Xaviers Institute of Business Management Studies

MARKS: 80
SUB: Business Communication
N. B. : 1) Attempt any Four Case studies
) A!! case studies carry e"ua! mar#s.
No: 1
A R$%&' S$N( () AN $RR*N+ CUS()M$R
Dear Sir,
Your letter of the 23
rd
, with a cheque for Rs. 25,000/- on account, is to hand.
We note what you say as to the difficulty you e!erience in collectin" your outstandin"
accounts, #ut we are co$!elled to re$ar% that we do not thin% you are treatin" us with the
consideration we ha&e a ri"ht to e!ect.
't is true that s$all re$ittances ha&e #een forwarded fro$ ti$e to ti$e, #ut the de#it #alance
a"ainst you has #een steadily increasin" durin" the !ast twel&e $onths until it now stands at
the considera#le total of Rs. (5,000/-
)a&in" re"ard to the $any years durin" which you ha&e #een a custo$er of this house and
the, "enerally s!ea%in", satisfactory character of your account, we are reluctant to resort to
harsh $easures.
We $ust, howe&er, insist that the eistin" #alance should #e cleared off #y re"ular
install$ents of say Rs. *0,000/- !er $onth, the first install$ent to reach us #y the +
th
. 'n the
$eanti$e you shall !ay cash for all further "oods, we are allowin" you an etra 3- discount
in lieu of credit.
We shall #e "lad to hear fro$ you a#out this arran"e$ent, as otherwise we shall ha&e no
alternati&e #ut definitely to close your account and !lace the $atter in other hands.
Yours truly,
,uestions:
1. Comment on t-e appropriateness o. t-e sender/s tone to a customer.
.ns. /here is a tone of harshness and threat of account ter$ination in the sender0s
wordin"s. /he sender0s tone is not a!!ro!riate when co$$unicatin" to a loyal
custo$er of $any years and has a satisfactory account character. /he wordin"s of this
letter should #e a!!ro!riate to concisely con&ey the co$!any !olicy decision and to
!ursue the reader to ta%e re$edial action.
. %oint out t-e o!d 0 .as-ioned p-rases and e1pressions.
.ns. *1 's to hand.
21 What you say as to the difficulty.
31 We ha&e a ri"ht to e!ect.
21 We are reluctant to resort to harsh $easures.
51 3lace the $atter in other hands.
2. Re3rite t-e rep!y accordin4 to t-e princip!es o. e..ecti5e 3ritin4 in 6usiness.
.ns.
4uly 0*, 20*2
5r. 4aya Ra$,
5ar%etin" 5ana"er,
S6S 5ar%etin",
)ydera#ad.
Su#7ect8 Settlin" of 9utstandin" .ccounts
Dear Sir,
/his is in reference to your letter dated 23
rd
4une, 20*2 with a cheque for Rs.25, 000/-
towards the outstandin" accounts.
We understand that you are e!eriencin" difficulty in collectin" your outstandin"
accounts. .t the sa$e ti$e it is true that thou"h s$all re$ittances ha&e #een affected
fro$ ti$e to ti$e, the de#it #alance to your account has steadily increased durin" the
!ast *2 $onths and accu$ulated to a total of Rs.(5,000/-.
With re"ards to the $any years of which you ha&e #een our custo$er, we are offerin"
you the flei#ility of clearin" your eistin" #alance in re"ular :quated 5onthly
'nstall$ents ;$M*1 of Rs.*0,000/- and the first install$ent to reach us #y the +
th
of
net $onth. )owe&er, until the outstandin" is cleared, you $ust !ay cash for all
further "oods for which we will allow you a 3- etra discount in lieu of credit
Yours truly,
N).
7A8$
9A(8 : Ad5ertisin4 Radio FM Brand)
. youn", "or"eous wo$an is standin" in front of her a!art$ent window dancin" to
the *<+0s tune, =.ll Ri"ht >ow? #y the one @ hit #and free. .cross the street a youn" $an
loo%s out of his a!art$ent window and notices her. )e $o&es closer to the window, ta%in"
interest. She cran%s u! the &olu$e and continues dancin", loo%in" out the window at the
fellow, who s$iles ho!efully and wa&es $ee%ly. )e holds u! a #ottle of wine and wa&es it,
a!!arently in&itin" her o&er for a drin%. /he lady wa&es #ac%. )e %isses the #ottle and
ecitedly says, =Yesss.? /hen, he "aAes around his a!art$ent and realiAes that it is a $ess.
=>o B? he eclai$s in a worried tone of &oice. Crantically, he does his #est to quic%ly clean
u! the !lace, stuffin" !a!ers under the sofa and !uttin" old food #ac% in the refri"erator, )e
sli!s on a #lac% shirt, slic%s #ac% his hair, sniffs his ar$!it, and lets out an ecited ,
=YeahhhB? in ea"er antici!ation of entertainin" the youn" lady. )e "oes #ac% to the window
and sees the wo$an still dancin" away. )e !oints to his watch, as if to say = Do$e on. 't is
"ettin" late.? .s she 7ust continues dancin", he loo%s confused. /hen a loo% of sudden
insi"ht a!!ears on his face, =Ci&e,? he says to hi$self. )e turns on his radio, and it too is
!layin" =.ll Ri"ht >ow.? /he $an "oes to his window and starts dancin" as he watches his
lady friend continue ste!!in". =Ci&e, yeah,? he says as he $a%es the =o%ay? si"n with his
thu$# and forefin"er. )e wa&es a"ain. :&eryone in the a!art$ent #uildin" is dancin" #y
their window to =.ll Ri"ht >ow.? . su!er a!!ears on the screen8 =.re you on the ri"ht
wa&elen"th E?
,uestions :
1. 7-at is non 0 5er6a! communication : 7-y do you suppose t-at t-is
commercia! re!ies primari!y on non;5er6a! communication 6et3een a
youn4 man and a 4or4eous 3oman : 7-at types o. non 0 5er6a!
communication are 6ein4 used in t-is case :
. 7ou!d any o. t-e non;5er6a! communications in t-is spot 9ad) not 3or#
3e!! in anot-er cu!ture :
2. 7-at ro!e does music p!ay in t-is spot : 7-o is t-e tar4et mar#et :
<. *s t-e music at a!! distractin4 .rom t-e messa4e :
=. >o3 e!se are radio stations ad5ertised on (8 :
N). 2
AR8*N? %AN?$' CAU+>( *N BUS*N$SS 7$B
.r&ind 3andey is a !ro7ect $ana"er at .l Sa#a Donstruction Do$!any in 5uscat. 't
s a flourishin" co$!any with se&eral construction !ro7ects in 5uscat and a#road. 't is %nown
for co$!letin" !ro7ects on ti$e and with hi"h quantity construction. /he co$!any0s
Dhair$an is a rich and a hi"hly educated 9$ani. . Fer$an en"ineer is .r&ind0s 6ice @
3resident for ur#an and forei"n construction !ro7ects.
/hree $onths a"o, .l Sa#a had su#$itted a tender for a $a7or construction !ro7ect in
Guwait. 'ts quotation was for H 25 $illion. 'n Guwait the !ro7ect was s!onsored and
announced #y a IS @ #ased construction co$!any called Cu$a. .ccordin" to .l Sa#a, their
#id of H 25 $illion was $odest #ut had included a hi"h $ar"in of !rofit.
9n 25 .!ril, .r&ind was as%ed to "o to Guwait to find out fro$ the Cu$a !ro7ect
$ana"er the status of their construction !ro!osal. .r&ind was deli"hted to %now that Cu$a
had decided to "i&e his co$!any. ;.l Sa#a1 the construction !ro7ect wor%. /he !ro7ect
$eant a lot of effort and $oney in !lannin" the !ro!osed construction in Guwait.
Jut #efore .r&ind could tan% the Cu$a !ro7ect $ana"er, he was told that their #ird
should #e raised to H 2( $illion. .r&ind was sur!rised. )e tried to con&ince the Cu$a
!ro7ect $ana"er that his ;.r&ind co$!any had the #ast re!utation for doin" construction
wor% in a cost effecti&e way . )owe&er, he could always raise the #id #y H 3 $illion. Jut he
wanted to %now why he was required to do so.
/he Cu$a $ana"er0s re!ly was, =/hat0s the way we do our #usiness in this !art of the
world, H * $illion will "o to our 5ana"in" Director in the IS, ' shall "et H * $illion, you,
5r. 3andey, will "et H * $illion in a s!ecified account in Swiss Jan%.
.r&ind as%ed, = Jut why $e E?
= So that you ne&er tal% a#out it to any one.? /he Cu$a 3ro7ect 5ana"er said.
.r&ind !ro$ised ne&er to lea% it out to any one else. .nd he tried to #ar"ain to raise
the #id #y H 2 $illion. Cor. .r&ind was fa$iliar with the !ractice of = !ay @ offs? in&ol&ed in
any such thin". )e thou"ht it was a"ainst his loyalty to his co$!any and his !ersonal ethics.
.r&ind !ro$ised the Cu$a !ro7ect $ana"er that the #id would #e raised to H 2(
$illion and fresh !a!ers would #e !ut in. )e did not want to lose the 7o#.
)e ca$e #ac% to 5uscat and %e!t tryin" to fi"ure out how he should !lace the whole
thin" #efore his Fer$an 6ice 3resident. )e o#&iously was at a loss.
,uestions :
1. Ana!yse t-e reasons .or Ar5ind %andey/s di!emma.
. ?oes Ar5ind %andey rea!!y .ace a di!emma :
2. *n your 5ie3 3-at s-ou!d Ar5ind %andey do : S-ou!d -e disc!ose it to -is
+erman 8ice %resident :
N). <.
C)M%AN' ACC$%(*N+ A C)N(RAC(
. co$!uter co$!any was ne"otiatin" a &ery lar"e order with a lar"e siAe cor!oration.
/hey had a &ery "ood trac% record with this client.
'n this cor!oration, fi&e different de!art$ents had !ooled their require$ents and
#ud"ets. . co$$ittee was for$ed which had re!resentation fro$ all the de!art$ents. /he
cor!oration wanted the equi!$ent on a lon" lease and not outri"ht !urchase. Curther, they
wanted all the hardware and software for$ one su!!lier. /his $eant that there should #e
#ou"ht @ out ite$s fro$ $any su!!liers since no one su!!lier could $eet all the require$ents
of su!!ly fro$ its ran"e of !roducts.
/he cor!oration !ro&ided an ehausti&e list of &ery difficult ter$s and conditions and
!ressuriAed the &endors to acce!t. /he co$!uter co$!any who was finally awarded the
contract had a"reed to o&erall ter$s that were fine as far as their own !roducts were
concerned #ut had also acce!ted the sa$e ter$s for the #rou"ht @ out ite$s. 'n this case, the
#ou"ht @ out ite$s were to #e i$!orted throu"h a letter of credit. /he !ercenta"e of the
#ou"ht @ out ite$s &ersus their own $anufacture was also &ery hi"h. 9ne of the ter$s
acce!ted was that the =syste$? would #e acce!ted o&er a !eriod of *0 days after all the
hardware had #een lin%ed u! and software loaded.
/he co$!uter co$!any started facin" trou#le i$$ediately on su!!ly. /here were
o&er *00 co$!uters o&er a distance connected with one another with software on it. Cor the
acce!tance tests, it had #een a"reed that the co$!uter co$!any would de$onstrate as a !re-
requisite the features they had clai$ed durin" technical discussions.
>ow, as you are aware, if a )ero )onda $otorcycle clai$s (0 %$ to a litre of !etrol,
it is under ideal test conditions and if a $otorcycle fro$ the showroo$ were to #e tried for
this test #efore #ein" acce!ted, it would ne&er !ass the test. 'n cor!oration0s case, due to
internal !olitics, the cor!oration !ersons fro$ one de!art$ent @ who insisted on "oin"
eactly #y the contract @ did not si"n acce!tance since the = syste$? could not $eet the ideal
test conditions.
Curther, in a classic case of, = for want of a horse @ shoe, !ay$ent for the horse was
held u!?, the co$!uter co$!any tried to "et the syste$ acce!ted and !ay$ent released. /he
syste$ was so lar"e that at any !oint of ti$e o&er a !eriod of *0 days so$ethin" s$all or the
other always "a&e !ro#le$s. Jut the cor!oration too% the stand that as far as they were
concerned the contract clearly were concerned the contract clearly $entioned that the
=syste$? had to #e tested as a whole and not $odule #y $odule.
,uestions :
1. Comment on t-e terms and conditions p!aced 6y t-e corporation.
. 7-at .actors in.!uenced t-e computer company/s decision to accept t-e
contract :
2. 7as it a 3in 0 3in a4reement : ?iscuss :
N). =
$M%&)'M$N( *N($R8*$7 )F R % S*N>A
5r. R 3 Sinha is a 5J.. )e is #ein" inter&iewed for the !osition of 5ana"e$ent
/rainee at a re!uted co$!any. /he selection co$$ittee0s is chaired #y a lady 6ice @
3resident. 5r. Sinha0s inter&iew was as follows 8
Do$$ittee 8 Food $ornin" B
5r. Sinha 8 Food $ornin" to Sirs and 5ada$ B
Dhair!erson 8 3lease, sit down.
5r. Sinha 8 /han% you ;sits down at the ed"e of the chair, %ee!s his !ortfolio on the ta#le1
K. Dhair!erson 8 You are 5r. R. 3. Sinha
. Sinha 8 Yes, 5ada$. /his is how ' a$ called.
K. Dhair!erson 8 You ha&e !assed 5J. with *
st
Di&ision.
.. Sinha 8 Yes, 5ada$.
K. Dhair!erson 8 Why do you want to wor% in our or"aniAation E
. Sinha 8 't is 7ust li%e that. .lso, #ecause it has "ood re!utation.
K. 5e$#er . 8 /his 7o# is considered to #e quite stressful. Do you thin% you can $ana"e the
stress in&ol&ed.
.. Sinha 8 ' thin% there is too $uch tal% a#out stress these days. Sir, would you tell clearly
what you $ean #y stress E ' a$ &ery stron" for any stress.
K. 5e$#er J 8 What are your stren"ths E
.. Sinha 8 Sir, who a$ ' tal% #oastfully a#out $y stren"ths. You should tell $e $y stren"ths.
K. 5e$#er D 8 What are your wea%nesses E
.. Sinha 8 ' #eco$e an"ry &ery fast.
K. 5e$#er . 8 Do you want to as% us any questions E
. Sinha 8 Yes Sir B What are the future chances for one who starts as a $ana"e$ent trainee E
/he $e$#er tells 5. Sinha the ty!ical career !ath for those startin" as 5ana"e$ent
/rainee. /he Dhair!erson than%s 5r. Sinha. 5r. Sinha !ro$!tly says in re!ly, =you are
welco$e,? and co$es out.
,uestions :
1. ?o you .ind Mr. Sin-a/s responses to 5arious "uestions e..ecti5e : +i5e
reasons .or your 5ie3 on eac- ans3er 4i5en 6y Mr. Sin-a.
. Re3rite t-e responses t-at you consider most e..ecti5e to t-e a6o5e "uestions
in a @o6 inter5ie3.
2. Mr. Sin-a -as o6ser5ed t-e norm o. respect.u! 6e-a5iour and po!ite
con5ersation. ButA do you t-in# t-ere is somet-in4 4one 3ron4 in -is case :
Account .or your 4enera! impression o. Mr. Sin-a/s per.ormance at t-e
inter5ie3.
N). B
Comment on t-e .orm and structure o. t-e
Report.