978-0133896787 Chapter 1 Part 1

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subject Authors Courtland L. Bovee, John V. Thill

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1: Professional Communication in Today’s Digital, Social, Mobile World
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Copyright © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc.
CHAPTER 1: PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION IN TODAY’S
DIGITAL, SOCIAL, MOBILE WORLD
CHAPTER SUMMARY
Chapter 1 focuses on the importance and benefits of becoming an effective business
communicator and highlights characteristics of effective communication. A definition of
effective communication is followed by a discussion of why communication is important in
business, and what it means to communicate effectively in today’s global business environment.
The eight phases in the communication process are also explored, and the traditional
“publishing” model of communication is compared with the newer, more interactive social
communication model.
Three key ways to improve business communication are addressed in detail: committing to
ethical communication, communicating in a world of diversity, and using communication
technology effectively. Examples of unethical communication practices and a discussion of how
to recognize ethical choices precede a list of questions to help a communicator make an ethical
decision. Readers will learn about ways to recognize cultural differences in areas such as cultural
contexts, ethics, social customs, and nonverbal communication. The suggestions for polishing
both written and oral intercultural skills can help a businessperson communicate more effectively
with those of differing cultural backgrounds, as can the list of tips for working in a culturally
diverse workforce. Readers are offered an overview of technologies that connect businesses, and
aspects of using communication technology effectively are presented. The information presented
in Chapter 1 provides a base for all the remaining chapters in the text.
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Copyright © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc.
CHAPTER OUTLINE
Understanding Why Communication Matters
Communication is Important to Your Career
Communication is Important to Your Company
What Makes Business Communication Effective?
Communicating as a Professional
Understanding What Employers Expect from You
Communicating in an Organizational Context
Adopting an Audience-Centered Approach
Exploring the Communications Process
The Basic Communication Model
The Social Communication Model
The Mobile Revolution
Committing to Ethical Communication
Distinguishing Ethical Dilemmas from Ethical Lapses
Making Ethical Choices
Communicating in a World of Diversity
The Advantages and Challenges of a Diverse Workforce
Key Aspects of Cultural Diversity
Cultural Context
Legal and Ethical Differences
Social Customs
Nonverbal Communication
Age Differences
Gender Differences
Religious Differences
Ability Differences
Advice for Improving Intercultural Communication
Writing for Multilingual Audiences
Speaking with Multilingual Audiences
Using Technology to Improve Business Communication
Keeping Technology in Perspective
Using Tools Productively
Guarding Against Information Overload
Reconnecting with People Frequently
Chapter Review and Activities
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Copyright © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc.
TEACHING NOTES
Understanding Why Communication Matters
You can have the greatest ideas in the world, but they’re no good to your company or your career
if you can’t express them clearly and persuasively.
Effective communication yields a number of important benefits for both you and your company:
Increased productivity and faster problem solving
Better financial results and higher return for investors
Earlier warning of potential problems, from rising business costs to critical safety issues
Stronger decision making based on timely, reliable information
Clearer and more persuasive marketing messages
and lower employee turnover
Good ideas must be expressed clearly and persuasively. To develop effective messages, be sure
to follow these steps:
Provide practical information.
Give facts rather than vague impressions.
Present information in a concise, efficient manner.
Clarify expectations and responsibilities.
Offer compelling, persuasive arguments and recommendations.
Communicating as a Professional
professional.
Professionalism can be broken down into six elements:
Be the best.
Be dependable.
Be a team player.
Be respectful.
Be ethical.
Be positive.
competencies employers expect:
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Actively listening to others
Communicating effectively with people of diverse backgrounds
Using communication technologies effectively and efficiently
Following accepted standards of grammar and spelling for high-quality writing and
speaking
Communicating ethically
Managing time wisely and using resources efficiently
Readers will learn to differentiate between social, scholastic, and professional styles of
communication. They will look at the audience-centered approach to professional
etiquette.
Exploring the Communication Process
Communication is a dynamic, two-way process containing eight steps. It is helpful to understand
1. The sender has an idea.
2. The sender encodes the idea in a message.
3. The sender produces the message in a medium.
4. The sender transmits the message through a channel.
The communication process described above generally represents the traditional nature of much
business communication, which was primarily defined by a publishing or broadcasting mindset.
In contrast, a newer and increasingly effective social communication model has emerged,
characterized by communication that is interactive, conversational, and usually open to all who
The Mobile Revolution
Some experts predict that mobile communication will change the nature of business
communication even more than social media has. Mobile devices are the primary communication
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Some companies now take a mobile-first approach in which websites are designed for optimum
The physical limitations of mobile devices require that messages be written and formatted
Mobile devices create a host of security and privacy concerns, but can enhance productivity and
Committing to Ethical Communication
Business communicators have a responsibility to communicate ethically with audiences. Ethics
are the accepted principles of conduct that govern behavior within a society. Ethical
Examples of unethical communication include the following:
Plagiarizing
Omitting essential information
Selectively misquoting
Deciding what is ethical can be quite complex.
Every company has responsibilities to multiple groups of people inside and outside the firm, and
Ethical dilemmas are not the same as ethical lapses. An ethical dilemma involves choosing
Employers have a responsibility to establish clear guidelines for ethical behavior. Many
Asking yourself six questions can help you make an ethical decision:
Have you defined the situation fairly and accurately?
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Will the message achieve the greatest possible good while doing the least possible harm?
One helpful way to make sure your messages are ethical is to consider your audience. An
Communicating in a World of Diversity
Improving intercultural sensitivity requires the realization of the interaction between culture and
communication.
A diverse workforce offers a broader spectrum of viewpoints and ideas, helps companies
understand and identify with diverse markets, and enables companies to benefit from a wider
Culture is a shared system of symbols, beliefs, attitudes, values, expectations, and norms for
behavior. Although diversity is often narrowly defined in terms of ethnic background, a more
Culture affects the way you think which, in turn, affects the way you communicate.
Cultural competency is an appreciation for cultural differences that affect communication and the
Every attempt at communication occurs within a cultural context, which includes:
Patterns of physical cues
Environmental stimuli
Implicit understanding of how to convey meaning between members of different cultures
High-context cultures rely less on the explicit content of the message and more on the context of
nonverbal actions and environmental setting to convey meaning. The primary role of
Low-context cultures rely more on the explicit content and less on circumstances and cues to
Legal and ethical behaviors are also affected by cultural context.
Rules governing social customs differ from culture to culture. Some rules are formal and
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Nonverbal communication is a vital part of the communication process. Nonverbal
Cultural differences can also influence perspectives on age. In some cultures, youth is associated
Also, multiple generations in the workplace present another dimension of diversity. Each
Perspectives on gender also vary across cultures, resulting in vastly different views of men and
women in business. Gender influences workplace communication in several important ways:
Perception of men and women in business varies between cultures
Religious differences can lead to a great deal of controversy since religion is one of the most
personal and influential aspects of life.
Working effectively with others whose hearing, vision, cognitive ability and/or mobility differ
from yours requires respect and care. Follow the tips below to communicate more effectively in
cross-cultural situations:
Avoid ethnocentrism (the tendency to judge all other groups according to the standards,
behaviors, and customs of one’s own group).
To help you prepare effective written communications for multicultural (and multilingual)
audiences, remember these tips:
Use plain English.
Avoid words with multiple meanings.
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Avoid slang and be careful with jargon and abbreviations.
Be brief.
To help you prepare effective oral messages for those for whom English is not their native
language, remember these tips:
Speak clearly, simply, and relatively slowly.
Look for feedback, but interpret it carefully.
Rephrase if necessary.
Today’s businesses rely heavily on technology to improve the communication process, and
you’ll need to know how to use a variety of these technologies on the job. To communicate
effectively, you’ll need to keep technology in perspective, use technological tools productively,
and disengage from the computer frequently to communicate in person.
Using Technology to Improve Business Communication
Today’s businesses rely heavily on technology to facilitate the communication process. The
benefits of technology are not automaticto communicate effectively, keep technology in
perspective:
Use technological tools productively.
When sending a message, ensure it is meaningful and important to the receiver. As the receiver,
try to control the number and type of messages received. Focus on job-related messages.
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Copyright © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc.
OVERCOMING DIFFICULTIES STUDENTS OFTEN FACE
Getting off to a good start is essential to a successful term. Students will most likely experience
Although students will typically follow along with an explanation of the model of the
communication process presented in the text, take time to discuss the model in class and provide
numerous illustrations. Provide examples of feedback that is immediate e.g., feedback given in a
face-to-face conversation) versus feedback that is delayed (e.g., a letter to a newspaper editor).
Provide examples that illustrate where problems can arise within the communication process.
Students should all be able to provide examples of unethical business actions; however, they may
not have viewed some of these as ethical issues as they relate to communication. Engage students
by discussing communication documents such as product warranties, product assembly
instructions, customer service documents, telephone conversations, marketing brochures and
Helping students understand the importance of intercultural sensitivity often becomes a
challenging task. During the class coverage of this topic, some students may argue that if a
company from another part of the world wants to do business with a U.S. firm, then the other
organization should adjust to U.S. business practices. Some will ask why U.S. companies are
The idea of high-context and low-context cultures will undoubtedly be very new to students.
Give various examples of how the context can affect business negotiations, ethical decisions, and
the manner in which business is conducted. Since many students may not have traveled
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Although students should be able to define stereotyping, ethnocentrism may be a new concept.
Students may not have had an opportunity to write messages to someone with another cultural
background, but they may have numerous examples of communicating orally with someone who
speaks more than one language. Lead a discussion about problems and successes they have
Some students may be employed by companies with a diverse workforce. Lead a discussion to
help the entire class identify the responsibilities a businessperson has to communicate effectively
with co-workers. Help students understand that even though employees were born and raised in
SUGGESTED CLASSROOM EXERCISES
1. Get Acquainted. To help start the class and the term in an enthusiastic manner, ask students
to work in teams of two and interview each other. Give students five minutes to gather
ease, you may want to participate by giving them comparable information about yourself.
This exercise will help students get to know each other and develop a level of comfort with
classmates early in the term.
2. The Communication Process. Assign students to work in teams. Each team should prepare its
emphasizing that different ways of illustrating a concept or process can be acceptable.
3. Mobile Communication. Ask students about their opinions on “radical connectivity.” As a
eventually, as business professionals.
4. Ethical Communication. Assign students to work in teams of two or three. Each team should

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