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CMA Foundation · Fundamentals of Business Laws and Business Communication · Features of Effective Business Communication

A purchase manager at Arjun Steels in Pune gives a supplier a verbal instruction on delivery dates over a phone call. Later the supplier claims he never received any such instruction, and there is no proof. Which feature of oral communication is the main cause of the problem?

The main cause is that oral communication leaves no permanent record unless it is documented afterwards. The phone call was quick and allowed feedback, but with no written proof the supplier could deny receiving the instruction. A written confirmation would avoid such a dispute.

  1. AOral communication is too slow for urgent matters
  2. BOral communication cannot be used for business purposes
  3. COral communication provides no permanent record unless it is documented laterCorrect
  4. DOral communication does not allow immediate feedback

Explanation

The dispute arose because nothing was recorded. A phone call gives immediate feedback and is quick, so A and D are wrong as causes. Oral communication is widely used in business, so B is wrong. The lack of a permanent record is the limitation involved; confirming in writing would solve it.

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