First decide whether the following messages need to be communicated orally or in writing. After consulting the media-richness diagram in Figure 1.9 , consider how rich the medium must be in each communication situation to convey the message most appropriately and reliably. You may want to choose channels such as e-mail, letter, report, texting, instant messaging, telephone call, live chat, teleconferencing, face-to-face conversation, or team meeting. Describe the advantages and disadvantages of each choice.
1. You are returning with the senior auditor from a client visit to company headquarters, where you must attend an important department meeting. It looks as though you will be at least 15 minutes late. What are your options?
2. Working at 8 a.m. in your Boston office, you need to get in touch with your counterpart at your company's West Coast office and ask a few clarifying formatting questions about a report on which the two of you are collaborating.
3. John, the information technology vice president, must tell employees about a new company social media policy. He has two employees in mind who particularly need this information.
4. As soon as possible, you need to learn from Daryle in Document Imaging whether she can make copies of a set of engineering blueprints. If she cannot, you need her advice on where you can get it done.
5. As a manager in your Human Resources department, you must terminate three employees in a company-wide initiative to reduce costs.
6. It wasn't your fault, but an order for printed checks for a longtime customer was mishandled. The checks are not ready, and the customer is angry.
7. As chairman of the Employee Benefits Committee, you have worked with your committee for two months evaluating several health plan options. You are now ready to convey the recommendations of the committee to management.