Business Communication

4 Weeks Business & Management Course Credit : 3
Micro-Credentials Language of Delivery : English
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  • 1 - Introduction
    In this topic, you will learn about developing good communication skills requires instruction, practice, and feedback from a specialist. Trends in the new world of work emphasize the importance of communication skills. Increasing global competition and revolutionary technologies demand cultural and communication skills. The communication process has five steps: idea formation, message encoding, message transmission, message decoding, and feedback.

    Topic Outcomes

    At the end of this topic, you should be able to:

    1. Understand the importance of becoming an effective business communicator in today’s changing workplace.

    2. Examine the process of communication.

    3. Discuss how to become an effective listener.

    4. Analyze nonverbal communication and explain techniques for improving nonverbal communication skills.

    5. Explain how culture affects communication and describe methods for improving cross-cultural communication.

    6. Identify specific techniques that improve effective communication among diverse workplace audiences.

  • 2 - Writing for Business Audiences
    In this topic, you will learn about business writing is audience-oriented, purposeful, and economical. The writing process has three parts: prewriting, writing, and revising. The primary purpose of most business messages is to inform or to persuade; the secondary purpose is to promote goodwill. Channels of choice today must be fast, cheap, and easy. Writers improve the tone of a message by emphasizing reader benefits, cultivating a “you” attitude, and using a conversational tone and inclusive language. Powerful writing tools can help you fight writer’s block, collect information, outline and organize ideas, improve correctness and precision, add graphics, and design professional-looking documents.

    Topic Outcomes

    At the end of this topic, you should be able to:

    1. Understand that business writing should be audience-oriented, purposeful, and economical.

    2. Identify and implement the three phrases of the writing process.

    3. Appreciate the importance of analyzing the task and profiling the audience for business messages.

    4. Create messages that spotlight audience benefits and cultivate a “you” view.

    5. Develop a conversational tone and use positive language.

    6. Explain the need for inclusive language, plain expression, and familiar words.

    7. List seven ways in which technology helps improve business writing.

  • 3 - Writing Techniques
    In this topic, you will learn about the second stage of the writing process involves research, which means collecting the necessary information to prepare a message. Two simple ways to organize data are the scratch list and the outline. Business messages typically follow either (1) the direct pattern, with the main idea first, or (2) the indirect pattern, with the main idea following explanation and evidence. Sentences must have subjects and verbs and must make sense. You can emphasize an idea mechanically by using underlining, italics, boldface, font changes, all caps, dashes, and tabulation.

    Topic Outcomes

    At the end of this topic, you should be able to:

    1. Contrast formal and informal methods of researching data and generating ideas for messages.

    2. Specify how to organize information into outlines.

    3. Compare direct and indirect patterns for organizing ideas.

    4. Distinguish components of complete and effective sentences.

    5. Emphasize important ideas and deemphasize unimportance ones.

    6. Use active voice, passive voice, and parallelism effectively in messages.

    7. Develop sentence unity by avoiding zigzag writing, mixed constructions, and misplaced modifiers.

    8. Identify strategies for achieving paragraph coherence and composing the first draft of a message.

  • 4 - Informal Reports
    In this topic, you will learn about informal reports are relatively short (ten or fewer pages) and usually are written in a memo or letter format. Business reports are systematic attempts to answer questions and solve problems. Information reports present data without analysis or recommendations. Analytical reports provide data, analyses, conclusions, and if requested, recommendations. The direct pattern places conclusions and recommendations near the beginning of a report.

    Topic Outcomes

    At the end of this topic, you should be able to:

    1. Describe business report basics, including functions, organizational patterns, and formats.

    2. Follow guidelines for developing informal reports, including defining the project, gathering data, using an appropriate writing style, composing effective headings, and being objective.

    3. Describe six kinds of informal reports.

    4. Write information and progress reports.

    5. Write justification/recommendation reports.

    6. Write feasibility reports.

    7. Write minutes of meetings and summarises.

  • 5 - Proposals and Formal Reports
    In this topic, you will learn about proposals are persuasive offers to solve problems, provide services, or sell equipment. Informal proposals may contain an introduction, background information, the proposal, staffing requirements, a budget, and an authorization request. Effective proposal openers “hook” readers by promising extraordinary results or resources or by identifying key benefits, issues, or outcomes. A database stores information so that it is accessible by computer and is digitally searchable. The World Wide Web is a collection of hypertext pages that offer information and links.

    Topic Outcomes

    At the end of this topic, you should be able to:

    1. Identify and explain the parts of informal and formal proposals.

    2. Describe the preparatory steps for writing a formal report.

    3. Collect data from secondary sources including print and electronic sources.

    4. Understand how to use Web browsers and search engines to locate reliable data.

    5. Discuss how to generate primary data from surveys, interviews, observation, and experimentation.

    6. Understand the need for accurate documentation of data.

    7. Describe how to organize report data, create an online, and make effective titles.

    8. Illustrate data using tables, charts, and graphs.

    9. Describe and sequence the parts of a formal report.

  • 6 - e-mail and Memorandums
    In this topic, you will learn about downsized organizations, work teams, increased employee empowerment, and global competition mean more emphasis on internal communication. Well-written e-mail messages and memos achieve their goals and reward their writers. Effective e-mail messages and memos contain guide-word headings, focus on a single topic, are concise and conversational, and often use graphic highlighting. A systematic plan helps you write faster and more effectively. Because e-mail is now a mainstream communication channel, messages should be well-organized, carefully composed, and grammatically correct. Avoid wordiness and don’t send confidential, inflammatory, angry, sloppy, or “tongue-in-cheek” messages.

    Topic Outcomes

    At the end of this topic, you should be able to:

    1. Explain the importance of internal communication.

    2. Analyze the characteristics of and writing process for successful e-mail messages and memos.

    3. Understand how to use e-mail safely and effectively.

    4. Explain and demonstrate a writing plan for memos and e-mail messages.

    5. Write a procedure, instruction, and information e-mail messages and memos.

    6. Write e-mail messages and memos that make requests.

    7. Write e-mail messages and memos that respond.

  • 7 - Revising and Proofreading Business Messages
    In this topic, you will learn about the third phase of the writing process includes revision, proofreading, and evaluating. Some communicators write the first draft quickly; others revise and polish as they go. The main points are easier to understand in concise messages. To revise for clarity and conciseness, look for flabby phrases that can be shortened. Eliminate wordy prepositional phrases, long lead-ins, outdated expressions, needless adverbs, fillers, repetitious words, and redundancies.

    Topic Outcomes

    At the end of this topic, you should be able to:

    1. Understand the third phase of the writing process, revision.

    2. Revise messages to achieve concise wording by eliminating wordy prepositional phrases, long lead-ins, outdated expressions, and needless adverbs.

    3. Revise messages to eliminate fillers, repetitious words, and redundancies.

    4. Revise messages to use jargon sparingly and avoid slang and clichés.

    5. Revise messages to include precise verbs, concrete nouns, and vivid adjectives.

    6. Describe effective techniques for proofreading routine and complex documents.

  • 8 - Routine Letters and Goodwill Messages
    In this topic, you will learn about letters communicate with outsiders and produce a formal record. The content of a message and its anticipated effect on the reader determine the strategy you choose. Writing plan for an information or request, order merchandise, and simple claim request – writing plan: opening, body and closing. Writing plan for an information/customer claim response letter; subject line, opening, body and closing. Writing plan for a letter of recommendation; opening, body and closing.

    Topic Outcomes

    At the end of this topic, you should be able to:

    1. Write letters requesting information and action.

    2. Write letters ordering merchandise.

    3. Write letters making claims.

    4. Write letters responding to information requests.

    5. Write letters responding to customer orders.

    6. Write letters granting claims.

    7. Write letters of recommendation.

    8. Write goodwill messages.

  • 9 - Persuasive Messages
    In this topic, you will learn about the ability to persuade is a primary factor in personal and business success. Writing plan for a persuasive request: opening: obtain the reader’s attention and interest, body: build interest, body: reduce resistance, closing: motivate action. Use persuasive when you must change attitudes or produce action. Internal persuasive memos present honest arguments detailing specific reader benefits. Effective claim/complaint letters make reasonable requests backed by solid evidence.

    Topic Outcomes

    At the end of this topic, you should be able to:

    1. Request favors and action persuasively.

    2. Write persuasive messages within organizations.

    3. Make claims and request adjustments successfully.

    4. Compose carefully planned sales letters.

    5. Implement special techniques in writing online sales messages.

  • 10 - Negative Messages
    In this topic, you will learn how to dealing with problems immediately is important in resolving conflict and retaining goodwill. Written messages are important (1) when personal contact is impossible (2) to establish a record of the incident (3) to formally confirm follow-up procedures and (4) to promote good relations. Problems with customers generally resolved by first calling and then confirming with a follow-up letter. The indirect pattern softens the impact of bad news. A buffer opens a bad-news letter with a neutral, concise, relevant, and upbeat statement.

    Topic Outcomes

    At the end of this topic, you should be able to:

    1. Describe a plan for resolving business problems.

    2. List the four components of a bad-news message.

    3. Distinguish between the direct and indirect patterns for business messages.

    4. Discuss methods for applying the indirect pattern to bad-news messages, including buffering of opening, presenting the reasons, cushioning the bad news and closing pleasantly.

    5. Identify situations in which the direct pattern is appropriate for breaking bad news.

    6. Explain when the indirect strategy may be unethical.

About this Course

Written by fellow Instructor. In this course, you will learn on the introduction to communication skills. The lesson covers topics ranging from introduction to gaining experiences through practices and exercises. Contact our Instructor with any learning questions.

 

Course Synopsis

This course is an introduction to communication skills that aims at enhancing student’s presentation and writing skills. Students will gain experiences in public speaking through the practice and exercises to various speaking modes, in different situations. The students will also gain experiences through the practice and exercises in writing, from simple letters to press releases. New forms of communications will be discussed such as e-mails, blogs and the effects of the Internet on communication.

 

Transferable Skills

  1. Practical skills
  2. Ethics, professionalism & humanities
  3. Communication, leadership & team skills


How it Works

Through easy-to-understand text lessons, this course will cover specific topics that you may encounter as you work on through your own learning. Each lesson and its corresponding activities can also be accessed on any mobile device, at any time.

 

This course includes:

  • A topic sequence and assessment for this course can be accessed on any device, at any time within the learning duration.
  • Self Reflection and discussion on each topic enabling you to check on your understanding of the course before moving further into it. 
  • 100% graded assignment allowing you to test your comprehension. 


How to Pass

You have to complete all the learning activities and assignments set by School. The assignment is given to evaluate whether you have achieved the Course Learning Outcomes. You are able to download with a Certificate of Completion upon finishing all the learning materials. Certificate of Achievement is also available to be downloaded upon passing all the assessments.

 

Credit Earn

Earning and transferring credit to the Bachelor of Business Administration under School of Management at AeU.

*Applicants must fulfill the standard entry requirements and course credit transfer eligibility criteria for each programmes.

1 - Explain the concept of interpersonal communication, its elements, and its relation to cultural aspects.
2 - Apply communication skills as a result of the exposure to various communication modes and techniques such as public speaking, and writing.
3 - Appraise the etiquette and ethics in communication.
4 - Evaluate the impact of the Internet on communication.

Ms. Hamidah Md Yusoff

Designation : Academic Facilitator


Education

  • Master of  Corporate Communication, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Malaysia, 2011
  • Bachelor in Mass Communication, Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM),  Malaysia, 1978
  • Diploma in Professional Translation in Mass Communication,
  • Persatuan Penterjemahan Malaysia & Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, 2010

About the Instructor

  • Has 38 years of experience in government/public sectors, industry/private sectors and private universities in the field of public relations and corporate communication

 

You are required to complete all the learning activities provided in this course. Assessments are given to evaluate your achievement of the Course Learning Outcomes. You are able to download a Certificate of Achievement/Certificate of Completion upon completion of all requisite learning materials and passing the prescribed assessments.
  • 1 - Certificate of Achievement


    Completion of:

    • Course notes/readings
    • Formal course assessment- Multiple Choice Questions/Self assessment 
  • 2 - Certificate of Completion

    Completion of:

    • Course notes/readings 
    • Course learning activities
  • 3 - Malaysian Microcredential Statement (MMS)
    • Malaysian Microcredential Statement (MMS)

Join Now

RM 445.00

What’s included

  • 10 Topics
  • Certificate
  • 4 Learning Outcomes
  • Instructor-Led
  • 4 Weeks Duration