address the specific
behaviour that is offensive. This can help a person to change their behaviour without feeling attacked.
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Interrupt with respect where necessary
Assertive communication can be developed by:
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5.2.11
Knowing yourself and what you need and want.
Always listen carefully to what is being said.
Ask questions; be confident.
Conclusion
Spoken communication is a very important aspect of our day-to-day communication, especially in
business or at a college. Therefore, it is important that you go over the techniques discussed in this
chapter, as it will impact the way you communicate during an interview or a presentation.
In this learning unit, we discussed spoken communication and the importance of one’s voice.
We discussed different techniques to improve our voice and the process involved in planning and
preparing spoken communication. We discussed the difference between direct and indirect spoken
communication and different types of spoken communication. Finally. We examined the process of
being assertive.
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5.2.12
Revision Questions
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b)
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d)
e)
Answer the compulsory revision questions below.
Define spoken communication.
Explain different strategies to improve your voice.
Differentiate between direct and indirect spoken communication.
List different types of spoken communication
In your own words, define assertiveness.
Unit 3 Verbal: Written communication
Purpose
Learning
Outcomes
Time
The aim of this unit is to explore different aspects of written communication.
By the end of this unit, you will be able to:
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explain the importance of written communication within English.
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define written communication.
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identify and explain the role of words and grammar in written
communication.
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illustrate simple, concise, and correct English.
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use effective headings, layout, and graphical material to capture an
audience; • extract and summarise key information edit written material
It will take you 25 hours to make your way through this unit.
Important terms
and definitions
Graphic
persuasive
A picture, graph, or map
Persuading someone to believe something.
5.3.1 Introduction
Written communication is an important part of a business. Most of your day will be spent writing. Due
to technological improvements written communication will be used using different resources. Words
are a powerful tool and must be used cautiously to communicate effectively. Communication is a
learned skill, and we must learn to develop this skill.
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Once you have studied this section, you should be able to explain different aspects of written
communication.
In this unit, we will cover:
The importance of effective written communication
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A definition of written communication
The role of words and grammar in written communication
Using simple, concise, and correct English
Capture your audience’s attention with effective headings, layout, and graphic material.
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Effective Headings
Simple, uncluttered layout
Relevant and clear graphic material
Extracting and summarising key information
Editing written material: spelling, punctuation, sentences, layout, readability
The effects of persuasive writing
Types of written communication used in business.
5.3.2 Effective English in the workplace
From a language perspective, writing effectively in English in the workplace is essential because:
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Good writing skills can assist you in coming across more credible and capable of doing and
understanding your work and the business.
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English is the business language of the world.
Most people spend quite a big amount of time communicating through the written word.
Your writing skills can boost or hinder your career.
Better writers come across as more intelligent.
Between 60 per cent and 85 per cent of email messages being sent throughout the world are
in English.
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Most people using English in business are not English first language speakers; hence the
crucial need for clear and concise writing to prevent misunderstandings.
Maritz (2015:65) outlines the importance of effective communication as follows:
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Writing helps with communication when it is not possible to see someone face-to-face.
It is the best method for record keeping of important information.
Well written communication helps to create a picture of professionalism.
Clear thinking can be reflected in your writing when done correctly.
It helps with understanding between people.
Spoken communication is limited by what you are thinking about in the moment, while
writing gives you time to phrase words for a greater impact.
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Reflection: Do you believe that it is important for South Africans to know at least one
other language?
Definition:
Written communication is the transmission of word using inscriptions of characters in a known
language. It is transferring information, stories, announcements etc. for people to read. It is used daily
in any business.
What are the barriers in written communication?
Maritz et al (2015:68) identifies the following:
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Some people cannot read the language you are using.
Some words might be difficult to understand.
There might be cultural differences.
The person might not be able to read.
5.3.3 Types of reading
There are at least four kinds of reading:
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Scanning involves reading quickly and focusing on information you need.
Skimming involves getting a general idea of what is written by reading through the
document quickly
Close reading is intense, critical analysis of a text that focuses on significant details so that the
reader might have a precise understanding. eg a thesis
Comprehensive/intensive reading involves reading the whole document thoroughly to
understand what the author is trying to communicate.
5.3.4 Types of writing
Let us look at the two main types of writing: direct and indirect.
Written communication:
Direct
Indirect
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Personal communication between the writer
and reader usually expecting a response
e.g., an email enquiry
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Communication to a large group without
expecting direct feedback. Press releases,
newspaper reports etc.
Having looked at the importance of effective communication, let us discuss the principles:
Principles for effective written communication:
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Know your audience. Find out if you do not know.
Who will be affected by the communication?
Context is very important to communicate correctly.
What is the purpose of the communication?
You must know whether you should use formal or informal writing.
You must choose the best method for communication.
Preparation and planning are important.
Make sure to correct grammatical errors before sending the communication.
Make sure the message is clear.
Make sure all relevant information is included.
Source:www.BingImages.com
5.3.5 The role of words and grammar
When writing, one cannot rely on non-verbal communication enhance meaning. One only has the
tools of words and grammar (the rules of language) that constitute language. If you send out an email
with poor grammar, you appear to be an amateur. Clients may also misunderstand what you are trying
to say to them. Poor grammar can lead to complete miscommunication and can cost a company
money (Maritz et al 2016: 70-71).
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At this point, attempt question 3.3 in your prescribed textbook.
Keeping documents short and concise
Many people spend very little time reading documents in the workplace. It is becoming more and
more important for writers to keep their documents short, clear, and relevant. Nobody in the busy
commercial world has time to reread documents or to try and search for the main point. You should
never have to explain something verbally that you have written. If this happens you have written
poorly, and this wastes time and resources. Here are some tips:
Choose your words deliberately.
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Construct your sentences carefully.
Use grammar properly.
Keep your audience’s attention.
Do not ever ramble on
Make your message clear.
Keep it short.
Use direct language.
Remove unnecessary words.
Create sentences with one main idea.
Eliminate redundancy.
Include a fact in every sentence.
Proofread thoroughly.
Never sacrifice clarity for novelty
Never sacrifice meaning for novelty
Never sacrifice meaning to belonging
Caselet: Editor of the New York Times
Michael Slackman was named the international editor of The New York Times
in September 2016. Before that, he had been the managing editor of the
international news department since November 2014. He is in charge of the
international news report over multiple time zones and oversees Times
bureaus around the globe. Previously, Mr. Slackman was deputy foreign
editor since May 2011, helping oversee all global coverage, with an emphasis
on coordinating the Middle East report. Before returning to New York, in May
2011, Mr. Slackman was a foreign correspondent for The Times for six years.
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As a correspondent, Mr. Slackman most recently was the Berlin bureau chief, a posting that lasted
a year. Previously, he spent eight years based in Egypt, three for the Los Angeles Times and five for
The New York Times. During that period, he reported from every country in the region, from
Morocco to Iran. He covered Iraq before and after the 2003 invasion, and as both a reporter and an
editor, he has helped document the tremendous changes sweeping the Arab world.
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Before going to the Middle East, Mr. Slackman was the Moscow bureau chief for Newsday
for three years, covering the economy and social chaos of post-Soviet Russia and the
leadership transition from Yeltsin to Putin (1998-2001). He was part of the Newsday team
that won the Pulitzer Prize for spot news reporting in 1997. He is a graduate of North-eastern
University. www.nyt.com
The above case study is about an editor whose business is writing words and ensuring that the
standards of the NY Times are maintained.
Attempt Question 3.4 in the prescribed textbook.
The best ways to capture an audience’s attention:
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Human faces – Human beings are attracted to people. We like to look at people’s faces.
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Food, sex and danger - A portion of our brains is focused on survival. We can’t help looking at
the things that keep our species alive. A presentation with images of food and sensuality, for
example, would attract the audiences’ attention.
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Stories – People are drawn to stories. Start by writing: “Let me tell you a story.” You will
capture their attention. Create plots and make narrative connections between ideas. Food
attracts readers.
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Maritz et al (2017: 73-74) maintains that a heading is the most important part of any business
documentation. Many people will disregard a document by just reading the heading. The following are
guidelines to ensure that the heading is effective:
Effective Headings
These should effectively describe what will be covered in the document.
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Effective terminology will set the tone of the document.
The heading will attract the reader’s attention.
Consist of a whole thought.
It must be relevant to the content.
It must be clear and unambiguous. (Maritz, et al. 2015:73-74)
Tips for a catchy heading:
• Is the heading catchy? Will it catch the reader’s attention?
• It might be better to write the whole document before writing the heading.
• You must describe the contents.
• The whole thought should contain nouns and verbs.
• The heading must be a complete thought and must say something.
• Apply headings to paragraphs or sections that also described the contents clearly.
• All images, graphs, diagrams, or graphs should have a meaningful heading.
Use an appropriate font that is readable (Maritz, et al. 2015:74).
5.3.6 The layout
Effectively the layout should be:
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Simple and uncluttered.
Convenient to read and understand.
Catchy to the eyes.
Easy to scan to get the main ideas.
Represent the writer and company (Maritz, et al. 2015:75)
Here are some tips:
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The content must be logically outlined.
Columns must be narrow so that it is easy to read.
Add graphics and images.
The margins must be white.
The headings must stand out.
The font must look professional and clear. (Maritz et al 2015:76)
In the following section we will look at examples of graphics:
A pie chart.
Examples of bar graphs: figures & statistics
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A flowchart
Line graphs
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Source: www.dreamstime.com
Organogram
Source: 9001quality.com
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Tables to summarise information.
Source: www.dreamstime.com
Let us see what you have learned so far by doing this short self-assessment.
Apply knowledge of graphic illustration by:
Using a bar graph to illustrate:
The number of local students at your college
The number of international students at your college
(Draw a bar graph as per the example, with two bars)
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Attempt question 3.5 in your prescribed textbook
5.3.7 Extracting and summarising key information
Concise and compelling written communication is very important in business. Because reading and
writing go hand in hand, you need to develop the skill of extracting key information when reading.
Equally important is the ability to find the main ideas and summarise them in writing. (Maritz, et al
2015:83)
Summarising is an important skill in written communication. It enables you to extract the most
important parts from a text. Good summaries are important because they keep busy readers
informed.
Summaries help us to effectively present the most important information.
What defines a summary?
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It is shorter than the source.
It captures the same idea or message as the original, but without using the same words.
What are the characteristics of an effective summary?
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It captures the most important information.
It is highly readable.
It can stand on its own.
It is faithful to the original.
It is as concise as possible.
It is placed at the beginning of a text.
It maintains the reader’s needs in mind.
It makes use of own words.
Key information is included.
It may include key summary diagrams and other figures.
Steps in writing a summary:
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Find out, if necessary, who will read the summary to see how much detail is needed.
Read the original carefully.
Identify the topic.
Choose your material for the summary.
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Remove unnecessary information or words.
Estimate the length of time the reader is likely to read the summary.
Will your summary be informative or descriptive?
Rewrite the material in concise, descriptive paragraphs.
The main ideas must be written in your own words.
Create your own title.
Read your summary too see if it will make sense to the prospective readers.
Identify the source of the text.
A summary should be a third of the total text.
The writer must compare his/ her outline to his/ her notes and assess whether the correct summary
diagrams and figures have been inserted in the correct places.
check activity.
Check your progress by completing the self-check activity.
Read and summarise the article below.
1. Underline key terms.
2. Rewrite the shortened version.
3. Edit for flow Moyo heads back to work – again.
Ray Mahlaka, Moneyweb
Axed Old Mutual CEO Peter Moyo plans to return to his office for the third time. But the insurer insists
that he is not welcome.
While Old Mutual and axed-but-reinstated CEO Peter Moyo are preparing arguments for another leg
of their dizzying court spat, another showdown is looming between the adversarial parties.
The showdown, which has been set for Wednesday at Old Mutual’s swanky headquarters in
Johannesburg’s Sandton, has been seen before and will probably be mirrored for the third time.
On Tuesday, Moyo said he plans to return to his office and resume his CEO duties on Wednesday
morning, three months after he was fired (on June 18) over an alleged conflict of interest involving
NMT Capital, a private equity firm he co-founded in 2002 and in which Old Mutual has a 20% stake.
Moyo was accused by SA’s second-largest insurer of declaring dividends worth R105 million at an NMT
meeting he chaired on July 4, 2018, and wrongfully pocketing R30 million worth of these dividends.
Meanwhile, Old Mutual said it did not receive dividends, breaching its rights as a shareholder.
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Source: Bing Image.com
Dividends will be discussed at meeting.
Moyo wants to work on things.
Speaking through his lawyer Eric Mabuza, Moyo said his next attempt to return to work is
aimed at “working towards an end to this matter”, which has dragged on for nearly four months
and weighed on Old Mutual’s share price. Moyo’s resolve to return to work has been bolstered
by the Johannesburg High Court, which ordered on Friday that he can charge Old Mutual’s 13
board members, including chair Trevor Manuel, for contempt of court. Judge Brian Mashile
also ordered that Moyo can introduce a second letter he received from Old Mutual on August
21, which terminated his employment contract for the second time (effectively firing him
again), as evidence for the contempt of court proceedings.A contempt of court charge relates to
being disobedient or disrespectful towards a court of law regarding its orders or overall
authority. If found guilty, the offence comes with sanctions including hefty fines or
imprisonment for a period determined by a court.
https://citizen.co.za/business/business-news/2183213/moyo-heads-back-to-workagain/https://
citizen.co.za/business/business-news/2183213/moyo-heads-back-to-work-again/ Editing written
material
A professional, neat, and easy-to-read document creates a good impression of you and your
organisation. To ensure that writing meets the exact standards, you must edit and proofread
everything that leaves your desk or computer. Whether you are sending an email to a colleague or
writing a report for potential investors, checking for errors is crucial (Maritz, et al 85:2015).
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Proof reading is the process of reading and correcting documents whilst editing is the process of
checking the text for grammar, punctuation, spelling, layout, readability etc.
Editing involves:
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Critiquing
Adding and removing
Improving
Reviewing
Being objective
Producing a refined product
Tidying it up
Spelling
It is very important to keep a dictionary at hand when writing business documents. Most document
editing software has spell check that helps when editing texts but, in some cases, it is best to consult
the dictionary. Also keep to the policy of the business regarding which spelling will be adopted. Most
businesses in South Africa use British spelling:
Example of British vs American Spelling:
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Labour – Labor
Centre – Center
Organize – Organise.
The following are examples of words that we tend to confuse:
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Their – there
Accept – Except
Advice – Advise.
Your – You’re
Loose – Lose
Practice:
Practice the skills you have learned. Do the brief spelling test below. Compare answers with
classmates; your lecturer will provide guidance.
1. The car lost one of (it, it’s, its, its’) wheels. ……………………
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2. Her speech was great. She received many (complements, compliments)…………………..
3. The same problem occurred (oft en, often, offen)………………
4. Sipho remained (quite quiet) ……………..for the reminder of the lecture.
5. The students forgot (their, there) pens yesterday ………………………….
Punctuation
Businesses tend to eliminate punctuation that’s unnecessary. Regardless of this there are certain
guidelines and trends to keep in mind when editing texts:
Punctuation: grammar
Application
Example
Capital Letter
Beginning of sentence, name,
place, titles
At the beginning; Phindiwe;
Cape Town; Dr
Full stop
At the end of sentences
• Some abbreviations
I enjoy college.
S.O.S
Question mark
At the end of a question
Do you enjoy grammar?
Exclamation marks
Used after a sentence to show Delightful! Incredible!
emotion or exaggeration
Comma
Separating items listed
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Separating clauses
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Separate spoken words
from unspoken
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Pause in a long
sentence
Love, joy, peace
Punctuation, as explained, is
important.
He explained, “Punctuation is
fun”,
Quotation marks
Direct quotation
She explained, “Learning can
be fun”.
Brackets
To group matching pairs
(Love, Joy and Peace)
Contractions
Used in informal documents
Can’t, won’t
Sentences and paragraphs:
It is important to bear in mind that sentences must include one thought and paragraphs should not be
too long. Paragraphs must only include one idea.
Bear the following rules in mind (Maritz et al. 87:2015)
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Sentence must have a verb.
Use the correct tenses.
Try not to be ambiguous.
Repetition can emphasize important words, or the word can be placed at the end.
Layout
The layout is dependent on the type of document. There are different layouts for letters, memos, etc.
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Templates must be developed for various purposes inside the business. It is important for all
staff to use only these templates for consistency.
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A business must also have a letterhead that should be used by all staff.
There must be a space for signatures.
The date must be visible and correct.
Readability
Bear the following in mind:
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Ensure that it is clear.
Ensure that it is simple (straight forward)
Ensure that has a polite tone.
Keep it uncluttered.
5.3.8 The role of words and grammar
Effects of persuasive writing
Advertising is known for using persuasive language – after all, they are promoting a product. So, what
kind of techniques are used in persuasive language?
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Anecdotes – Short accounts of real events told in the form of a story.
Cathy phrases or slogans - Words designed to stick in the reader’s mind.
Chatty style – Language like friends would use in conversation.
List of three – A triple repetition that adds emphasis.
Contrasts – A comparison of two things intended to highlight one.
Emotive words – Words that are deliberated to make a reader have strong feelings.
Emotive pictures –can be a description of a picture to suggest an image in the mind of the
reader.
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Exaggeration (Hyperbole) – qualities of products are often exaggerated in advertising.
Forceful phrases (Imperatives) – Using words like “think about the plight of” or “obey your
thirst!
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Humour – The writer will try to make a joke to put the reader at ease.
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Imagery –covers all the descriptive writing techniques such as metaphors and similes.
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Opinion as fact – Example “It is a fact that I don’t like winter.”
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Personal pronouns – Using “I”, “you” or “we” to talk directly to the reader.
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Repetition – A single word or phrase repeated over and over to emphasize it.
Rhetorical questions – Questions that appear in writing that is not dialogue.
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Shock tactics – shocking imagery/ statements to get the readers’ attention.
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Statistics and facts – Numbers and facts used to provide convincing information.
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Quotations and expert opinions – When a writer bring in some information
from another person to back up what is being said or promoted.
In the next section objective and subjective writing will be discussed.
Objective and subjective writing
Objective
Subjective
Factual
opinion
Concise
vague
Unemotional
emotional
Impartial
(Maritz, et al. 91:2015).
partial
Example
Refer to the example below:
Describing a place:
Factual or objective writing:
The building was situated on a field of grass and comprised three floors. It was painted white.
Subjective writing:
On an expanse of green, the austere building spread out, starkly white.
Refer to 3.8 - 3.9 in your prescribed textbook; attempt these questions.
Types of written communication used in business.
Before starting with the different documents, the following must always be kept in mind:
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The layout and format are unique depending on the document.
The style and tone are also unique.
They have different openings and closings.
Planning before and editing after must take place to improve effectiveness.
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(Maritz, et al. 94:2015).
Examples of written communication used in business:
Business letters
Communication by means of a business letters is a formal correspondence between the business and
the client, suppliers, or another business. Due to technology the letter has, in some businesses, being
replaced with emails, but one can send a letter as an attachment to an email. The letter is still
important and should be used to ensure the letters are read and, in some instances,, people might not
have relevant technology.
To ensure that a letter is read you must bear the following in mind:
Rules for compiling letters:
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Keep it original or different to the norm as much as possible.
Use your words correctly by avoiding slang, negative structures etc.
Based on the readers, structure your letter in a language they understand
Do not use redundant words and phrases.
Keep it short and to the point.
It must be clear and not vague.
Avoid flowery language as the reader will not appreciate it.
The layout must be uncluttered.
There are two examples of business letters that you can consult:
Read Pages 96- 97 of the prescribed text for examples of letters.
Tips for compiling a letter:
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The date must be written in full e.g., 28 September 2019.
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Abbreviations should be in full the first time it is mentioned and abbreviated e.g., Council of
Higher Education (CHE)
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Do not use “re:” in the ‘subject’ space.
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Omit the receiver’s address if the letter is informal.
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Always use the name of the person it addresses if known.
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Include a reference number if applicable; it helps with tracking.
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The subject line must be in a heading format.
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The address, signatures and names do not need punctuations (Maritz et al 98:2015).
The memo
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A memorandum is usually sent within the staff of the organisation. It is used to communicate
important information relevant to the staff addressed and to give instructions for action.
Read Pages 104 of the prescribed text for examples of memos.
The memo should include the following:
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Subject: The topic of the memo.
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Date: Date of the memo.
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Tel.: The extension of the staff it is addressed to.
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There must be an introduction.
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The content should not be more than 3 paragraphs.
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Include a closing paragraph and signature (Rheeder, et al 164:2016).
Tips for compiling a memo:
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Consider who your audience is.
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Address it to the relevant people.
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Exclude confidential or personal information.
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Stick to one topic.
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Divide it in segments to make it readable.
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Use bullet points where applicable.
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Name and department must be clear.
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Create a template to make it easier (Maritz, et al. 103:2015)
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Memo
E-mails
Due to the convenience and speed of the internet, emails are popular. The format of the email can be
formal or informal depending on the intended recipient.
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(See page 105 in textbook).
Important aspects to consider for writing emails:
• Apply a formal tone when the email is sent to clients or other businesses.
• The email must have a friendly and courteous tone.
• Do not use SMS language.
• The subject box must be regarded as a heading.
• The email must be short.
• Do not use capital letters for any words as this is considered as shouting.
• Relevant attachments must be sent; stick to shorter attachments, as there may be a limit.
• Only “CC” relevant people.
• Respond as soon as you can.
• it is important to not use it for personal reasons.
• Viruses easily get transferred via email. Be careful before opening.
• Archive or delete old emails.
• Use labelling to sort out your emails.
• Only reply to the person who sent you the email.
• Include a formal signature & company logo for business emails (Maritz, et al 105-106:2015).
Reading
Read pages 105-106 of the prescribed text.
Forms and questionnaires
Most businesses will have some type of form that will be filled in for information and applications.
Forms have blank spaces where information must be filled in for a purpose. Make sure that all
relevant information is filled in before taking a form. In some cases, it might be difficult to read forms
due to the handwriting. Remember to fill in any forms clearly.
Questionnaires are used by businesses to collect statistics or to collect facts and opinions of people.
The questionnaire is in the form of questions that must be answered. Some questions require
straightforward answer whilst others require you to rate something. Questionnaires are usually
anonymous to ensure that the respondents feel free to respond without fear of being called.
Keep in mind the following when filling in forms and questionnaires:
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Make sure you understand what the document is about. Scan it first – what is it about?
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Use legible handwriting.
Keep the form neat. Do not scratch out answers.
Follow instruction carefully.
Use “N/A” if you cannot answer a question or if the questions are not applicable.
Check your answers before submitting.
Ask someone if you do not know what to do.
Use black point pen.
Make sure to not fill in some sections (Maritz, et al. 107:2015; Rheeder et al 171:2016).
Reports
Reports are formal documentation compiled by someone based on an evaluation or investigation. This
is handed in as feedback after all relevant information has been consulted.
The report must be a summary while keeping in mind that important information must be included.
There are various types of reports that you will face in a business. They include accident reports
(accidents that happened at the office), investigation reports (addressing problems faced in the
business that must be investigated), feedback reports (discussing what was covered in an event you
attended) and progress report (information on the progress of a project).
Tips for compiling a report:
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Find out who will read the report.
Find out what the report must cover if done for the first time.
Research and planning must be thorough to ensure that everything was looked at.
The title must be clear and precise.
There must be a table of contents.
The introduction must be clear on what is covered in the report.
Break down the report using subheadings.
The layout is important; the report must be objective.
Use straight-forward words and standard English. Avoid jargon and slang.
The report must be written in past tense. The report must be dated clearly.
Include page numbers.
Include visual aids as applicable.
Proper referencing must be done. (Maritz, et al. 108:2015).
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The following layout may be used as a template:
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Heading
Table of Contents
Background
Purpose
Findings
Conclusion
Recommendations
Signature (Maritz, et al. 108:2015).
Business plans follows the following format:
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Title page and the date.
Short overview of the report in less than 500 words.
A table of contents.
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The body
Introduction
Explanation of the product or service
Sales plan
Legal requirements
Locations
Risks
Statement for investors. (Maritz, et al. 111:2015).
Business proposals follow the following format:
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Title page with date and name of addressee/s.
Objectives that gave rise to the proposals.
Summary
Table of contents
The body
Introduction
Justification for the proposal
References for support
Necessary appendices (Maritz, et al. 111:2015).
Presentations (using PowerPoint)
Presentations are a great way to introduce new ideas and other important information.
Visually it makes a presentation more interesting for the audience.
Tips for creating a good presentation:
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A slide enhances the presentation.
Font must be clear and readable to everyone in the room.
Language must be plain.
Sentences must be short.
Use appropriate colours depending on the audience e.g., company colours.
Include key ideas, usually in point format.
Graphs may be included.
Statistics can form an attachment or handout.
Do not have too many slides.
Use fresh and individual slides (Maritz, et al. 112:2015.
Reading
Read page 112 of the prescribed textbook.
PowerPoint presentations are effective business tools.
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Source: Stock images dreamstime.com
Meetings
The documents involved in meetings are the notice, the agenda, and the minutes.
Notices
These are given before the meeting to inform people of the meeting. It invites attendance that can be
turned down. It is the best way to determine how many people will attend for resource and catering
purposes. It must cover the type of meeting, the venue, the time, and the date of the meeting.
Notices can be sent using emails; attendance must be confirmed or declined. The response will come
back to the person who sent the request.
Agenda
A list of what will be discussed in the meeting. It also outlines the structure of the meeting. It can be
handed out before the meeting; the chairperson is responsible for following the agenda.
Minutes of Meetings
Minute are written down by a minute-taker (usually a secretary or PA) during the meeting.
The person must listen carefully and write down as much as possible. The person will then be
responsible for typing the minutes and ensuring they are emailed to attendees.
Important points regarding minutes:
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A list of the people who attended and absentees.
Minutes must be taken in the past tense.
Write in the third person.
Stick to facts.
The minute taker must not participate in the meeting.
Focus on key points and other important information.
Be concise; use abbreviations.
Be professional.
The minutes must include the company logo and name.
Headings must follow the same order as the agenda.
Include a “person responsible” section.
The minutes must be signed by the chairperson. (Rheeder, et al., 2016: 137; Maritz, et al,
2015: 115)
Reading
Read page 117 of the prescribed textbook.
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The CV
The Curriculum vitae (CV) is a very import document that every person should have The CV is focussed
on you, as an individual, and outlines your experience and qualifications. Companies receive many
CV’s when they advertise a position, and it is important to make sure that yours stands out. Avoid
lengthy, rambling, and colourful CV’s; these will be discarded.
Tips for good CVs
Email a pdf version of your CV.
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Your covering letter must be a separate document.
Only include relevant information.
The following information is important:
Your personal details
Your qualifications
Your experience (referring to positions you filled.
Your interests
Testimonials from ex-employers, lecturers etc.
Contactable referees
Attach certified copies of your qualifications, ID etc.
Arrange the CV logically. Start with your most recent position first.
Give dates you studied and worked.
Keep your CV updated.
Do not lie or embellish your information.
Ask someone to check your CV critically for grammar, spelling etc.
Testimonials must be accompanied by the date of the testimonials and the information about
the person.
Include name, address, title/position, and contact details of a referee (Rheede, et al.
214:2016)
SMS (short message service) and WhatsApp
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Can be an effective tool in business.
The message must be compiled with the target audience in mind.
Write clear and complete sentences. Do not use text speech.
Keep it short.
WhatsApp: has almost replaced the conventional SMS:
It enables one to:
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Send a message.
Send a message and attach a photo.
Send a video clip.
Send a message via voice note.
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Take a photo of yourself while sending a message.
Take a shot/photo of notes on the board and send it to a classmate (Maritz,
et al 117:2015).
Reading
Read page 117 of the prescribed text.
Other documents that can be included in the list are:
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Proposals
Contracts
Advertisements
Brochures
News releases
Bulletins
Job descriptions
Practice
Write a formal email to your administrator requesting relevant information
e.g., confirmation of the exam date/s.
Reading
Attempt Question 3.10 – 3.15 in the prescribed textbook
5.3.9 Conclusion
Writing does not come without its challenges, but it is vital to be vigilant about the use of grammar
and language use. By following the strategies and guidelines discussed in this chapter, your writing will
improve.
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Revision Questions
Answer the compulsory revision questions below.
a) Define written communication.
b) Explain the role of words and grammar.
c) Explain the effects of persuasive writing.
d) List and explain types of written communication.
e) Explain how to edit written material.
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Unit 4: Understanding the work environment.
Purpose
The aim of this unit is to enable the student to work effectively in the business
environment.
Learning
Outcomes
By the end of this unit, you should be able to:
explain what is meant by work readiness.
• define self-management.
• define self-knowledge.
• explain what goal setting is.
• explain how to develop and maintain filing systems.
• explain what is meant by time management.
• illustrate how you would work in a team effectively and efficiently; and
• list and explain the different management functions.
Time
It will take you about 25 hours to make your way through this unit.
Important terms
and definitions
Work Being able to operate in the commercial world with readiness
confidence.
Self- Ability to operate independently with no supervision management.
5.4.1 Introduction
Once you have studied this section, you should be able to explain how to operate effectively in a
business environment.
The tools given during the previous modules should give you the confidence to communicate
professionally in oral and written form. We will now focus on managing yourself to work more
effectively in a changing and shifting commercial world that has become a battleground with diversity
and technological issues. It is important to adapt to the situations you will be in. In this unit we will
discuss different tools to be able to manage self, time, team, and conflict. This must be in line with
what is required by your management, colleagues, and customers. We must also understand different
ethical issues you will face in your work environment.
Each person has role to play in the work environment and their roles and responsibilities should be
clear; there are different departments in an organization.
In this unit, we will cover:
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Work readiness
Self-management; Self-knowledge
Goal setting
Developing and maintaining filing systems
Suggestions on developing paper and electronic filing systems
Suggestions on maintaining filing systems.
Filing systems and record-keeping for the business environment
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Internal controls for accounting records
Time management
Prioritising and delegating
Teamwork
Stages in group development
Dealing with conflict
Ethics and professionalism
It will take you about 15 hours to make your way through this unit.
5.4.2 What is work readiness?
You are work ready if you have the following traits, if not you have to aspire to have most of them.
Characteristics:
You should:
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Take responsibility for your own actions.
Set goals and set a path to achieving them.
Use time effectively.
Acknowledge mistakes and learn from them.
Be innovative and identify opportunities.
Be creative and establish new ideas.
Remain optimistic in all situations.
Be flexible and adaptable.
Be committed and motivated.
(Erasmus, Strydom and Rudansky-Kloppers 2016:49-52)
5.4.3 Self-management
We will need to master self-management in the organisation we work in.
When we refer to “self” we refer to who you are as a person. This includes your characteristics and
traits. “Management” refers to techniques or practices needed to oversee yourself.
The “plan” is the method used to achieve certain goals. (Maritz, et al. 2015:124)
The techniques that will be discussed in the rest of this module will address ways to be able to
apply self-management. The four areas we will go into are:
1. Self-Knowledge
2. Goal setting
3. Developing and maintaining filing systems
4. Time management
Self-knowledge
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An important task we all need to take is to understand oneself. This will help you build better
relationships within the organisation. We must understand what our characteristic, traits and
motivations are. We must also have a healthy self-image without being arrogant and you.
We have seen in unit 2 how assertive communication is the most effective way to communicate in the
organisation. Assertive communicators know what they want and know how to confidently express it
effectively without walking over anyone (Maritz, et al. 2015:124)
In a multicultural environment such as South Africa we are faced with different people who have
different views and different approaches to work ethics. This is one main reason why we must
understand our own views and approaches to different situations, as this can cause unnecessary
conflict in the workplace. We must also keep in mind that we must understand the people we work
with and respect them.
Example: in most work environments, we have Muslims, Christians, Hindus working side by side;
these employees are together for about eight hours a day
and must respect cultural practices and customs each group.
There are many religious festivals: Christmas, Eid, Festival of lights
There are many religious festivals: Christmas, Eid, Festival of lights
Source: Bing Images.com
How can one improve one’s self-image?
Improvement of self-image:
According to Maritz (2015:125, one should:
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Identify your strengths and weaknesses and find ways to improve.
Always be positive about yourself.
Accept criticism.
Associate with positive people
Avoid negative influences.
Improve your self-mage; do not compare yourself with others.
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Refer to page 125 in your prescribed textbook for a comprehensive explanation of
above.
In the next section we will discuss and evaluate Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
5.4.4 Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs starts with the lower-order biological and physiological needs to the high
order needs.
Figure 5.4.1: Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
Source: www.simplypsychology.com
According to Maritz (2015:1250 biological and physiological needs are basic needs that must be
satisfied, or it will lead you to try and fulfil it by other means. As soon as these needs are met, we
automatically move to the next higher level. This shows that we might find ourselves on any level
depending on what needs are met. This level will also indicate your current motivations and how you
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try and fulfil it at work and at home. We must identify our motivations behind how we act and how it
affects your environment.
5.4.5 Self-Assessment – Self-fulfilment
Let us see what you have learned so far by taking this short self-assessment.
a) Which need will be fulfilled by buying a house?
b) What would satisfy your self-esteem? Name one aspect or item.
Maritz (2015:126) has outlined ways we can develop our self-knowledge:
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Question yourself.
Note your reaction in difficult situations and conflict.
Ask people to give you feedback.
Look to your role models and use them as a benchmark.
Put yourself in different situations and see how you react.
Badenhorst (2013:122) states that when doing self-analysis, one should ask oneself:
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What do I want to achieve in the following five years?
What do I want to be one day?
Where am I at the moment?
Why do I do what I do every day?
How long will it take to achieve my goals?
What are my strengths and weaknesses?
What treat or opportunities might be in my way?
Refer to example 4.2 in your prescribe textbook.
5.4.6 Goal setting
Goal setting is one of the most important skills that we must apply to our lives and in our
work, as stated by Maritz et al (2015:127). Having clear goals will help you see where you need to go,
and you will be able to plan the path to reach it. You also need clear goals to help you with your
motivation, reflecting on where you are and managing the time you must reach it (Maritz, et al. 2015:
127).
Goals are important for the following reasons:
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A goal provides guidance and gives you a clear direction.
It helps in effectively planning your resources.
Goals will help with motivation as a completed goal will give you a sense of achievement.
Clear goals will help you evaluate yourself against others and the effect it has on the
organization (Erasmus, et al 2016:209).
There are 2 types of goals:
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Short-term goals are achieved within a short period (from a day to a month). These also
become the foundation for long-term goals.
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Long-term goals are achieved over a long period (from one to five years). In most places these
goals must be written down and available for you to see so you do not lose sight or focus.
As mentioned above, long-term goals must be achieved with clear actions set out throughout the
process. Most people do not achieve their goals because they did not outline this process. The
following are ways that you can ensure that your goals are effective:
Ensuring effective goals:
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Goals must be written down for you to see clearly.
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A date must be set for when the goal must be achieved.
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Small manageable targets and tasks must be set out clearly to help achieve the goal.
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Goals must be specific and clear.
Goals must be realistic and something that can be achieved based on experience and resources.
Goals must be measurable to evaluate progress.
Goals must be relevant in relation to your role in the organisation. (Maritz, et al. 2015:127; Erasmus, et
al 2016:209-210)
5.4.7 Self-Assessment: Goal setting
Let us see how you can apply the knowledge you have gained in achieving goals:
Reflect on a goal you have set for yourself this year and answer the following questions:
1. Have you achieved this goal?
2. Did you have adequate resources?
3. Did you face obstacles? Explain.
4. Was the goal realistic?
5. Did you feel motivated?
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Attempt example 4.2 in the prescribed textbook
5.4.8 Developing filing systems.
Good document and information management is essential in any business. It is essential that the
system that is in place is effective in storing, retrieving, and maintaining the documents (Ferreira,
Erasmus, Groenewald, de Beer and Campher 2011:114). There are many ways in which documents
and information can be stored. Many companies opt for an electronic filing system to create space
and for information to be safe from loss. As companies grow the filing of documents and information
becomes important as many people are working with different documents (Maritz, et al. 2015:128)
The main requirements of a good filing system are:
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Accessibility – Documents and information must be readily accessible.
Applicability – The system must be effective.
Flexibility – It must be adaptable.
Safety and Durability – Electronic information must be backed up (a firewall applies).
Neat – A neat system helps the process of obtaining documents and information.
Save Space – For manual filing: space in the office is important; minimize space used.
Simple – Everyone must be able to use the system. (Badenhorst, et al 2013:204)
Source: www.dreamstime.com
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Internal controls for accounting records
Internal controls, for accounting records, are needed to ensure that:
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Valid transactions are recorded. Effective control systems ensure inclusion of all relevant
records a
Records and transactions are accurate. This will ensure that transactions are assigned to the
correct ledger accounts and journals.
Filing is done correctly. This will limit any errors and irregularities.
Records are complete. Transactions must be correctly recorded.
Transactions are correctly classified (Maritz, et al. 2015:130).
There are two main non-financial measures for internal control than can be put in place:
Fraud is rife and it is important that accounting duties be split between different individuals.
Source documents must also be controlled by applying numbering systems.
Delegating – Allocating tasks wisely
For a department and organisation to be successful roles and tasks must be delegated.
Delegation can be downwards, sideways, and upwards. Organisations do not follow the traditional
hierarchical structure, as working in a team is regarded as more effective.
To delegate we need to plan by asking some questions:
•
Who will be the best person to do the task?
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Who has the experience, skills, and attitude?
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Which person has time due to the task?
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Is there someone interested in doing the task?
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Is there someone that can monitor the person doing the task (Maritz, et al. 2015:134?)
Causes for poor delegation:
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The fear that someone will not be able to do the job the way you would.
The fear that someone might do the task better than you.
You might be delegating responsibility but not authority.
There might be a shortage of staff (Ferreira, et al 2011:139).
Always remember to delegate task in a friendly manner and remember teamwork. It is important to
explain why the task is important and why you will not be able to complete it. It is always good to
remind the person that without teamwork your department will not be running optimally. You should
always be open to accept delegation, but it should never take your focus away from the task you are
responsible for.
Dealing with interruptions
You will face interruptions during your day that was not planned and that will take your time away
from planed tasks.
Common interruptions in the workplace:
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a colleague visits you when you are busy working.
customers come without appointment.
Receiving random calls
Too many emails
Ineffective meetings
Incorrect delegation
Allowing social media to intrude the workplace.
Lack of prioritization.
Constant interrupts by a manager
Lack of allocation of responsibility.
Lack of communication. (Maritz, et al. 2015:135)
Procrastination
Procrastination is one of the biggest problems to deal with. Plan tasks so that you complete it on time
without rushing. When we rush into it, we might not be able to complete it or it might be done
incorrectly.
How to avoid procrastination:
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Just get started.
Do task you do not like first.
Big tasks should be broken down into small manageable tasks.
Difficult tasks must be done during your prime time.
Try to minimize interruptions.
Have clear plans or goals.
Set clear deadlines.
Delegate task appropriately
Arrange your workspace to help you do tasks quicker.
Reward yourself when you have completed tasks. (Maritz, et al. 2015:135-136)
5.4.9 Organisational Culture
Companies have different cultural environments that you will need to understand and fit into.
The problem is that the environment you are in might take a lot of your time. Some companies might
also not have a culture of effective time management and by falling into this culture will affect your
effectiveness.
You can create a good working culture by trying to set the following trends:
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Always communicate clearly and effectively
Keep to allocated times.
Save time by asking people to come to you for meetings instead of going to them.
Do not waste time on personal call, emails, and social media.
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Do not socialize when not on breaks.
Keep your work environment neat.
Technology can be used to save time.
Travel outside peak time to be able to be on time. (Maritz, et al. 2015:136)
5.4.10 Self-Assessment: Organisational environment
Let us see what you have learned in the previous section: Do the following:
1. Write down five obstacles, in in your work environment, which makes it difficult to meet
deadlines.
2. How can you address the above?
Working in teams
As mentioned above, the culture in most organisations has changed from a hierarchical culture where
managers are bosses that give tasks and “orders”. We are motivated by leaders to work as a team to
ensure that departments within organisations are effective. We must remember that, even if we are
managers, that we must be part of your team.
The main problems that you will face within teams will be the fact that you will work with individuals
and there might be personality clashes and conflict. Learn to respect people and the way they
approach situations. Also try and identify the strengths and weaknesses of the members in the team
and place them where their strengths are.
Formal/Informal groups:
In an organisation you will find informal and formal groups. Informal groups include interest or
friendship group. Interest groups are groups of people sharing the same interests as the improvement
of the working conditions in the office. Friendships groups are usually formed within the organisation
to fulfil our need to be social.
Formal groups include command groups or task groups. Command groups are based on the company
structure from the CEO to the cleaners. These will define formal groups within the organisation. Task
groups are brought together in the organisation to complete a certain task. As soon as the task has
been completed the group will disband. (Erasmus, et al 2016:255)
Within the group structures, as mentioned above, we find teams that have been brought together to
complete a project or task. According to Erasmus, et al (2016:256), the members of the group work
together with individual tasks that they must complete and by sharing information. These tasks are
then brought together to complete the project the group was assigned to do.
Advantages of teams:
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• Individual sharing information relevant to the purpose of the group
• Sharing of information &d brainstorming will improve the quality of the project or task.
•It improves self-worth and encourages responsibility to make an impact.
• It encourages people to work harder.
• People will feel more secure because decisions will be from a group.
• Decisions from the team will impact the decision of the organization (Maritz, et al. 2015:139)
Source: www.dreamstime.com
Stages in group development
There are 5 stages of group development:
STAGE 1: FORMING
In this stage the team is brought together, and a leader will guide and direct the team. This
is the best opportunity for members to build relationships and to understand what is required by the
team and each member’s individual responsibility? During this stage there seldom is any conflict
between members.
STAGE 2: STORMING
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Team member will start vying for positions within the group. The leader of the team must be able to
facilitate this process so that conflict can be minimized and by setting the tone.
Focus must be moved back to the goal of the team as sometimes they might lose sight of what they
have been brought together to do. The focus here is to share ideas and experiences.
STAGE 3: NORMING
Here the groups will be established, and team member’s roles and responsibilities will be clear. This
stage will be the process of sharing more ideas openly. Big decisions will be made during this stage.
The team will also start working together as a unit. The leaders will start trusting the team and his
direct control will become less necessary.
•
•
Status – The status of the individuals within the group might be different depending on the
age and experience of the member. The member’s social influence will also be different from
others.
Formal leader – A formal leader might be the manager, project leader, supervisor, Committee
chair etc within the organization that leads the team. In some cases, you might find an
informal leader that will have a more influence on the team. (Erasmus, et al 2016:255-256)
STAGE 4: PERFORMING
The team will be focussed on achieving the goal of the team. The leader will monitor and direct the
team and work intervene in between member conflicts. If people leave the group, the team might face
a setback in the progress as the new person must be established within the team. In this stage all
energy is directed to the task.
STAGE 5: ADJOURNING
This is when the team completed their tasks or project, and members move to other projects.
Members who love to work in teams might be despondent because the team is broken up. This is also
the stage where the add-on phase for the team takes place.
An effective team needs to have the following characteristics:
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Group size – The team should not be too big as it might lead to some members being lazy or
forming social groups. People also tend to work slower because they feel that the group is big
enough to complete the tasks.
•
Group composition – In a multicultural world we will often work with people of a different
race, religion, and social status as us. It might be difficult in the beginning, but the group can
work through these differences and in the end perform well .
Group norms – The norms of the different members of a group can either be positive or
negative. The leader has the responsibility to manage this.
•
•
Group cohesiveness – Cohesiveness refers to the team working together as one unit rather
than as individuals. If the group is cohesive the norms will flow from it.
There are five different types of teams in an organisation:
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Project groups – Groups that are formed to complete specific tasks.
Training groups – Staff selected to undertake training and development.
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Problem-solving groups – They discuss ways to improve quality, efficiency, and the work
environment (Erasmus, et al 2016:256).
A Decision-making group – These groups comprise that take organizational action.
A rule-making group – These groups come together to discuss policy (Maritz, et al. 2015:142;
Erasmus, et al 2016:256-257)
Attempt question 4.5 and 4.6 in the prescribed textbook
So how does one deal with conflict?
5.4.11 Organisational Culture
Dealing with conflict
According to Maritz (2015: 145) conflict can be defined as a when people come into disagreement on
something which could lead into an argument. The conflict can be verbal or physical. We all face
conflict in our personal life and in the workplace. There are certain written and unwritten rules about
conflict in the workplace. It is essential that it must be managed in a professional manner. Physical
violence and verbal abuse will not be accepted in an organisation,
People have different ways in handling conflict. Some will confront the individual directly or avoid
conflict. You will need to reflect on how you handle conflict to identify ways to handle conflict in a
good manner.
Conflict – different ways:
1. Competing – When two people compete it may create conflict, especially if one of them is obsessed
with winning.
2. Accommodating – An accommodating person will let the other person win and neglect themselves.
This will not resolve conflict.
3. Avoiding – This person will rather stay away or ignore conflict. The matter will not be resolved.
4. Collaborating – This person will openly start to communicate, question, and resolve any conflict.
5. Compromising – This person only resolves conflict partially. There is some resolution.
Steps to resolve conflict:
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Start by raising the issue and communicating with the group or individual.
Define what the conflict is.
Establish who is involved in the conflict.
Discuss any feelings you might have.
Be open to cooperation.
Acknowledge the other party’s perspective.
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Reach an agreement (Maritz, et al. 2015:148).
Reflection:
You are the manager of a small department. Everyone works in an open
plan office. Staff often have gripes and one of them is that Abdul gets
more a long lunch time on Fridays to go to mosque.
Fatima and Abdul take time
off twice a year for Eid ul Fitr and Eid ul- Gaj (their holy celebrations: How would you deal with the
conflict?
Some suggested solutions:
1. Have a meeting where staff can only discuss differences.
2. Ask Abdul and Fatima to explain the significance of Eid and Jum’aa (Fridays)
3. Have a cultural day with meals and costumes from different cultures.
4. Consider having clusters (desks with divisions) or have divisions installed, for privacy.
Read example 4.3 and 4.7 in the prescribed textbook.
In the next section we will discuss ethics:
Ethics and professionalism in business
We are constantly faced with situations where our character and values will be tested. It is important
to always face things in an ethical manner to decrease conflict.
Let us differentiate between a few terms:
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Morals – Morals (right and wrong) differ and is taught by parents, teachers, and society.
Values – Moral principles or beliefs.
Ethics – The study of the general nature of morals and moral choices made by individuals.
Business ethics – Business ethics is the study and evaluation of decision-making by
businesses.
Professional Code of Conduct – The written rules for certain professionals such as
lawyers, accountants etc.
Professional – Conforming to the standards of a profession (Maritz, et al. 2015:148-149):
In organisations we have certain rules and regulations, called the Code of Conduct that must be
followed according to our contractual agreement with the organisation. If we go outside of this it
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could lead to the organisation taking disciplinary actions. The problem is that we often try to find ways
to break the rules, and this will reflect our morality.
The Code of Conduct provides the following guidelines:
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The employee’s contribution to the organization: what is required of you and how you should
achieve it.
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How the resources in the organization must be used.
The employee’s conduct with regards to customers. It should always be professional.
The employee’s conduct with regards to suppliers.
The employees conduct with regards to competitors.
The organizations conduct with regards to staff.
The organizations conduct with regards to the community.
Management functions
In management we follow four main functions to ensure that goals and objectives are met.
This is done by correct application of human, financial, physical, and informational resources.
The functions of Management:
According to Maritz (2015), the functions of management can be illustrated as indicated below:
Source: Maritz(2015)
Let
us
briefly
discuss
planning:
Planning.
Planning is the process of forming a plan that would help tackle a task on time and with the best
quality. It is important for managers to plan for the organisation to grow. The managers must be
future orientated for the organisation to be ready for the changes that they might face in the future.
There are some benefits for managers to take on the planning process:
Benefits in planning:
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Planning provides direction – It is important for an organisation to know where it is heading.
Planning is the best technique that managers can use in order to set down future goals and
plans.
Planning reduces the impact of change – Managers must anticipate changes that the
organisation will face. The organisation must be able to work with the changes for the benefit
of the organisation.
•
Planning promotes co-ordination – All departments of the organisation will know what is
required of them to fulfil the goals set by management.
•
Planning ensure cohesion – An organisation has many different individuals, teams and
departments that must understand the goals and work together to complete it.
Planning will help with cohesion.
Planning facilitates control – Management will be able to measure performance based on the
goals. They will also be able to see whether someone will deviate from the process involved in
achieving the goals. (Erasmus, et al 2016:158-159).
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The planning process helps to:
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Identity goals – Goals gives direction for the organisation to follow. It looks at possible future
opportunities and changes in the environment that might affect the goals. Effective goals must
be specific (know exactly what we want to achieve), measurable (must be evaluated to see if
goals are met), attainable (the goal must be realistic and also provide a challenge), and
relevant (the goals must relate to the organisations main goals), and timely (goals must have a
time frame).
•
Identify inventory resources – Human, financial, physical and information resources must be
identified and applied.
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Assess the business and environment in which the operation exists – Managers must employ
a SWOT analysis to assess the strengths (what the organisation does well), weaknesses (what
the organisation does not do well), opportunities (to be taken when it arises) and treats
(unfavourable conditions). Using these method managers will be able to identify what will
assist in achieving the goals and what they must prepare for in future.
Analyse business performance – Evaluation must be done on the production and financial
strengths and weaknesses.
•
•
Decide on actions – Action must be taken to identify products and services that will help
achieving the goals.
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Implement strategy – Communicate to all individuals and departments involved the desired
action and how they should respond.
•
Evaluate the plan – Managers must evaluate the progress of the plan and each individual is
involved in this process. This will identify if all steps have been successful in achieving the
goals and what changes must be made to the plan. (Maritz, et al 2015:155)
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Source: Bing image.com
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Source: www.dreamstime.com
Types of planning:
Martiz (2015:158) maintains that there are three types of planning:
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Long-term or strategic planning – Includes the vision, mission statement and long-term goals
of the organisation.
Medium-term or functional planning – Includes departmental objectives carried out by
middle management.
Short-term or tactical planning – Derived from the long-tern goals this phase is carried out by
lower-level management. It is the application of resources and measurable to ensure that
each individual in a department completes their specific tasks efficiently. (Maritz, et al.
2015:158).
In the next section we will discuss the concept of organising:
Organising
Organizing is the development of mechanisms to make sure that the planning done in the first stage is
implemented. The managers must consider people, financial, resources, activities and methods during
this phase. It also includes the “forming of hierarchical structure, departmentation, task distribution,
unity of synergism” (Badenhorst, et al 2013: 96).
This will create the synergism we discussed previously, by forming a team with various requirements
to complete the tasks and activities that will help achieving the final goal.
The organisational structure
Organisational structure includes the formulation of the decision-making framework that shows how
different tasks and activities are distributed. It also shows management responsible for the tasks, the
reporting structure, and the relationships between departments.
Factors that influence the organisational structure:
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The organisation environment – The environment should be stable. Is the environment
turbulent where changes are part of the norm? Is the environment technologically driven
where changes must be implemented as technology improves?
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Strategy and Structure – The strategy determines what is needed for the structure of the
organisational structure.
•
Organisation size – The size of the business will determine the structure. When an
organisation grows departments will also grow and, in some cases, new departments will be
formed.
Current Staff – The current staff in the business will also determine the structure. Based on
individual strength and weaknesses roles will be assigned to be more effective. At this time,
the managers will also identify required training.
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•
Organisation Culture – This is the personality of the organisation. Everyone will have different
cultural and social backgrounds that together create the culture of the organisation. The
culture of the organisation includes the values and environment within the organisation.
(Erasmus, et al 2016:237-239).
Organisational Design
Organisational design is the visual presentation of the organisations structure. There are
basically three structures to consider (Maritz, et al. 2015:163; Erasmus, et al 2016:230-
232):
•
The functional organisation structure.
The structure is also regarded as a traditional structure that was followed by most organisations in the
past and some today. It is a basic breakdown of the departments into different group functions. Each
group specialises in a specific department.
Departments:
•
•
•
•
Finance
Human resources
Sales
Marketing (and so on)
Can you add on the above?
We are almost at the end of a very long unit…here we will discuss departmentalisation:
Departmentalisation
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Departmentalisation is a way of structuring a business. It is split between controlled departments with
a manager who will be responsible to control the activities. The main reason for departmentalisation is
the process of trying to group similar work in one department.
There are five bases for departmentalisation (Maritz, et al. 2015:165-166; Badenhorst, et al
2013:97-98; Erasmus, et al 2016: 228-230) a s shown below:
1. Functional Departmentalisation
As shown above, this type of departmentalisation is typical of most organisations.
Here groups are grouped together by the function they fulfil. Finance department marketing
department, human resource department etc. are some ways this is grouped.
2. Product Departmentalisation
This type of departmentalisation is the grouping of departments into the product or group
of products. An organisation might be involved in clothing, cosmetics, appliances etc.
3. Location Departmentalisation
This type of departmentalisation applies to businesses that operate in different geographical areas.
Some organisations have branches in many different countries or city and by structuring everything
accordingly regions will be effective based on their context.
4. Process Departmentalisation
This type of departmentalisation is based on the customer or product flow. In an educational
organisation, for example, you will follow the sales department, the financial department, the
Academic department until you reach the recruitment department. Each department has their own
manager taking responsibility for this part of the process.
5. Customer Departmentalisation
This type of departmentalisation is based on the specialised segment of the market or group of
consumers. Example can be a structure based on an organisation offering services to the government,
industry, and consumer.
The boundary-less organisation
Some organisations have the philosophy that there should be no boundaries. The structure they follow
is called the flat organisational structure. Due to technology advancement companies often follow a
decentralised system where relationships between customers, suppliers and competitors are broken
down. In some cases, cross-organisational teams are set up so that they work together.
The changing role of employees
Due to a rapid changing environment, we must adapt to the work situations we find ourselves in. We
are responsible for our own career advancement and development and must accept that we might
change various career fields. These changes will be defined by workplace diversity, development in
technology and proliferation of knowledge we face.
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Boundary-less careers refers to the new reality where an individual seldom stays in the same
organisation. People move between organisations based on their performance and flexibility.
The main motivation behind this is the acquirement of skills, experience, and personal career growth.
But who drives these employees?
What is leadership?
According to the Oxford dictionary (2019) it is the action of leading a group of people or an
organization.
There are different styles of leadership.
The autocrat leads by dominating the members in the group. Members often follow the leader out of
fear and not out of respect for their role. They leave little room for discussion concerning new
approaches or views with regards to goals and activities. There is a time when this type of leadership is
appropriate especially if the team does not complete their tasks or become lazy.
The laissez-faire leads by leaving the team to do their tasks according to their own way. The leader
seldom participates in the group and is in some cases is absent. There is a time when this style of
leadership is applicable especially when the team is skilled and have good track records. The team will
complete their tasks effectively because they are empowered.
The democrat leads by consulting the team. They still lead the group but is open to ideas regarding
how tasks must be done and who would be the best to perform certain tasks. The democrat takes
responsibility for the role of leader and motivates the team by directing and guiding them to be
successful.
Benito Mussolini was an Italian political leader who became the fascist dictator of Italy from
1925 to 1945. Originally a revolutionary socialist, he forged the paramilitary fascist movement
in 1919 and became prime minister in 1922. Called “Il Duce” (the Leader) by his countrymen,
Mussolini allied himself with Adolf Hitler, relying on the German dictator to prop up his
leadership during World War II, but he was killed shortly after the German surrender in Italy in
1945.Much of Mussolini’s early adulthood was spent traveling around Switzerland, getting
involved with that country’s Socialist Party and clashing with police. In 1909, he moved to
Austria-Hungary to become editor of a socialist newspaper, but was deported back to Italy,
accused of violating laws meant to regulate press freedom.
Mussolini
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Source: Britannica.com
Soon, Mussolini stood in a general election as the Fascist candidate but lost in a Socialist
sweep. Two days later, Mussolini was arrested for allegedly collecting arms to overthrow the
government but was released without charges the next day. In 1921 the Italian King Victor
Emmanuel III dissolved Parliament amidst growing violence and chaos. Elections brought a
huge win for the Fascists, with Mussolini taking a seat as a deputy in Parliament. The party
changed its name to Partito Nazionale Fascista.
Source: https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/benito-mussolini
In addition, there are different styles of leadership such as coaching, delegating, directing and
mentoring.
Refer to your prescribed textbook for more information on the above topics, and
attempt: 4.11 – 4.14 in the prescribed textbook.
5.4.12 Conclusion
In this learning unit, we discussed many topics, which include work readiness, self-management, selfknowledge and what is meant by goal setting. We learnt about developing and maintaining filing
systems, time management and working in teams. We also discussed dealing with conflict, as well as
ethics, professionalism, and leadership.
5.4.13
Revision Questions
Answer the compulsory revision questions below.
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
Explain work readiness.
Define self-management.
Discuss goal setting. What are SMART goals?
What are the benefits of good time-management?
Name three types of leadership styles.
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nd
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th
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