Deck 1: Understanding Business Communication

Question 1

The five components of communication are the stimulus,filter,medium,destination,and message.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

An example of noise in the communication system is an employee who is too busy to read an important email.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

Ideally,the communication process is incomplete without feedback.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

If you frown as someone speaks to you,you are providing the sender with feedback about the message.

Question 5

Written messages might be conveyed through a brochure,a blog posting,a web page,or a company newsletter.

Question 6

Individual experiences,culture,and personality affect how you filter a stimulus.

Question 7

Using instant messaging at work may annoy some people,but others believe that it saves time.

Question 8

Facial expressions such as frowns and smiles are nonverbal messages that you formulate in response to a stimulus.

Question 9

Successful communication involves messages that are sent,received accurately,and understood.

Question 10

Email is the most frequently used communication medium but this use is declining.

Question 11

When you choose a medium,you are deciding how you will decode the message for transmission.

Question 12

Employees prefer to receive bad news through the personal medium of email.

Question 13

Cascading communication flows upwards and downwards from an important organizational leader.

Question 14

Communication flows in an orderly,linear manner from one stage to the next.

Question 15

Lateral communication typically involves persuading others who report to us.

Question 16

An internal stimulus is one that forms within your own organization.

Question 17

At work,your personal email is protected free speech,thus shielded from lawsuits.

Question 18

A study of the ten characteristics that employers seek in employees identified communications as the number one skill.

Question 19

Employers report major deficiencies in the written and oral communication skills of new employees.

Question 20

You have more flexibility in conveying ideas to others when you use oral communication than when you use written communication.

Question 21

When communicating internationally,you should translate important documents into the second language and then back into English to ensure correct interpretation.

Question 22

Jargon is technical terminology used within specialized groups¾sometimes called "the pros' prose."

Question 23

It is good business to share both good news and bad news with employees as quickly and completely as possible.

Question 24

Managers can stop rumors by counteracting the free flow of information through the grapevine.

Question 25

Audiences may become skeptical if euphemisms are used frequently to avoid giving bad news.

Question 26

Upward communication fosters an environment where employees can offer suggestions and feel they are important to the organization.

Question 27

You have achieved successful communication when your audience receives your written message,whether or not it is read.

Question 28

The grapevine is active at every level of the organization,moving information from one manager or employee to the next.

Question 29

The grapevine is most active in an organization when the level of fear is high.

Question 30

As the receiver,you might misinterpret a word used by the sender because of your personal reaction to its connotations.

Question 31

Over time,companies that are considered ethical and highly effective communicators provide higher returns to shareholders than companies without these characteristics.

Question 32

Lateral communication provides managers at all levels with the information they need to make decisions.

Question 33

Less than half of the information communicated through the grapevine is accurate.

Question 34

Jargon is an efficient way of communicating specialized information to broad audiences.

Question 35

The term denotation refers to "the associations you have with a word."

Question 36

Differences in how the sender and receiver assign meanings to the same word can become a communication barrier.

Question 37

Downward communication is used more frequently than upward communication in most organizations.

Question 38

Messages on social media channels are most effective if they are short,personal,and one-way.

Question 39

Negative comments about your company,its products,or suppliers are usually acceptable if made in electronic forums not controlled by your employer.

Question 40

The organization's formal communication network consists of upward,downward,lateral,and cross-cultural communication.

Question 41

Which is an example of an internal stimulus?

A) You read a memo from your supervisor requesting sales figures for the past five years.
B) While photocopying reports, you overhear two managers talking about upcoming layoffs.
C) Your office is too hot because the air conditioner isn't working properly.
D) You notice an intern pocketing money from the petty cash fund.
E) You dream about an idea for a new commercial to promote your company's product.

Question 42

Which of the following is not an example of a filter?

A) personality
B) culture
C) socioeconomic status
D) communication medium
E) an individual's emotional state

Question 43

Which component is not required for communication to take place?

A) feedback
B) medium
C) stimulus
D) message
E) filter

Question 44

Your unique perception of reality acts as a ____ when you are interpreting a stimulus.

A) nonverbal message
B) medium
C) filter
D) feedback mechanism
E) communication process

Question 45

Not all communication problems are spoken or written,some are related to how you act.

Question 46

Technology that allows multitasking is likely to result in more efficient and accurate workplace communication.

Question 47

When writing about a sensitive topic,you might use euphemisms rather than words that could offend your audience.

Question 48

As a sender,you are encoding when you

A) select the medium for transmitting a verbal or nonverbal message.
B) filter noise out of incoming stimuli.
C) notice and interpret an external or internal stimulus.
D) observe the destination of the message.
E) formulate a verbal or nonverbal response to a stimulus.

Question 49

You can avoid polarization if you choose words that take the middle ground rather than words that represent an extreme position.

Question 50

Senders filter their perceptions about receivers through differences in interpretation.

Question 51

Which of these statements about the destination component of communication is not correct?

A) The sender loses control once the message enters the receiver's sensory environment.
B) Communication may not occur even after the message enters the sender's sensory environment.
C) The receiver might perceive the message but incorrectly interpret its meaning.
D) Once the message enters the receiver's sensory environment, it becomes a filter for that person.
E) The message is successful if it reaches its destination and the receiver interprets it as the sender intended.

Question 52

A(n)____ is considered a conventional channel of communication.

A) web seminar
B) instant message
C) email
D) blog
E) tweet

Question 53

An ethical message is one that is factually correct,even if it leaves out important information.

Question 54

Research results show that all but which one of the following statements is true of business communications?

A) The top characteristic sought in job candidates is communication skills.
B) Communications is the most important area of knowledge for securing employment after graduation and for advancement and promotion once on the job.
C) As many as one-third of employees write poorly.
D) Employees who are happy with how their company communicates difficult decisions are much more likely to recommend their company.
E) Communication skills are more important in corporate settings than in self-employment.

Question 55

Lean media are best for routine,neutral,and simple messages.

Question 56

Which of the following creates the need for someone to initiate communication?

A) medium
B) filter
C) message
D) stimulus
E) denotation

Question 57

If your cover letter states that you have excellent proofreading skills,a typographical error (a nonverbal signal)will overshadow the actual message content.

Question 58

Wherever possible,you should use abstract rather than concrete words to make your messages easier to understand.

Question 59

You will not be able to communicate effectively if

A) you convey your message through verbal and nonverbal means.
B) you use lean media choices.
C) your message contains words that the receiver cannot understand.
D) you fail to use current technology.
E) you are unaware of your organization's goals.

Question 60

If what we say and what we do contradict,observers are likely to believe what we say.

Question 61

Which of the following is an example of lateral communication?

A) Your supervisor sends you an email that lists your strengths and weaknesses.
B) Three state senators discuss the pros and cons of passing new laws against hate crimes.
C) The vice president of marketing prepares a report to share with the marketing representatives.
D) You respond to an internal survey conducted by a colleague from another department.
E) You prepare a year-end sales report for your supervisor's approval.

Question 62

Savvy managers respond to the grapevine in their organization by

A) slowing down the free flow of information.
B) identifying the filters that affect employees' perceptions.
C) sharing all news with employees, whether positive or negative.
D) counteracting the horizontal flow of information.
E) extending the network to the top of the organization.

Question 63

Which of the following is not a relationship consideration helpful in selecting communication media?

A) Is this message confidential or private?
B) Do you need the message documented?
C) How urgent is the message?
D) Are you building a relationship with the audience?
E) How is the audience likely to react?

Question 64

A computer-support specialist who sends an email to other computer-support specialists in the same company about the need for training on the latest software is engaging in ____ communication.

A) upward
B) downward
C) lateral
D) matrix
E) nonverbal

Question 65

Which of the following is not a verbal barrier to communication?

A) inadequate knowledge
B) differences in interpretation
C) language differences
D) inappropriate use of expressions
E) specific, concrete words

Question 66

A microblog cannot help you

A) present the company's perspective on a current issue.
B) report breaking news.
C) convey a complex, nuanced message.
D) respond to a customer's questions without delay.
E) connect with customers.

Question 67

____ is synchronous,overlapping communication.

A) Multicommunication
B) Geolocating
C) Instant messaging
D) Posting to Facebook
E) Handing out printed flyers

Question 68

As a department head,you cannot assume that your downward communication is

A) being received and understood by other department heads.
B) offering employees the opportunity to air grievances.
C) received and understood by people who report to you.
D) sharing complete information with your peers.
E) an informal network trusted by employees.

Question 69

When a message you transmit reaches its destination,it becomes

A) feedback for the receiver.
B) a stimulus for the receiver.
C) a medium for the receiver.
D) a filter for the receiver.
E) a communication channel for the receiver.

Question 70

You are using the grapevine when you

A) ask top management, during a company meeting, about the company's recent merger.
B) write a memo to your boss suggesting how to publicize the company's recent merger.
C) post a news release on your company's website announcing its recent merger.
D) write an article for your company's newsletter, quoting the CEO's comments about the recent merger.
E) discuss the company's recent merger while you carpool with a coworker.

Question 71

Which of the following is not a reason why upward communication is important?

A) It provides feedback to let receivers know that lateral messages have been received and understood.
B) It helps managers recognize whether lower-level employees received and correctly interpreted downward messages.
C) It gives managers information they need to make critical decisions.
D) It provides opportunities for employees to offer input, make suggestions, and air grievances.
E) It allows information to flow from lower levels to higher levels of the organization.

Question 72

If you put on a puzzled look as a coworker tries to explain the company's new sick-leave policy,you are

A) using a nonverbal medium to filter the message.
B) adding noise to the communication environment.
C) providing an internal stimulus for your audience.
D) simultaneously sending and receiving a message.
E) eliminating the feedback portion of the process.

Question 73

Which of the following statements is not true of technology-based communication?

A) Companies will often use multiple communication channels.
B) A podcast provides short text files for downloading.
C) Wikis are online spaces where people collaborate.
D) Instant messaging allows you to know when someone is available for a quick response.
E) Social networking sites are used by people of all ages.

Question 74

Which statement about the grapevine is correct?

A) It moves information rapidly through the organization.
B) It is less active during times of uncertainty, such as layoffs, mergers, and branch closings.
C) Most of the information communicated through the grapevine pertains to personal matters.
D) Information spread through the grapevine is usually incomplete.
E) It is not an important communication network in large organizations.

Question 75

Which of the following is not a true statement about social media?

A) It encourages online interaction.
B) It is widely used among Fortune Global 100 companies.
C) Most online participants are teens and young adults.
D) It is based upon second-generation (web 2.0) technologies.
E) Much of the online content is user-generated.

Question 76

Which of the following is not considered a rich medium for communication?

A) oral presentation
B) email
C) phone call
D) chat over coffee
E) formal department meeting

Question 77

Which of the following is another term for the grapevine?

A) upward communication network
B) lateral communication network
C) horizontal communication network
D) downward communication network
E) informal communication network

Question 78

Texting may be useful for all of the following reasons except

A) providing fast client contact.
B) advertising your new product or service.
C) commenting during a speech by a client.
D) confirming deliveries.
E) sending important information in a meeting.

Question 79

Which of the following is a verbal barrier to communication?

A) A person's body language does not correspond with his spoken message.
B) A recipient's interpretation of a message is not the same as the sender's interpretation.
C) Two individuals have differing perceptions of a manager's comments based on their personal experiences with her.
D) People are not focusing on a convention speaker because the seats are too small and are placed too close together.
E) A customer service representative has a prejudice against customers who have a southern accent.

Question 80

____ communication occurs when peers within a department share ideas,coordinate activities,and negotiate differences.

A) Upward
B) Downward
C) Lateral
D) Vertical
E) Outsourced