SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGES

Course Code: DUCU001

Course Name: COMMUNICATION SKILLS

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 TABLE OF CONTENT

CHAPTER ONE ........................................................................................................... 4

1.0 INTRODUCTION TO COMMUNICATION ..................................................... 4
1.1. DEFINITION OF COMMUNICATION. ............................................................ 4
1.2. OBJECTIVES OF COMMUNICATION ............................................................ 7
1.3. ELEMENTS OF COMMUNICATION ............................................................... 8
1.4. COMMUNICATION CYCLE ........................................................................... 10
1.5. QUALITIES OF COMMUNICATION ............................................................. 11
1. 6. BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION ............................................................. 15
CHAPTER REVIEW QUESTION ........................................................................... 17
CHAPTER TWO ........................................................................................................ 17
ORAL COMMUNICATION ..................................................................................... 17
2.1 SPEECHES ......................................................................................................... 17
2.2. MEETINGS ........................................................................................................ 20
2.3. DISCUSSION .................................................................................................... 22
2.4. INTERVIEWS.................................................................................................... 26
CHAPTER REVIEW QUESTIONS ......................................................................... 29
CHAPTER THREE .................................................................................................... 29
WRITING SKILLS .................................................................................................... 29
3.1. ESSAY WRITING ............................................................................................. 30
3.2. CORRESPONDENCE ....................................................................................... 31
3.2.1. BUSINESS LETTERS ................................................................................ 31
3.2.2. MEMO ......................................................................................................... 36
3.3. REPORTS........................................................................................................... 37
3.4. SUMMARY WRITING ..................................................................................... 42
3.5. READING .......................................................................................................... 45
CHAPTER REVIEW QUESTIONS ......................................................................... 46
CHAPTER FOUR....................................................................................................... 47

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VISUAL COMMUNICATION ................................................................................. 47
4.1. CHARTS ............................................................................................................... 47
4. 2. GRAPHS ........................................................................................................... 49
CHAPTER REVIEW QUESTIONS ......................................................................... 50
CHAPTER FIVE ........................................................................................................ 50
NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION ..................................................................... 50
CHAPTER REVIEW QUESTIONS ......................................................................... 53
CHAPTER SIX ........................................................................................................... 53
SOURCES OF INFORMATION .............................................................................. 53
LIBRARY .................................................................................................................... 54
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CLASSIFICATION. .................................................. 54
CHAPTER REVIEW QUESTIONS ......................................................................... 55
CHAPTER SEVEN..................................................................................................... 56
TECHNIQUES IN COMMUNICATION ................................................................ 56
LISTENING .............................................................................................................. 59
CHAPTER REVIEW QUESTIONS ......................................................................... 63

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 CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION TO COMMUNICATION

OBJECTIVES
To understand:-
- The meaning of communication
- The communication process
To appreciate:-
- The importance of communication in an organization
-The barriers to communication

1.1. Definition of communication.

Communication is an act of any natural or artificial means of conveying information

or giving instruction.
It’s the process of passing information and understanding from one person to the
other.

According to Newman and summer

Communication is an exchange of facts, ideas, opinions or emotions by two or more
persons.

According to Peter Little

Communication is process by which information is transmitted between
individuals/organization so that understanding response results.
Its giving, receiving or exchange of information, opinions, or ideas by writing
speech or visual means or any combination of the three so that the material
communicated is completely understood by everyone concerned.

Administrative communication –
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Administrative communication is a process involving the transmission and accurate
replication of ideas ensured by feedback for purpose of eliciting actions which will
accomplish organizational goals.

Analysis
This definition has emphasized the following points;-
 It involves the communication of ideas.
 Ideas should be accurately replicated. The receiver should get exactly the
same ideas as were transmitted.
 Transmitter is assured of accurate replication of ideas by feedback.
 Purpose of communication is to elicit action.

This definition can be expanded to include emotions.

The purpose of communication is not always to elicit action it may also include
communication to seek information or to persuade other person to a certain point of
view.

Main aspect of communication

 Communication must have a source (sender)
 Communication must have content (message)
 Communication must have a media
 Communication must have a destination: i.e. recipient
 Communication must have a feedback.

Importance of communication
Communication can be described as the life blood of the business
No business can develop in the absence of effective external and internal
communication.
Communication is a vital tool of management.
One of the major functions of an office is communication. This involves receiving,
recording, processing of information and communicating the information two
various functions of the organizations.
Importance of communication can be discussed under two points of view.
I. Internal communication
II. External communication.

A) Importance of internal communication

Internal communication refers to exchange of information or message between
persons of same organization, e.g. between employer and employee.

i) Better understanding between employer and employees.

- If complaints of employees are forwarded to employer on time and in
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 the right way it will minimize the chances of misunderstanding.

Ii Greater efficiency.
The sound communication system enables the management to instruct the
supervisions and subordinates on changes of policy - this results to the increase in
efficiency of workers.

iii) Effective co-ordination:

Effective communication leads to effective co-ordination of employees e.g if
demand increase the marketing department will inform the production department to
increase its production.

iv) Proper communication avoids losses:

If there is a machine breakdown or shortage the management can be informed
quickly to take timely action to avoid any possible losses.

B) External communication.
This refers to exchange of information between an organization and other
organizations or persons outside the organization.
The following facts indicate the importance of external communication.

10 Good reputation
Effective communication with customers and either business enables company
establish good reputation this increases prestige of that company.

ii) Improvement in public relations:

When a company communicates with general public to keep them informed of its
activities more people become interested to deal with that company.

iii) Better business prospects –

Due to good communication the company can abstract more customers.

iv) Choice of customers –

A company can get information about the liking and disliking of customers. This
information will help company produce goods according to the choice of customers.

v) Government department –
The business will deal with licensing authorities, foreign trade offices, custom
authorities, banks and other financial institutions. All these institutions require good
communication when negotiating.
vi) Job requirements –
Most jobs require communication skills such as personnel public relations,
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marketing, editing, research, advocates, etc.
Executives are expected to make speeches they are expected to give interviews to
media. All these require communication skill.

1.2. OBJECTIVES OF COMMUNICATION

i) To inform –
One of most important objectives of communication is passing and receiving
information about of particular fact of circumstance.
An organization can inform consumers about its products, availability of credit,
availability of raw materials, or about government rules and regulations.
It can also communicate to inform staff about the latest development in the field of
science and technology.
Within the organization you can inform employees about job assignments, or inform
them of general information on policies and activities of organization.

ii) To advice
Information is factual and objective, advice on the other hand involve personal
opinions. It is subjective and neutral.
When advice is given to person he /she may use it or decide not to use it. An advice
is aimed at influencing the opinion or behaviour of another person.
Advice flows downwards or horizontally, e.g. from a doctor to patient and not vice
versa.

iii) To order
An order is an authoritative communication; it is a directive to somebody
(subordinate) to do something to modify or not to do something.
Orders flow from top to bottom.

iv) To suggested (make suggestion)

A suggestion is different from other forms of communication. In other forms it flows
from superiors to subordinates but, a Suggestion may flow from subordinate to
superior. A suggestion is mild or subtle and it moves in all directions.

v) To persuade
This is communication aimed at influencing the attitudes, feelings or beliefs of
others.

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vi) To Educate
Education is a conscious process of communication. It involves teaching and
learning, its main purpose is to widen knowledge and improve skills.

vii) To warn someone

If employees don’t abide by the rules of the organization they will be warned.

viii) Raise the morale.

Morale-stands for mental health.
It’s a powerful factor representing the sum of many qualities such as courage,
fortitude, resolution and confidence.

ix) TO motivate
Motivation is very close to rising of miracle. It means to energize and activate a
person and challenge his or her behaviour towards the attainment of desired goals.

1.3. ELEMENTS OF COMMUNICATION

i) Motivation
This is the basic urge beneath the communication. It is the wider reason why
communication takes place. e.g. in a company the urge to communication is to
ensure that this year’s profits are higher than last years.

ii The aim
This is the more particular reason why communication has been under taken. The
aim of communication can be: to inform to warn or to initiate a particular action
iii) Information:
is the material from which communication would be constructed. The actual
content to put across to the listener or reader. An information doesn’t need to be
factual it can be an opinion, an idea or combination of ideas and opinions

iv) The sender

This is the person responsible for sending the communication it can be an individual
or a group such as a company, a department, a government ministry etc.

V) The message: after defining the information to be conveyed, the sender puts this
into the best form in a process called encoding. When information has been encoded
it is referred to as a message. A message takes the form of a letter, a memo,
telephone call, or a shrug of shoulders.
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vi) The media
This is a larger group of ways of communication within which particular ways of
communication can be classified. There are three main media.

 Written communication e.g. letters, memo, books, posters

 Oral communication: this is communication using word of mouth e.g

meetings, lectures, telephones or discussions.

 Visual communication: it takes the form of photographs, blackboards etc.

In addition to these three media we also have non-verbal communication that is
combination of gestures, expressions, tone of voice, position, posture, etc.
vii) The channel:
This the physical means by which message is conveyed for written communication
channel may be notice board, postal office.
For oral communication. It may be personal interview, committee meeting, or
public telephone call.
For visual communication the channel may be computer printer, fax system or
printing press.

viii) The receiver:

Is the person or body which receives the message.
It can be an individual or an organization.

ix) The noise:

Noise is used to refer to any factors which prevent proper exchange of information
apart from that from the sender or receiver. Noise can be physical e.g. typewriters or
the telephone bells which interrupt meetings, or it can be some other form of
interference such as bad telephone connections, poor handwriting in letter,
conflicting messages, e.g. in oral communication the visual expression conveys a
difference message from that being given orally.

x) Distortion:
Takes place at the encoding or decoding stage. During encoding the sender may
encode the message in such away that it conveys a different meaning from that he or
she intended to give. During decoding the receiver may interpret the message in a
different way from that intended by the sender. This may lead to distortion of the
message.

xi) Feedback:

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 This is the name given to the message which the sender receives from the receiver
to show the acceptance or disapproval of message, such a smile.

1.4. COMMUNICATION CYCLE

Stage 1: information definition

Sender defines information to be sent by thinking about the aim of the
communication and the content to be conveyed.

Stage 2:
Encoding stage the information is put into a form which is most suitable for the
receiver and the aim of the communication. This involves putting the information
into worlds, ideas into picture, gesture/facial expression.

Stage 3:
The actual transfer of the message or sending stage. This is done using the message,
medium and channel.

Stage 4 –
(Receiving stage) the receiver takes the message by reading a letter,
Listening to a speech, looking at an educational television program
etc.
Stage 5 –
(Decoding stage) the receive interprets the message he has been
given in order to obtain his idea of information it conveys. Its possibly for
distortion to occur at this stage due to poor handwriting, medium used by
sender or even the receivers attitude towards the sender.

Stage 6 –
(Feed back) this is the reaction of receiver to the senders message.
The feedback informs the sender that the message has been received.
Feedback may take the form of nodding, smiling or even listening.

Stage 7 –
It is a complete repetition of the cycle

Please draw the cycle

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 Sender Information Receiver

1.5. QUALITIES OF COMMUNICATION

THE SIX C’s OF COMMUNICATION

1. CLARITY

This is divided into

(a) Clarity of thought
(b) Clarity of expression

(a) Clarity of thought.

- This is important when the idea is being generated in the mind of the
sender
-At this stage, three points should be checked upon
i) what is the objective of the communication?
Example:- to warn, educate, congratulate

ii) What is to be communicated?

Example:- A song, play, poem etc

iii) Which medium is appropriate for the purpose of communication?

Example:- Letters, photographic, interviews. Etc.

(b) Clarity of Expression

The following tips should be considered

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i. Avoid jargon
Jargon is a special language of trade, certain profession or field of study e.g.
medicine, business and only understood and used by people from such fields. It
therefore creates a scenario of difficult understanding to those who are not from that
field.

Example: in law, the phrase “Jurisdiction of the court of appeal”. This could only be
understood by those in the field of law a doctor may not understand such a term.
ii. Avoid ambiguity

An ambiguous message is one that contains words that have more than one
meanings. This may encourage misinterpretation of the words.

Example:- The word dispense could mean both (i) To prepare medicine
(ii) To dismiss someone

iii. Use short sentences

Short sentences are easier to comprehend for they are not complex and do not
demand greater concentration as is the case for long ones.

iv. Use of simple words

Simple words tend to be more effective for they are easily understood and are
interpreted correctly.

Example: Use of the word before instead of, prior to

v. Use of concrete expression

Concrete expressions create visual images that are easy to register and remember.
This can be achieved by avoiding being too general or vague in your expressions.

Example: you can say, ‘that dress is expensive for it costs shs.150, 000/ ‘instead of
plainly saying ‘that dress is expensive’.

2. CONCISENESS

- It is important for your message to be straight to the point by not

loading the message with irrelevant and unnecessary details.

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 - Be as brief as possible but not at the expense of clarity, correctness or
courtesy.
- If a reader feels that he/she is wasting his/her time on your message e.g.
letter, he may opt to disregard it.

How to achieve conciseness

i) Avoid repetition
Example: Me, i am thanking you……………..”
ii. Include only relevant facts and details
iii. Organize your message well i.e. the introduction, the body of the message
and the conclusion.
iv. The message should be coherent, i.e. it should hold together.
v. Avoid wordy expressions, figures of speech and ambiguous words.

3. CONSIDERATION

In your message, you should always show consideration for the reader or listener.
This can be done in the following ways.

(a) Impact integrity to your message

- Ethical principles of sincerity and fair treatment should be observed.

(b) Emphasize positive and pleasant statement

- In case where one has to send a message of regret, use positive and
pleasant words.
Example of negative expression – “We are sorry to inform you that you have not
been admitted to this school”

Positive expression – “Thank you for your application for a course in

Micro- finance; you are however advised that
the commencement date is July next year….

(c) Adopt the “You” attitude

- Avoid ‘I’ and ‘we’ in you message. The “you” attitude is highly recommend
for it shows greater respect and consideration for the recipient.

Example of ‘I’ attitude: “I am happy that you considered my application”

Example of ‘You’ attitude: “Thank you for your quick response to my letter”

4. COURTESY
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This calls for a considerate and friendly attitude towards the other the receiver. The
following points may assist in promoting courtesy:
(a) Answer the letters promptly or respond to the message promptly
(b) Omit negative expressions such as “we regret” instead use friendly
statements such as “we shall see to it that…”
(c) Apologize sincerely for an omission and thank generously for any favour
done.
Example of an apology: – We sincerely apologize for not dispatching your
goods on time”.

5. COMPLETENESS

- Complete presentation of facts and details is necessary in any business

communication

- Incomplete communication leads to ineffectiveness of the action to be

taken, irrelevancy, misinterpretation and misunderstanding of the
message. This is because it leaves a number of questions unanswered.

- Example: When replying to an enquiry from a customer wishing to buy

a car, one must include all relevant facts about the car such as the
model, colour, price mode of payment and other specifications.

- The message should be well organized in such a way that the

reader/listener is not in doubt about the details contained in it.

- Tips for communication completeness

(a) While answering a letter, include all relevant details and answer all
questions if any.
(b) Check on the “5w’s questions to why? What? Where? Who?
When?

6. CORRECTINESS

This simply means:

a) Giving correct facts/statements/arguments etc.
b) Sending the message at the correct time
c) Send the message in the correct style/medium/channel.

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1. 6. BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION

Communication will be effective if it flows speedily and smoothly in an

uninterrupted flow.

Some common barriers are:

1. wrong choice of medium:

Unsuitable media may act as a barrier to effective communication example an
apology will be effective if communicated face to face rather than in writing.

2. Physical barriers
These may due to inadequate staff, faulty procedures, in accuracy in processing
and delivery of communication.
Physical barriers include:
i) Noise
Example passing traffic may disrupt a session; poor handwriting may affect the
understanding of a letter.

ii) time and distance

People in different shifts may not communicate because of time. Distance may affect
face to face communication when a lecturer is addressing a large group of students.

3. Semantic barrier
Semantic refers to the meaning of language. The same word may be interpreted
differently by different people because of mental attitude and understanding.
Semantic barriers include:

i) Interpretation of words.
The receiver of the message may not assign the same meaning to that purported by
the sender. This may be a barrier to communication example;” what is he value of
this ring?” This can be interpreted as the monetary value, the importance or the
implication.

ii) Bypassed instructions

This will happen if the sender and receiver of the message attribute different
meanings to the same word use different words for the same meaning.

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Example a manager said to anew office assistant” go and burn this. The manager
simply wanted another copy of the letter, the office assistant went on to burn the
letter, to the dismay of the manager.

iii).Denotation and connotation

Words have connotative and denotative meaning.
Denotative meaning is the literal meaning of the word such as book, chair etc.
Connotative meanings arouse qualitative judgments and personal reactions.
Words like honesty, noble, competent and sincere.
Some words may have favourable connotation and unfavourable connotation such as
the word cheap it may mean low in price or low in quality.
To avoid problems of bypassed instructions the following points should be kept in
mind.
a) Use words which are familiar to the receiver.
b) Clarify new words or words used in a different context.
c) Choose words that have a positive connotation rather than those with
negative connotation.

4. Different comprehension of reality.

These barriers include;
i) Abstracting
This is the process of focusing attention on some details and omitting others.
This is a barrier because a detail that may appear important to one person
may be taken as being trivial by the reader.

ii) Slanting
It means giving a particular bias or slant to a reality. Slanting is similar to
allness, in allness we only know a part and are ignorant of the rest but we
think that we the whole.

iii) Inferring
Inferences are drawn from observations and assumptions. If we drop a letter
at the post office we assume that will be delivered on time.
Inferences are not facts
Wrong inference is a barrier to communication.

5. Socio-psychological barriers
This may be due to some social or psychological problems.
Such as:

i) Attitudes and opinions

If information agrees with our opinions and attitudes we tend to receive it
favourably if we disagree with it we to tend react unfavourably to it.
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 ii) Emotions
Emotional state of mind plays an important role in the act of communication.
If the sender is perplexed or worried, excited afraid nervous his thinking will
be blurred and he will not be able to organize the message properly. His state
of mind will be reflected in the message.

CHAPTER REVIEW QUESTION

1. Define Communication.
2. With the help of a diagram describe the process of communication.
3. Identify barriers to communication and how to overcome them.
4. Give purpose/objectives of effective communication.
5. How do you achieve clarity of expression?

CHAPTER TWO

ORAL COMMUNICATION

OBJECTIVES
To be able to:
- Give a good speech
- Conduct meetings effectively
- Conduct interviews effectively and succeed in interviews
- Participate in group discussions

2.1 SPEECHES

Speech or spoken word is very powerful, it can stir people to mutinies and
rebellions it can turn a hostile crowd to a friendly gathering.
The key to the success of many politicians, industrialists, managers, and
salesmen lies in their ability to speak.

CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD SPEECH

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1. It is clear.
Your speech should convey to the audience the ideas, emotions,
facts or arguments you want to express.

2. It is like an informal talk

When you speak there should be a perfect rapport between you
and your audience.

3. It is vivid and concrete

Use concrete facts that are easy to comprehend and visualize. Instead of saying
the population of India is growing very fast, a speaker said see how fast our
population grows one Australia is added the population of India every year and
Australia’s area is two and half times that of India.

4. It is brief
An audience can last up to twenty minutes. Your speech should be
tailored to that length. To achieve brevity, include only a few points
and elaborate at length

5. It is interesting
Quotations, anecdotes and humorous touches often make a speech interesting.
Quotations should be from acceptable authorities. They should be familiar but not
worn out. Anecdotes should be new brief and in good taste. Humor should be
topical, original spontaneous and gentle.

6. It is audience oriented

A good speech should be tailored to the wavelength of the audience. Consider the
following points:
i) Is the audience general or specializes one? This will help you
determine the depth of the subject
.
ii) How large is the audience? For a small audience the speech
will be more like a chat in a large gathering you will have to
be rhetorical.
iii) What is the age group of the listeners? Your reference and
illustrations should conform to the tastes of that particular
group.
iv) What is the social religious political and economic views and
prejudice of the listeners? What is the expected audience
response?

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PROFILE OF A GOOD SPEAKER
1. “A good speaker is lively, interested enthusiastic and vital.”

He treats his audience as a group of living people. He is keenly interested in the

subject he is speaking about and takes pain to make the audience equally
interested in it.

2. “A good speaker is earnest”

3. He does not speak just for the sake of speaking – in order to show off, to impress
the audience with his erudition or his authority.

4. “A good speaker has a sense of responsibility to others on the program”

He does not take more time than what is allotted to him.

5. “A good speaker has a sense of responsibility to his subject”

He does not bite more than he can chew. He does not spread it thin.

6. “ A good speaker has a sense of leadership; he stands up tall, he talks eye to eye ,
he speaks responsibly and with authority as a leader should’

7. “ A good speaker keeps his head”

He is not get carried off by his over- enthusiasm or over-confidence.

8. “ A good speaker tries to be balanced and sane”

9. “ A good speaker keeps his sense of humour”

PREPARATION FOR A SPEECH

1. Research your topic thoroughly. Identify the points for discussion and decide
what you have to say about them.

2. Plan your speech in three parts;

i) The beginning should arouse the interest of the
audience.
ii) The middle should be devoted to discussion
Iii) The conclusion should summarize the main
points, and if some action is to be taken it
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 clearly tells the audience what they are required.

3. Time your speech to make sure it is neither too long nor too short.

4. Look for some suitable quotations or anecdotes if possible.

5. Arrange your points in such a way that strong points are kept at the beginning.

6. Tailor your speech to the intellectual level and general taste of the audience.

7. Make sure that your delivery is going to be good, rehearse the speech use a
tape recorder or video recorder to fine tune your tone and mannerism.

2.2. MEETINGS
Meetings are held to discuss particular issues or matters. For the meetings to be
successful the following should be done.

i) Define the purpose of the meeting clearly

ii) Distribute the agenda among all members.

iii) Provide all the facts e.g. you may distribute a copy of previous year results

and some comments to the members.

(iv) Restrict the number of invitees

If you are the chairman of a meeting

To be successful as a chairman observe the following:-
1. Punctuality

2. Clearly define the purpose of the meeting

3. Begin with a positive approach and don’t start on negatives.

4. Your opening remarks should be brief. Short openings suggest the
urgency of problem.

5. Sight out the initial silence. After the opening remarks there’s silence
because of members general reluctance to speak. Some people may be
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 thinking about the probability and others not want to speak. The chairman
should assist members to open up.

6. Remain impartial sometimes conflicts and personality save ups may arise.
The chairman should be able to control the situation. He should not take
sides.
7. Control emotional build ups sometimes during the discussion emotions and
tensions may build up. The chairman should use humour to control
tempers.

8. Draw contributions from all members.

9. Control the meeting

10.Creatively control opposing points of view.

11.Clarify contributions

12.Make frequent summarize of progress of the meeting to all parent.

13.Point out the decisions reached.
14.Point out differences.

15.Point out the course of action.

16.Close the meeting in time.

IF YOU ARE TO ATTEND A MEETING

1. Go to the meeting well prepared.

2. (a) Study the agenda carefully, try to find out the items of your interest
and the items in which you are capable to make contributions.

(b) Carefully read the information circulated in advance.

(c) If you want to use any written or visual aids to make your contributions
effective prepare them in advance.

If you are not an experienced speaker its advisable to write down points.
3. Study other members who are attending the meeting. Their
characteristics, like and dislikes, story and weak points, the way they
speak and how they react to different ideas and note their areas of
specialization.

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 4. Speak at the end most appropriate time if you have good ideas. Ideas that
you have keen to get accepted, present them early enough so that other
members can start thinking along the lines of those ideas.

5. If the discussion is moving along desirable lines, you can wait and
present your ideas towards the end of the meeting. This will happen if
you are giving an air of finality to the discussion and other members may
agree with you and the meeting is closed.

2.3. DISCUSSION

Discussion – it’s a co-operative, critical exchange of opinions, information and ideas

about one general subject. Its guided by a leader for the purpose of seeking
appropriate, acceptable answers to a question.

- Can be conducted before a audience or it can be held in a closed session.

- An ideal one involves a force exchange and evaluation of information by open
minded participants.

PURPOSES OF GROUP DISCUSSION

1. The most important purpose is to solve complex problems. When one or two
people are incapable of solving a problem, they often call experts from a variety of
areas collective wisdom assists in solving complex problems.

2. To publish existing problems

3. To give individuals experience in becoming leaders and discussants by
participating in group deliberations.

4. To collect information from many different people in widely separated

Geographical, occupational or social-economic sections of society.

FACTORS INFLUENCING DISCUSSION

1. Amount of research

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The amount of research done by participants before the discussion may affect both
the quality of discussions and the quality of the results.

2. Underlying motives or secret interests

May also affect discussion quality and results e.g people who are not honest and
open because they stand to lose something (friends, positions, status etc) may sway a
discussion to protect their secret interests.

3. Nonverbal, vocal & verbal messages

Disgusted expressions, stressed words, or technical terms may suggest attitudes and
emotions of the people involved.

4. Sensitivity of the participants to each other and to themselves.

If participants are unaware that others are tense, shy, frustrated or bored they’ll
probably not be able to draw them into the discussion and benefit from their
judgments and opinions.

Other factors may be:

 Time of day i.e. when the discussion is conducted
 Place where the discussion occurs
 Size of the group discussing
 Time limit for completing a task

Types of Discussion Questions

There are 3 general types of questions.

1. Question of fact

To answer this is the discussants try to find which aspects of a particular problem are
true, probable or false. These kind of discussions are called “Fact – finding”
sessions.

2. Questions of value:

These questions evaluate different ideas to see which one is best. Discussants
compare and contrast the worth or value of one thing with another to make
judgments.

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3. Questions of policy

These attempts to discover if something should or should not be done.

 Discussion questions should deal with subjects that are:
 Significant, important and worth discussion

ESTABLISHING A FRAMEWORK FOR AN ORDERLY DISCUSSION.

It should follow a logical, sequential pattern; the following is the modified plan for
discussion.

1. Locate and define the problem

They need to state the problem clearly so that everyone understand and it may
require some terms to be explained from the very beginning, to eliminate confusion
once the discussion gets under way.

2. Establish criteria for a workplace solution

After recognition, what the question involves the group must decide on the:
 Standards of criteria that must be met if a solution is to be accepted by the
entire group.

3. Analyze the problem

It’s a step of exploring the problem, looking for its causes, current status, historical
background, probable future and the reason a solution or answer is necessary.

4. Suggest and evaluate possible solutions

The fourth step is to place as many solutions or answers to the problem before the
group as possible. Discussants need to be sure each solution meets the standards
agreed upon in the second step.

5. Evaluate all solutions and select the best one

In this, they compare and contrast all the alternatives, solutions or answers. The
advantages and disadvantages of each one should be weighed in an attempt to
discover the one that would best solve the problem.

24
6. Suggest ways for testing or conveying out the solution.

This step may not be included if the discussion purpose is only to solve problem.
However it becomes the last step if the group discusses ways and means of carrying
out a solution.

METHODS OF EVALUATION

There are two methods of evaluation, namely:

i. interaction and participation diagrams
ii. discussion critique

Types of Discussion

The type of discussion held depends on such factors as number of participants the
subject to be discussed and the time allowed for the discussion.

1. Panel Discussion – Involves four – eight members.

There are no prepared speeches , instead discussions are expected to follow specific
lines to find an answer to question. No set pattern for participation.

2. Symposium

This requires individual discussants either to deal with one assigned area of a
discussion question or to present their unique viewpoints on the subject.

3. Round table discussion

This doesn’t include audience participation although observers may

be present. It usually begins with a statement of the problem. This is followed by a

series of brief reports or observations by several specialists then discussants
spontaneously interact.

4. Lecture Discussion

It includes periods of formal, structured presentations or lectures by the discussion

leader. Members of discussion group may be given advance assignments to prepare
for the lectures. The leader normally designates specific individuals to respond to
certain questions, information or statements. The discussants are allowed to interrupt
the leader with questions.

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5. Progressive Discussion

It involves several small groups which discuss various, assigned aspects of the same
question at the same time. Before the end of discussion period, each leader reports
the findings and decisions made by his/her group to the entire session.

2.4. INTERVIEWS

DEFINITION
Interview means view between. It means two people meeting for the purpose of
getting to view each other or knowing each other. The interviewer is interested to
know whether or not the candidate can fit in the open position. On the other hand,
the interviewees will asses the organization to decide whether or not to join it.

INTERVIEWING TECHNIQUES
They include;

1. Screening
This refers to the preliminary interview which is done when there are many
applicants for a given post. The aim of screen interview is to eliminate
unqualified applicants and prepare a short list of qualified applicants.

2. Random appearance
This method is used when physical appearance is the essential requirement
for a given post, such as for bouncers, Air hostesses, policemen and others.

3. Tests
Written or oral tests can be used to test the intelligence, proficiency and
general knowledge of the applicants.

4. Under stress interview

In this method the candidate is provoked to test his poise and how he will
acquit himself from difficult situations. The candidate may be asked
embarrassing questions or asked to demonstrate how he can carry out a given
task such as selling items to panelists.

INTERVIEWER’S PREPARATION

You should;
26
 ii) Have a thorough knowledge of the company, its profile, operations and
employment policies.
iii) Know the nature and profile of the job to be filled.
iv) Know the type of personality, character or temperament required for the
job.
v) Send all inter view messages on time to candidates.
vi) Make proper seating arrangements for candidates in the waiting room.
vii) Make the interview room conducive for the interview that is with no
interruptions.
viii) Supply each member of the committee with a copy of the candidate’s bio-
data.
ix) Decide before hand who is going to initiate the interview.

HOW TO CONDUCT AN INTERVIEW

1. Welcome the candidate in a friendly way,
Offer warm smile to the candidate, talk to him in a friendly tone of voice, hold
a small talk with him in an area he is familiar.

2. After the candidate has been made comfortable the you should start talking to
him on the subject you want to know about. You will want to know the
candidate’s qualifications (ability to do the job), aspiration(willingness to do
the job), social effectiveness and emotional balance (relationship with others)
character (trustworthiness), physical vigour and energy, spouse ‘s attitude
towards
the job, financial stability, willingness to travel and willingness to make
permanent move.

3. Make notes a bout the candidate and discuss the notes with other panelists
when the candidate has left.
4. give the candidate time to ask questions
5. If a decision is to be made immediately let the candidate know shortly after
the discussion.
6. Thank the candidate for his time and tell him by when he should expect a
response from you.

3. PREPARING FOR AN INTERVIEW

a – Make sure you know everything there is to know about yourself, such as
academic qualifications, ambitions, hobbies, work experience.

b – Gather as much information about the company as possible e.g. their

27
 operations, services, personnel remunerations.

c – Carry with you all your certificates to the interview room.

d – Prepare a list of questions you predict the interviewers may ask.

e – Prepare appropriate answers for your predicted questions.

f – Prepare questions that you could like to ask during the interview.

g – Dress appropriately; example for men a black or navy blue suit and a plain light
coloured shirt may be winning colours

h – Arrive for the interview on time, arrival time is ten – fifteen minutes before
the time of the interview.

HOW TO CONDUCT YOURSELF DURING THE INTERVIEW

1. Walk carefully into the interview room, do not wear a scowl or a stupid smile
when entering the interview room.
2. Greet the interviewers politely avoid shaking hands unless the interviewers
stretch their hands to you.
3. Do not sit down until you have been asked to do so, adopt a natural and
upright composed posture when seated.
4. Pay attention to what is being said and do not interrupt the interviewer.
5. When responding give relevant answers only and be audible enough for all the
panelists to hear you.
6. Do not boast of your capabilities or qualifications.
7. If there is something you don’t know admit it straight a way.
8. If you are being interviewed by someone who does not possess as many
degrees as yourself do not put on airs. Give the interviewers your co-operation
and respect.
9. Be calm throughout the interview do not loose your temper or argue with the
panelists these may not work your way.
10.Adopt a positive approach throughout the interview; express your enthusiasm
for the job and the company. If you give an impression that you are not
interested you may realize that the interviewer is also not interested in hiring
you.
11.Avoid shifting in your seat, chewing fingers, smoothing your hair, adjusting
the knot of your tie or playing with the pen or paper. All these are signs of
nervousness. Nervousness is your worst enemy in interview.

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 12.When you are asked about your previous employer, be frank but do not
criticize your former employer. Mention only positive aspects of your former
employer.
13.Ask questions where full information has not been provided by the
interviewer.
14.When the interview is over do not forget to thank the interviewer. You can ask
tactfully when the results will be made known to you.

CHAPTER REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. Briefly outline the qualities of a good speaker.
2. Define listening and techniques of a good listener
3. What is the purpose of meetings?
4. Differentiate between interviewer and meeting.

CHAPTER THREE

WRITING SKILLS

OBJECTIVES
To be able to:
- Write good essays
- Write good business letters and memos
- Write good reports
- Make summaries of speeches, and articles.
- Develop reading skills

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3.1. ESSAY WRITING
Essay writing is an attempt to write a given topic. Essay is derived from French
word essays that means to attempt. It means composition. In any topic or subject
composition is made up of paragraphs which are logically arranged and connected
with one another. Each paragraph discusses a particular subject relating to the topic
i.e. leads to succeeding.

How to write good essay

Define the scope of essay e.g. if you are about the problems of industrialization the
scope will be different from if you are to write about evils industrialization.

In the 1st topic i.e. the problems of industrialization you will discuss about the
availability of raw materials, energy, labour and market conditions etc.

In the 2nd topic you can write about effects or industrialization e.g. pollution of
atmosphere, exploitation of labour, concentration of wealth in few hands etc.
2. Jot down the ideas
This means you put down relevant ideas in a sketch form.

3. Prepare the outlines

You arrange the ideas you have generated in a logical sequence and you prepare
your outline e.g. if you are writing about an event you should write using
chorological sequences.
4. Think of an attractive beginning
Introduction should be fresh, original and arresting. It should be strictly relevant to
the subject.

5. Conclusions have to be stated clearly and firmly.

6. Develop different points in different paragraphs.

7. Revise your essay

8. Avoid being irrelevant.

9. Use simple language

11. Develop habit of reading newspapers and periodicals.

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3.2. CORRESPONDENCE

3.2.1. BUSINESS LETTERS

It is used for communication to persons outside the organization

FUNCTIONS OF A BUSINESS LETTER.

i) To provide a convenient and inexpensive means of communication without
personal contact.
ii) To seek or give information
iii) To furnish evidence of transactions entered into
iv) To provide a record for future reference.
v) To provide a written record and reference

CLASSIFICATION OF BUSINESS LETTERS

Business letters can be classified into:

 Letters of inquiry
 Letters answering a request
 Claim and adjustment letters
 Credit letters
 Collection letters
 Sales letters and
 Employment letters

ESSENTIALS OF EFFECTIVE BUSINESS LETTER

1. Promptness

Reply to the letter the day it is received. If time is needed acknowledge the
letter and indicate when a reply will be sent.

2. Knowledge of the subject

This includes knowledge of past correspondence.

3. Accuracy, completeness and clarity:

Verify facts before you write them.

4. Courtesy
We should seek favours politely and express our gratitude for the favours
done to us.
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5. Appropriateness
Vary the tone of your letter according to the occasion and the psychology of
the reader.

6. Tact
You should endeavour to retain the goodwill of someone even though his
request has been turned down.

7. Persuasion
This means winning people to your point of view by making positive
suggestions and explaining that what you say is to
their advantage.

8. Conciseness
Eliminate all irrelevant details from your letter.

9. Adopt the you approach

Avoid the ‘I’ and ‘We’ in your letter.

10.Adopt the positive and pleasant Approach.

Avoid No’s and Sorry’s in your letter they are unpleasant and unwelcome No
for example can be written as ‘
another time’ or ‘try later’ sorry may be presented as’ I will try’.

11. Use familiar language

Avoid jargon, bombastic and colloquial or words when writing a business
letter.

PARTS OF A BUSINESS LETTER

1. THE HEADING
The heading is the letter head of the letter. It contains; the name of the
organization, the logo, the address, the telephone number, fax number, e-mail,
and the physical location of the business.

2. THE DATE
The date comes below the heading. The date should have a format of either ‘30th
October 2007’ or ‘October 30th 2007’ the date should be underlined. For fully
blocked letters the date comes at the left hand side. In case of semi blocked letter
,it will appear at the right hand side of the paper.
32
 3. REFERENCE
It comes below the date for fully blocked letters, or it is written on the same line as
the date for semi blocked letters but starting at the left margin.
The reference is used to identify the department or section where the communication
originates.
Examples are:
-Reference No………
-Ref. No……

4. INSIDE ADDRESS
It contains the name and address of the person or firm to which the letter is
written. You can add ‘For the attention of ’ when you want the letter to be
directed to an identified officer in the organization.

5. THE SALUTATION
This is the greeting part of the letter. For formal letters you can address dear Sir,
for and Dear Madam for ladies. For semi-personal letter you can write Dear Mr.
Otieno or Dear Moraa. For personal letters you can write My dear Juliet.

6. THE BODY OF THE LETTER.

It is divided into
i) Subject or Reference
Subject is used when writing a letter for the first time while reference is used
when replying a letter.

ii) Opening paragraph

The letter should open with the expression of pleasure, gratitude or
Acknowledgement. Remember to use the ‘you approach’ in your opening paragraph.

iii) Main paragraph

This paragraph contains the subject matter of the letter. Make sure all issues are
detailed in this paragraph.

iv) Closing Paragraph

The ending should aim at motivating the reader to take action. You can close with an
offer or a request.

7. COMPLIMENTARY CLOSE
This is also referred to as subscription. It is a polite way of ending a letter.

33
 Letters having salutations ‘Dear Sir, Madam, Sirs, and Mesdames’ should end
with ‘yours faithfully’. Less formal letters can end ‘yours truly’ or ‘yours very
truly’.
Letters having Dear Mr. John should end ‘yours sincerely’.
Letters to superiors can end ‘yours respectfully’

8. SIGNATURE
The writer should sign by putting his/her name down and the position in the
organization.

9. ENCLOSURE
This is used when there are other documents enclosed in the same letter for the
receiver.

10.CARBON COPIES
This is used to show who else has been sent the same letter. For example.
Cc District Officer1
Town clerk
Town engineer

SAMPLE LETTERS

1 FULLY BLOCKED LETTERS

MANDASI BORA BAKARY LTD

P.O Box 2198 Mombasa Tel…

27th October 2007

Our ref…………….
Your ref…………..

THE MANAGER EQUITY BANK MOMBASA

P.O Box 2849
Mombasa

Dear Sir,

SUBJECT: APPLICATION FOR A LOAN

34
I am greatly honoured to write to you requesting for a loan.
Our company is a leading bakery in Mombasa. We are planning to expand our
production capacity from ten thousand loaves a day to one hundred thousand loaves.
This will require a lot of money than the company may afford. Because of this, we
are inviting you to be part of this project by lending us Ten million shillings
repayable in three years.
We are credit worth as you can see from our financial records. You are also
welcome to our plant to assess our capability.
I am thanking you in advance as I look forward to your positive reply,

Yours faithfully

John Juma
The bakery manager

2. SEMI-BLOCKED LETTERS

MANDASI BORA BAKARY LTD

P.O Box 2198 Mombasa
Tel…

Our ref…………… .27th October

2007
Your ref…………..

THE MANAGER EQUITY BANK MOMBASA

P.O Box 2849
Mombasa

Dear Sir,

SUBJECT: APPLICATION FOR A LOAN

I am greatly honoured to write to you requesting for a loan.

Our company is a leading bakery in Mombasa. We are planning to expand our
production capacity from ten thousand loaves a day to one hundred thousand loaves.
This will require a lot of money than the company may afford. Because of this, we
are inviting you to be part of this project by lending us Ten million shillings
repayable in three years.
35
We are credit worth as you can see from our financial records. You are also
welcome to our plant to assess our capability.
I am thanking you in advance as I look forward to your positive reply,

Yours
faithfully

John Juma
The bakery
manager

3.2.2. MEMO
Memo is short form for memorandum
It is used for internal communication

Sections

1. Heading
Memo may or may not have a letter head. This depends on the house
customs.

SAMPLE MEMO
Internal Memo
To: Departmental heads

From: General Manager

Date: 12th June 2007

SUBJECT: FIRST MEETING OF THE YEAR

This is to inform you that our first meeting for 2007- 2008 financial year will
be held on Wednesday 14th June 2007, starting at 9.00 a.m. in the board
room.

The Agendas are:

1. Review of the previous years’ performance

2. Presentation of departmental budgets

36
 3. A.O.B

Please be punctual

With regards

Peter Omangi
The General Manager

3.3. REPORTS
A report is an orderly presentation of facts about specific business activities or
programs. Reports can also be defined as a communication from someone who has
some information to someone who wants to use that information.

Report – It’s a document in which a given problem is examined for the purpose of
conveying information, reporting, finding, putting forward, ideas and sometimes
making recommendations.

Business report
It’s a document which investigates a specific subject according to a prescribed
format and for a clearly defined leadership. A report can be oral or written.
However, a written report is preffered to an oral report for a number of reasons.

1. Oral report can be denied at any time but written report is a permanent report and
it can not be denied.

2. An oral report tends to be vague. It may contain some irrelevant facts and some
important points may be overlooked.

3. A written report tends to be accurate and precise.

4. A written report can be referred to again and again.

Report can be either informative, interpreting.

Informative reports
An Informative report is one that represents facts pertinent to a given situation or
issue.
37
Interpretive reports
They are reports that analyze the facts, draw conclusion and make recommendations
.e.g. An informative report on sale of tables, draws will simply record the number of
tables sold during a given month/months.

An interpretive report on sale of tables, we analyze why and to what extent the sale
of tables go up during summer month i.e. May-July and it will make
recommendation on the schedule of production.

Importance of reports
Report is basic management tool that is used for decision making

Characteristics of reports
It should be precise, clear and answering the questions that is being investigated.
A report should have accurate facts because they are used for decision making
inaccurate facts may lead to disastrous decisions.
A report must be relevant i.e. should contain only relevant facts. Irrelevant facts
should not appear in the report.

A good report should be leader oriented.

Objectivity of recommendation. If you are to write conclusions make sure they are
impartial and they are objective. They should come as logical conclusions to
investigation and analysis.
Reports should be written in simple and ambiguous language.
Report should be clear and brief.

A report should be grammatically correct.

According to stephene a report should be characterized by clear expression and neat
display. It should be nature of agreement well reasoned and arranged, accurate in all
details and leading logically to the conclusions and recommendations set forth.

Skills/Qualities of Report Writing

Ability to record facts clearly and objectively
Ability to interpret facts and attributes them to findings

38
Ability to formulate and present opinions based on the facts but clearly separated
from them.

Types of business reports

1. Based on legal formulations reports are of two kinds

(a) Formal Reports

They are prepared in prescribed form and presented accordingly to an established
procedure to prescribed authority.

(b) Informal Reports

Usually inform of person to person communication and usually submitted in form of
letter or memo.

Formal reports can be divided into two:-

(a) Statutory reports – They are prepared and presented according to the
form and procedure laid down by law. e.g. the directors of a company are
required to submit a statutory report to the share holders in annual
general meeting.

(i) An auditors report

(b) Non statutory reports

Are formal reports which are not required under any law. e.g. management
may require a departmental head to write a report on a certain issue.
2. Based on number of persons writing a report

(a) Report by individuals

(b) Report by committee or sub committee

3 On the basis of nature of reports

(a) Periodic or routine reports

(b) Progress reports
(c) Examination reports

(d) Recommendation reports

39
 (e) Statistical reports

Writing a Report
1. Before beginning you need to know why you are writing the report and
what exactly you are writing about.

2. You need to keep report accurate and relevant

3. While writing the report omit opinions from sections concerning the facts.

4. Organize your points in a logical order.

5. Use your judgment and experience when suggesting actions or making
recommendations.

6. Use language suited to the leader and make sure each session has clear
heading.

Sections of a Report

1. The title
The title should be concise but comprehensive. The situation stated briefly together
with name of company and date of the event. E.g. Report on staffing levels in the
general office, William engineering on Friday 15th December 2006.

2. Background
This contains two kinds of information. Brief descriptions of circumstances under
discussion and outline of the procedure/method of inquiry used by writer. e.g. On
Friday 15th December the general office was staffed only by Mr. Jones and the other
four staff members were absent. As a result the services available were limited. I
have discussed the matter in confidence with each member of staff involved and also
with other departments which were concerned.

3. Findings
This is the part of report. It presents in simple clear, unbiased terms an account of
the events or circumstances which form the subject of the report.

Principles to follow when preparing the findings

1. Organize your material in sections according to subject area and present each one
under a clear descriptive heading which could be clearly numbered.

40
2. Write in clear, single style points under consideration only. Don’t note from or
numbered from below your findings.

3. Include only those statistics that are really essential to support your points.

The findings do not interpret, they only give the observations

4. Conclusions
This means that section of report that interprets the facts and the observations
represented in the findings. It presents direct and clear interpretation of event or
circumstances.

Basic Principles of presenting conclusions

1. Conclusions should be presented under the same series of subject heading as
findings and in the same order with the same system of numbering.
2. It should be written in simple continuous prose.

3. Do not include statistics or graphs or maps which have not been included in the
findings.

5. Recommendations
It’s the final section of a report and it puts forward future course of action
concerning the topic under investigation.

Principles
1. Each recommendation should be as specific as possible given the information
available.
2. Even when we feel the present arrangement for a certain aspect of topic is
satisfactory, you should mention this in the recommendation section. E.g. current
arrangement for replacing lost library tickets is satisfactory and should remain
unchanged.

3. Recommendations should be grouped under the same heading and should appear
in the same order as used in findings or conclusions.

41
4. Recommendations must rest on the information and the findings and the
reasoning in conclusions so that the leader can see that the reports proceed clearly
and logically and nothing has been cancelled.

5. Signature, Name, Position and date.

This should follow each other in that sequence.

3.4. SUMMARY WRITING

Summary is also referred to as precise or abstract. It means a prose passage or
composition from which all unnecessary and unrelated ideas and words have been
removed.

Word precise is a French term that means exact or just. A precise is written in
precise writer own words and about 1/3 of original passage.

Abstract: Its summary constructed by extracting the key sentences or a paragraph

and putting them together coherently.
A precise/summary is in form of paragraphs a summary on the other hand can be in
form of paragraph or inform of notes.

Objectives of Precise/Summary

Objectives of summary is
To put down in short form a message which can be understood by very busy officers
who do not have time to read original passage.

Qualities of good summary

i) Should be concise
I.e. a summary should be as long or short to serve the purpose.

ii) Clarity
– It has to be clear.

iii) Coherent
I.e. it should hold together. You can use the following words to join sentences or
paragraphs consequently. Moreover, however, naturally, next, thus, nevertheless,

42
finally etc. You can also use phrases to join paragraphs or sentences e.g. equally
important, in this way, on contrary, first of all, on the other hand, of course, for
instance etc.

How to make summary

1. Read the passage thoroughly. Try to get general idea of passage
2. Read the passage again until you have grasped the entire meaning

3. Underline/highlight all important ideas.

4. Write down a title which sums up the theme of the passage

5. Rewrite in fewer words what the author has said, use your own

language as far as possible.

6. Re-read the passage, compare you point with passage to ensure no important
points have been overlooked and nothing insignificant has been included.

7. Using your points write down sum and substance of the passage in
well connected and readable paragraphs. This is your rough draft.
8. Count the words in your rough draft. Make alterations if necessary to

give your summary the required length.

9. Review and rephrase you rough draft where desirable.

10. Reconsider the appropriateness of your heading/title.

Title Heading
The heading can be written before the summary is made. The heading should
express in few words the theme of passage.

The topic should be written one line or less. More than one line may appear
confusing. A summary can have many suitable headings but you should choose the
best that gives the central theme or the passage.

Rules of writing summary

i. Determine the theme of passage very carefully.

43
 ii. A summary is not reproduction of important sentences but it’s the act of
remodeling.

iii. Brevity is good but not at the expense of clarity.

iv. Your summary ought to be intelligible even to persons who have not read the
original passage.
v. Use your own language.

vi. Summary is always written in 3rd Person.

vii. Use your own discretion if the passage contains statistical information.

viii. The summary should be well proportioned.

ix. You are not to give any comments appreciative or critical on ideas expressed
in the passage.
x. Reproduce the passage to its 1/3rd.

How to achieve brevity

1. Try to replace clauses by phrases and phrases by words. E.g. “an arrangement
of a permanent nature,” Can be written as “A permanent arrangement”

E.g. “To a considerable degree” you can write “considerably”.

2. Make use of one word substitutions. E.g. “the secretary’s proposal was adopted
with the full agreement of all the members”. You can simply say “the secretary’s
proposal was adopted unanimously”.

3. Avoid unnecessary repetition e.g. it was decided to allow only our own executives
to participate in the seminar and not to invite any external participants. The words
in italics are unnecessary repetitions.
4. It’s important to link various sentences. For example; we are selling a new garden
fertilizer in the market. It’s in form of powder. Its colour is pink. You can dust it on
the plants. You can dissolve it in water and spray. You can say “Our new garden
fertilizer, a fine pink coloured powder can be dusted on the plants or dissolved in
water and sprayed”.

5. When writing a summary; omit examples, comparisons, contrasts and mere

details.

44
3.5. READING
Many readers waste a lot of time for 2 reasons.
(i) They read everything at the same speed, often at a slow pace.
(ii) They do not understand or retain what they have read

A good reader adjusts his/her speed according to the purpose or difficulty of the
subject-matter.

Reading Techniques
Scanning
It’s the process of looking quickly through a text to find a particular piece of
information.

To scan move your eyes quickly down the text looking for key words related to the
topic in question. Scanning is used for reading street or telephone directories to find
particular name.
Its also used when you need to go through a piece of continous writing to find
specific piece of information eg. statistics.
Scanning can be useful for reading annual report, catalogue. Members of staff read
many reports. Scanning is important to allow them grase the main draft of the report.

How to increase scanning speed

Draw a finger down the center or the page while moving your eyes rapidly from side
to side as you follow it down.
Uses of certain techniques – move an envelope or piece of paper down the page
curtaining off the line you have read.

Skimming
Skimming is glancing at speed over the printed words on a page.

In skimming words are not individually note but an impression is gained.

Skimming requires a lot of concentration to get an idea of what the text is all about.

Where skimming is used

I. To preview

II. To identify priorities where to read more slowly.

45
 III. To find a required piece of information

IV. To help memory by immediate grasp of what we have just read.

How to skim

a) Anticipation.
As we read we should aim to understand the whole content by seeing the complete
picture rather than the small separate bits. This means that you think faster than you
read and make predictions or what you expect to read next. E.g. if a problem has
been described, you may well anticipate a solution.

(b) Organization

Go through the structure or patterns of the writing. This skeleton will help you in
grasping the whole text e.g. a book is divided into chapters and subsections.

If we go through the structure we find our way more speedily.

Study Reading
This is required when you need to read in detail, when studying a report or a
textbook study reading is crucial mostly when reading contracts and other legal
documents.

Method
1. When you take a textbook, make sure of all the clues it offers before you
actually begin to read it.
2. Read the ‘blurb’ inspect the context page I read the preface and check the
subject index.

3. While reading, look for the internal skeleton for synopsis and summarize for
topic sentences in paragraphs, for headings and italics which may emphasize
key points by making the book and taking notes.
4. Skim the notes once you have finished reading.

CHAPTER REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. List and explain the key areas of effective communication.

2. Give the functions of a business letter
3. What are the essentials of effective business letter?
46
 4. Identify the various element s of a business letter
5. Mention the various functions of memo
6. How does one achieve brevity in communication?

CHAPTER FOUR

VISUAL COMMUNICATION

OBJECTIVES
To be able to:
- Present information using graphs charts and other forms of visual
Communication.
- Be able to prepare for a presentation using aids like slides and
transparencies
- Appreciate the role of presentation aids in communication
- Interpret and follow presentation represented in form of a graph, chart
or
other forms of presentation.

4.1. CHARTS

I). BAR CHARTS

These are some of the most popular ways of presenting statistics

A bar chart consists of strips of different lengths each representing a numerical
figure. The longer the bar the larger the figure it denotes

How to construct a bar chart

1. Decide on the scale in which the figures are to be
represented example 1 cm for $500.
2. Draw the axis – the lines which the scale is
marked mark out the scale at regular intervals.
3. Decide on the order of the bars. If they show
statistics over a period of time they should be
arranged in chronological order.
47
 4. Label the bars if necessary making sure that all
writing is horizontal so that it can be read easily.
5. Give the chart a clear heading if possible at the
top.
6. Give the source of the data used to reassure the
reader that the figures are accurate.

Example: A bar chart for three regions’ performance in examinations.

90
80
70
60
50 East
40 West
30 North
20
10
0
1st Qtr 2nd Qtr 3rd Qtr 4th Qtr

II). PIE CHARTS

They are used to show the relative size of separate components of a whole. For
example they can be used to show how the income of a country is spent.

EXAMPLE: A PIE CHART SHOWING THE PERFORMANCE OF A

COMPANY DURING THE YEAR.

48
 1st Qtr
2nd Qtr
3rd Qtr
4th Qtr

4. 2. GRAPHS

Graphs are a valuable form of visual communication they are a means of presenting
data on the relationship between two constantly changing elements in the form of
single line , the shape of which reveals the nature of the relationship at a glance.

DEMAND CURVE

160
140
120
100
price

80
60
40
20
0
10 20 30 40 50 60
quantity

HOW TO DRAW A GRAPH

1. Use a graph paper
2. choose the variables for each axis
3. Choose the scales for the two axis which will fit the graph paper
4. Mark off the axis at regular intervals
5. Plot the points of the graph.
6. join the points to draw the line graph
7. make sure each axis is labeled to show what information it gives and the scale
used
8. Give the graph a clear title

49
CHAPTER REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. Differentiate between graphs and charts

2. “A picture is worth a thousand words “discuss.
3. Give the importance of visual aid in communication.
4. Give the difference between a pie chart and a graph

CHAPTER FIVE

NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION

OBJECTIVES
To be able to:
-Use non-verbal means of communication effectively

-Interpret various non verbal communication clues

- Appreciate the importance of non communication clues

while communicating

INTRODUCTION

- All communication is affected by the non-verbal communication that

accompanies it.
- Over the telephone the tone of voice conveys nuances of meaning.
- Face to face expressions, gestures and posture play an important part.

50
 - We use demonstrations and models to supplement words visual aids to
clarify lectures and maps, diagrams, charts and graphs to enhance both
spoken and written communication.
- Non-verbal clues often conveys more than verbal communication.

Nature of non-verbal Communication

Can be divided into:
i) Body language (kinesics)
ii) Vocal tone
iii) Space (Proxemics)
iv) The senses and time

1. Body Language

i) Posture:-
This is the way we stand or sit in relation to others or objects, and the position of the
head and hands. Example a dejected person tends to slump shoulders bowed and
held low, while arms crossed and held tightly in front indicates defensive mood.

ii) Gestures
Using our limbs especially hands and shoulders to convey messages. For example
you can call some one by beckoning him using your hands.

iii) Facial expressions

Using the cues of the face to send signals such as an up turned lip and a
twinkle at the corners of the eyes may show friendship. While pouting lips
may indicate boredom

iv) Position
Where we stand or sit in relation to objects and the persons we are communicating
with. Example a lady behind the desk especially if wearing office dress may indicate
that she in charge of the office and the gentleman infront of the desk may be taken to
be the client.

Much of body language is involuntary or unconscious When we look puzzled, twist

a pen nervously in our fingers, sprawl in a chair or run upstairs we convey all sorts
of obvious and sable messages.

- Some people are more skilled than others in hiding these involuntary
signs.
51
 - We need to make efforts to avoid giving an unfavourable picture of
ourselves to others and to avoid letting them feel that we are reacting
unfavorably to them.

2. Vocal tone
Vocal tones, stress and emphasis bring out the difference between spoken and
written words for example an explosively interrogative – what? Accompanied by a
look of intense disbelief may be written as:- What are you saying? Can you really
mean that? I have the utmost difficulty in believing you – in fact I don’t believe you.

Our intonation can change a reprimand into a joke or an inoffensive phrase intoa
deadly insult.

3. Space
Each person has an individual spatial relationship with another.
The less necessity there is to keep them at a distance. In warm countries people tend
to move nearer to slight acquaintances to which they are talking to show friendship.
In cooler and more reserved countries, the space is retained as a defensive barrier
until friendship is firmly established.

Space is also used to create other impressions such as status. The bigger the office,
the bigger the desk or the company car the more important the position of the
executive is seen to be.

4. The senses
Sight, hearing, touch and smell & taste each play apart in non-verbal
communication.

5. Sight
Enables us to receive non-verbal communication and to observe & react to the
appearance and cloths and objects surrounding them.

Habits and idiosyncrasies for insurance whether their desks are tidy or jumbled.

6. Sound
A sigh, a laugh the constant clicking in & out of the top of a ballpoint pen atimid
knock on the door. All give us indications about people and add to the
communication process.

52
CHAPTER REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. Define non-verbal communication

2. Briefly give different categories of non-verbal communication
3. Explain the type of communicating using space

CHAPTER SIX

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

OBJECTIVES
53
To be able to:
-Gather information from the library
- Formulate good questions for interviews
- Collect information from the field using interviews, questionnaires
and observation.
- Interpret information collected using the methods of collecting
information.

LIBRARY
How to search materials in a library.

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CLASSIFICATION.

The library of congress classification system was first developed in the late
nineteenth and early twentieth centuries to organize and arrange the book collections
of the library of congress. The system was adopted for use by other libraries
especially large academic libraries in the United States. It is still one of the most
widely used library classification systems in the world.

The system divides all knowledge into twenty – one basic classes, each identified by
a single letter of the alphabet. Most of those alphabetical classes are further divided
into more specific subclasses, identified by two-letter or three – letter combinations.
For example, class N (AH) has subclasses NA, architecture; NB, sculpture; ND,
painting; among other several subclasses.

Each subclass includes a loosely hierarchical arrangement of the topics related to the
subclass, going from general to more specificity. Individual topics are often broken
down to specific places, time periods or bibliographic forms. Each topic, also
referred to as a caption, is assigned a single number or a span of numbers. Whole
numbers used in this classification may range from one to four digits in length and
can be further extended by the use of decimal numbers.

Some subtopics appear in alphabetical rather than hierarchical, lists and are
represented by decimal numbers that combine a letter with a numeral such as c 85 or
J901. Relationships among topics in the library of congress classification are now
shown by the numbers assigned to them but by indenting subtopics under the larger
topics that they are a part of. This makes it different from other more strict
hierarchical classification systems such as the Dewey decimal classification where
hierarchical relationships among topics are shown by numbers that can be
continuously subdivided.
54
The following are the basic classes of the library of congress classification
system.
A – General works
B – Philosophy – psychology religion
C – Auxiliary sciences of history
D – World history and history of Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, New
Zealand, etc.
E – History of the Americas
F – History of Americas
G – Geography. Anthropology. Recreation
H – Social sciences
J – Political Science
K – Law
L – Education
M – Music and books on music
N – Fine arts
P – Language and literature
Q – Science
R – Medicine
S – Agriculture
T – Technology
U – Military Science
V – Naval Science
Z – Bibliography. Library science. Information resources (General)

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/library of congress classification

CHAPTER REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. Identify the various sources of information

2. Briefly outline the procedure of searching for materials in library
3. Define the library of congress classification system.

55
 CHAPTER SEVEN

TECHNIQUES IN COMMUNICATION
OBJECTIVES
To be able to:
- argue appropriately in a communication process
- be a good listener
- use persuasion to achieve given results
- use lobbying as a technique of communication
- demonstrate effectively

PERSUADING SPEECH

Purpose of speech to persuade is to change.

Create or reinforce attitudes or behavior.
Persuasion is the process of changing listener’s beliefs or moving a listener to action.

Persuasion is a form of influence; it’s the process or guiding people towards the
adoption of an idea attitude or action by rational and symbolic means.
It’s a strategy of problem solving relying on appeals rather than force.

Techniques of persuasion
Thinking
To be our effective persuasive speaker, you need to develop a number of different
types of thinking skills related to making judgment and decision. Thinking skills.

(a) Perceiving – Ability to listen and observe to compare and contrast your
observation so as to organize and interpret them to understand how you
own point of view influences your perceptions.
(b) Arranging – Your ability to group your perceptions classify them discover
pattern in them and place them in order of importance.
(c) Enquiring – Your ability to ask questions about and analyze meaning of
your perceptions.
(d) Interring your ability to recognize, underlying assumptions to make
generalizations to understand cause effect relationship and make
predictions.
(e) Reasoning – your ability to make decisions and arrive at judgement.

Using appeals to logic

56
Start by clarifying the specific purpose of the speech. This is position of your
speech.

Support your speech with logical argument.

The arguments should rely an objective information instead of personal preference
or opinions.
Each logical argument must be supported by evidence, factual examples, statistics,
exports, testimony or other specific details about the argument logical arguments are
made using.

(i) Inductive reasoning

We begin particular facts and proceeds to larger general conclusions based on these
facts. E.g. if we taste a number of hard greed apples and find that they are sour, we
are likely to conclude that apples are green and are also sour.

(ii) Deductive reasoning

We begin with general statement know to be accepted as true and proceed to
particular facts that logically follow form these general statements e.g. All citizens
have the right to vote women are citizens, they have the right to vote. Make general
statement is true, then make sure the 2nd part fits into the generalization made by 1st
statement.

Preparing a persuasive speech based on logical appeals.

i) Select a topic narrow enough to be covered within allotted time.
ii) Find out what positions people hold in this topic.
iii) Research the arguments supporting and opposing each position.
iv) Decide on your position and write it as a thesis statement.
v) Analyze your audience, its background interests and prejudices.
vi) Complete your research using a variety of reliable resources.
vii) Decide which arguments and what kinds of supporting evidence will be most
effective with your audience.
viii) Outline the main arguments of your speech and evidence you will use to
support each argument.
ix) Outline the arguments and evidence you will use to counter position others
may take.
x) Decide what visual aid will make your speech more effective.
xi) Prepare introduction and conclusion of your speech.
xii) Prepare notes for your speech and practice it alone.
xiii) Practice your speech before at least one other person, ask the person for
his response.
xiv) Revise your speech in accordance with the person’s response.

3. Using Appeals to Emotion

57
Use your body language to emphasize appeals to listeners emotions.
Emotional appeals are based on.

(i) Physical needs

Involve the life and health of individual’s body e.g. need for food and need for
physical pain.

(ii) Psychological needs

Involves an individual’s inner life e.g. need for love and need for self respect.

(iii) Social needs

Involves an individual relationship with a group e.g. need for freedom, need for
status and power and need for acceptance by others.
You need to consider your specific purposes and you want to be certain that each
appeal you choose will lead your listeners to accept the position stated by your
thesis rather than formulate arguments against it.
You need to know your audience most important needs, their interests and fears.
If you misjudge your audience, your appeals to their emotions will not be
persuasive then use a contest and statement that appeal to specific emotions and
that will sway your listeners in favor of your position.
Use vivid language and a more intense tone of voice and gestures.
Avoid unfair and dishonest persuasive techniques such as telling lies or half
truths, calling names, using absentees and making irrelevant personal attacks. All
these will be

4. Using identification
When you give a persuasive speech you should encourage your listeners to regard it
as a person who can be trusted and believed.
You will want them to belief that you are a person like them, at other times you will
want them to know that you are an expert in the topic whose knowledge will benefit
them.
Ethical appeal (ethics is an appeal to an audience to identify with and trust the
speaker)

Guidelines to identification with the audience

i) Establish your own credibility
At the opening part of your speech is on need to make it clear that you have been
well informed about the topic e.g. what you have done to establish your expertise
or you simply let your words talk on your behalf.

(ii) Evoke the good will of your listeners

58
 Persuade them that you share common interests with them and that you are
sincerely committed to those interests. You can also evoke goodwill by
complimenting the audience on its positive varieties and by identifying with a
person the audience admires.

(iii) Speak with genuine self confidence and enthusiasm

Your voice, posture, gestures and other non verbal areas communicate your
enthusiasm as much as your words do.

5. Using identification with appeals to logic and appeals to emotion.

To use the 3 combined you need to keep the following points in mind.

Be sure each logical argument directly supports your thesis and will be
understandably by convincing to your audience.

(ii) Use appeals to emotion in presenting main points based on basic human,
physical, psychological or social needs.
Be sure each appeal to emotion directly supports your position and will be
understandable by and convincing to your audience.

Use specific techniques that will encourage your audience to identify with you.
Consider how you can appear best credible and self confident and how you can
best evoke your listener’s goodwill.
If you establish their identification with you at an early stage, your listeners will
be particularly willing to be persuaded by the speech.

LISTENING

Listening is a very important aid to communication. Listening is not the same as

hearing.
Hearing is an automatic reaction of the senses and nervous system. Listening is hard
and requires effort. You have to choose to listen or not to.

Kinds of Listeners

i) Passive Listeners
Do not pay attention to what is being said they pay more attention to the persons
speaking.

59
ii) Active Listeners
Guide the speaker towards a common interest. Listening is the most important skill
in management.

IMPORTANCE
Advantages of Listening
ii) Listening helps you keep things in perspective.
iii) Listening is critical for success in family life and among friends
iv) Good listening will help you do well in school
v) It will help you to know the relationships at work.
vi) Listening helps to know the organization, especially to grapevine will help
you to know what the members of staff think of the Co. policies and
activities.
vii) Listening helps to make better policies. You listen to subordinates
carefully. You will know which policies are suitable for your organization.
viii) Listening mollifies complaining patients and sympathetically, their anger
will subside and they will leave mollified.
ix) Listening helps to spot sensitive areas before they become explosive.
x) Listening is important for the open-door policy. If managers listen then the
open-door policy will make meaning.

WAYS TO EFFECTIVE LISTENING

i) Know when to listen. Intensity of listening should vary through out the
session.
ii) Concentrate on what a person is saying rather than on how he looks.
iii) Repeat the key ideas to yourself particularly while listening to along
lecture.
iv) Try to relate the speaker’s remarks to your personal background and
experience.
v) Do not let your mind wander away from what the speaker is saying. Do not
think of the pleasant or unpleasant experiences of your own.
vi) Listen with a positive attitude. Many listeners fail to listen because they are
mentally unprepared to listen.

Listening ‘Spare time’ How to use it to your advantage.

Stray thoughts may take you away from the speaker briefs, so you keep jumping out
and jumping back, these excursions away from the speaker are dangerous.

During such times try to do the following:

a) Explore
Try to anticipate what the speaker will say next – you are likely to understand
the next point more.
60
b) Analyze
Analyze the speaker’s message as he makes arguments and defends assertions;
c) Review
When a speaker pauses try to review what he/she has just said. This will help
you remember & understand.
d) Search for hidden meanings.
Listen between the lines for hidden meaning as the speaker progresses.
E – Explore
A – Analyze
R – Review
S – Search for hidden meanings

Bad Listening habits

i) Turning out dull topics
Some listeners decide early on that a topic is not interesting, these decision
leads to lack of attention and concentration.
ii) Faking Attention
We pretend to pay attention to listeners who fake attention look like they will
wake up with a jerk of the head and a dazed look good listeners lean forward
with interest and good eye contact and react in a natural way with smiles nods
& questioning looks.
iii) Yielding to distractions
Peripheral noises or movements often affect our concentration a sneeze or a
fall of a book may cause distraction. Avoid yielding to such distractions.

iv) Criticizing delivery or physical appearance

A listener may abandon their good listening habits by being overly critical of
the speaker’s physical appearance or delivery.

v) Jumping to conclusions
Try to be patient even if you think you know what the other person is going to
say. Many listeners are quick to judge before they have carefully heard what
the speaker meant.

vi) Overreacting to emotional words

If a speaker says a great point, you might experience a strong emotional
reaction. This may block your ability to listen.
vii) Interrupting
Many people more of what they are going to say than what is being said.

Contributions listeners make:

- Process of listening involves paying attention organizing what you hear
and remembering for both the short term and the long term.
61
 - Listeners may add a vital element to communication feedback by
listening responsively; you tell the speaker how to behave such as; to
continue talking, back-up, to slow down, repeat, explain or stop.
- It is the responsibility of the listener to show the speaker what you
think.

How to contribute to listening

i) Providing encouragement.
Silence may be soothing at times among close friends but to most speakers it
means boredom. You can add ‘uh – huh’ or oh? Or I see”

ii) Asking for Explanations.

When you ask questions you help the speaker make his message more
understandable. You may ask ‘would you please clarify that?” “would you say
that again?” – “I don’t understand what you mean?”
iii) Paraphrasing the message:
You repeating in your own words e.g. what I hear you saying is -------
In other words your view is -------etc.

iv) Summarizing the message

You condense the important points into a brief comment e.g. “What you have
said so far is ………..”
Your key ideas as I understand it, are………….”

v) Putting it down on paper.

Taking notes automatically improves our attentiveness. It helps you focus on
the highlights of what is being said.

FIVE WAYS TO LISTEN:

a) Appreciate Listening:
We listen appreciatively when we enjoy music
A bird’s song or the murmur of a brook (river)
b) Discriminative listening
when we want to single out one particular sound from a noisy environment e.g.
when listening for a friend’s voice in a crowded room.

iii) Comprehensive listening

When we want to understand. When we listen to directions or instructions we
use comprehensive listening.

iv) Therapeutic Listening

62
 The style practiced by counselors psychiatrists and good friends, encourages
people to talk freely without fear embarrassment. Friends act as our sounding
boards. When we just want someone to listen.

The therapeutic listener in conversation with a troubled friend accepts what is

said and tries hard to understand and above all makes no judgments.

v) Critical Listening
These are the most active of all listeners.
Try hard to decide whether what someone else says makes sense.
Critical listeners evaluate what they hear and decide if another person’s
message us logical, worthwhile, or has valve.

CHAPTER REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. Identify the main technique in communication

2. In two paragraphs prepare a persuasive speech

Mt Kenya University
Nairobi Centre

UNIVERSITY EXAMINATION
SCHOOL OF APPLIED SOCIAL SCIENCES
63
 DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS

BACHELOR OF BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

UNIT CODE: DUCU001 UNIT TITLE: COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Date: …………………… TIME: 3
HOURS

Instructions
Answer ALL questions in Section A and any 2 in Section B

SECTION A
1. (a) You are in-charge of a Book – shop called Brilliant Books as an Assistant
to the Manager Mrs. Maria Oketch. The Bookshop has rules about the staff.
The contract says that all staff should wear black or dark blue trousers or
skirts with a white shirt or blouse. Mrs. Oketch says to you, “I would like you
to send a memo, to the staff supervisor, Mrs. Scola Kilonzi. I have noticed
that some office staff have not been following the rules recently. Please
remind her that the staff should follow the rules. I have seen some of the
officers with long hair that is not pinned up, staff wearing trainers and not the
correct shoes. I want you to mention in particular that a small amount of
jewellery can be won, such as a ring but nothing too much. You’d better use
my name in the memo”.

Question
Write a memo to, the staff supervisor, about the Company’s clothing rules and
ask her to make sure that her staffs follow the rules.
(10 Marks)

(b) You are due to attend an interview for a job that you really care
about. Explain the non-verbal communication signals that you will use
to persuade your interviewers that you are the most suitable candidate
for the job. (5 Marks)

64
 (c) Identify FIVE reasons that would hinder a prospective employer
from hiring an interviewee inspite of having all the required
Educational Qualifications. (5 Marks)

(d) Critically examine the communication process with reference to the

Linear Model.
(10 Marks)

SECTION B
Question 2

a. Explain in detail the reasons, why managers in Business would prefer to use face
– to face communication when dealing with the staff.
(10 Marks)

b. Besides writing, reading and speaking the listening skill is now widely
recognized as an essential Management tool. Explain why listening is important
in good Business Communication.
(10 Marks)
Question 3

a. Identify FIVE business situations in which good listening skills would be

particularly significant (quote relevant examples).
(10 Marks)

b. To be able to effectively use a library one needs to know the functions of each
section. Name and Explain the FIVE sections of a modern library.
(10 Marks)

Question 4

65
(a) A week before the beginning of end of semester examinations, Dennis went to his
girl-friends hostel room and found it locked with a warning on the door. “Brains
at work”. Assuming she was revising, explain the steps for effective revision for
an examination. (10 Marks)

(b) You have been asked to participate in the Induction training of a group of new
sales staff. These new recruits have not had previous work experience, but will
be vigorously trained in selling techniques. Your contribution to the induction is
to deliver a presentation on presentation skills. (10 Marks)

Question 5

(a) Produce a set of guidelines on the topic of “Effective Presentation” which could
be given to the people attending your talk. Present the guidelines in such a way
that it will be clear to your Assistant how you require the logout of guidelines to
appear in a desktop published format (10 marks)

(b) “Fear of Public speaking is believed to be the most common phobia in the
world”. As a presenter of the above mentioned talk. Explain the methods you
will apply to overcome this fear (10 Marks)

Mt Kenya University
Nairobi Centre

UNIVERSITY EXAMINATION
SCHOOL OF APPLIED SOCIAL SCIENCES
DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS

66
 BACHELOR OF BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

MAIN EXAMINATION

UNIT CODE: DUCU001 UNIT TITLE: COMMUNICATION

SKILLS
Date: …………………… TIME: 3
HOURS

Instructions
Answer ALL questions in Section A and any 2 in Section B

SECTION A

1. a. You are the Assistant Operations Manager of JOKAM Telecommunications

Services. For the past two years, the Company’s’ profits have been going down.
The management has asked you to investigate this situation and write a report.
Assuming that you have completed your investigations, write the report in a
schematic format (20 marks)

b. As the Manager of KAZI NYINGI Company Limited, you have realized that a
lot of communication amongst the employees occurs through the grapevine.
Explain the steps you will take to limit this type of communication.
(10 marks)

SECTION B

2. Assume that you are a second (2nd) year student at Mt. Kenya University and are
in the process of writing your end of semester project paper. Critically describe
the five methods you would use to collect data for this report
(20 marks)

3. a) You have been an employee of Annex Company Limited. Stantech

Manufacturing Company has offered you a better job. Write an appropriate

67
 letter to your current boss informing him about this
(10 marks)
b) We can communicate an idea around the world in seventy seconds, but it
sometimes takes years for an idea to get through a human brain. This
statement refers to poor listening skills.

i. Briefly explain how a receiver can make the work of a presenter

effective
(5 marks)
ii. What are the possible barriers to listening (5
marks)

4. A) To be able to effectively use a library, one needs to know the functions of

each section. Name and briefly explain five sections of a modern library.
(10 marks)
b) In the course of looking for information for an assignment, you consult the
sources given below, which are not presented in a convectional bibliography.
How would you reflect the sources in your bibliography?

i. A book published by Pilgrims Publications of Canterbury in

1988. It’s title is designer writing by A. E. Brookes
ii. An article in the Daily Nation that appeared on Saturday
November 20th 2009 in pages 2 and 3.
iii. A book entitled note-taking for Advanced Learners published in
London in 1983 by Adkins A and others.
iv. Two books authored by Newton J. one of the books is published
by Oxford Printing London Press in 1977 and is entitled English
Phonology. The second book is entitled Fish Farming, published
in 1960 by Macmillan Publishers Limited
(10 marks)

5. a) Distinguish between a formal meeting and an informal meeting (10

marks)
b. Identify and explain in detail five basic documents that are prepared for formal
meetings
(10 marks)

68
69