Effective Business Communication Report: Marks and Spencer Case Study

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of business communication, using Marks and Spencer as a case study. It explores the communication needs of internal and external stakeholders, examining different communication models like Shannon's, Berlo's, and Schramm's, and evaluating the effectiveness of various communication systems. The report delves into factors affecting the choice of communication media, the importance of correct grammar and sentence structure, and strategies for planning and structuring communications. It also addresses overcoming communication barriers, the use of communication theories and body language, and proofreading techniques. Furthermore, the report discusses the purpose and audience of communication, appropriate media choices, formatting, agreed business practices, and the importance of clear, grammatically correct written communication, including deadlines. The report also examines verbal communication, body language, and the recipient's understanding of messages. Overall, the report offers valuable insights into effective business communication strategies and practices.

COMMUNICATE IN A
BUSINESS ENV

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
1.1 Communication needs of internal and external stakeholders................................................1
1.2 Different communication models..........................................................................................1
1.3 Effectiveness of different communication systems...............................................................2
1.4 Factors that affect the choice of communication media........................................................2
1.5 Importance of using correct grammar, sentence structure, punctuation, spelling and
conventions.................................................................................................................................2
1.6 Factors to be taken into account in planning and structuring different communication
media...........................................................................................................................................3
1.7 Ways of overcoming barriers to communication..................................................................3
1.8 Use of communication theories and body language.............................................................4
1.9 Proof- reading techniques for business comminations..........................................................4
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................4
2.1 Purpose and audience of the information to be communicated............................................4
2.2 Communication media that are appropriate to the audience and information.....................5
2.3 Information in the format, layout and style that is appropriate to the information to be
communicated.............................................................................................................................5
2.4 Agreed business practices when communicating in writing.................................................5
2.5 Style and content of a communication, appropriate to specific audiences............................5
2.6 Written communications that are clear, expressed in correct grammar and reflect what is
intended.......................................................................................................................................6
2.7 Agreed deadlines in communicating with others..................................................................6
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................6
3.1 Nature, purpose, audience and use of the information to be communicated........................6
3.2 Use language that is correct and appropriate for the audience's needs.................................7
3.3 Use appropriate body language and tone of voice to reinforce messages.............................7
3.4 Meaning and implications of information that is communicated verbally...........................7
3.5 Recipient has understood correctly what has been communicated.......................................8

3.6 Way that is appropriate to the situation and in accordance with organizational policies and
standards......................................................................................................................................8
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
Business communication is information sharing between people within and outside an
organization that is performed for the commercial benefit of the organization. It can also be
defined as relaying of information within a business by its people. Communication is an activity,
skill, and art that incorporates lessons learned across a wide spectrum of human knowledge.
Effective communication takes preparation, practice, and persistence (Cohen and Kietzmann,
2014). There are many ways to learn communication skills; the school of experience, or “hard
knocks,” is one of them. Present report is based on Marks and Spencer, which is British
multinational retail company in UK. In this report communication needs of internal and external
stakeholders are mentioned which helps in attaining higher success at market place.
TASK 1
1.1 Communication needs of internal and external stakeholders
The company needed to improve its communications with its internal and external
stakeholders. Internal stakeholders are those individuals and groups within the organisation.
They include the employees, the managers and directors of the business and its owners or
shareholders. Communications with internal stakeholders help to create a positive attitude within
the company. One of the most significant groups of external stakeholders is Marks and Spencer
is customers. other important external stakeholders include the government and regulatory
bodies, the company's suppliers, the media and the communities that live close to the company's
farms and operations. communications programme aims to improve perceptions of the
company and brand and to increase public awareness of turkey as a tasty, vers
1.2 Different communication models
It is vital for any business organization to understand the communication models out
there, so they can use them for enhancing effective communication in the organization. The
models help the business organizations and other institutions to understand how communication
works, how messages are transmitted, how it is received by the other party, and how the message
is eventually interpreted and understood. Different Communication Models: Shannon's Model: In Shannon's model, the information source typically refers to a
person, who then sends a message with the use of a transmitter (Daim and et. al., 2012).
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 Berlo's Model: According to this model, for the message to be properly encoded and
decoded, the communication skills of both the source and the receiver should be at best.
 Schramm's Model: In this both the sender and the receiver take turns playing the role of
the encoder and the decoder when it comes to communication.
1.3 Effectiveness of different communication systems
An effective communications system can impact your company's bottom line in several
ways (Fleisher and Bensoussan, 2015). A well-developed communications plan can help a
business quickly move beyond an unpleasant situation. Various effectiveness of communication
system are as follows:
 Optical Communication System
 Radio Communication System
 Duplex communications system
 Half Duplex Communication System
 Tactical Communication System
1.4 Factors that affect the choice of communication media
When deciding which communication media to use it is important to consider what
message you are trying to get across/receive. For large amounts of information email is the best
choice as it is able to hold a large amount of written text and some documentation. When looking
to describe and to discuss, telephone or face-to-face are better choices as they allow the use of
senses within conversation i.e. tone (hearing), body language (visual), as well as ensuring the
understanding of both parties due to quick feedback. Telephone calls are typically better when
looking to discuss large amounts of information or to save time. Face-to-face meetings are good
with clients for initial meetings, or candidates following interviews, to gather key information
and make a lasting impression.
1.5 Importance of using correct grammar, sentence structure, punctuation, spelling and
conventions
It is important to use correct grammar whether writing or speaking to communicate
effectively to help people get a better understanding and to express your communication more
precisely and clearly. It is important to use correct sentence structure in business
communications so your writing has variation and isn't all the same (Grunig, 2013). A good
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sentence structure allows the communication to be correctly interpreted whereas a poor sentence
structure can be misinterpreted. It is essential to use correct punctuation to enable the
communication to be readable and easy to understand. This importance carries through to other
methods of communication with similar reasoning the most important thing is to ensure the
correct message is expressed (Hartman, DesJardins and MacDonald, 2014).
1.6 Factors to be taken into account in planning and structuring different communication media
When planning and structuring different communication media it is important to consider
how the message you are offering will be taken in. A key consideration is the ability of the
receiver to take on your message i.e. your message should be clear for a reader who may find
reading English difficult who might have English as a second language or suffer from a reading
disability. Consequently, it is important to make sure that any message is as succinct as possible
only relevant and necessary information included within emails or conversations. Other
considerations include the formality of language choices involved in portraying ideas, i.e.
conversations with clients, and the desired outcome of communication. Planning and structuring
communication is key to increasing the likelihood the receiver will understand the intended
message.
1.7 Ways of overcoming barriers to communication
Communication barriers exist all around us. Misinterpretations abound in our discussions
with team members. We delete, distort and generalise information in every conversation.
Methods to Remove Barriers of Communication:
 Have Clarity In Your Thoughts:
 Understand the needs of your audience:
 Seek the Advice of others before Communicating:
 Take adequate care of your Tone, Language and way you are speaking
 Have a Feedback from the receiver
 Keep a Routine check on the communication system
 Make use of the body language
 Avoid overloading too much of information
 Communication chain should be short
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1.8 Use of communication theories and body language
Berlo’s theory of communication takes into account the importance of senses, and
therefore body language as viewed by a receiver, in the deliverance of a message. Similarly, it
can be argued that the ‘interference’ of Schramm’s model could include such things as body
language. In my work, I understand that body language, similarly to tone in a telephone
conversation, is a key aspect to how a message is created and taken in (Low, Chen and Wu,
2011). For example, closed body language can suggest that someone is uncomfortable, nervous,
or judgemental, i.e. hunching, crossing arms, etc., whereas, open body language is a good
indication of agreement, honesty, and friendliness, i.e. expressive hand gestures, a lack of
physical barriers, and relaxed body positioning. Using open body language in meetings with
clients/candidates is important as it helps to portray an honest and friendly message something
key to creating the foundations for a good business relationship.
1.9 Proof- reading techniques for business comminations
Proofreading is an important component of business communications. Proofreading
eliminates or minimizes the chances of mistakes, removes imperfections, punctuation marks and
looks for grammatical mistakes which makes a bad impact to the reputation & credibility of the
organization. There are some effective proof-read techniques are as follows:
 Identify your target audience
 Focus on Content and Style
 Proper Formatting
TASK 2
2.1 Purpose and audience of the information to be communicated
Knowing your purpose and audience helps determine your strategy. If your purpose or
audience is unclear, clarify it as best you can, possibly by asking others. For a public thesis
defence, for example, the audience is usually strongly heterogeneous. It includes your jury, your
colleagues, your friends, and perhaps your family. The purpose depends largely on how your
institution sees the event. To optimize your communication, you will need to know not only who
your audience is, but also what they need from your communication task (Morgan, 2013).
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2.2 Communication media that are appropriate to the audience and information
It is very important in the workplace to choose the correct channel of communication,
whether it be oral, written, visual or electronic (Rai and et. al., 2012). The latest issue is that
consumers have been seriously injured due to a defect in their cars' braking system. using all
forms of communication to educate consumers and protect the company:
 Oral Communication Channel
 Written Communication Channel
 Visual and electronic Channel
2.3 Information in the format, layout and style that is appropriate to the information to be
communicated
There are many different types of documents that may be produced in a business
environment. These include: fax documents, business cards, memo, agendas, minutes,
spreadsheets, analysis charts, data sheets, letters, slide shows and many more. The documents
that you produce for your organisation are an image or representation of your organisation. So it
automatically creates an impression on the reader about the standards of the organisation and
how it values its customers.
2.4 Agreed business practices when communicating in writing
Written communication allows businesses to communicate developments, expectations
and legalities to employees and contacts in the outside world. While traditional hard copies of
written communication in business are still prevalent, email and online communication has
become increasingly common. Effective and ethical business communication Professionalism in
the workplace Intercultural business communication Writing tips for business presentations
Using email and digital media for business Positive and negative messages Business
presentations Business reports, plans, and proposals.
2.5 Style and content of a communication, appropriate to specific audiences
Communication involves the imparting or interchanging thoughts, opinions, or
information among people by speech, writing, or signs. People communicate in different ways.
How effective is your communication style? Are you giving away thoughts you don't mean to?
 Verbal
 Non-verbal Communication
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 Visual Communication
Verbal communication makes the process of conveying thoughts easier and faster, and it
remains the most successful form of communication (Reim, Parida and Örtqvist, 2015).
2.6 Written communications that are clear, expressed in correct grammar and reflect what is
intended
Effective writing allows the reader to thoroughly understand everything you are saying.
This is not always easy to do.
 Know your goal and state it clearly
 Tone can help your writing be more effective.
 Explain in clear terms what you want the reader to do
 Language needs to be simple
2.7 Agreed deadlines in communicating with others
Being able to meet your deadlines, and deliver on what you have promised is an integral
part of any job. It is so easy for a project to slide off the rails before it has even really started
properly.
 Agree to a reasonable deadline
 Ensure that you are a hundred percent clear on what is expected of you
 Always make sure you are ahead of schedule, work in advance
 Be very careful of over committing
 Hold yourself accountable
TASK 3
3.1 Nature, purpose, audience and use of the information to be communicated
The assignment’s purpose, audience, and tone dictate what the paragraph covers and how
it will support one main point. This section covers how purpose, audience, and tone affect
reading and writing paragraphs.
Three elements shape the content of each paragraph:
 Purpose. The reason the writer composes the paragraph.
 Tone. The attitude the writer conveys about the paragraph’s subject (Schaltegger,
Lüdeke-Freund and Hansen, 2012).
 Audience. The individual or group whom the writer intends to address.
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3.2 Use language that is correct and appropriate for the audience's needs
The right language will avoid those things which get in the way of audience
understanding. Readers’ and listeners’ receptiveness will be impaired by words that are
unfamiliar, vague, uninformative or ambiguous (Trompenaars and Hampden-Turner, 2011).
There are six main characteristics of effective language. Effective language is: (1) concrete and
specific, not vague and abstract; (2) concise, not verbose; (3) familiar, not obscure; (4) precise
and clear, not inaccurate or ambiguous; (5) constructive, not destructive; and (6) appropriately
formal.
3.3 Use appropriate body language and tone of voice to reinforce messages
Body language, sometimes called “non-verbal communication,” is an important tool. The
way you communicate through body language can determine your success in everything from
relationships to your career. Up to 93 percent of communication can be non-verbal. Paying closer
attention to the messages you send through body language can help you succeed.
 Use open body language
 Identify emotional body language
 Avoid blocking
 Spot when someone is lying
 Consider spacing
 Identify your body language patterns
3.4 Meaning and implications of information that is communicated verbally
The word verbal comes from the Latin word for word – verbum. Meanwhile, the word
communication comes from the Latin word for to share – communicare. So, it follows from this
that verbal communication means sharing things by means of words. Verbal communication can
be taken to mean many different things. However, one thing is always clear: words must always
be involved in verbal communication. Words have been used for centuries as carriers of
meaning.
3.5 Recipient has understood correctly what has been communicated
It is important that we confirm that what we have been communicating has been
understood. A way of judging this when having a face to face conversation would be by
observing the person's body language as you speak and by questioning throughout. With all
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forms of communication, at the end almost like a conclusion, you could sum up overall what has
just been discussed as a clarification of understanding.
3.6 Way that is appropriate to the situation and in accordance with organizational policies and
standards
Sometimes when questioning and answering over the phone, information can be
misinterpreted due to the speaker’s nerves. You should always appear confident when you speak
by speaking clearly and speaking with a smile. Smiling can change the tone of your voice to
make you sound friendly and welcoming whereas if you are frowning you may seem like you are
fed up and that you don’t really want to be having that particular conversation. As a result, that
could lead to your company losing their customer morale (Veil, Buehner and Palenchar, 2011).
When speaking to a customer it is important that you are following your companies’ policies and
standards. When company policies and procedures are in writing, you let employees know
exactly what they need to do to remain employed with your company.
CONCLUSION
From the above mentioned report, is can be summarized that communicate in a business
environment is one of the important activity which helps in reducing the chances of arising
conflict situation in most effective manner. With the help of this company easily enhance their
productivity level.
REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Cohen, B. and Kietzmann, J., 2014. Ride on! Mobility business models for the sharing economy.
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Daim, T. U. and et. al., 2012. Exploring the communication breakdown in global virtual teams.
International Journal of Project Management. 30(2). pp.199-212.
Fleisher, C. S. and Bensoussan, B. E., 2015. Business and competitive analysis: effective
application of new and classic methods. FT Press.
Grunig, J. E. ed., 2013. Excellence in public relations and communication management.
Routledge.
Hartman, L. P., DesJardins, J. R. and MacDonald, C., 2014. Business ethics: Decision making
for personal integrity and social responsibility. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Low, C., Chen, Y. and Wu, M., 2011. Understanding the determinants of cloud computing
adoption. Industrial management & data systems. 111(7). pp.1006-1023.
Morgan, G., 2013. Riding the waves of change. Imaginization Inc.
Rai, A. and et. al., 2012. Interfirm IT capability profiles and communications for cocreating
relational value: evidence from the logistics industry. MIS quarterly. 36(1). pp.233-262.
Reim, W., Parida, V. and Örtqvist, D., 2015. Product–Service Systems (PSS) business models
and tactics–a systematic literature review. Journal of Cleaner Production. 97. pp.61-75.
Schaltegger, S., Lüdeke-Freund, F. and Hansen, E. G., 2012. Business cases for sustainability:
the role of business model innovation for corporate sustainability. International Journal
of Innovation and Sustainable Development. 6(2). pp.95-119.
Trompenaars, F. and Hampden-Turner, C., 2011. Riding the waves of culture: Understanding
diversity in global business. Nicholas Brealey Publishing.
Veil, S. R., Buehner, T. and Palenchar, M. J., 2011. A work‐in‐process literature review:
Incorporating social media in risk and crisis communication. Journal of contingencies
and crisis management. 19(2). pp.110-122.
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