Business Communication Solved Question Paper 2019, Gauhati University B.Com 1st Sem CBCS Pattern

Gauhati University B. Com 1^st Sem Solved Question Papers
BUSINESS COMMUNICATION Solved Question Paper 2019
(Honours/Regular)
Paper: BCM – AE/MIL – 1014
Full Marks: 80
Time: 3 hours
The figures in the margin indicate full marks for the questions
Answer the questions from any one of the Options
OPTION – A
Paper: BCM-AE-1014
(Business Communication)

1. State whether the following statements are True or False (any ten): 1x10=10

a) Feedback is the loop where output turn to inputs like evaluation, reaction and assessment.

Ans: True

b) Intrapersonal communication is stimulated by events, objects, persons or external exchanges.

Ans: True

c) Non-verbal communication cannot be enhanced by a well-trained communicator to amplify the spoken word.

Ans: False

d) Lack of emotional intelligence is a barrier in communication.

Ans: True

e) We share information in communication.

Ans: True

f) Appearance and dressing may reflect personality traits.

Ans: False, Personality traits are extraversion (also often spelled extroversion), agreeableness, openness, conscientiousness, and neuroticism.

g) Listening is a skill that needs to be practised and taken seriously as speaking.

Ans: True

h) In two-way communication, the receiver is not an active agent in construction of meaning.

Ans: False, In one-way communication receiver is not an active agent.

i) Report is an oral presentation only of the results of an investigation or of any matter on which definite information is required.

Ans: False

j) Lateral flow of communication cut across different levels of an organization’s hierarchy.

Ans: False, Same level of an organization’s hierarchy.

k) In a TV programme, decoding by the audience is done from their social context.

Ans: True

2. Answer any five of the following questions:  2x5=10

a) Discuss ‘perception’ as a barrier in communication.

Ans: Perception is the psychological process of selecting, organizing and interpreting stimuli from the environment. Perceptions are individual and vary from person to person. Apart from being responsible for our attitudes, our perception also decides our effectiveness while putting across our message. Though all the steps in the process of communication are important, the most important step is when a receiver receives and interprets message. This is the stage where the message may be understood or misunderstood, depending upon the perception of the receiver.

b) Can ‘self-talk’ create a positive emotional and psychological state in ourselves, in our intrapersonal communication?

Ans: Intrapersonal communication is defined as the communication process within an individual.   It is the foundation for all communication.   Each and every one is having intrapersonal communication at all times.  It begins with language and thought itself, but includes our perception of what language and thought are.   Every individual may see something and assume a particular attitude toward the subject; however, one can be certain that each assumption made is distinctly different. Intrapersonal communication is a challenge because one has so many variations that arise from our perceptions at particular moments. Such variations can create both positive or negative state in ourselves.

c) How can grapevine positively impact communication exchange and sharing within an organization? Write your opinion.

Ans: Grapevine or Informal communication is free from maintaining rules and regulations, procedures and others. Such communication bears low cost than formal communication. There are some messages which cannot be sent through formal way and therefore requires some alternative. Such alternative can be informal communication. Message sent to subordinates requires explanation or interpretation and informal communication is the valuable means here.

d) What are the details that should be included in a notice for a meeting?

Ans: In addition to specifying the date, time and location of the meeting, the notice of a meeting must contain list of all items that will be discussed or voted upon the meeting. Notice of meeting should go to all the persons required at the meeting.

e) What is ‘complimentary close’ in a message?

Ans: Complimentary Close is a formal respect or regard to the addressee and is written just below the body of the message. It is a short or polite remark at the end of message. The most common Complimentary Close in India is ‘Yours faithfully’ or ‘Faithfully yours’.

f) Write briefly either on paralanguage or on Proxemics.

Ans: Para Language: Para‟ means „like‟. Para language means „like language‟. It is non-verbal communication which is closely related to verbal communication. It is non-verbal communication because it does not comprise words.

It is „like‟ verbal communications because it is related to way the words are spoken. Without it words do not convey their intended meaning. While verbal communication consists of „what‟ or the contents of words, paralanguage involves the „how‟ of a speaker’s voice or the ways in which the speaker speaks. Example of paralanguage is voice, words stress etc.

g) Discuss the ‘memo’ as an intra-organizational mode of communication.

Ans: Memorandum is popularly known as memo. The literal meaning of the word memorandum is a note to assist the memory. Memos are the written internal communication means for exchanging information relating to day-to-day functions within the organizations.

According to Lesikar and pettit, “Memorandum is a form of letters written inside the business”.

According to Stewart and Clark, “Memos are used to communicate with other employees, regardless of where the employees may be located in the same organization.”

According to S. Taylor, “Memo is a written communication form one person to another (or a group of people) within the same organization.”

So, memorandum or memos are an internal short note or letter in which information exchanged among superiors and subordinates or same potion of employees in the organizational structure.

*****************************

- Business Communiction Solved Question Paper 2019

- Business Communiction Solved Question Paper 2020 (Held in 2021)

- Business Communiction Solved Question Paper 2021 (Held in 2022)

*****************************

3. Answer the following:  5x4=20

1. Correct any five of the following:        1x5=5

a) I am having two brothers and two sisters.

Ans: I have two brothers and two sisters.

b) You can give me an information.

Ans: You can give me information.

c) He will bath in the Ganges to wash off his sins.

Ans: He will have to take bath in the Ganges to wash off his sins

d) The police is coming.

Ans: The police are coming.

e) Although it was cold but we had to work.

Ans: Although it was cold but we worked.

f) She is married with a doctor.

Ans: She is married to a doctor

2) Correct any five of the words that have been underlined:  1x5=5

a) Bhupen Hazarika was a great literateor of Assam.

Ans: Bhupen Hazarika was a great literature of Assam.

b) We have been standing in the qeueu since nine in the morning.

Ans: We have been standing in the queue since nine in the morning.

c) Febuary comes after January.

Ans: February comes after January.

d) Without liesure there can no creativity.

Ans: Without leisure there can no creativity.

e) What a wierd thing to do!

Ans: What a weird thing to do!

f) Our plan is defenite.

Ans: Our plan is definite.

g) The dowgh for the cake is ready.

Ans: The dough for the cake is ready.

h) Take this fourty rupees!

Ans: Take this forty rupees!

3) Correct any five of the following as directed:                 1x5=5

a) My brother immigrated from India. (Correct the wrong word)

Ans: My brother migrated from India.

b) We often flaunt traffic rules. (Correct the wrong word)

Ans: We often break traffic rules.

c) She is always at the phone. (Replace the incorrect preposition)

Ans: She is always on the phone.

d) A flux/furore was created when my purse was snatched away. (Choose the correct option)

Ans: A furore was created when my purse was snatched away.

e) The peasant refused to growl/grovel at the feet of his master. (Choose the correct option)

Ans: The peasant refused to grovel at the feet of his master.

f) A large spread lied on the table. (Correct the wrong word)

Ans: A large spread lying on the table.

g) Do not speak on/at the same time. (Choose the correct option)

Ans: Do not speak at the same time.

4) Do as directed (any five):        1x5=5

a) Public sale in which articles are sold to the highest bidder. (Express in one word)

Ans: Absolute Auction

b) Give the synonym of Fake and Accessory.

Ans: Fake = Bogus

Accessory = Equipment

c) Give the antonym of Haughty and Frugal.

Ans: Haughty = Humble

Frugal = Wasteful

d) People working in the same department or office. (Express in one word)

Ans: Colleagues

e) Do you know her? (Change the voice)

Ans: Is she known to you?

f) Only they can do the work. (Change into negative)

Ans: None but they can do the work.

g) His fans love him. (Change it into an interrogative sentence)

Ans: Does his fans love him?

h) Make a sentence with ‘to hit the nail on the head’.

Ans: I think David hit the nail on the head when he said that kids won't want to buy this product.

4. (a) Answer any two of the following:                                 10x2=20

1. What do you understand about Resume? Write briefly on your educational qualifications in a neat order and the skills you want to highlight about yourself.

Ans: Answer only two questions

2. Discuss the directions in which communication flows within an organization.

Ans: Ans: Answer only two questions

3. Write the structure of a formal report, in proper sequence and order. State what each section specifies, in brief.

Ans: Formal Report and its Format

Parts of a Formal Report

A formal report’s manuscript format and impersonal tone convey an impression of professionalism. A formal report can be either short (fewer than 10 pages) or long (10 pages or more). It is informational or analytical, direct or indirect. It may be targeted to readers inside or outside the organization.

There are three basic divisions of a formal report:

1. Prefatory Parts

2. Text Parts

3. Supplementary Parts

1. Prefatory Parts are:

a) Cover

b) Title fly

c) Letter of authorization

d) Letter of acceptance

e) Letter of transmittal

f) Table of contents

g) List of illustrations

h) Synopsis or executive summery

2. Text Parts

a) Introduction

b) Body

c) Summary

d) Conclusions

e) Recommendations

f) Notes

3. Supplementary Parts

a) Appendixes

b) Bibliography

c) Index

Prefatory Parts

Cover: Use a cover only for long reports. Use a sturdy, plain, light cardboard with good page fasteners. With the cover on, the open pages should remain flat. Center the report title and your name four or five inches from the upper edge.

Title Fly: It is a plain sheet of paper with the title of the report on it.

Title Page: 1. The title of the report

2. The name, title and address of the person group etc that authorized the report prepared for submitted to

3. The name, title and address of the person, group etc that prepared the report, prepared by, submitted by

4. The date on which the report was submitted.

The title page signals the readers by giving the report title, author’s name, name of person or organization to whom the report is addressed, and date of submission. Choose title information but not long, A Report of, A Study of, or A Survey of etc.

Your title promises what your report will deliver by stating the report’s purpose and content. A title in order to be effective must be clear, accurate, comprehensive, specific, concise and appropriately phrases.

Place of Title Page Items: Do not number your title page, but count it as page (I) of your prefatory pages. Centre the title horizontally on the page, three to four inches below the upper edge, using all capital letters. If the title is longer than six or eight words, centre it on two or more lines.

Letter of Authorization and Letter of Acceptance: If you received written authorization (a litter or memo) you may want to include. It usually has direct request plan. Letter of Acceptance (or memo of acceptance) acknowledges the assignment. It follows good news plan confirming time and money restriction and other pertinent detail. This letter is rarely included in report.

Letter of Transmittal (or memo of transmittal): It conveys your report to the audience. It says what you’d say if you were handing the report to the person who authorized you. It has less formal tone. Depending on the situation, your letter might:

• Acknowledge those who helped with the report

• Refer readers to sections of special interest

• Discuss the need and approaches for follow-up investigations

• Suggest some special uses of the information

• Urge the reader to take immediate action

• Use good news plan

Table of Contents: This table outlines the text and list Prefatory Parts

1. List preliminary items (transmittal letter, abstract) in your table of contents, numbering the pages with small roman numerals. (List items that appear at the end of the report, such as glossary, appendix, notes and bibliography section; number these pages with Arabic numerals, continuing the page sequence of the report). List the first page of your report text.

2. Include no heading in the table of contents not listed as headings or subheadings in the report; your report text may, however, contain certain sub-headings.

3. Use different types of styles and indentations to show the various levels of heads.

List of Illustrations: For simplicity sake, some reports prefer to include all visual aid as illustration or exhibits. Put the list of figures and table on separate page if they won’t fit on one page with the table of content.

Synopsis or Executive Summary: A synopsis is a brief overview (one page or less) of report’s most important point. It is also called abstract. Executive summary is a fully developed mini version of the report and is comprehensive.

1. Make your summary able to stand alone in meaning – a mini-report

2. Make it intelligible to the general reader. Readers of summaries will vary widely in expertise, perhaps much more than those who read the report itself. So translate all technical data into plain English.

3. Add no new information. Simply summarize the report

4. Stick to the order of your report

5. Emphasize only major points.

Text of the Report

Introduction: It has a number of functions and covers a wide variety of topics and helps the reader follow and understands information.

Body: The section contains information that supports conclusion and recommendation as well as analysis, logic, interpretation of the information.

Closing: You summarize the main idea of your report highlighting your conclusion or recommendation and list any course of action. In long report this section may be labeled Summary, Conclusion & Recommendation.

Supplementary Parts

Appendix/Appendixes: They contain materials related to the report but not included in the text because they were lengthy or not directly relevant. They include:

1. Statistics or measurements

2. Maps

3. Complex formulas

4. Long quotations

5. Photographs

6. Related correspondence (letters of inquiry etc.)

7. Texts of law, regulations etc.

Bibliography: A bibliography is a list of source materials on a particular subject. In a formal report it shows what books and other library materials were consulted and it includes all the works mentioned in the footnotes. As part of the reference matter, it follows the appendix or appendices.

Index: An index is an alphabetical list of names, places and subjects mentioned in the report, along with the page on which they occur. They are rarely included in unpublished reports.

4. What are the 7C’s of communication?

Ans: The 7C’s of communication are as follows:

1. Conciseness: The message to be communicated should be as brief and concise as possible. Only simple and brief statements should be made.

2. Concreteness: Concrete and specified expressions should be used in favour of vague and abstract expressions. The facts should also be specified. The level of message of the sender should be according to the receiver’s level of knowledge, understanding and educational background. Such communication builds confidence between sender and receiver.

3. Consistency: Communication approach must have consistency. Excessive vicissitudes might lead to confusion in the mind of the receiver. All the ideas and points must work in tandem and form an appropriate sequence. Such communication will minimise communication barriers.

4. Correctness: It is mandatory to send the message in a correct manner i.e. it must have supporting facts, figures, examples etc. This is done to ensure that if any idea has remained unclear to the receiver he may understand it more clearly, correctly and appropriately based on the supply of facts etc. The sender's ideas must be balanced. The most important aspects of the message should be emphasised for increased attention of the receiver.

5. Clarity: Clarity of thought should precede a conversation. The message constructed by the sender should be unambiguous should adhere to a simple sentence structure. This permits the receiver to understand the message with little effort. Complete clarity of ideas facilitates ease of comprehension. Ideas should be conveyed in a manner that they are understood with simplicity.

6. Credibility: The above-mentioned points prove futile in the absence of the credibility factor because credibility depends on the trust factor between the sender and receiver. The sender should exude confidence that the receiver will receive the message being sent by him. Similarly, the receiver should maintain constant interaction with the sender and display trust in the sender's credibility. He should accept the sender's messages as the truth.

7. Courtesy: Courtesy follows credibility. Results beyond expectation can be achieved if tact, diplomacy and appreciation of people are woven in the message. Courtesy in expression is an effective and integral part of business world. Once the credibility of the sender has been established, attempts should be made at being courteous in expression. In the business world, being courteous can pave the way to success.

5. What do you understand by barriers of communication? Write briefly on ‘judgemental attitude’ and ‘cultural insensitivity’ as barriers of communication.

Ans: Answer only two questions

(b) Answer any two of the following:     10x2=20

1. Write a letter of goodwill, congratulating your colleague on his winning the ‘Employee of the Year’ award.

Ans:

2. Write a circular informing your customers about the ‘Festive Christmas’ discount at your store ‘Step-in’ at Fancy Bazar, Guwahati.

Ans:

3. As the Managing Director of ‘Magic Looms Ltd.’ write a complaint letter to Usha Machines regarding the delay of delivery of the 03 ultra-speed 2020 weaving machines causing inconvenience to your production.

Ans: Read Complaint Letter Article with Some Suitable Examples and Solutions

4. Create only two slides of your PowerPoint presentation on ‘water-scarcity’ in the city of Guwahati. Dedicate one slide to text and the second slide to a visual representation, on the issue. Draw the two slides.

Ans:

5. Write a letter of enquiry to a Travel Agency to seek information on their holiday packages to Goa, complete with the brochure, costs all amenities that are provided by them.

Ans:

6. Imagine yourself as a customer of Lotus Beauty Products. Write a letter requesting credit facilities for your order amounting to two-lakh rupees.

Ans:

***