Chps 6-9 :BA3350
Exceptions to the use of inductive approach for bad-news messages include a. messages addressing a very small, insignificant matter. b. memos sent within the company. c. oral presentations. d. all of the above
ANS: A
As compared to letters, memos and email are channels for sharing information of a somewhat ____ nature. a. formal b. informal c. negative d. personal
ANS: B
Which is the recommended format for writing the date of February 10, 2011, in an international business document? a. 2/10/11 b. 10.2 2011 c. February 10, 2011 d. 10th of February, 2011
ANS: B
Which of the following is NOT recommended when preparing form messages? a. Add variables to the standard text to tailor the message to the individual. b. Use pre-produced mailing labels. c. Use stored paragraphs that are selected according to the situation. d. Use good quality paper and a high quality printer.
ANS: B
A counterproposal a. is unnecessary if you have stated your refusal tactfully. b. weakens your refusal by implying that you are not able to enforce your decision. c. is an alternative to the action requested that helps preserve your future relationship with the receiver. d. should precede the refusal.
ANS: C
A technology that provides information about your computer usage to remote third parties is called a. a computer hard drive. b. a firewall. c. a cookie. d. a sensor.
ANS: C
When writing complex procedures that should be completed in a particular order, which method is BEST? a. Put the procedures in bullet format. b. Number the steps. c. Prepare a flowchart. d. None of the above.
ANS: C
A procedural message may be ineffective if it a. uses active voice and action verbs. b. numbers each step of the procedure in order of completion. c. uses a flow chart to show complex procedures. d. is not pilot tested by colleagues and other employees.
ANS: D
Which of the following requires an individualized acknowledgment message? a. Initial order from a customer b. Custom order c. Delayed order d. All of the above
ANS: D
T/F: An attempt at resale or sales promotion is inappropriate in a favorable response to a claim message.
ANS: F
T/F: Because of the legal implications involved in refusing credit, you should avoid telling applicants the specific reason(s) why you must deny them credit.
ANS: F
T/F: By placing bad news in the first paragraph, receiver support is more likely than when it is presented after giving reasons.
ANS: F
T/F: Asking a colleague or employee to walk through the steps outlined in a procedural document is recommended prior to finalizing the document.
ANS: T
T/F: Because message expectations and social conventions differ among cultures, effective communicators adapt their strategies when communicating with various audiences.
ANS: T
T/F: Communicating constructive criticism about service received can be thought of as an ethical responsibility.
ANS: T
T/F: Cultural beliefs and practices impact the ways specific cultures organize messages.
ANS: T
T/F: Good- or neutral-news messages follow a deductive sequence in which the message begins with the main idea.
ANS: T
T/F: Goodwill messages can be designed to build strong, lasting relationships among employees, clients, customers, and various other groups.
ANS: T
T/F: In some circumstances, placing a refusal in the first sentence is justified.
ANS: T
T/F: In some circumstances, sharing bad news via email rather than face-to-face is justified.
ANS: T
T/F: Making a choice between an inductive outline or a deductive outline is as important in writing an email message or memorandum as in writing a letter.
ANS: T
T/F: Personalized form letters are a fast and efficient means to send frequently recurring messages that will likely result in a neutral or favorable reaction from the receiver.
ANS: T
T/F: Using passive voice and complex sentences are effective ways to de-emphasize bad news.
ANS: T
Greg Komuro often delivers messages to clients in which he must convey negative ideas. Which of the following techniques could Greg use to subordinate bad news? a. Passive voice and abstract nouns as the subjects of sentences b. Passive voice and the placement of the negative message in an independent clause c. Active voice and positive language d. Active voice and placement of the negative message in the dependent clause
ANS: A
In writing a routine claim, a. the message should begin with a request for action. b. the message should begin with the details and explanation. c. the message should begin with an expression of appreciation of the business relationship. d. none of the above.
ANS: A
Persuasive requests differ from routine requests in that a. persuasive arguments need to be presented at the beginning of the message. b. routine requests require a forceful approach. c. routine requests begin with details and explanations first. d. persuasive messages are shorter in length.
ANS: A
Shaneka is writing a message to an intercultural audience to explain the short-term goals of the organization. Which of the following should she NOT use when writing for her audience? a. Abbreviations, acronyms, and technical jargon b. Figures for expressing numbers c. Graphics and visual aids d. Simple terms
ANS: A
The organization of business messages should be organized based on a. a prediction of the receiver's reaction to the main idea. b. the deductive sequence. c. the inductive sequence. d. a reflection of the writer's mood and personality.
ANS: A
What is the correct order for the inductive writing sequence? a. Buffer, reasons, bad news, counterproposal, and desire to continue the relationship b. Reasons, neutral idea, bad news, and desire to continue the relationship c. Bad news, reasons, counterproposal, and desire to continue the relationship d. Buffer, bad news, reasons, counterproposal, and desire to continue the relationship
ANS: A
Which of the following are the most frequently used methods of communicating standard operating procedures and other instructions to employees? a. Memos and email messages b. Face-to-face meetings and phone conversations c. Phone conversations and instant messaging d. Reports and letters
ANS: A
Which of the following sentences is a good example of a beginning sentence in a favorable reply to a routine request? a. We can definitely assist you in having your regional conference at the Ritz-Carlton. b. Thank you for your request. c. Please let us know the number of rooms you require first. d. I read your request.
ANS: A
You are writing to ABClothes.com to request an exchange for an ordered shirt that was recently sent to you in an incorrect size; the message you write will be a. a routine claim. b. a persuasive request. c. a negative news message. d. a goodwill message.
ANS: A
Your company has decided to require all employees to wear picture ID badges, starting next week. Numerous steps are involved to get a photo ID. What would you do to alert the employees of the requirement? a. Send the procedural message in an email to all employees. b. Ask each employee to come in for a meeting with you. c. Schedule a company-wide meeting to explain the procedure. d. Send each employee a form letter to his or her home about the requirement.
ANS: A
A sincere apology message to a customer for a serious mistake made would likely be considered by the customer as a. a negative news message. b. an attempt to preserve a relationship. c. unwelcomed, since a verbal apology is more meaningful. d. a misdirected communication.
ANS: B
A well-written message acknowledging a customer's order usually will likely result in a. the customer requesting to be removed from the mailing list. b. the customer placing additional orders. c. a decrease in the cost of doing business. d. all of the above
ANS: B
After consideration of a customer's request for a partial product refund due to repeated repairs, you have determined that you should comply. Which of the following is NOT part of your effective adjustment message? a. A fair response to a legitimate request b. A statement that "the claim is being granted" c. Resale or sales promotional material d. An attempt to regain possible lost goodwill
ANS: B
Email messages and memos differ from letters in that they are a. written to employees within a company. b. less formal in tone and formatting. c. subject to less grammatical scrutiny. d. more formal in tone.
ANS: B
The steps for the deductive sequence approach for a good-news message are a. begin with the details, state the main idea, and end on a friendly thought. b. begin with the main idea, provide details and explanation, and end on a future-oriented closing thought. c. start with a friendly thought, provide details, and end with the main idea. d. none of the above
ANS: B
Which of the following is FALSE concerning personal delivery of bad news? a. Personal delivery of the bad news signals the importance of the news. b. Personal delivery eliminates any potential escalation of emotion. c. Personal delivery shows empathy for the recipient. d. Personal delivery provides the benefits of nonverbal cues.
ANS: B
Which of the following is NOT a technique for writing a bad-news message? a. Use positive language to accentuate the positive. b. Use the deductive writing approach. c. Sandwich the bad news between the buffer and positive closing. d. Use passive voice, general terms, and abstract nouns.
ANS: B
Which of the following is NOT good advice for writing a routine claim? a. Use the direct approach. b. Use a persuasive, forceful tone. c. Assume the request will be granted. d. Avoid an accusatory tone.
ANS: B
Claims related to product warranties, guarantees, or contractual conditions are typically ____ claims. a. persuasive b. inductive c. routine d. negative news
ANS: C
If bad news appears in the first sentence of a message, the a. receiver will be prepared for the reasoning that follows. b. receiver's urge to counter argue will be minimized. c. receiver's reaction is likely to be defensive. d. receiver will withhold judgment until he or she has finished reading.
ANS: C
Ignacio is asking for a refund or a replacement for a recently purchased malfunctioning DVD player; his request for the refund or replacement would be considered a a. persuasive claim. b. complaint. c. routine claim. d. negative news message.
ANS: C
In the Sago mine tragedy, a serious inaccuracy that 12 trapped miners were still alive was widely publicized. Which of the following is the LEAST LIKELY reason for this miscommunication? a. Reporters and editors got carried away by what seemed to be miraculous news that miners were alive when a survivor was found. b. Mine rescuers were wearing full-face oxygen masks when they used radios to report their findings. c. Mine officials met with the distraught families and decided to slowly reveal the devastating news. d. Newspapers, faced with deadline pressure, did not confirm the news before printing it.
ANS: C
Manual, a credit supervisor, must write a letter informing a new client that her credit application has been approved. What writing sequence should he use? a. Persuasive since he needs to confirm her choice of his company's products b. Inductive because he needs to give her an explanation first c. Deductive because he needs to give her the good news at the beginning of his message d. None of the above
ANS: C
Which of the following guidelines for writing messages extending credit is FALSE? a. The writer should include the credit terms. b. The writer should include the penalty fee for a late payment. c. The writer should omit any mention of sales promotion or resale. d. None of the above is false.
ANS: C
Which of the following is NOT an advantage of the deductive sequence approach for a good-news message? a. The first sentence receives attention since it is in an emphatic position. b. The good news in the first sentence puts receivers in a good frame of mind. c. The organization is persuasive and calls for action. d. The receiver can understand the important idea and move quickly through the supporting details.
ANS: C
You have been asked to provide a credit reference for a customer. Which of the following will be part of your written response? a. your opinions about the customer b. a statement as to whether the client is a good credit risk c. a general statement about the client's credit history, followed by supporting details d. all of the above
ANS: C
Your employer asked you to compose a message to be sent to all job applicants who were not selected for sales representative position. You should a. tell the applicant at the beginning that another candidate was chosen. b. ask the applicant to consider why he or she was not selected. c. place the "not selected" message in the dependent clause of a complex sentence describing the stiff competition for this job. d. imply that someone else has been selected for the position, thus avoiding the uncomfortable job of rejecting someone.
ANS: C
An effective opening for a bad-news message a. notes the date of the message being answered. b. expresses gratitude for the time the receiver took to write. c. provides an immediate answer to the receiver's request. d. makes a neutral comment related to the main idea.
ANS: D
If you need to convey information that contains good- or neutral-news, you could use a. letters but not e-mail or voice mail. b. e-mail but not letters or voice mail. c. e-mail and letters but not voice mail. d. e-mail, memos, or voice mail.
ANS: D
Mary has a neutral message to deliver to a co-worker. What delivery options would be the most effective? a. Letter, email, or telephone b. Memo, instant messaging, or letter c. Letter, phone, or in person d. Memo, email, or phone
ANS: D
Ola Jensen has placed her first order with your company. What is the BEST method to let her know you received her order? a. Send her a preprinted form letter acknowledging the order. b. Send her a copy of the sales order. c. Send her sales promotional material. d. Send her an individualized acknowledgment message about her order.
ANS: D
The strategies for structuring effective good- and neutral-news messages a. follow the inductive sequence. b. vary dramatically from one company to another. c. can generally be applied to cultures around the world. d. are generally consistent among North American audiences.
ANS: D
When you provide credit information about another person, you have an ethical and legal obligation to a. yourself. b. the credit applicant. c. the business from whom credit is requested. d. all of the above.
ANS: D
Which of the following are FALSE when writing bad-news messages? a. The writer should focus on the good rather than the bad. b. The writer should present the negative ideas in positive terms when possible. c. The writer should state what can be done rather than what cannot be done. d. The writer should state the bad news early and reinforce it throughout the message.
ANS: D
Which of the following is NOT recommended when leaving a voice mail message on another person's phone? a. Write out key points before you call to organize your thoughts. b. Hang up if you have a mental block, and call back. c. Write down your phone number as you speak it to slow down to the listener's writing speed. d. State only your name, number, and business affiliation.
ANS: D
Which of the following is recommended advice when writing an appreciation message? a. Time the message to arrive two to three weeks following the action or event. b. Use slight overstatements to communicate your favorable attitude. c. Avoid specific remarks about the receiver's performance or achievement. d. Consider sending a copy of the appreciation message to the individual's supervisor.
ANS: D
Your staff has worked hard to successfully complete a project for a large advertising client. Which of the following is the BEST way for you to express thanks to the staff? a. Thank them at the staff meeting next month. b. Post a note on the company intranet. c. Ask your administrative assistant to post a note in the lunchroom. d. Send an email immediately to all staff.
ANS: D
Zappos, an Internet business success story, has built its success on outstanding customer service. Which of the following is NOT part of Zappos' strategy? a. free product shipping. b. free return product shipping. c. focus on repeat customers. d. more products on their website than are in their warehouse.
ANS: D
T/F: "I have received and read your letter of April 12" is an effective neutral way to begin the first paragraph of a bad-news message.
ANS: F
T/F: "We apologize for any inconvenience we may have caused you" is a recommended way to close a refusal letter.
ANS: F
T/F: "We apologize for any inconvenience we may have caused you" is an effective way to close a refusal message.
ANS: F
T/F: Communication from management during the Sago mine tragedy was handled in a timely and effective manner.
ANS: F
T/F: Cookie blocking will prevent unwanted tracing of your computer activities while allowing subscribed online services to continue operating.
ANS: F
T/F: Email is typically the most effective channel for communicating negative organizational news.
ANS: F
T/F: In a credit refusal message, your main purpose is to tactfully say "no" since the recipient is a poor credit risk and not a potential customer.
ANS: F
T/F: It is acceptable to send a message of appreciation that includes strong, somewhat exaggerated language when the sender believes the statements to be true.
ANS: F
T/F: Memorandums, or memos, are appropriate for communication both inside and outside the company.
ANS: F
T/F: Providing an alternative or counterproposal to a refusal for a request should be avoided since it would only heighten audience frustration over the bad news.
ANS: F
T/F: Since the main message of a negative-news message is the bad news, more space should be devoted to the refusal than to the explanations for the refusal.
ANS: F
T/F: Template letters, as featured by leading word processing software, eliminate the need to compose original documents.
ANS: F
T/F: The Equal Credit Opportunity Act requires that a credit applicant be notified of a credit decision within 10 days of receipt of the request or application.
ANS: F
T/F: The best reason to give the receiver for a refusal is "company policy" because it requires no further explanation.
ANS: F
T/F: The impersonal nature of form letters makes them inappropriate for business purposes.
ANS: F
T/F: The usual American strategies for structuring good-news and neutral-news messages can be generally applied to international audiences.
ANS: F
T/F: Using numbers when possible eliminates potential confusion with international audiences because dates and amounts are conveyed in the same way throughout the world.
ANS: F
T/F: Usually, a statement of bad news should be followed by a logical explanation.
ANS: F
T/F: When communicating negative organizational news, it is advisable to tone down the news to minimize its severity.
ANS: F
T/F: An acknowledgment message is sent to indicate an order has been received and processed.
ANS: T
T/F: An advantage of the deductive organization of good- or neutral-news messages is that it helps receivers save time because they can understand the important idea and then move rapidly through the details.
ANS: T
T/F: Appreciation letters that are not sent in a timely manner may arouse questions about the sender's motive.
ANS: T
T/F: Delivering constructive criticism can be beneficial by alerting management that changes need to be made.
ANS: T
T/F: Depending on the situation, a thank-you message can be handwritten, printed on letterhead, or sent electronically.
ANS: T
T/F: Memos or email messages are the most frequent methods for sharing procedures and instructions for internal business communication when a written record is needed.
ANS: T
T/F: Neutral messages contain content that is not likely to generate an emotional message from the receiver.
ANS: T
T/F: Offering a counterproposal may eliminate the need to state the refusal directly.
ANS: T
T/F: One recommended way to check the quality of your voice mail system is to pretend you don't know your direct line or extension number and place a call to yourself.
ANS: T
T/F: Selection of the deductive or inductive method of organizing business messages depends on the probable reaction of the receiver to the message.
ANS: T
T/F: The Fair Credit Reporting Act gives consumers specific rights and protections when they apply for and are denied credit.
ANS: T
T/F: The governor of West Virginia during the Sago mine tragedy told Sago managers and inspectors to share all the factual information, good or bad.
ANS: T
T/F: The strategies for routine claims and persuasive claims differ because with a persuasive claim, a request will likely be granted only after explanations and arguments have been presented.
ANS: T
T/F: The three steps in the deductive strategy used for good- and neutral-news messages indicate the requirement for a three-paragraph document format.
ANS: T
T/F: To minimize disappointment and maintain a positive relationship, the inductive strategy is the best way to organize messages that refuse requests.
ANS: T
T/F: Total anonymity in cyberspace would enable people to violate the laws of libel, defamation, and copyright without prosecution.
ANS: T
T/F: Voicemail communication is extremely important because on most business calls, you most likely will be leaving a message rather than talking to someone.
ANS: T
T/F: When asked to provide credit information about an account holder, good advice is to report only facts and avoid opinions about the applicant.
ANS: T
T/F: Zappos focuses on customer service throughout the company as the means to building customer loyalty.
ANS: T
T/F: Zappos has simplified the information-seeking process for customers through the FAQ section on the company website, effectively reducing the need for customers to call the company.
ANS: T