Name- Paridhi Golchha Class-Pg COMM Roll no- 44 Subject-Business Communications

WHAT IS COMMUNICATION? The imparting or interchange of thoughts, opinions, or information by speech, writing, or signs. Something imparted, interchanged, or transmitted A document or message imparting news, views, information etc.

"Any act by which one person gives to or receives from person information about that person's needs, desires, perceptions, knowledge, or affective states. Communication may be intentional or unintentional, may involve conventional or unconventional signals, may take linguistic or nonlinguistic forms, and may occur through spoken or other modes." Communication from Latin commnicre, meaning "to share" . In communication process, a sender (encoder) encodes a message and then using a medium/channel sends it to the receiver (decoder) who decodes the message and after processing information, sends back appropriate feedback/reply using a medium/channel. BUSINESS COMMUNICATIONS Business communication is the specialized branch of general communication that is especially concerned with business activities. When communication takes places among business parties concerning business affairs or business related issues is known as business communication. Business communication is nothing but, the communication between the people in the organization for the purpose of carrying out the business activities. It encompasses a variety of topics, including marketing, branding, customer relations, consumer behavior, advertising, public relations, corporate communication, interpersonal communication, employee appointment, online communication and event management etc. some definitions of business communication are as follows: According to Ricks and Gow, Business communication is a system that affects change within the total organization.

According to W. H. Meaning, The exchange of ideas, news and views in connection with the business among the related parties is called business communication. According to Prof. J. Haste, Communication occurred between two or more businessmen for organizing and administering business efficiently is called business communication

In the eyes of Brennar - Business communication is the expression channeling, receiving and interchanging of ideas in commerce and industry.

WHAT IS A ORGANISATIONAL COMMUNICATION? AND HOW IS IT DIFFERENT FROM NORMAL COMMUNICATION? Organizational communication is the process by which activities of an organization are collected and coordinated to reach the goals of both individuals and the organization In simple terms it is the information flow that happens in an organization but the flow of information has got a structure, direction and process.

Types of business communication 1. Internal communication: This is the communication that takes place within an organization. In addition to the usual face to face, telephone, fax or mail; modern organizations may use technology to communicate internally. Technology may be used for e-mails or a linked internal communication.

2. External communication: Communication between the organization and those outside the organization. They communicate with other businesses can be through telephone, fax, internet etc.

External communication

Internal communication

Letters Fax Direct mail Internet Video Telephones Advertising websites

Team briefing Notices Reports Memos Face to face E-mail

Types of communication in an organization.

Formal Communication
websites

Chain of command Written word Representative system

Informal Communication Gossips Grape vine talks Chit chats

The Structure and mode of organizational communication Horizontal / Lateral Communication

The exchanges between and among agencies and personnel on the same level of the organization chart. Horizontal communication aims at: Task coordination: (Inter Personal & Departmental) Problem solving: (Discussion & Brainstorming) Information sharing: (Inter Personal & Departmental) Conflict resolution: (Inter Personal & Departmental)

Vertical Communication Upward Communication Downward Communication Diagonal Communication

Upward communication

Upward communication -the process whereby the ideas, feelings, and perceptions of lower-level employee are communicated to those at higher levels in the organization. Functions: It provides management with needed information for decision making It helps employees relieve the pressures and frustrations of the work situation. It enhances employees sense of participation in the enterprise. It serves as a measure of the effectiveness of downward communication.

Downward communication Such communication is initiated by the organizations upper management and then filters downward through the chain of command. People are limited as to the amount of information they can effectively absorb and react to. Therefore, management must, of necessity, restrict what it communicates to subordinates. Organization implies some restriction of communication. Without restrictions on communication, any organizational member could be buried under an avalanche of incoming messages from all the other members.

Diagonal Communication This occurs when communication occurs between workers in a different section of the organization where one worker is on a higher level. For example diagonal communication will occur when a department manager converses with an employee in another department. It allows cross communication between departments

Importance and advantages of communication in an organization Communication promotes motivation by informing and clarifying the employees about the task to be done, the manner they are performing the task, and how to improve their performance if it is not up to the mark Effective Communication is significant for managers in the organizations so as to perform the basic functions of management, i.e., Planning, Organizing, Leading and Controlling Cover every management function. Help individuals to understand and pursue organizational objectives. Communication is a source of information to the organizational members for decisionmaking process as it helps identifying and assessing alternative course of actions Improve both organizational and individual performance Communication also plays a crucial role in altering individuals attitudes, i.e., a well informed individual will have better attitude than a less-informed individual. Organizational magazines, journals, meetings and various other forms of oral and written communication help in molding employees attitudes. Better the communication better the performance Organizational culture depends on communications. Communication also helps in socializing. In todays life the only presence of another individual fosters communication. It is also said that one cannot survive without communication.

Overview of the Company

Apple Inc. is a world renowned multinational electronics manufacturer; on a national and international level this organization is large, powerful and highly visible. Apple was named by Forbes Magazine as the most admired company in 2008 (Bortree 2009) As of july 2011, Apple has 364 retail stores in 13 countries as well as the online Apple store and iTunes store .It is the largest publicly-traded corporation in the world by market capitalization with an estimated value of US$626 billion as of September 2012

Apple recognizes that by integrating awareness of the environment health and safety management practices into all aspects of the business; they can technologically offer innovative products and services while conserving and enhancing resources for future generations. Apple is currently ranked: #1 worlds most powerful brand #1 most valuable brand #1 in market value #2 in profit #26 most innovative companies #26 in sale The company has a great market value in terms of brand recognition as well as profit percentage. I wanted to study about the companys communication style and its strategy not only to maintain its position but also to reach the top most zone in all aspects. CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS Apples ruthless corporate culture is just once piece of a mystery that virtually every business executive in the world would love to understand. The culture was based on an ideal that SELF MOTIVATED individuals will work harder if they do not have a boss micromanaging every action. ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE The organisational structure was almost non-existent and focused on placing decision making in the hands of the people in the field. To Apples legion of admirers, the company is like a tech version of heaven factory an confusing yet delightful that produces wonderful items they can t get enough of, but it is also brutal and unforgiving place, where accountability is strictly enforced, decisions are swift, and communication is articulated clearly from the top. ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNICATIONS This type of communications is not been adopted by many companies and it would sometimes be little difficult to target the consumers as effectively as they can by other means. I want to

focus on environmental communications as it would be profitable to the company and the environment. Reasons to adopt a corporate environmental policy: Effective environmental management can reduce operating expenses (Yakhou and Dorweiler 2004), allow rms to make better use of resources (King and Lenox 2001), and stimulate innovation in production technology (McDonough and Braungart 2002). Firms can successfully leverage superior environmental management for competitive advantage (Cerin 2002) and develop new market niches through green marketing (Kiernan 2001). Improved environmental governance practices are viewed as a way to stave off both public protest and regulatory intervention (Reinhardt 1999)

STRATEGIES USED BY THE COMPANY:

What elements inuence how a rm approaches the development of Environmental management initiatives and what can strategists do to inuence these elements?

1. Macro Layer 2. Secondary Stakeholder Layer

3. Industry Layer 4. Firm Layer 5. Functional Layer

Macro forces are the broadest forces that inuence how rms approach environmental governance (Grant 2005) Economic factors Social factors Technological factors Political factors Interest group pressure Increasingly, environmental organizations and local environmental groups are exposing poor environmental practice at both rm and industry levels (Carter 2001). The repercussions for rms that neglect this threat can be nancially damaging Apple has been targeted by environmental groups such as Greenpeace & Friends of the Earth Cool IT Greener electronics Clean our Cloud Make it better General public Public expectations regarding corporate environmental governance have increased signicantly (Deegan 2002). To defend societal interests, concerned individuals and community groups are increasingly involved in monitoring corporate behavior (Cormier and Magnan 2003)

95% of EU citizens feel that protecting the environment is important to them personally (-1 point compared to 2007). 58% consider it to be very important (Eurobarometer 2011) 92% of MNCs from Europe changed their products to address growing concerns of environmental pollution (Vandermerwe and Oliff 1990) (93%) of the 766 participant CEOs from all over the world, declared sustainability as an important or very important factor for their organizations future success.

Industry In 1980, Michael Porter, an authority on corporate strategy introduced his Five Forces framework which demonstrated how forces impacting a rms industry inuence the attractiveness of the industry and dene the parameters within which rms in the industry must operate if they are to succeed in the long run (Porter 1980) Type of industry Competitive practices Media exposure Customer (buyer) pressure Supplier (vendor incentives)

Media exposure Research indicates that industries which are exposed to a greater level of media scrutiny are apt to expend greater efforts to publicly disclose environmental governance practices (Adams 2004) Firms in high-prole industries must take extra care to ensure environmental management programs are developed in a comprehensive manner in order to avoid environmental mishaps that could lead to adverse (Valentine 2009) Apple receives the most press in the mainstream media, representing 15.1 percent of all technology stories in the news (Marsal 2010) Media coverage of Apple found to be overwhelmingly positive Of the stories analyzed, 42% described Apple as "innovative and superior (Marsal 2010)

Customer (buyer) pressure In industries where customer pressure to adopt improved environmental practices is high, rms are more likely to adopt more comprehensive environmental strategies to avoid adversely affecting the customer base (Wilmshurst and Frost 2000) Consumer awareness of environmental inequities drives sustainable business practices (Young 2010)

Euromonitor Internationals Annual Survey confirmed that over half of respondents globally considered the factors fair-trade, green/environmentally-friendly and sustainably produced to be important when considering a purchase

Environmental Reputation Cerin (2002) and Patten (1992) have shown that in response to publicised environmental problems, negligent rms have a propensity to adopt stricter reporting standards. Furthermore, Deegan et al. (2000) have shown that publicised environmental mishaps from one rm tend to inuence the reporting styles of other rms within the industry. Yahoo and Google data centres drove the industry in terms of renewable energy powered facilities On the back of those, Apple announced that its north Carolina data centre will be powered entirely by renewable energy by the end of 2012 Activities that rms undertake in the environmental governance sphere which directly impact a rms market valuation, revenue prospects or cost performance in either the short or long term are all found in the functional layer (Deegan 2002) Financial strategies Brand protection strategies Cost-control strategies Quality strategy Green position strategies

Target Audience Governments Customers Investors Distributors Regulators General public Suppliers Competitors NGOs Employees Pressure groups Media Local communities

EFFECTIVENESS OF THE COMPANY One of Apples greatest strength is its ability to focus on one thing at a time Simplicity is the key to Apples organizational structure. It is deceptively straight forward with none of the dotted line or matrixes responsibilities popular elsewhere in the corporate world.

Apple Inc case study personality refers to the relative stable pattern or behaviors and consistent internal states that explains a person as behavioral tendencies

ISSUES IN THE STRATEGIES: Apple commits to phase out the use of bromine (Br) and chlorine (Cl) in its products with the intent to minimize impact on the environment and human health during manufacturing, use, and disposal in accordance with the RoHs Directive

Apple moves beyond RoHS compliance by restricting additional bromine and chlorine based compounds in consumer electronic products Samsung, Nokia, Sony & LG commit to eliminate the use of hazardous chemicals Sony Ericsson takes on the complicated task of establishing full chemical inventories for all their product lines

THE COMMUNICATION: Apple is in many cases ahead of, or will soon be ahead of, most of its competitors in these areas. Whatever other improvements we need to make, it is certainly clear that we have failed to communicate the things that we are doing well (Jobs 2007)Secrecy at Apple is not just the prevailing communications strategy; it is baked into the corporate culture (The New York Times 2012) EFFECTIVENESS OF COMPETITIORS STRATEGY: The five main manufacturers namely IBM, Dell, HP, Apple, Compaq are in competition to produce the least-expensive and most efficient machine. Japanese companies such as Fujitsu, Toshiba, NEC, and Sony also have large market shares. Some companies such as IBM and Apple focus more on innovation while others such as Dell focus on distribution channel and service, which creates differentiation to some extent. Low-cost production at Dell contributes its positive growth rate, while all other major firms are experiencing negative growth rates. Another important aspect of competitive advantage is globalization. Many PC makers in the US now earn around 40% of their revenues in international markets. Although PC markets in the US, Europe, and Japan have matured and the demand has slowed down, demand in Asia-Pacific (except for Japan) is expected to grow. The effects of intense competition are beginning to be felt as companies exit via selling to other companies or simply exiting the industry altogether. Regardless of the number of companies present, the computer industry will continue to expand and remain competitive for a number of years to come. Hence the threat to industry rivalry can be concluded to be strong.

RECOAMMANDATIONS TO APPLE: The following are the recommendations on how Apple can turn its existing product advantage to a competitive advantage:

Licensing of MAC software to other PC makers Increase entertainment diet so that acceptance of Apple products increases among customers Special concession to schools so that once workshops are conducted in schools, it can create a lasting interest amongst the younger generation (future of tomorrow) Have long term contracts with corporate to increase market share by selling them bulk PCs at discounted prices Increase retail presence in developing economies Increase customer service capabilities Online upgrades even for hardware Apple could come up with a separate product line with luxury brand PC that can be thought of making a lasting fashion statement amongst certain customers by constantly bringing innovatively designed highly fashionable PCs for the urban chic People are using hard-to-administer Windows PCs or expensive Macs to just send email and access intra-office databases. It doesn't make any sense that all that hardware be wasted. It would be advisable to have a generic low end model for basic computational purposes targeting low cost buyers. Tie up with wireless service providers and provide bundled packages to users as this might be the trend tomorrow where a PC would become useless without a network connectivity Provide customization & personalization capabilities where the customer can design even the look and feel of her/his PC before placing an order. Such personalization does not exist today and can also make Apple demand higher margin for the product design flexibility, service and innovation. Device a mechanism which will charge batteries whenever a key is pressed or a mouse is moved. The more a PC is used, the better it charges the batteries (a concept similar to the olden day mechanical auto winding watches which winds every time your hand moves). This should be a revolution in the PC industry to move towards a completely wire free computing.

REFERENCE Apple., 2007. A Greener Apple. London: Apple. Available from: http://www.apple.com/hotnews/agreenerapple [Accessed 26 November 2012]. Graedel, T., Allenby, B., 2001. Industrial Ecology. 2nd edn. Prentice-Hall Publishers: New York, USA. Grant RM. 2005. Contemporary strategy analysis. 5th edn. Blackwell Publishing: London, UK. Greenpeace., 2007. Apple: Guide to Greener Electronics Ranking April 2007. London: Greenpeace Available from:

http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/publications/reports/apple-guide-to-greener/ [Accessed 20 November 2012].

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