Communication — July 2020

Source: COMMUNICATION JULY 2020 .pdf | Paper code: 2912/104; 2918/104

Question 1

List three factors that may hinder transmission of information in an office. (3 marks)

Answer

  1. Noise and distractions.
  2. Faulty communication equipment or poor connectivity.
  3. Unclear language or an inappropriate communication channel.

Question 2

State two reasons why referees are included in a curriculum vitae. (2 marks)

Answer

  1. To verify relevant claims about the applicant.
  2. To provide informed comments on the applicant’s work, skills and conduct.

Question 3

List four factors that interviewers may consider when planning for job selection interviews. (4 marks)

Answer

  1. The job requirements and assessment criteria.
  2. The interview format and questions.
  3. The panel members and their responsibilities.
  4. The timetable, venue and candidate access arrangements.

Question 4

State the information that should be included in the Terms of Reference of a report. (3 marks)

Answer

  1. Who commissioned the report.
  2. The subject, purpose and scope of the investigation.
  3. The submission deadline and any specified limits or requirements.

Question 5

List three challenges that may be encountered when using mobile telephones to pass information. (3 marks)

Answer

  1. Weak network coverage.
  2. Battery or device failure.
  3. Background noise, interruptions or lack of privacy.

Question 6

State three messages conveyed through a handshake as a non-verbal cue. (3 marks)

Answer

  1. Greeting or welcome.
  2. Agreement or congratulations.
  3. Respect or goodwill, depending on context and cultural expectations.

Question 7

List four types of visual aids that may be used when writing a report. (4 marks)

Answer

  1. Tables.
  2. Graphs.
  3. Charts.
  4. Diagrams or photographs.

Question 8

State three advantages of using online platforms to hold meetings. (3 marks)

Answer

  1. Reduces travel costs and time.
  2. Allows participation from different locations.
  3. Supports live sharing of documents and other materials.

Question 9

List four functions of external communication. (4 marks)

Answer

  1. Inform customers and other publics.
  2. Promote products and services.
  3. Maintain stakeholder relationships.
  4. Collect feedback and handle enquiries or complaints.

Question 10

State the meaning of each of the following terminologies as used in meetings: (i) notice of meeting; (ii) sub-committee; (iii) seconder (of a motion). (3 marks)

Answer

  1. Notice of meeting: a formal announcement giving the meeting’s essential details.
  2. Sub-committee: a smaller group appointed to examine or perform a specified part of a committee’s work.
  3. Seconder: a member who formally supports a motion being considered, where the meeting rules require seconding.

Question 11(a)

You have a problem that requires you to be absent from work for a few days. Write a letter asking for a few days’ leave. (12 marks)

Answer

Illustrative answer; addresses, dates and the signatory are examination examples where not specified.

A. Otieno
Administration Department
P.O. Box 100, Nairobi

6 July 2020

The Human Resource Manager
Example Company Limited
P.O. Box 200, Nairobi

Dear Sir/Madam,

RE: REQUEST FOR THREE DAYS’ LEAVE

I request leave from 13 to 15 July 2020 to attend to an urgent family matter requiring my presence away from work. I expect to resume my duties on 16 July 2020.

Subject to your approval, I will complete urgent tasks before departure and prepare a written handover for my colleague. I will ensure that outstanding correspondence and deadlines are clearly recorded so that normal service can continue.

Please let me know whether any further information or leave documentation is required. I would appreciate your consideration and written confirmation of the arrangement.

Yours faithfully,
A. Otieno
Administration Assistant

Question 11(b)

Describe three barriers to effective visual communication. (6 marks)

Answer

  1. Poor design: cluttered layouts or unsuitable colours obscure the message.
  2. Limited visibility: small text, poor lighting or unsuitable display size prevents clear viewing.
  3. Unfamiliar symbols: viewers may interpret images or signs differently without adequate explanation.

Question 12(a)

Explain four measures that should be taken in advance to make a meeting successful. (6 marks)

Answer

  1. Set a clear purpose and prepare an appropriate agenda.
  2. Invite the required participants and give adequate notice.
  3. Arrange a suitable time, venue and necessary equipment.
  4. Circulate relevant papers and confirm responsibilities before the meeting.

Question 12(b)

You have been invited to give a speech to Manyatta Youth Group on “Personal Goals”. Write the speech that you will deliver. (10 marks)

Answer

PERSONAL GOALS

Chairperson, members of Manyatta Youth Group, ladies and gentlemen, good morning.

Thank you for inviting me to speak about personal goals. A goal is a result that we deliberately work towards. Goals give direction to our energy and help us judge whether our daily choices support the future we want.

Begin by understanding yourself. Consider your interests, strengths, responsibilities and the areas you need to improve. Choose goals that matter to you rather than simply copying other people. Your goals may concern education, a practical skill, employment, health or service to the community.

Make each goal clear and realistic. Instead of saying, “I want to improve my computer skills,” identify the skill, the practice schedule and a date for reviewing progress. Break a large ambition into manageable steps, and decide what resources and support each step requires.

Action is essential. Set aside time, practise consistently and keep a simple record of progress. Ask a teacher, mentor or trusted colleague for constructive feedback. Difficulties do not automatically mean that the goal is wrong; they may show that the plan needs adjustment.

Finally, review your goals regularly. Celebrate useful progress, learn from mistakes and change the timetable when circumstances genuinely require it. Support one another while remaining responsible for your own commitments.

Members of Manyatta Youth Group, choose one worthwhile goal today and identify the first practical step. A clear intention, followed by steady action, can turn an ambition into an achievement.

Thank you for listening.

Question 13

The Magic Super Mall has been experiencing low tenancy since it was completed three years ago. As the Assistant Operations Manager, you have been asked by the proprietors to investigate the matter and write a report. Assume that you have completed the investigations and write the report. (16 marks)

Answer

Illustrative examination answer. Dates, investigation details and findings are supplied for the exercise where the question does not specify them.

MAGIC SUPER MALL

REPORT ON LOW TENANCY AT THE MALL

To: The Management
From: Assistant Operations Manager
Date: 18 November 2024

1. Terms of reference
Management requested an investigation into low tenancy at the mall during the three years since completion, with practical recommendations.

2. Methodology
Relevant company records were examined. Staff and a sample of affected customers or participants were interviewed, and existing procedures were reviewed.

3. Findings

  1. Rental terms were considered difficult for some prospective tenants.
  2. Limited marketing left some suitable businesses unaware of available units.
  3. Low visitor numbers reduced confidence in potential sales.
  4. Prospective tenants raised concerns about access, maintenance and the mix of existing businesses.

4. Conclusion

The decline results from a combination of service, operational and communication weaknesses. A coordinated response, with clear responsibility and progress reviews, is required.

5. Recommendations

  1. Review rental packages and communicate all occupancy costs clearly.
  2. Market available units to suitable businesses and organise viewings.
  3. Improve maintenance, access information and visitor facilities.
  4. Develop a complementary tenant mix and track enquiries, conversions and occupancy.

6. Follow-up

Management should assign each approved action to a responsible officer and review progress monthly against agreed performance measures.

Prepared by: A. Otieno
Assistant Operations Manager
Signature: A. Otieno

Question 14: Reading passage

The Ugandan Revenue Authority (URA) is optimistic that the introduction of digital tax stamps, a high-tech tool, will mitigate the challenges that the authority has been facing during collection of revenue. This tool enables the URA to capture data on manufactured products at source in order to cut revenue leakages. It is aimed at improving tax compliance habits in the industrial sector and raising the country’s tax collection ratio to 16 percent of the Gross Domestic Product by close of the year 2021.

The digital tax stamps were introduced in 2019 as part of the reforms unveiled by the Ugandan government with the objective of deepening the country’s revenue base. The move was also geared towards boosting the amount of domestic resources available in the national budget from an average of 70 percent to 80 percent. In a bid to bolster these efforts, the Ministry of Finance,

Planning and Economic Development also launched a new tax mobilization strategy for the period 2019-2034.

The desire to increase domestic revenue is necessitated by the immense decline of donor support from 70 percent to 30 percent. This has forced the government to grow its capacity to take care of its own affairs, thus the roll-out of the digital tax stamps. These digital stamps are expected to yield positive results to the Ugandan economy in several ways.

To begin with, the stamps are expected to minimize cases of fraudulent tax returns filed by some firms in the manufacturing sector. This is an attempt to slash costs, increase profits and boost dividends paid to shareholders. Tax losses linked to such cases are estimated to be in the billions of Uganda shillings. Another gain is that digital tax stamps will address challenges of illicit trade and counterfeit products. Such products enter the Ugandan market from other countries without the importers having paid the requisite tax.

In addition, the digital tax stamps will help fight unfair competition in the market. This is because the stamps are used to track and trace taxable goods. As such, with this digitization, there will be no need to manually follow up and calculate tax vis-d-vis sales. Under the digital tax stamp system, locally manufactured goods are labelled with a tax seal before being transported from the producers’ premises to be delivered to the distributors’ warehouses. Designated stamping devices located in manufacturers’ premises are used to label the goods while product details are immediately transmitted to the URA database in real time. This product data is consequently used to verify manufacturers’ tax returns filed with URA under the VAT, excise duty and corporation income tax categories. Further, the stamps will help the tax collectors to generate an extra Ush.48 billion out of the URA’s target of Ush.20.8 trillion for the 2019-2021 financial years. Moreover, the digital tax stamps will enable URA to capture more accurate data of goods produced in local factories and minimize tax losses.

Even though digital tax stamps may have an enormous contribution in reducing the rampant smuggling activities associated with manufactured goods, they may fall short of the expectation to yield much in revenue, This is because the excise duty base in the Ugandan economy is quite small. It is also not yet clear how the manufacturers will absorb the cost of annual software license fees charged by foreign technology firms that have supplied digital stamp equipment.

Itis feared that the use of digital tax stamps will somehow raise the market prices of some goods. This is because the regulation compels manufacturers to pay excise duty at source immediately after the goods have left their premises. Furthermore, higher product prices may culminate in consumer demand for some items going down. This problem will have a multiplier effect on the economy as the Value Added Tax (VAT) and other income tax collections will be negatively affected. Consequently, the economic growth will be adversely affected thus rendering the gains of the digital tax stamps meaningless to both the Ugandan government and its citizens.

Adapted from The East African, March 28–April 3, 2020. Passage reproduced from the supplied examination paper for this comprehension exercise.

Question 14(a)

State the meaning of each of the following words and phrases as used in the passage: (i) cut; (ii) unveiled; (iii) capacity; (iv) verify; (v) fall short of; (vi) compels. (6 marks)

Answer

  1. cut: reduce
  2. unveiled: introduced or announced publicly
  3. capacity: ability
  4. verify: check and confirm accuracy
  5. fall short of: fail to reach or satisfy
  6. compels: requires or forces

Question 14(b)

In about 110 words and according to the passage, write a summary of the expected results of digital tax stamps to the Ugandan economy. (8 marks)

Answer

Digital tax stamps are expected to strengthen Uganda’s revenue collection by recording manufactured goods at source and reducing revenue leakages. They should improve compliance, reduce fraudulent tax returns and address illicit trade and counterfeit goods. Tracking and tracing taxable products will help fight unfair competition and reduce dependence on manual comparisons of sales and taxes. Product information transmitted to the revenue authority can be checked against manufacturers’ returns. The stamps are also expected to generate additional revenue and provide more accurate production data. These improvements would increase resources available for the national budget and reduce dependence on donor support, although the passage also identifies obstacles that may limit the anticipated gains.

Question 14(c)

Highlight, according to the passage, why digital stamps may not yield much in new tax revenue. (4 marks)

Answer

  1. The excise-duty base is small.
  2. Annual software licence costs may burden manufacturers.
  3. Paying excise duty at source may contribute to higher product prices.
  4. Higher prices can reduce demand and subsequently reduce VAT, income-tax receipts and economic activity.
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