Deck 7: E-Mail and Other Traditional Tools for Business Communication

Question 1

Spoken messages in the workplace are low in control but high in richness.

Answer 1

True
Explanation: Spoken messages in the workplace are generally high in richness but low in control.In other words,when people speak to one another face-to-face,they get immediate verbal and nonverbal feedback and respond accordingly.

Question 2

It is a good idea to practice with a new communications technology before initiating a video call.

Answer 2

True
Explanation: Even if you often participate in or lead video calls,you may not be up to date with various platforms or new tools.It is therefore important to practice using the technology before your call.

Question 3

You should turn off message alerts as they can be distracting.

Answer 3

True
Explanation: It is a good idea to turn off message alerts.They can be especially distracting when you work in shared workspaces.Over the course of a day,these alerts can reduce your focus.

Question 4

A Microsoft study found that interruptions have little impact on performance because most people can focus on two or more things at a time.

Question 5

Texting during meetings is rude and should be done only in case of an emergency.

Question 6

Email communication is the primary form of private,written business communication.

Question 7

Bruce receives an email in which a colleague calls him "the most worthless waste of space and salary this office has ever seen." This is an example of a flame.

Question 8

The neutrality effect means that recipients are likely to perceive neutral messages as negative ones.

Question 9

A business memo is high in richness because the writer can carefully craft the messages at his or her own pace and on his or her schedule.

Question 10

Workplace email communication is typically considered informal because it is less permanent than print communication.

Question 11

When initiating a business call,it is important to open with the most important issue to be discussed.

Question 12

Even colleagues who know each other well often misinterpret humor and sarcasm in digital communications.

Question 13

Email is a form of synchronous communication,because the individuals involved can pay attention to and respond to communications at a time of their choosing.

Question 14

Employees should use the priority flag for all work emails that are time-sensitive.

Question 15

"The finance meeting will be at 10:00 on Thursday in the main conference room" is a good subject line for an email.

Question 16

Carlos instant messaged his assistant,Dawn.Later,Carlos heard that Dawn was offended that he did not think she was important enough for a phone call.Carlos failed to consider the meta message of his text.

Question 17

Focusing on task-related facts and issues in your reply is a good way to defuse situations involving cyber incivility.

Question 18

Print messages require the greatest attention to ease of reading.

Question 19

Until you know the IM style of a colleague,you should use mainly abbreviations,acronyms,and emoticons.

Question 20

In order to manage e-interruptions effectively,reply immediately to all messages.

Question 21

Amira is managing the development of a reference book.She is in New York.Her lead writer is in California,and her fact-checking team is in India.The team is working under a tight budget.All parties need to communicate about strategy and schedule.Which communication channel is most likely to meet their needs?

A) a conference call
B) a videoconference
C) an electronic discussion thread
D) a face-to-face meeting
E) a series of one-to-one phone calls

Question 22

Which of the following is most likely to be included in the signature block of an email?

A) a list of attachments
B) an expected action
C) statistical data
D) contact details
E) the names of all the recipients

Question 23

Logan dislikes email and texting because he cannot hear the other person's tone of voice or see facial expressions.Logan's frustration is related to a lack of

A) constraints.
B) resources.
C) cues.
D) control.
E) permanence.

Question 24

Which of the following facilitates a one-stop work space containing project and meeting information,shared files,and communication platforms?

A) texting
B) written messages
C) webinar
D) social networking
E) email

Question 25

Which term refers to the degree to which communications can be planned and recorded?

A) richness
B) immediacy
C) constraint
D) coordination
E) control

Question 26

When Sherry sends task-oriented emails to colleagues,she always tells them the deadline for the tasks and details about when she is available to talk or meet.What conclusion are Sherry's colleagues likely to draw from this?

A) Sherry holds an important place in the organization.
B) Sherry is arrogant and bossy.
C) Sherry respects their time and other commitments.
D) Sherry packs unnecessary information in her messages.
E) Sherry has leadership potential.

Question 27

Camila is an accountant who needs to request time off to deal with a family emergency.Her boss prefers email for this kind of communication.Which of the following is the best subject line for Camila's email?

A) Unexpected request
B) Out of the office: March 8-15
C) Staffing concern from the accounting department
D) Camila requests time off this month
E) Family emergency!

Question 28

Manny likes to have the option of brainstorming,drafting,and revising his message before he delivers it.Which aspect of communication does he value?

A) permanence
B) immediacy
C) planning
D) richness
E) coordination

Question 29

Which of the following are almost always more appropriate as attachments?

A) contact details
B) greetings
C) meeting times
D) brief notes
E) spreadsheets

Question 30

Which of the following is most likely to be placed in the subject line of an email?

A) an expected action
B) a signature block
C) a list of attachments
D) a professional tagline
E) the recipient's name

Question 31

Bao is conducting a study that compares the cost of keeping print messages on file versus storing digital messages in the cloud.What aspect of communications relates to the storage of messages?

A) coordination
B) planning
C) constraint
D) permanence
E) richness

Question 32

Adam is coordinating a video conference involving colleagues in different time zones using different technologies.In addressing coordination and resource issues,he is dealing with

A) constraints.
B) control.
C) immediacy.
D) permanence.
E) richness.

Question 33

Which of the following is typically used for short,one-to-one or one-to-many messages and is ideal for quick announcements and scheduling?

A) a blog
B) a videoconference
C) texting
D) a conference call
E) a webinar

Question 34

Judging only by length,which of the following is the best subject line for an email?

A) Why?
B) Last month
C) The reason why we should consider implementing this marketing plan is its many benefits.
D) Team meeting,Harper conference room,at 11:00
E) So,here it goes

Question 35

Email communication is characterized by

A) low control.
B) little coordination.
C) richness.
D) high cost.
E) constraint.

Question 36

Which of the following refers to how quickly someone is able to give feedback during communication?

A) coordination
B) immediacy
C) cue
D) permanence
E) richness

Question 37

Individuals involved in _____ communication can pay attention to and respond to communications at a time of their choosing.

A) asynchronous
B) synergized
C) low empathy
D) intrapersonal
E) concurrent

Question 38

Lance has created three mock-ups for a product logo.He wants to send them to his company's executive team for feedback.The executives are in different cities,and the files are very large.What is the most efficient way for Lance to distribute the logos?

A) through a site such as Dropbox
B) as an email attachment
C) through U.S.Mail or FedEx
D) in the body of an email
E) on a social media site

Question 39

Amanda needs to notify Yasmin that the proposal she wrote did not get funded.Which communication channel is most appropriate?

A) email
B) written message
C) social networking
D) texting
E) spoken communication

Question 40

Polly needs to communicate with many people in her department.It is not necessary for everyone to receive the message at the same time.Which of the following is the best tool for Polly to use?

A) a videoconference
B) an email
C) a phone conversation
D) a conference call
E) a webinar

Question 41

Which of the following can help keep email-induced distractions at bay?

A) checking your messages once an hour
B) checking your messages at the end of the day
C) checking your messages once a week and using an automated message to indicate that
D) checking your messages just two to four times a day
E) checking your messages constantly to keep updated on the latest information

Question 42

Which of the following is a reason why greetings and names are omitted from emails?

A) People do not like being greeted or having their names used very often.
B) Omitting names and greetings saves space and keeps many emails on one screen.
C) Some professionals view emails as the equivalent of memos,which traditionally omit names and greetings.
D) Most people are emotionally uninvolved at work and are not inclined toward greeting others.
E) Since emails are typically forwarded to several other people,it is inappropriate to name only one recipient.

Question 43

Fatima's boss sends her an IM for the first time.She is worried about how to respond.Which of the following is the best advice for Fatima?

A) Emoticons are a good way to break the ice in business situations.
B) Nonstandard language is inappropriate for office communications.
C) Take cues from your correspondent's messaging style.
D) Be courteous by copying all team members on discussions.
E) IM style does not affect professional reputation.

Question 44

Frequent incoming messages can

A) increase productivity.
B) increase attention spans.
C) reduce creativity.
D) reduce stress.
E) improve civility.

Question 45

Which of the following communications can be appropriately conveyed through IM?

A) a disciplinary warning for excessive tardiness
B) the agenda for an annual meeting
C) praise for a colleague's presentation
D) feedback on a colleague's proposal
E) an announcement about layoffs

Question 46

Just before Ellen goes to bed at 11:00 p.m. ,she realizes that she forgot to confirm a meeting she is supposed to attend the following day.She texts her colleague the following message: "Hi,it's Ellen.Are we still on tomorrow at 3:00?" What should she have done differently?

A) not bothered to include her name in the message
B) waited to send the text right after she arrived at the office the next day
C) included a frowning face emoticon to apologize for forgetting
D) made a humorous comment about having a memory like a sieve
E) turned off her sound alerts so she will not be awakened if her colleague answers

Question 47

What is cyber silence?

A) It is the tendency to perceive messages with an intended positive emotion as neutral.
B) It is the tendency to perceive messages that are intended as neutral as negative.
C) It is the act of sending digital communications characterized by words of profanity and obscenity.
D) It is the act of not responding to emails or other digital communications.
E) It is the tendency to perceive messages that are intended as neutral as positive.

Question 48

What should you do when you cannot respond to a request made in an email?

A) Log off the system so the sender will assume that you are offline.
B) Set up an automated response to say that you are out of town.
C) Inform the sender that you are busy and cannot reply straightaway.
D) Reply immediately to explain how soon you can respond in full.
E) Ignore the email for now and reply when you can.

Question 49

Ayele sends the following message to the people he supervises in the factory: "Plant inspection Wed.9:00.Some fun,huh? Ayele." What is the best way to make this text more professional?

A) moving his name to the beginning of the message
B) spelling out the word "Wednesday"
C) adding "a.m." after the time
D) deleting the phrase "Some fun,huh?"
E) adding a winking face emoticon

Question 50

One possible negative effect of texting and other forms of instant messaging is that

A) the brevity of messages can make them sound bossy.
B) instant messaging is an inherently serious channel.
C) instant messages cannot convey meta messages.
D) the format of instant messages is not good for positive news.
E) instant messages do not work for group conversations.

Question 51

Paul always hits "reply to all" whenever he answers a team email,even if the email was a question posed by one other person and directed only to Paul.When he initiates an email about his project,he sends it to everyone in his department.Judging only from this information,what impact does Paul have on his department's communications?

A) He is spreading confidential information to unauthorized people.
B) He is making everyone in his department feel included as part of the team.
C) He is helping make the department work more efficiently.
D) He is ensuring that each person on the team clearly knows his or her assignment.
E) He is contributing to email overload in his department.

Question 52

James usually wants other people to think well of him,but when he is online,he feels anonymous enough to say profanely negative things.What is the term for such comments?

A) flames
B) noise
C) reinterpretation
D) constraint
E) defusing

Question 53

Wes thinks that his boss favors his colleague Nirupa over him.When the boss asks him to let Nirupa know about a presentation,he waits until the last minute so she will have no time to prepare.Wes's behavior is an example of

A) maintaining formality.
B) passive incivility.
C) the negativity effect.
D) the neutrality effect.
E) flaming.

Question 54

Which of the following involves adjusting your initial perceptions by making more objective and fact-based evaluations and fewer personal judgments?

A) reinterpretation
B) planning
C) coordination
D) defusing
E) incivility

Question 55

Colton's manager expresses a concern that Colton has been late with several recent reports.Colton writes an email about the incident to his colleague,Shawn,saying that it is impossible to get the reports done in the time given.Shawn replies,objectively noting that Colton has been spending a lot of time on social media at work.Colton responds with "I thought you were my friend." Colton's behavior is an example of

A) the negativity effect.
B) email overload.
C) cyber incivility.
D) synchronous communication.
E) a flame.

Question 56

Dave sends an email to his colleague,Stan,asking for important details about an ongoing project.Stan is on a business trip and doesn't find time to reply to all of Dave's queries.Dave wrongly perceives that Stan is ignoring him.Which of the following should Dave do?

A) Dave should send Stan information about information overload.
B) Dave should report Stan's incivility to their manager.
C) Dave should not interrupt Stan's trip even if the project falls behind.
D) Dave should call Stan or send a polite message requesting an early reply.
E) Dave should ignore Stan's emails when Stan finally replies.

Question 57

Aaron needs help to meet a big deadline.Katy,who is not normally on his team,volunteers to help out.They meet the deadline.Aaron writes a heartfelt email to Katy to thank her for her help,but Katy does not respond.Her behavior is likely an example of

A) a flame.
B) the neutrality effect.
C) active incivility.
D) defusing a situation.
E) a high-constraint medium.

Question 58

Which of the following is an example of the neutrality effect?

A) George writes an email in which he intends to express a negative emotion,but readers decode it as neutral.
B) Sue writes an email in which she intends to express a positive emotion,but readers decode it as neutral.
C) Ali writes an email in which he intends to express a neutral emotion,and readers decode it as neutral.
D) Rand writes an email that he intends to be neutral,but readers decode it as negative.
E) Cora writes an email that she intends to be neutral,but readers decode it as positive.

Question 59

Pongtorn receives an email in which a colleague accuses him of not caring about the success of the team.Pongtorn responds with an email that apologizes for giving that impression and reports his progress on the tasks the team assigned him.Pongtorn's response can be described as

A) reinterpretation.
B) planning.
C) coordination.
D) defusing.
E) incivility.

Question 60

When he is working on his monthly reports,Gus has a habit of asking colleagues questions via IM instead of looking up data himself.Because of this,Gus is likely to be perceived as

A) efficient.
B) a team player.
C) valuable.
D) a leader.
E) a taker.

Question 61

What does control refer to in choosing a communication channel? What do planning and permanence mean,and how are they related to control?

Question 62

When texting,women are more likely than men to

A) use formal language.
B) write long and complex messages.
C) avoid emotional content.
D) remain task-oriented.
E) avoid using greetings.

Question 63

Explain how e-interruptions affect productivity.

Question 64

What impression does it create when a business professional often flags his or her email as "high priority"?

Question 65

What is active listening,and why is it important in phone conferences?

Question 66

Which of the following is a helpful guideline for phone conversations with business colleagues?

A) Begin discussing business issues immediately after saying hello.
B) To keep a formal tone,avoid using the other person's name.
C) Multitask as long as you can do so without the other person suspecting.
D) Make sure that the conversation time is balanced between both parties.
E) To avoid wasting your colleagues' time,end without social niceties.

Question 67

Which of the following would help to reduce e-interruptions?

A) checking digital messages six to eight times a day at random
B) turning on an automatic message that you are not answering emails all day
C) replying immediately to all messages to get them out of the way
D) using rich channels of communication to accomplish tasks completely
E) adding colleagues to an email chain so they can answer the messages

Question 68

How can you avoid technology problems when participating in a video call?

Question 69

List the guidelines that can be followed to stay responsive to others but allow you to focus enough to achieve peak performance.

Question 70

What is inbox zero?

A) a strategy of taking immediate action on every email to keep the inbox empty
B) a strategy of having emails diverted from the inbox to avoid interruptions
C) a service that compiles daily emails in a digest form
D) a service that detects and removes unwanted emails from the inbox
E) a service that scans emails for important information

Question 71

What tone and language conventions should you use when texting in the workplace? Explain.

Question 72

Which of the following is a helpful tip for using webcams during a group video call?

A) Make sure your background shows several objects relevant to the conversation.
B) Wear casual clothing that day to appear friendlier.
C) Maintain direct eye contact with the camera as much as possible.
D) Be careful to tone down your facial expressions and gestures.
E) Sit slightly to one side so you can display visual aids if needed.

Question 73

What advantage do landlines have over mobile phones?

A) email ability
B) texting ability
C) internet access
D) more reliable video
E) more reliable audio

Question 74

Which channel or channels of communication provide the most richness? Which channels of communication provide the least richness? Explain.

Question 75

Describe neutrality effect and negativity effect.

Question 76

Karla,the administrative assistant,sends an email with the annual holiday schedule to everyone in the department.At the bottom of the email,Karla types "no reply necessary." What can you infer about Karla from this?

A) She is not a very polite person.
B) She is creating unnecessary e-interruptions.
C) She is trying to reduce email overload.
D) She is taking on too much authority.
E) She sees herself as unimportant.

Question 77

Describe cyber incivility,and explain the difference between passive incivility and active incivility.Give an example of each.

Question 78

How is productivity affected when employees multitask?

A) Productivity increases by up to 80 percent.
B) Productivity increases by up to 40 percent.
C) Productivity remains the same.
D) Productivity drops by up to 40 percent.
E) Productivity drops by up to 85 percent.