management chapter 17 practice questions

Kamiya has been asked to determine how to best manage the cost of benefits for her organization. She asks three of her employees, Jewel, Darian, and Ahmed, to offer suggestions on this issue to her. She chose these three specifically because she knows they are key people in the grapevine. How is Kamiya using the grapevine to her advantage?

Kamiya is sounding out potential reactions before making decisions.

When determining the best way to encode a message, what should the sender base his or her choice on?

Knowledge of the situation and receiver

Why does written communication inhibit feedback and exchange?

Lag time

Which of the following is an organizational barrier to communication?

Language differences

Woojin's company is considering allowing all employees to work from home, but he is concerned about the long-term effect on the strong culture of the organization. Which of the following is a potential outcome when digital communication replaces face-to-face communications?

Less supportive atmosphere of trust and cooperativeness

Teresita set up a meeting with Bhavik to review details of a new project. She outlined the customer needs, due dates, and format for the project. She shared examples of formats and reporting processes. In this scenario, which channel did Teresita use for her message?

Meeting

During class today, Zereth's professor is talking about the upcoming exam, but Zereth is having a hard time paying attention because she has a bad cold. What is causing the failure of communication between Zereth and her professor?

Noise

Which of the following is the hallmark of an effective listener?

Open minded

Which of the following is a medium for transmitting an oral message?

Phone Call

Polani knows that employees talk about work even when they are not working. Every quarter, Polani arranges an offsite event for her employees. They relax, socialize, talk about what is happening around town, and even work on occasion. What is Polani hoping to promote by including employees in social gatherings?

Promoting a strong sense of culture

At the quarterly company meeting, the CEO spoke repeatedly about the importance of return on investment. His purpose was to underscore smart budget decisions, wise investments, and taking advantage of opportunities to grow the business in a way that would reward all employees. However, the employees understood the term to mean that budget would be cut and resources reduced to increase profits for shareholders and senior management. This scenario illustrates what organizational barrier to communication?

Semantics

According to researchers, why is informal communication in the form of the grapevine increasing in organizations?

The recent increase in merger, acquisition, and takeover activity

Avec and Raphael work well together and have a great deal of respect for the work of the other, but really have little to talk about other than the job they are doing. How can Avec and Raphael help the work relationship evolve into a more positive interaction?

They should look for common ground

When information transmitted through the grapevine is based on fact rather than speculation, how accurate is it likely to be?

55 percent

Jin has managers located in seven countries, and he feels it is important to maintain weekly communication with each of them. What can Jin use to maintain this regular communication?

A teleconference

Petra often asks questions of her staff in staff meetings, and works to engage them in dialogue instead of just sharing information with them. She feels when her staff is engaged, they will understand and retain more information. What is Petra working to encourage during her meetings?

Active listening

Which pattern of communication is the most decentralized pattern of communication?

All-channel

What is the single most important individual skill for improving communication effectiveness?

Being a good listener

As a new manager, Yui wears a dress skirt, blouse, and jacket to work every day. She wants to convey authority and leadership to her staff, customers, and other leaders in the organization. Which element of nonverbal communication is Yui using to indicate her professionalism?

Body language

Ben learned that the upcoming company reorganization is likely to impact his department, meaning changes of duties for some of them. Of the eight people on Ben's team, he is closest with Linda and Roberto. He shares this news with the two of them. Linda keeps it to herself, but Roberto tells Davida. This is an example of which type of grapevine?

Cluster chain

Which of the following have managers around the world agreed on, as one of their most important tasks?

Communication

What is the basis of effective communication?

Consistency of meaning

Apoorva has sent her team a message on the new customer specifications. When her staff reads and interprets her message, which part of the communication process is occurring?

Decoding

In the communication process, what is the process of interpreting the meaning to the best of our ability?

Decoding

Yingqio and Geert received the news that their proposal was accepted with minor modifications. They got together to review the modifications the client outlined. Which step in the communication process did they need to use to interpret the meaning of the message?

Decoding

Eamon was asked to conduct a cost analysis for a new product line. As a junior employee in the organization, he has very little experience with this, and wants to be sure he, and his work, is viewed as a credible source of information. How can Eamon help to ensure creditably?

Ensure accurate and honest representation of facts

Juan sent a memo to his staff the new procedures for ordering new equipment. Later in the week, he checked in with individual staff members to ensure that they received the memo and to find out if they had any questions or concerns. What organizational skill is Juan demonstrating?

Following up

Montazar learned some interesting news about Dezmon, a colleague in another department. Montazar shared the information with his work team at their morning break, and with other work friends at lunch. Some of these people shared the information with others, while some did not. This is an example of which type of grapevine?

Gossip chain

Olesia is trying to improve her listening skills so she can become a more effective listening. Which of the following will inhibit her ability to listen effectively?

Having preconceptions about topics

Mark is spearheading an important project for his firm. Every day he receives countless emails from his direct supervisor, the managers of three other departments, and numerous colleagues with suggestions and guidelines regarding features the project must include, budget requirements, and scheduling needs. What can Mark do to regulate the information flow and reduce the overload he is experiencing?

He could call attention to the fact that he is being asked to do too many things at once.

Lionel has had difficulty establishing credibility in his investigative role at Crane Cyber Security. His background is in finance, so the engineers at the firm do not perceive him to have enough knowledge about the technological systems needed to investigate malware protection issues. Which type of barrier to communication is Lionel's lack of credibility?

Individual

_____ provide daily reports, schedules, plans, and budgets

Information systems

Hua spends the majority of the day responding to email, in conferences, and meeting with clients. Which managerial skills does Hua spend most of his time on?

Interpersonal relations

Which of the following is true of vertical communication?

It involves a superior and a subordinate.

What is a key advantage of oral communication?

It promotes prompt feedback.

What is true of the grapevine as an informal communications tool?

Its use increases when organizations move to suburbs.

Which of the following refers to a pattern through which the members of a group communicate?

Communication network

Jinhoon and Aviva have worked together on several projects, and have enjoyed working together. On occasion, they get together with their spouses and all of them spend time socializing on weekends. Which of the following does this relationship describe?

Positive interpersonal dynamics

Anke heard the new manager joining her department is difficult to deal with. As a result, when Anke met her, Anke immediately disliked her, and dismissed all the new manager had to say. Which of the following created this barrier to communication?

Predispositions

Why is oral communication considered to be a "rich" communication tool?

There is a variety of immediate feedback.

Manoj noticed a problem in the production process, and he thinks it is important enough to share with his manager. Which type of communication flow will Manoj use to share information with organizational leadership?

upward

At its most basic level, how can we define communication?

Transmission of information from one person to another

When a manager chooses to deliver particularly complicated or disappointing information in a personal meeting in order to be able to explain the situation and answer any questions, the manager is exhibiting which organizational communication skill?

Understanding the richness of media

Petra has heard through the grapevine that one of her employees is in danger of not making a deadline, but this employee is reluctant to tell her. What can Petra do to overcome reluctance on the part of her staff?

View the news as a challenge that must be overcome

When would oral communication be the most effective form of communication?

When media richness is most important

Geert asked his two top managers, Payal and Aisha, to meet with employees and explain the upcoming merger. Which communication network did Geert use to share this information with his entire staff?

Y

The communication process begins when a sender wants to transmit a fact, idea, opinion, or other information to a receiver. The next step is to _____.

encode the meaning into a form appropriate to the situation

In order to improve communication effectiveness, managers should _____.

encourage a two-way communication process

Which type of communication flow is best suited for joint problem solving?

horizontal

Traditional forms of written communication _____.

inhibit feedback and interchange

When United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby travels, he makes a point of talking to flight attendants and other passengers to gain continuous insights into running the business more effectively. This is an example of _____.

management by wandering around

Interpersonal relations in an organization can act as a primary source of _____.

needs satisfaction

Eli is spearheading an important project for his firm. He was waiting on an email with critical information from a co-worker, but he never received it. The firm's intranet went down, and there has been no email transmission today. Eli is experiencing the organizational communication barrier of _____.

noise

Michelle and Chuck were reviewing the layout of the new ad campaign when Chuck diverted his attention to read and respond to a text message. In terms of Michelle and Chuck's communication, this is an example of _____.

noise

Willa has a sensitive announcement to make to her team of 12 sales representatives. She wants to meet with each of them independently so that she can discreetly address any of their individual concerns. Which form of interpersonal communication is Willa using?

oral

At Crane Cyber Security (CCS), investigators frequently miss deadlines. They complain about information processing delays caused by the intranet system, but their managers think the investigators spend too much time on unnecessary tasks. Communication between the investigator and management levels at CCS is weak because of which type of barrier?

organizational

Lupita is spearheading an important project for her firm. Every day she receives countless emails from her direct supervisor, the managers of three other departments, and numerous colleagues with suggestions and guidelines regarding features the project must include, budget requirements, and scheduling needs. Lupita is not certain which information is critical to the project and what is just opinions or advice that does not need to be followed. Lupita is experiencing the organizational communication barrier of _____.

overload

Individual barriers to communication include _____.

poor listening skills

Mark is facing a crucial deadline. The work is more than he can handle in the amount of time, but he has not told his manager. He does not think his manager will assign any more resources to the project but will just tell Mark to work more hours to get it done. Mark is exhibiting the individual communication barrier of _____.

reluctance

Effective communication is the process of _____.

sending a message in such a way that the message received is as close in meaning as possible to the message intended

People who support one another and who work well together can accomplish much more than people who do not support one another and who do not work well together. This is an example of _____.

synergy

Ahmed is a new senior manager at Lock, Stock, and Barrel, a 100-year-old gun manufacturer. He has a different management style from his predecessor, Charlie. Charlie rarely interacted directly with his subordinates. Almost all of his communication was done through email messaging. Ahmed engages frequently with everyone in the office. He is often seen talking with employees at their desks, on walks through the office, out in the parking lot, and at company events. Ahmed uses a particular type of informal communication style known as management by _____.

wandering around

Anna is the sales manager for Wheelright Glass Products. She has a sensitive announcement to make to her team of 12 sales representatives. She wants to meet with each of them independently so that she can discreetly address any of their individual concerns. Anna has outlined the points that she needs to convey so that the message is consistent and useful when presented to each employee. To prevent the message from being communicated to members of her team with whom she has not yet spoken, which type of communication network pattern does Anna need to maintain?

wheel

Which form of communication is most appropriate if you need to keep a permanent record of the exchange?

written

According to studies, how much meaning do we derive from nonverbal cues?

55 percent

Nour learned that the upcoming company reorganization is likely to impact her department, meaning changes of duties for some of them. Nour quickly shared this information with the members of her team, and by the end of the day, word was spreading that many of them were going to be let go. Word got back to Rene, the department manager. While it is true that a reorganization is in the works, there are no plans to eliminate any positions. How can Rene minimize the damage that the grapevine does?

By clearly and openly explaining that no one will lose their jobs

Anna has an important announcement to make to her team of 12 sales representatives. To ensure that each of them receives the exact same message at the same time, Anna has typed up the announcement, along with all key details, and emailed it to her team. One member of the team, Steve, did not receive the email because his computer crashed. Which feature of the communication process is taking place between Anna and Steve?

Noise

Nila set up a meeting with her employee Arayla to explain why Arayla did not get the promotion she applied for. During the meeting, Arayla sat back in her chair with her arms crossed, with a look of anger on her face. When Nila asked if Arayla had any questions, Arayla responded with "No, this is just fine." Nila knew Arayla was mad! What did Arayla use to communicate her feelings about being passed over for promotion?

Nonverbal communication

Anke is writing a proposal to a customer to explain how Anke and her team will perform work for the customer. In the communication process, which role will this customer play?

Receiver

Paramita does all her work from her home office, and she submits everything electronically. Which of the following describes Paramita's work activities?

Telecommuting

Junhua needed to share new and sensitive information with his staff. He decided the most effective way to share this information was to hold a meeting. In the context of the communication process, what will the meeting be considered as?

The channel

Why are positive interpersonal relations in an organization important?

They are a source of satisfaction for many

Dajhia heard rumors about an upcoming merger that she knew, as a person on the team looking into the potential merger, were incorrect. She decided to write a memo to her employees dispelling the rumors. Which of the following types of communication was Dajhia responding to?

a grapevine

The sender or receiver can take steps to ensure that overload does not occur by _____.

effectively managing the number of messages sent

Which type of communication network can permeate an entire organization and follow a variety of communication patterns?

grapevine

Julius and his coworkers have been anxious for the past week. Senior managers at their firm have been holding many meetings behind closed doors. The content of the meetings has not been revealed to the employees, but the mood is grim. Yesterday, as the top management team left the conference room, Julius's manager glanced his way. Even though he gave Julius a friendly nod, Julius's concerns rose. The managers' looks of defeat and exhaustion have only elevated the anxiety being experienced by Julius and his coworkers. Julius's anxiety is being fueled by _____ communication.

informal

Apoorva is conducting performance reviews with each of her team members. She will meet with each individually to share areas they do well in, and areas that need improvement, and listen to their plans and goals. Which flow of communication is Apoorva using?

vertical