Deck 15: Communicating

Question 1

Which of the following statements about workplace communication is true?

A)Computer-aided communication results in faster decisions for groups.
B)Computer-aided communication results in greater member satisfaction.
C)Computer-aided communication results in fewer misunderstandings.
D)Face-to-face groups result in higher-quality decision making.
E)Face-to-face groups have largely been eliminated by technological innovation.

Answer 1

D
Explanation: Although organizations rely heavily on computer-aided communication for group decision making, face-to-face groups generally take less time, make higher-quality decisions, and are more satisfying for members.

Question 2

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.

Answer 2

E
Explanation: Filtering is the process of withholding, ignoring, or distorting information. Senders do this, for example, when they tell the boss what they think the boss wants to hear or give unwarranted compliments rather than honest criticism.

Question 3

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

Answer 3

True
Explanation:
Two-way communication is more difficult and time-consuming than one-way communication. However, it is more accurate; fewer mistakes occur, and fewer problems arise.

Question 4

Filtering and perceptual differences in communication increase the likelihood that the other person means what you think he means, or understands the meanings you intend.

Question 5

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 6

The grapevine can assist with helping new employees to perform their jobs.

Question 7

Which of the following is a fundamental tool of workplace communication?

A)Blogs
B)E-mail
C)Microblogging
D)Wikis
E)Video-sharing

Question 8

A disadvantage of electronic communication is the difficulty of solving complex problems that require more extended interaction.

Question 9

Which of the following is an advantage of written communication?

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

Question 10

The CEO called an all-employee meeting and spoke for 20 minutes about the company's current financial situation. He did not take questions at the end of the presentation. This is an example of _____ communication.

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

Question 11

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

Question 12

A boundaryless organization is one in which there are no barriers to information flow.

Question 13

In which stage(s) of the communication process can errors occur?

A)The encoding stage only
B)The decoding stage only
C)The transmission stage only
D)The encoding and decoding stages, but not the transmission stage
E)The encoding, transmission, and decoding stages

Question 14

Which of the following statements accurately describes two-way communication?

A)The receiver needs to have the ability to provide feedback but doesn't have to use it.
B)The receiver must provide feedback, but the sender does not have to listen.
C)The receiver must provide feedback, and the sender must be receptive to the feedback.
D)The sender must transmit the message to two or more receivers.
E)The sender must transmit the message using two or more channels.

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

The CEO called an all-employee meeting and spoke for 20 minutes about the company's current financial situation. At the end of the presentation, the audience asked questions and the CEO gave answers. This is an example of _____ communication.

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

Question 17

The transmission of information and meaning from one party to another through symbols is called _____.

A)communication
B)decoding
C)encoding
D)filtering
E)noise

Question 18

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

Question 19

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

Question 20

Effective communication is a fundamental aspect of work performance and organizational effectiveness.

Question 21

During Mali's performance review, her manager listened to her goals for her career and then repeated them back to her. What communication skill did the manager use?

A)Decoding
B)Encoding
C)Transmission
D)Reflection
E)Filtering

Question 22

The richest communication media are

A)more personal than technological.
B)more audio than visual.
C)more technological than personal.
D)more visual than audio.
E)more boring than engaging.

Question 23

Which of the following is an example of one-way communication?

A)A telephone conversation
B)A videoconference
C)A political speech
D)A reading group
E)An e-mail

Question 24

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

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

Question 25

The most effective writing is

A)lengthy.
B)packed full of details.
C)written in academic jargon.
D)clear and concise.
E)written in a superior tone.

Question 26

It is advisable to adjust your word choice when writing or speaking, basing it on

A)what experts sound like.
B)the receiver's background.
C)the most recent slang.
D)what mood you're in.
E)the style of a favorite writer or speaker.

Question 27

For which of the following uses is e-mail the most appropriate?

A)Routine messages
B)Confidential messages
C)Messages with complex information
D)Attempts to resolve conflicts
E)Negotiations

Question 28

How can a persuasive speaker demonstrate authenticity?

A)By using practiced, melodramatic gestures
B)By maintaining a distance from the audience
C)By keeping a cool, objective demeanor
D)By being open with the audience
E)By ignoring the audience's nonverbal feedback

Question 29

Which of the following is one of the important components of the communication process?

A)Enquiry
B)Instrumentality
C)Decoding
D)Expectancy
E)Modulation

Question 30

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 31

The social network of informal communications is called the _____.

A)echo chamber
B)gossip chain
C)tunnel
D)grapevine
E)spider web

Question 32

In which direction(s) do formal communications flow?

A)Only downward
B)In a circular fashion
C)Only upward
D)Downward and diagonally
E)Downward, upward, and horizontally

Question 33

Noise in communication is

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

Question 34

Filtering is less likely to occur in _____ organizations.

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

Question 35

Faisal sent a report via an e-mail to Nicholas, his manager, updating him on the status of a project he has been working on. Nicholas in return has replied that he has received the report and is happy with Faisal's progress. This situation best exemplifies

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

Question 36

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

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

Question 37

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 38

In a boundaryless organization

A)office walls are made using transparent materials.
B)even top executives work at desks in an open floor plan.
C)barriers to communication are turned into permeable membranes.
D)employees are encouraged to work at home in a virtual office.
E)there is no central office or headquarters.

Question 39

Which of the following is most likely to send a negative nonverbal signal when you are talking to a client?

A)Standing close to the person
B)Smiling and nodding
C)Having an open body orientation
D)Leaning forward
E)Looking at your watch

Question 40

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

A)helping someone be more effective and achieve his or her full potential on the job.
B)reflecting back to another person what you heard him or her saying.
C)withholding, ignoring, or distorting 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 41

Which of the following is not used as tool of workplace communication today?

A)Teleconferencing
B)Videoconferencing
C)Texting
D)Telegrams
E)E-mail

Question 42

Which of the following will best reduce misperceptions in communication?

A)Tailor the message for each group by changing the meaning for each group.
B)Say what you don't mean along with what you mean.
C)Encourage others to multitask while receiving the message.
D)Use only one-way communication for important messages.
E)Never repeat yourself.

Question 43

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 44

Which of the following communication channels includes e-mail?

A)Syntactic
B)Nonverbal
C)Written
D)Pragmatic
E)Horizontal

Question 45

_____ offices are mobile offices that use communication tools to allow people to work anywhere.

A)Corporate
B)Informal
C)Virtual
D)Contingency
E)Second life

Question 46

Which of the following is an example of two-way communication?

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

Question 47

Which of the following is an advantage of oral communication?

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 is more persuasive than written communication.
E)The message can be revised several times.

Question 48

Which of the following is the richest medium for communication?

A)A telephone conversation
B)An e-mail report
C)A text message
D)A face-to-face meeting
E)A newsletter

Question 49

The degree to which a communication channel conveys information is referred to as

A)media richness.
B)instrumentality.
C)valence.
D)channel structuration.
E)perception.

Question 50

Which of the following is a disadvantage of electronic communication?

A)Increased travel expenses
B)A lack of nonverbal cues
C)Greater time demands
D)Inefficiency for newcomers
E)High investment costs

Question 51

Which of the following communication channels includes videoconferences?

A)Syntactic communication
B)Pragmatic communication
C)Centralized communication
D)One-way communication
E)Electronic communication

Question 52

The process of receiving and interpreting information is known as

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

Question 53

Russell tells his manager, Neha, a slightly misleading version of a problem he faces with a current project. He does so to ensure that it does not worry her. In this case, Russell's act can be best described as:

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

Question 54

Which of the following communication channels includes reports and computer files?

A)Written
B)Syntactic
C)Grapevine
D)Oral
E)Nonverbal

Question 55

Which of the following is an advantage of written communication?

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 56

Which of the following is the process of withholding or ignoring information?

A)Interlocution
B)Perception
C)Shielding
D)Filtering
E)Buffering

Question 57

Companies can save money on rent and utilities when employees work from a(n)

A)remote office.
B)virtual office.
C)private office.
D)grapevine office.
E)open office.

Question 58

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

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

Question 59

E-mail messages are private property of

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

Question 60

Calvin is the CEO of Centaur Inc. The company has incurred a loss as it has lost one of its key clients. Calvin needs to inform the owner of the company and the board of directors about this issue. In this case, which of the following mediums would be suitable for Calvin?

A)A face-to-face conversation
B)A text message
C)The company's blog
D)A memo
E)An e-mail report

Question 61

_____ is a problem in downward communication that occurs when messages are passed from one person to another and some information is left out or distorted.

A)Reflection
B)Misperception
C)Selective attention
D)Buffering
E)Filtering

Question 62

Katie, a presenter, knew that the presentation was going good from the very beginning, based on the viewers' nonverbal cues and reactions to her speech. Katie was able to do this by ____.

A)reading
B)reiterating
C)observing
D)introspecting
E)filtering

Question 63

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)bureaucratic management.
D)centralized management.
E)horizontal communication.

Question 64

A common problem with downward communication in an organization is

A)instrumentality.
B)too much openness.
C)filtering.
D)defensiveness.
E)lack of validity.

Question 65

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 66

A manager giving an assignment to an assistant is an example of

A)upward communication.
B)downward communication.
C)open-book management.
D)closed-book management.
E)horizontal communication.

Question 67

Effective writing requires

A)nothing more than correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar.
B)ambiguity to keep readers curious.
C)the use of humor and persuasion.
D)clear, logical thinking.
E)a great deal of detail.

Question 68

Which of the following is one of the ways to add power to presentations?

A)Avoiding the use of data
B)Practicing
C)Striving for and expecting perfection
D)Not taking questions
E)Avoiding eye contact

Question 69

The types of information sent in downward communication in an organization might include

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

Question 70

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)reflecting.
B)reinforcing.
C)expectancy.
D)coaching.
E)filtering.

Question 71

Whitney, a newly appointed department head, is holding a morning meeting. Which of the following would be a positive nonverbal signal for her to use in speech?

A)Clenching her hands
B)Crossing her arms
C)Keeping a stern face
D)Gesturing when required
E)Avoiding eye contact

Question 72

Which of the following techniques helps managers listen effectively?

A)Filtering
B)Introspecting
C)Evaluating
D)Reflecting
E)Perceiving

Question 73

The process by which a person states what he or she believes the other person is saying is referred to as

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

Question 74

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 75

Even if illiteracy is not a problem in organizations, reading mistakes are

A)costly.
B)rare.
C)easily fixed.
D)insignificant.
E)excusable.

Question 76

Perry is the marketing head of a company situated in the United States. The company decides to do business with a company in Brazil. To help conduct business in Brazil, Perry should

A)learn something about the country's language and culture.
B)insist that the Brazilian businessmen use American slang.
C)use English jargon as much as possible to avoid misunderstandings.
D)make a joke about the loss of Brazil's soccer team in the World Cup.
E)refuse to visit his counterparts in the other country.

Question 77

Being a persuasive speaker is improved by

A)sticking to one's way.
B)being authentic.
C)disconnecting from the audience.
D)staying focused by ignoring others.
E)eliminating nonverbal messages.

Question 78

Tami recently became a waitress at a popular restaurant. The restaurant manager explained to her everything that she needed to do, how the tables were numbered, and that she had to memorize the menu and its contents. He also went on to explain what she should say to diners and how she should talk. She was also given details about her coworkers' responsibilities. Tami wasn't able to remember the important points that he had given her even though she was paying complete attention to everything he said. In this case, Tami's inability to remember the points is most likely to be caused by

A)misperception.
B)filtering.
C)information overload.
D)low instrumentality.
E)a lack of openness.

Question 79

Sue, a team lead, helps her team members on a new project by answering all their queries and guiding them. She does so in order to improve their performance. This is an example of ____.

A)coaching
B)introspection
C)reiteration
D)encoding
E)filtering

Question 80

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 misunderstandings result.
E)places a greater emphasis on talking than on listening.