Unit 1.1 DB: Effective Business and Interpersonal
Communications
Issues relating to ethics are often not black or white. What is your reaction to the following
scenario? There is not always a clear answer.
You have taken the initiative to propose a comprehensive
user manual for customers something that has not existed before. You have
come up with a concept and a detailed outline.
The department manager approves the project and you run with it,
engaging co-workers to work on different parts of it over the next few months.
When the manual is published, the department manager is
listed as the author and there are no acknowledgements (verbal or printed) to
anyone who actually worked on the project.
What kind of ethical choice does this omission
represent? Are there pros and cons? What
does it communicate internally and externally? Should you respond to the
situation? If so, how?
Unit 1.2 DB: Constructive Feedback
Every month, each employee in your department is expected to
give a brief oral presentation on status of his or her project. However, your department has recently hired
an employee with a severe speech impediment that prevents people from
understanding most of what he has to say.
As department manager, how will you resolve this dilemma? Please
explain.
Unit 2.1 DB: Diversity
What is it like to be a minority within the majority
culture? Here are some diversity-related
scenarios that you, as a manager, might
tackle. Diversity is a very touchy subject, so I hope our discussions
will dig deep and “go there” so we can truly learn from each other.
How would you respond to these challenges? What might be the repercussions?
A number of employees from the former Soviet Union speak
Russian together when they’re in the workplace – they sit together on break and
at lunch and do not befriend “Americans.” Sometimes, they ask each other for
work-related advice? Does it make you uncomfortable? Should you try to make them change their
behavior? Why or why not? How?
A non-Christian employee doesn’t want to participate in the
festive daytime Christmas party, but goes reluctantly. Everybody is there and having fun. She tries
to stay in the background, but is ushered over to a very merry Santa who
insists on giving her a present. She
leaves immediately, upset. Is she being unreasonable? Explain. How much should
religion be accommodated in the workplace (this is a huge question, so just
touch on it).
What subcultures are you part of (race, religion, gender,
Northerner, Southerner, it could be anything….)? Have you ever felt uncomfortable at work
because of your membership within a sub-culture? Were you accommodated
appropriately?
Unit 2.2 DB: Selecting the right media
What would be the best way or combination of ways to educate
co-workers about the new business your (imaginary) company just acquired?
Oral media, written media, visual media and/or electronic
media? Please give examples.
? We will be using your
imaginary company in future discussions
Unit 3.1 DB: Writing Business Messages
Referring to your imaginary company’s acquisition in Unit 2,
refer to page 143 and choose two writing techniques. Write a substantial
paragraph using each one to discuss an aspect of the acquisition. You can make up your own company and details
Unit 3.2 DB: Distribution considerations
Refer back to the media recommendations you made in unit 2,
discussion B. Please evaluate them in terms of the four issues highlighted on
page 171, “Distributing your message.
Unit 4.1 DB: Messages for electronic media
Let’s look more closely at blogging this week. Using your imaginary companies from last
week, please talk about how you would incorporate a blog, using the 3-step
process on p. 204
Unit 4.2 DB: Positive and routine messages
To me, goodwill is that intangible that makes the world go
round. With our overtasked lives, I’m
not sure it is getting the attention it deserves.
For this discussion, please write a goodwill message to a
client or a customer or a colleague.
Refer to page 240 and put some detail into it. Thanks
Unit 5.1 DB: Negative messages
Tell us about a negative message you’ve received/observed at
work or in an organizational setting (feedback? layoff? customer/client
complaint? other?).
How was it handled?
What was its effect on you? Co-workers?
Customers? Was there some way it could have been handled better? Delve into it a bit.
By the way, check out this tidbit: Research Shows Rude
Behavior at Work Is Increasing and Affects the Bottom Line
Unit 5.2 DB: Persuasive messages
Hello colleagues. The
AIDA model piqued my interest because it relates to how I write as a journalist
(and also because it is my mother’s name, believe it or not). The checklist on
page 315 (A through D) is helpful.
Please write a 4-line persuasive message relating to a new
product or service from your imaginary businesses.
A – Get the reader’s attention
I – Keep the reader’s interest by explaining or expanding
the 1st line
D – Whet their desire by telling them “what’s in it for
me?”
A – Motivate them to take action
Unit 6.1 DB: Planning reports and proposals
Let’s consider the “Yardstick Approach” as
illustrated by Figure 11.13 on page 356.
(Notice that I didn’t agree with the order of their outline — you have
to do what makes sense or feels right for you.)
Before you decided to acquire the new business, you prepared
an (imaginary) analytical report comparing two potential acquisitions.
Answer the following questions in one or two sentences about
how you might have prepared for this report.
What industry or economic trends did you consider?
What 2 companies were you evaluating as possible
acquisitions?
What criteria did you use to evaluate (and compare) your
potential acquisitions? (Make a list –
this is the yardstick
Unit 6.2 DB: Incorporating visuals
Referring back to your imaginary analytical reports on this
week’s Discussion 6.1, what types of visuals did you use in this document?
See Figure 12.8 on page 384. Pick at least one choice from
the data visuals and one from the info/concepts/ideas visuals.
Why did you choose these and what did they illustrate?
Unit 1.1 DB: Effective Business and Interpersonal
Communications Issues relating to ethics are often not black or white. What is your reaction to the following
scenario? There is not always a clear answer.You have taken the initiative to propose a comprehensive
user manual for customers something that has not existed before. You have
come up with a concept and a detailed outline.
The department manager approves the project and you run with it,
engaging co-workers to work on different parts of it over the next few months.When the manual is published, the department manager is
listed as the author and there are no acknowledgements (verbal or printed) to
anyone who actually worked on the project.What kind of ethical choice does this omission
represent? Are there pros and cons? What
does it communicate internally and externally? Should you respond to the
situation? If so, how? Unit 1.2 DB: Constructive Feedback Every month, each employee in your department is expected to
give a brief oral presentation on status of his or her project. However, your department has recently hired
an employee with a severe speech impediment that prevents people from
understanding most of what he has to say.
As department manager, how will you resolve this dilemma? Please
explain. Unit 2.1 DB: Diversity
What is it like to be a minority within the majority
culture? Here are some diversity-related
scenarios that you, as a manager, might
tackle. Diversity is a very touchy subject, so I hope our discussions
will dig deep and “go there” so we can truly learn from each other.How would you respond to these challenges? What might be the repercussions?A number of employees from the former Soviet Union speak
Russian together when they’re in the workplace – they sit together on break and
at lunch and do not befriend “Americans.” Sometimes, they ask each other for
work-related advice? Does it make you uncomfortable? Should you try to make them change their
behavior? Why or why not? How?A non-Christian employee doesn’t want to participate in the
festive daytime Christmas party, but goes reluctantly. Everybody is there and having fun. She tries
to stay in the background, but is ushered over to a very merry Santa who
insists on giving her a present. She
leaves immediately, upset. Is she being unreasonable? Explain. How much should
religion be accommodated in the workplace (this is a huge question, so just
touch on it).What subcultures are you part of (race, religion, gender,
Northerner, Southerner, it could be anything….)? Have you ever felt uncomfortable at work
because of your membership within a sub-culture? Were you accommodated
appropriately?Unit 2.2 DB: Selecting the right media What would be the best way or combination of ways to educate
co-workers about the new business your (imaginary) company just acquired?Oral media, written media, visual media and/or electronic
media? Please give examples.? We will be using your
imaginary company in future discussionsUnit 3.1 DB: Writing Business Messages Referring to your imaginary company’s acquisition in Unit 2,
refer to page 143 and choose two writing techniques. Write a substantial
paragraph using each one to discuss an aspect of the acquisition. You can make up your own company and detailsUnit 3.2 DB: Distribution considerations Refer back to the media recommendations you made in unit 2,
discussion B. Please evaluate them in terms of the four issues highlighted on
page 171, “Distributing your message.Unit 4.1 DB: Messages for electronic media Let’s look more closely at blogging this week. Using your imaginary companies from last
week, please talk about how you would incorporate a blog, using the 3-step
process on p. 204Unit 4.2 DB: Positive and routine messages To me, goodwill is that intangible that makes the world go
round. With our overtasked lives, I’m
not sure it is getting the attention it deserves.For this discussion, please write a goodwill message to a
client or a customer or a colleague.
Refer to page 240 and put some detail into it. ThanksUnit 5.1 DB: Negative messages Tell us about a negative message you’ve received/observed at
work or in an organizational setting (feedback? layoff? customer/client
complaint? other?). How was it handled?
What was its effect on you? Co-workers?
Customers? Was there some way it could have been handled better? Delve into it a bit.By the way, check out this tidbit: Research Shows Rude
Behavior at Work Is Increasing and Affects the Bottom LineUnit 5.2 DB: Persuasive messages Hello colleagues. The
AIDA model piqued my interest because it relates to how I write as a journalist
(and also because it is my mother’s name, believe it or not). The checklist on
page 315 (A through D) is helpful.Please write a 4-line persuasive message relating to a new
product or service from your imaginary businesses.A – Get the reader’s attentionI – Keep the reader’s interest by explaining or expanding
the 1st lineD – Whet their desire by telling them “what’s in it for
me?”A – Motivate them to take actionUnit 6.1 DB: Planning reports and proposals Let’s consider the “Yardstick Approach” as
illustrated by Figure 11.13 on page 356.
(Notice that I didn’t agree with the order of their outline — you have
to do what makes sense or feels right for you.)Before you decided to acquire the new business, you prepared
an (imaginary) analytical report comparing two potential acquisitions.Answer the following questions in one or two sentences about
how you might have prepared for this report.What industry or economic trends did you consider?What 2 companies were you evaluating as possible
acquisitions?What criteria did you use to evaluate (and compare) your
potential acquisitions? (Make a list –
this is the yardstickUnit 6.2 DB: Incorporating visuals Referring back to your imaginary analytical reports on this
week’s Discussion 6.1, what types of visuals did you use in this document?See Figure 12.8 on page 384. Pick at least one choice from
the data visuals and one from the info/concepts/ideas visuals.Why did you choose these and what did they illustrate?
