Independent study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Independent study - Essay Example Students of business have new worlds to dominate and explore. And these students who will become the masters of business tomorrow should be equipped with knowledge, skill and expertise that have to be continuous and maintained all throughout their existence in the real and the virtual world. There is one very important knowledge and skill that they should have – soft skills. (Carbonara, 2005, p. 197) According to Banerjee (2008), professional people should polish and continually improve their â€Å"communication skill, office etiquette and decorum to acquire a place of unrivalled supremacy†. Communication skill is a part of professional life. If a professional wants to improve, he/she has to improve continually along with the soft skills required of the job as a professional or as a business person. MBA graduates use soft skills to enhance and further their careers. Global research conducted by the Association of MBAs stated that post-graduates use soft skills more than ever to climb up the ladder of success. In one survey, named the Career 2008 Survey, 2,000 MBA students from business schools worldwide took part to answer questions by researchers. The survey doubled the response to the previous survey which took place in 2006. The study examined the impact on career development and found that there were five predetermined skills that were beneficial to their careers, and these were conceptual competence, which involves using theory to deal with business problems; business planning skills; interpersonal skills; working within a group, and leadership. (McGahern, 2009) These skills were not learned in a formal classroom setting but through a special training for soft skills. The training requires a special programme and involves interaction among peers. There will be more on this discussion in the proceeding sections of this paper. Aims and Objectives The objectives of this essay are: a.) to define and discuss the soft skills business students and p rofessionals must have in order to climb up the ladder of success; b.) to know what professional communication skills are needed for business students; and, c.) to recommend the proper etiquette, ethics and attitude for an effective communication in the professional and business world. Methodology The strategy used in this essay is to focus on an analysis of the vast literature on communication skills, touching on areas of soft skills being practiced by business people, and about effective communication implemented by business leaders and managers. The strategy will be to conduct an analysis of the literature, focusing on the definition and the soft skills needed business students and professionals. There have been various researches conducted in the past, but not enough analysis have been done to show whether these researches helped, one or another, in formulating adequate communication skills for business students and members of organizations involved in various communicative tool s. Fraenkel and Wallen (2006, p. 16) stated that â€Å"critical researchers should raise a number of philosophical, linguistic, ethical, and political questions ... about all fields of inquiry, ranging from the physical sciences to literature.† Critical research on the literature regarding soft skills is an interesting topic for discussion. The