Topic 1
Communication
A. Practice Tasks
Command
Completion Time
: Answer the questions below.
: 50 minutes
Questions
1. Is communication between companies and their customers better now than in the
past and are there ways of improving it further?
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2. Can you gave us examples of some really good communication between
companies and their customers?
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3. Can you think of any example of when a breakdown in communication has
seriously affected a business?
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Discuss these questions.
1. What forms of written and spoken communication do you
like using? Why?
2. What problems can people have with the different forms of
communication?
3. How do you think those problems can be solved?
B. What makes a good communicator? Choose the three most important factors
from this list.
1.
fluency in the language.
2.
grammatical accuracy.
3.
an awareness of body language .
4.
an extensive vocabulary.
5.
being a good listener
6.
not being afraid of making mistakes .
7.
a sense of humour.
8.
physical appearance.
9.
no strong accent.
10 What other factors are important for communication?
C. Which of these words apply to good communicators and which apply to bad
communicators?
Articulate
focused
reserved
Coherent
hesitant
responsive
Eloquent
inhibited
sensitive
Extrovert
persuasive
succinct
Fluent
rambling
vague
D. Discuss these question.
1. Which of the forms of written and spoken communication below do you use most :
a). In your own language?
b). in English
Written
Spoken
e-mails
faxes
letters
memos
minutes
reports
Conversations
Interviews
Meetings
Negotiations
Phone calls
presentations
E. a Match each sentence with the meaning expressed by its verb
1. TransChem employs 2,560 people.
a) temporary situation
2. Ms Dubois is replacing Phil as
b) future arrangement
Sales Manager till October
3. We are improving our services to meet
c) ongoing situation
the needs of a much wider range of
customers
4. We are opening our sixth subsidiary
d) routine activity
next month
5. We need a different set of skills to
e) factual information
address our company’s challenge
6 .We observe our customer’s reactions carefully
f) verb usually used only
in the present simple
b. Complete the text with verbs from the box. Use either the present simple or
present continuous tense.
Co-ordinate
attend
go
have
know
prepare
speak
think
travel
Sofia Grammatopoulus is Marketing Manager at Kayavis Food & Wine S.A., an
expanding medium-sized business in Thessaloniki. She ….. 1 the work of a team of
three people. Kayavis ….. 2 distributors in eleven countries in Europe and America,
so Sofia often ….. 3 abroad. Next week, she ….. 4to Canada to visit their new retail
outlet. She ….. 5 Greek, English, and Danish. At the moment she ….. 6 an intensive
German course because the owner of Kayavis ….. 7 of opening a shop and a large
restaurant in Munich. Sofia …..
8
that she will have to work in Germany for six
month, so she …..9 herself for her new assignment as best as she can.
c.
Make questions for these answers. All the information is in the text in exercise C.
1. What does Sofia do ? She co-ordinates the work of a team of three people.
2.
………………………. Eleven.
3.
. ………………………. Next week.
4.
………………………. To visit their new retail oulet..
5.
.………………………. Greek, English, and Danish.
6. . ………………………. Because she will have to work in Germany.
7. . ………………………. In Munich.
F
(Reading)
CASE STUDY 1
Creating a sense of identity
Background
The international construction and engineering group KMB is based in Munich, Germany and
has manufacturing subsidiaries and associated companies throughout the word. Its company
magazine is published five times a year and is distributed by post to staff worldwide. The
following letter, sent by a member of staff in its Brazilian sales office, appearedin the
magazin’s latest issue.
Dear editor,
I know I’m not the only one who feels uninformed about what’s going on in KMB
worldwide.
When I was at our recent sales conference in Munich several other people from overseas
subsidiaries said they felt a lack of involvement and wanted more information from head
office about new developments within the group. For example, why has KMB bought a major
civil engineering company in Australia? How does this acquisition fit into our overall
strategy? Unforturnately we could only guess at the reasons.
We also think it’s essential to share best practice among our subsidiaries. We must
know about ideas for improving officiency as soon as possible. For example, if a marketing
technique has been successful in one market, other areas of our busuness should be told.
We all agreed that the new Global Communications Director should overhaul KMB.s
communication system so that all members of staff are kept fully informed – both about
overall strategy, and about news from overseas subsidiaries. What’s the use of a worldwide
network if no one knoms what’s going on?
Aldo Renato
SAO PAULO, BRAZIL
The new Global Communations Director, Dominique Lapierre, sent the following email tp
the Chief Executive of KMB after Aldo Renato’s letter had been discussed at board meeting.
New Message 1
Sent
To
Subject
Monday, 11 September, 9.53am
Franz Zimmermann
Poor group communication
It seems this complaint is quite common. Oversies staff don’t think they get enough
information about developments within the group, or about our latest acquisitions, etc. ideas
about best practice arean’t shared either.
We urgently need to improve our communication system to show that we value staff, and to
strengthen their sense of common purpose within the organization globally.
Task
You are members of the working group which will discuss suggestions for improving KMB’s
communication system.
1. Brainstorm ideas of your own which you could add to the draft agenda.
2. Choose the three best ideas and add them to the agenda.
3. Then, hold an informal meeting. Discuss the advantages. Also consider the cost
implications of each proposal. Finally, work out an action plan for improving
communications within the company.
AGENDA (DRAFT)
Sugestions for improving communications:
i)
ii)
iii)
iv)
Introduce an employee of the month scheme
……………………………………………….
……………………………………………….
……………………………………………….
Writing
As a member of the working group, write a memo to the heads of all of KMB’s subsidiaries.
This should inform them that the meeting took place and should outline the plan of action
agreed. Finally, the memo should ask for their cooperation in implementing the sugestions.
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Case Study
Creating a sense of identity
In this case study, the Ss look at the communication problems in an international engineering
group with offices all over the world, and suggest solutions.
Stage 1
Company
Activity
Based in
Structure
Key points of Aldo
Renato’s letter to
the editor of the
company magazine
Key points of
Communication
Director’s e-mail
to KMB’s Chief
Executive
KMB
G. LISTENING
A
Listen to a conversation between Isobel Reed, an HR manager, and her assistant
Joyce Payne. Look at her Current diary page below and then answer the question about
her new schedule. You will hear the conversation twice.
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
17
18
19
20
21
08:00
Directors’
Meeting
10:00
Meet with
Production
-discuss
recruitment
12:30
09:00
Lunch
with Departmental
Stephanie Banks Meeting
15:30
Meet with Pietro
and Irena
-finalise
Monthly
10:00
Briefing for new
management
trainees
15:00
Meet with legal
team-go trough
employment
contracts
1. Where will Isobel travel to this week?
2. Which days will she be away?
3. What day and time does Isobel want to reschedule the departmental meeting to?
4. Whats else does Isobel ask Joyce to check about this meeting?
5. Whats is the new deadline for the monthly report?
6. What day and time does Isobel suggest holding the meeting with Joyce and Terry?
Day:
: .............................
Time : ...............................
7. What order rearrangement must be dealt with urgently?
8. When should Joyce tell te trainees about the changes?
9. How is meeting with the legal team being changed?
10. When will Isobel be available to discuss orther changes?
Lembar Evaluasi Tugas Praktik Topic 1
Apakah semua pertanyaan Tugas Teori Topic 1 dijawab dengan benar dengan waktu
yang telah ditentukan? Semua kesalahan harus diperbaiki terlebih dahulu sebelum paraf.
1. WRITTING
No
Benar
Salah
Paraf
Dosen/Asdos
Paraf
Mahasiswa/i
Salah
Paraf
Dosen/Asdos
Paraf
Mahasiswa/i
Salah
Paraf
Dosen/Asdos
Paraf
Mahasiswa/i
A
B
C
D
E
2. Reading (Case Study)
No
Benar
F
3. Listening
No
Benar
G
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