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MODULE :HCS 109 COMMUNICATION IN BUSINESS
LECTURER :MUSUNGWINI S
OFFICE 10 COMPUTER SCIENCE DEPARTMENT
CONTACT DETAILS : [email protected], 0772117443
PURPOSE
Poor communication is often the cause of an organisazation losing business and
preventing it from being truly successful. Good communication skills are definitely
essential for every employee of an organisation. Business Communication is an essential
course for all business management learners, as it will assist them in achieving effective
communication at all level within and beyond an organization.
OBJECTIVE
To develop an understanding of the communication function so that the skills acquired
can be transferred to assist with analysis of topics in other courses.
RECOMMENDED TEXTBOOKS
1. Effective Communication in Organisations: by Michael Fielding
Supplementary reading
1
Communication Dynamics, by R.Frost, H.Vos & M.Dreyer; (1st ed); Lexicon
Publishers. 1993
2. Business Communication, by Peter Little; (3rd ed. or later); Longman.
Additional reading
1. Magazines
2. Newspapers
3. Business magazines
SYLLABUS
SECTION ONE: COMMUNICATION THEORY IN ORGANISATIONS
Learners will also be expected to understand, identify and discuss the following concepts:
1.1 Definition of communication
 What it is
 Why it is necessary
 Types of communication
1.2 Non-verbal communication
 Body language/kinesics
 paralanguage
 Facial expressions
 Proxemics
 Territoriality




Clothing
Environment
Seating
Time
1.3 Organisational communication
 Functions for communication in organisations
 Communication models in organisations
 Levels of communication in organisations
 Flow of messages in an organisation
 Definition of Culture
 Culture in organisations
 Intercultural communication in organisations
1.4 Communication Barriers
 Major barriers
 Implications for communication
 Overloading of information
 Underloading of messages
 Solutions to problems of overloading and underloading
1.5 Interpersonal Communication
 The importance of effective interpersonal communication in organisations
 Intrapersonal communication
 interpersonal communication
1.6 Case Studies
 Definition of a case study
 Approaching a case study
SECTION 2: WRITTEN COMMUNICATION
Learners need to understand text and apply appropriate communication principles as well
as style, tone and choice of language to writing of business correspondence. Learners
need to read widely and have knowledge of topical issues.
2.1 Essay writing (learners expected to write argumentative articles on topical issues)
2.2 Memoranda
2.3 Notice of meetings
2.4 Agenda
2.5 Minutes of a meeting
2.6 Reports
2.7 Different types of business letters
 Letters of application
 Letters to the press
 Letters of demand
 Formal invitations
 Responses to replies
 Letters of application
 Letters of resignation
1.1 Instructions
1.2 Press Releases
1.3 Telegrams and telex
1.4 E-mail and its effect on communication in organisations
1.5 Effect of the personal computer and the Internet on communication
SECTION 3:
GROUP COMMUNICATION
Learners to understand the dynamic of groups and the procedures involved within an
organisation
3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4
3.5
3.6
Aspects of meetings
Roles of members in a group meeting
Understanding and demonstrating roles
Leadership in groups
Ineffective groups
Conflict in-groups
PROFESSIONAL CODE OF CHARACTER University coursework prepares students
for the workplace. Therefore, the following Professional Code of Character is expected
from all students:
1. Integrity is a valued character trait. “People with integrity have firm footing, but
those who follow crooked paths will slip and fall.” (Proverbs 10:9) Students will:
a. Be righteously trustworthy. This includes refraining from plagiarism, cheating, or
aiding another student in such. For additional information about consequences of
unethical behavior students should refer to the Midlands State University Student
Handbook.
b. Be Christ followers who keep each other accountable, as well as extend grace and
encouragement.
c. Do work as unto the Lord. Student work is to be representative of their best effort,
complete, and on time.
d. Be mindful that when we stumble we admit to it, repent, and seek restoration and
forgiveness.
2. Respectfulness is a valued character trait—of the Lord, to each other, of yourself, to
your Lecturer, and to staff and administrators. “Show proper respect to everyone; Love
the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.” (1 Peter 2:17) Students will:
a. Be on time—to class or turning in assignments.
b. Turn off and put away cell phones while in class, performing an assignment, or taking
an exam.
c. Use laptops in the classroom only as permitted by the Lecturer for appropriate
coursework. .
3. Responsibility is a valued character trait. “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good,
or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit.” (Matt.
12:33) Learning is a partnership. Students are expected to take responsibility to prepare
for class, which includes reading and studying the text materials, engaging in classroom
discussions, and completing all homework assignments with their best effort. “I know the
plans I have for you says the Lord, plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future
and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11
What about academic dishonesty?
Academic dishonesty, in any form, is expressly prohibited by the rules of the Midlands
State University. Academic dishonesty incorporates the following:
a. Cheating which is defined as the giving or taking of any information or material with
the intent of wrongfully aiding oneself or another in academic work considered in the
determination of a course grade.
b. Plagiarism which is defined as the act of stealing or passing off as one’s own work the
words, ideas, or conclusions of another as if the work submitted were the product of ones
own thinking rather than an idea or product derived from another source.
c. Any other form of inappropriate behavior which may include but is not limited to:
falsifying records or data; lying; unauthorized copying, tampering, abusing or otherwise
unethically using a computer or other stored information; and, any other act of
misconduct which may reasonably be deemed to be a part of this heading.
Any student alleged to have committed any act of academic dishonesty as defined herein,
shall be entitled to due process as defined in Midlands State University rules and
regulations, prior to the administration of disciplinary action, including suspension and
dismissal.