Business Communications by: Brounstein, Bell & Smith :
Business Communication:Communicate Effectively In Any Business EnvironmentMarty Brounstein, Arthur H. Bell & Dayle M. SmithWileyISBN 9780471790778This book was just released in the spring of 2007. The authors did extensive research and used the materials in the classroom. This is an excellent resource and would be a good tool on the bookshelf in any office or business, or for any student who has to prepare business reports. Like Work term reports. The book goes through the do's and don'ts of business communication and the new business etiquette in an electronic age.The Sections of the book are:Part I: Foundations of Business CommunicationPart II: The Writing processPart III: Letters, Memos, E-Mail, and Other Brief MessagesPart IV: Developing Speaking SkillsPart V: Reports and ProposalsPart VI: Employment MessagesThis book is packed full of new features and online support to help make the information more accessible and easily applicable, either in the classroom or in the office. There is a website: www.wiley.com/college/brounsteinIt has a pretest and a posttest for each chapter to check your knowledge. You can use the pretest to determine where to focus your effort in the chapter, and the posttest to see how you did. There is also a quiz at the end of each chapter to make sure you have grasped the concepts in that chapter. The book also has some information on new laws regarding emails and the use of them in court and as legal documents.Some of the other features are an extensive Glossary, and a number of appendices with samples of most of the documents discussed in the book. Also included in each chapter are extensive samples and examples of the different styles commonly used in business documents.In my experience, most textbooks are not well written, or easily accessible to the student or a person looking to work through it on their own. I have a professor at UW who changed textbooks every term because he could never find one he was satisfied with for more than one term. This book would not fall into that category. It is user-friendly, well organized, comprehensible and useful. This book will be referenced for years to come. If you're writing positive business letters, negative messages or trying to write persuasively, this book will give you examples aplenty and the skills to maximize your business communication. Most of those skills will be transferable into writings reports and essays during your time at UW.
Business Communication:Communicate Effectively In Any Business EnvironmentMarty Brounstein, Arthur H. Bell & Dayle M. SmithWileyISBN 9780471790778This book was just released in the spring of 2007. The authors did extensive research and used the materials in the classroom. This is an excellent resource and would be a good tool on the bookshelf in any office or business, or for any student who has to prepare business reports. Like Work term reports. The book goes through the do's and don'ts of business communication and the new business etiquette in an electronic age.The Sections of the book are:Part I: Foundations of Business CommunicationPart II: The Writing processPart III: Letters, Memos, E-Mail, and Other Brief MessagesPart IV: Developing Speaking SkillsPart V: Reports and ProposalsPart VI: Employment MessagesThis book is packed full of new features and online support to help make the information more accessible and easily applicable, either in the classroom or in the office. There is a website: www.wiley.com/college/brounsteinIt has a pretest and a posttest for each chapter to check your knowledge. You can use the pretest to determine where to focus your effort in the chapter, and the posttest to see how you did. There is also a quiz at the end of each chapter to make sure you have grasped the concepts in that chapter. The book also has some information on new laws regarding emails and the use of them in court and as legal documents.Some of the other features are an extensive Glossary, and a number of appendices with samples of most of the documents discussed in the book. Also included in each chapter are extensive samples and examples of the different styles commonly used in business documents.In my experience, most textbooks are not well written, or easily accessible to the student or a person looking to work through it on their own. I have a professor at UW who changed textbooks every term because he could never find one he was satisfied with for more than one term. This book would not fall into that category. It is user-friendly, well organized, comprehensible and useful. This book will be referenced for years to come. If you're writing positive business letters, negative messages or trying to write persuasively, this book will give you examples aplenty and the skills to maximize your business communication. Most of those skills will be transferable into writings reports and essays during your time at UW.
English for Business Communications:The English for Business Communications examinations are a suite of qualifications in modern written Business English. They are designed to meet the present day organisations for fast and accurate communication in the international sphere. They test your ability to perform in real business situations through the medium of English.
Who is the qualification for?This qualification is ideal if you are preparing for, or already working in an occupation requiring the ability to read and write business communications in English.
Which levels are covered?You can enter the exam at levels Intermediate, Higher Intermediate, and Advanced.
How will I be assessed?Each assessment takes the form of an in-tray simulation. You are placed in a role of a junior executive or personal assistant in a commercial company. The examination paper consists of a selection of realistic documents like letters, memos, emails, faxes, and reports. You will have to draft appropriate replies or write similar documents in accordance with instructions. In the recognition of the realistic nature of the examination tasks, you may use a monolingual (English-English) or bilingual dictionary in the examination, and may use a typewriter or word processor to complete the tasks.
HOW TO WORK?
We've all had to suck it up and play along at one point or another. Try as we might, we can't avoid it -- the office icebreaker. At many an awkward gathering, you'll find an excited leader who insists on an activity to break the ice between strangers. And sometimes, as much as many of us hate to admit it, icebreaker activities do give us an opportunity to meet and learn about our coworkers. Ironically, if nothing else, the shared anguish of the icebreaker experience fuels camaraderie.
Icebreakers are group activities or games intended to help people get acquainted. The group could be made up of total strangers, people who are only loosely acquainted or co-workers who don't naturally socialize (or possibly don't even get along). How do businesses use icebreakers to improve communications among employees?
Stockbyte/Getty ImagesUse icebreakers in an awkward meeting to get people talking.
One theory poses that icebreakers evolved from a psychology trend in the 1960s called the Human Potential Movement [source: Tennant]. Subscribers to this movement believe that people possess hidden talents and abilities that can be best drawn out and cultivated by organized group activities and interaction with others. One of the methods used to draw out someone's talents would be to encourage assertive behavior [source: Corsini]. Icebreaker games encourage participants to take initiative and instigate interaction with others in order to help the whole group integrate.
Despite the potential emotional discomfort of an icebreaker, many experts agree that icebreaker activities are extremely useful. Knowing good icebreaker techniques can help individuals learn how to comfortably start up conversations in day-to-day interactions as well as reduce stress, and, theoretically, increase productivity in an office. In the next few pages, we'll look at some tried and true icebreakers that work for adults in a variety of situations. Although they're loosely broken into categories, many of the games listed are versatile and can be used in several kinds of environments. We'll start with the most common icebreakers, those meant for a group of strangers, on the next page.
Icebreakers are group activities or games intended to help people get acquainted. The group could be made up of total strangers, people who are only loosely acquainted or co-workers who don't naturally socialize (or possibly don't even get along). How do businesses use icebreakers to improve communications among employees?
Stockbyte/Getty ImagesUse icebreakers in an awkward meeting to get people talking.
One theory poses that icebreakers evolved from a psychology trend in the 1960s called the Human Potential Movement [source: Tennant]. Subscribers to this movement believe that people possess hidden talents and abilities that can be best drawn out and cultivated by organized group activities and interaction with others. One of the methods used to draw out someone's talents would be to encourage assertive behavior [source: Corsini]. Icebreaker games encourage participants to take initiative and instigate interaction with others in order to help the whole group integrate.
Despite the potential emotional discomfort of an icebreaker, many experts agree that icebreaker activities are extremely useful. Knowing good icebreaker techniques can help individuals learn how to comfortably start up conversations in day-to-day interactions as well as reduce stress, and, theoretically, increase productivity in an office. In the next few pages, we'll look at some tried and true icebreakers that work for adults in a variety of situations. Although they're loosely broken into categories, many of the games listed are versatile and can be used in several kinds of environments. We'll start with the most common icebreakers, those meant for a group of strangers, on the next page.
Back to the Basics of Business CommunicationsApril 5th, 2009 Posted by Tawnya Lancaster Posted in Blog, online communication
We in Silicon Valley can run the risk of falling victim to technology, forgetting about the communication basics that make for successful business development. Dare I say it? Sometimes, we rely too much on the interface — our emails, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Blogs — and not enough on personal contact.
That’s why I found my conversation so interesting with Steve Tully, former Chair to the Silicon Valley Capital Club Board of Governors and Founder of Advantage Office Furniture which resells used (Fortune 100) and remanufactured office furniture. Steve is a firm believer in “constant contact” (and I’m not talking about the email service provider).
It’s serving him well. When most businesses are losing clients, Steve’s revenues are actually going up. (And that’s for someone who’s selling office furniture to businesses in a down economy — go figure.) So what’s he doing? Well, I asked.
You mentioned that your business is actually doing well despite the economy. What are the top three things you’re doing that is making it possible for you to increase sales while everyone else is struggling?
I daily track people I meet into my contacts file and follow–up with them with an email the same day.
I daily place 20 to 25 listings on Craiglist and follow up on reply responses I receive back. (You can replace Craigslist with your own sales channel.)
I daily see ten clients face–to–face (eyeball–to–eyeball).
What would you recommend people “change” that would make them more successful with business development?
One needs to be totally honest with themselves and the team.
Members should share business projects.
Keep a 12–hour workday.
Divide your workday into four segments — 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Three time slots for email communications
Personal contact and communication with clients three or four times daily
One daily outside group meeting — other than your business
Close two deals a day (receive payment) and present two deals per day (viable sales presentations)
Here’s another interesting tidbit about Steve. He’s now in his seventies, but had no problem jumping in when it came to adopting new business channels for his company. He’s got videos on YouTube, is running ads on Craigslist and more. He says that the majority of his sales now come from online channels.
For Business Communication courses.Real-world training for the business world of today and tomorrow.The field’s leading text for more than two decades, Business Communication Today continues to provide the cutting-edge coverage that students can count on to prepare them for real business practice. Other textbooks release new editions that don’t reflect their copyright year, training students in practices from the last decade. Bovée/Thill provides real-world training for the business world of today and tomorrow.Updated with a more interactive and conversational model called Business Communication 2.0, this edition introduces students to a vitally important way of thinking about communication, instructing them in the professional use of blogs, instant messages, wikis, twittering and other social media tools.
