LOYOLA COLLEGE (AUTONOMOUS), CHENNAI – 600 034

M.A. DEGREE EXAMINATION – ENGLISH LITERATURE

FIRST SEMESTER – NOVEMBER 2012

EL 1812 – DYNAMICS OF COMM. : THEORY AND APPLICATION

 

 

Date : 15/11/2012            Dept. No.                                        Max. : 100 Marks

Time : 1:00 – 4:00

 

 

PART-A

 

1. Answer any five of the following in about 200 words each choosing not more than three from each Section:                                                                            (5 X 8 = 40)

SECTION I

1. What are the basic principles of interpersonal communication?
2. What are the skills involved in effective reading?
3. What are the guidelines to ensure multi-cultural collaboration?
4. What are the strategies to motivate oneself?

SECTION II

5. Why is eye-contact important in oral communication?
6. Explain the necessity of drafting a speech prior to its delivery?
7. What is Body Language?
8. Explicate Edward de Bono’s concept of Lateral Thinking?

 

Part B

 

Answer any two of the following in about 500 words each without omitting any section:  (2 X 20 = 40)

SECTION I

9. How would you design and make a lively presentation?
10. Summarize the necessary interpersonal skills to make a difference in the workplace?

 

SECTION II

11. What are the 2 Factors and 7 skills necessary for effective oral communication?
12. Define Team work skills and its practice in the modern workplace.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Part C

Read the following case and answer the questions given below:                                                 (5X4 = 20)

Case study – James Carston, Fine Shirtmakers

Set up in the 1920s by James Carston, a Manchester tailor, the company has remained in the family and is now run by James’s grandson, Paul Carston.  Employing fewer than 50 people, the company has a reputation for producing high-quality men’s shirts, which it sells by mail order, and has a loyal customer base.  As Paul Carston says, ‘Once someone has tried our shirts, they tend to come back for more.  Our customers appreciate the attention to detail and the high-quality fabric we use.’  And it’s the fabric they now use that makes the company almost unique in the world of men’s shirt manufacturers.

When Paul Carston took over running the company in 1999, he inherited a business that prided itself on using local well-paid machinists rather than sweatshop labour, and looked upon its employees as members of an extended family.  Paul, a committed environmentalist, felt that the company fitted in well with his values.  The shirts were made from 100 per cent cotton, and as Paul says, ‘It’s a completely natural fibre, so you would think it was environmentally sound’.

Then Paul read a magazine article about Fair Trade and cotton producers.  He was devastated to read that the cotton industry is a major source of pollution, and that the synthetic fertilizers used to produce cotton are finding their way into the food chain.

Paul takes up the story.  ‘I investigated our suppliers, and sure enough found that they were producing cotton on an industrial scale using massive amounts of chemicals. Then I looked into organic cotton suppliers, and found an organisation of Indian farmers who worked together to produce organic cotton on a Fair Trade basis.  Organic cotton is considerably more expensive than conventionally produced cotton, so I did the sums. I discovered that if we were prepared to take a cut in profits, we would only need to add a couple of pounds to the price of each shirt to cover the extra costs.  The big risk, of course, was whether our customers would pay extra for organic cotton.’

Paul did some research into the ethical clothing market and discovered that although there were several companies producing casual clothing such as T-shirts in organic cotton, there was a gap in the market for smart men’s shirts.  He decided to take the plunge and switch entirely to organic cotton.  He wrote to all his customers explaining the reasons for the change, and at the same time the company set up a website so they could sell the shirts on the internet.  The response was encouraging.  Although they lost some of their regular customers, they gained a whole customer base looking for formal shirts made from organic cotton, and the company is going from strength to strength.

13. What problem did Paul Carston face and how did he solve it?
14. How did Paul communicate?
15. Identify the lateral thinking of Paul.
16. Business persons need not be concerned with ethical issue. Comment.
17. How did Paul motivate himself and others?

 

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