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Communication Skills-II
notes message is sent and received, and that is the end of the event. Of course, letters do lead
to repeated cycles or communication exchanges. But they cannot compare with the quick
succession of cycles involved in a dialogue or informal meeting.
self assessment
Fill in the blanks:
1. Written communication is ………………… in the sense that it has to follow definite pattern
as per rules laid down by the language.
2. The stimuli of oral communication are picked up from outside by ………………… .
3. Most written communication is a ………………… -cycle event.
12.2 advantages and Disadvantages of Business correspondence
“Documentation of knowledge and experience facilitates institutionalization of individual
wisdom.”
l Ready reference: First and foremost, the various forms of business conversation esp. those
in written form have the advantage of providing records, references, etc. In the absence of
ready reference, great confusion may be created and the working of the organization will
virtually come to a halt.
l Legal defence: Maintenance of proper records, letters, reports and memos build up legal
defense of the organisation. An organization is like a living organism. And like any
organism even an organisation is vulnerable to offence, both from within and outside.
Organizations usually have their legal advisors who cannot be of any help unless proper
records are made available to them.
l Promotes uniformity: It promotes uniformity in policy and procedure. It is the only means
of laying down clear guidelines for the working of the organization.
l Mass access: Written business conversation gives access to a large audience through mass
mailing. It is a common practice on the part of a well known organization to reach out
to people at large and win customers through wisely drafted ‘mail shots’ or unsolicited
Circulars.
Example: Whenever a new brand of two-wheeler is introduced in the market or a bank
comes forward with some attractive deposit/investment scheme, it succeeds in getting the names
and addresses of all the members of an institution/organization who are offering them their
services on easy terms.
l Suitable for distance communication: Written form of business conversation is most suitable
when the receivers are spread over vast geographical distances and oral communication is
either not possible or will cause the message to lose its effectiveness.
l Image building: Business conversation builds up the organization’s image. It is not at all
surprising, therefore, that the outgoing letters/messages of certain well known companies
are cited as examples to be emulated.
l Accurate and unambiguous: Business conversation in written form has the advantage of
being accurate and unambiguous. Great care has to be taken in drafting any letter, memo
or notice so that the message is effectively conveyed. Oral communication may often give
rise to confusion because every speaker has his own way of putting himself across.
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