A Comprehensive Study of Business Writing Competence Among Business Management Students at Techno Link College, Ethiopia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17507/tpls.1408.05Keywords:
business writing, difficulty, email, letter, reportAbstract
As businesses increasingly rely on written communication for various purposes, the ability to articulate ideas, convey information, and engage stakeholders through written mediums has become a vital competency. This study delves into the challenges faced by students when they write business letter, report and email in English at Techno Link College, Burayu Campus. The research aims to comprehensively analyze the issues surrounding business writing, exploring how students perceive and approach the learning of this crucial skill. To conduct this investigation, a mixed-methods approach was employed and both quantitative and qualitative methodologies were utilized. A sample of 165 students was randomly selected, and their insights were gathered through a survey questionnaire. The findings of the research revealed that the majority of the students struggle to master the art of effective business writing. The results show that the majority of students exhibited poor performance across these essential business communication tasks such as composing emails, letters and reports.
References
Bernoff, J. (2016). Bad Writing Is Destroying the Company’s Productivity, Harvard Business Review. Retrieved on September 16, 2019. https://hbr.org/2016/09/bad-writing-is-destroyingythe-companys-productivity.
Blake, G. & Bly, R.W. (1991). The Elements of Business Writing, Longman, New York.
Davis, P., McCormick, W.D., & Hemphill, D.R. (2000). You and business communication: the communication theory. Business communication with writing improvement exercises (6th ed.). New Jersey: Prentice Hall.
Gale, P. (2014). Effective business writing: Top principles and techniques. Retrieved February 2015, from http://www.englishgrammar.org/effective-businesswriting/
Garner, B. A. (2012). HBR Guide to Better Business Writing, Harvard Business Review, Boston.
Guffey, M. & Du-Babcock, B. (2010). Essentials of business communication. Singapore: Cengage Learning Asia Pte Ltd.
Lentz, P. (2013). MBA Students’ Workplace Writing: Implications for Business Writing Pedagogy and Workplace Practice. Business Communication Quarterly, 76(4), 474-490. https://doi.org/10.1177/1080569913507479
M. Ramesh. (2017). Enrichment of Legal Vocabulary Skills of Economically Deprived Law Students through a Customised Syllabus-A Quasi Experimental Study. International Journal of Economic Research, 14(15), 499-505.
Oli, Lamessa. & Ramesh, M. & Swathi, M. & Prakash. (2024). Enhancing Business Writing Skills for Commerce Students: An Empirical Study. 1. 1_14. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/378705338_ENHANCING_BUSINESS_WRITING_SKILLS_FOR_COMMERCE_STUDENTS_AN_EMPIRICAL_STUDY
Prapawuttikul, J. (2004). English writing and speaking needs analysis of MIT support staff. Unpublished Master’s research paper. The University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, Bangkok, Thailand.
Santithawornying, N. (2015). Problems in English communication skills between Thai and Japanese staff in a Thai-Japanese leasing company. Independent Study, English for Careers, Language Institute, Thammasat University.
Srisitanon, P. (2009). Intercultural communication problems of Thai Employees at Precious Shipping Public Company Limited (PSL). Unpublished Master’s research paper, Thammasat University, Language Institute, English for Careers. The Office of Investor Education and Assistance U.S.
Tanviboolaya, L. (2014). Problems and needs in business English writing skills of employees at electronics Source co., ltd. Independent Study, English for Careers, Language Institute, Thammasat University.
Thep-Ackrapong, T. (2005). Teaching English in Thailand: An Uphill Battle. Journal of Humanities Parithat, 27(1), 51-62.
Williams, J.M. (1990). Style: Toward Clarity and Grace, the University of Chicago Press, Chicago and London.
Zinsser, W. (2006). On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction (30th ed.), Harper Collins, New York.
