Final answer:
The developments that improved business communication include the invention of the telegraph and telephone, and the expansion of steam locomotive transportation, which transformed global communications and facilitated rapid business transactions.
Step-by-step explanation:
Developments improving business communication significantly included the invention and practical use of the telephone, the telegraph, and the proliferation of steam-driven locomotives. The telegraph, with the first transatlantic line laid in 1858, revolutionized global communications, allowing messages to swiftly cross continents. However, the telephone, patented by Alexander Graham Bell in 1876, came to supplant the telegraph as it facilitated instant communication and fostered urban sprawl. Communications technology and the growth of cities were driven by expanding industry, as seen with the titans of the time like Andrew Carnegie and John D. Rockefeller. These advancements not only transformed personal lives but also revolutionized business communications, paving the way for increased efficiency in managing empires and the rapid exchange of ideas and information.