Deck 1: Achieving Success Through Effective Business Communication

Question 1

Every organization has ________, which encompasses all communication that occurs outside the lines of command in the company's organization structure.

A)a lateral communication network
B)a peer-to-peer communication network
C)an informal communication network
D)an adjacent communication network

Answer 1

C
Explanation:C)Informal communication takes place naturally when employees interact, both on the job and in social settings. Some of it takes place when the formal network doesn't provide information that employees want. The informal communication network is located wherever workers congregate, which could be hallways, drinking fountains, or lunchrooms. Informal communication also takes place on telephones and through email and social networks.

Question 2

An example of horizontal communication is

A)a junior staff person giving information to a staff supervisor.
B)a company briefing held on the organization's ground floor.
C)an email message about sick leave sent from one department secretary to a secretary in a different department.
D)all of the above.

Answer 2

C
Explanation:C)This is an example of horizontal communication because it is being transmitted between two people who are employed on the same level of the company hierarchy.

Question 3

In ________, communication breakdowns and delays can occur as messages are passed up and down through multiple layers of management.

A)inverted organizational structures
B)tall organizational structures
C)reflexive organizational structures
D)open organizational structures

Answer 3

B
Explanation:B)Tall structures have many layers of management between the lowest and highest positions. Hence, they can suffer communication breakdowns and delays as messages are passed up and down through multiple layers.

Question 4

A flatter organizational structure

A)tends to increase the chance of communication breakdowns.
B)helps make communication flow more efficiently.
C)is obsolete now that social networking is so widespread.
D)is helpful for small companies only.

Question 5

An example of downward communication is

A)a junior staff person giving information to a staff supervisor.
B)a sales manager giving instructions to a salesperson.
C)an email message about sick leave from one staff secretary to another.
D)a company briefing held on the organization's top floor.

Question 6

The quality of performing at a high level and conducting oneself with pride and purpose is known as

A)expediency.
B)professionalism.
C)entrepreneurialism.
D)impression management.

Question 7

________ communication flows between departments to help employees share information, coordinate tasks, and solve complex problems.

A)Upward
B)Downward
C)Horizontal
D)Diagonal

Question 8

Communication is the process of

A)transferring information and meaning.
B)listening actively.
C)writing messages.
D)none of the above.

Question 9

Improving your communication skills will enhance your career because

A)having great ideas won't help you much, unless you can communicate them effectively.
B)the higher you rise in an organization, the more important your communication skills will be.
C)you'll need to connect with decision makers outside of your area of expertise.
D)all of the above.

Question 10

Which one of the following is not one of the traits possessed by professionals?

A)Meeting minimum qualifications
B)Demonstrating a sense of etiquette
C)Maintaining a positive outlook
D)Being dependable and accountable

Question 11

All of the following except ________ will make your business messages more effective.

A)providing practical information
B)clarifying expectations and responsibilities
C)presenting information concisely and efficiently
D)discussing personal issues and complaining about problems

Question 12

The term corporate culture refers to

A)the number of organizational levels within a corporation.
B)the extent to which corporations dominate a particular culture.
C)the mixture of values, traditions, and habits that give a company its atmosphere and personality.
D)a company's sponsorship of events such as concerts and plays.

Question 13

Which of the following is not a characteristic of effective business messages?

A)They provide practical information.
B)They present the writer's opinions as facts.
C)They state precise audience responsibilities.
D)They highlight and summarize essential information.

Question 14

According to the concept of emotional intelligence, if you'll be speaking to people you don't know and you can't find out more about them

A)don't worry because you can adjust to their needs on the fly.
B)always put your own needs before their needs.
C)rely on chance and circumstance to help you relate to their needs.
D)use common sense and imagination to relate to their needs.

Question 15

Business communication is often more demanding than social communication because communication on the job is affected by

A)the pervasiveness of technology.
B)the growing reliance on teamwork in business.
C)the globalization of business.
D)all of the above.

Question 16

Stakeholders affected by the quality of business communication include

A)customers.
B)employees.
C)suppliers.
D)all of the above.

Question 17

Generally speaking, limitations of the formal communication network

A)discourage employees from taking advantage of social media.
B)have not affected the popularity of social media in the business environment.
C)have helped to spur the growth of social media in the business environment.
D)do none of the above.

Question 18

In most organizations, the rumor mill tends to be particularly active when

A)employees are satisfied with their jobs.
B)formal communication channels are working efficiently.
C)employees are wasting company time.
D)the formal communication network is not providing the information employees want.

Question 19

An audience-centered approach to communication involves

A)saying whatever it takes to win over the members of your audience.
B)embedding a layer of technology between you and your audience members.
C)respecting, understanding, and meeting the needs of your audience members.
D)focusing on how the members of the audience can help you obtain your goals.

Question 20

In which of the following organizational structures do employees report to two managers at the same time?

A)Virtual organization
B)Matrix structure
C)Network structure
D)None of the above

Question 21

One major difference between traditional communication and the 2.0 approach to business communication is that in the 2.0 approach audiences are encouraged to be

A)active participants in the communication.
B)compliant listeners.
C)passive recipients of the information the sender shares.
D)all of the above.

Question 22

To make your communication more effective,

A)clearly address your audience's wants and needs-not yours.
B)include as much information as possible, even if you're not sure it's necessary.
C)prepare the message as if the audience is not interested.
D)do all of the above.

Question 23

A manager hears the part of a message that supports his agenda, but doesn't seem to notice evidence that contradicts his point of view. The manager is engaging in

A)discrimination.
B)misreading.
C)selective perception.
D)stereotyping.

Question 24

The final step in the communication process is

A)receiving the message.
B)sending the message.
C)giving feedback to the sender.
D)interpreting the message.

Question 25

"Business Communication 2.0" refers to

A)high-level correspondence as opposed to routine documents.
B)a new approach to business communication, emphasizing interaction and conversation rather than one-way publication.
C)specialized software that enables professionals to create impressive documents easily and efficiently.
D)none of the above.

Question 26

Most companies that embrace Business Communication 2.0

A)completely abandon the traditional approach to communication.
B)will eventually return to a 1.0 approach, since the technology turns out to be too complicated for most employees.
C)adopt a hybrid approach to communication, in which some messages follow the traditional model and others follow the 2.0 approach.
D)do none of the above.

Question 27

The "information technology paradox" refers to

A)widespread confusion over how to utilize email and IM.
B)the idea that technology has cut down interpersonal communication in business.
C)the idea that information tools (such as email)can waste as much time as they save.
D)none of the above.

Question 28

To actually receive a message, a person needs to do all of the following except

A)comprehend the message.
B)sense the presence of the message.
C)select it from other competing messages.
D)perceive it as an actual message.

Question 29

The accepted principles of conduct that govern behavior within a society are known as

A)laws.
B)social guidelines.
C)ethics.
D)none of the above.

Question 30

Which of the following is not one of the five ways to get the audience to notice your messages?

A)Acknowledge the importance of the situation.
B)Practice empathy.
C)Use words, images, and designs that are familiar.
D)Consider audience expectations.

Question 31

In order for audience members to respond appropriately to a business message, they must

A)remember the message.
B)be able to respond to the message.
C)be motivated to respond to the message.
D)do all of the above.

Question 32

A barrier to communication can be caused by

A)the structure and culture of an organization.
B)the common habit of multitasking.
C)human or technological intervention between senders and receivers.
D)all of the above.

Question 33

Within the context of social media, ________ refers to a sense of openness, of giving all participants access to the information they need to understand the messages they are receiving.

A)transformation
B)transcendence
C)transparency
D)translucency

Question 34

All of the following except ________ can facilitate the communication process through the effective use of communication technology.

A)using technological tools productively
B)staying connected around the clock
C)guarding against information overload
D)disengaging from computing devices to communicate in person

Question 35

The ________ is the form a message takes and the ________ is the system used to deliver the message.

A)channel, medium
B)medium, channel
C)schema, pipeline
D)package, tunnel

Question 36

Which of the following is the best solution to technology-related problems such as inappropriate use of the web and social media in the workplace?

A)Forbidding employees to use the web while they are in the office
B)Requiring employees to turn off their smartphones when they arrive for work
C)Developing clear policies that are evenly enforced
D)Rewarding employees who call your attention to those who are using these technologies inappropriately

Question 37

Whereas traditional Business Communication tends to emphasize ________, Business Communication 2.0 focuses more on ________.

A)discussion, lecture
B)collaboration, isolation
C)control, influence
D)permission, intrusion

Question 38

In the first step of the communication process, the sender

A)decides what to say.
B)chooses a communication channel.
C)has an idea.
D)chooses a communication medium.

Question 39

Which of the following is an example of Business Communication 2.0 in action?

A)A manager sends out weekly newsletters to employees.
B)An electronics store invites customers to submit YouTube videos showing how to install home theater systems.
C)An advertising firm creates a television commercial for a local automobile dealer.
D)All of the above are examples of Business Communication 2.0.

Question 40

As a contemporary approach to business communication, the ________ is interactive, conversational, and usually open to all who wish to participate.

A)reflexive communication model
B)computer-assisted communication model
C)social communication model
D)give-and-take communication model

Question 41

Because external communication is carefully orchestrated, almost none of it occurs informally.

Question 42

Among other factors, the globalization of business has decreased the demand for skilled communicators.

Question 43

The nature of business communication hasn't changed much in the past decade.

Question 44

Emotional intelligence involves the ability to relate to the needs of others.

Question 45

Successful organizations usually avoid the need for feedback.

Question 46

To help establish clear guidelines for ethical behavior, many companies provide employees a written

A)ethics audit.
B)ethical dilemma.
C)ethical lapse.
D)code of ethics.

Question 47

Multitasking generally enhances the quality of employees' communication.

Question 48

Which of the following is an example of an ethical lapse?

A)Putting unsigned suggestions in the company suggestion box
B)Sharing confidential information with a new employer about your previous (competing)employer's major clients
C)Telling your supervisor that another employee is stealing office supplies
D)Providing incorrect data in a report, even though you did not know it was incorrect at the time

Question 49

Knowledge workers specialize in acquiring, processing, and communicating information.

Question 50

As long as employees get the job done, most companies are not concerned with employees meeting expectations of business etiquette.

Question 51

Open corporate cultures benefit from free-flowing information and employee input.

Question 52

Flatter organizational structures generally create more open internal communication.

Question 53

The basic communication process consists of two steps: sending and receiving messages.

Question 54

Which of the following is the best example of an ethical dilemma?

A)Deciding whether or not to promote the employee who has the better performance record or the employee who seems to be the better leader
B)Deciding whether or not to tell an employee that he needs to improve his performance
C)Deciding whether or not to use the copy machine for personal papers
D)Deciding whether or not to declare the costs of your vacation travel as a deductible business expense

Question 55

Workforce diversity includes differences not only in race but also in gender, education, and other areas.

Question 56

All of the following are examples of unethical communication except

A)using jargon.
B)selective misquoting.
C)distorting visuals.
D)plagiarism.

Question 57

The rumor mill tends to be most active when employees receive too much information about their company.

Question 58

Which of the following is not a characteristic of ethical communication?

A)It includes all relevant information.
B)It is designed to hide some negative information.
C)It is true in every sense.
D)It is not deceptive in any way.

Question 59

In a virtual organization, a software company may partner with a manufacturing firm to make the DVDs that contain the software that it offers.

Question 60

Upward communication generally helps executives solve problems and make intelligent decisions.

Question 61

Ethics can be defined as not doing anything illegal.

Question 62

Messages can be blocked or distorted by filters, any human or technological interventions between the sender and the receiver.

Question 63

A message that is intended to mislead or manipulate the audience is unethical, even if its content is true.

Question 64

Social ________ tools such as blogs, wikis, and social networks have paved the way for companies to embrace the "2.0" approach to business communication.

Question 65

When a sender puts an idea into a message, the sender is ________ the idea.

Question 66

A ________ ________ is the mixture of values, traditions, and habits that give a company its atmosphere or personality.

Question 67

The 2.0 approach to business communication emphasizes interaction and conversation among senders and audiences.

Question 68

Communication is the process of transferring ________ and ________ between senders and receivers.

Question 69

Although intellectual property laws were once a serious concern, the ease of sharing information through social media has decreased the need to be concerned with them.

Question 70

Groups affected in some way by a company's actions are referred to as ________.

Question 71

Selective ________ is the process of distorting or ignoring information that does not fit one's view of reality.

Question 72

The more two people or two groups of people share experiences (personal, professional, and cultural)the more likely it is that receivers will extract the intended meanings senders encode into their messages.

Question 73

Understanding and respecting the members of your audience and making every effort to get your message across in a meaningful way is necessary to adopt an ________-________ approach.

Question 74

Plagiarism is only a problem in the classroom. In the business environment, it's just another term for information sharing.

Question 75

Most organizations that embrace the 2.0 approach to business communication will still follow a more traditional approach for some communications (such as strategic plans and policy documents).

Question 76

When people must choose between alternatives that aren't completely wrong or completely right, they are facing an ethical lapse.

Question 77

Workforce ________ refers to all the differences among the people you come into contact with on the job, including age, gender, sexual orientation, education, and so forth.

Question 78

In the communication process, ________ describes the step in which the audience extracts the idea from a message.

Question 79

________ ________ refers to the ability to relate to the needs of others, and is widely considered to be a vital characteristic of successful managers and leaders.

Question 80

The only thing a person needs to receive a message is technical compatibility with the person who's sending the message.