1. LY D I A M A Z A N T I
ORG 536- CONTEMPORARY
BUSINESS WRITING AND
COMMUNICATION
COLORADO STATE
U N I V E R S I T Y- G L O B A L
CAMPUS
DR. ROBERT OLSZEWSKI
FEBRUARY 2, 2014

2. WHAT IS ONE OF THE MOST
IMPORTANT SKILLS NEEDED FOR
THE BUSINESS WORLD?

3. Do you know best
the practices in
these areas?
• Ethical
communication
• Professionalism
in
communication
• Proper
intercultural
communication
• Business writing
• Digital media
writing skills
• Good and Bad
news
• Presentations
• Reports

4. ETHICAL COMMUNICATION
Ethics is about doing what right and
ethical organizations do their part to
build an ethical culture by
promoting behaviors that are fair,
honest, respectful and responsible
(Guffey & Loewy, 2010).

5. 
Following all policies, procedures, laws and
regulations.

Ensure privacy and confidentiality
  honest.
Be

Never discriminate on any basis or bias.

Communicate clearly and responsibly.

Stand up against unethical behaviors.

Give credit and asking for guidance as needed
(Johnson, 2007).

7. There are many facets of
professional behavior•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Ethical behavior
Communication skills
Integrity
Competency
Teamwork
Respectfulness
Reliability
(Johnson, 2007).

8. INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION
“Approximately 6,000 languages are used in the world today”
(Chitakornkijsil, 2010, p. 9).
Intercultural communication
is important due to:
• Globalization
• Intercultural workforce
• Promotes tolerance and patience
(Guffey & Loewy, 2010)

9.  Use simple English: Avoid puns,
sarcasm, slang or idiomatic expressions
 Be aware of cultural nonverbal cues
 Use descriptive feedback
 Follow the lead of the individual from
another culture
 Check for understanding
 Listen
 And follow up in writing
(Guffey & Loewy, 2010)

10. TIPS FOR
BUSINESS
WRITING
Know your purpose, audience, be
concise and simple, do not offend,
be consistent ,do not rely on spell
check alone and edit, edit, edit
(Powell, 2003).
Parts of the Writing
Process
PreWriting
25%
Editing
50%
Writing
25%

11. Be aware of the legal ramifications of the communication channel, it
"is permanent and searchable and can be forwarded”
(Goldsmith, 2007, para. 4).
A media message that is contains
errors, confidential
information, biased, poorly worded, or
offensive can create legal issues or at
best damage an organizations
reputation if that message falls into
the wrong hands (Goldsmith, 2007).
Image courtesy of Jannoon028 / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

12. DELIVERING GOOD NEWS AND BAD NEWS
GOOD NEWS
 Be sincere,
straight forward,
and concise
 Convey kindness
 Be aware of your
audience
(Guffey & Loewy, 2010).
BAD NEWS






Never Surprise
Deliver honestly and factually
Put it in writing
Justify
Frame positively
Consider the audience and
word appropriately
 Be respectful and dignified
(Bies, 2012).

14. PRESENTATIONS
Image courtesy of zcool.com.cn
/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

15. 





Get everyone’s attention
Be organized
Embrace and use visual aides
Use style and appealing fonts
Be interactive
Conclude strong
(Guffey & Loewy, 2010)

17. INFORMAL VS. FORMAL BUSINESS WRITING
Informal Writing
Formal Writing
 Non-sensitive
data
 Conversational
but still well
organized
 Describe
routine tasks
 Often for
internal
audiences
 Fully
researched data
 Serious tone
 Highly
organized and
publishable
 Often for
external
audiences
(Guffey & Loewy, 2010)

18. TIPS FOR FORMAL WRITING
• Know the proper format.
• Be concise and organized.
• Give time and effort to the
process.
• Pre-write, write, and edit.
(Guffey & Loewy, 2010)

19. Be ethical, professional, polish your
intercultural communication and both
your informal and formal writing skills
(Guffey & Loewy, 2010).

20. “Technologies and procedures are
constantly evolving, you must be flexible and
willing to engage in lifelong learning”
(Guffey & Loewy, 2010, p.30).
Following best practices and learning tips are a good
first step in the communication learning process.
Good Luck!

21. REFERENCES
Bies, R. (2012). The 10 commandments for delivering bad news. Forbes, Retrieved from
http://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesleadershipforum/2012/05/30/10-commandments-for-delivering-bad-news/
Chitakornkijsil, P. (2010). Intercultural communication challenges and multinational organization communication.
International Journal of Organizational Innovation (Online), 3(2), 6-20. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com
docview/763168869?accountid=38569
Goldsmith, M. (2007). Understanding the perils of email. Bloomberg Businessweek. Retrieved from
http://www.businessweek.com/stories/2007-05-16/understanding-the-perils-of-e-mailbusinessweek
-business-news-stock-market-and-financial-advice
Guffey, M., & Loewy, D. (2010). Business communication: Process and product (7th ed.). Independence, KY: Cengage
Learning. ISBN-13: 9780538466257
Jannoon028. (Designer).(2011). Social networking concept [Web Graphic]. FreeDigitalPhotos.net. Retrieved from
http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/Communications_and_N_g263-Social_Networking_Concept_p58782.html
Jscreationzs. (Designer). (2010). Computer Network [Web Graphic]. FreeDigitalPhotos.net. Retrieved from
http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/Computer_Networks_g351-Computer_Network_p23958.html
Johnson, L. (2007). Aspects of professionalism: integrity, competency, ethical behavior. National Center for Competency
Testing, Retrieved from http://www.ncctinc.com/documents/Aspects of Professionalism 1.pdf
Powell, E. (2003). Ten tips for better business writing. Office Solutions, 20(6), 36-38. Retrieved
from http://search.proquest.com/docview/216443770?accountid=38569
zcool.com.cn. (n.d.). 3d villain to train highdefinition picture. Retrieved from
http://all-free-download.com/free-photos/3d_villain_to_train_highdefinition_picture_165605_download.html