Business Communication & Behavioural Studies
Intermediate Examination
Autumn 2013
Module C
7 September 2013
100 marks - 3 hours
Additional reading time - 15 minutes
Instructions to candidates:
(i)
All the Questions from Section-A are compulsory.
(ii) Attempt any FOUR out of the SIX Questions from Section-B.
Section A
Q.1
(a)
What is a Matrix Organisational Structure?
(b)
You are the leader of a four member team which has been assigned to prepare a formal
report on the reorganisation and restructuring of the various departments/divisions in
your company. The company has several departments/divisions housed at different
locations.
Identify the key steps that you would take, as the team leader, for the preparation of
the report. List the key steps only details are not required.
Q.2
(a)
(04)
(07)
Assume that you are a senior journalist and have been assigned to conduct a 50 minute
interview session with a leading foreign businessman whose company intends to
establish an important windmill power generation venture in Pakistan. The interview
would be recorded and telecast later for the viewers.
It is important that the interview is conducted in a highly professional manner as the
topic is of vital interest to the government, industrialists/businessmen, prospective
investors and the general public. The interview is expected to draw a large viewership
of diverse backgrounds.
(b)
Q.3
State five steps you would take to ensure that the interview is conducted in a highly
professional and constructive manner.
(07)
State four reasons why progressive organisations adopt and implement formal Code of
Ethics in the conduct of their day-to-day business.
(04)
Rewrite the following sentences to adhere to the principles of 7 Cs of effective
communications. You may make assumptions wherever you consider necessary.
(i)
I am enclosing our brochure that will explain the salient features of the new housing
scheme.
(ii) During the period between April and June, we were able to resolve 80 percent of the
technical problems.
(iii) We expect you to dispatch the consignment of finished leather as soon as possible
because we have to meet our commitments for export of shoes.
(iv) We cannot accept your draft report as the presentation of the various chapters is highly
confusing. We would impress upon you to rectify the poor presentation and send us a
revised draft report.
(v) Usman should be appointed for the position of IT Manager as he has real brains and
has obtained one of the top positions in the professional examination.
(05)
Business Communication & Behavioural Studies
Page 2 of 3
Q.4
Explain the concept of motivation as discussed in the Equity Theory of Work Motivation.
Q.5
The Dean of Concord School of Management Sciences (CSMS), a prestigious educational
institution, has requested the President of Jupiter Insurance Company Limited to accept five
final year students as interns during the summer holidays. As the Public Relations Officer of
Jupiter Insurance Company Limited, you have been directed to write to the Dean stating
that it would not be possible to provide internship facility this year. You may offer any
reasons for not acceding to the Deans request. However, your letter should be worded in a
courteous tone as CSMS not only provides substantial business to your company but also
because the Dean wields considerable influence and respect in the business and professional
circles.
Assume that your name is Abdul Samad.
Q.6
(a)
(b)
(c)
(10)
(11)
What is meant by Agenda of a meeting? State the importance of an agenda in the
conduct of a formal meeting of board of directors of a company.
(04)
State why Minute Books are considered as important documents of any leading
company/organisation.
(05)
What are the advantages of conciseness in business communication?
(03)
Section B
Q.7
Superior Electrical Products Limited manufactures various kinds of electrical goods and sells
its products in the domestic market. The company has recently expanded its production
capacity as it plans to enter into the export market. To achieve effective coordination, the
management is of the opinion that the various departments should be assigned specific
performance goals to meet the quality requirements and delivery schedules for the domestic
and export markets. This is particularly important because several new employees will be
inducted who would have to work in a team environment with the existing work force.
State what advantages would be achieved by implementing a formal goal setting system in
the company.
(10)
Q.8
Explain the salient features of Fiedlers Contingency Model of Leadership Effectiveness.
(10)
Q.9
(a)
In our day-to-day interpersonal communications, errors of perception are a common
phenomenon and often create misunderstandings which result in incorrect decisions.
Identify five factors which give rise to errors of perception in our interactions with
others.
(b)
(05)
Grapevine is an informal communication network which exists in all large
organisations and transmits information through unofficial channels.
State five common characteristics of grapevine networks.
(05)
Q.10 Even experienced writers make concerted efforts in planning of important business messages
before giving a final shape and form to their text and communicating the messages to the
recipient(s) to achieve optimum results.
State and explain briefly the different steps involved in planning of important business
messages before their communication.
(10)
Business Communication & Behavioural Studies
Q.11 (a)
(b)
Q.12 (a)
Page 3 of 3
Give five reasons why a culture of excessive reliance on written communications in
organisational settings is not always considered to be the most suitable mode of
communication.
(05)
List the main differences in the presentation and structure of informal short business
reports and formal long business reports.
(05)
ABC Company Limited (ABCL) has recently developed Fun City, a new holiday
resort, which offers facilities of outdoor sports, childrens play areas, water sports, mini
zoo, etc.
ABCL intends to launch an aggressive promotional campaign for Fun City. The
campaign is designed to:
draw attention and interest
elicit action.
Illustrate the different types of persuasive tactics which may be incorporated in the
promotional campaign to achieve each of the above objectives.
(b)
(05)
Progressive companies, particularly in service-oriented organisations, retain and
monitor records of telephonic conversations between their officials and customers.
State the advantages of recording and monitoring of these telephone conversations.
(THE END)
(05)