ISOM 249 Ch 1
Teleworkers, employees who remain outside of the office most of the time, now represent ________ percent of the workforce.
30%
is an obstacle in the downward flow of information.
A long line of communication
Which of the following statements about meeting agendas is most accurate?
An agenda should include any premeeting preparation expected of participants.
is an obstacle in the upward flow of information.
Distrust of managment
skills include competencies such as listening proficiency, nonverbal behavior, and etiquette expertise.
Soft
Businesses form teams because teams make better decisions, respond faster, and
demonstrate increased productivity.
Which of the following documents would most likely use an introduction/problem, facts/findings, conclusions, and recommendations organization?
Analytical report
As part of a plan to emphasize a dynamic corporate culture at the Gagnier and Morris advertising company, Kiran has done away with traditional cubicles and replaced them with open-area "hot desks."
"Anytime, anywhere" and nonterritorial offices
What is one way to improve the downward flow of information?
Create smaller operating units and work teams.
Paul works from home analyzing statistical data for Azod Software Company. One week each month, he works from the road as he travels with his wife, who is a motivational speaker.
"Anytime, anywhere" and nonterritorial offices
Which of the following is an example of downward communication?
A supervisor sends a memo to all division employees detailing the newest procedure for submitting expense account reports
An example of a country with a high-context culture is
Japan
rooms are typically are equipped with three huge curved screens, custom lighting, and advanced acoustics for high-end videoconferencing.
telepresence
Managers can use the grapevine productively by doing all but which of the following:
Sharing only good news to keep employee morale high
Communicators in low-context cultures
tend to be logical, analytical, and action oriented.
Which of the following statements about power distance is most accurate?
The Power Distance Index measures how people in different societies relate to more powerful individuals.
When writing a newsletter, an advantage is
that it is easy to distribute
An example of a country that has a low-context culture is
the United States
Today's workplace trends include diverse workforces, emphasis on teamwork and collaboration, flattened management hierarchies, and
increased global competition
Persons from many cultures are moving to countries promising to fulfill their dreams. For generations the two most popular destinations have been
the United States and Canada.
is an obstacle in the horizontal flow of information.
A person's ego
What are some of the characteristics and skills most employers look for in recruits?
Ability to research problems Eagerness to learn new things Ability to put plans into action Receptiveness to feedback Ability to analyze research to find a solution Creative thinking Willingness to listen to other opinions Eagerness to learn about new technologies
Which of the following is a sentence fragment?
Although we expect sales to increase next quarter.
A digital message
All of the above are true.
What has led to the increase in the number of companies that operate globally?
All of these (the rise of new communication technologies and advanced forms of transportation, the removal of trade barriers, and saturated local markets)
Which of the following takes place during the first phase of the 3-x-3 writing process?
Analyzing the audience and your purpose for writing.
You have been presented with an ethically ambiguous situation and are considering a solution that you know to be legal. You've already determined that if you were on the opposite side, you would take the same action. Which of the following questions should you ask next?
Are there alternate solutions that are more ethically sound?
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.
Describe three collaboration tools that can be used for virtual meeting facilitation when distance or other factors prevent face-to-face gatherings.
Audioconferencing (or teleconferencing): Audioconferencing involves one or two people who confer with others by telephone. Videoconferencing: Videoconferencing combines video, audio, and communications networking technologies for real-time interaction. Generally, participants meet in special conference rooms equipped with cameras and television screens for transmitting images and documents. Web conferencing: With Web conferencing, attendees use their computers to access an online virtual meeting room where they can present PowerPoint slides or share spreadsheets or Word documents, just as they might do in a face-to-face meeting.
Select the least accurate statement about culture.
Because cultural norms are so deep-seated, they almost never change.
Which of the following statements about business writing is most accurate?
Business writers should have a definite purpose to fulfill in each message.
Which of the following statements about formal and informal communication channels is most accurate?
Companies should monitor social media sites to see what customers and others are saying about the company.
Which of the following occurs during the second phase of the 3-x-3 writing process?
Conducting research to gather the data you need to provide facts
Which of the following statements about conflict is most accurate?
Conflict is a normal part of every workplace and every team.
refers to the stimuli, environment, or ambiance surrounding an event. It is probably the most important cultural dimension and is also the most difficult to define.
Context
Ethics, or the conventional standards of right and wrong that prescribe what people should do, usually consist of all but which of the following?
Convenience
You are in the company cafeteria, and your coworkers begin discussing an interaction between your boss and another colleague. You witnessed the actual encounter, so you know that your coworkers are wrong and that the situation is being discussed in a way that may be hurtful to both your boss and the colleague. How should you respond?
Correct your coworkers' misconceptions.
may be defined as the complex system of values, traits, morals, and customs shared by a society.
Culture
Culture is a powerful operating force that conditions the way we think and behave. To be successful in the global economy, it's important to understand the basic characteristics of culture so that we can make adjustments and adopt new attitudes. List and describe three basic characteristics of culture.
Culture is learned: Rules, values, and attitudes of culture are not inherent. They are learned and passed down from generation to generation. Cultures are inherently logical: The rules in any culture originated to reinforce that culture's values and beliefs. They act as normative forces. Although some cultural behavior may sometimes seem silly and illogical, nearly all serious rules and values originate in deep-seated beliefs. Culture is the basis of self-identity and community: Culture is the basis for how we tell the world who we are and what we believe. People build their identities through cultural overlays to their primary culture. Culture combines the visible and the invisible: To outsiders, the way we act⎯those things that we do in daily life and work⎯are the most visible parts of our culture. These practices are often outward symbols of deeper values that are invisible but that pervade everything we think and do. Culture is dynamic: Over time, cultures will change. Changes are caused by advancements in technology and communication and by events such as migration, national disasters, and war. Attitudes, behaviors, and beliefs change in open societies more quickly than in closed societies.
You hear that there is a rumor accusing you of causing a coworker's dismissal. How should you respond?
Determine the source of the rumor, and politely correct the misinformation.
Explain the advantages and challenges of workplace diversity, including the specific ways that consumers, work teams, and business organizations benefit from more diverse workplaces.
Diversity can be a positive force within organizations, but it can also cause divisiveness, discontent, and clashes. Many identity groups, such as women and older workers, have legitimate gripes. However, the following identify groups benefit significantly from diversity in the following ways. Consumers: A diverse staff is better able to read trends and respond to the increasingly diverse customer base in local and world markets. Diverse consumers now want goods and services tailored to their needs. Teams made up of people with different experiences are better equipped to create products that these markets require. Consumers also want to deal with companies that respect their values and reflect themselves. Work Teams: Team members with different backgrounds may come up with more innovative and effective solutions than homogeneous teams. Business Organizations: Companies that set aside time and resources to cultivate and capitalize on diversity suffer fewer discrimination lawsuits, fewer union clashes, and less government regulatory action. Most important, though, is the growing realization among organizations that diversity is a critical bottom-line business strategy to improve employee relationships and increase productivity.
You receive a company-wide e-mail from the CEO announcing the acquisition of a new company.
Downward flow
Which of the following statements about manners and business etiquette is most accurate?
Employers are more likely to hire and promote someone who is courteous and professional.
What is one way to improve the upward flow of information?
Encourage managers to have regular meetings with staff.
Katherine looks over her notes about conversational customs in Europe. Then she carefully plans what time she'll place a business call to Zurich.
Globalization of business
Seasonal fruits and vegetables are shipped in from Chile and sold in the United States along with domestically grown produce.
Globalization of business
refers to the conventional standards of right and wrong that prescribe what people should do.
Ethics
Discuss the importance of workplace ethics, including examples of (a) guidelines for ethical behavior and (b) questions to ask yourself when faced with ethical dilemmas.
Ethics are right and wrong that help you decide what you should or should not do. Ethics help guide us in everyday decisions and keep us honest. Guidelines for ethical behavior would be abiding by the law, telling the truth, labeling opinions, being objective, clearly communicating, using clear language, and giving credit. Questions to ask yourself when faced with ethical dilemmas would be: Is the action legal? Would I do this is I was on the opposite side? Can I find a better alternative? Would a trusted advisor agree? Would family, friends, employer, or coworker approve?
You call your team's IT representative on the telephone to let him know about an issue you are having with your server.
Horizontal flow
Which communication channel represents the richest communication medium and also produces the highest degree of probable communication effectiveness?
Face-to-face conversation
Line workers at a Virginia steel mill developed a new process that made the line safer. It went through only one level of management before it was approved by the vice president of operations.
Flattened management hierarchies
Your company is restructuring, and two layers of management have been eliminated. You now report directly to the national sales manager instead of a regional sales manager.
Flattened management hierarchies
Melanie is working on a report and has reached Phase 2 of the 3-x-3 writing process. What should she do first in this second phase?
Gather any necessary information.
describes faulty decision-making processes by team members who are overly eager to agree with one another.
Groupthink
skills, such as the ability to use Microsoft Word or to prepare an income statement, refer to the technical skills in your field.
Hard
Which of the following statements about writing skills is most accurate?
Having good writing skills can improve your chances for promotion and can result in higher earnings.
When presented with ethically ambiguous situations, which of the following questions can help you make good decisions?
How would you see the problem if you were on the opposite side? Is the action you are considering legal?
Employees who report unethical behavior in their own workplace (whistleblowers) are protected by law. However, many are reluctant to draw negative attention to their companies because of loyalty to the company or fear of reprisals. Chances are good you will encounter questionable behavior at your workplace at some point during your career. How you respond will be a measure of your ability to analyze issues and choose the responsible option. How can you blow the whistle legally and ethically?
If you can't find any satisfactory solutions to the problem, change jobs. Try to correct the problem from within the company. Make sure you have your facts straight.
Which of the following is the most accurate statement about social networking among cultures?
In real life and online, we instinctively tend to gravitate toward people who seem similar to us.
language does not discriminate against individuals or groups on the basis of their sex, ethnicity, disability, race, sexual orientation, or age.
Inclusive
Ways to improve upward communication flow include all but which of the following:
Increased numbers of managers
Julia, an HR manager at a telecommunications company, is in charge of designing and presenting a diversity seminar that meets the needs of its North American workforce. This group includes men and women right out of college, close to retirement, and from other countries.
Increasingly diverse workforce
Thomas is learning Spanish so that he can more easily communicate with his teammate based in Mexico City.
Increasingly diverse workforce
Compare and contrast low-context and high-context cultures in three of the following areas: individualism and collectivism, time orientation, power distance, and communication style.
Individualism and collectivism: Members of low-context cultures tend to value individualism. They believe that initiative and self-assertion result in personal achievement. They believe in individual action and personal responsibility, and they desire a large degree of freedom in their personal lives. Members of high-context cultures are more collectivist. They emphasize membership in organizations, groups, and teams; they encourage acceptance of group values, duties, and decisions. They typically resist independence because it fosters competition and confrontation instead of consensus. In group-oriented cultures, self-assertion and individual decision making are discouraged. Business decisions are often made by all who have competence in the matter under discussion. Time orientation: Members of low-context cultures consider time a precious commodity to be conserved. They correlate time with productivity, efficiency, and money. Keeping people waiting for business appointments is considered a waste of time and also rude. Members of high-context cultures may perceive time as an unlimited and never-ending resource to be enjoyed. They often need time for deliberation and contemplation, which can clash with a low-context communicator's desire for speedy decisions. Power Distance: In low power distance cultures (low-context cultures), subordinates consider themselves as equals of their supervisors. They confidently voice opinions and participate in decision making. Relationships between high-powered individuals and people with little power tend to be more democratic, egalitarian, and informal. In high power distance countries (high-context cultures), subordinates expect formal hierarchies and embrace relatively authoritarian, paternalistic power relationships. Communication style: People in low-context cultures believe that words are very important, especially in contracts and negotiations. They tend to take words literally. They also value straightforwardness, are suspicious of evasiveness, and distrust people who might have a "hidden agenda" or who "play their cards too close to the chest." They also tend to be uncomfortable with silence and impatient with delays. People in high-context cultures place more emphasis on the surrounding context than on the words describing a negotiation. They tend to play on words and may speak with extravagant or poetic figures of speech that may be misinterpreted if taken literally.
To boost company recognition and engage customers, the president of an entertainment company posts regular Twitter updates.
Innovative communication technologies
Wordsmith, a small newsletter-writing company, has just installed a new server that will host newsletters online as podcasts. The CEO, Margaret, is excited about broadening Wordsmith's client outreach.
Innovative communication technologies
When faced with an ethical dilemma, what is the first question you should ask?
Is the action I am considering legal?
List three types of workplace listening, and provide three tips for effectiveness in each category.
Listening to supervisors: To focus totally on the speaker, be sure you are not distracted by noisy surroundings or other tasks. Don't take phone calls, and don't try to complete another job while listening with one ear. Show your interest by leaning forward and striving for good eye contact. Take notes. Don't rely on your memory. Don't interrupt. When the speaker finishes, paraphrase the instructions in your own words. Ask pertinent questions in a nonthreatening manner. Avoid criticizing or arguing when you are listening to a supervisor. Listening to colleagues: When listening critically, try to decide whether the speaker's message is fact, fiction, or opinion. Listen to decide whether an argument is based on logic or emotion. Remain objective, particularly when you disagree with what you are hearing. Control your tendency to prejudge. Let the speaker complete the message before you evaluate it. When listening discriminatively, try to discern, understand, and remember. Identify main ideas, understand a logical argument, and recognize the purpose of the message. Listening to customers: Defer judgment; listen for the customer's feelings and assess the situation. Pay the most attention to content, not to appearances, form, or other surface issues. Listen completely, trying to really understand every nuance. Listen primarily for the main idea, and avoid replying to everything, especially sidetracking issues. Do one thing at a time, realizing that listening is a full-time job. Control your anger and refuse to fight fire with fire. Remain silent for a few seconds after speakers finish to let them complete their thoughts. Give affirming statements and invite additional comments.
proper grammar
Local markets have become saturated. Companies now look to other countries for further expansion. You write well, so you should represent the company. Employees today are hired not only for their knowledge; their ability to learn new things is also vital. The communication process works fluidly; it moves from one step to the next often without pause. Internal communication occurs within a business; external communication occurs outside of a business. Experiences affect how we perceive the world; they form a frame of reference. As local markets become saturated, companies look to other countries for further expansion. If you can write well, you can represent your company well. Employees today are hired for their knowledge as well as their ability to learn new things. The communication process works fluidly. It moves from one step to the next often without pause. While internal communication occurs within a business, external communication occurs outside of a business. Experiences affect how we perceive the world, forming a frame of reference. Local markets have become saturated; therefore, companies now look to other countries for further expansion. You write well. You should represent the company. Employees today are hired not only for their knowledge. Their ability to learn new things is also vital. The communication process works fluidly, moving from one step to the next often without pause. Internal communication occurs within a business. External communication occurs outside of a business. Experiences affect how we perceive the world. They form a frame of reference.
Which of the following is an informal research method?
Looking in the company files for information
Which of the following is the most accurate statement about the globalization of markets?
Many U.S. companies with famous brands are now controlled by global enterprises.
Which of the following sentences contains a comma splice?
Miguel will write the document, Alicia will proofread it.
As part of the management team, you have been told that in six months the workforce will be reduced by half. The staff will be told next month. Knowing this fact, should you share this confidential information with a trusted friend and coworker who may lose her job? When should you talk to your friend about the job cuts?
No, as part of the management team you cannot share confidential information with your friend. You should wait until the rest of the staff is notified.
To add a personal touch to this quarter's shareholder's report, you write short biographies of some of the major shareholders. You find pictures of them on the Internet as well. Is it appropriate to use the publicly posted images in the report without permission? Were you to get permission to use the images in the report, how should you use them?
No, using the images may break the law. You should include a citation of the image's original source.
Which of the following statements about time orientation across cultures is most accurate?
North Americans generally correlate time with productivity, efficiency, and money.
Which of the following is done during Phase 2 of the writing process?
Organizing
Which of the following sentences demonstrates parallelism?
Our new CEO's objectives are to improve employee morale, to boost revenues, and to enhance community relations.
English laws require businesses to write policies, warranties, and contracts in language comprehensible to average readers.
Plain
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.
A rumor is circulating that ridicules a new employee, accusing him of having typos in his latest slide presentation. You overhear your coworkers discussing it in the break room. How should you respond?
Praise a positive impact the new employee has made.
What type of technology makes it possible to locate and identify a computing device as soon as users connect to the network?
Presence technology
Which of the following statements about social media is most accurate?
Social media are still relatively new and untried communication channels for some businesses.
List five characteristics of successful teams and explain why each characteristic leads to team success.
Stay small and embrace diversity: For most functions the best teams range from 2 to 25 members, although 4 or 5 is optimal for many projects. Smaller-sized teams make interaction and decision-making more effective. When team members are made up of people who differ in gender, age, social background, training, and experience, more creative and innovative decisions can be made. Agree on purpose: An effective team begins with a purpose and all members understand that purpose. Working from a general purpose to specific goals typically requires a huge investment of time and effort. Meaningful discussions about the team's purpose can motivate team members to "buy into" the project. Agree on procedures: The best teams develop procedures to guide them and continually evaluate those procedures to ensure they are moving toward their goals. They set up intermediate goals with deadlines. They assign roles and tasks, requiring all members to contribute equivalent amounts of real work. They decide how they will reach decisions. Confront conflict: Successful teams acknowledge conflict and address the root of the problem openly by using conflict resolution techniques. Direct confrontation saves time and enhances team commitment in the long run. Conflict can be constructive when it is task oriented, not person oriented. Communicate effectively: The best teams exchange information and contribute ideas freely in an informal environment. Team members speak clearly and concisely, avoiding generalities. They encourage feedback. Listeners become actively involved, read body language, and ask clarifying questions before responding. Tactful, constructive disagreement is encouraged. Collaborate rather than compete: Effective team members are genuinely interested in achieving team goals instead of receiving individual recognition; therefore, they celebrate individual and team accomplishments. They contribute ideas and feedback unselfishly. They monitor team progress, including what's going right, what's going wrong, and what to do about it. Acceptance of ethical responsibilities: Teams, as a whole, have ethical responsibilities to their members, to their larger organizations, and to society. Members have a number of specific responsibilities to each other They also have a responsibility to represent the organization's view and respect its privileged information. Shared leadership: Effective teams often have no formal leader. Instead, leadership rotates to those with the appropriate expertise as the team evolves and moves from one phase to another. This approach can achieve buy-in to team decisions, boost morale, and create fewer hurt feelings and less resentment.
What is the most accurate statement about workplace teams?
Team members are less resistant to change if they are part of the decision making.
Erin works for a company that manufactures outdoor gear. Last month she and five other employees worked as a group to address customer issues with a tent currently on the market. This month she's working with a new group to figure out how the company can target products to younger customers.
Teaming
Gary is a public relations associate for a manufacturer of high-tech products, but his interactions in the company are not limited to the PR department. Because the people he interacts with change from project to project, he's worked with engineers, media specialists, a sociologist, and various contract workers from outside the company.
Teaming
Which of the following statements most accurately describes diversity in the workplace?
Teams made up of diverse members are better equipped than homogeneous teams to create products that diverse consumers want.
Which of the following sentences uses bias-free language?
The servers at Cafe Divine are always professional.
The North American Free Agreement has expanded trade among Canada, the United States, and Mexico.
Trade
What is one way to improve the horizontal flow of information?
Train employees to work as a team that uses better communication techniques.
Which of the following is the first step in solving business problems competently?
Understanding the problem clearly
Businesspeople from which country are most likely to be uncomfortable with silence and impatient with delays?
United States
You send an e-mail to your manager updating her on the status of one of your projects.
Upward flow
Compare and contrast formal and informal channels of organizational communication.
Upward flow is when information is sent up to management from employees. Downward flow is when information is sent to management or employees from CEO or from management to employees. Horizontal flow is when workers share information between each other to solve problems or resolve conflicts. The grapevine is also useful to managers to find out about employees problems or mood on the job. The grapevine can also cause problems with rumors.
conferencing allows attendees to use their computers to access an online, virtual meeting room where they can present PowerPoint slides, share spreadsheets and Word documents, demonstrate products, and interact with participants in real time.
Web
Sensitive communicators know the difference between facts and opinions. Which of the following statements would be considered factual?
Women are starting businesses at two times the rate of men.
Which of the following has resulted from the prominence of virtual teams?
Work is increasingly viewed as what you do rather than a place you go.
Which of the following statements about communicating in today's workplace is most accurate?
Writing skills are more important today than ever because online media requires more writing, not less.
Which statement about writing skills in today's workplace is most accurate?
Writing skills are more important today than ever because online media requires more writing, not less.
You are about to speak at a press conference to announce how last fall's unseasonably hot weather damaged crops. You realize this information could have a negative effect on the company's stock prices. Is it necessary to be completely honest about how badly the crops have suffered? If you decide to make an announcement about the damaged crops at the press conference, what would be the best way to relate the bad news?
Yes, stockholders have a right to know how their investment is doing. You should speak clearly and simply to ensure comprehension.
You are in charge of preparing a sales brochure and must profile your audience. What question should you ask to profile your primary audience?
You should ask all these questions.
Before responding to an ethical dilemma, you should ask yourself (a) whether the action you are considering is legal, (b) how you would look at the problem if you were on the opposite side, (c) whether you can think of alternate solutions, (d) how you would feel if your friends and family learned of your action, and (e) whether
a trusted advisor would agree
The six goals of ethical business communicators are ________, telling the truth, labeling opinions, being objective, communicating clearly, using inclusive language, and giving credit
abiding by the law
A meeting , which is distributed in advance of a meeting, lists date and place of the meeting, start time and end time, topics to be discussed, time allocated to each topic, and any premeeting preparation expected of participants.
agenda
The "grapevine" is most accurately described as
an informal channel of communication that carries organizationally relevant gossip
College graduates with good writing skills
are in high demand in the business world
Communicators in high-context cultures
are more likely to be intuitive and contemplative.
Media with high social presence
are personal and convey warmth
Those who write well
are targeted by companies for rapid advancement
Media richness most directly refers to
the amount of helpful cues and immediate feedback a medium provides
To operate ethically, teams should represent the organization's view, respect its privileged information, and
avoid advocating actions that would negatively affect members of society
Today's employees should plan for lifelong learning and constant training, actively plan their own career paths, and
be willing to continually learn new skills
The term used to describe the overall impression you continue to build throughout your career is your "professional
brand
Once known only for labor, many countries with emerging economies are now seen as promising markets.
cheap
is an oversimplified behavioral pattern applied uncritically to groups.
stereotype
An oversimplified behavioral pattern applied uncritically to groups of people is called a(n)
stereotype.
Language is discriminatory when it
stereotypes, insults, or excludes people
"Can you please explain more about ...?" is an example of a(n) ________ question.
clarifying
Gerard's company will no longer store its data using in-house hardware and software; instead, data will be stored online at a remote location. This type of technology is called
cloud computing
Whether you work in m-commerce, e-commerce, or brick-and-mortar commerce, to be successful you will need to be able to think critically, make decisions, and
communicate those decisions
In today's increasingly complex, networked digital environment, job candidates with exceptional skills immediately stand out.
communication
A disadvantage is that
complex ideas may be expressed inaccurately
Teams may reach a decision by , which requires that discussion continues until all members have aired their opinions and, ultimately, agree.
consensus
When communicating during a job interview, an advantage is that you can
create a personal connection
Effective writing skills are
critical for a successful career in business
Achieving literacy in the digital age means thinking ? about new media.
critically
An important benefit of "flat" organizational structures is that
decision makers can react more quickly to market changes
During the stage of team development, members define their roles and responsibilities, decide how to reach their goals, and iron out the rules governing how they interact. Unfortunately, this stage often produces conflict.
storming
Clauses that begin with words like although, since, because, when, and if are usually
dependent
Workplace , which includes differences in ethnicity, age, and gender, is important because it is likely to result in the products that consumers demand.
diversity
A disadvantage is that meetings
do not create permanent records
The most prevalent communication channel in the workplace today is
When communicating internally in writing, you will probably use , which is the most prevalent communication channel in the workplace today.
When internal communication must be written in your workplace, you will probably use
e-mails
When writing a letter, an advantage is
economy
Deborah is writing a proposal to solicit business from a potential client. She should expect to spend the most time on
editing, proofreading, and evaluating the proposal
The belief in the superiority of one's own race is known as
ethnocentrism
The most significant trends in today's dynamic workplace include global competition, team-based projects, flattened management hierarchies, new communication technologies, and
expectations of around-the-clock availability
A disadvantage is that you may
express yourself carelessly
Under the concept of ? use, individuals have limited rights to use copyrighted material without requiring permission.
fair
Flattening of management hierarchies" most directly refers to
fewer layers of managers separating decision makers from line workers
By tradition, Asian businesspeople typically place a high value on
group decision making.
One of the most important tasks in preparing well-organized messages is
grouping similar ideas together
Thinking critically means
having opinions that are backed by reason and evidence
Learning more about the powerful effect that culture has on behavior will
help you reduce friction and misunderstanding in your dealings with people from other cultures.
Communicators in -context cultures, such as those in Japan, China, and Middle Eastern countries, pay attention to more than the words spoken. They emphasize interpersonal relationships, nonverbal expression, physical setting, and social setting.
high
Jing-Ying places great value on the posture, voice inflection, gestures, and facial expressions of employees within the workplace. She is most likely part of a(n) ____ culture.
high-context
Taylor is writing to deny an employee's request to work from home three days a week. She should write the letter using the
indirect pattern
By tradition, businesspeople in the United States typically place a high value on
individual action and personal responsibility.
The three basic functions of business communication are to
inform, persuade, and promote goodwill
The 21st-century economy depends mainly on
information and knowledge
One contemporary form of interactive and mobile communication is the , which is a secured local network within an organization.
intranet
A disadvantage is that written documents
lack verbal cues seem impersonal require more effort
Low-context communicators tend to use logic to reach conclusions. That is, they proceed from Point A to Point B to Point C and finally arrive at a conclusion.
linear
For example, imagine that you are attending a sales meeting. You've been there for two hours; there are many figures and charts to examine, and the speaker isn't very exciting. To absorb important information in this situation, you'll have to exercise advanced
listening skills
Communicators in -context cultures, such as those in North America, Scandinavia, and Germany, tend to be logical, analytical, and action oriented. They stress clearly articulated messages that they consider to be objective, professional, and efficient.
low
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.
low-context
When communicating with others during a meeting, an advantage is that you can
make a forceful impact
Achieving literacy in the digital age requires using multimedia applications, staying connected to people and knowledge via technology, using technology thoughtfully and professionally, and
thinking critically about new media
"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.
Effective teams avoid groupthink by striving for team diversity, encouraging open discussion, and
not demanding a quick decision
Ethical business communicators are when they recognize their own biases and strive to keep them from distorting a message.
objective
When communicating through face-to-face conversation with another person, an advantage is that you can
receive nonverbal clues
As part of the encoding process, the sender of a message must
select appropriate words or symbols given the receiver's experiences and culture
Kendra is responsible for updating her company's Facebook page with information about products, promotions, and special events. Kendra is using a communication medium called
social media
Meetings are a gathering of employees to pool information, solicit feedback, clarify policy, seek consensus, and
solve problems
For example, imagine that you have been invited to present a marketing plan to your company's new client, a pet food manufacturer. You have a descriptive slide presentation ready and a thorough outline prepared. To build your confidence and get ready for a successful presentation, you should practice your
speaking skills
High-context communicators tend to use logic to reach conclusions. That is, they circle around a topic indirectly and look at it from many tangential or divergent viewpoints.
spiral
The impact of mobile technology and globalization on today's workplace includes the need for communication skills to be adapted to various cultures, workers expected to be accessible 24/7, multinational companies adjusting their products to meet cultural tastes and practices, and
the line between work and leisure becoming less distinct
The process of communication is successful only when
the receiver understands an idea as the sender intended it
What is one reason today's companies use communication technologies?
to collect information
Which of the following is not a function of most business communications?
to entertain
When writing a report or proposal, an advantage is that you can
use precise wording
team is a group of people who, aided by information technology, must accomplish shared tasks largely without face-to-face contact across geographic boundaries, sometimes on different continents and across time zones.
virtual
For example, imagine that an angry customer writes a letter complaining about a defective lamp and demands a refund. You have the task of denying the refund without making the customer angrier. The only way to accomplish this is by using some sophisticated
writing skills