Communication in Business & Management

·Covered in this Diploma Program include:

Module 1 - The Importance of Good Communication

·Communication as a vital business and management “tool”, availability and accuracy, technology

·Communication internally, vertical and horizontal, two-way, information, external communication

·The principles of effective communication, sender, recipient, channels, interpretation, barriers

·Oral, unspoken, written, telephone, email and other communication methods, advantages and dangers

Module 2 - Forms and Business Documents

·Forms as “tools” in business, the many and varied uses of forms, manual and computerised forms

·Factors to consider in designing a form, sizes, sequence, standardisation, filing, presentation

·Accuracy in completing forms, codes, references, copies, serial numbering and indexes of forms

·Illustrations and descriptions of common business documents, and when they might be used

Module 3 - Business Letters

·Why business letters are written, business letters compared to informal/social letters, needed features

·Good English in business letters, subjects, punctuation, verbs, nouns, pronouns

·Sentences as complete statements, continuity, logical sequence of sentences and paragraphs

·Planning, drafting and checking letters, research which may be necessary

Module 4 - Improving Written Composition and Style

·Variety in the use of words, vocabulary, attracting favourable attention, persuading readers to read on

·Adjectives, cardinal and ordinal numbers, verb tenses, the range of adverbs and their uses

·The confusion of words, similar of different meanings, spellings and pronunciations

·Abbreviations, types, when to use or not use them, slang, colloquialisms, technical words and terms

Module 5 - Communications Concerning Employment and Promotion

·Use and preparation of job descriptions and employee specifications, advertisements for vacancies

·Application letters, layout, contents, attachments, testimonials, certificates and awards, curriculum vitae

·Employment interviews, importance, preparation, conducting interviews, election tests, appointments

·Letters regarding promotion, communications from employers to candidates, employees, others

Module 6 - Sales Letters and Literature

·Objectives, layout, appearance and contents of sales letters, the wording, styles of writing

·Attracting favourable attention, arousing the reader’s interest, persuading the reader to buy

·Follow-up letters, purposes, contents, offering something extra or new, circulars, personalising circulars

·Catalogues, brochures, pamphlets and leaflets, price lists and prices

Module 7 - Enquiries, Quotations, Orders and Payments

·Written and other enquiries, covering letters, quotations, terms and conditions of supply, estimates

·Orders, pro-forma invoices, acknowledgement, documents for despatches, advice and delivery notes

·Documents for payments for goods/services, imports/exports, invoices, statements, bills of exchange

·Common terms for accounting and finance matters, profit and loss, final accounts and their purpose

Module 8 - Communications Between Employees

·Oral communication, conversations, training, counselling, consultation, formal and informal meetings

·Work-related letters to subordinates, memoranda, circulars and other printed literature

·Visual and audiovisual communication, organisation charts, linear and bar graphs, pie charts

·Reports and report writing, purposes and preparation, audiovisual equipment

Module 9 - Letters of Complaint: from Customers or Clients, to Suppliers

·When and why letters of complaint or replies to them might be necessary, objectives, tones

·Justified complaints, explaining cause of problem, putting matters right, complainant at fault, remedy Satisfying complainants, maintaining goodwill, politeness, tact, psychology, reminders, warning letters

·Creating and using references on letters, what to avoid, writing to professionals, partnerships and firms

Module 10 - Drafting, Dictating, Checking and Despatching Letters

·Benefits of drafting letters, clarity, avoiding errors, stock sentences and paragraphs, indexes, notes

·Shorthand, dictation, stenographers, assisting with layout and spelling, special instructions, typists

·Checking typed letters and documents, responsibility for errors, corrections, checklist before signing

·Packing, folding the letter/document, enclosures, despatch methods, selecting the right one

Module 11 - Records and Filing

·Information sources, records and data management, collating, analysing, arranging formatting

·Filing systems, selecting a system, centralised filing, filing schemes, cross referencing, indexing

·Record retention policy, filing equipment, vertical and lateral filing, card filing systems, types of records

·Maintaining records by computer, database packages, security of computer data, backups, passwords

Module 12 - Telecommunications, Word Processing and Desktop Publishing

·Technological developments, speed and ease of transmission, need for clarity and accuracy

·Communication by computer, ADS and broadband, remote access, VPN connection, firewalls

·The Internet, internet service providers, websites, email, computer viruses and antivirus software

·Bar codes, magnetic strips, smart cards, OCR and scanning, word-processing, desktop publishing