Business and Professional Communication: Plans, Processes, and Performance

by Disanza, James R.; Legge, Nancy J.

• ISBN13: 9780205295852
• ISBN10: 0205295851
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1999-11-01
• Publisher: Pearson College Div

Summary

Centered around the notion that all business communication aims to influence the interpretation or understanding of issues and events, this exciting text provides practical tips and applications while discussing relevant theory. The text places a strong emphasis on presentations in business settings, better preparing students for the realities of daily career life. Early chapters on interpersonal communication, small group and team communication, and the employment interview round out the text's complete approach and provide clear guidance for all communication practices in businesses and organizations.

Table of Contents

Preface	ix
The Role of Communication in Business and the Professions	1	(20)
What Is Communication?	4	(6)
Meaning	4	(3)
The Flow of Messages	7	(3)
Goal of Communication	10	(2)
Shared Meaning Is the Objective of Most Business and Professional Communication	10	(1)
Ambiguity Is the Objective of Some Business and Professional Communication	11	(1)
Precepts of Effective Communication	12	(2)
The Most Powerful Communication Is Multichannel and Multidirectional	12	(1)
Effective Communication Involves More Listening Than Talking	13	(1)
Effective Communication Is Audience Centered	13	(1)
Communication Competence	14	(2)
Summary	16	(5)
Dyadic and Group Communication
The Employment Interview	21	(34)
The Pre-Interview Stage	22	(17)
Research	22	(4)
The Resume	26	(10)
The Cover Letter	36	(3)
The Interview Stage	39	(9)
Presenting Yourself in an Employment Interview: Nonverbal Dimensions	42	(1)
Presenting Yourself in an Employment Interview: Verbal Dimensions	43	(5)
The Post-Interview Stage	48	(3)
Getting the Job Offer	48	(2)
Salary Negotiation	50	(1)
Dealing With Rejection	51	(1)
Summary	51	(4)
Listening and Feedback in Organizational Relationships	55	(19)
Recall Listening	57	(3)
Motivate Yourself to Listen	57	(1)
Focus on Content Rather Than Delivery	58	(1)
Defer Judgment	58	(1)
Take Advantage of Thought Speed	59	(1)
Listen for Meaning	59	(1)
Take Notes	59	(1)
Empathic Listening	60	(8)
Develop an Attitude of Acceptance	61	(2)
Provide Feedback	63	(5)
Summary	68	(6)
Interpersonal Politics: Power and Sexual Harassment in Organizations	74	(23)
Interpersonal Power and Politics	75	(10)
The Nature of Organizational Power	75	(2)
The Nature of Organizational Politics	77	(5)
Creating a Power Base for Political Action: A Focus on Interpersonal Networks	82	(3)
Building Interpersonal Networks: The Experience of Women and Minorities	85	(3)
Barriers to the Informal Network	85	(1)
Overcoming Informal Network Barriers	86	(2)
Sexual Harassment: A Gross Imbalance of Power	88	(5)
Formal Strategies for Managing Sexual Harassment	90	(1)
Informal Strategies for Managing Sexual Harassment	90	(3)
Summary	93	(4)
Communicating in Organizational Groups and Teams	97	(29)
Team Membership Roles	98	(9)
The Leadership Role	98	(6)
Membership Roles in Groups and Teams	104	(3)
Decision Making in Group and Team Meetings	107	(10)
Preparing and Conducting Meetings	107	(3)
Decision-Making Agendas	110	(2)
Discussion Techniques	112	(5)
Conflict in Groups and Teams	117	(5)
Too Little Conflict	117	(1)
Too Much Conflict	118	(4)
Summary	122	(4)
Creating a Professional Presentation
Considering Audience Feedback	126	(20)
Analyze the Situation	128	(3)
Occasion	128	(1)
Size	129	(1)
Organizational Culture	130	(1)
Physical Environment	130	(1)
Time	130	(1)
Analyze Listener Characteristics	131	(10)
Demographics	131	(1)
Captivity	132	(1)
Predisposition toward the Speaker	133	(1)
Predisposition toward the Topic	133	(8)
Techniques for Analyzing the Audience	141	(2)
Summary	143	(3)
Preparing and Delivering Presentations	146	(38)
Decide on the General Purpose	147	(1)
Select a Topic	147	(1)
Develop the Specific Purpose Statement	148	(2)
Develop the Main Idea Statement	150	(1)
Gather Supporting Material	151	(2)
Examples	151	(1)
Statistics	152	(1)
Testimony	152	(1)
Research the Topic	153	(6)
Using the Library	153	(1)
Using the Internet	154	(4)
Conducting Interviews	158	(1)
Apply the Information Learned from the Audience Analysis	159	(3)
Structure the Main Ideas in the Body of the Speech	162	(4)
Chronological Structure	163	(1)
Spatial Structure	164	(1)
Cause-Effect and Effect-Cause Structures	164	(1)
Problem-Solution Structure	165	(1)
Topical Structure	165	(1)
Outline the Speech	166	(7)
The Preparation Outline	166	(6)
The Delivery Outline	172	(1)
Develop the Introduction and Conclusion	173	(6)
The Introduction	173	(5)
The Conclusion	178	(1)
Rehearsal and Delivery Considerations	179	(1)
Summary	180	(4)
Creating and Using Visual Aids	184	(20)
Types of Visual Aids	185	(9)
Objects	185	(1)
Models	186	(1)
Chalk Board/Marker Board/Flip Chart	186	(1)
Handouts	187	(1)
Photographs and Slides	187	(1)
Charts and Graphs	187	(6)
Videotape	193	(1)
Text Visuals	193	(1)
Presenting Visual Aids to the Audience	194	(2)
Computer-Generated Graphics	196	(3)
Integrating Computer-Generated Graphics in the Presentation	196	(2)
Formatting Computer-Generated Slides	198	(1)
Summary	199	(5)
Types of Business and Professional Presentations
Technical Presentations	204	(22)
Understanding the Audience for Technical Information	207	(1)
General Guidelines for Communicating Technical Information	208	(3)
Make Appropriate Work Choices	209	(1)
Make Frequent Use of Examples and Analogies	209	(1)
Translate Measurement Scales into Useful Analogies	210	(1)
Create Relevant Visual Aids	211	(1)
Overcoming Obstacles to Shared Meaning	211	(6)
Difficult Concepts	212	(3)
Difficult Structures or Processes	215	(2)
Structuring the Technical Presentation	217	(5)
Summary	222	(4)
Proposal Presentations	226	(32)
Audience Analysis for Persuasive Proposals	227	(1)
Proposal Structures	228	(7)
The Problem-Solution Structure	228	(1)
Monroe's Motivated Sequence	229	(3)
The N-A-R Structure	232	(1)
The Balance Structure	233	(2)
Developing Persuasive Arguments	235	(11)
Deductive Arguments	236	(6)
Inductive Arguments	242	(3)
Refutation Tactics	245	(1)
Outlining Your Points to Show Logical Relationships	246	(1)
Developing Effective Credibility Appeals	247	(1)
Developing Effective Emotional Appeals	248	(6)
Summary	254	(4)
Sales Presentations	258	(14)
Audience Analysis for Sales Presentations	259	(3)
Asking Questions	260	(1)
Listening for Metaphors	261	(1)
Visual Aids for Sales Presentations	262	(2)
Content Considerations for Sales Presentations	264	(2)
Delivering the Sales Presentation	266	(1)
Structuring the Sales Presentation	267	(2)
Summary	269	(3)
Risk Communication	272	(25)
The Significance of Risk Communication in Business and Government	273	(2)
The Scientific Process of Risk Analysis	275	(2)
The Goals of Risk Analysis	275	(1)
Risk Analysis as an Inexact Science	276	(1)
Audience Perceptions of Risk	277	(3)
Credibility and the Process of Risk Communication	280	(5)
Individual Credibility	281	(2)
Process Credibility	283	(1)
Institutional Credibility	284	(1)
Creating Risk Messages	285	(7)
Informative Risk Communication	286	(4)
Persuasive Risk Communication	290	(2)
Summary	292	(5)
Crisis Communication	297	(32)
The Significance of Crisis Communication in Businesses and the Professions	299	(6)
The Components of Crisis Communication	305	(1)
Forming a Crisis Management Team and Precrisis Planning	305	(3)
Communication Responses to Organizational Crisis	308	(12)
Denial	309	(4)
Evading of Responsibility	313	(1)
Reducing Offensiveness	314	(2)
Corrective Action	316	(2)
Mortification	318	(2)
Effectively Employing Crisis Communication Strategies	320	(5)
Use Multiple Strategies in Concert with One Another	320	(1)
Support All Strategies with Strong Reasoning and Evidence	320	(1)
Exercise Visible Leadership from the Highest Executives	321	(1)
Identify the Target Audience and Select Strategies Accordingly	321	(3)
Recognize the Limits of Persuasive Communication	324	(1)
Structuring Organizational Crisis Communication	325	(4)
Summary	329	(5)
Index	334