Essentials of Business Communication CDN Guffey SM
g g g g g g
Additional Activities and Cases New Edition 2025/2026
g g g g g g g
1.4 Listening:gAngIn-PersongorgVirtualgSocialgMediagInterviewg(Obj.g2)
Howgmuchgandgtogwhomgdogbusinesspeopleglisten?
YourgTask.
Interviewgagbusinesspersongaboutghisgorghergworkplaceglistening.gConnectgwithgagworkergingyou
rgcirclegofgfriends,gfamily,gandgacquaintances;gingyourgcampusgnetwork;gatgagpriorgorgcurrentgjob;
gorgviagLinkedIngorgFacebook.gComegupgwithgquestionsgtogaskgaboutglistening,gsuchgasgthegfollo
wing:
(a)gHowgmuchgactiveglisteninggdogyougpractisegdaily?g(b)gTogwhomgdogyouglistengongthegjob?g(c
)gHowgdogyougknowgthatgothersgaregorgaregnotglisteninggtogyou?g(d)gCangyougshareganecdotesgofg
poorglisteninggthatgledgtognegativegoutcomes?g(e)gDogyoughavegtipsgforgbetterglistening?
ANS:
Theganswersgwillgvary.gStudentsgcouldgbrainstormgandgdiscussgtheirginterviewgquestionsgingclassg
orgpreparegquestionsgatghome.gThengtheygcouldgapproachgtheirgintervieweesgingperson,gbygphone,
gbygemail,gorgviagLinkedIngorgFacebook.gAgspecialgwordgofgcautiongwhengcontactinggprofessiona
lsgongLinkedIn:gWarngstudentsgnotgtogrelentlesslygpursuegrandomgstrangers,gbutgtogworkgfromgwi
thingtheirgowngestablishedgLinkedIngcirclegofgprofessionalgacquaintancesgorgtheirgacquaintances’g
contacts.gThisgassignmentgcouldgbegdonegorallygorgingwritingg(email,gmemo)gindividually,gingsma
llggroups,gorgingclass.gThegtaskgcouldgbegexpandedgtogaggroupgoralgpresentationgorgwrittengreport.
1.5 ListeninggandgNonverbalgCues:gSkillsgRequiredgingVariousgCareersg(Objs.g2,
g3)
Dogtheglisteninggskillsgandgbehavioursgofgindividualsgdiffergdependinggongtheirgcareers?
YourgTask.
Yourginstructorgwillgdividegyougintogteamsgandggivegeachgteamgagrolegtogdiscuss,gsuchgasgbusines
sgexecutive,gteacher,gphysician,gpolicegofficer,gattorney,gaccountant,gadministrativegassistant,gme
ntor,gorgteamgleader.gCreategaglistgofgverbalgandgnonverbalgcuesgthatgagmembergofgthisgprofession
gwouldgdisplaygtogindicategthatghegorgshegisglistening.
,ANS:
Studentgteamsgshouldggenerateglistsgofglisteninggandgnonverbalgcuesgthatgincludegsomegofgtheg
following:ggoodgeyegcontact,gavoidinggbeinggdistractedgbygothers,gnotginterrupting,gtakinggnotes
,gparaphrasingginstructions,gaskinggpertinentgquestionsgingagnonthreateninggmanner,gleaning
forward,gandgshowinggempathygandgcompassion.gCriticalglisteningginvolvesgjudginggandgevalua
tinggwhatgyougareghearing.gDiscriminativeglisteninggisgnecessarygwhengyougmustgidentifygmaingi
deasgandgunderstandgangargument.gTeamsgshouldggenerategdifferentgcuesgandgbehavioursgtogre
flectgthesegformsgofglisteninggingrelationgtogthegprofessionalgrolesgtheygareganalyzing.
1.6 BodygLanguageg(Obj.g3)
Cangbodyglanguagegbegaccuratelyginterpreted?
YourgTask.
Whatgattitudesgdogthegfollowinggbodygmovementsgsuggestgtogyou?gDogthesegmovementsgalwaysg
meangthegsamegthing?gWhatgpartgdoesgcontextgplaygingyourginterpretations?
a. Whistling,gwringingghandsg Bow
b. edgposture,gtwiddlinggthumbs
c. Steepledghands,gsprawlinggsittinggpositiongRu
d. bbingghandgthroughghair
e. Openghands,gunbuttonedgcoatgWringi
f. ngghands,gtugginggears
ANS:
a. Whistling,gwringingghands Nervousnessgorgfear
b. Bowedgposture,gtwiddlinggthumbs Boredom
c. Steepledghands,gsprawlinggsittinggposition Contemplationgorgrelaxation
d. Rubbingghandgthroughghair Frustrationgorgnervousness
e. Openghands,gunbuttonedgcoat Relaxation,gconfidence
f. Wringingghands,gtugginggears Distressgorgnervousness
1.7 NonverbalgCommunication:gUniversalgSigngforg“IgGoofed”g(Obj.g3)
Togpromotegtranquilitygongtheghighwaysgandgreducegroadgrage,gmotoristsgsubmittedgthegfollowin
ggsuggestions.gTheygweregsentgtogagnewspapergcolumnistgwhogaskedgforgaguniversalgnonverbalgs
ignalgadmittinggthatgagdriverghadg“goofed.”
,YourgTask.
Ingsmallggroupsgconsidergthegprosgandgconsgofgeachgofgthegfollowingggesturesgintendedgasgangapo
logygwhengagdrivergmakesgagmistake.gWhygwouldgsomegfail?
a. Lowergyourgheadgslightlygandgbonkgyourselfgongthegforeheadgwithgthegsidegofgyourgclose
dgfist.gThegmessagegisgclear:gI’mgstupid.gIgshouldn’tghavegdonegthat.
b. Makegagtemplegwithgyourghands,gasgifgyougweregpraying.
c. Movegthegindexgfingergofgyourgrightghandgbackgandgforthgacrossgyourgneck—
asgifgyougweregcuttinggyourgthroat.
d. Flashgthegwell-
knowngpeacegsign.gHoldgupgthegindexgandgmiddlegfingersgofgoneghand,gmakinggagV,g
asgingvictory.
e. Placegthegflatgofgyourghandsgagainstgyourgcheeks,gasgchildrengdogwhengtheyghavegmade
gagmistake.
f. Claspgyourghandgovergyourgmouth,graisegyourgbrows,gandgshruggyourgshoulders.
g. Usegyourgknucklesgtogknockgongthegsidegofgyourghead.gTranslation:gOops!gEngagegbrain.
h. Placegyourgrightghandghighgongyourgchestgandgpatgagfewgtimes,glikegagbasketballgplayergwh
ogdropsgagpassgorgagfootballgplayergwhogmakesgagbadgthrow.gThisgsays,gI’llgtakegthegblam
e.
i. Placegyourgrightgfistgovergthegmiddlegofgyourgchestgandgmovegitgingagcirculargmotion.gTh
isgisguniversalgsignglanguagegforgI’mgsorry.
j. Opengyourgwindowgandgtapgthegtopgofgyourgcargroofgwithgyourghand.
k. Smilegandgraisegbothgarms,gpalmsgoutward,gwhichgisgaguniversalggesturegforgsurrenderg
orgforgiveness.
l. Usegthegmilitarygsalute,gwhichgisgsimplegandgshowsgrespect.
m. Flashgyourgbiggestgsmile,gpointgatgyourselfgwithgyourgrightgthumb,gandgmovegyourghea
dgfromgleftgtogright,gasgifgtogsay,gIgcan’tgbelievegIgdidgthat.
ANS:
Thisgisgaggoodgexercisegforgteams.gSuggestgthatgteamgmembersgtakegturnsgdemonstratinggeachg
ofgthegnonverbalgmessagesgdescribedghere.gTheygshouldgthengdiscussghowgeffectivegeachgwould
gbe.gOfgcourse,gsomegwouldgbegquitegdangerousgifgtheygrequiregtakinggyourghandsgoffgthegsteer
inggwheel.gBegsuregtogdiscussgwithgstudentsgthegdifficultygofgculturalgimplications.gAlthoughgagge
sturegworksgingonegcountry,gitgmightgnotgworkginganother.
1.8 NonverbalgCommunication:gSignalsgSentgbygCasualgAttireg(Obj.g3)
Althoughgmanygemployersgallowgcasualgattire,gnotgallgemployersgandgcustomersgareghappygwithg
thegresults.gToglearngmoregaboutgthegimplementation,gacceptance,gandgeffectsgofgcasual-
dressgprograms,gselectgonegofgthegfollowinggactivities,gallgofgwhichginvolvegsomegformgofgintervi
ewing.
, YourgTask.
a. Ingteams,ggatherginformationgfromghumangresourcesgdirectorsgtogdeterminegwhichgcom
paniesgallowgcasualgorgdress-
downgdays,ghowgoften,gandgundergwhatgspecificgconditions.gTheginformationgmaygbegc
ollectedgbygpersonalginterviews,gemail,gtelephone,ginstantgmessaging,gorgongthegWeb.
b. Ingteams,gconductginquiring-
reporterginterviews.gAskgindividualsgingthegcommunityghowgtheygreactgtogcasualgdressging
thegworkplace.gDevelopgagsetgofgstandardginterviewgquestions.
c. Ingteams,gvisitglocalgbusinessesgongbothgcasualgdaysgandgtraditionalgbusiness-
dressgdays.gComparegandgcontrastgthegeffectsgofgbusiness-
dressgstandardsgongsuchgfactorsgasgthegprojectedgimagegofgthegcompany,gthegnaturegofgt
heginteractionsgwithgcustomersgandgwithgfellowgemployees,gthegmoralegofgemployees,g
andgthegproductivitygofgemployees.gWhatggeneralizationsgcangyougdrawgfromgyourgfin
dings?
ANS:
Thisgactivitygcangbegexpandedgintogagresearchgpapergtopic.gAgvariationgongthisgactivitygreliesgong
studentgexperiences.gInsteadgofgconductingginterviewsgingthegcommunity,gtheygcangconductgagfor
umgamonggstudentsgwhogwork,gaskinggthemgtogcommentgongcasual-
dressgpoliciesgingthegjobsgtheyghaveghad.
1.9 NonverbalgCommunicationgAroundgthegWorldg(Objs.g3,g4)
Gesturesgplaygangimportantgrolegwhengpeoplegcommunicate.gBecausegculturegshapesgthegmeanin
ggofggestures,gmiscommunicationgandgmisunderstandinggcangeasilygresultginginternationalgsituatio
ns.
YourgTask.
UsegthegWebgtogresearchgthegmeaningsgofgselectedggestures.gMakegaglistgofgtenggesturesg(othergt
hangthosegdiscussedgingthegtext)gthatghavegdifferentgmeaningsgingdifferentgcountries.gConsidergth
egfingertipgkiss,gnosegthumb,geyelidgpull,gnosegtap,gheadgshake,gandgotherggestures.gHowgaregtheg
meaningsgdifferentgingothergcountries?
ANS:
Studentsgshouldgbegablegtogfindgagnumbergofggesturesgandgtheirgmeaningsgdiscussedgatgvariousg
websites.gHeregisgonegexample:g“Thegfingertipgkiss,gingwhichgthegtipsgofgthegthumbgandgfingers
aregkissedgandgquicklygmovedgforwardgawaygfromgthegface,gisgagsigngofgaffectiongandgmaygbegus
edgasgaggreetinggingSicilygandgPortugal.gThegfingertipgkissgisgnotgusedgoftengingItalygandgthegBriti
sh
Isles,gbutgitgisgcommongingFrance,gGermany,gGreece,gandgSpaingtogsignifygpraise.”g[SeegMartin,gJ
.,g&gChaney,gL.g2006.gGlobalgbusinessgetiquette.gWestport,gCT:gPraeger,gp.g53.]
g g g g g g
Additional Activities and Cases New Edition 2025/2026
g g g g g g g
1.4 Listening:gAngIn-PersongorgVirtualgSocialgMediagInterviewg(Obj.g2)
Howgmuchgandgtogwhomgdogbusinesspeopleglisten?
YourgTask.
Interviewgagbusinesspersongaboutghisgorghergworkplaceglistening.gConnectgwithgagworkergingyou
rgcirclegofgfriends,gfamily,gandgacquaintances;gingyourgcampusgnetwork;gatgagpriorgorgcurrentgjob;
gorgviagLinkedIngorgFacebook.gComegupgwithgquestionsgtogaskgaboutglistening,gsuchgasgthegfollo
wing:
(a)gHowgmuchgactiveglisteninggdogyougpractisegdaily?g(b)gTogwhomgdogyouglistengongthegjob?g(c
)gHowgdogyougknowgthatgothersgaregorgaregnotglisteninggtogyou?g(d)gCangyougshareganecdotesgofg
poorglisteninggthatgledgtognegativegoutcomes?g(e)gDogyoughavegtipsgforgbetterglistening?
ANS:
Theganswersgwillgvary.gStudentsgcouldgbrainstormgandgdiscussgtheirginterviewgquestionsgingclassg
orgpreparegquestionsgatghome.gThengtheygcouldgapproachgtheirgintervieweesgingperson,gbygphone,
gbygemail,gorgviagLinkedIngorgFacebook.gAgspecialgwordgofgcautiongwhengcontactinggprofessiona
lsgongLinkedIn:gWarngstudentsgnotgtogrelentlesslygpursuegrandomgstrangers,gbutgtogworkgfromgwi
thingtheirgowngestablishedgLinkedIngcirclegofgprofessionalgacquaintancesgorgtheirgacquaintances’g
contacts.gThisgassignmentgcouldgbegdonegorallygorgingwritingg(email,gmemo)gindividually,gingsma
llggroups,gorgingclass.gThegtaskgcouldgbegexpandedgtogaggroupgoralgpresentationgorgwrittengreport.
1.5 ListeninggandgNonverbalgCues:gSkillsgRequiredgingVariousgCareersg(Objs.g2,
g3)
Dogtheglisteninggskillsgandgbehavioursgofgindividualsgdiffergdependinggongtheirgcareers?
YourgTask.
Yourginstructorgwillgdividegyougintogteamsgandggivegeachgteamgagrolegtogdiscuss,gsuchgasgbusines
sgexecutive,gteacher,gphysician,gpolicegofficer,gattorney,gaccountant,gadministrativegassistant,gme
ntor,gorgteamgleader.gCreategaglistgofgverbalgandgnonverbalgcuesgthatgagmembergofgthisgprofession
gwouldgdisplaygtogindicategthatghegorgshegisglistening.
,ANS:
Studentgteamsgshouldggenerateglistsgofglisteninggandgnonverbalgcuesgthatgincludegsomegofgtheg
following:ggoodgeyegcontact,gavoidinggbeinggdistractedgbygothers,gnotginterrupting,gtakinggnotes
,gparaphrasingginstructions,gaskinggpertinentgquestionsgingagnonthreateninggmanner,gleaning
forward,gandgshowinggempathygandgcompassion.gCriticalglisteningginvolvesgjudginggandgevalua
tinggwhatgyougareghearing.gDiscriminativeglisteninggisgnecessarygwhengyougmustgidentifygmaingi
deasgandgunderstandgangargument.gTeamsgshouldggenerategdifferentgcuesgandgbehavioursgtogre
flectgthesegformsgofglisteninggingrelationgtogthegprofessionalgrolesgtheygareganalyzing.
1.6 BodygLanguageg(Obj.g3)
Cangbodyglanguagegbegaccuratelyginterpreted?
YourgTask.
Whatgattitudesgdogthegfollowinggbodygmovementsgsuggestgtogyou?gDogthesegmovementsgalwaysg
meangthegsamegthing?gWhatgpartgdoesgcontextgplaygingyourginterpretations?
a. Whistling,gwringingghandsg Bow
b. edgposture,gtwiddlinggthumbs
c. Steepledghands,gsprawlinggsittinggpositiongRu
d. bbingghandgthroughghair
e. Openghands,gunbuttonedgcoatgWringi
f. ngghands,gtugginggears
ANS:
a. Whistling,gwringingghands Nervousnessgorgfear
b. Bowedgposture,gtwiddlinggthumbs Boredom
c. Steepledghands,gsprawlinggsittinggposition Contemplationgorgrelaxation
d. Rubbingghandgthroughghair Frustrationgorgnervousness
e. Openghands,gunbuttonedgcoat Relaxation,gconfidence
f. Wringingghands,gtugginggears Distressgorgnervousness
1.7 NonverbalgCommunication:gUniversalgSigngforg“IgGoofed”g(Obj.g3)
Togpromotegtranquilitygongtheghighwaysgandgreducegroadgrage,gmotoristsgsubmittedgthegfollowin
ggsuggestions.gTheygweregsentgtogagnewspapergcolumnistgwhogaskedgforgaguniversalgnonverbalgs
ignalgadmittinggthatgagdriverghadg“goofed.”
,YourgTask.
Ingsmallggroupsgconsidergthegprosgandgconsgofgeachgofgthegfollowingggesturesgintendedgasgangapo
logygwhengagdrivergmakesgagmistake.gWhygwouldgsomegfail?
a. Lowergyourgheadgslightlygandgbonkgyourselfgongthegforeheadgwithgthegsidegofgyourgclose
dgfist.gThegmessagegisgclear:gI’mgstupid.gIgshouldn’tghavegdonegthat.
b. Makegagtemplegwithgyourghands,gasgifgyougweregpraying.
c. Movegthegindexgfingergofgyourgrightghandgbackgandgforthgacrossgyourgneck—
asgifgyougweregcuttinggyourgthroat.
d. Flashgthegwell-
knowngpeacegsign.gHoldgupgthegindexgandgmiddlegfingersgofgoneghand,gmakinggagV,g
asgingvictory.
e. Placegthegflatgofgyourghandsgagainstgyourgcheeks,gasgchildrengdogwhengtheyghavegmade
gagmistake.
f. Claspgyourghandgovergyourgmouth,graisegyourgbrows,gandgshruggyourgshoulders.
g. Usegyourgknucklesgtogknockgongthegsidegofgyourghead.gTranslation:gOops!gEngagegbrain.
h. Placegyourgrightghandghighgongyourgchestgandgpatgagfewgtimes,glikegagbasketballgplayergwh
ogdropsgagpassgorgagfootballgplayergwhogmakesgagbadgthrow.gThisgsays,gI’llgtakegthegblam
e.
i. Placegyourgrightgfistgovergthegmiddlegofgyourgchestgandgmovegitgingagcirculargmotion.gTh
isgisguniversalgsignglanguagegforgI’mgsorry.
j. Opengyourgwindowgandgtapgthegtopgofgyourgcargroofgwithgyourghand.
k. Smilegandgraisegbothgarms,gpalmsgoutward,gwhichgisgaguniversalggesturegforgsurrenderg
orgforgiveness.
l. Usegthegmilitarygsalute,gwhichgisgsimplegandgshowsgrespect.
m. Flashgyourgbiggestgsmile,gpointgatgyourselfgwithgyourgrightgthumb,gandgmovegyourghea
dgfromgleftgtogright,gasgifgtogsay,gIgcan’tgbelievegIgdidgthat.
ANS:
Thisgisgaggoodgexercisegforgteams.gSuggestgthatgteamgmembersgtakegturnsgdemonstratinggeachg
ofgthegnonverbalgmessagesgdescribedghere.gTheygshouldgthengdiscussghowgeffectivegeachgwould
gbe.gOfgcourse,gsomegwouldgbegquitegdangerousgifgtheygrequiregtakinggyourghandsgoffgthegsteer
inggwheel.gBegsuregtogdiscussgwithgstudentsgthegdifficultygofgculturalgimplications.gAlthoughgagge
sturegworksgingonegcountry,gitgmightgnotgworkginganother.
1.8 NonverbalgCommunication:gSignalsgSentgbygCasualgAttireg(Obj.g3)
Althoughgmanygemployersgallowgcasualgattire,gnotgallgemployersgandgcustomersgareghappygwithg
thegresults.gToglearngmoregaboutgthegimplementation,gacceptance,gandgeffectsgofgcasual-
dressgprograms,gselectgonegofgthegfollowinggactivities,gallgofgwhichginvolvegsomegformgofgintervi
ewing.
, YourgTask.
a. Ingteams,ggatherginformationgfromghumangresourcesgdirectorsgtogdeterminegwhichgcom
paniesgallowgcasualgorgdress-
downgdays,ghowgoften,gandgundergwhatgspecificgconditions.gTheginformationgmaygbegc
ollectedgbygpersonalginterviews,gemail,gtelephone,ginstantgmessaging,gorgongthegWeb.
b. Ingteams,gconductginquiring-
reporterginterviews.gAskgindividualsgingthegcommunityghowgtheygreactgtogcasualgdressging
thegworkplace.gDevelopgagsetgofgstandardginterviewgquestions.
c. Ingteams,gvisitglocalgbusinessesgongbothgcasualgdaysgandgtraditionalgbusiness-
dressgdays.gComparegandgcontrastgthegeffectsgofgbusiness-
dressgstandardsgongsuchgfactorsgasgthegprojectedgimagegofgthegcompany,gthegnaturegofgt
heginteractionsgwithgcustomersgandgwithgfellowgemployees,gthegmoralegofgemployees,g
andgthegproductivitygofgemployees.gWhatggeneralizationsgcangyougdrawgfromgyourgfin
dings?
ANS:
Thisgactivitygcangbegexpandedgintogagresearchgpapergtopic.gAgvariationgongthisgactivitygreliesgong
studentgexperiences.gInsteadgofgconductingginterviewsgingthegcommunity,gtheygcangconductgagfor
umgamonggstudentsgwhogwork,gaskinggthemgtogcommentgongcasual-
dressgpoliciesgingthegjobsgtheyghaveghad.
1.9 NonverbalgCommunicationgAroundgthegWorldg(Objs.g3,g4)
Gesturesgplaygangimportantgrolegwhengpeoplegcommunicate.gBecausegculturegshapesgthegmeanin
ggofggestures,gmiscommunicationgandgmisunderstandinggcangeasilygresultginginternationalgsituatio
ns.
YourgTask.
UsegthegWebgtogresearchgthegmeaningsgofgselectedggestures.gMakegaglistgofgtenggesturesg(othergt
hangthosegdiscussedgingthegtext)gthatghavegdifferentgmeaningsgingdifferentgcountries.gConsidergth
egfingertipgkiss,gnosegthumb,geyelidgpull,gnosegtap,gheadgshake,gandgotherggestures.gHowgaregtheg
meaningsgdifferentgingothergcountries?
ANS:
Studentsgshouldgbegablegtogfindgagnumbergofggesturesgandgtheirgmeaningsgdiscussedgatgvariousg
websites.gHeregisgonegexample:g“Thegfingertipgkiss,gingwhichgthegtipsgofgthegthumbgandgfingers
aregkissedgandgquicklygmovedgforwardgawaygfromgthegface,gisgagsigngofgaffectiongandgmaygbegus
edgasgaggreetinggingSicilygandgPortugal.gThegfingertipgkissgisgnotgusedgoftengingItalygandgthegBriti
sh
Isles,gbutgitgisgcommongingFrance,gGermany,gGreece,gandgSpaingtogsignifygpraise.”g[SeegMartin,gJ
.,g&gChaney,gL.g2006.gGlobalgbusinessgetiquette.gWestport,gCT:gPraeger,gp.g53.]
