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Chapter 7 LECTURE NOTES
Short Workplace Messages and Digital Media
CHAPTER SYNOPSIS
Today’s workplace is changing as new technologies transform the way we exchange information
and conduct business. Although your students may already be connected digitally with friends
and family, they will need to understand how to use communication technologies professionally
in the workplace.
This chapter explores short forms of workplace communication, beginning with e-mail. E-mail
continues to be the lifeblood of businesses today, and this chapter teaches students how to use e-
mail efficiently and expertly. Because instant messaging and texting are gaining popularity, this
chapter also explores their best practices and liabilities. .
Social networking sites, including Facebook and Twitter, allow firms to share company news;
exchange ideas; and connect with customers, employees, other stakeholders, and the public at
large. Companies may boost their brand recognition and provide a forum for collaboration by
participating in established social networks or by creating their own in-house communities. The
downsides of social media participation are productivity losses, fallout from inappropriate
employee posts, security breaches, and leaking of trade secrets.
Really simple syndication allows users to navigate the huge resources on the Internet. RSS feeds
are time-savers because they allow businesspeople to monitor many news sources in one
convenient online location.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
1. Understand e-mail and the professional standards for its usage, structure, and format in the
digital-era workplace.
2. Explain workplace instant messaging and texting as well as their liabilities and best practices.
3. Identify professional applications of podcasts and wikis, and describe guidelines for their use.
Chapter 7 Lecture Notes 83
WHAT’S NEW IN THIS CHAPTER
• Reorganized the e-mail discussion to streamline coverage but also to reflect current
workplace use with updated techniques and advice.
• Acknowledged complaints about e-mail but emphasized that it occupies nearly a third of
workers’ time; provided ample contemporary advice for using e-mail strategically and
professionally.
• Encouraged students to recognize the difference between writing e-mails to friends and using
the professional standards and procedures required in the workplace.
• Strengthened e-mail coverage by organizing best practices into chunks with topic headings to
improve readability, comprehension, and retention.
LECTURE OUTLINE
I. Preparing Digital-Age E-Mail Messages and Memos (p. 205)
• New technologies are transforming the way we exchange information and conduct
business. Businesspeople are increasingly connected 24/7.
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B. Why People Complain About E-Mail
• Messages are frequently poorly written.
• People are overwhelmed by too many unnecessary messages.
• Because e-mail can be accessed 24/7, the line between work life and home life is
blurred.
• E-mail messages can be the source of damaging evidence.
PowerPoint slides 5, 6
C. Knowing When E-Mail Is Appropriate
PowerPoint slide 7
D. Drafting Professional E-Mails
• Draft a compelling subject line.
• Include a greeting.
• Organize the body for readability and tone.
• Close effectively.
Figure 7.1 Formatting an E-Mail Message That Makes a Request
E. Controlling Your Inbox
F. Replying Efficiently With Down-Editing
• An efficient trick to managing e-mail is down-editing, which involves inserting your
Chapter 7 Lecture Notes 85
G. Writing Interoffice Memos
H. Checklist for Professional E-Mail and Memos
Subject Line
• Summarize the central idea.
• Include labels if appropriate.
• Avoid empty or dangerous words.
Opening
• State the purpose for writing.
• Highlight questions.
• Supply information directly.
II. Workplace Messaging and Texting (p. 213)
• IM enables two or more individuals to use the Internet or an intranet (an internal
corporate communication platform) to “chat” in real time by exchanging brief text-based
messages.
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Figure 7.4 Instant Message for Brief, Fast Communication
B. Impact of Instant Messaging and Texting
Benefits:
• Enables real-time communication with colleagues anywhere in the world
• Allows people to share information immediately and make decisions quickly
PowerPoint slides 20, 21
Risks:
• Reduces worker productivity
• Creates risk that private company records will be accessed by hackers
C. Best Practices for Instant Messaging and Texting
• Adhere to company policies at all times.
• Don’t use IM or text messages to disclose sensitive information.
Chapter 7 Lecture Notes 87
Figure 7.6 Texting Etiquette
PowerPoint slides 24-27
III. Making Podcasts and Wikis Work for Business (p. 218)
A. Business Podcasts or Webcasts
• The words broadcasting and iPod combined to create the word podcast.
• Podcasts can extend from short clips of a few minutes to 30-minutes or longer
B. Collaborating With Wikis
A wiki is a Web-based tool that employs easy-to-use collaborative software to allow
multiple users collectively to create, access, and modify documents.
Businesses use wikis for the following purposes:
• Share information between headquarters and satellite offices
• Collect and disseminate information to large audiences
Figure 7.8 Four Main Uses for Business Wikis
Figure 7.9 Creating a Wiki With Google Sites and Google Docs
PowerPoint slides 31-33
IV. Blogging for Business (p. 221)
A. How Companies Blog
Figure 7.10 Starbucks Blog Specializes in Crowdsourcing
Figure 7.11 Creating a Professional Blog
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PowerPoint slides 34-37
B. Blog Best Practices
• Craft a catchy but concise title.
• Ace the opening paragraph.
Figure 7.12 Writing a Captivating Blog
Figure 7.13 Student Blog Article Illustrates Best Practices
PowerPoint slides 38-41
V. Web 2.0: Social Networking Sites (p. 206)
• Social networking sites enable businesses to connect with customers and employees,
share company news, and exchange ideas.
A. How Businesses Use Social Networks
• To improve internal communication
• To invite customer input at the product-design stage (crowdsourcing)
• To connect geographically dispersed employees
• To provide a forum for collaboration
Figure 7.14 Big Companies Rule on Facebook: Coca-Cola is Number One
PowerPoint slides 42-48
B. Potential Risks of Social Networks for Businesses
PowerPoint slide 49
C. Using Social Networking Sites and Keeping Your Job
Chapter 7 Lecture Notes 89
Figure 7.15 Guidelines for Safe Social Networking
PowerPoint slides 50, 52- 56
D. Navigating the Information Glut With RSS Feeds
• RSS (really simple syndication) allows users to monitor many news sources from
one convenient location.
VI. Checklist: Using Electronic Media Professionally: Dos and Don’ts (p. 211)
Dos
• Learn your company’s rules.
savers.
Don’ts
• Don’t spread rumors, gossip, and negative, defamatory comments.
Answers to Chapter Review Questions
1. How have social media sites such as Twitter changed communication? (Obj. 5)
Social media sites have transformed communication from one-on-one conversations to one-to–
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2. What is cloud computing, and how is it changing business? (Obj. 1)
Cloud computing describes the storing and accessing of data and software applications in
3. List and concisely describe at least six electronic communication channels used most
commonly by businesspeople today. (Objs. 1-5)
1. E-mail: The channel of choice in business today, gradually replacing paper memos and
letters in many instances.
4. List and briefly describe the four parts of typical e-mails. (Obj. 1)
Typical e-mails have four parts: (a) an informative subject line that summarizes the
the message, or offers a closing thought.
5. Suggest at least ten pointers that you could give to a first-time e-mail user. (Obj. 1)
Students should list at least four of the following:
1. Get the address right.
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6. How can you use instant messaging and texting safely on the job? (Obj. 2)
Before using instant messaging on the job, check with your supervisor. Follow any
7. Name at least five reasons some organizations forbid employees to use instant and text
messaging. (Obj. 2)
1. IM and texting can be distractions in addition to the telephone, e-mail, and Web
browsing.
8. How can you show professionalism and respect for your receivers in writing business IM
messages and texts? (Obj. 2)
Beware of jargon, slang, and abbreviations, which, although they may reduce keystrokes,
9. How do organizations use podcasts, and how are they accessed? (Obj. 3)
Businesses have embraced podcasting for audio and video messages that do not require a live
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10. What is a wiki, and what are its advantages to businesses? (Obj. 3)
A wiki is a website that employs easy-to-use collaborative software to allow users to create
11. Explain why companies use blogs. (Obj. 4)
Companies use blogs to keep customers, suppliers, and employees informed and to interact
12. List the eight best practices for master bloggers. (Obj. 4)
a. Craft a catchy but concise title.
13. How do businesses try to tap the vast potential of social networking? (Obj. 5)
Large businesses are using the social Web as well as internal networks behind corporate
14. Name a few of the potential risks that social networking sites may pose to business.
(Obj. 5)
Managers fear productivity losses, compromised trade secrets, the wrath of large Internet
15. What is really simple syndication (RSS), and why is it helpful? (Obj. 5)
Really simple syndication, or RSS, is a fast and easy way to search and manage
Chapter 7 Lecture Notes 93
Answers to Critical Thinking Questions
1. Journalist Bob Garfield, author of The Chaos Scenario, is concerned that privacy is
increasingly a rare commodity in our hyperconnected world. He argues: “Google
searches, Foursquare check-ins and even basic browsing leave a practically neon trail.
And on Facebook, we trade privacy for a sense of community; we fear Big Brother, but
we tell lots of ‘little brothers’ everything.” Discuss what seem to be contradictory
sentiments. Are you concerned about disclosing personal matters online?
Like many contemporaries, Garfield seems ambivalent about social media and concerned
about waning privacy. He draws an analogy to George Orwell’s famous novel 1984 about
tyranny and totalitarian ideologies. Big Brother is a reference to the revered party leader in
2. In her book Alone Together, MIT professor Sherry Turkle argues that increasing
dependence on technology leads to a consequent diminution in personal connections.
“Technology is seductive when what it offers meets our human vulnerabilities. And as it
turns out, we are very vulnerable indeed. We are lonely but fearful of intimacy. Digital
connections . . . may offer the illusion of companionship without the demands of
friendship.” Do you agree that technology diminishes personal relationships rather than
bringing us closer together? Do social media fool us into thinking that we are connected
when in reality we bear none of the commitments and burdens of true friendship?
Sherry Turkle, professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, seems to argue that
technology estranges us from each other instead of connecting us and bringing us closer
together. In fact, she states, technology may make us FEEL connected with others, but the
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3. How could IM be useful in your career field? Does IM produce a permanent record? Do
you think that common abbreviations such as lol and imho and all-lowercase writing are
acceptable in text messages for business? Will the use of shorthand abbreviations as well
as creative spelling negatively affect writing skills? (Obj. 2)
Students should be able to generate ideas on how instant messaging will be useful in their
4. Tweeting, texting, and quickie e-mailing all may foster sloppy messages. Author Mark
Garvey argued, “In business, in education, in the arts, in any writing that takes place
outside the linguistic cul-de-sac of our close friends and relatives, writers are expected to
reach for certain standards of clarity, concision and care.” What did Garvey mean? Do
you agree? (Objs. 1, 2)
Garvey is talking about the difference between messages to friends and serious writing. Do you
5. Ethical Issue: Aside from actually paying people to act as fans on social networks and
entice their friends to do so as well, some marketers employ machines to inflate the
number of their fans and followers online. Writing for PC World, Dan Tynan describes
how he discovered the activities of a so-called Facebook bot network that operates a
large number of zombie accounts created in Bangladesh. Tynan had noticed that many
obscure companies were suddenly experiencing wild surges in “likes.” He cites Rent My
Vacation Home, a rental agency based in Washington, DC, that went from two fans to
almost 15,000 within a few days. Tynan counted about 70 other businesses and fan pages
across the globe that were also flooded with suspicious “likes” from the same source.
Tynan himself was able to create such a bot master with fake accounts in 10 minutes
using minimal software and for under $70. Cheap software allows users to use proxies,
trick Captcha programs that normally thwart bots, and add bogus friends and
subscribers, Tynan writes. Why do some businesses resort to such measures? What
might be the consequences of faking fans? How do you feel about companies and their
brands pretending they have actual traffic on their sites?
Answers from students indicating their attitudes toward such questionable practices may vary.
However, social networking from a marketing standpoint is about establishing relationships
Chapter 7 Lecture Notes 95
ZOOMING IN Part 1: Twitter: From Fad to New Communication
Channel for Business
• In what ways have social media and “real-time Web” changed how Internet users
communicate? Have services like Twitter improved the way we exchange information?
Social media and “real-time Web” are about immediacy in an always-on, fast, and simple
manner if not strictly in real time. Twitter and related services have drawn lots of “eyeballs”
• What trends have facilitated the emergence of social media, specifically Twitter?
Increasingly ubiquitous Wi-Fi networks, smartphones, and other hardware along with online
• What could be advantages and drawbacks of using Twitter for business?
Some of the advantages are low cost; ease of monitoring the image of one’s company;
potentially broad reach of company information; flexibility as well as speed of response to
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ZOOMING IN
Your Turn: Applying Your Skills at Twitter
Ask students to obtain a Twitter account if they don’t already have one. They may not because
the latest user statistics by Business Insider indicate that only one in ten teenagers and young
adults use Twitter daily, presumably because they are not interested in news, a Twitter staple; 72
percent never use Twitter [Carlson, N. (2012, July 13). The secret life of teenagers online.
Businessinsider.com]. Twitter use rises to a third of Internet users ages eighteen to twenty-four,
according to a 2012 Pew study. Students don’t need to register to search for and view tweets in
their Internet browsers, but they should open Twitter accounts to enjoy the full benefits of the
free service and to be able to follow others. Signing up is quick and intuitive. They simply follow
the on-screen directions and watch the brief instructional video clip, if they like. They will be
Ethics Check Solutions
Ethics Check, Page 206
Hiding Blind Copies
Some workers use Bcc (blind carbon copy) to copy their friends and colleagues on e-mail
when they do not want the recipient to know that a third party will also read the message.
Based on the “netiquette” discussed in this chapter, do you believe that hiding copies from
the recipient is harmless and acceptable?
Today’s writers should use Cc to reveal openly all recipients of a message. Violating this
Ethics Check, Page 223
Fired for Blogging
Former flight attendant Ellen Simonetti was fired by Delta Air Lines for posting on her
blog “Queen of Sky” photos showing her in uniform. Simonetti claims that her dismissal
violated her free-speech rights and was an act of sexual discrimination. She has been
Chapter 7 Lecture Notes 97
fighting her firing since 2004, parlaying her fame into a book and even a few talk show
appearances. Whose rights take precedence, the employee’s or the employer’s?
In 2003 Simonetti began to document her life and work experiences in her blog without
mentioning her airline by name. Her case was widely publicized as a now-classic example of
employee rights to express their views about their work experience and their employers’ rights to
Ethics Check, Page 229
Pricing Blunder Broadcast Far and Wide via Social Media
Because of a software glitch, Tesco, the world’s third-largest retailer based in the United
Kingdom, offered a new iPad worth £659 ($1,021) for £49.99 ($77) on its website. Within
hours the news exploded on Facebook and Twitter. Some customers ordered as many as 20
iPads and insisted that Tesco honor the advertised price. The company quickly corrected
the online pricing error and would not accept orders at the incorrect price. Was Tesco
obligated to honor the offer?
A company does not have to honor an innocent mistake, such as an obvious typo or misprint
resulting in a glaring error in pricing, for example. Businesses make mistakes and they generally
shouldn’t have to bankrupt themselves to take responsibility for posted errors. Legally,
Photo Essay Solutions
Photo Essay, Page 222
As a blogger for Pei Wei, and more recently as a copywriter for advertising firm SapientNitro,
Alice Shin has learned many secrets of successful blogging. Not only is Shin credited with
helping expand Pei Wei’s menu, but the young writer also executed a Twitter campaign to turn
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Kogi Korean BBQ trucks into a hot West Coast commodity. Her advice on successful blogging