Q&A Hero

Q: Which of the following is an invisible sign of culture? a. An attorney wears a conservative suit to court. b. Christopher believes that adults need to be responsible for their actions. c. On their anniversary Matthew takes his wife to dinner. d. At every department meeting, the manager sits at the head of the conference table.

Q: Julia was born and raised in the United States. Because she has been taught that it is best to be direct when speaking in the workplace, Julia expects her Vietnamese coworkers to share her belief. Julias misconception is the result of ________. a. tolerance b. stereotyping c. ethnocentrism d. prototyping

Q: Egotism is an example of _________________ that interferes with effective communication. A. physical noise B. encoding C. a channel D. psychological noise

Q: Sam, a human resources representative, is developing a training program for company leaders to prepare them for the company's global expansion. Which of the following should he stress in the training to aim for acknowledging different cultural values while also emphasizing moral initiative? a. Clear definitions of good ethics and bad ethics b. The importance of seeing a business transaction through at all costs, even if it violates the company's core values c. The use of legalistic strategies over ethical considerations d. Alternatives to government payoffs, such as nonmonetary public service benefits or technical expertise

Q: Josefina was so angry that she didn't even hear her brother's apology. Which type of noise hindered Josefina's ability to accurately decode her brother's message? A. physical B. psychological C. physiological D. external

Q: Angelia has recently begun making a lot of mistakes on her day job. She has not been listening attentively to her supervisor's instructions. Angelia is no longer attentive because she is exhausted. She has taken on a second job at night so she can pay off her credit card debt. In the above example, which type of noise is causing a breakdown in the communication process between Angelia and her supervisor? A. physiological noise B. defensiveness C. supervisory noise D. subtle noise

Q: When faced with an intercultural ethical dilemma, you should ask yourself if the action is legal, if you can rule out a better alternative, if a trusted advisor would agree, and ________. a. if there is money to be made b. how your decision will benefit your company c. if you would do it if you were on the opposite side d. if religious beliefs are involved

Q: Which of the following statements most accurately describes diversity in the workplace? a. A diverse staff tends to have difficulties reading trends and responding to customers in local and world markets. b. Teams made up of diverse members are better equipped than homogeneous teams to create products that diverse consumers want. c. Diversity in the workplace often leads to lower productivity and worse employee morale. d. Teams with diverse members often find it more difficult than homogeneous teams to solve problems.

Q: Which of the following would NOT provide feedback to the sender? A. deciding not to answer a phone message from your ex-girlfriend B. browsing through a company's catalog to see what styles of shoes they offer C. falling asleep during a boring meeting D. sending a letter to the editor of your local newspaper in response to an article the paper published

Q: Which of the following statements about the middle class in emerging economies is accurate? a. By 2030, two-thirds of the worlds middle class will reside in the United States. b. The middle class is the fastest growing segment of the global income distribution and is the main driver of demand in the global economy. c. Many countries such as China and India have become more suspicious of foreign investment and free trade. d. The manufacturing sector in the U.S. continues to thrive.

Q: When an individual attaches meaning to the message he/she receives, which of the following components of the communication process has occurred? A. encoding B. decoding C. channeling D. transmission

Q: The expression cultures are inherently logical most closely means that ________. a. knowing one's own cultural norms is all each person is responsible for b. nearly all serious rules and values originate in deep-seated beliefs c. physical appearances, such as clothing and hair, are not influenced by cultural norms d. it is illogical to think that you would have similarities to someone from a different culture

Q: The role of the receiver is to A. send messages B. attach meaning to words they hear C. encode messages D. act as a messenger

Q: ____________ refers to the words a person uses to communicate ideas. A. The message B. Nonverbal communication C. Physical noise D. The channel

Q: Which of the following is advised for citing numbers when writing to businesspeople in other cultures? a. Write all numbers in word form. b. Use figures to express the month of the year. c. Convert dollar figures into local currency. d. Minimize references to numbers to avoid confusion.

Q: Mental representations based on general characteristics and open to new definitions when describing cultures are called ________. a. stereotypes b. prejudices c. prototypes d. ethnocentrism

Q: Fatima asks "What time will the meeting start?" Fatima's words are an example of a A. channel. B. decoding. C. message. D. context.

Q: Which of the following statements about time orientation across cultures is most accurate? a. North Americans generally correlate time with productivity, efficiency, and money. b. South Americans generally see keeping people waiting as rude and unprofessional. c. Asians generally are punctual and rush decisions to be more productive. d. Most cultures generally perceive time as limited in the workplace and therefore are punctual.

Q: "Channels" of communication are defined as A. gestures. B. digitized messages. C. significant gaps in understanding. D. methods used to deliver a message.

Q: Which of the following represents the most effective phrasing to include in an e-mail message confirming a meeting with a visitor from another country? a. Are you still available for the meeting on 5/15? b. Please get back to me ASAP to confirm our meeting. c. Looping back around to make sure you're still coming May 15 at 3:30 our time. d. We look forward to meeting you at our office on May 15 at 3:30 Pacific Standard Time.

Q: The activity of selecting words and/or nonverbals to express your ideas is known as A. feedback. B. context. C. encoding. D. decoding.

Q: Brianna would like to become more culturally competent. Which of the following should she do? a. Begin to think of herself as a product of her culture. b. Adopt an attitude of ethnocentrism. c. Limit her environments to reinforce her understanding of her own culture. d. Work to understand others' cultures fully and ignore her own.

Q: In the Model of Communication, the "sender" refers to a person who is A. encoding ideas into words or nonverbals. B. interpreting words and gestures. C. buying a stamp for a letter. D. bilingual.

Q: Select the least accurate statement about culture. a. Culture is the basis for how we tell the world who we are and what we believe. b. Culture can be both visible and invisible. c. The rules in any culture are inherently logical. d. Because cultural norms are so deep-seated, they almost never change.

Q: Which of the following is NOT one of the elements of the communication process described in the text? A. noise B. topic C. channel D. feedback

Q: The term "highly clean" to describe a country refers to _______. a. its pollution standard index b. perceptions of corruption as seen by businesspeople, risk analysts, and the general public c. its aesthetic ranking in terms of beauty d. its law enforcement policies

Q: Which of the following describes most accurately the potential of effective communication? A. If you develop good communication skills, you can get what you want all the time. B. If you spend enough time communicating with someone about a misunderstanding, youll always be able to find a solution that you both like. C. If you improve your communication skills, you can increase your effectiveness in personal and business relationships. D. If two people understand each other's messages, they will never disagree.

Q: _______ refers to the use of concrete and specific feedback when referring to elements of other cultures. a. Labeling b. Complimenting c. Descriptiveness d. Supportiveness

Q: Georgia believes that she will get what she wants if she simply communicates in the "correct" way. Which of the principles of communication does Georgia fail to understand? A. One cannot not communicate. B. Communication is irreversible. C. Communication is unavoidable. D. Communication is not a panacea.

Q: Which of the following statements about intercultural ethics is most accurate? a. Very few companies that are active in global markets have codes of ethics. b. The United States is the least corruptible country worldwide. c. Many companies require their employees to take ethics training programs. d. Because we now live in a global economy, ethics is not an issue when doing business globally.

Q: Your text states that communication is a process. This means that A. to understand communication, we need to examine the context in which it occurs. B. effective communication is efficient. C. every message we send is an isolated event. D. communication is avoidable.

Q: Which of the following statements describes communication most accurately? A. When we experience a misunderstanding, better communication can always solve the problem. B. The meaning of every message we send is affected by the communication context. C. Fortunately, if we have hurt someone's feelings by our words, we can erase all bad feelings by apologizing. D. Honest people will not face ethical challenges as they communicate at work.

Q: Communicators in high-context cultures _______. a. are more likely to be intuitive and contemplative b. assume that listeners know very little and must be told practically everything c. tend to be logical, analytical, and action oriented d. pay attention to only the spoken or written words

Q: If you make a harsh and unkind comment to someone A. he/she will forgive and forget, as long as you apologize later. B. you can erase the unkind comment from their mind by giving the individual a compliment the next day. C. he/she is likely to remember the comment for a long time. D. your unkind comment will have little impact if it occurred during an argument, because unkind behavior is expected in that context.

Q: Which of the following U.S. laws prohibits payments to foreign officials for the purpose of obtaining or retaining business? a. Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 b. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 c. USA Patriot Act of 2001 d. Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996

Q: Communication is A. irreversible. B. reversible. C. avoidable. D. a panacea

Q: Dale recently completed diversity training. Which of the following was he most likely taught during the training? a. If you work hard enough at it, you can talk about cultures without using mental categories, representations, and generalizations to describe groups. b. Unfounded generalizations about people and cultures can lead to bias and prejudice. c. Today the word stereotype has a positive meaning. d. Because they are fixed and rigid, stereotypes are always entirely false.

Q: All of the following are true about strategic communication EXCEPT A. Our messages include both instrumental and relational aspects. B. It is unethical to use communication strategies to achieve our goals. C. It is possible to communicate strategically, while still respecting others' rights and needs. D. Identity management involves purposefully trying to make a certain type of impression through our communication.

Q: Which of the following statements about power distance is most accurate? a. The Power Distance Index measures how people in different societies relate to more powerful individuals. b. In Asian cultures people are more relaxed about social status and the appearance of power. c. Perceptions of power are individual and generally not culture driven. d. In high-power-distance cultures, subordinates see themselves as equal to their supervisors.

Q: The text identifies three goals of strategic messages. During office meetings, Sara expresses her respect for her boss by listening attentively, nodding, and taking notes. Through her actions, Sara is illustrating a __________ message. A. sequential message B. content message C. relational message D. structured message

Q: Remaining silent while a nonnative-speaking coworker struggles to express an idea in English is an example of showing _______. a. superiority b. ethnocentrism c. prejudice d. tolerance

Q: Which of the following is NOT identified in your text as a strategic goal? A. Relational communication B. Unintended communication C. Instrumental communication D. Identity management

Q: Social media are amplifiers, which means that they tend to ________. a. make extroverts more introverted b. make introverts more extroverted c. make extroverts more extroverted and introverts more introverted d. allow people to feel more socially accepted

Q: According to the text, which of the following statements is TRUE? A. You cannot not communicate. B. Most communicators at work send more messages than they receive. C. It is possible to take back a message after another person has received it. D. Chronological context has little to do with successful communication.

Q: A businessperson from the United States was introduced to the president of a company in another country, and the businessperson immediately began treating the president as their equal. The president might be particularly offended if they are from which country? a. Japan b. United States c. Canada d. Brazil

Q: When your text states that communication is unavoidable, it means that A. if you're absent from a meeting, you are not communicating at all. B. all communication is unintentional. C. people will probably attach meaning to your actions, even when you don't intend to communicate something. D. true communication occurs only when we are face to face with another person.

Q: Which of the following is the most accurate statement about social networking among cultures? a. Social networking tends to make introverts more extroverted. b. In real life and online, we instinctively tend to gravitate toward people who seem similar to us. c. The majority of networking experts agree that social media offer limited intercultural engagement. d. Online environments make social presence and interpersonal contact easier for all people.

Q: A degree in communication is good preparation for a career in all of the following fields EXCEPT: A. Publishing. B. Organizational affairs. C. Government affairs. D. Communication is good preparation for a career in all of these fields.

Q: Select the most accurate statement about culture. a. Cultural understanding comes only from examining and living within other cultures. b. Cultural attitudes are not learned until adulthood. c. Culture is not something we can be taught; it's something we possess at birth. d. Cultural rules of behavior learned from your family and society are conditioned from early childhood.

Q: Which of the following is NOT true about individuals communicating in today's organizations? A. Many recruiters believe that the main factors contributing to job success in corporate America are the ability to work with others and effective communication skills. B. More than 60% of reported medical errors have been attributed to poor communication. C. The average business executive spends more than 45 minutes to an hour communicating. D. Due to advanced technology, good communication skills are less important in the 21st century than in they were in the 20th century.

Q: Leonard will be traveling on business to a country where he knows bribes are a normal part of business. Which of the following is the best advice for Leonard? a. Because the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 applies only to U.S. companies, Leonard can legally pay bribes to international companies to obtain business. b. Leonard should offer nonmonetary benefits, such as additional customer service, in lieu of paying bribes. c. Paying bribes is just a normal cost of doing business, and Leonard will be able to include the bribes he pays on his expense report. d. So that Leonard's company can remain competitive globally, Leonard should pay any bribe requested.

Q: Which of the following is NOT an accurate statement? A. William Schaffer, International Business Development Manager for Sun Microsystems has stated, "If there's one skill that's required for success in this industry, it's communication skills." B. There is a significant difference between communication skills of physicians with and without malpractice claims. C. Workers in high-tech fields do not need good communication skills. D. Poor communication is one of the most common reasons for errors in shooting among officers of the Los Angeles Police Department.

Q: The belief that one's own race is superior is known as ________. a. prototyping b. stereotyping c. ethnocentrism d. prejudice

Q: By tradition, businesspeople in the United States typically place a high value on _______. a. group membership b. individual action and personal responsibility c. being able to avoid saying "no" d. relying on context and feelings when making decisions

Q: An oversimplified behavioral pattern applied uncritically to groups of people is called a(n) _______. a. stereotype. b. prejudice. c. prototype. d. ethnocentrism.

Q: What is the best advice for an American businessperson who is traveling to Sweden on business? a. Wait until you finish a complete explanation, no matter how long it is, before requesting feedback. b. Be wary of smiling because it can be misinterpreted in some cultures. c. Follow up oral negotiations and agreements in writing. d. If your Swedish colleague is having trouble finishing a sentence, show consideration by finishing it for him or her.

Q: The invisible barrier of attitudes and prejudices perceived to block women from reaching important corporate positions has been called the ________. a. gender gap b. glass ceiling c. diversity challenge d. power struggle

Q: Steven is an analytical, action-oriented person and places great value on business messages that are objective, professional, and efficient. He is most likely part of a(n) ____ culture. a. low-context b. spiral logic c. high-context d. intuitive

Q: Businesspeople from which country are most likely to speak using extravagant or poetic figures of speech? a. Canada b. United States c. Brazil d. Germany

Q: Many of the world's industrialized countries have formally agreed to a new global treaty that bans the practice of bribery of foreign government officials. What organization promoted this treaty? a. Central Intelligence Agency b. World Trade Organization c. Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development d. Ministry of Industry and Trade

Q: Which of the following statements about saving face is most accurate? a. Members of low-context cultures are indirect and go to great lengths to avoid giving offense by saying no. b. People in low-context cultures are extremely concerned with saving face. c. Face refers to the image a person holds in the social network. d. In business transactions around the world, economic factors are the primary motivators of people.

Q: Communicators in low-context cultures _______. a. often imply conclusions rather than directly stating them b. tend to be logical, analytical, and action oriented c. tend to be intuitive and contemplative d. emphasize interpersonal relationships, nonverbal expression, physical setting, and social setting

Q: Jackson will be attending a professional conference in Vietnam. What should he do to try to enhance oral communication with his colleagues? a. Assume that his colleagues will speak English well because it is so widely used around the world. b. Learn how to speak Vietnamese fluently. c. Assume that a yes, a nod, or a smile indicates comprehension. d. Listen without interrupting.

Q: Emma runs a small business and wants to improve communication among her increasingly diverse staff. Which of the following should she do? a. Consider having employees take part in diversity awareness training. b. Encourage employees to think alike so that conflicts can be avoided. c. Expect conformity from her employees. d. Assume that her employees will adapt to her primary culture.

Q: Favorable trade agreements ________. a. are causing markets to shrink b. do not apply to third-world countries c. are a passing trend d. significantly open global markets to imports and exports

Q: Which of the following statements about gender differences in communication is accurate? a. Women tend to have more attentive eye contact than men. b. Women tend to make more expansive gestures than men. c. Women tend to focus more on the big picture rather than details. d. Women tend to make more "I" statements, whereas men make more "we" statements.

Q: Describe three forms of nonverbal communication and give a workplace example of each.

Q: List three types of workplace listening, and provide three tips for effectiveness in each category.

Q: Face-to-face and virtual meetings are both prevalent in today's workplaces. Compare and contrast strategies for facilitating and/or participating in each type of meeting, citing at least three similarities and three differences and their importance.

Q: Identify five characteristics of successful teams and explain the importance of each.

Q: Define the term etiquette. Then identify and explain five ways that you can exhibit etiquette in the workplace.

Q: Fill in the blank in the following sentence: ____________________ involves a desire to show others consideration and respect and to make them comfortable.

Q: Fill in the blank in the following sentence: A face-to-face meeting provides the greatest number of __________________ cues and other signals that help us interpret the intended meaning of words.

Q: Fill in the blank in the following sentence: ____________________ skills include competencies such as listening proficiency, nonverbal behavior, and etiquette expertise.

Q: Fill in the blank in the following sentence: A written message that is presented sloppily (containing poor quality printing or misalignment, for example) conveys negative ________________ messages about its content and its sender.

Q: Fill in the blank in the following sentence: ____________________ meetings are real-time gatherings of dispersed participants who connect with communication technology.

Q: Fill in the blank in the following sentence: Use ____________________ time, the extra time you have between the speaker's ideas, to review what the speaker is saying.

Q: Fill in the blank in the following sentence: ____________ listening enables you to judge and evaluate what you are hearing. You will be listening to decide whether the speakers message is fact, fiction, or opinion. You will also be listening to decide whether an argument is based on logic or emotion.

Q: Fill in the blank in the following sentence: Meetings are a gathering of employees to pool information, solicit feedback, clarify policy, seek consensus, and _________________ (two words).

Q: Fill in the blank in the following sentence: __________________ overload, or constant team interaction, sometimes results in workload inflation and dips in workplace performance.