Q&A Hero

Q: Some business communicators try to manipulate their receivers by using __________ tactics.

Q: __________ is interference in the communication process that distorts or obscures the sender's meaning.

Q: After getting a message, a receiver responds by giving the sender __________.

Q: Your receiver must cooperate by __________ your messageabsorbing and understanding it.

Q: When you put your idea into a message that your receiver will understand, you are __________ the message.

Q: The informal communication network within an organization is referred to as the __________.

Q: The exchange of information within an organization is referred to as __________ communication.

Q: Increased globalization and workforce __________ mean that employees must be able to communicate with people from other cultures.

Q: __________ (communication, teamwork, problem solving) are just as important as technical abilities, as employers look for well-rounded individuals who will integrate well into their companies.

Q: Whether exchanging emails, giving a formal presentation, or chatting with co-workers at lunch, you are engaging in __________.

Q: Collectively, the people with whom you interactyour colleagues, employees, supervisors, customers, and so onare referred to as __________.

Q: Ethics in the workplace is an increasingly important issue. Which of the following examples is not considered unethical? A) Self promotion B) Plagiarism C) Misrepresenting numbers D) Distorting visuals

Q: There are many new technologies available to improve Business Communications. Which of the list below are NOT among them? A) Blogging B) Email C) Online chats D) Ergonomic offices

Q: Plagiarism includes ___________ A) selectively misquoting. B) disrepresenting numbers. C) distorting visuals. D) violation of a copyright.

Q: To make your business messages more effective you should _______________. A) include as many details as possible. B) give facts not impressions. C) use "smart" words. D) be sure to put in a lot of pictures.

Q: Regardless of your specialty, most companies also expect you to be a competent communicator. Which of the following is NOT a communication skill desired by most businesses? A) Organizing ideas logically B) Presenting ideas persuasively C) Communicating forcefully D) Listening effectively

Q: An organization can foster ethical communication by _______________ A) helping top managers to become more frequent communicators. B) setting ethical examples with ethical company leadership. C) using an ethical lapse. D) creating a mission statement.

Q: Which of the following is an example of an ethical lapse? A) Putting suggestions in the company suggestion box without signing your name B) Informing a new employer about your previous (competing) employer's major clients C) Telling your supervisor that another employee is stealing office supplies D) Providing incorrect data in a report, even though you didn't know it was incorrect at the time

Q: Which of the following is an example of an ethical dilemma? A) Deciding whether or not to inform employees that layoffs are coming, when a big project needs to be finished B) Deciding whether or not to sell company stock when you have inside information on a coming downturn C) Deciding whether or not to use the copy machine for your personal papers D) Deciding whether or not to declare the costs of your vacation travel as a deductible business expense

Q: To make your messages more effective __________________ A) send fewer of them. B) mark all your messages with HIGH PRIORITY. C) send messages frequently. D) include as much detail as possible, even if it is not immediately needed.

Q: A flatter organizational structure ___________________ A) decreases the chance of misunderstandings occurring. B) increases costs and reduces productivity. C) can reduce profit. D) creates more opportunities in middle management.

Q: The term "corporate culture" refers to ______________________ A) the number of organizational levels within a corporation. B) the extent to which corporations dominate a particular culture. C) the mixture of values, traditions, and habits that give a company its atmosphere or personality. D) a company's sponsorship of cultural events.

Q: On a typical day, the average office worker sends and receives about __________ email messages. A) 20 B) 50 C) 90 D) 120

Q: Bad connections, poor acoustics, and illegible copy are all examples of _______________ A) problems with feedback. B) physical distractions. C) problems with background differences. D) overload problems.

Q: Companies that restrict the flow of information limit their _______________ A) competitive potential. B) potential employee promotions. C) audience base. D) management control.

Q: The most extreme example of how backgrounds can impede communication occurs when the communicators _________________ A) are different ages. B) are of different social status. C) come from different countries or cultures. D) have opposing political views.

Q: Communication is effective only when _____________________ A) the sender has a meaningful idea, sends it, and it is received. B) the idea becomes a message. C) the message gets transmitted without noise. D) others understand your message correctly and respond to it in the way you want.

Q: The final link in the communication process is _________________ A) sending the message. B) receiving the message. C) giving feedback to the sender. D) interpreting the message.

Q: In the first step of the communication process, ________________ A) the sender decides what to say. B) the sender has an idea. C) the sender chooses a medium of transmission. D) the sender transmits the message.

Q: An example of external communication would be ____________________ A) an email from a salesperson to a customer. B) a memo from a manager at headquarters to a manager at a store in another state. C) a teleconference among company sales representatives in several states. D) talking on a cell phone to a colleague.

Q: Some executives are wary of informal communication channels, possibly because they ______________ A) fear the spread of misinformation. B) believe only formal channels are efficient carriers of information. C) object to casual conversations on company time. D) fear a loss of their control over the flow of information.

Q: How much of the information that travels along the grapevine actually pertains to business? A) almost none of it B) half of it C) more than three-quarters of it D) none of the above

Q: A casual conversation between co-workers is an example of ______________ A) upward communication. B) downward communication. C) interdepartmental communication. D) informal communication.

Q: The director of advertising writing a memo to the plant manager is an example of _______________ A) upward communication flow. B) downward communication flow. C) horizontal communication flow. D) informal communication flow.

Q: Statements to the press, letters to investors, advertisements, and price announcements require ________ A) group meetings. B) vendors. C) annual reports. D) extremely careful planning.

Q: An example of downward communication flow is ___________ A) a junior staff person giving information to a staff supervisor. B) a sales manager giving instructions to a salesperson. C) an email message about sick leave sent from one staff secretary to another. D) a company briefing held on the organization's top floor.

Q: One example that is NOT an example of horizontal communication is communication that flows _________ A) from the Sales department to the Accounting department. B) from V.P. Finance to the V.P. Marketing. C) from one project team member to another project team member. D) from a Warehouse manager to a Warehouse employee.

Q: Employers often express frustration at the poor communication skills of many employeesparticularly ____________ A) managers. B) recent graduates. C) sales personnel. D) contract employees.

Q: Today's successful companies _____________ A) use teams and collaborative work groups to arrive at quick decisions. B) limit decisions to a few managers at the top of a formal hierarchy. C) realize that the traditional management structure still works best. D) make all important decisions by going through a painstaking, careful, time-consuming process.

Q: To make your messages effective __________ A) give facts rather than impressions. B) present a lot of information. C) use a lot of body language. D) use arguments.

Q: The stakeholders in an organization do NOT include _____________ A) employees. B) competition. C) supervisors. D) government.

Q: Your own skills as a communicator will be as much a factor in your business success as anything else. A) True B) False

Q: "Knowledge workers" are those employees that specialize in acquiring, processing, and communicating information. A) True B) False

Q: Because of technology's speed and efficiency, it is the best choice for every communication situation. A) True B) False

Q: A message that means to mislead or manipulate the audience is unethical. A) True B) False

Q: When people must choose between conflicting loyalties and weigh difficult trade-offs, they are facing an ethical lapse. A) True B) False

Q: Inappropriate web surfing while at work can leave employers open to lawsuits for sexual harassment if inappropriate images are displayed. A) True B) False

Q: Communicating in today's business environment nearly always requires some level of technical competence. A) True B) False

Q: Three principles of etiquette that will get you through almost any situation are respect, fun, and courtesy. A) True B) False

Q: Constructive feedback focuses on the process and not the outcomes of communication. A) True B) False

Q: React emotionally when you receive constructive feedback. A) True B) False

Q: Your ability to empathize with, be sensitive to, and generally consider your audience's feelings is the best way to be effective in your communication. A) True B) False

Q: With the audience-centred approach, communicators try to learn as much as possible about their receivers. A) True B) False

Q: Sending more messages is usually better than not sending enough. A) True B) False

Q: Setting aside time to attend to email and telephone messages all at once is one way to help minimize distractions. A) True B) False

Q: The more your audience members share your experiencespersonal, professional, and culturalthe more likely they are to extract the same meanings that you encode in your messages.A) TrueB) False

Q: A major barrier to effective communication is competing messages. A) True B) False

Q: When interference in the communication process distorts or obscures the sender's meaning, it is called noise. A) True B) False

Q: Your communication efforts will also be influenced by the organization's corporate culture. A) True B) False

Q: A message is interpreted correctly when the receiver assigns to the words the same meaning as the sender intended and then responds in the desired way. A) True B) False

Q: Technology always helps a company. A) True B) False

Q: The communication process is a simple one consisting of two phases: the sender transmits the message and the receiver gets the message. A) True B) False

Q: Whether you're listening or speaking, communication is a two-way process.A) TrueB) False

Q: Company outsiders may form an impression of your organization based on subtle, unconscious clues you transmit through your tone of voice, facial expression, and general appearance. A) True B) False

Q: Information has become one of the most important resources in business today. A) True B) False

Q: Most messages aimed at important external receivers, such as the press, investors, and customers are drafted by the president of the company. A) True B) False

Q: A diverse workforce can yield a significant competitive advantage by bringing more ideas and broader perspectives to bear on business challenges. A) True B) False

Q: The first step in the communication process is "the sender has an idea." A) True B) False

Q: The grapevine helps employers determine if their formal means of communication are effective. A) True B) False

Q: Only 20 percent of the information that travels along the grapevine in an organization pertains to business. A) True B) False

Q: The "grapevine" is another name for formal horizontal communication. A) True B) False

Q: Although companies often communicate with outsiders in a formal manner, informal contacts with outsiders are not important. A) True B) False

Q: Grapevines flourish when employees don"t receive information they want or need. A) True B) False

Q: Most of the information that flows downward in an organization is geared toward helping employees do their jobs. A) True B) False

Q: The formal communication network is typically shown as the organizational chart. A) True B) False

Q: Most often you will be communicating with people who are similar to you in age, profession, and ethnic background. A) True B) False

Q: Employers start judging your ability to communicate on the day you show up for the first interview. A) True B) False

Q: Unclear communication not only results in errors and missed deadlines, but also lies at the root of many other serious workplace issues. A) True B) False

Q: Communication and effective communication are basically the same thing. A) True B) False

Q: Which of the following is NOT true about MLA in-text citations? A) The date comes immediately after the author's name. B) With the author's name, readers can find complete publication information in the Works Cited. C) If the author's name is mentioned in the text reference, the name can be omitted from the citation. D) Insert the author's last name and a page reference inside parentheses.