Deck 18: Managing Interpersonal Relations and Communication

Question 1

A form of noise might be difficulties in understanding messages due to language barriers.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Oral communication is usually best when the message is more impersonal,routine,and longer.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

The nature of interpersonal relations in an organization is as varied as the individual members themselves.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Communication is a pervasive part of virtually all managerial activities.

Question 5

Give-and-take communication with active feedback is likely to be more effective than one-way communication.

Question 6

Synergy refers to the observation that people who support one another and work well together can accomplish more than those who do not.

Question 7

The form of organizational communication most often distorted is horizontal communication.

Question 8

When the task is complex and nonroutine,such as making a major decision about organizational strategy,a wheel network tends to be most effective.

Question 9

Horizontal communication is particularly critical to the coordination of the efforts of interdependent units.

Question 10

The Y is the most centralized network because one person receives and disseminates all information.

Question 11

Managers should do whatever it takes to eliminate the informal communication system in the organization.

Question 12

Interpersonal relations,communication,and group processes are a pervasive part of all organizations and a vital part of all managerial activities.

Question 13

If managers want to use the most accurate form of communication,they should use the grapevine.

Question 14

Poor-quality interpersonal relations can be an important negative element in the workplace.

Question 15

Effective communication is the process of sending and receiving information between people.

Question 16

Blogs can function much like face-to-face grapevines to communicate information that's suppressed elsewhere.

Question 17

The difference between communication and effective communication is mutual understanding.

Question 18

Some organizations do not have a grapevine.

Question 19

The biggest drawback of oral communication is that it inhibits feedback and interchange between communicants.

Question 20

Accuracy is the primary advantage of oral communication.

Question 21

The distance the interviewer stands from the job applicant is an example of body language.

Question 22

Recent research has shown that the information carried in the organizational grapevine is fairly accurate.

Question 23

When the message that is received is basically the same in meaning as the message that was sent,the communication is said to be

A)simple.
B)nonverbal.
C)effective.
D)pervasive.
E)autonomous.

Question 24

Effective communication would be most important for

A)a pilot transferring control of the aircraft.
B)someone complaining about the weather.
C)an after-dinner speaker at a Lions Club meeting.
D)a campaign speech.
E)a company newsletter.

Question 25

The process of sending and receiving information from one person to another is called

A)talking.
B)encoding.
C)decoding.
D)networking.
E)communication.

Question 26

Which of the following is an example of communication?

A)Television
B)Gossiping
C)Someone crossing his legs
D)A frown
E)All of these choices

Question 27

Bill and Dave are working on a problem,but they are having trouble getting through to each other because one of them thinks the problem is a promotional problem and the other thinks it is a distribution problem.The barrier causing this ineffective communication is different perceptions.

Question 28

Credibility problems caused by withholding information and making bad decisions can be barriers to communication.

Question 29

When two people attach different meanings to the same word,the resulting barrier to communication is called noise.

Question 30

Management by wandering around is basically a system for increasing informal communication in an organization.

Question 31

Being a good listener requires that the individual not interrupt,concentrate,be patient,and ask questions.

Question 32

One outcome of good interpersonal relations in organizations is

A)synergy.
B)entropy.
C)subsystem failure.
D)open-systems reactivity.
E)closed-systems thinking.

Question 33

Effective communication is determined by

A)the sender.
B)the receiver.
C)mutual understanding.
D)how the decoding process occurs.
E)how the encoding process occurs.

Question 34

Which of the following statements about communication and the manager's job is TRUE?

A)Communication is a part of almost all managerial activities.
B)The planning function requires little communication.
C)Communication is the only thing that holds an organization together.
D)Thanks to electronics, the role of communication is less important now than it was ten years ago.
E)Communication is so complex that managers need not try to understand the process.

Question 35

Nonverbal communication includes the body language of the speaker and listener.

Question 36

Body language accounts for about 25 percent of the content of the message.

Question 37

According to the text,which of the following behaviors is NOT a type of interpersonal interaction occurring in organizations?

A)Professional
B)Personal
C)Positive
D)Predictive
E)Negative

Question 38

People who support one another and who work well together can accomplish much more than people who do not support one another and who do not work well together.These strong relationships produce

A)synergy.
B)entropy.
C)subsystem failure.
D)open systems reactivity.
E)closed systems thinking.

Question 39

Research indicates that managers spend most of their time

A)sending e-mail.
B)reading e-mail.
C)on the computer.
D)interacting with others.
E)giving speeches.

Question 40

People with referent power typically use image and body language well.

Question 41

Ashley was interviewing for a job opening when her interviewer was interrupted by her assistant with an urgent phone message.This is an example of

A)overload.
B)miscommunication.
C)noise.
D)a semantic problem.
E)three-way communication.

Question 42

The first step in the communication process is

A)meaning.
B)encoding.
C)decoding.
D)transmission.
E)channel creation.

Question 43

Arthur works in customer service.He answered a call complaining about the item's size.He is sending a different size to the customer.This is an example of

A)the communication process.
B)ineffective communication.
C)noise.
D)miscommunication.
E)a semantics problem.

Question 44

After a message is transmitted,it must then be

A)decoded.
B)encoded.
C)channeled through an all-channel network.
D)sent to the proper recipient.
E)scrubbed for noise.

Question 45

The second step in the communication process is

A)decoding.
B)encoding.
C)channeling through an all-channel network.
D)sending to the proper recipient.
E)scrubbing for noise.

Question 46

Which of the following factors influences the encoding process?

A)The content of the message
B)The familiarity of the sender and receiver
C)Sender's personal distractions
D)The message composition or makeup
E)All of these choices

Question 47

Which of the following is not a channel of communication?

A)Language barrier
B)Letter
C)Facial expression
D)Job interview
E)Clothing

Question 48

Which of the following is NOT necessary for communication to take place?

A)At least two people
B)Each of the elements occurs in a relatively short time
C)Someone must have information to be passed on
D)An attempt to transmit information
E)A fact, idea, or some other kind of message to be communicated

Question 49

Interpersonal communication

A)can be written.
B)can be oral.
C)is affected by noise.
D)occurs between people.
E)All of these choices

Question 50

Mark asked Sandra,"Are you using your 529,401K,IRA,or savings to pay for that?" Sandra had a blank expression.In terms of the communication process,Sandra was unable to ____ the message because she did not understand the jargon Mark used.

A)transmit
B)encode
C)channel
D)decode
E)decipher

Question 51

____ is anything that interferes with the communication process.

A)Channel clatter
B)Interference
C)Noise
D)Static
E)Transmission difficulty

Question 52

Meaning,encoding,transmission,and decoding are the elements of

A)networking.
B)MIS.
C)communication.
D)panel discussions.
E)negotiation.

Question 53

Which of the following would NOT be considered noise in the communication process?

A)Sender and receiver with different cultural backgrounds
B)Sender and receiver asking questions
C)A telephone call in the middle of a job interview
D)Receiver under personal stress
E)A new, inexperienced employee having to make a presentation to a group of top managers

Question 54

The person who transmits the message is the

A)receiver.
B)sender.
C)messenger.
D)translator.
E)boss.

Question 55

The communication process is

A)meaning, encoding, transmission, decoding, feedback.
B)meaning, noise, transmission, decoding, feedback.
C)idea, encoding, transmission, decoding, feedback.
D)meaning, decoding, transmission, encoding, feedback.
E)idea, decoding, transmission, encoding, feedback.

Question 56

Mark asked Sandra,"Are you using your 529,401K,IRA,or savings to pay for that?" Sandra had a blank expression.In terms of the communication process,Mark's use of jargon was part of his

A)transcending.
B)encoding.
C)channeling.
D)decoding.
E)deciphering.

Question 57

To which of the following management functions does communicating directly relate?

A)Controlling
B)Planning
C)Leading
D)Organizing
E)All of these choices

Question 58

Written pages,face-to-face discussion,and airwaves are examples of

A)decoding devices.
B)communication channels.
C)receiver attributes.
D)communication attributes.
E)encoding.

Question 59

Vikranta is reading a policy letter about absences.In terms of the communication process,this is an example of

A)decoding.
B)encoding.
C)noise.
D)channel selection.
E)message crafting.

Question 60

Dana once had computer problems after downloading program updates.She is now reluctant to update software,so she misses pieces of information.This is causing

A)channel clatter.
B)interference.
C)noise.
D)static.
E)transmission difficulty.

Question 61

The unity of command principle is best illustrated by the ____ communication network.

A)chain
B)Y
C)circle
D)all-channel
E)wheel

Question 62

Which of the following statements about written communication is FALSE?

A)Written communication improves accuracy.
B)Written communication hinders feedback.
C)Written communication is more time-consuming than oral communication.
D)Most managers prefer written communication to oral communication.
E)Written communication is often quite accurate and provides a permanent record of the exchange.

Question 63

Which of the following is a type of organizational communication?

A)Downward communication
B)Upward communication
C)Horizontal communication
D)Electronic communication
E)All of these choices

Question 64

When Esposito compiles the company newsletter,he is preparing ____ communication.

A)horizontal
B)transactional
C)informal
D)transformational
E)vertical

Question 65

Which of the following is an example of vertical communication?

A)Performance evaluation interview
B)Company newsletter
C)Sales manager conducting a sales meeting
D)Employee calling in sick to his or her supervisor
E)All of these choices

Question 66

Managers who announce they have an "open door" policy and actually want people to use it are encouraging ____ communication.

A)downward
B)transactional
C)upward
D)horizontal
E)informal

Question 67

Management by wandering around increases ____ communications within an organization.

A)vertical
B)transactional
C)downward
D)horizontal
E)informal

Question 68

The best time to use written communication is when you have to exchange

A)an extremely time-sensitive message.
B)an extraordinary message.
C)a personal message such as with a loved one.
D)important details.
E)information about a missed shipment from a supplier who does not usually make errors.

Question 69

Employees of CNN saw military boats around D.C.and someone said they heard gunfire.CNN reported military action.However,there was no gunfire and the Coast Guard was doing training only.This illustrates which disadvantage of oral communication?

A)It can be quite inaccurate.
B)It often creates a need for feedback.
C)It is more time-consuming than written communication.
D)Managers are uncomfortable using oral communication.
E)All of these choices

Question 70

A company blog at Wegmans gathers information from a group of people on a topic.For example,everyone who interviewed a prospective job candidate could post their assessment on a blog and comment on each other's observations.This is an example of a(n)____ communication network.

A)chain
B)Y
C)circle
D)all-channel
E)wheel

Question 71

Which of the following statements describes an advantage of oral communication?

A)Clarity
B)Accuracy
C)Avoids problems associated with noise
D)Ample time available to introduce new information
E)Promotes prompt feedback and interchange

Question 72

Which of the following would be likely to include all forms of organizational communication?

A)Peers coordinating the details of a project
B)A suggestion box
C)A memo from the president of the company
D)A daily staff meeting
E)An absenteeism report submitted by the clerk who keeps employee records

Question 73

Which of the following forms of organizational communication is most likely to be distorted?

A)Vertical
B)Upward
C)Downward
D)Horizontal
E)Written

Question 74

Seth installed suggestion boxes where employees can pass along their comments.He is encouraging

A)whistle-blowing.
B)downward communication.
C)horizontal communication.
D)upward communication.
E)the creation of a grapevine.

Question 75

Which of the following is an example of downward communication?

A)Employee suggestion box
B)Expense account filed by a sales representative with her supervisor
C)Standard operating procedure
D)Letter to the editor in the company newsletter
E)Absenteeism report from the clerk who keeps employee records

Question 76

Employees of CNN saw military boats around D.C.and someone said they heard gunfire.CNN reported military action.However,there was no gunfire and the Coast Guard was doing training only.The next day,newspapers reported about the miscommunication and helped clarify the confusion.This illustrates which advantage of written communication?

A)Its slow feedback and interchange
B)Its lack of clarity
C)The formal implications it carries
D)Its time for preparation
E)Its accuracy

Question 77

The best time to use oral communication is when you have to exchange

A)a monthly report on company absenteeism.
B)a nonpersonal message.
C)a lengthy welcoming message to a new salesperson.
D)a brief, time-sensitive, personal message.
E)detailed information about an upcoming negotiation.

Question 78

Manish is planning a party.He invites eleven people.What type of network would be most effective?

A)Chain
B)Y
C)Circle
D)All-channel
E)Wheel

Question 79

The biggest single drawback of written communication is

A)its slow feedback and interchange.
B)its lack of clarity.
C)the formal implications it carries.
D)the lack of time for preparation.
E)its lack of accuracy.

Question 80

Which of the following statements does NOT describe an advantage of oral communication?

A)It is easy to use.
B)It is accurate.
C)It facilitates feedback.
D)It is comfortable for managers.
E)It can be done with little preparation.