i have a timed exam on 25 July at 1:30 pm cdt for gmgt pls look below for the format and details

Negative News Messages Read Thill’s chapter 6 on negative news My lecture in PowerPoint slides Two examples of bad -news messages in the these slides Thill’s exercises from Chapter 6 -- Document A and Document B -- will be discussed in classes Dr. Rakesh Mittoo Dr. Rakesh Mittoo Kinds of Negative Messages  Declining an Invitation  Rejecting a Claim  Refusing Credit  Denying a Request or a Proposal  Turning down a Job Applicant  Changing Behaviour  Other messages communicating Bad News Dr. Rakesh Mittoo Goals in Communicating Bad News  The purpose of a bad news message is to reduce hostility and gain goodwill:  To make the receiver understand and accept bad news  To promote and maintain a good image of yourself and your organization  To make messages clear  To avoid legal liability Dr. Rakesh Mittoo Bad New Messages  There are two main approaches to structuring a bad -news message:  The Direct Approach  The Indirect Approach ( Follow this approach to answer the question on the final exam.) Dr. Rakesh Mittoo The Direct Pattern  Use the direct approach if the bad news is expected or not very important.  The pattern is similar to that of a direct strategy message, except that message is softened with a helpful alternative.  State the bad news simply and directly.  Give the reasons.  Give a helpful alternative, if possible.  Close with an optimistic, future -looking goodwill statement Dr. Rakesh Mittoo The Indirect Pattern  Buffer : a neutral or positive opening  Reasons : an explanation of bad news  Bad News : a clear but understated announcement of bad news  Closing : a personalized, forward - looking statement Dr. Rakesh Mittoo Opening with Buffers  Buffer possibilities:  Best news: “To ensure that your correspondence goes out with the last pick up, we are starting a new message pick up service.”  Compliment : “In the interview, Mr. Johnson, we came to know your extensive managerial skill and good business instincts.”  Appreciation: “Thank you for contacting Can West about a marketing position.”  Agreement: “We realize how businesses have suffered because of the dollar rate.”  Facts: “During the last two years, the attendance in the arena has been declining by 7%.  Understanding: Express concern for customer’s expectations about quality, reliability, etc. Dr. Rakesh Mittoo Opening with Buffers  More Buffer possibilities:  General principle: Defines a company’s good business practice.  Chronology of past events: “ When we spoke last week, I agreed to review your credit application in the light of the two errors in your credit file.”  Special needs: “At Vector Direct Mail Sales, we have limited our new product acquisitions to cosmetics, electronic games, and jewelry.”  Time factor: “Our product schedule demands that we settle upon a computer system that can be on -line no later than March 20, 2008.” Dr. Rakesh Mittoo Reasons for Bad News  Reasons:  Cautious explanation  Reader or other benefits  Company policy explanation  Positive words  Evidence that matter was considered fairly and seriously Dr. Rakesh Mittoo Delivering Bad News Sensitively  Bad News:  Embedded placement  Passive voice  Implied refusal  Compromise  Alternative Dr. Rakesh Mittoo Closing for Bad News  Closing  Forward look  Information about alternative  Good wishes  Freebies  Resale  Sales promotion Dr. Rakesh Mittoo Refusal of Favour Request: Ineffective Message  Evaluate this message: Buffer and Opening, Explanation, Organization, Tone and Style (You -Attitude)  Dear Mr. Singh:  Unfortunately, we cannot allow you to apply the lease payments you’ve been making for the past ten months toward the purchase of your Sako 600 copier.  Company policy does not allow such conversion. Have you ever considered why we can offer such low leasing and purchase prices? Obviously, we couldn’t stay in business long if we agreed to proposals such as yours.  You’ve had the Sako 600 copier for ten months now, Mr. Singh, and you say you like its versatility and reliability. Perhaps we could interest you in another Sako model — one that’s more within your price range. Do give us a call. Dr. Rakesh Mittoo Negative News: Refusing Request for Registering in a Course  You are the program Coordinator of the Advanced Learning Center in London, Ontario. The Center is located at 4559 West Hamlin Boulevard. The postal code is S3T 5R3.  The Advanced Learning offers educational seminars to business people. One seminar that has gotten a tremendous response from the community is the one entitled “Improving Your Business Writing Skills.” The classroom can accommodate 25 students, but 40 business people have already requested that you register them for the class.

Along with their request, they have sent their $500 cheque for registration.  Now you must write to 15 people to tell them that they cannot enroll in the course. The first person you will write to is Jonathan Wyatt. He is President of Tyco Production, an upscale advertising firm in Toronto.

Tyco’s address is 3588 East Shenan Lane. The postal code is T4L5SU. Dr. Rakesh Mittoo Questions for Document A from Thill’s Chapter 6  Broadly speaking, what’re the strengths and weakness in (1) the strategies used, (2) organization of the message, and (3) communication style and tone:  1. Opening and/or the buffer used  2. Organization — Logical and complete explanation; organization of information  3. Language — Clear or vague; concrete or general or abstract  4. Information quality —  complete or incomplete or missing?  clear and specific OR confusing and contradictory?  5. Tone, Language Use, Positive Emphasis, and You -Attitude —  Language: negative or positive and objective?  6. Closing — Does it use the required strategies? Dr. Rakesh Mittoo Questions for Document B from Thill’s Chapter 6  Consider the weaknesses of the document in the following areas:  Opening :  Explanation :  Organization :  Tone and You -Attitude Dr. Rakesh Mittoo Subject Lines in Negative News Emails  Generally, use neutral words (e.g. Status of Your Credit Report; Results…; Review…) in subjects lines in letters or emails, denying or refusing customers’ requests. However, for certain kinds of bad news, use a negative subject line in an e -mail: For Example: Subject: Delay in Project Completion The subject line should be negative when: 1. The messages is serious. (Subject: We Lost the IBM account) The subject line should be negative when: 2. The reader needs the information to make the decision.  (Subject: Power will be out Saturday, May 2) 3.You are reporting your own errors.  (Subject: Errors in Multiple Choice Questions) Use a negative subject line in letters when you think readers may ignore the bad news — believing it to be a routine message Dr. Rakesh Mittoo Avoiding Three Causes of Legal Problems  Abusive language  Careless language  The “good -guy” syndrome Dr. Rakesh Mittoo Abusive Language  Defamation — any language that harms a person’s reputation. Calling someone names — a “crook” or a “quack” can get you into trouble. This language is legally actionable when it is false (since it’s harmful to the person’s good name) and published.  Libel — written defamation, i.e. recorded in permanent record or filmed or in electronic medium.  Slander — spoken defamation  It’s easier to sue in Canada for libel than in U.S. since Canadian law does not require proof. In electronic age, you may be prosecuted if you transmit a harassing or libelous message by email or bulletin board. Such electronic transmission is considered published, so a company can incur liability for messages sent through computer system. Dr. Rakesh Mittoo Careless Language  Avoid making statements that are potentially damaging or that could be misinterpreted:  “The factory is too dangerous for tour groups. ” An injured worker filed a lawsuit about the potential danger mentioned in the refusal of request to visit the factory  Careless language : employees may be revealing information that may be used against the company. Be careful with words to communicate what we intend.  Also avoid explanations about dangers and risks that convey more information than you intend. Phrase warnings about dangers properly, cautiously, and carefully.  Be careful about what documents you save. Dr. Rakesh Mittoo The “Good Guy” Syndrome  Avoid making dangerous statements that ease your conscience or make you look good. We all want to look like good guys rather than be the bad guys in others’ eyes. So to be seen as good guys, we tend to make certain statements or usually positive statements that are legally dangerous. Our appreciative statements about quality or competence of a candidate etc. may be misconstrued. They may reveal what we truly feel but may give information that can be used against us.  Avoid making dangerous statements that ease your conscience or make you look good:  I thought you were an excellent candidate but we had to hire…  Business communicators act as agents of the organization. Their views must reflect the organization’s view.  Especially beginning employees may not be able to balance the interests of the company they work with desire to be nice to the customers. Dr. Rakesh Mittoo