Business Communication Exam pattern 2014-2015

Revised Syllabus for F Y B Com            Program: B.Com.

Course: Business Communication

(Credit Based Semester and Grading System with effect from the academic year

2012-13)

1. Syllabus as per Credit Based Semester and Grading System:

i) Name of the Programme : F.Y. B.Com

ii) Course Code :

iii) Course Title : Business Communication  Papers I & II

iv) Semester wise Course Contents : Enclosed the copy of syllabus

v) References and Additional References: Enclosed in the Syllabus

2. Scheme of Examination : 5 Questions of 15 marks each

Course Objectives:

1. To develop awareness of the complexity of the communication process

2. To develop effective listening skills in students so as to enable them to  comprehend instructions and become a critical listener

3. To develop effective oral skills so as to enable students to speak confidently interpersonally as well as in large groups

4. To develop effective writing skills so as enable students to write in a clear, concise, persuasive and audience centered manner

5. To develop ability to communicate effectively with the help of electronic media

Semester I – Business Communication Paper I

Unit 1: Theory of Communication

1. Concept of Communication –

Meaning, Definition, Process, Need, Feedback

Emergence of Communication as a key concept in the Corporate and Global world

Impact of technological advancements on Communication

2. Channels and Objectives of Communication – 

Channels-- Formal and Informal—Vertical, Horizontal, Diagonal, Grapevine

Objectives of Communication --Information, Advice, Order and Instruction, Persuasion, Motivation, Education,

Warning, and Boosting the Morale of Employees (A brief introduction to these objectives to be given)

3. Methods and Modes of Communication –

Methods: Verbal and Nonverbal .   Characteristics of Verbal Communication;

Characteristics of Non-verbal Communication.   Business Etiquette

Modes: Telephone and SMS Communication  (General introduction to Telegram to be given)

Facsimile Communication [Fax]

Computers and E- communication

Video and Satellite Conferencing

4. Problems in Communication /Barriers to Communication --

Physical/ Semantic/Language / Socio-Cultural / Psychological / Barriers

Ways to Overcome these Barriers

5. Listening – 

Importance of Listening Skills , Cultivating good Listening Skills - 

6. Introduction to Business Ethics 

·          Concept and Interpretation

·          Importance of Business Ethics

·          Personal Integrity at the workplace

·         Business Ethics and media

·         Computer Ethics

·         Corporate Social Responsibility

Teachers can adopt a case study approach and address issues such as the following so as to orient and

sensitize the student community to actual business practices:

·         Surrogate Advertising

·         Patents and Intellectual Property Rights

·         Dumping of Medical/E-waste

·         Human Rights Violations and Discrimination on the basis of gender, race, caste, religion, appearance and sexual orientation at the workplace

·         Piracy

·         Insurance

·         Child Labour

Unit 2: Business Correspondence

1. Theory of Business Letter Writing --

Parts, Structure, Layouts—Full Block, Modified Block, Semi - Block

Principles of Effective Letter Writing

Principles of effective Email Writing

2. Personnel Correspondence – 

Statement of Purpose

Job Application Letter and Resume

Letter of Acceptance of Job Offer, Letter of Resignation

[Letter of Appointment, Promotion and Termination, Letter of Recommendation (to

be taught but not to be tested in the examination)]

Unit 3: Language and Writing Skills

1. Commercial Terms used in Business Communication

2. Paragraph Writing -Developing an idea, using appropriate linking devices, etc

Cohesion and Coherence, self-editing, etc [Interpretation of technical data,

Composition on a given situation, a short informal report etc.]

Activities

1. Listening Comprehension

2. Remedial Teaching

3. Speaking Skills: Presenting a News Item, Dialogue and Speeches

4. Paragraph Writing: Preparation of the first draft, Revision and Self – Editing,

Rules of spelling.

5. Reading Comprehension: Analysis of texts from the fields of Commerce

and Management 

SEMESTER II

Unit 1: Presentation Skills

1. Presentations – (to be tested in tutorials only) 

Principles of Effective Presentation ,Effective use of OHP ,Effective use of Transparencies

How to make a Power-Point Presentation

Unit 2: Group Communication

1. Interviews – 

Group Discussion

Preparing for an Interview

Types of Interviews – Selection, Appraisal, Grievance, Exit

2. Meetings -4

 and Importance of Meetings, Conduct of Meeting and Group Dynamics

Role of the Chairperson, Role of the Participants

Drafting of Notice, Agenda and Resolutions

3. Conference 

Meaning and Importance of Conference

Organizing a Conference

Modern Methods: Video and Tele – Conferencing

4. Public Relations –

Meaning

Functions of PR Department

External and Internal Measures of PR

Unit 3: Business Correspondence

1. Trade Letters 

Order, Credit and Status Enquiry, Collection (just a brief introduction to be given)

Only following to be taught in detail:-

Letters of Inquiry ,Letters of Complaints, Claims, Adjustments ,Sales Letters, promotional leaflets and fliers ,Consumer Grievance Letters ,Letters under Right to Information (RTI) Act

[Teachers must provide the students with theoretical constructs wherever necessary in order to

create awareness. However students should not be tested on the theory.]

Unit 4: Language and Writing Skills

1. Reports –Parts, Types

Feasibility Reports, Investigative Reports

 Summarisation – Identification of main and supporting/sub points  AND Presenting these in a cohesive manner

Tutorial Activities:

1. Presentations

2. Group Discussion

3. Mock Interviews

4. Mock Meetings / Conferences

5. Book Reviews/Summarization

6. Reading Comprehension: Analysis of texts from the field of Literature

[Suggested Books for Book Reviews: Books from the fields of Management, Finance, and Literature

Like – Sun Tzu :The Art of War, Eliyahu M. Goldratt : The Goal , Eliyahu M. Goldratt: It’s Not Luck ,

Spencer Johnson: Who Moved My Cheese, Stephen Lundin, Ph.D, Harry Paul, John Christen: Fish,

Chetan Bhagat One Night At A Call Center, Chetan Bhagat My Three Mistakes , Arindam Choudhary:

Count Your Chickens Before They Hatch ,Stephen Covey :Seven Habits of Successful People, George

Orwell: Animal Farm, Dr. Abdul Kalam: Wings of Fire ]

[N.B.: The above list is only indicative and not prescriptive.]

Paper Pattern for Examinations

F. Y. B. Com

Semester I Examination Marks 75

Question 1 Objective/Short Answer Questions (based on  Unit 1)                         15 marks

Question 2  Short Notes (3 out of 5) (based on cht. 1,2 &3 from Unit 1)              15 marks

Question 3  Essay Type / Detailed Answer Q  (based on Chapters. 4,5 and 6 from Unit 1)

[2 out of 3]                                                                                                                      15 marks

Question 4 A) Job Application Letter and Resume                                                   8 marks

B) Personnel Letters (2 out of 3)                                                                                  7 marks

(Statement of Purpose ,Letter of Acceptance of Job Offer

Letter of Resignation)

Question 4 A) Writing a paragraph (on 1 out of 2 topics)                                      5 marks

B) Editing a given paragraph (for better organization)                                           5 marks

C) Remedial Grammar                                                                                                  5 marks

Semester II Examination: Marks 75

Question 1 . Objective/Short Answer Questions based on Unit 1 &2                                15 marks

Question 2 . Short Notes (based on chapt  1, &2  from Unit 2) [3 out of 5]                      15 marks

Question 3.  Essay Type  ( based on ch 3 & 4 from Unit 2)    [2 out of 3)                            15 marks

Question 4  Letters [3 out of 5]                                                                                                   15 marks

(i) Letter of Inquiry

(ii) Complaint/Claims/Adjustment Letter

(iii) Sales Letter

(iv) Consumer Grievance Letter 7

(v) RTI Letter

Question 5 (A) Drafting of Reports [1 out of 2]                                                                      7 marks

(B) Drafting of Notice, Agenda and 2 Resolutions                                                                 4 marks

(C) Summarisation                                                                                                                       4 marks

Internal Assessment – Semesters  I & II –

}  Fill in the blanks, MCQs, True or False                       05 marks

}  Answer in one/two sentences                                    05 marks

}  Short notes (2 out of 3)                                               10 marks

Suggested Reading:

1. Agarwal, Anju D(1989) A Practical Handbook for Consumers, IBH.

2. Alien, R.K.(1970) Organisational Management through Communication.

3. Ashley,A(1992) A Handbook Of Commercial Correspondence, Oxford University Press.

4. Aswalthapa, K (1991)Organisational Behaviour, Himalayan Publication, Mumbai.

5. Atreya N and Guha (1994) Effective Credit Management, MMC School of Management, Mumbai.

6. Bahl,J.C. and Nagamia,S.M. (1974) Modern Business Correspondence and Minute Writing.

7. Balan,K.R. and Rayudu C.S. (1996) Effective Communication, Beacon New Delhi.

8. Bangh, LSue, Fryar,Maridell and Thomas David A. (1998) How to Write First Class Business

Correspondence, N.T.C. Publishing Group USA.

9.Banerjee, Bani P (2005) Foundation of Ethics in Mangement Excel Books

10.Businessworld Special Collector’s Issue: Ethics and the Manager

11. Barkar, Alan(1993) Making Meetings Work, Sterling Publications Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi.

12. Basu,C.R.(1998) Business Organisation and Management, T.M.H.New Delhi.

13. Benjamin, James (1993) Business and Professional Communication Concepts and Practices, Harper

Collins College Publishers, New York.

14. Bhargava and Bhargava91971) Company Notices, Meetings and Regulations

15. Black, Sam (1972) Practical Public Relations, E.L.B.S. London.

16. Bovee Courtland,L and Thrill, John V(1989) Business Communication, Today McGraw Hill, New York,

Taxman Publication.

17. Burton, G and Thakur, (1995) Management Today- Principles and Practices. T.M.H.,New Delhi.

18. Darrow, Richard, Forrstal, Dan and Coolman, Aubrey (1967) Public Relations Handbook, The Dartwell

Co., Chicago.

19. Dayal, Ishwar(9810) Managing Large Organizations: A Comparative Study.

20. Drucher,P.F.((1970) Technology, Management and Society, Pan Books London.

21. Drucher,P.F.((1974)Management Responsibilities Practices, Heinemann, London.

22.Eyre, E.C. (1985) Effective Communication Made Simple, Rupa and Co.Calcutta.

23. Ecouse Barry, (1999), Competitive Communication: A Rhetoric for Modern Business, OUP.

24. Fisher Dalmar, (1999), Communication in Organisation, Jaico Pub House, Mumbai, Delhi.

25. Frailley, L.E. (1982) Handbook of Business Letters, Revised Edn. Prentice Hall Inc.

26. French, Astrid (1993) Interpersonal Skills. Sterling Publishers, New delhi.

27 Fritzsche, David J (2005) Business Ethics: A Global and Managerial Perspective McGraw Hill

28. Garlside, L.E. (1980) Modern Business Correspondence, McDonald and Evans Ltd. Plymouth.

29. Ghanekar,A(1996) Communication Skills for Effective Management. Everest Publishing House, Pune.

30. Graves, Harold F. (1965) Report Writing, Prentice Hall, New Jersey.

8

31.Gupta, Anand Das (2010) Ethics, Business and Society: Managing Responsibly Response Books

32.Gupta, Dipankar (2006) Ethics Incorporated: Top Priority and Bottom Line Response Books

33. Krevolin, Nathan (1983) Communication Systems and Procedures for Modern Office, Prentice Hall,

New Jersey.

34. Lesikar, Raymond V and Petit, John D.(1994) Business Communication: Theory and Application ,

Richard D. Irwin Inc. Ilinois.

35. Ludlow,Ron.(1995) The Essence of Effective Communication, Prentice , New Delhi.

36.M. Ashraf, Rizvi (2006) Effective Technical Communication Tata McGraw Hill

37. Martson, John E. 1963) The Nature of Public Relations, McGraw Hill, New Delhi.

38. Majumdar,P.K.(1992) Commentary on the Consumer protection Act, Prentice, New Delhi.

39. McQuail, Denis (1975), Communication, Longman. 40. Merrihue, William (1960) Managing by Communication, McGraw Hill, New York.

41.Mishra Rajiv K (2006) Code of Conduct for Managers Rupa Company

42. Monippalli, M.M. (1997),The Craft of Business Letter Writing, T.M.H. New Delhi.

43. Montagu,A and Matson , Floyd(1979) The Human Connection, McGraw Hill,New York.

44. Murphy, Herta and Hilde Brandt, Herbert W (1984) Effective Business Communication, McGraw Hill,

New York.

45. Parry, John (1968) The Psychology of Human Communication.

46. Parson, C.J. and Hughes (1970) Written Communication for Business Students, Great Britain.

47. Peterson, Robert A and Ferrell, O.C (2005) Business Ethics: New Challenges for Business Schools

and Corporate Leaders Prentice Hall of India Pvt., Ltd

48. Phillip, Louis V. (1975) Organisational Communication- The Effective Management, Columbus Grid Inc.

49.. Ross, Robert D. (1977) The Management of Public Relations, John Wiley and Sons, U.S.A.

50.Sadri Sorab, Sinha Arun and Bonnerjee peter (1998) Business Ethics: Concepts and Cases Tata

McGraw Hill Public Company Limited

51.Shekhar, R.C (1997) Ethical Choices in Business Response Books

52. Stephenson, James (1988) Principles and Practice of Commercial Correspondence, Pilman and Sons

Ltd. London.

53.. Shurter, Robert L. (1971) Written Communication in Business, McGraw Hill, Tokyo.