Business Communication

Q: If you translate a message from English into another language, it is a good idea to A) translate it word for word. B) have it back-translated. C) use several translators. D) do all of the above.

Q: When speaking with someone from another culture, avoid A) talking down to the other person. B) using any foreign phrases. C) paying any attention to the person's body language. D) doing all of the above.

Q: During conversations with non-native English speakers, you should A) immediately rephrase statements they don't seem to understand. B) avoid paying too much attention to nonverbal feedback. C) avoid including any words or phrases from their native language. D) do none of the above.

Q: When speaking in English to people who use English as a second language, the best approach is to A) forget about feedback; just make sure you get your message across. B) repeat your sentences often, a little louder each time. C) speak slowly and clearly. D) use plenty of adjectives such as fantastic and fabulous.

Q: To English-speaking U.S. listeners, Arabic speech may sound A) excited or angry. B) disinterested. C) timid. D) all of the above.

Q: Which of the following sentences contains an idiomatic expression? A) Our monthly sales quota is unrealistic. B) We don't expect to meet our monthly sales quota. C) Making our monthly sales quota will be a piece of cake. D) The sales quota is very reasonable.

Q: When writing to audiences whose first language is not English, using humor is generally A) a bad idea, since jokes usually depend on culture-specific information. B) an excellent way to establish a positive relationship. C) acceptable, but only in high-context cultures. D) acceptable, but only in low-context cultures.

Q: When preparing a message to someone from another culture, you should A) never write more than a single paragraph. B) assume that the audience is familiar with common U.S. phrases and references. C) be sure to remove all graphics, in case they might offend someone. D) be careful to express numbers and dates in the format used in that person's culture.

Q: When writing letters to businesspeople in other countries, you should A) use an informal, friendly tone. B) keep your sentences and paragraphs long. C) be vague and general in your wording. D) make generous use of transitional words and phrases.

Q: When writing for multicultural audiences, it's important to A) be brief. B) be direct and assertive. C) address international correspondence exactly as you would in the U.S. D) explain that you aren't sure about what they expect.

Q: In general, business correspondence in other countries is often ________ the style used by U.S. businesspeople. A) less formal than B) more formal than C) more humorous than D) none of the above

Q: Letters from Japanese businesspeople tend to be ________ than those written in the United States. A) more direct B) less direct C) less interesting D) shorter

Q: If you will be living in another country where English is not the official language but you will be doing business in English, you A) will not need to learn that country's language. B) should learn only those words that are absolutely necessary for getting around. C) can show respect by making an effort to learn the language. D) should only deal with natives who can speak English.

Q: Learning about an unfamiliar culture A) can be accomplished only by living among its people. B) is generally a waste of timeno one in business expects you to do so. C) is a worthy undertakingeven if you learn only a small amount. D) requires at least one year of study before it is meaningful.

Q: When adapting to other cultures, the "Golden Rule" is A) a helpful principle to follow. B) less effective than treating others the way they want to be treated. C) helpful, but only in Asian countries. D) none of the above.

Q: Associating youth with strength and age with declining powers is A) a universal trait that characterizes all cultures. B) common in European cultures, but not in the U.S. C) common in the U.S., but not in many Asian societies. D) an outdated practice.

Q: When it comes to the future, A) people of all cultures view planning as a valuable task. B) individual views may differ, but culture generally does not determine one's view of the future. C) some societies view planning as a waste of time. D) none of the above.

Q: Meeting a deadline is generally less important than building a relationship for businesspeople in A) technical career fields. B) low-context cultures. C) high-context cultures. D) high-paying positions.

Q: Asking a colleague "How was your weekend?" is A) an effective greeting in any culture. B) accepted in the U.S., but considered intrusive in some cultures. C) never acceptable in a business environment. D) grounds for a lawsuit.

Q: Women executives who travel abroad A) can count on being treated with respect, regardless of the countries they visit. B) should always assume that they will not be taken seriously as businesspeople. C) may not be taken seriously as businesspeople, depending on the culture. D) should insist on meeting only with other female executives.

Q: People in the United States generally A) view hard-earned material comfort as a worthy goal. B) believe that people who work hard are no better than those who don't work hard. C) condemn materialism and prize a carefree lifestyle. D) spend far less time on the job than German workers.

Q: Compared to low-context cultures, high-context cultures tend to take a(n) ________ approach regarding the meaning of business contracts. A) equally flexible B) more literal C) more flexible D) none of the above

Q: When it comes to decision-making customs, North American executives A) tend to focus on the results of the decisions they face. B) prefer to make their deals slowly, after much discussion. C) spend a lot of time on each little point to display their good faith. D) arrive at decisions through consensus, after an elaborate and time-consuming process.

Q: To convey meaning in a low-context culture such as the one existing in Germany, people rely more on A) gestures and vocal inflection. B) indirectness and metaphors. C) situational cues. D) explicit verbal communication.

Q: In high-context cultures, A) people rely more on nonverbal circumstances and cues to convey meaning. B) people rely less on the environmental setting to convey meaning. C) the rules of everyday life are highly explicit. D) all of the above occur.

Q: List and briefly explain the three roles nonverbal communication plays in communication.

Q: Differentiate among the three primary types of listening.

Q: Briefly describe at least three meeting technologies that make it easy for virtual teams to interact.

Q: Once you have decided that a meeting is necessary, what four strategies can help you plan it effectively?

Q: Describe at least three common types of teams companies often create.

Q: While having lunch with a client, what should you do with the business papers you brought to discuss? Why?

Q: During a meeting with coworkers, your mobile phone rings. Should you answer it? Why or why not?

Q: If you are new to a company, what is the best way to decide what type of dress is appropriate in that organization?

Q: List at least three general categories of nonverbal communication.

Q: List at least three strategies to keep your mind from wandering while listening to a speaker.

Q: List at least three benefits of effective listening in business.

Q: As the leader of a new task force, you notice that one of your team members remains silent during meetings. What should you do?

Q: What are three potential disadvantages of working in teams?

Q: Briefly explain why the ability to work effectively in teams is so important in business.

Q: Describe the primary difference between a committee and a task force.

Q: Online ________ refers to such practices as using virus protection, avoiding personal attacks, and avoiding multitasking while using IM.

Q: A firm ________ can help make a positive first impression in business contexts, while a "dead fish" version does just the opposite.

Q: When it comes to nonverbal communication, your ________ are especially effective for indicating attention and interest, regulating interaction, and establishing dominance.

Q: The goal of ________ listening is to evaluate the logic, conclusions, and other aspects of the message.

Q: ________ technologies enable realistic virtual meetings in which participants thousands of miles apart seem to be in the same room.

Q: ________ procedure is a time-tested method for planning and running effective meetings.

Q: When planning a meeting, the group leader prepares a(n) ________ of items to discuss, topics to present, or decisions to make.

Q: Teams need to learn how to handle ________ : clashes over differences in ideas, opinions, goals, or procedures.

Q: In the ________ phase of team evolution, team members reach a decision and find a solution that is acceptable enough for all members to support (even if they have reservations).

Q: Group ________ are informal standards of conduct that members share and that guide member behavior.

Q: Group ________ are the interactions and processes that take place in a meeting.

Q: Some group members have ________ ________ made up of private motives that affect the group's interaction.

Q: Group loyalty can lead members into ________, a willingness to set aside personal opinions and go along with everyone else, even if everyone else is wrong.

Q: ________ management is a way of involving employees in the company's decision making.

Q: ________ refers to working together to meet complex challenges.

Q: When conducting business over a meal, you should wait to bring out business papers until after the entre plates have been removed.

Q: These days, no one is bothered when employees use mobile phones in meetings.

Q: When it comes to personal appearance in the workplace, it's best to match your style to the expectations of your organization.

Q: The use of time and space can send powerful nonverbal signals.

Q: Unlike with verbal language, the meanings of nonverbal signals are consistent across cultures.

Q: Nonverbal communication includes facial expressions and hand gestures, but not the clothes people wear, the way they sit, or the way they walk.

Q: Most audiences are unable to process information as quickly as a speaker talks, so they get behind in comprehending what the speaker is saying.

Q: Selective listening is an important skill for professionals, since it helps them filter out information that is not relevant to their jobs.

Q: Most people need to improve their listening skills.

Q: The primary goal of empathic listening is to solve the speaker's problem.

Q: Good listeners specialize in one of the three types of listening and apply it to nearly all situations.

Q: The goal of content listening is to evaluate the logic, validity, and implications of a message.

Q: Now that technology is so vital in the workplace, few executives view listening as an important skill.

Q: Although virtual meetings have become popular, evidence suggests that companies do not save much money by utilizing them.

Q: The main role of the meeting leader is to be passive and let others speak without interference.

Q: If you are trying to solve a problem or make a decision, the more people in your meeting the better.

Q: Unproductive meetings are rare in today's business environment.

Q: Cloud computing offers little that can affect how teams conduct virtual meetings.

Q: A wiki is a website that allows anyone with access to add new material and edit existing material in collaborative documents.

Q: With collaborative writing, the usual outcome is a document that is inferior to one that would have been produced by a single individual.

Q: To resolve conflicts successfully, it is helpful to get opponents to fight together against an "outside force" (such as increased competition) instead of against each other.

Q: Dealing directly with resistance to change is never good for team maintenance.

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