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TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE
4.1. The three steps are (1) planning, (2) writing, and (3) completing business messages. [LO-1] AACSB:
4.2. Careful planning helps you !nd and assemble the facts they’re looking for and to deliver that information
[LO-1] AACSB: Written and oral communication (See MyBCommLab for additional insights)
4.3. All business messages have both a general purpose (to inform, to persuade, or to collaborate) and a
4.4. To develop an audience pro!le, identify the primary audience, determine audience size and composition,
4.5. You may encounter situations in which the assignment or objective is so vague that you have no idea
AACSB: Written and oral communication
4.6. In-person conversations are considered rich because they convey meaning through words as well as a
4.7. Four potential disadvantages of written, printed messages are limited opportunities for timely feedback,
elaborate documents. [LO-4] AACSB: Written and oral communication
[LO-5] AACSB: Written and oral communication
4.9. Limiting the scope of the message helps the writer focus on the main message without distracting the
reader with other, irrelevant topics, and it helps ensure that the message conveys the appropriate
communication
4.10. When choosing between a direct and an indirect approach, three elements to consider are (1) probable
4: Planning Business Messages 4-2
APPLY YOUR KNOWLEDGE
4.11. Regardless of how many times you change your mind as you write, planning enables you to make
consistent, rational decisions about the message as a whole. If you begin with a general idea of what
4.12. This question should initiate a discussion of how much information you need to include in order to be
ethical. It would be important to inform your audience that you’ve discovered the plagiarized material,
[LO-3] AACSB: Ethical understanding and reasoning
4.13. You need to reach people based around the world in a way that facilitates a lot of interaction and
discussion, so one or more digital channels is an obvious starting point. Other key considerations are
time zones, language barriers, and the need for privacy. In addition, a conversation of this nature is going
to be technical and probably complex, and it will evolve over time, so whatever media and channels you
choose will need to support a high volume of information with the ability to track the consensus as it
4.14. With medium and long messages, readers can often bene!t from looking the big picture, such as
scanning headings and subheadings to discover the structure of the message. The ability to easily skim
4.15. Fourteen points to support your main idea is excessive. Review your main points, and try to group them
communication
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4: Planning Business Messages 4-3
PRACTICE YOUR SKILLS
4.16. Message for Analysis
The students should organize the list of items into a few main categories, group related ideas under those
categories, and, finally, put all items in logical order. Here is a suggested revised outline:
I. Benefits
A. Accidental death on common carrier
B. Accidental death in motor vehicle accident
C. Hospitalization
D. Cash paid in addition to any other insurance carried
II. Costs
III. Qualifications
[LO-5] AACSB: Written and oral communication
Exercises
4.17. Possible statements of purpose might include the following:
a. I want to inform the manager about the type and number of outdated items in the
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4: Planning Business Messages 4-4
[LO-2] AACSB: Written and oral communication
4.18. The precise answers to this exercise are less important than the process of thinking about the audience.
Urge students to consider both informational and motivational needs. Suggest they put themselves in
the audience’s position. Here are some possibilities to use as guidelines:
a. The reader is a dealer in financial trouble who is likely to be embarrassed and hostile when
b. In a real advertising scenario, the campaign plan would identify the composition of the target
audience, but for this exercise, students can make up some basic demographic and
psychographic information, such as whether the target audience is primarily existing
smartphone owners who might be interested in an upgrade or non-owners who might be
c. The readers of the proposal are either indifferent to or moderately interested in the topic.
d. The readers are homeowners who may or may not have fireplaces. Their attitudes will
probably range from complete indifference (those who don’t have fireplaces) to active
e. The reader will likely be a recruiter in a human resources department who receives hundreds
of similar résumés. She or he will be basically indifferent, unless the company is actively
f. The readers are busy managers who will recognize the importance of maintaining compliance
with government regulations at both the federal and state levels. They need to be convinced that:
[LO-2] AACSB: Written and oral communication
4.19. The goal of this exercise is for students to practice addressing two different audiences. The instructions
for the person unfamiliar with the equipment chosen should be detailed enough so that this reader can
operate it without further instruction but not so detailed as to daunt the reader. Encourage students to
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4: Planning Business Messages 4-5
4.20. Like messages, meetings must also have a purpose, or there is no reason to hold one. When preparing
the agenda, you should analyze your audience (the meeting participants) as you would when you
prepare a message. Ask yourself: How much do they understand? How might they react to the items
4.21. Students should be able to surmise target audiences based on the types of products presented, the
4.22. Student answers should focus on what they need to know about their audience to respond. They must
address two audiences: the disgruntled passenger and the other readers of the newspaper, who may be
[LO-4] AACSB: Written and oral communication
4.23. One way to resolve this type of dilemma is to write a memo to your supervisor. Describe the action your
supervisor has asked you to take, then ask if you have understood the instructions. As your supervisor
This situation appears to be an ethical dilemma because the supervisor may have good reason for
4.24. This exercise involves two sets of decisions: choosing which topics to include in the presentation and
First, to choose which topics to include, students need to identify which topics are likely to be of
interest to high-level managers making what is probably a significant capital investment. At the
same time, heating is not a strategic concern that top managers are going to want to spend a lot of
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4: Planning Business Messages 4-6
High priority topics (getting management to approve the proposal):
Risks assumed in using this process
Medium priority topics (explaining how it will be implemented):
Your plan for installing the equipment in the headquarters building
Plans for disposing of the old heating equipment
Low priority topics (not covered or offered as backup material):
Second, to determine the order of presentation, students need to choose the direct or indirect
approach. For instance, if management has requested a recommendation for replacing the existing
Assuming that management has asked for a recommended replacement for the existing heating
I. Choosing a new heating system
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4: Planning Business Messages 4-7
II. Implementing a cogeneration system
III. Supporting details (prepared but not presented until the audience asks)
[LO-5] AACSB: Written and oral communication
4.25. For each situation, the suggested approach is as follows:
a. Direct approach. This is a routine message. Either a phone call or an email would be an
b. Direct approach. Assumes that the professor has a good opinion of the student and will be happy
c. Indirect approach. To soften the bad news, the letter should begin with a neutral buffer. Email
d. Indirect approach. Again, a neutral buffer would make the audience more receptive. Presenting
e. Indirect approach. To soften the bad news, the message should begin by providing reasons why
[LO-5] AACSB: Written and oral communication
4.26. Students’ responses should demonstrate a clear understanding of the difference between an ethical
dilemma and an ethical lapse. They should also implement the journalistic approach by giving speci!cs
on the who, what, when, where, why, and how of the incident. Their podcasts should be structured with
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4: Planning Business Messages 4-8
ASSISTED GRADING QUESTIONS (accessed on MyBCommLab)
4.27. The nonvisual, noninstantaneous nature of email can be bene!cial in several important ways. First,
removing physical appearances from the equation helps keep the focus on the message, rather than how
individuals feel about their own appearance or the nonverbal signals they pick up from each other’s
technology
4.28. To be certain your request is met with a positive response, the indirect approach is best. That way, you’ll
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