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Business Communication
Q:
________ must be stated as precisely as possible, identifying which audience members should respond, how they should respond, and when.
A) The audience preferences
B) The general purpose
C) The audience needs
D) The specific purpose
E) The scope of the message
Q:
A news website wants visitors to make a donation to a children's charity for Christmas. The site places banner ads on every page to encourage donations. Some ads stress the need for donation, others explain how to donate. The site aims to have at least 5 percent of the visitors donate to the charity as a result of the campaign. Which of the following is the specific purpose of the campaign?
A) to inform visitors about the need to donate
B) to inform visitors about the ways in which they can donate
C) to persuade at least 5 percent of the visitors to donate to the campaign
D) to raise money for the children's charity by 15 percent
E) to raise awareness about the plight of children
Q:
Over the last 8 months, consulting firm G&B has been in talks with Wattersons Inc. over a potential merger. During this time, G&B employees were kept abreast of their company's plans and all their concerns regarding the merger were thoroughly addressed. As the company had assured them that their jobs would be safe, the employees were generally supportive of the move. Once the decision was finalized, G&B's top management issued a statement to the employees confirming the merger. Which of the following is the general purpose of the message issued by G&B's top management?
A) to persuade
B) to inform
C) to collaborate
D) to initiate a conversation
E) to negotiate
Q:
Which of the following correctly lists the steps in the three-step writing process?
A) writing; revising; adapting
B) organizing; revising; writing
C) planning; writing; completing
D) designing; planning; writing
E) composing; organizing; selecting a medium
Q:
Which of the following activities follows the writing step in the process of writing business messages?
A) developing an audience profile
B) selecting a medium
C) gathering information
D) revising the message
E) organizing the information
Q:
Brian needs to create a business message for a new savings scheme for a bank. He develops an audience profile and gathers the information that must be included in the message. According to the three-step writing process, which of the following should be Brian's next step?
A) distributing the message
B) proofreading the message
C) selecting the medium
D) revising the message
E) analyzing the situation
Q:
Using an example, explain the advantages of the storytelling method in business communications.
Q:
Your organization decides to switch its top-down decision-making structure with a participatory approach, in which all employees have a say in decision making. Draft the message using first the direct and then the indirect approach. Describe the type of audience for each approach and explain why that particular approach is necessary.
Q:
Discuss the advantages of visual messages in cross-cultural communication.
Q:
Briefly explain the activities involved in the writing step of the writing process.
Q:
For business messages, effective communication means always getting straight to the point.
Q:
Brainstorming is only effective when used by a group of people.
Q:
One advantage of email is its high level of privacy.
Q:
In business messages, you need to state your specific purpose as precisely as possible, including identifying which audience members should respond, how, and when they should respond.
Q:
________ is an important element in the storytelling technique for business communication because it helps readers personalize the message.
A) A real time update
B) Persuasive message
C) An outline structure
D) A knowledge-management system
E) An electronic medium
Q:
In which of the following cases will a direct approach be the appropriate message strategy?
A) when the audience is hostile to the message
B) when the audience's reaction to the message is unknown
C) when the message is extremely long
D) when the message is nonroutine or unusual
E) when the audience is likely to disbelieve or doubt the content of the message
Q:
The direct approach of presenting information is best when ________.
A) the audience is likely to be receptive to the message
B) the audience is likely to react negatively to the message
C) the writer does not know the audience well
D) the message is highly emotional
E) the message is controversial
Q:
________ is the process of using a graphic method to generate and organize ideas. It begins with a main idea and then branches out, connecting all other related ideas to the main idea.
A) Groupthinking
B) Journalistic approach
C) Brainstorming
D) Mind mapping
E) Question-and-answer chain
Q:
Jeremy writes articles on personal finance for a local paper. He often needs to simplify financial concepts and reduce them to everyday terms to reach his audience. In order to structure his articles, he starts with a key query from the audience's perspective, and works back toward the message. Each solution generates new queries, until he can identify the information that needs to be in the article. Jeremy's method of working is known as ________.
A) groupthinking
B) mind mapping
C) the question-and-answer chain
D) storyteller's tour
E) augmented reality
Q:
Stella is working on a tourism brochure for the Bahamas. She needs to find new and interesting ways of presenting information that has been covered many times before. She begins to write as many ideas, questions, and possibilities she can think of, without considering order or importance. She looks for connections among the various ideas to help her find the best way to present the information. Which of the following methods is Stella using?
A) the journalistic approach
B) mind-mapping
C) brainstorming
D) a question-and-answer chain
E) a storyteller's tour
Q:
Orion Ltd. is a toy company headquartered in El Paso, Texas, with distributors throughout the United States. At present, the company keeps in contact with its distributors through telephone and email, communicating confidential information about new products and prices. Distributors contact Orion's headquarters to communicate their queries or requirements, but responding to these questions is a time-consuming process. Orion wants to upgrade to a secure online system through which distributors can access information from the company and communicate their queries or complaints. Which of the following methods is most suited for this purpose?
A) extranet
B) teleconferencing
C) videoconferencing
D) social networking
E) virtual whiteboards
Q:
________ lets people communicate, share files, review previous message threads, work on documents simultaneously, and connect using social networking tools.
A) Groupware
B) Firmware
C) Virtualizations
D) Operating systems
E) E-commerce systems
Q:
Emma wants to set up a wedding planner website for weddings in her city. She needs a site where caterers, florists, and designers from the city can post their offerings and prices for a fee. As the products and rates will change with the seasons, the site will have to be updated often by the sellers themselves. Prospective customers should be able to register on the site to read the information, but should not be able to make any changes to the site. Which of the following is the best option for Emma?
A) media curation
B) cloud computing
C) a public wiki
D) a private wiki
E) a virtual whiteboard
Q:
________ refers to a website that allows anyone with access to add new material and edit existing material.
A) Java
B) Wiki
C) Blog
D) Microblog
E) Browser
Q:
A) Agree on project goals before the start of the project.
B) Clarify individual responsibilities.
C) Select collaborators carefully.
D) Make sure tools are compatible across the team.
E) Give the team time to bond before beginning.
Answer: B
Q:
Which of the following is a characteristic of an effective team?
A) conformance to the common opinion
B) withholding contrary opinions
C) individual agendas
D) constructive resolution of conflicts
E) limited communication
Q:
Which of the following is true for ineffective teams but not for effective teams?
A) There are conflicts of opinion between team members.
B) Poor communication prevents the team from reaching its goal.
C) Setting up the team involves coordination costs in terms of time and money.
D) Interpersonal friction is likely to exist.
E) There is a diversity of views as members have different opinions.
Q:
Jean's eight-member team met to discuss their strategy for completing a project. Though Jean and her colleague Jenna didn't agree with the proposed plan, they didn't voice their disapproval when the plan was put to vote, because the rest of the team agreed with it. Jean and Jenna's behavior in this situation can be explained by the phenomenon of ________.
A) brainwashing
B) social loafing
C) groupthink
D) hidden agendas
E) mob mentality
Q:
________ occurs when peer pressure causes team members to withhold contrary or unpopular opinions.
A) Free riding
B) Social loafing
C) Collaboration
D) Groupthink
E) Feedback
Q:
Teams can increase performance levels by ________.
A) pooling experience
B) discouraging consensus
C) encouraging groupthink
D) duplicating effort
E) promoting hidden agendas
Q:
Teams are at the core of ________ management, which is the effort to involve employees in the company's decision-making process.
A) autocratic
B) participative
C) top-down
D) personnel
E) laissez-faire
Q:
List and discuss the barriers to effective listening.
Q:
Two rival candidates in the race for mayor of Springton are scheduled to speak on education policies in the city, a controversial topic. Each will be promoting his plan for education. Which type of listening will help listeners decide which plan is likely to be successful?
Q:
Two rival candidates for the office of Student Body President at Bournville University must debate a given topic before the election. Describe the three types of active listening and state how each type of listening can help listeners choose a candidate to vote for. If you were the speaker, which type of listening do you think would help your campaign?
Q:
Sportswear Inc. has branches across the United States. At present, company executives travel to other branches for key strategy meetings. Sportswear Inc. wants to cut costs and save time. Discuss some options the company can use to achieve this and describe the benefits of each method.
Q:
The top management of an automobile company with branches across the country wants to replace in-person meetings for teams with virtual meetings, to minimize travel time and costs. Make an argument for the superiority of in-person meetings, describing the disadvantages of the virtual method.
Q:
In a business environment, expectations regarding time and space vary from culture to culture.
Q:
Nonverbal expressions such as facial signals are universalit remains consistent from culture to culture.
Q:
Critical listening poses a barrier to effective listening.
Q:
The goal of critical listening is to understand the speaker's feelings, needs, and wants so that you can appreciate his or her point of view, regardless of whether you share that perspective.
Q:
Effective listening requires the listener to evaluate the quality of the evidence and the logic of the argument.
Q:
Online brainstorming allows companies to generate ideas from people across the organization.
Q:
It is appropriate for the leader of a meeting to ask shy individuals for their input on certain issues.
Q:
Summarizing the conclusions of the discussion at the end of a meeting is an inefficient use of time and can easily be avoided.
Q:
An agenda is beneficial to all meetings.
Q:
In decision-making meetings, participants persuade, analyze, and solve problems.
Q:
Constructive feedback delivers criticism with no effort to stimulate improvement.
Q:
The best approach to developing team messages is for the team to write together, as a group, as this process benefits from group participation.
Q:
As members of a group have a common goal, individual responsibilities are minimal or non-existent.
Q:
Conflict is constructive if it forces important issues into the open, increases the involvement of team members, and generates creative ideas for solving a problem.
Q:
Groupthink occurs when team members participate and bring a variety of perspectives to improve decision making.
Q:
Which of the following is a violation of workplace etiquette?
A) switching off mobile phones during meetings
B) multitasking while using IM for business communication
C) assuming that anything you type will be stored forever and read by other people
D) avoiding the use of "reply all" when replying to emails
E) using virus protection when sending a file
Q:
Which of the following is good etiquette for online business communications?
A) using informal and nonstandard spelling, grammar, and punctuation
B) multitasking while using IM or other tools
C) always using the "reply all" function to reply to emails
D) using colleagues' personal pages to send business messages
E) assuming that what you type will be read by your boss or the security staff
Q:
Which of the following is proper etiquette during a business meal?
A) only answering urgent calls during the meeting
B) discussing subjects like politics or religion at the beginning of the meal
C) making conversation by asking personal questions
D) beginning with business at the beginning of the meal
E) using a mobile phone for other business calls
Q:
Which of the following statements about workplace etiquette is true?
A) Dress codes in the workplace only matter if you interact with clients daily.
B) Using strong perfumes, shampoos or after-shaves is acceptable as long as no one is allergic to them.
C) Mobile ringtones should reflect personality and therefore be very audible at all times.
D) Personal appearance in the workplace sends a strong signal to colleagues and customers, therefore you should dress as differently from other people as possible.
E) Dressing modestly and simply is always recommended, whatever the company dress code.
Q:
A pharmaceutical company has branches across the country. It needs to cut costs and so decides to hold a teleconference instead of a face-to-face meeting. In this scenario, which of the following forms of nonverbal communication is likely to have the most impact on the effectiveness of the meeting?
A) hand gestures
B) vocal characteristics
C) facial expressions
D) personal appearance
E) spatial relations
Q:
Which of the following statements about touch as a means of nonverbal communication is true?
A) Touch is a means of nonverbal communication that is not likely to be misinterpreted.
B) Touch carries only intentional nonverbal messages.
C) Touch is a universal means of offering comfort and reassurance and can be used across cultures.
D) Attitudes to touch vary from culture to culture, but remain consistent within a single culture.
E) Individual attitudes to touch vary widely, even within a single culture.
Q:
Nonverbal messages ________.
A) are always intentional
B) have no effect on verbal communication
C) are universal across cultures
D) are rarely misinterpreted
E) are either intentional or unintentional
Q:
________ is/are the primary means of expressing emotions nonverbally.
A) Gestures
B) The face
C) Personal appearance
D) Touch
E) The use of time and space
Q:
Which of the following is true for nonverbal communication?
A) Nonverbal communication has no effect on verbal communication.
B) Nonverbal communication is always unintentional.
C) Touch is the primary mode of nonverbal communication.
D) Nonverbal signs and signals have the same meanings across cultures.
E) Nonverbal signs have the ability to weaken a verbal message.
Q:
Parker has been a long-time supporter of one candidate for governor, whose policies and views he understands and agrees with. His editor sends him to cover a press conference for the opponent, whose policies he does not agree with at all. The editor tells him to listen with an open mind. Which of the following should Parker avoid?
A) adjusting listening style to the topic
B) overlooking stylistic differences
C) giving the speaker nonverbal feedback
D) mentally paraphrasing key points
E) selectively perceiving information
Q:
Listening is the most important skill needed to get things done in the workplace. Which of the following is true for effective listening?
A) Taking notes during a lecture is not advised as it is a distraction from the speaker.
B) Questioning the speaker or criticizing his argument is a sign of ineffective listening.
C) Certain nonverbal signals from the audience discourage the speaker.
D) Effective listening can only take place when the audience shares the speaker's views.
E) Trying to understand the speaker's motivations and beliefs is an obstacle to effective listening.
Q:
One of the barriers to effective listening is prejudgment. This refers to ________.
A) staying tuned out until you hear a word or phrase that gets your attention
B) filtering incoming messages to fit what you already believe about a given subject
C) making up your mind before truly hearing what the speaker has to say
D) evaluating the meaning of the speaker's message, the speaker's intentions and motives
E) making a conscious effort to turn off your personal filters and biases
Q:
Abby is at a technical seminar on biotechnology. Though she is supposed to be taking notes, her mind begins to wander. She only begins to pay attention again when the speaker turns the discussion to cloning, because she has an interest in the subject. Which of the following describes Abby's type of listening?
A) selective listening
B) content listening
C) empathic listening
D) active listening
E) critical listening
Q:
In selective listening, listeners ________.
A) filter messages to fit what they already believe about a subject
B) tend to take control of the conversation
C) tune out until they hear something that gets their attention
D) make up their minds before truly listening to the speaker
E) make a conscious effort to turn off their own filters and biases
Q:
________ leads listeners to filter incoming messages to fit what they already believe about a given subject.
A) Selective perception
B) Critical listening
C) Empathic listening
D) Active listening
E) Misdirection
Q:
Which is the first step in the listening process?
A) decoding
B) reacting
C) evaluating
D) receiving
E) remembering
Q:
Using one's own values, beliefs, ideas, and expectations to assign meaning to sounds and words is called ________ in the listening process.
A) receiving
B) evaluating
C) responding
D) analyzing
E) decoding
Q:
Which of the following is an aid to effective listening?
A) lack of common ground
B) ignoring personal biases
C) prejudgment
D) listening selectively
E) selective perception
Q:
Amy volunteers at a helpline for kids. Though she is not a qualified counselor, her job is to listen to the callers, and understand their feelings and points of view. She is trained not to judge the speaker's feelings and doesn't jump in with advice unless the person asks for it. Instead, she lets the callers know that she appreciates their feelings and understands the situation. Once she establishes that connection, she helps the speaker search for a solution. This is an example of which of the following types of listening?
A) selective listening
B) critical listening
C) empathic listening
D) content listening
E) creative listening
Q:
In critical listening, listeners ________.
A) evaluate the speaker's presentation style
B) interpret the message using prejudgment
C) criticize the speaker's argument
D) interrupt the speaker to point out flaws in the speech
E) evaluate the validity of the speaker's conclusion
Q:
Marty is a reporter for his college magazine. A controversial speaker has been invited for the college's graduation ceremony and Marty needs to write a clear, unbiased account of the speaker's views, disregarding the speaker's motivations and the implications of the speech. Which style of listening is most suited to this purpose?
A) selective listening
B) critical listening
C) empathic listening
D) content listening
E) passive listening
Q:
D&B Solutions currently uses teleconferencing and telepresence technologies to hold meetings with executives in different locations, but is now considering switching over to virtual meetings in virtual worlds such as Second Life. Which of the following, if true, would weaken D&B's decision to opt for virtual meetings?
A) Virtual worlds such as Second Life are user-friendly, require little technical knowledge, and are cost-effective in the long term.
B) Virtual meetings allow participants to multitask.
C) More than the mode used for communication, the success of any official interaction depends on the involvement of the participants.
D) Virtual meetings are considered to be the most modern and progressive method of business communication.
E) Companies usually find it very difficult to establish a successful brand presence on virtual worlds such as Second Life.
Q:
Derek coordinates the sales staff for a pharmaceutical company. As the salespersons frequently travel across the country, arranging meetings with everyone at the same time is difficult. Most of the salespeople do not have laptops, but rely on their smartphones for communication. Which of the following is the easiest way for Derek to arrange a meeting with all the salespeople?
A) social networking
B) intranets
C) videoconferencing
D) telepresence
E) instant messaging
Q:
Which of the following is true for online meetings through telepresence technologies?
A) The use of parliamentary procedure is not possible in online meetings.
B) Nonverbal communication is insignificant in meetings using telepresence technology.
C) Rules of etiquette are generally relaxed and online meetings are usually informal.
D) Telepresence allows participants to convey more nonverbal signals than other virtual methods.
E) As participants in online meetings are far apart, a leader is not necessary to monitor meetings.
Q:
________ can convey nonverbal subtleties such as facial expressions and hand gestures and enable realistic conferences in which participants thousands of miles apart almost seem to be in the same room.
A) Telepresence
B) Microblogging
C) Instant messaging
D) Intranet
E) Extranet
Q:
Patrick's sales department meets to discuss targets and strategies for the coming month. As the head of the department, Patrick invites inputs from all the employees, but Brendan dominates the meeting, offering multiple suggestions, while the others do not participate. What should Patrick, as the leader, do in this situation?
A) He should adopt Brendan's suggestions as they are the only options.
B) He should remind Brendan that time is limited and the others need to be heard as well.
C) He should ask Brendan to leave the meeting.
D) He should ignore Brendan's suggestions and invite responses from other participants.
E) He should call off the meeting and invite written suggestions.
Q:
Which of the following is true of parliamentary procedure?
A) Parliamentary procedure is important to plan and run effective meetings.
B) Parliamentary procedure is ineffective during virtual meetings and videoconferences.
C) Using parliamentary procedure during a meeting makes the presence of a leader unnecessary.
D) All meetings will be ineffective unless parliamentary procedure is used.
E) Parliamentary procedure is used only for informational meetings, which require no participation.
Q:
Formal meetings often use ________, a time-tested method for planning and running effective meetings.
A) code of ethics
B) networking
C) wikis
D) judicial review
E) parliamentary procedure
Q:
The purpose of an agenda is to ________.
A) summarize the important information presented and the decisions made during a meeting
B) set out the parliamentary procedure to run the meeting
C) guide the progress of the meeting so that all participants know what will be presented
D) record the proceedings of the meeting in detail as they happen
E) give non-participants an overview of what took place at a meeting once it is over