Deck 1: Establishing a Framework for Business Communication

Question 1

Email is generally a more time efficient communication channel than the phone.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

While all actions that are ethical are legal, some actions that are legal may not be ethical.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

While the sender of a message is responsible for effective encoding and the receiver for effective decoding, both have responsibility for addressing interferences.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Upward communication from lower organizational levels to management involves risk since it is generally feedback to downward communication.

Question 5

If the sender uses words the receiver does not understand, the receiver will have difficulty encoding the message.

Question 6

Synergy occurs when the energy of a group is diverted to nonproductive tasks.

Question 7

Three basic purpose of communication are to feel, sense, and influence.

Question 8

A limitation of language translation is that some words do not have an equivalent meaning in another language.

Question 9

An ethnocentrist is a person who refuses to develop sensitivity to other cultures.

Question 10

When ABC Company makes a legal decision that complies with contractual agreements, one can accurately assume that it is an ethical decision because it is legal.

Question 11

Stakeholders are those affected by decisions and can include people inside and outside the organization.

Question 12

People communicate to satisfy needs in both their work lives and private lives.

Question 13

A person's self-talk that takes place within the person is referred to as interpersonal communication.

Question 14

In spite of its poor reputation, the grapevine is in reality no more or less accurate than other channels.

Question 15

The sender's primary objective is to decode the message so that the message received is as close as possible to the message that is sent.

Question 16

Though people around the world speak different languages, nonverbal communication, such as gestures and facial expressions, generally has the same meanings to all cultures.

Question 17

Barriers, or interferences, to communication can be completely overcome by skilled communicators.

Question 18

While every team is a group, not every group is a team.

Question 19

A major purpose in communication is to help people feel good about themselves and their friends, groups, and organizations.

Question 20

In successful teams, leadership is likely to be shared, which requires more direct and effective communication within the organization.

Question 21

Employees should set aside their own personal value systems when making ethical decisions for their companies.

Question 22

Sharon, an executive traveling on an international assignment, is preparing instructions to email to her staff during the trip. Carol is in the act of

A) giving feedback.
B) interfering.
C) encoding.
D) decoding.

Question 23

Differences in education level, experience, and culture or distractions such as noise, uncomfortable room temperature, and interruptions are examples of

A) feedback.
B) interference.
C) interception.
D) decoding.

Question 24

Intrapersonal communication occurs when

A) two people are involved in the process.
B) teamwork dynamics contribute to the feedback.
C) individuals from two different organizations communicate effectively.
D) an individual processes information individually.

Question 25

Many leading figures in recent corporate scandals were never convicted of a crime. Which of the following best describes their behavior:

A) Behavior that is illegal and unethical
B) Behavior that is illegal, yet ethical
C) Behavior that is legal, yet unethical
D) Behavior that is both legal and ethical

Question 26

The ____ communication channel is created by management to control individual and group behavior and to achieve the organization's goals.

A) informal
B) formal
C) email
D) oral

Question 27

Chantell is the manager of the claims department for a large insurance company. She has a one-hour meeting with her staff to explain the new claim form which the company will use next month. This is an example of which type of organizational communication?

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

Question 28

Which of the following statements about culture is true?

A) Culture is inborn from the moment of birth.
B) Components of culture such as value of the individual, value placed on materialism, work ethic, etc. are distinct, unrelated elements.
C) Stereotyping allows one to form accurate mental pictures of the main characteristics of another group.
D) None of the above statements are true.

Question 29

A supervisor on the night shift at a manufacturing plant is told to dump chemicals used in the refining process rather than dispose of them properly according to safety regulations. The owner of the company insists that the chemicals are not harmful to the environment, but the supervisor knows that the dumping is illegal. The supervisor believes that he will lose his job if he reports the problem to authorities at the Environmental Protection Agency. This is an example of which potential cause of unethical behavior?

A) obsession with personal advancement.
B) excessive emphasis on profits.
C) uncertainty about whether an act is wrong.
D) Unwilling to stand for what is right.

Question 30

Jeff receives an email from his boss, Sharon, who is on an international trip. As Jeff interprets the instructions from the email, he is in the act of

A) giving feedback.
B) interfering.
C) encoding.
D) decoding.

Question 31

Data integrity refers to which of the following advantages of databases?

A) The ability to organize large amounts of data
B) The assurance that data will be accurate and complete
C) The assurance that the data are secure because access to a database is controlled through several built-in data security features
D) The assurance that data can be transmitted quickly and efficiently over long distances

Question 32

The grapevine in an organization

A) is typically no more or less accurate than other channels.
B) serves no necessary purpose; thus, managers should work to eliminate it.
C) passes a message in single file from person to person until it finally reaches the end of the line.
D) has a single, consistent source.

Question 33

The single most important aspect of successful teamwork is

A) shared leadership.
B) diversity of group members.
C) effective communication.
D) problem solving and consensus.

Question 34

Which of the following is FALSE concerning instant messaging (IM) in official corporate communication?

A) Many U.S. firms use IM as a tool for business communication.
B) In some organizations, IM is used to complement or replace email and voice mail.
C) A varying number of people can log on to a chatroom and exchange ideas that other participants can see.
D) Instant messaging overcomes the time barrier for geographically dispersed groups.

Question 35

Javon explains a new policy to his staff which prohibits the use of office computers for personal email. Several of the employees frown at the news and one staff member makes a sarcastic remark. Steve's staff is

A) giving feedback.
B) interfering.
C) decoding.
D) encoding.

Question 36

A supervisor notices than an employee has been late to work for three days this week. What is the BEST way for the supervisor do to foster open communication?

A) Call the employee to ask him or her about the lateness.
B) Write the employee a disciplinary memorandum about the lateness.
C) Meet with the employee face-to-face to discuss the lateness.
D) Send the employee an email message about his or her lateness.

Question 37

A manager is faced with having to lay off some of his staff due to financial losses that the company has suffered. Which of the following channels of communication would be the LEAST effective method for sharing the news with employees, given the sensitive nature of the message?

A) A face-to-face meeting with each employee
B) A well-written, empathetic letter to each affected employee
C) A telephone call to each affected employee
D) Electronic mail to all affected employees

Question 38

An organizational chart is a graphic representation of ____

A) informal communication channels within the organization.
B) both informal and formal communication channels within the organization.
C) formal communication channels within the organization.
D) external communication channels utilized by the organization.

Question 39

Which of the following are NOT barriers to intercultural communication?

A) Ethnocentrism, stereotypes, and translation limitations
B) Chronemics, proxemics, and kinesics
C) Synergy, decentralized decision making, and cross functional teams
D) All of the above are barriers

Question 40

In downward communication management attempts to ____ activities within an organization while with horizontal communication management hopes to ____ them.

A) control; coordinate
B) coordinate; contain
C) coordinate; control
D) conduct; control

Question 41

Which of the following is typically true of work teams?

A) Although the concept of work teams has been widely used in the U.S. for some time, it has not gained significant support in other countries.
B) Work teams occasionally experience a drain on their collaborative energy; this drain is referred to as synergy.
C) Employees in a self-directed work team handle a wide array of functions and work with a minimum of direct supervision.
D) Work team members typically set their own goals without management input and plan how to work to achieve those goals.

Question 42

Explain the steps in the communication process and why challenges can occur.

Question 43

Communication in successful work teams

A) is the same as the process of communication in traditional organizations.
B) is affected primarily by trust building and shared leadership.
C) places reduced emphasis on listening, problem solving, and conflict resolution.
D) replaces vertical information flow with horizontal flow.

Question 44

List six barriers to intercultural communication and provide an example of each barrier.

Question 45

You are faced with a work-related ethical dilemma. In deciding what action to take, you would:

A) Check the company code of ethics to see if the action is prohibited.
B) Check legal implications and the company code of ethics, and then decide if the action is personally ethical.
C) Check with colleagues to see if they would take the action.
D) Check the legal implications and feel free to take the action if it is not illegal.

Question 46

Ethical Dilemma in Publishing
Laurence heads the advertising department for a chain of local weekly newspapers. His friend, who writes news, shared an upcoming news story to be printed in the next edition. The story discloses that a local quick oil change firm has been cited for illegally dumping used oil and that customers have alleged that they paid for oil changes that were not made. As a major advertising client, the oil change firm is placing a full-page ad that mentions its environmentally safe handling methods and trustworthy service. Answering the six questions in the Pagano Model, help Laurence decide what action, if any, he should take.

Question 47

Which of the following is FALSE concerning teams?

A) A group must go through a developmental process to begin functioning as a team.
B) Team members need training in problem solving, goal setting, and conflict resolution.
C) The self-directed work team can become the basic organizational building block to help assure success in dynamic global competition.
D) Skills for successful participating in team environments are the same as those for success in traditional organizations.

Question 48

In a distributed leadership team environment, the role of the leader is BEST described as

A) the leader remaining in the position until the team is dissolved.
B) any member of the team becoming the leader at various times.
C) a non-existent role.
D) the leader being dictatorial when needed.

Question 49

Which of the following is FALSE concerning stereotyping?

A) Stereotyping interferes with the observer being able to understand the other person.
B) Stereotyping is reinforced when the observer sees a behavior that conforms to the stereotype.
C) Stereotyping aids in communication by categorizing cultures into distinct groups that have similarities.
D) Stereotyping can occur concerning any group of people.

Question 50

Which of the following best describes the common attitude that those from the U.S, Canada, and northern Europe have about the concept of time?

A) Time is money.
B) The early bird gets the worm.
C) Time is like air.
D) Important things take more time than unimportant things.

Question 51

Which of the following is true of personal space requirements?

A) The study of space requirements is known as chronemics.
B) In the United States culture, very little personal space is expected or required as compared to other cultures of the world.
C) Space operates as a language, just as time does.
D) All of the above statements are true.

Question 52

A strategic force affecting communication is

A) an influence that occasionally affects the communication environment.
B) a set of conditions that simplifies the communication process.
C) a challenge that can be overcome by skilled communicators.
D) an impact that influences the communication process and helps to determine and define the nature of the communication that occurs.

Question 53

In confronting the international problems caused by lack of language training, the MOST useful advice for North Americans is to

A) be glad that English is used so widely for business transactions and not be overly concerned with the need for knowing other languages.
B) try to acquire second language skills if possible, or at least learn a few words in the language of your audience.
C) expect business representatives of other countries to know English.
D) always travel with an interpreter.

Question 54

Illustrate and explain four ethical dimensions of business behavior; give two examples of behaviors that fit each dimension.

Question 55

Discuss the major strengths of teams.

Question 56

Which of the following statements about language translation is FALSE?

A) A translator must work with thoughts in two languages.
B) Words in one language may not have equivalent meanings in some other languages.
C) Cultural barriers can affect the accuracy of language translation.
D) People generally resent the simple efforts of a person of another culture to learn a few common phrases in the new language.

Question 57

Explain the challenges involved for both the sender and the receiver in the communication process.