post university BUS 311 managerial comm from unit 1 to 6 all discussions

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?