国际商务交际作业答案.docx

Assignment one Chapter 1 Effective and Ethical Communication at work1. What does the expression communication skills include?Communication skills mean reading, listening, nonverbal, speaking, and writing skills; communication skills are critical to effective job placement, career advancement, and organizational success.2. Fewer layers of management mean greater communication challenges for frontline workers. Why?The flattening means fewer layers of managers separate decision makers from frontline workers. In traditional companies, information flows through many levels of managers. In flat organizations, however, where the lives of communication are shorter, decision makers can react more quickly to market changes. Restructured companies organize work with horizontal teams that allow various areas to interact more efficiently. Todays flatter organizations, however, also pose greater communication challenges. In the past, authoritarian and hierarchical management structures did not require that every employee be a skilled communicator. Managers simply posed along messages to the next level. Today, however, frontline employees as well as managers participate in decision making. Nearly everyone is a writer and a communicator. Business people prepare their own message; secretaries no longer clean up their bosses writing.3. Why is oral communication considered more effective than written communication?Oral communication has many advantages. For one thing, it minimizes misunderstandings because communicators can immediately ask questions to clarify uncertainties. For another, it enables communicators to see each others facial expressions and hear voice inflections, further improving the process. Oral communication is also an efficient way to develop consensus when many people must be consulted. Finally most of us enjoy face-to-face interpersonal communication because it is easy, feels warm and natural, and promotes friendship.4. When you are faced with a difficult ethical decision, what questions should you ask self? Is the action you are considering legal?How would you see the problem if you were on the opposite side?What are alternate solutions?Can you discuss the problem with someone whose advice you trust?How would you feel if your family, friends, employer, coworkers learned of your action?Chapter 2 Professionalism: Team, Meeting, Listening, Nonverbal, and Etiquette Skills1. Compare and contrast positive and negative team behaviorPositive team behaviorsNegative team behaviorsSetting rules and abiding by them Blocking the ideas and suggestions of othersAnalyzing tasks and defining problemsInsulting and criticizing othersContributing information and ideasWasting the groups timeShowing interest by listening activelyMaking the inappropriate jokes and commentsEncouraging members to participateFailing to stay on taskSynthesizing points of agreementWithdrawing , failing to participate2. If you are considering organizing a meeting, what should you do before the meeting?l deciding whether a meeting is necessaryl Selecting participantsl Distributing advance informationl Using digital calendars to schedule meetings3. How is videoconferencing different from web conferencing?Web conferencing is similar to videoconferencing but may work with or without the transmission of pictures of the participants. Attendees use their computers to access an online virtual meeting room where they can present PowerPoint slides or share spreadsheets or word documents, just as they might do in a face-to-face meeting. Web conferencing is particularly useful for team meetings, training, and sales presentations. Participants can demonstrate products, make presentations, and interact with participants.4. What is groupthink, and how can it be avoided?Groupthink: faulty decision-making process by team members who are overly eager to agree with one another.Effective teams avoid groupthink by striving for team diversity in age, gender, background, experience, and training.Chapter 3 intercultural Communication1. What is geographical location virtually irrelevant for many activities and services today?To be successful in this interdependent global village, companies are increasingly finding it necessary to adapt to other cultures.Many companies are increasingly looking overseas as domestic markets mature. Another significant factor is the passage of favorable trade agreement. Besides, the development of new transportation and information technologies contribute themselves to the explosive growth of global markets.2. How is a stereotype different from a prototype?A stereotype is an oversimplified behavioral pattern applied uncritically to groups. The term was use originally by printers to describe identical type set in two frames. Stereotypes are fixed and rigid. Although they may be exaggerated and over-generalized beliefs when applied to groups of people, stereotypes are not always entirely false. Often they contain a grain of truth.Prototypes, then, are dynamic and change with fresh experience. Prototypes based on objective observations, usually have a considerable amount of truth in them. That is why they can be helpful in studying cultures.3. Briefly, contrast high- and low-context cultures.Low-context culturesHigh-context culturesTend to prefer direct verbal interaction;Tend to understand meaning at one level only;Are generally less proficient in reading nonverbal cues;Value individualism;Rely more on logic;Employ linear logic;Say no directly;Communicate in highly structured, provide details, stress literal meanings, give authority to written informationTend to prefer indirect verbal interaction;Tend to understand meaning embodied at many socio-cultural levels;Are generally more proficient to reading nonverbal cues;Value group membership;Rely more on context and feeling;Employ spatial logic;Talk around point, avoid saying no, communicate in a simple, sometimes ambiguous messages, understand visual message readily4. Why is intercultural communication increasingly important, and what must business communicators do to succeed?The reasons lie in:l The globalization of markets mean that you can expect to be doing business with people from around the world;l Technological advancements in transportation and information are making the world smaller and more intertwined;l More and more people are coming from other cultures, thus changing the competition of the marketplace. Successful interaction requires awareness, tolerance, and accommodation.Business communicators needs to:l Learn foreign phrasesl Use simple languagel Speak slowly and enunciate clearlyl Observe eye messagesl Encourage accurate feedbackl Check frequently for comprehensionl Accept blamel Listen without interrupting l Smile when appropriate l Follow up in writing. Assignment TwoChapter 4 panning business messages1. Why do you think business writing differs from school essay writing?In preparing high school or college composition and term papers, you probably focused on discussing your feelings or displaying your knowledge. Your instructors wanted to see your thought processes, and they wanted assurance that you had internalized the subject matter. You may have had to meet a minimum word count. Business writers, however, have different goals. For business messages and oral presentations, writing should be: l Purposeful: you will be writing to solve problems and convey information. You will have a definite purpose to fulfill in each message.l Persuasive: you want your audience to believe and accept your message.l Economical: you will try to present ideas clearly but concisely. Length is not rewarded.l Audience-oriented: you will concentrate on looking at a problem from the perspective of the audience instead of seeing it from your own.2. What is meant by audience benefits”?In describing effective writing, Bn Franklin observed, “To be good, it ought to have a tendency to benefit the reader.” These wise words have become a fundamental guideline for todays business communicators. Expanding on Franklins counsel, a contemporary communication consultant gives this solid advice to his business clients: “always stress the benefit to the audience, of whatever it is you are trying to get them to do. If you can show how you are going to save them frustration or help them meet their goals, you have the makings of a powerful message.3. When is the you view appropriate, and when is it inappropriate?Appropriate: notice that may of the previous audience-focused messages included the word you. In concentrating on receiver benefits, skilled communicators naturally develop the you view. They emphasize second-person pronouns instead of first-person pronouns. Whether your goal is to inform, persuade, or promote goodwill, the catchiest words you can use are you and your.Inappropriate: although you want to focus on the reader or listener, do not overuse or misuse the second-person pronoun you. Readers and listeners appreciate genuine interest; on the other hand, they resent obvious attempt at manipulation. The authors of some sales, for example, are guilty of overkill when they include you dozens of times in a direct mail promotion. Furthermore, the word can sometimes create the wrong impression. Another difficulty in emphasizing the you view and de-emphasizing we/I is that it may result in overuse of the passive voice.4. Why is it OK to use instant messaging abbreviations and happy faces in messages to friends but not OK in business?Most instant messages, email messages, business letters, memos, and reports replace conversation. Thus, they are most effective when they convey an informal, conversational tone instead of a formal, pretentious tone. Workplace messages should not, however, become so casual that they sound low level and unprofessional. Instant messages enable coworkers to have informal, spontaneous conventions. Some companies have accepted IM as a serious workplace tool. To protect a professional image, you must sound educated and mature. Overuse of expressions such as totally awesome, you know, and like, as well as reliance on needless abbreviations (BTW for by the way), make a businessperson sound like a teenager. Professional messages do not include IM abbreviations, slang, sentence fragments, and chitchat. We urge you to strive for a warm, conversational tone that avoids low-level diction.Chapter 5 Organizing and writing business messages1. For routine writing tasks, what are some techniques for collecting informal data and generating ideas?Here are some techniques for collecting informal data and for generating ideas:l Look in the files;l Talk with your boss;l Interview the target audience;l Conduct an informal survey.2. What is the difference between a list and an outline?In developing simple messages, some writers make a quick scratch list of the topics they wish to cover. Writers often jot down this scratch list in the margin of the letter or memo to which they are responding (the majority of business messages are written in response to other documents). These writers then compose a message at their computers directly from the scratch list. Most writers, though, need to organize their ideas-especially if the project is complex-into a hierarchy, such as an outline. The beauty of preparing an outline is that it gives you a chance to organize your thinking before you can get bogged down in word choice and sentence structure.3. When is the indirect pattern appropriate, and what are the benefits for using it?When you expect the audience to be uninterested, unwilling, displeased, or perhaps, even hostile, the indirect pattern is more appropriate. In this pattern you reveal the main idea only after you have offered explanation and evidence. This approach works well with three kinds of messages:l Bad news l Ideas that require persuasionl Sensitive news, especially when being transmitted to superiors.The indirect pattern has three benefits:l Respects the feelings of the audience. Bad news is always painful, but the trauma can be lessened by preparing the receiver for it;l Facilitates a fair hearing. Messages that may upset the reader are more likely to be read when the main idea is delayed. Beginning immediately with a piece of bad news or a persuasive request, for example, may cause the receiver to stop reading or listening.l Minimizes a negative reaction. A readers overall reaction to a negative message is generally improved if the news is delivered gently.4. What is a topic sentence, and where is it usually found?Paragraphs arranged in the direct plan begin with the topic sentence, followed by supporting sentences. Most business messages use this paragraph plan because it clarifies the subject immediately. This plan is useful whenever you must define (a new product or procedure), classify (parts of a whole), illustrate (an idea), or describe (a process), start with the topic sentence; then strengthen and amplify that idea with supporting ideas.Its usually found at the beginning of the paragraph.Chapter 6 Revising business messages1. How is proofreading different from revising?Proofreading: correcting the grammar, spelling, punctuation and mechanics of a message.Revising: improving the content and sentence structure of a message may include adding, recasting, reforming, and redesigning a message.2. What is a redundancy? Give an example. Why should writers avoid redundancies?Expressions that repeat meaning or include unnecessary words are redundant. Saying unexpected surprise is like a like saying surprise surprise because unexpected carries the same meaning as surprise. Redundancies do not add emphasis, as some people think. Instead, they identify a writer as inexperienced. As you revise, look for redundant expressions such as the following:Redundant conciseAbsolutely essential essential3. Why should writers avoid opening a sentence with there is or there are?Because in many sentences the expressions there is/are and it is/was function as unnecessary filters. In addition to taking up space, these fillers delay getting to the point of the sentence. Eliminate them by recasting the sentence. Many- but not all-sentences can be revised so that fillers are unnecessary.5. Why should business writers strive to conciseness?In business, time is indeed money. Translated into writing, this means that concise messages save reading time and thus, money. In addition, messages that are written directly and efficiently are easier to read and comprehend. In the revision process, look for short ways to say what you mean. Examine every sentence that you write. Could the thought be conveyed in fewer words? Your writing will be more concise if you eliminate flabby expressions, drop unnecessary introductory words, get rid of redundancies, and purge empty words.Assignment ThreeChapter 7 electronic messages and digital media1. Name and describe two prevailing technologies trends today.A number of electronic communication channels enable business people to exchange information rapidly and efficiently. All of those new electronic channels showcase your writing skills.l Instant messaging: more interactive and immediate than email, instant messaging includes the exchange of text messages in real time between two or more people logged into an IM service. IM creates a form of private chat room so that individuals can carry on conversations similar to telephone calls. IM is especially useful to back-and-forth online conversations, such as a customer communicating with a tech support person to solve a problem. Like e-mail, instant messaging creates a permanent text record and must be used carefully. l Podcasts: a podcast is a digital media file that is distributed over the internet and downloaded on portable media players and personal computers. Podcasts, also called netcasts or webcasts, are distinguished by their ability to be syndicated, subscribed to, or downloaded automatically when new content is added. In business, podcasts are useful for improving customer relations, marketing, trainging, product launches, and viral marketing.2. How can you use instant messaging and texting safely on the job?Instant messaging and texting can definitely save time and simplify communication with coworkers and customers. l Learn about your organizations IM policiesl Dont text or IM while driving a carl Make yourself unavailable when you need to complete a project or meet a deadlinel Organize your contact lists to separate business contacts from family and friendsl Keep your messages simple and to the pointl Dont use IM or text messages to send confidential or sensitive informationl Be aware that instant or text messages can be savedl If personal messaging is allowed, keep it to a minimum. l Show patience by not blasting multiple messages to coworkers if a response is not immediatel Keep your presence status up-to-date so that people trying to reach you dont waste their time.l Beware of jargon, slang, and abbreviations, which, although they may reduce keystrokes, may be confusing and appear unprofessionall Respect your receivers by using good grammar and proper spelling and by proofreading carefully.3. What is wiki, and what are its advantages to businesses?A wiki is a web site that employs easy-to-use collaborative software to allow users to create documents that can be edited by tapping into the same technology that runs the well-known online encyclopedia wikipedia.The advantages to business;l The global wiki: for companies with a global reach, a wiki is an ideal t