BUS 22: Chapter 1: Test Your Knowledge

Which of the following is a disadvantage of using virtual teams in organizations? A) A decline in communication effectiveness B) A decline in employee productivity C) A decrease in knowledge transfer among employees D) A decrease in market opportunities

A) A decline in communication effectiveness

Which of the following statements is true of illegal and unethical behavior in a workplace? A) A misplaced sense of corporate loyalty might cause an employee to behave unethically. B) Placing more emphasis on profits can help business managers counter unethical behavior. C) If top managers are not perceived as highly ethical, lower-level managers tend to be ethical. D) In business, no instance of illegal behavior goes undetected.

A) A misplaced sense of corporate loyalty might cause an employee to behave unethically.

In the context of cultural intelligence, which of the following elements refers to the capacity to interact in a wide range of situations, environments, and diverse groups? A) Behavioral adaptability B) Imperialism C) Ethnocentrism D) Competency mapping

A) Behavioral adaptability

In the context of levels of communication, which of the following illustrates communication at an organizational level? A) Groups being combined and structured to achieve large tasks B) Supervisors analyzing nonverbal cues of employees C) Two coworkers discussing specifics of a project D) Departments holding monthly meetings to review performance

A) Groups being combined and structured to achieve large tasks

Which of the following statements is true of upward communication in an organization? A) It is primarily feedback to requests and actions of supervisors. B) It flows from the top levels of the organization to the operational levels. C) It encompasses the orientation of employees with organizational rules and procedures. D) It involves teaching people how to perform specific tasks.

A) It is primarily feedback to requests and actions of supervisors.

In the context of synergy, which of the following is true of teams? A) Teams provide a depth of expertise that is unavailable at the individual level. B) Teams that require a great deal of direct supervision from managers are self-directed teams. C) Teams operate only with downward communication. D) Teams eliminate all communication barriers.

A) Teams provide a depth of expertise that is unavailable at the individual level.

Med Prime Inc. is a pharmaceutical company that believes in establishing cultural diversity at work. The company ensures that people from different ethnicities are hired. Med Prime's efforts are most likely to be weakened if its employees: A) are highly ethnocentric. B) celebrate all the major festivals together. C) make friends with people of different cultures. D) respect other cultures.

A) are highly ethnocentric.

A work team at Asterisk Corp. handles complex projects. The leadership role is not restricted to one person; it is passed on to different members of the team as required, and sometimes there are many members acting as leaders. Different styles of leadership are adapted to suit the specific needs of the projects. This scenario illustrates that the work team follows: A) distributed leadership. B) bureaucratic leadership. C) dictatorial leadership. D) centralized leadership.

A) distributed leadership.

In the context of levels of communication, which of the following is an example of public communication? A) Project team meetings B) Annual reports C) Employee feedback D) Department meetings

B) Annual reports

Which of the following is a difference between upward communication and downward communication in an organization? A) Upward communication originates from the higher levels of the organization, whereas downward communication originates from the lower levels of the organization. B) Downward communication does not involve risk to an employee, whereas upward communication frequently involves risk to an employee. C) Downward communication uses only spoken messages, whereas upward communication uses only written messages. D) Upward communication involves orders and instructions, whereas downward communication essentially involves feedback to a request from managers.

B) Downward communication does not involve risk to an employee, whereas upward communication frequently involves risk to an employee.

_____ describes interactions between organizational units on the same hierarchical level. A) Upward communication B) Horizontal communication C) Vertical communication D) Downward communication

B) Horizontal communication

_____ refer to the numerous factors that hinder the communication process. A) Channels B) Interferences C) Conflicts D) Culture

B) Interferences

Which of the following is a feature of grapevine communication? A) It does not carry informal messages. B) It has no single, consistent source. C) It is always accurate but slow. D) It follows a linear channel.

B) It has no single, consistent source.

Which of the following statements is true of ethical dilemmas? A) A business action that is considered unethical is also illegal. B) It is possible for a certain business action to be illegal yet considered ethical. C) Once a behavior is determined legal, it is deemed that the behavior is ethical as well. D) When a business action is legal, it is unnecessary to consult a company's credo.

B) It is possible for a certain business action to be illegal yet considered ethical.

Ampersand Inc. offers its employees the option to work from home. The tasks are electronically assigned to employees, and the employees send their work to a coordinator in the company's office. Which of the following concepts is illustrated in this scenario? A) Deskilling B) Telecommuting C) Social networking D) Brainstorming

B) Telecommuting

Identify a true statement about virtual teams. A) There is a lesser potential for deception in virtual teams than in face-to-face teams. B) Virtual teams have the ability to communicate at the same time in different places. C) Virtual teams have access to a wider range of nonverbal cues. D) There is a lesser degree of anonymity in virtual teams than in face-to-face teams.

B) Virtual teams have the ability to communicate at the same time in different places.

Which of the following is an example of downward communication? A) Feedback from subordinates to supervisors B) Work assignments C) Progress reports D) Daily performance reports

B) Work assignments

Proxemics is the study of: A) body language and facial expressions. B) cultural space requirements. C) time orientation. D) intonation and voice modulation.

B) cultural space requirements.

In _____, the role of leader can alternate among members, and more than one leadership style can be active at any given time. A) centralized leadership B) distributed leadership C) bureaucratic leadership D) dictatorial leadership

B) distributed leadership

In the context of communication opportunities, _____ refer to the ability to communicate effectively with individuals who identify as straight, gay, or transgender. A) human resources B) diversity skills C) ethics D) legality

B) diversity skills

In the context of barriers to intercultural communication, _____ refers to the assumption that one's own cultural norms are the right way to do things. A) proxemics B) ethnocentrism C) xenocentrism D) chronemics

B) ethnocentrism

Puja, a manager at a retail store, asks her assistant Nicholas about her schedule for the day. Nicholas informs her about the various meetings that she needs to attend. In this scenario, the communication between Puja and Nicholas is at a(n) _____ level. A) public B) intrapersonal C) interpersonal D) organizational

B) intrapersonal

In an organization, unlike an informal communication network, a formal communication network: A) is useful in counteracting rumors and false information. B) is created by management to specify lines of responsibility. C) cannot be depicted by any graphic means. D) does not parallel the organizational chart.

B) is created by management to specify lines of responsibility.

In the context of barriers to intercultural communication, _____ are mental pictures that one group forms of the main characteristics of another group, creating preformed ideas of what people in this group are like. A) connotations B) stereotypes C) synergies D) claims

B) stereotypes

According to the transactional process model of communication, _____. A) the decoding of information in a communication encounter is not affected by external interferences B) two parties involved in a communication encounter are potentially both communicating at the same time C) in ideal situations, the main goal of communication is to persuade others D) in face-to-face communication situations, parties involved in an encounter fail to interpret each other's nonverbal signals

B) two parties involved in a communication encounter are potentially both communicating at the same time

Pedro, Llahoma, and Zach each work for Open Door Real estate. They have never met and live in three different states. Which term best describes the type of team these three individuals create? A) consensus panel B) virtual team C) intermediate group D) focus group

B) virtual team

Which of the following is an example of a synchronous message? A) An offline Facebook message B) A letter C) A live video-conference D) A voice mail

C) A live video-conference

Which of the following is an example of an external message? A) An announcement of promotions B) An employee performance report C) A media advertisement D) A procedure manual for an employee

C) A media advertisement

Which of the following is an assumption of downward communication in an organization? A) People at the lower levels of the organization have greater knowledge of the organization's mission and goals than do people at high levels. B) Written messages are subject to greater changes in meaning than are spoken messages. C) Both spoken and written messages tend to become larger as they flow from top to bottom on the organization chart. D) Lower-level employees often tell their superiors what they think the superiors want to hear.

C) Both spoken and written messages tend to become larger as they flow from top to bottom on the organization chart.

_____ refers to the principles of right and wrong that guide one in making decisions that consider the impact of one's actions on others as well on the decision maker. A) Kinesics B) Chronemics C) Ethics D) Proxemics

C) Ethics

Shaheena has been with JAMBA for three years and has done an exemplary job. When the news of her supervisor's retirement was announced, the staff immediately started talking about how Shaheena would be perfect for the role and even started discussing how she would improve some policies. Prior to his departure, Shaheena's supervisor called her to his office and asked her why she was telling everyone that she was going to replace him. This situation was caused by which aspect of the grapevine? A) Grapevines work best in a downward fashion B) Grapevines are formal C) Grapevines filter information D) Grapevines purposefully communication incorrect information

C) Grapevines filter information

Which of the following statements is true of an informal communication network? A) It does not exist in formal systems. B) It always parallels the organizational chart. C) It cannot be depicted accurately by any graphic means. D) It is dictated by job descriptions and managerial structures

C) It cannot be depicted accurately by any graphic means.

Which of the following statements is true of horizontal communication in an organization? A) It uses organizational charts to depict authority relationships. B) It involves interactions between organizational units on different hierarchical levels. C) It is the primary means of achieving coordination in a functional organizational structure. D) It begins at the top management levels and gets more elaborate as it reaches the operational levels.

C) It is the primary means of achieving coordination in a functional organizational structure.

As an organizational analyst, Chad works a good deal from home. Chad enjoys this arrangement but his supervisor has noticed that Chad is not as effective in participating in video-conferences, answering emails, and responding to texts when at home as opposed to the office. In the context of the communication process, which of the following explains why Chad is not as effective when working at home? A) Diversity skills B) Organizational policies C) Mental distractions D) Constructive criticisms

C) Mental distractions

Which of the following is an example of upward communication? A) Procedure manuals B) Work assignments C) Progress reports D) Policy statements

C) Progress reports

Which of the following is a difference between communication patterns of work teams and traditional organizational structures? A) In work teams, members expect the top management to solve problems, whereas in traditional organizational structures, members themselves solve problems. B) Work teams follow a top-down communication pattern, whereas traditional organizational structures follow a bottom-up communication pattern. C) Work teams have shared leadership, whereas traditional organizational structures operate in a hierarchical fashion. D) In work teams, information flows vertically, whereas in traditional organizational structures, information flows horizontally.

C) Work teams have shared leadership, whereas traditional organizational structures operate in a hierarchical fashion.

Synergy refers to: A) a set of factors that hinders the communication process. B) the centralization of decision making in teams. C) a situation in which the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. D) the concept that an individual tends to underperform after becoming a member of a team.

C) a situation in which the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.

It is estimated that managers spend 60% to 80% of their time involved in_____. A) training B) human resources C) communication D) meetings

C) communication

Andre has a habit of speaking loudly to Brent when they are both in the office. Brent wears a headset when speaking to individuals on the phone. Andre is most likely embracing which barrier within communication? A) proxemics B) ethnocentrism C) stereotypes D) chronemics

C) stereotypes

Which of the following is an example of a physical interference that hinders communication? A) Difference in participants' educational levels B) Preoccupation with other matters C) Cultural difference D) A noisy environment

D) A noisy environment

In the context of factors influencing business communication, which of the following are diversity challenges? A) Security issues B) Stakeholder interests C) International laws D) Age factors

D) Age factors

_____ is an element of cultural intelligence that refers to the possession of a wide-ranging information base about a variety of people and their cultural customs. A) Consensus B) Synergy C) Behavioral adaptability D) Cognitive knowledge

D) Cognitive knowledge

Which of the following can help increase work team effectiveness? A) Ethnocentrism B) Groupthink C) Downward communication D) Distributed leadership

D) Distributed leadership

Which of the following illustrates horizontal communication? A) Top management announcing new company policies B) Managers seeking feedback from their subordinates C) Workers sending weekly performance reports to their supervisors D) Employees from two different departments coordinating their efforts

D) Employees from two different departments coordinating their efforts

Philip, a manager at an exporting firm, went on a business trip to Plutonia. On his return, he was extremely critical of the local language spoken in Plutonia. He expressed that he found the language strange and silly compared to the language spoken in his country. He stated that his country's culture is superior to the culture of Plutonia. Which of the following concepts is illustrated in this scenario? A) Xenocentrism B) Theocentrism C) Anthropocentrism D) Ethnocentrism

D) Ethnocentrism

Which of the following is a difference between group communication and organizational communication? A) A group level communication includes media advertisements, whereas an organizational level communication includes department meetings. B) Group communication involves communication using external messages, whereas organizational communication involves communication using internal messages. C) In group communication, groups are combined in such a way that large tasks may be accomplished, whereas in organizational communication, an organization reaches out to its public to achieve its goals. D) Group communication aims at achieving greater output than individual efforts could produce, whereas organizational communication aims at providing adequate structure for groups to achieve their purposes.

D) Group communication aims at achieving greater output than individual efforts could produce, whereas organizational communication aims at providing adequate structure for groups to achieve their purposes.

Which of the following statements is true of the communication process? A) The decoding of information in a communication encounter is not affected by external interferences. B) Even under a non-ideal communication situation, the receiving party would understand a message exactly as intended. C) In ideal situations, the main goal of communication is to persuade others. D) In face-to-face communication situations, parties to the encounter are continuously interpreting each other's nonverbal signals.

D) In face-to-face communication situations, parties to the encounter are continuously interpreting each other's nonverbal signals.

Which of the following is true of downward communication? A) It keeps management informed about the feelings of lower-level employees. B) It flows from an employee to a supervisor. C) It typically begins at operational levels. D) It involves teaching people how to perform specific tasks.

D) It involves teaching people how to perform specific tasks

Which of the following is true of telecommuting? A) It involves shaping messages to make them clearer and effective. B) It involves installing data security features to ensure that the data are secure. C) It involves compartmentalizing large amounts of data into relevant categories to support organizational operations. D) It involves working at remote locations and sending and receiving work from the company office electronically.

D) It involves working at remote locations and sending and receiving work from the company office electronically.

Which of the following best defines communication? A) It is an arrangement that involves working at home or other remote locations and sending and receiving work from a company office electronically. B) It is a set of mental pictures that one group forms of the main characteristics of another group, creating preformed ideas of what people in this group are like. C) It is a set of problems that occur between people of different cultures primarily because people tend to assume that their own cultural norms are the right way to do things. D) It is the process of exchanging and interpreting information and meaning between or among individuals through a system of symbols, signs, and behavior.

D) It is the process of exchanging and interpreting information and meaning between or among individuals through a system of symbols, signs, and behavior.

Which of the following is not one of the needs that communication satisfies? A) Need to be appreciated. B) Need to be heard. C) Need to be wanted. D) Need to be rewarded.

D) Need to be rewarded.

In response to recent incidents of employees making inappropriate comments about political figures on social media, the human resources department at Arrus Financial implemented a policy that employees of their firm were not allowed to make public posts on any social media site. Which of the following is the best channel for making this policy known to the employees? A) Public B) Intrapersonal C) Interpersonal D) Organizational

D) Organizational

Which of the following statements is true of intercultural communication? A) Chronemics helps managers understand the subtle differences in body language among different cultures. B) Ethnocentric reactions help build positive relationships among people belonging to different cultures. C) Body language is universal, and most nonverbal cues indicate similar things. D) Stereotypes influence the way we interact with members of the other group.

D) Stereotypes influence the way we interact with members of the other group.

Steven was hired by a landscaping company to aid in the installation of in-ground pools. Prior to this job, Steven had been a foreman at a construction company. Immediately, Steven began having problems communicating with his co-workers. Which of the following forms of interference best explains why Steven is having difficulties communicating with his co-workers? A) dialect B) culture C) education level D) experience

D) experience

Nick is a very ambitious and driven real estate agent who works very hard and wants everyone to know it! Nick constantly posts to Snapchat and Twitter about his most recent sales. His use of communication can satisfy all of the following needs except _____. A) need to be appreciated. B) need to be heard. C) need to be wanted. D) need to be rewarded.

D) need to be rewarded.

In the context of factors influencing business communication, _____ are legal and ethical constraints. A) language barriers B) security issues C) cultural differences D) stakeholder interests

D) stakeholder interest

When employees rely almost entirely on the formal communication system as a guide to behavior, _____. A) the organization is said to have minimum red tape B) the organization is said to promote employee freedom C) the system might give rise to the grapevine D) the system might be identified as a bureaucracy

D) the system might be identified as a bureaucracy