Business Communications Final

Mahmoud sent a thank-you e-mail message to his interviewer immediately after his interview. It's been more than five days now, and Mahmoud has still not heard from the employer. What action should Mahmoud take now?

call or send an e-mail message to check the status of the position.

Deadlines and action information should be placed in the _______ of a routine request message.

closing

Which of the following is advised for citing numbers when writing to businesspeople in other cultures?

convert dollar figures into local currency.

You should explain the reasons for a negative message except in job refusals and ________.

credit denials

A local coffee shop offers a contest for fans to create its new iced coffee concoction by submitting recipes to a website. The creators of the top three recipes are then invited into the store to make taste-size samples for customers, who will determine the winner by voting. This is an example of _________.

crowdstorming

The most prevalent communication channel in the workplace today is

e-mail.

By tradition, businesspeople in the United States typically place a high value on

individual action and personal responsibility

The primary purpose of messages that explain procedures, announce meetings, answer questions, and transmit findings to _______.

inform

Which of the following statements about the digital era is most accurate?

internet users have the power to create Web content

Avoiding clichés and slang is important to ________.

keep your writing fresh

"Around-the-clock availability"

means that you may be expected to work long hours without extra compensation and be available practically anytime and anywhere, should a crisis strike at work.

Short (eight or fewer pages) informal reports addressed to an internal audience are usually presented in _________.

memo format

The key ingredient of a press release is ________.

news

The sentence There are five new items that we will add to our menu next week could be made more concise by eliminating a(n) _________.

opening filler

Today, ________ of hiring managers use social media as part of their screening processes.

over 90 percent

When a speaker's nonverbal cues contradict the verbal message, responding with statements like "I'm not sure I understand" or "Please tell me more about ..." are ways to

probe for more information

When writing a letter to a customer denying credit, you should have four goals. Which of the following is not one of these goals?

promising the customer that credit will be granted in the future

Glassdoor is a helpful tool when researching companies in preparation for interviews because it ________.

provides salary information about different positions within a company, showcases employees' own reviews of what it's like to work for a company, and includes sample interview questions posted by candidates who have been interviewed at a company

The purpose of a buffer statement in a negative message is to _______.

reduce the reader's shock or pain related to the bad news.

Basic fundamentals, exactly identical, and repeat again are all examples of ______.

redundancies

When it arrived, I cashed your check immediately is an example of _________.

saying the obvious

Frederick manages the Human Resources Department for his company. The due dates for payroll will be changing slightly, and he needs to communicate this information to all company managers. Allan should

send an e-mail or text message to inform the management staff.

Chuck is part of a team identifying ideas to cut expenses. The team has decided to hold a brainstorming session. Which of the following strategies would likely produce the best results?

set an established time limit

Shannon was angry about something that happened at work and called her boss a "fraudster" and a "criminal" on her personal Facebook page. What has Shannon done that might lead to legal difficulties?

she has used abusive language

Writing for social media ________.

shines a close light on your writing skills and can affect your career

Favorable trade agreements ________.

significantly open global markets to imports and exports

Etiquette expertise, effective nonverbal messages, and oral communication skills are all examples of _________.

soft skills

Which of the following is the best advice for a cover message that accompanies a résumé sent via e-mail?

take the time to prepare a professional cover message to accompany your resume sent electronically.

Kendra is part of a team that will be preparing a presentation to the board of directors about a new product idea. What will her team likely do the first time they meet?

brainstorm for ideas

the term used to describe the overall impression you continue to build throughout your career is your "professional ________."

brand

Which of the following is an advantage of written communication?

Creates a permanent record

Study the following sentence: Social media have created an enormous paradigm shift in what types of stories are considered "breaking news." This sentence would be improved by eliminating a(n) ________.

buzzword

Select the statement that best describes the career objective portion of a résumé.

A career objective should be customized for the job opening.

Rodney wants to motivate his sales force to increase sales in the upcoming quarter. Which channel should he choose to be the most persuasive?

A face-to-face group meeting

Which of the following statements about paragraphs is most accurate?

A paragraph is a group of sentences about one idea.

Alex is working on a report and has reached Phase 2 of the 3-x-3 writing process. What question should he ask while collecting information during this second phase?

Alex should ask all of these questions

Which of the following statements about ending a meeting is most accurate?

All participants should leave the meeting with a full understanding of what has been accomplished.

Which of the following statements about complaint messages is most accurate?

An effective complaint message makes a reasonable and valid request and presents a logical case with clear facts.

Select the sentence with an active-voice verb.

Many companies now offer wellness programs.

Which statement in a cover message is most skillful in referring the reader to the resume?

As you will notice from my enclosed résumé, I have over five years of customer service experience.

Which of the following is an effective way to improve your nonverbal communication skills?

Ask friends and family members to give you feedback on your nonverbal behavior.

Which of the following subject lines is most effective?

Attend our Sales Meeting on January 30

If an interviewer says Tell me about yourself, what is the best way to respond?

Briefly discuss educational, professional, or business-related strengths.

What do most companies do first to control damage when a problem arises?

Call or e-mail the individual involved.

Which of the following situations would require indirect organization of a claim or complaint letter?

Chelsea's transmission failed two months after her car warranty expired.

Benjamin will be giving a presentation in class about the history of Google. What organizational pattern will he most likely use?

Chronology

What is the best advice for closing a bad-news letter?

Close with a forward looking statement that assumes future business.

Which of the following describes communication in today's digital age?

Communicators are increasingly switching to mobile devices, messages are shorter and more frequent, and message response time is much speedier.

Which of the following is the best advice during Phase 1 of the writing process when delivering negative news?

Delivering negative news in a letter on company stationery will be more impressive than in an e-mail.

Alex is having trouble connecting on a report he is reading because his smartphone keeps ringing and his colleagues keep sending him text messages. What kind of communication barrier is this?

Digital Interruptions

Which of the following is an effective question to use in a survey?

Do teachers deserve a 7 percent pay increase?

Shondra has been asked by her supervisor to write a guide for effective e-mailing for new employees. Which of the following is she likely to include?

Don't put anything in an e-mail message that you wouldn't post on your office door.

Which of the following statements about screening interviews is most accurate?

Employers use screening interviews to determine whether a job applicant should move on to the next step in the interview process.

Dennis wants to use social media in his job search for a professional position. What will likely be his best tool?

LinkedIn.com

Mina wants to use the communication medium with the highest social presence. Which of the following should she choose?

Live Chat

How do organizations use podcasts?

Major news organizations and media outlets podcast radio and TV shows, Colleges and universities use podcasts to allow students to access instructors' lectures, interviews, sporting events, and other content, and Businesses use podcasts to send audio and video messages to customers and to provide training to employees.

Alonzo has just been assigned to create a blog to use for market research and viral marketing. What advice would you give him?

Scrutinize the blogosphere for buzz and for positive or negative postings about his organization and its products.

What is the most effective way to handle an illegal or inappropriate question during an interview?

If you find the question harmless and if you want the job, go ahead and answer it.

What is the most accurate statement about sending goodwill messages via e-mail?

If you frequently communicate with the receiver by e-mail and if you are sure your note will not get lost, then sending an e-mail goodwill message is acceptable.

Which of the following sentences does not contain any buried verbs?

In some parts of the world, business is not conducted over meals.

To make your business messages more readable, you can do which of the following?

Incorporate numbered and bulleted lists.

When faced with an ethical dilemma, what is the first question you should ask?

Is the action I am considering legal?

During the job interview, you are asked What is your greatest weakness? What is the best way for you to respond?

Mention a previous weakness and demonstrate how you have corrected it or learned from it.

In persuading the owner of your company to allow you to telecommute, which of the following illustrates an indirect benefit to the reader?

My working from home will reduce carbon emissions and help to protect the environment.

To ensure that your résumé retains its formatting and cannot be altered by a reader, you should send it as a(n) ________.

PDF file

What is the most accurate statement about apologizing in an adjustment message?

People like to hear apologies. It raises their self-esteem, shows the humility of the writer, and acts as a form of "psychological compensation."

Which of the following is true about persuasion in the digital age?

Persuaders play on emotions by using flattery, empathy, nonverbal cues, and likability appeals.

Hannah posts her resume on the websites of several companies. Unfortunately, it is poorly formatted and contains several spelling and grammar errors. What kind of communication barrier may this cause?

Physical distraction

Which of the following is the best closing for a straightforward claim letter?

Please credit $36 to my account by December 31, when my next billing cycle begins.

Which of the following is the best opening for a straightforward claim letter?

Please credit my Visa account for $36, the amount I was overcharged on November 8.

You want your writing to sound positive and courteous. Which of the following sentences has the best choice of wording?

Please give us your feedback about your online ordering experience.

Positive nonverbal messages include all but which of the following?

Responding rapidly even though the message may have a few errors

Thomas will be telling staff in his department about new equipment that will be installed soon. He expects his audience to be neutral about this information because the new equipment won't have a large effect on employees' day-to-day activities. What should Thomas do when delivering his presentation?

Save time at the end for audience questions.

Morgan has just been appointed to a task force and wants to be a positive member. Which of the following is the best advice you can give her?

Share her ideas with other team members, even if they might not be adopted

Which of the following statements about workplace diversity is the most accurate?

Teams with diverse membership are more likely to create the products that consumers demand.

The interviewer asks you to describe a time when you worked successfully as a member of a team. Which of the following is the best way to respond?

Tell a success story about a group project, describing your contributions and the results.

An example of a country that has a low-context culture is

The United States

Which of the following is not a form of nonverbal communication?

The adjectives used in a sales letter

Which of the following sentences best motivates action in a persuasive message?

The ethics training we provide will help your employees effectively resolve workplace-related ethical dilemmas. Please call me by August 1 so that your training sessions can begin by August 15.

Many individuals and companies are willing to grant requests for time, money, information, cooperation, and special privileges for which of the following reasons?

They see goodwill potential for themselves, they feel obligated to "give back," and they see how others will benefit.

For what purpose should the passive voice be used?

To de-emphasize bad news

Which of the following is an effective statement of purpose for an informational report?

To inform the reader of the many different features offered on the Apple iPad.

When preparing your customized résumé, ________.

begin with your name, address, telephone number, and e-mail address

Which of the following is the first step in solving business problems competently?

Understanding the problem clearly

Which of the following would be an effective persuasive technique for a manager attempting to persuade her employees to take part in a wellness program?

Using warm words and a conversational tone

You are preparing an outline for your report on Web security in the workplace. Which of the following should be a major category for this outline?

Web Security Threats

Which of the following statements about anticipating and profiling your audience is most accurate?

You will adjust your tone, style, and content to accommodate the expectations and needs of your audience.

In office conversations, which of the following topics is wise to avoid?

Your personal relationships

Paige is writing a purpose statement for a report she will submit to her supervisor. To express clearly what she intends to do in the report, she should use ________.

action verbs

Will has decided to write a letter to a local law firm to ask about summer internship opportunities. What should he do first?

analyze the purpose of the letter and the reader

Communicators in low-context cultures

tend to be logical, analytical, and action oriented.

Media richness most directly refers to ________.

the amount of helpful cues and immediate feedback a medium provides

The most important part of a bad-news letter is ________.

the section that explains the reasons for the bad news

Which of the following is a purpose of a customized cover message?

to introduce your resume

Bruce wants to be sure to keep his audience engaged while delivering his PowerPoint presentation. What should he do?

use a remote clicker so that he can move freely.

Visual aids for intercultural presentations should ________.

use more text on powerpoint slides than for a presentation for native speakers, be written in both english and the language of the audience, and not include numbers without projecting or writing them out for the audience to see.

As her supervisor explains a new procedure, Lisa paraphrases the steps back to him over the phone. Lisa's response is an example of ________.

verbal feedback

________ résumés are becoming more prevalent with the popularity of YouTube, inexpensive webcams, and widespread broadband.

video

Popular, simple-to-use wiki hosting services are called ________.

wiki farms

One effective way to overcome writer's block is to _________.

work in a quiet environment in which you can concentrate