Deck 13: Communicating

Question 1

Face-to-face groups generally take less time, make higher-quality decisions, and are more satisfying for members.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Decoding problems arise when the receiver does not listen carefully or reads too quickly and overlooks a key point.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

E-mail is most appropriate for confidential information, resolving conflicts, or negotiating.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

In online bargaining-even before it begins-negotiators trust one another more than in face-to-face negotiations.

Question 5

Communication breakdowns often occur when business transactions take place between people from different countries.

Question 6

There is a perfect correlation between what one says and what people hear.

Question 7

An advantage of written communication is that the receiver of the message can gauge the sender's sincerity.

Question 8

The human tendencies to filter and perceive subjectively underlie much of the effective communication.

Question 9

People assume that others share their views, and pay more attention to their own views than to the views of others.

Question 10

Memos are the richest medium.

Question 11

Blogs may foster communication within an organization.

Question 12

Hiring and retaining talented people is easier because virtual offices support scheduling flexibility.

Question 13

Filtering is the process of receiving and interpreting information.

Question 14

Managers need to excel at reading interactions and adjusting their communication styles and perceptions to the people with whom they interact.

Question 15

Ethical communicators may exaggerate or manipulate their message, omit negative information, or state opinions as facts to achieve personal gain.

Question 16

A disadvantage of oral communication is that the sender of the message lacks feedback.

Question 17

True two-way communication means not only that the receiver provides feedback but also that the sender is receptive to the feedback.

Question 18

One disadvantage of electronic media is the difficulty of solving complex problems that require more extended interaction.

Question 19

One-way communication is more difficult and time-consuming than two-way communication.

Question 20

Long hours of being constantly close to the technical tools of work can contribute to high morale.

Question 21

Which of the following is true of one-way communication as compared to two-way communication?

A) One-way communication is faster and easier for the sender than two-way communication.
B) One-way communication is more time-consuming than two-way communication.
C) One-way communication is difficult for the sender than two-way communication.
D) One-way communication is more effective than two-way communication.
E) One-way communication is more likely to be understood than two-way communication.

Question 22

Jason, a manager, sends an e-mail to his team describing the implementation of a new work practice. However, in the e-mail, he does not solicit comments or suggestions from his subordinates. He feels that his subordinates lack the necessary ability to analyze the various implications of the work practice. This is an example of a(n) _____ communication.

A) filtered
B) perceived
C) one-way
D) informal
E) media rich

Question 23

Jessica, a manager, wanted to make some changes in the seating arrangement of her team members in order to facilitate freer communication between them. She chalked out a plan which she thought would suit everybody. She sent the plan to all the members of her team informing them of the decision. She made it known that the plan was not the final draft; it could be amended based on the suggestions of the team members. This is an example of:

A) filtering.
B) perception.
C) two-way communication.
D) reflection.
E) media richness.

Question 24

A vital source of useful observations comes from visiting people, plants, and other locations to get a firsthand view.

Question 25

When people have performance problems or exhibit behaviors that need to be changed, outplacement is often the best way to help them change and succeed.

Question 26

Negative nonverbal signals show coolness, disrespect, lack of interest, and a feeling of superiority.

Question 27

Sarah, an employee, went to her manager to discuss an issue she was facing in the office. However, during the meeting, her manager's phone was constantly ringing. This made it difficult for Sarah to explain her problem clearly. Her manager, distracted by the ringing phone, could not grasp the significance of the problem and sent Sarah back with half-hearted promises to take appropriate action. In this scenario, the ringing telephone represents:

A) one-way communication.
B) noise.
C) filtering.
D) perception.
E) media richness.

Question 28

Multiple media should be used to transmit simple and routine messages.

Question 29

The grapevine can teach employees how to do their work successfully.

Question 30

The fewer authority levels through which communications must pass, the more information will be lost or distorted.

Question 31

When the receiver provides feedback and the sender is receptive to the feedback, this type of transmission of information is referred to as:

A) two-way communication.
B) perception.
C) filtering.
D) media richness.
E) reflection.

Question 32

Julia, a working mother, comes home after a hard day at the office. Her young daughter, Cathy, wants to tell her about her day at school. She recites all the new nursery rhymes she has learnt that day. However, Julia is unable to pay attention to her daughter out of sheer exhaustion. In this context, Julia's fatigue represents _____ in the communication process between her and her daughter.

A) reflection
B) perception
C) filtering
D) media richness
E) noise

Question 33

Mark, a manager, has just received bad news from his foreign counterpart about an ongoing negotiation. He is disturbed and is thinking of ways to control the damage. At the same time, a subordinate walks into his office and asks for an extended leave due to a family emergency. Mark refuses to grant leave despite it being an emergency situation. In this scenario, Mark's disturbed mood is representative of _____ in the communication process between him and his subordinate.

A) filtering
B) perception
C) reflection
D) media richness
E) noise

Question 34

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

A) reflection.
B) perception.
C) one-way communication.
D) filtering.
E) media richness.

Question 35

The most powerful and persuasive messages are simple and informative, are told with stories and anecdotes, and convey excitement.

Question 36

Which of the following is true of communication?

A) It refers to the process of withholding, ignoring, or distorting information.
B) It refers to the transmission of information and meaning from one party to another through the use of shared symbols.
C) It refers to a set of Internet-based applications that encourage user-provided content and collaboration.
D) It refers to online publications created with contributions from many authors/ users.
E) It refers to a mobile office in which people can work anywhere as long as they have the tools to communicate with customers and colleagues.

Question 37

If no boundaries separate people, jobs, processes, and places, then ideas, information, decisions, and actions can move to where they are most needed.

Question 38

The grapevine can be destructive when irrelevant or erroneous gossip and rumors proliferate and harm operations.

Question 39

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

A) perception.
B) noise.
C) filtering.
D) reinforcement.
E) dialogue.

Question 40

Sharing strategic plans and financial information with employees could lead to leaks to competitors or to employee dissatisfaction with compensation.

Question 41

An American manager goes to a company in Japan to give a formal presentation. When he pauses during the presentation, his Japanese counterparts also remain silent. In this situation, what should the American manager do?

A) He should fill the silence with anecdotes about his family.
B) He should leave as this is how the Japanese signal their disagreement.
C) He should start again because the Japanese have not understood the concept.
D) He should wait for the Japanese managers to respond.
E) He should offer the Japanese refreshments to make them feel comfortable.

Question 42

Face-to-face discussions, telephone conversations, and formal presentations are examples of:

A) media richness.
B) persuasion.
C) oral communication.
D) reflection.
E) filtering.

Question 43

Which of the following is recommended when making a presentation to an audience who speaks a different language?

A) Repeat each important idea using different words to explain the same concept.
B) Eliminate facial and hand gestures as they are distracting for the audience.
C) When there is a silence, fill it with anecdotes.
D) Written summaries of the verbal presentation should be avoided.
E) Do not pause frequently.

Question 44

Which of these is an advantage of written communication?

A) The message is changed and refined when relayed through many people.
B) It is less expensive than oral communication.
C) The message cannot be revised before it is sent.
D) It is a permanent record of the communication.
E) The receiver can analyze the message faster.

Question 45

Which of the following is a disadvantage of oral communication?

A) The sender has no control over the message after it is released.
B) The sender lacks immediate feedback.
C) It can lead to spontaneous responses.
D) The receiver may not understand parts of the message and feel frustrated.
E) The message must be longer to include answers to anticipated questions.

Question 46

E-mail, memos, letters, reports, and computer files are examples of:

A) written communication.
B) web 2.0.
C) media richness.
D) filtering.
E) perception.

Question 47

Susan, a manager, recently joined Technology Corp, a software company. As part of her improvement program, she asked her team members to state what they felt was a demerit in her leadership style. Nobody criticized her because they thought she would take offense at their suggestions. Instead, everybody praised her and described how her actions had radically improved productivity. In this scenario, the team members were engaged in _____.

A) interpreting
B) coping
C) filtering
D) blogging
E) reflecting

Question 48

Which of the following refers to the process of withholding, ignoring, or distorting information?

A) Dialogue
B) Perception
C) Discussion
D) Filtering
E) Noise

Question 49

Sandra, an employee, requested Kevin, her manager, for an extended break from work because she wanted to go backpacking to Europe. However, Kevin refused to grant her leave. He explained to Sandra that there were too many projects with deadlines nearing, and he could not afford to let employees take long breaks. Although argumentative at first, Sandra understood the problem, and consented to stay and work. Which of the following is a reason why oral communication was more appropriate than written communication for Kevin to use in this situation?

A) Oral communication can be revised several times before being sent.
B) Oral communication is more persuasive than written communication.
C) Oral communication remains the same even after it has been relayed to others.
D) Oral communication allows the receiver more time to analyze the message.
E) Oral communication becomes a permanent record that can be saved.

Question 50

Michael, an American sales manager, travels to Brazil to make a business presentation. His counterpart, Estefan, does not speak English very well. During the presentation, when Michael pauses after a question, Estefan takes a long time to respond. When he does respond, he uses poor grammar and mispronunciation. Which of the following is the reason for Estefan's reaction?

A) Estefan lacks intelligence.
B) Estefan is thinking slowly in his language.
C) Estefan is not interested in the presentation.
D) Estefan has poor knowledge of the topic.
E) Estefan has deadlines to meet.

Question 51

The process of receiving and interpreting information is known as:

A) filtering.
B) discussion.
C) collaboration.
D) perception.
E) dialogue.

Question 52

Mable was instructed by her manager, Cathy, during a coffee break not to share an e-mail with anyone since it contained proprietary information. Later, another manager, Kevin, asked her to forward that e-mail since it was related to the work he was doing. He told Mable that Cathy had approved of him using the e-mail. Without asking for a written request, Mable sent the e-mail to Kevin. When Cathy discovered this, she held Mable responsible for insubordination and refused to believe her story. Which of the following is a disadvantage of oral communication that led to Mable's difficult situation?

A) Oral communication can lead to spontaneous emotional outbursts.
B) The sender of oral communication has no control over the message after it is released.
C) There is no permanent record of oral communication.
D) The receiver of oral communication has too much time to analyze the message.
E) The sender of oral communication lacks immediate feedback.

Question 53

_____ is subjective, because people's self-interested motives and attitudes toward the sender and the message bias their interpretations.

A) Media richness
B) Perception
C) Reflection
D) Brainstorming
E) Groupthink

Question 54

Joseph, a manager, instructed his subordinate, Sarah, to mobilize their team and prepare a report on how the office could be made more environment-friendly. Sarah misunderstood Joseph and explained to her team members that their manager wanted them to minimize the usage of office resources. In this context, why would it have been better for Joseph to have sent an e-mail to Sarah, instead of instructing her orally?

A) The message can be revised several times before being released.
B) Feedback is immediate and direct.
C) The message remains the same even after it has been relayed to others.
D) The receiver can gauge the sender's sincerity.
E) The message is more persuasive than when released orally.

Question 55

Harry, an employee at Global Corp., has recently joined the company and is being trained at present. However, he is not able to communicate well with his trainer, Barbara. As a result, Barbara feels that Harry does not have the appropriate attitude or the will to work. She speaks to Harry about the matter, but feels that Harry is not sincere enough in his statements since his past behavior has prejudiced her. In this scenario, Barbara's _____ processes do not allow her to interpret Harry's statements correctly.

A) perceptive
B) reflective
C) improvising
D) stimulatory
E) contextual

Question 56

Which of the following is a disadvantage of written communication?

A) It can lead to spontaneous (regrettable) responses.
B) There is no permanent record of the message.
C) It suffers from the constraints of space.
D) The receiver cannot decipher the message easily.
E) The sender has no control over the message after it is released.

Question 57

In _____, groups of people in different locations interact over telephone lines and see one another on monitors as they participate in group discussions.

A) webcasting
B) browsing
C) blogging
D) surfing
E) videoconferencing

Question 58

Steven, a manager, gives a formal presentation to his team members about the new software that he has reviewed. He feels that it will be very useful for his team and will increase efficiency. However, some members of his team disagree with Steven and argue that it could lead to a decrease in productivity. Steven, irritated at being challenged, feels that the team members are making excuses for being lazy. In the context of this scenario, Steven's judgment has been influenced by his _____ processes.

A) reflective
B) media rich
C) stimulatory
D) groupthink
E) perceptive

Question 59

Which of the following is an advantage of oral communication?

A) The message can be revised several times before being released.
B) The receiver can gauge the sender's sincerity.
C) The message remains the same even after it is relayed to others.
D) The receiver has more time to analyze the message.
E) The message becomes a permanent record that can be saved.

Question 60

Gabriel, a senior employee, has been assigned a task by his manager, Sarah. He has been asked to monitor the activities of some employees in the team who have recently joined, and to report to her if he finds them engaged in anything potentially harmful. Gabriel finds that the new employees were spending far too much time on social networking sites at office. However, instead of reporting this to Sarah straightaway, he advises them to refrain from using those sites in the future. Moreover, he tells Sarah that the new employees were doing their work effectively. In this scenario, Gabriel has engaged in _____.

A) coping
B) delegating
C) interpreting
D) training
E) filtering

Question 61

Frederick, a manager, wants to inform his team members about a new health care policy adopted by the company. Based on media richness, which of the following would be an appropriate medium to use?

A) Videotape
B) Telephone
C) Memo
D) E-mail
E) Instant message

Question 62

Which of the following is a disadvantage of using electronic media at work?

A) Expenses are increased.
B) Private information may get leaked.
C) Decisions are of lower quality.
D) It leads to inefficiency at work.
E) Simple problems cannot be solved.

Question 63

William, a manager, has recently been transferred to a new division in the company that is located in a different town. He works using a laptop computer and communicates with his colleagues using teleconferencing. Usually, he goes to office once in a month. William's company has adopted the concept of:

A) horizontal communication.
B) filtering.
C) virtual offices.
D) perception.
E) media richness.

Question 64

Howard, the CEO of a multinational company, has decided to implement certain new corporate processes for increased efficiency and productivity. He wishes to conduct the implementation in a phased manner in all the offices of the company, throughout the world. Also, he wishes to inform every employee of the impending change and ensure that they fully understand its implications. Which of the following is a reason why he should send an e-mail describing the changes and its benefits?

A) It prevents interpretation of subtle nonverbal cues conveyed by the sender.
B) Sensitive or private information can be leaked or sent to the wrong recipient.
C) It allows more information to be shared with a large number of dispersed stakeholders.
D) It engenders less trust among users than does face-to-face communication.
E) It may not be effective for solving some types of complex problems.

Question 65

The CEO of a multinational company finds that profits are gradually decreasing. He realizes that the employees need to be motivated in order to increase productivity and efficiency. The company has several branches in various parts of the world. Which of the following is an appropriate media for the CEO to use?

A) E-mail
B) Videoconference
C) Memo
D) Newsletter
E) Phone

Question 66

Karen, a manager, has to fire an employee who has consistently performed poorly. She wants the situation to be handled as delicately as possible, without hurting the employee's sentiments and self-confidence. Which of the following modes of communication should she use?

A) Text message
B) E-mail
C) Face-to-face discussion
D) Instant message
E) Memo

Question 67

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

A) media richness.
B) feedback.
C) media thickness.
D) transmission richness.
E) perception.

Question 68

Sophie, a manager, sends an e-mail warning Jack, an employee, of disciplinary action to be taken if he persists in taking long coffee breaks and spending too much time on personal phone calls. However, Jack did not attach too much importance to the e-mail. He felt it was akin to a passing reminder. Which of the following is a reason why Sophie should have spoken to Jack directly and avoided the use of e-mail?

A) Electronic media leaves a permanent record of communication for later reference.
B) Electronic media encourages more people to participate and share their ideas with.
C) Electronic media prevents interpretation of subtle nonverbal cues conveyed by the sender.
D) Electronic media reduces time and expenses related to traveling, photocopying, and mailing.
E) Electronic media enables routine messages to be sent with speed and efficiency.

Question 69

Which of the following is true of the richest media?

A) They provide feedback after an extended period of time.
B) They prevent the use of different types of cues.
C) They do not allow a lot of descriptive language.
D) They are more personal than technological media.
E) They are expensive and tedious to use.

Question 70

Which of the following holds true for the use of electronic media at work?

A) It encourages more people to participate and share their ideas with others.
B) It is effective for solving some types of complex problems.
C) It aids interpretation of subtle nonverbal cues conveyed by the sender.
D) It engenders more trust among users than does face-to-face communication.
E) It does not allow sensitive or private information to be leaked.

Question 71

Which of the following is an advantage of using electronic media at work?

A) It enables routine messages to be delivered with speed.
B) It is effective for solving complex problems.
C) It enables interpretation of subtle nonverbal cues conveyed by the sender.
D) It engenders more trust among users.
E) It safeguards sensitive or private information.

Question 72

In _____, groups of people in different locations interact over telephone lines and participate in group discussions.

A) telecollaboration
B) teleconferencing
C) telegraphy
D) telecasting
E) teleporting

Question 73

John, a manager, is facing a problem at work-two of his subordinates have approached him with a complaint. He has decided upon a solution and has framed an e-mail to inform his subordinates. Which of the following is a reason why he should avoid using e-mail to resolve the conflict?

A) E-mail leaves a permanent record of communication for later reference.
B) E-mail encourages more people to participate and share their ideas with others.
C) E-mail can hurt feelings, be insensitively worded, or be intentionally hurtful.
D) E-mail reduces time and expenses.
E) E-mail allows more information to be shared with a large number of dispersed stakeholders.

Question 74

Sam, a manager, completed a performance analysis of his subordinate. He was required to send it to his superior for further evaluation. He decided to send it via e-mail. Which of the following is a reason why he should avoid using electronic media to send the report?

A) Electronic media leaves a permanent record of communication for later reference.
B) Sensitive or private information can be leaked or sent to the wrong recipient.
C) Electronic media enables routine messages to be delivered with speed and efficiency.
D) Electronic media may not be effective for solving some types of complex problems.
E) Messages may be intentionally hurtful or be insensitively worded.

Question 75

In _____, an application of web 2.0, users subscribe to receive news, blogs, or other information they select.

A) podcasts
B) hosted services
C) wikis
D) really simple syndication (RSS)
E) mashups

Question 76

Which of the following is a disadvantage of using e-mail at work?

A) There is no permanent record of electronic message.
B) Electronic messages can lead to spontaneous (regrettable) responses.
C) Electronic messages are the private property of the system's owner, not of the sender.
D) Electronic messages lead to low productivity and decreased efficiency.
E) They cause the organization to incur heavy expenses.

Question 77

Posting text to a website is known as:

A) surfing.
B) e-mailing.
C) browsing.
D) blogging.
E) mapping.

Question 78

_____ refers to a set of Internet-based applications that encourage user-provided content and collaboration.

A) Web 2.0
B) Videoconferencing
C) Telegraphy
D) Multimedia
E) Teleconferencing

Question 79

Which of the following is most appropriate for routine messages that do not require the exchange of large quantities of complex information?

A) Blog
B) E-mail
C) Report
D) Formal presentation
E) Videotape

Question 80

_____ refer(s) to online publications created with contributions from many authors/ users.

A) Really simple syndication
B) Wikis
C) Blogs
D) Podcasts
E) Social networking