Deck 15: Communicating

Question 1

When Janet sends out an e-mail to her subordinates, asking anyone who is interested in earning overtime hours during the holiday weekend to reply to her, it is an example of ________ communication.

A)upward
B)horizontal
C)lateral
D)one-way
E)two-way

Answer 1

E

Question 2

Noise in communication is

A)additional information that is not required.
B)any irrelevant gossip that can be destructive and unnecessary.
C)anything that blocks understanding or interferes with accurate information.
D)an important way to draw the attention of the receiver.
E)anything that causes a receiver to seek information elsewhere.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Will said to his division manager, "Ray, if we win the Jones contract next year, my business unit will contribute a profit of $1.5 million to your division. But, the odds of us winning the contract are very, very small, so my annual plan should assume a profit of $0.8 million, which is still a record high number for us. That is much more realistic, but still challenging." "Great," said Ray, "I'll put you down for $1.5 million." Will left the meeting, frustrated that Ray appeared to ignore him. Ray was guilty of

A)encrypting.
B)filtering.
C)encoding.
D)bootlegging.
E)stereotyping.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

In communication theory, filtering is the process of

A)putting the meaning of a message into symbols.
B)sending a message along a communication channel.
C)imagining how the receiver will respond to a message.
D)receiving and interpreting information.
E)withholding, ignoring, or distorting information.

Question 5

Lin sent a report via an e-mail to Aisha, her manager, updating her on the status of a project she has been working on. Aisha in return has replied that she has received the report and is happy with Lin's progress. This situation best exemplifies ________ communication.

A)two-way
B)downward
C)dual
D)intrapersonal
E)circular

Question 6

In order for two-way communication to occur, the receiver must

A)have the ability to provide feedback, whether or not they actually do so.
B)be willing to provide feedback, though the sender does not have to listen.
C)provide feedback, and the sender must be receptive to the feedback.
D)assume the responsibility of interpreting the message.
E)also play the role of sender in another communication exchange.

Question 7

Straight talk is the norm in communication among top-level managers.

Question 8

"Why did the CEO send out a company-wide e-mail reminding us of our need to be confidential about our work for our clients?" asked Francie. Her manager replied, "Because one of our employees was overheard, by a client in a public setting, talking about the client's confidential information. And the client reported this problem to our CEO." The e-mail that the CEO sent is an example of ________ communication.

A)one-way
B)two-way
C)filtered
D)perceptive
E)boundaryless

Question 9

A boundaryless organization is one in which there are few major obstacles to information flow.

Question 10

For managers, listening is critical, and failure to listen not only causes managers to miss good ideas but can even drive employees away.

Question 11

Frederick Taylor, known as the father of scientific management, would have considered open-book management to be a very effective managerial tool.

Question 12

Among the important components of the communication process is

A)enquiry.
B)instrumentality.
C)decoding.
D)expectancy.
E)modulation.

Question 13

Interference in the communication process that blocks perfect understanding is referred to as

A)distortion.
B)noise.
C)pitch.
D)infiltration.
E)clutter.

Question 14

An example of one-way communication is a(n)

A)telephone conversation.
B)videoconference.
C)announcement on a bulletin board.
D)exchange of e-mails.
E)request for answers.

Question 15

In communication theory, perception is the process of

A)putting the meaning of a message into symbols.
B)sending a message along a communication channel.
C)imagining how the receiver will respond to a message.
D)receiving and interpreting information.
E)withholding, ignoring, or distorting information.

Question 16

A process in which information flows from sender to receiver, with no feedback loop, is referred to as ________ communication.

A)syntactic
B)informal
C)one-way
D)decentralized
E)intrapersonal

Question 17

When Janet sends out an e-mail to her subordinates reminding them that the offices will be closed for the upcoming holiday weekend and wishes them all a good time with their friends and family, it is an example of ________ communication.

A)upward
B)horizontal
C)lateral
D)one-way
E)two-way

Question 18

Fewer mistakes are made and fewer problems arise with two-way communication than with one-way communication.

Question 19

An example of two-way communication is a

A)television show.
B)telephone ringing.
C)political speech.
D)newspaper article.
E)videoconference.

Question 20

An employee's e-mail in the workplace is privileged information that cannot be used in court cases brought against that person or someone else.

Question 21

A disadvantage of oral communication is that it

A)is difficult to sense the sender's sincerity.
B)is not very persuasive.
C)can lead to spontaneous, ill-considered statements.
D)is more expensive than written communication.
E)does not enable the sender to receive feedback.

Question 22

An advantage of written communication is that

A)the sender receives immediate feedback.
B)it is less expensive than oral communication.
C)the message is more persuasive.
D)it can be revised several times.
E)the receiver can sense the sender's sincerity.

Question 23

An advantage of written communication is that

A)questions can be asked and answered.
B)feedback is immediate and direct.
C)it is more persuasive than oral communication.
D)the receiver can sense the sender's sincerity.
E)it can be saved permanently.

Question 24

The richest communication media are more

A)personal than technological.
B)audio than visual.
C)more technological than personal.
D)visual than audio.
E)hands-on than hands-off.

Question 25

The process of receiving and interpreting information is known as

A)filtering.
B)learning.
C)reflecting.
D)perception.
E)interlocution.

Question 26

The process of withholding or ignoring information is known as

A)interlocution.
B)perception.
C)shielding.
D)filtering.
E)buffering.

Question 27

E-mail is most appropriate for

A)routine messages.
B)confidential information.
C)complex communications.
D)attempts to resolve conflicts.
E)negotiations.

Question 28

"We have agreed with the client on the simple concepts in the contract, using back-and-forth e-mails and edited files. However, the next concepts in the contract are going to be difficult to negotiate," said Steve. "I will call the client and suggest that we meet in their offices for a few days, face-to-face, to hammer out an agreement on the difficult concepts." Why did Steve suggest this approach?

A)In online bargaining, negotiators distrust one another more than in face-to-face negotiations.
B)In online bargaining, complex problems can be solved.
C)In online bargaining, people are confident that they will be highly satisfied with the outcome.
D)In online bargaining, communicators can pick up on subtle, nonverbal clues.
E)In online bargaining, decisions will be more quickly made, of higher quality, and more satisfying.

Question 29

E-mail messages are the private property of the

A)system's owner.
B)sender.
C)company.
D)receiver.
E)sender and receiver.

Question 30

"It's been a week since I sent the memo to the client, and I still haven't heard back from him. I just don't know how he feels about the bad news I had to deliver," said Jack. His boss replied, "Why don't you call him? You know that a disadvantage of written communication is that

A)the receiver can pick up on subtle nonverbal cues conveyed by the sender."
B)the sender lacks immediate feedback."
C)it engenders trust among users."
D)it always reliably transmits sensitive or private information."
E)it fails to leave a permanent record of communication."

Question 31

The more information or cues a communication medium sends to the receiver, the ________ the medium is.

A)less distorted
B)richer
C)more sticky
D)thicker
E)more varied

Question 32

In order to keep his manager from being worried that he will not be able to satisfactorily complete his current project, Chandler tells her what he thinks she wants to hear. This is an example of

A)filtering.
B)speculating.
C)decoding.
D)encoding.
E)introspecting.

Question 33

Loren, a manager, instructed his subordinate, Alpha, to remind her staff that any request for overtime pay work this weekend could only be authorized by the division manager. Alpha misunderstood Loren and explained to her staff that all were required to work this weekend with overtime pay that had been authorized by the division manager. In this context, why would it have been better for Loren to communicate to Alpha through an e-mail instead of instructing her orally?

A)The receiver can control where and when a message is read.
B)The sender can provide feedback immediately.
C)The message remains the same even if relayed through others.
D)The receiver can gauge the sender's sincerity better than when communicated orally.
E)The message is more persuasive than when released orally.

Question 34

The three principal communication channels are

A)oral, written, and syntactic.
B)face-to-face, horizontal, and electronic.
C)face-to-face, written, and electronic.
D)oral, horizontal, and syntactic.
E)oral, written, and digital.

Question 35

Sharelle tried to explain the problem she was having, but her manager, Tamlin, kept interrupting her. Finally, in frustration, Sharelle returned to her workstation, even though Tamlin never did grasp the key points that Sharelle was attempting to communicate. This lack of communication is an example of

A)perceptual bias.
B)decoding problems.
C)intrapersonal communication.
D)groupthink.
E)stereotyping.

Question 36

A mobile office in which people can work anywhere, including their home, car, airport, or customers' offices, as long as they have the tools to communicate with customers and colleagues, is known as a(n)________ office.

A)corporate
B)informal
C)virtual
D)contingency
E)second life

Question 37

An advantage of oral communication is that

A)there is usually a permanent record of the communication.
B)the message stays the same even if relayed through many people.
C)it provides the receiver with more time to analyze the message.
D)it often is more persuasive than written communication.
E)the message can be revised several times.

Question 38

Some research indicates that more data sharing and critical argumentation occur with ________, resulting in higher-quality decisions.

A)e-mail messages
B)horizontal communication
C)upward communication
D)a group decision support system
E)one-way communication

Question 39

E-mail, memos, letters, reports, and computer files are all examples of ________ communication.

A)electronic
B)nonverbal
C)written
D)pragmatic
E)horizontal

Question 40

A disadvantage of written communication is that

A)the message might not contain all the information the receiver needs.
B)it leaves behind a permanent record that can be accessed later.
C)it can lead to spontaneous, ill-considered statements.
D)the receiver(s)can sense the sender's sincerity (or lack thereof).
E)the message stays the same even if relayed through many people.

Question 41

When speaking or writing, you should adjust your language based on the receiver's

A)ability to be impressed.
B)background, both cultural and technical.
C)preference for particular fashions of language.
D)mood or temperament.
E)preferred written or oral style.

Question 42

Jamal is a little excited and a little intimidated. His firm is entering into a strategic partnership with a company in Denmark, and they have sent him to Copenhagen, the nation's capital city. During that time, he will be able to communicate with his supervisor and colleagues back home via e-mail and phone but will primarily be interacting with Danish nationals. In addition to various managers and top brass at the Danish company, he will work with Jens, a mid-level manager who will serve as his local guide. Whose help will Jamal benefit from most during his time in Copenhagen?

A)Jens, his local guide
B)his supervisor
C)the president of his company
D)the president of the Danish company
E)his colleagues back home

Question 43

A listening technique that involves a person stating what he or she believes the other person is saying is known as

A)affiliation.
B)filtering.
C)reflection.
D)introspection.
E)perception.

Question 44

The term reflection, as it relates to listening skills, refers to a technique that involves

A)telling the other person what you believe he or she should have said.
B)placing a greater emphasis on talking than listening.
C)highly effective one-way communication.
D)stating back to the other person what you think he or she is saying.
E)filtering the message to hear what you want to hear.

Question 45

A persuasive speaker can demonstrate authenticity by

A)using practiced, melodramatic gestures.
B)employing a rich, varied vocabulary.
C)keeping a cool, objective demeanor.
D)being open with the audience.
E)applying a great number of nonverbal communication forms.

Question 46

Word has just come down from Day Pharmaceuticals' headquarters, and it is not good. Financial reports from the last few quarters have been disappointing, and for that reason top management had been pinning their hopes on a top-secret experimental medication called Wonderall. Clinical trials have been promising, and prospects were looking good for an introduction to the general market later in the year, but now the company heads have learned that the Food & Drug Administration will delay approval for an additional six months due to questions about the medication's side-effects. As chief operations officer, Rachel is tasked with getting this message out to employees in the most effective way. She is weighing various ideas about how to do this. Among her considerations is a large town hall-style group meeting that would bring together the entire company (which is mostly concentrated in a single location)or a smaller meeting involving just the top management. There are other possibilities as well. The best way for Rachel to convey the disappointing news is to

A)send out an e-mail because that will facilitate communicating a great deal of complicated technical information to the largest number of people at once.
B)put together an informative written packet, which can be distributed to both managers and frontline employees.
C)use the small group meeting format, which will provide her with an opportunity to give managers information that they can pass on to their subordinates.
D)record a video message in which she lays out the bad news and which can be played for managers and employees alike.
E)hold the large group meeting because that will give her an opportunity to immediately address questions raised both by managers and frontline employees.

Question 47

An advantage of a virtual office is that it

A)helps reduce the chance for uncomfortable face-to-face interactions by allowing employees to remain compartmentalized in their own spaces.
B)gives employees access to whatever information they need from the company, whenever and wherever they need it.
C)makes it easier for companies to keep track of employees throughout the workday.
D)allows employees to e-mail one another at all hours of the day or night, thus increasing productivity.
E)reduces the need for direct supervision at the office, especially when employees are inexperienced and need guidance.

Question 48

To become a better written communicator, it is important to realize that one's ________ is seldom as good as it could be.

A)writing
B)subject matter
C)finished work
D)first draft
E)audience

Question 49

To facilitate communication, the best kind of office seating arrangement is one that

A)involves a supervisor sitting behind a desk facing the subordinates.
B)includes a raised platform for the supervisor's desk.
C)avoids separating people and helps establish a warm atmosphere.
D)subverts traditional structures by dispensing with chairs and desks.
E)undermines the hegemony of transactional relationships.

Question 50

To be a good communicator, a person needs to ________ nonverbal communications.

A)not be overly concerned about
B)become good at observing and interpreting
C)take a college-level course in
D)develop a theory of
E)compare verbal communications to

Question 51

The process of reflection

A)facilitates accurate two-way communication.
B)is the responsibility of the sender.
C)can be minimized with effective listening techniques.
D)distorts information and results in misunderstandings.
E)places a greater emphasis on talking than on listening.

Question 52

During her performance review, Kendra's manager listened to her goals for her career and then repeated them back to her. This is an example of the listening skill known as

A)decoding.
B)encoding.
C)transmission.
D)reflection.
E)filtering.

Question 53

The richest medium for communication is a(n)

A)telephone conversation.
B)e-mail report.
C)text message.
D)face-to-face meeting.
E)online discussion.

Question 54

When it comes to written material in the organization environment, ________ have proven to be common and costly.

A)reading mistakes
B)illiterate employees
C)employees reading novels
D)speed-reading courses
E)too many hours spent reading

Question 55

Derrick has been working from home for the past six months. He receives his projects via the company e-mail website. This is an example of a ________ office.

A)private
B)floating
C)virtual
D)grapevine
E)roaming

Question 56

The most persuasive messages are

A)convoluted and detailed.
B)simple and informative.
C)brief and non-descriptive.
D)nonverbal and complex.
E)written and elaborate.

Question 57

Effective writing requires ________ thinking.

A)complicated
B)nonlinear
C)traditional
D)logical
E)extraordinary

Question 58

Sean's company, New Life Electronics, hires bright young people from troubled backgrounds. Many have been in and out of the justice system, and quite a few grew up in homes where criminality and abuse were the norm. While they are talented at repairing computers, these young men and women do not tend to be trusting of authority figures. Given this situation, what is the best way for Sean to communicate with these employees?

A)through brief, impersonal e-mails
B)through simple, handwritten notes
C)through face-to-face conversation
D)through detailed voice mails
E)through emoji-heavy text messages

Question 59

Brandi is discussing an important issue with a colleague, Antoinette, and wants to convey a positive attitude. One way for her to do that is by

A)keeping gestures at a minimum.
B)facing Antoinette directly.
C)crossing her arms and legs.
D)keeping great physical distant from Antoinette.
E)keeping a very serious expression on her face.

Question 60

In order to listen effectively, you should

A)try to recall all the facts and details.
B)judge delivery, not content.
C)listen only to what is interesting.
D)keep your mind open.
E)take notes by writing down as much as you can.

Question 61

Filtering is less likely to occur in ________ organizations.

A)flatter
B)narrow
C)hierarchical
D)large
E)authoritarian

Question 62

Among the benefits of upward communication is the fact that it

A)facilitates downward communication.
B)involves a great deal of information.
C)helps employees understand what managers expect from them.
D)protects the feelings of those involved.
E)almost always provides accurate information.

Question 63

Bill Jr. works on the line at Cloverleaf Automotive just like his father-popularly known among the old-timers as Bill Sr.-before him. But recently Bill Jr., along with all his coworkers, received something that would have been unheard-of in Bill Sr.'s day: a packet outlining the company's financial goals, income statements, and other information about Cloverleaf Automotive's past performance and future prospects. This sharing of material that was once meant exclusively for management's eyes only is an example of

A)the boundaryless organization.
B)horizontal communication.
C)decentralized management.
D)management by objectives.
E)open-book management.

Question 64

Dialogue with a goal of helping another be more effective and achieve his or her full potential on the job is referred to as

A)reflection.
B)open-book management.
C)one-way communication.
D)coaching.
E)filtering.

Question 65

Although Eric is a highly successful sales representative for Underwood Chemicals, lately he has been experiencing some performance issues. He "choked" in an important meeting, and as a result failed to close a big contract for the firm, and since then he has suffered a crisis of confidence. Now Ross, his immediate supervisor and an experienced salesman for the company, is working directly with Eric to help him get to his full potential. This is an example of

A)coaching.
B)reflection.
C)heuristics.
D)pedagogy.
E)filtering.

Question 66

In organizational communication, coaching refers to dialogue with the goal of

A)helping employees be more effective and achieve their potential on the job.
B)reflecting back to another person what you heard him or her saying.
C)withholding information that might be perceived as negative.
D)clarifying and clearing up a misperception that has occurred.
E)convincing another person to adopt a belief or take a particular action.

Question 67

Victor Hermosillo, CEO of San Juan Electronics, said to his division vice presidents, "For our corporate business plan for next year, I want each of you to work with your management teams to develop a SWOT analysis for your division, delivered to me no later than two weeks from today." The vice presidents' submission of SWOT analyses, based upon feedback from their management teams, to the CEO is an example of ________ communication.

A)downward
B)upward
C)horizontal
D)grapevine
E)intrapersonal

Question 68

Luz Diaz, CEO of MaxPlan, realizes that she needs to formally communicate to her division vice presidents that the board of directors has increased the firm's profit expectations by 10 percent, and that any vice president whose division underperforms this target will be replaced. What do you think is the best way for Luz to officially communicate this information to her vice presidents?

A)In a downward fashion, via formal memo, to convey expectations and outcomes.
B)In an upward fashion, via formal memo, to maintain positive morale.
C)In a horizontal fashion, via formal memo, to maintain equity among the vice presidents.
D)By the grapevine (informal means)to maintain esprit de corps.
E)By informal conversation, so as to not commit expectations in writing.

Question 69

Good upward communication is important because it helps ________ understand what is happening in the company.

A)managers
B)employees
C)trainees
D)stockholders
E)customers

Question 70

Downward communication refers to the flow of information from

A)the company to customers.
B)lower to higher organization levels.
C)people inside the organization to external parties.
D)operational to strategic managers.
E)supervisors to subordinates.

Question 71

The types of messages sent in downward communication might include

A)an employee's idea for improving a business process.
B)instructions about an employee's job.
C)employee expression of grievances.
D)a focus group's feedback to management.
E)an update on the current status from a foreign branch.

Question 72

Enabling coordination, problem solving among units, and providing emotional support to employees are all important functions of ________ communication.

A)formal
B)horizontal
C)downward
D)upward
E)informal

Question 73

Franco told his protégé, "Benito, during your career as a manager, you will sometimes encounter problems with upward communications from your employees. For example, your employees may filter what they tell you, share only good news, and suppress bad news for several reasons, including

A)they want to appear competent; they mistrust you; and they do not want to shield you from problems."
B)they do not trust you; they fear you will 'punish the messenger'; and they do not want to shield you from problems."
C)they want to appear competent; they fear you will 'punish the messenger'; and they believe they are helping you."
D)they trust you implicitly; they fear you will 'punish the messenger'; and they believe they are helping you."
E)they want to appear competent; they trust you implicitly; and they believe they are helping you."

Question 74

Peter Wilson, CEO of TopGold, announced, "As part of our cost-cutting campaign, we're going to remove two layers of management. That cost reduction will create an added benefit of preserving intact the corporate messages that I communicate from my office, to all levels of the organization. I'm afraid that, in the past couple of years, our employees have received distorted or incomplete messages after having passed through multiple layers of management." Peter was acknowledging that

A)filtering of downward communication is less of a problem in flatter organizations.
B)perception of downward communication is always positive in a flatter organization.
C)open-book management can never be employed in a tall organization.
D)information overload is always a problem in tall organizations.
E)inconsistent communication never occurs in a flatter organization.

Question 75

The practice of sharing with employees at all levels of the organization vital information previously meant for management's eyes only is known as

A)open-book management.
B)vertical communication.
C)virtual office.
D)boundaryless organization.
E)media richness.

Question 76

Particularly in complex environments, in which decisions in one unit affect another, information must be shared. The need for ________ communication is similar to the need for integration.

A)vertical
B)horizontal
C)downward
D)upward
E)semantic

Question 77

Effective coaching requires

A)persuasiveness, teaching, and discipline.
B)expert knowledge, clarity, and discipline.
C)honesty, calmness, and supportiveness.
D)sincerity, expert knowledge, and discipline.
E)honesty, teaching, and persuasiveness.

Question 78

Darlene has come up with an idea for increasing sales in her organization. She speaks to her manager and shares her ideas with him. This is an example of

A)coaching.
B)open-book management.
C)upward communication.
D)reflection.
E)filtering.

Question 79

Horizontal communication refers to the flow of information

A)exclusively between top management.
B)among people on the same hierarchical level.
C)exclusively within the company.
D)among people on differing hierarchical levels.
E)exclusively among frontline employees.

Question 80

The management at Morningside Logistics & Fulfillment is in crisis mode. Their proprietary order fulfillment software has malfunctioned, and though their information technology (IT)department assures them that a solution is forthcoming, in the meantime they have a mounting backlog of unfulfilled orders. Adding to the difficulty of the situation is the fact that completion of these orders necessitates access to sensitive company information. Management's best option is to

A)inform their customers that they have experienced an IT glitch, and offer them a 20 percent discount for the entire quarter to cover any losses they might incur.
B)recruit the help of talented employees within the organization, even though this will give them access to information that is normally the purview of top management alone.
C)outsource the problem to a competitor, with the understanding that doing so runs the risk of giving their rival an edge over Morningside Logistics.
D)bring in help from an overseas firm, despite the fact that doing so may involve a learning curve and language barrier, because this is the cheapest solution.
E)attempt to solve the problem entirely at the level of top management, with the knowledge that the task is monumental and will involve working around the clock for weeks.