sentence may be justified when (a) the message is the second response to a repeated request; (b) a
very small, insignificant matter is involved; (c) a request is obviously ridiculous, unethical,
2. What three functions does the first paragraph of a bad-news message serve? Does “I am
responding to your letter of the 25th” accomplish both of these functions? Explain.
3. Discuss how a counterproposal and implication can be used to de-emphasize the bad-
news statement to assist a communicator in achieving the human relations goal of
business communication.
4. What objectives should the final paragraph accomplish? Should the closing sentence
apologize for action taken? Should it refer to the statement of refusal to achieve unity?
Explain.
The final paragraph (a) de-emphasizes the unpleasant part of the message, (b) conveys some
useful information that should logically follow bad news, (c) shows that the writer has a positive
5. In which part of a refusal message would resale and sales promotional material be most
appropriate? Explain.
6. Discuss the legal implications involved in writing credit refusals.
The Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA) requires that the credit applicant be notified of the
7. What elements make criticism “constructive”?
8. Why is the effective handling of negative information of such importance to a company?
9. Saying “no” is not difficult; the challenge is to do so while protecting goodwill. Explain
the rationale and significance of this statement.
10. Frequent channels for delivering business messages include written, electronic, and
face-to-face means. What criteria would you use in selecting the appropriate channel for
delivering bad news?
In selecting a channel for delivering any message, the sender should consider (1) the receiver’s
FEATURED ASSIGNMENTS
1. Communication Success Stories: Conduct an electronic search to locate an article that deals
with successful negative communication in a company or organization. Prepare an abstract
of the article that includes the following parts: (1) article citation, (2) name of
organization/company, (3) brief description of communication technique/situation, and (4)
outcome(s) of the successful communication. As an alternative to locating an article, you
could write about a successful communication situation in the organization/company for
which you work. Be prepared to present your abstract in a memo and give a short
presentation in class.
Daniel Pelling, a driver for Atwood Corp., sent the following email to the firm’s suggestion
box:
***
Our manager informed us that you were looking for inexpensive ways of rewarding people
who receive the employee-of-the-month award. I believe you should give that person the
week off with pay. You’re going to pay the person anyway and the rest of us will work just a
little harder to cover for that person.
Discuss Internet search strategies for the assignment. For instance, talk about full-text databases
2. Rejecting an Employee’s Suggestion: Read the following scenario and complete the related
exercise.
As the chief executive officer, write an email message to Daniel Pelling rejecting his idea.
Although you applaud his willingness to work a little harder, you are not sure that all
employees would share his commitment. In addition, your human resources director pointed
out that many employees work in unique jobs where vacation time must be planned in
advance to keep the business operating efficiently.
3. Bad-News Speeches: Refer to a recent political or business event in which bad news was
shared and prepare a written critique that includes (1) an assessment of the effectiveness of
the message and the manner in which it was delivered, (2) an analysis of the results, and (3)
a summary of what you learned from your analysis. Be prepared to share your critique with
the class in a brief presentation.
4. Critique of Bad-News Messages Produced by Real Companies: Locate an example of both a
well-written and a poorly written bad-news message and analyze the strengths and
weaknesses of each document. Prepare a visual of each and present your critique to the class.
Student content will vary.
5. Loan Denied for Poor Credit Customer: Assemble in groups of three to four and read the
following scenario and complete the related exercise.
Having decided to build an addition to their home, Larry and Alice Sherman made an
ADDITIONAL ASSIGNMENTS
1. Training for Employee Sensitivity: a Priority at Wilson Street Grill: Read the following
scenario, then complete activities a through c.
The Wilson Street Grill in Madison, Wisconsin, is one of many restaurants that have
successfully hired employees with mental disabilities. The federal Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits employers from discriminating against disabled job
applicants and employees in businesses with 15 or more employees. Many hotels and
As manager of the Wilson Street Grill, you recently hired Jonathan, who completed his
orientation a month ago. He regularly works with Sue, a mentally disabled employee with
Down syndrome who has been an excellent employee for two years. Jonathan appears to be
patient with the other employees who have disabilities, but seems easily frustrated with Sue.
a. Write a memo to Jonathan that will be placed in his personnel file. The memo should
adequately warn Jonathan about the consequences of his behavior and should contain
b. Develop a voice script that could be used by the manager for delivering this warning and
constructive criticism to Jonathan. Your instructor may ask you to role play your
Student responses will vary but should follow these guidelines:
(1) Remind Jonathan that The Wilson Street Grill has a history of providing excellent work
opportunities to employees with physical and mental disabilities. Currently more than a third
(2) Review the federal Americans with Disabilities Act with Jonathan. The importance of
(3) Suggest that he observe how other employees relate positively to their co-workers who have
c. In a small group, produce a short video presentation that could be shown to new hires at
The Wilson Street Grill on working with those who have disabilities.
The video might start with a short bulleted list that explains the highlights of the Americans with
Disabilities Act. Then demonstrate how this act affects employees at The Wilson Street Grill.
2. Employee Bad News: An Employee Video/Computer Lounge: Read the scenario below
before completing the related writing activity that follows.
Example of Poor Response:
Subject: No Employee Video/Computer Lounge
How can you even consider asking for our company to fund a video game/computer
lounge for employees?! Our employees are here to work, not to play.
Employees have requested the construction of a video/computer lounge where employees
can relax and check on personal email and computer work during their breaks. Write a
short memo denying this request. Consider a counterproposal or alternative idea to the
employees’ request.
Allowing our employees time with video games and unmonitored computer use goes
against every management principle I have ever learned. Employees should conduct
their personal computer business on personal time and use their spare time at home to
play video or computer games. An office is for work, not play. Besides, the cost of
installing a separate area for these video breaks would be exorbitant. Our vice president
would never agree to spend money on this right now.
I will try to convince management to allow a fifteen-minute time frame every day for
personal Internet use within certain parameters, but you should not get your hopes up.
Weaknesses in response:
• Reveals refusal in subject line.
Improved Response:
Subject: Suggestion for Employee Video Lounge
Thank you for your recent suggestion regarding an employee video lounge. I will try to
convince management to allow a fifteen-minute time frame every day for personal
Internet use within certain parameters, but you should not get your hopes up.
Improvements in response:
• Cushions bad news with sincere compliment for suggestion.
• Transitions to reasons and provides complete explanation for refusal.
• Restates reason for saying “No” and offers counter-proposal to de-emphasize refusal.
3. Constructive Criticism: Food Critic Gives Restaurant Thumbs Down: Read the following
scenario, then develop a full sentence outline below.
Student responses will vary, but a sample outline appears below:
I. Start the conversation with a neutral or positive opening.
A. A neutral opening may include acknowledging the challenge of serving customers
during peak tourist season.
B. A positive opening may start with good comments about Angelica’s work
II. Emphasize the important qualities of good restaurant service.
A. Remind Angelica that this includes efficient service, attention to customer requests,
accuracy in taking orders and tabulating bills.
B. Remind Angelica that the restaurant is on Walt Disney World Resort property and
that customers expect excellent food and service.
III. Provide additional training for Angelica.
One of the Downtown Disney restaurants in Orlando, Florida, is Bongos Cuban Café
created by Gloria Estefan and her husband Emilio. Like many Disney restaurants, Bongos
Cuban Café hires international college students as part of the Disney College Program at
the Walt Disney World Resort. Food and beverage servers in these restaurants must have
Angelica is a new server from Brazil who has worked for a month at the Disney location
of Bongos Cuban Café. Although Angelica seems to communicate well with customers,
the manager of the restaurant has received several verbal complaints from customers
about her service. Most recently, an irate customer sent a letter complaining about the bad
In the letter, the customer demands a credit for the cost of the total bill, which is about
$120 for the party of four. Most importantly, the customer is a food critic for a travel
magazine and has enclosed a copy of the negative review he wrote for your restaurant.
4. Adjustment Refusal: No Sympathy for Bank Customer with “Bounced Checks”: Read the
scenario below then complete the written activity that follows.
Banks that are located near universities frequently compete with each other to attract college
students as customers. These banks may offer many services that are attractive to students,
such as free checking, lower required account balances, convenient ATM locations on
campus, longer hours, student loans, and credit cards. The banks tailor services to the college
student market.
Many college students may be opening a checking account for the first time. Often these
students may not understand the responsibilities of handling a checking account or may fail to
read the information that is provided by the bank at the time the account is opened. Careless
errors, inaccurate recordkeeping of transactions, and failure to balance a checking account
can be a costly error for anyone, particularly a college student on a limited budget.
5. Adjustment Refusal: Airline Passenger Struggles with Online Ticketing: Read the scenario
below, then respond to the customer in question with an email that explains the problem and
proposes a solution.
Most airline passengers who travel frequently are accustomed to booking their flights online
using one of the many available websites, such as Orbitz.com, Travelocity.com,
Expedia.com, and so on. These websites provide access to detailed flight information,
including costs. Customers conveniently make an airline reservation, pay for it, and receive a
boarding pass prior to departure. Frequent fliers find that online ticketing services often save
Responses will vary but should follow these guidelines:
I. Neutral opening to start conversation
A. Acknowledge that online reservation systems can sometimes be confusing when
passengers first use them.
II. Explain the problem
A. Tell the customer that the reservation system does not list her as a ticketed passenger
and that she will have to book a new flight.
B. Empathize with her frustration and assure her that you’ll find her another flight,
although it will cost more.
CASE ASSIGNMENT
ANONYMITY IN CYBERSPACE
Do you have a right to anonymity in cyberspace? Should you have this right? Two current views
prevail about the right of anonymity. One view sees it as limiting the free flow of information; by
having a wealth of information available, people can communicate, shop, and conduct business
with ease. Access to information allows you to find a friend’s email address that you had
forgotten or to track down an old friend in another city. The opposing view sees the right to
anonymity as a protection of individual privacy; without anonymity, unidentified parties can track
where you go in cyberspace, how often you go there, and with whom you communicate. At the
present time, you are typically required to reveal your identity when engaging in a wide range of
activities. Every time you use a credit card, email a friend, or subscribe to an online magazine, an
identifiable record of each transaction is created and linked to you. But must this always be the
case? Are there situations where transactions may be conducted anonymously, yet securely?
Several methods currently exist for surfers to protect their anonymity in cyberspace:
• Anonymous remailers: A completely anonymous remailer, or chain remailer, sends mail
through remailing locations. Each location takes the header information off the mail and
• Pseudo-anonymous remailers: These single remailers work similarly to the chain remailer.
The mail is sent to a remailing location, the header information is stripped at this site, and the
• Pseudonymity: This process consists of sending mail through cyberspace under a false name.
• Anonymizer website: You can learn how to stop any specified website from gathering
In spite of consumer interest in protecting anonymity, the federal government opposes total
anonymity due to legitimate interests that are at stake. If total anonymity existed, the government
would be unable to track down people who use cyberspace to violate the laws of libel,
defamation, and copyrights.
Activities
1. Locate an article on the issue of online anonymity. Print out the article and prepare a two-
page abstract that includes the following sections: (1) reference citation, (2) overview, (3)
major point, and (4) application.
2. Prepare a chart that summarizes the advantages and the disadvantages of online anonymity.
Advantages included in the chart may include protection of individual privacy, protection against
3. Take a position on the anonymity issue, either to support the right to anonymity or to defend
the need for identification. In writing, present a defense of your position, giving reasons
and/or evidence.