KSLU Solved Question Papers
Business Communications
Previous Year Question Paper with Solution
B.B.A. LL.B. (Five Years) · Sem 3
2019 Dec Examination
munotes.in
Mumbai
B.B.A. LL.B. (Five Years) Sem 3 Business Communications 2019 Dec Question Paper with Solutions
First published on munotes.in on 21 October 2026.
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The question paper reproduced here is the paper as set by Karnataka State Law University at the 2019 Dec examination.
Contents
The questions below are the paper as Karnataka State Law University set it at the 2019 Dec examination, in the order it was set.
MarksPage
MarksPage
The Paper as Set
The questions in this volume are the questions asked at the 2019 Dec examination, reproduced as Karnataka State Law University set them, in the order it set them. Long reading passages are shortened to their first and last lines and our summary; the original paper prints them in full. Only the answers are ours. See the original question paper.
Duration 3 hours · Total marks 80 · 20 questions answered
Instructions printed on the paper
- N.B. (1) Answer all five Units. (2) One essay type question and short note is compulsory from each Unit. (3) Figures to the right indicate marks. (4) Answers should be written either in English or Kannada completely.
How to use this volume
Solve the paper first, under exam conditions and against the clock. Then read the answers here and mark your own. Reading a solution before attempting the question feels productive and teaches very little, because recognising an answer is not the same as being able to write one.
Q1
Unit I
(a)"If the formal communication is the skeleton of a company, then the informal communication is the central nervous system." - Explain.[10]
Answer
For full marks, cover: what the comparison means (the skeleton gives the body its shape and support; the nervous system carries signals fast, in every direction, and tells the brain what is happening); formal communication as the skeleton: its meaning, forms (downward, upward, horizontal), merits and limits; informal communication as the nervous system: its meaning, forms (the grapevine and its chains, social contact, chat groups), merits and limits; why an organisation needs both, and how they complement each other; an example; how a manager uses both; a table; and a conclusion.
Meaning of the statement
The statement compares a company to a living body. The skeleton gives the body its shape. It holds the parts in their places and supports every movement, but by itself it does not sense anything. The nervous system carries signals quickly to and from every part. It tells the brain what is happening and lets the body react at once.
In the same way, formal communication gives the company its structure: who reports to whom, who orders and who obeys, what is recorded. Informal communication carries the company's real-time signals: what people feel, fear and expect, and what is actually happening on the floor. A company needs both to stand and to live.
Formal communication: the skeleton
Meaning. Formal communication follows the official lines of authority laid down by the organisation, in set forms such as orders, circulars, reports, minutes and official letters.
Forms.
- Downward: from superiors to subordinates, carrying orders, instructions, policies and feedback on performance.
- Upward: from subordinates to superiors, carrying reports, requests, suggestions and grievances.
- Horizontal: between departments at the same level, for co-ordination.
Why it is like a skeleton.
- It gives structure: everyone knows the channel to use.
- It gives authority: an order through the proper channel is binding.
- It gives records: written messages can be checked and produced later.
- It gives accountability: the sender of each message is known.
Its limits. Like bone, it is rigid. It is slow, because messages pass through many levels. It is impersonal and often silent about feelings. It may filter out bad news on the way up.
Informal communication: the nervous system
Meaning. Informal communication arises from personal and social relations among employees, outside the official channels. Its best-known form is the grapevine.
Forms. Talk at tea breaks and in corridors, lunch-time conversation, chat groups on phones, and the grapevine's chains. Keith Davis (1953) described four such chains: single strand, gossip, probability and cluster. He found the cluster chain the commonest.
Why it is like a nervous system.
- It is fast: news reaches every corner within hours.
- It runs in every direction, crossing levels and departments.
- It carries feelings and reactions: worry about transfers, anger at a decision, pride in a success.
- It gives early warning: a manager who listens hears of trouble before it reaches him formally.
- It binds people together through friendship and shared news.
Its limits. Like a nervous system out of balance, it can send false signals. Rumours and half-truths spread, no one is accountable for them, and confidential matters may leak.
Why both are needed
A body with a skeleton but no nerves cannot feel or react; a body with nerves but no skeleton cannot stand. A company that relies only on formal channels becomes slow, rigid and blind to the mood of its people. A company that runs on gossip alone has no order, no records and no authority. The two complement each other. Formal communication carries the decisions, and informal communication carries the reactions to them and the information that formal channels miss.
An example
A company decided to shift its accounts office to another city. Before any circular was issued, the grapevine carried the news, with the rumour that half the staff would lose their jobs. Productivity fell for a week. The manager then called a meeting, explained the plan formally and confirmed it in a circular. No one would lose a job, and those unable to move would be placed in other departments. The rumour died within a day. The informal network had raised the alarm; the formal channel settled it.
How a manager uses both
- Keep formal channels clear, short and timely, so that rumour has less room.
- Listen to the grapevine to learn the real mood of the staff.
- Correct false rumours quickly with official facts.
- Keep informal leaders, whom others trust, well informed.
- Use informal meetings and social occasions to build trust, while recording decisions formally.
At a glance
| Point | Formal (skeleton) | Informal (nervous system) |
|---|---|---|
| Route | Official lines of authority | Personal and social links |
| Speed | Slow | Fast |
| Direction | Down, up, across, as laid down | Any direction |
| Content | Orders, reports, policies | News, feelings, reactions |
| Record | Kept | Usually none |
| Strength | Order, authority, accountability | Speed, feedback, cohesion |
| Weakness | Rigid, impersonal | Rumour, no accountability |
Conclusion. The statement is apt. Formal communication is the skeleton of a company: it gives structure, authority, records and accountability, but it is slow and rigid. Informal communication is its central nervous system: fast, many-directional and sensitive to feeling, but prone to rumour. A healthy company needs both, and a good manager keeps the formal channels strong while listening to, and feeding, the informal ones.
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