MANA3335 Ch. 12 Practice Test

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

*55 percent {Nonverbal communication is a communication exchange that does not use words or uses words to carry more meaning than the strict definition of the words themselves. One study found that as much as 55 percent of the content of a message is transmitted by facial expressions and body posture and that another 38 percent derives from inflection and tone. Words themselves may account for only 7 percent of the content of the message}

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

*55 percent {One study found that as much as 55 percent of the content of a message is transmitted by facial expressions and body posture and that another 38 percent derives from inflection and tone. Words themselves may account for only 7 percent of the content of the message}

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 {Encoding is the process of formulating the meaning of the message to be delivered. Decoding is the process of converting a message into a form that has meaning for the receiver}

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

*Decoding {The process of communication begins when one person (the sender) wants to transmit a fact, idea, opinion, or other information to someone else (the receiver)}

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 {Asking questions is a skill for effective listening. Having preconceptions is not a skill for effective listening}

Which of the following is true of vertical communication?

*It involves a superior and a subordinate {Horizontal communication facilitates joint problem solving. Vertical communication takes place between managers and their superiors and subordinates}

What is a key advantage of oral communication?

*It promotes prompt feedback {The primary advantage of oral communication is that it promotes prompt feedback and interchange}

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 {Whereas vertical communication involves a superior and a subordinate, horizontal communication involves colleagues and peers at the same level of the organization}

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

*Phone call {Oral communication takes place in conversations, group discussions, phone calls, and other situations in which the spoken word is used to express meaning}

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 {In some situations, the grapevine can actually be an asset. By learning who the key people in the grapevine are, for example, the manager can use it to sound out employee reactions to new ideas, such as a change in human resource policies or benefit packages. The manager can also get valuable information from the grapevine and use it to improve decision making}

Why are positive interpersonal relations in an organization important?

*They are a source of satisfaction for many {Interpersonal relations in organizations can be a primary source of need satisfaction for many people. For a person with a strong need for affiliation, high-quality interpersonal relations can be an important positive element in the workplace. However, when this same person is confronted with poor quality working relationships, the effect can be just as strong but in the other direction}

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

*Transmission of information from one person to another {In effective communication, the meaning is transmitted in such a way that the receiving person understands it}

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

*When media richness is most important {Less formal written communication such as email or text messaging is often preferred when the message is personal, nonroutine, and brief}

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 {In the wheel pattern, all communication flows through one central person. The Y pattern is slightly less centralized than the wheel, as two people are close to the center}

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

*effectively managing the number of messages sent {Regulating information flow means that the sender or receiver takes steps to ensure that overload does not occur}

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 {Transmitting the message after it is encoded is not the next step. The process of communication begins when one person wants to transmit a fact, idea, opinion, or other information to someone else. 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 {Being a good listener requires that the individual not interrupt the speaker. Two-way communication allows the receiver to ask questions, request clarification, and express opinions, signaling understanding. In general, the more complicated the message, the more useful two-way communication is}

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 {The grapevine is an informal communication network among people in an organization. Management by wandering around is an approach to communication that involves the manager literally walking around and talking with people}

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

*needs satisfaction {From a managerial perspective, strong interpersonal relationships with employees allow managers to know how employees will react to specific challenges, where their strengths lie, and what strategies for motivation of employees will be successful}

What is the first step in the communication process?

*A sender wanting to share a fact, idea, or opinion {The process of communication begins when one person (the sender) wants to transmit a fact, idea, opinion, or other information to someone else (the receiver). This fact, idea, or opinion has meaning to the sender}

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 {Artificial intelligence refers to the construction of computer systems, both hardware and software, to imitate human behavior}

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 {Communication problems may also arise when people of different power or status try to communicate with each other. This is a barrier to organizational communication}

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

*All-channel {The circle pattern closes the path of the chain, in which there is an even flow of information among members, but each person communicates with just two other people. The all-channel network, the most decentralized, allows a free flow of information among all group members}

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

*Being a good listener {Lack of credibility is an individual barrier to communication, but it is not the most important individual skill. Being a good listener is the single most important individual skill for improving communication effectiveness}

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 {A third form of nonverbal communication is body language. For example, prolonged eye contact might suggest either hostility or romantic interest, whereas a lack of eye contact can be associated with dishonesty or disinterest. Other kinds of body language include body and hand movement, pauses in speech, and mode of dress}

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 {There is no value in denying any accurate information. By maintaining open channels of communication and responding vigorously to inaccurate information, the manager can minimize the damage the grapevine can do}

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 {In the cluster chain, one person passes the information to a selected few individuals. Some of the receivers pass the information to a few other individuals; the rest keep it to themselves}

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

*Communication {it's important for others to communicate with them so that they will better understand what is going on in their environment and how they and their organization can become more effective. This is dependent on effective communication}

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

*Communication network {Interpersonal communication takes one of two forms: oral and written. A communication network refers to a pattern through which the members of a group communicate}

What is the basis of effective communication?

*Consistency of meaning {Our definition of effective communication is based on the ideas of meaning and consistency of meaning. Meaning is the idea that the individual who initiates the communication exchange wishes to convey}

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 {Noise is something that disrupts communication of the message at any point in the communication process. Decoding is the process of converting a message into a form that has meaning for the receiver}

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 {Follow up, regulated information flow, and understanding of media richness are all methods of overcoming organizational barriers to communication. Subject credibility is an individual barrier to effective communication}

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 {Understanding the richness of media is not a factor in this scenario. Following up simply involves checking at a later time to be sure that a message has been received and understood}

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 {The gossip chain occurs when one person spreads the message to many other people. Each one, in turn, may either keep the information confidential or pass it on to others. The gossip chain is likely to carry personal information}

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

*Grapevine {In the wheel pattern, all communication flows through one central person, who is probably the group's leader. In a sense, the wheel is the most centralized network because one person receives and disseminates all information}

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 {Understanding others' point of view will not help with information overload. He could call attention to the fact that he is being asked to do too many things at once}

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

*Horizontal {Vertical communication is communication that flows up and down the organization, usually along formal reporting lines—that is, it is the communication that takes place between managers and their superiors and subordinates}

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 {A lack of credibility is an individual barrier to effective communication. Subject credibility is an individual characteristic or process that can interfere with effective communication}

_____ provide daily reports, schedules, plans, and budgets.

*Information systems {Knowledge-level systems include text processing, document imaging, desktop publishing, computer-aided design, simulation modeling, and similar tools. Management information systems support an organization's managers by providing daily reports, schedules, plans, and budgets}

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 {Interpersonal relations also serve as a solid basis for social support. Suppose that an employee receives a poor performance evaluation or is denied a promotion. Others in the organization can lend support because they share a common frame of reference—an understanding of the causes and consequences of what happened}

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

*Its use increases when organizations move to suburbs {Social media affects the grapevine. Informal communication is increasing in many organizations. As more and more corporations move facilities from inner cities to suburbs, employees tend to talk less to others outside the organization and more to one another}

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 {Managers need to know that they cannot eliminate gossip but can minimize its dysfunctional consequences by maintaining open and effective formal communication channels}

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 {Noise is any phenomenon that may disrupt communication anywhere along the way. Noise comes in two varieties: internal and external}

Why does written communication inhibit feedback and exchange?

*Lag time {The lag time between the sending of a message and receiving feedback from it can, and in many cases does, result in inaccurate interpretation of the original sender's meaning. Thus, written communication often inhibits feedback and interchange and is usually more difficult and time-consuming than oral communication}

Which of the following is an organizational barrier to communication?

*Language differences {As businesses become more and more global, different languages can create problems. To counter this, many international firms have adopted an "official language" for doing business}

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 {Managers who are seldom in their "real" offices are likely to fall behind in the inner workings of the organization and may even be victimized by organizational politics because they are not present to keep in touch with what is going on. They drop out of the organizational grapevine and miss out on much of the informal communication that takes place}

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 {The channel is the method by which information is sent. The due dates are a part of the message that is being transmitted}

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 {Noise is any phenomenon that may disrupt communication anywhere along the way. Internal noise is noise that is "inside" of one of the individuals in the interaction that causes them to be distracted and makes sending and decoding messages difficult}

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

*Open minded {One who is more effective at listening, stays active and focused, pays attention, asks questions, keeps an open mind, and assimilates information}

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 {Nonverbal communication is a communication exchange that does not use words or uses words to carry more meaning than the strict definition of the words themselves}

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 {Communication between the investigator and management levels at CCS is weak because of organizational barriers. Status or power differences are a common source of ineffective communication in organizations. It is one barrier to communication due to organizational context}

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 {Members of the organization should interact in a professional way focused primarily on goal accomplishment. The interaction deals with the job at hand, is relatively formal and structured, and is task directed}

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 {Overload is an organizational barrier to communication. In the scenario, a case of predisposition is exemplified. Receivers bring certain predispositions to the communication process. They may already have their minds made up, firmly set in a certain way}

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 {The receiver is the person to whom the message is transmitted. After the message is received, it is decoded by the receiver, who then interprets the meaning to the best of his or her ability}

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 {Semantics problems arise when words have different meanings for different people. In this scenario, the CEO and employees had different meanings for the term "return on investment."}

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

*Telecommuting {Teleconferences are used to link offices in different locations in ways that used to require high transportation costs to get all of the participants into the same room. In telecommuting, people work at home on their computers and communicate with colleagues and coworkers using digital media}

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 {The sender is the person who encodes a message and transmits it. The meeting itself is the channel by which the encoded message is being transmitted}

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 {Telecommuting has not been found to increase informal communication. One reason for the increase in informal communication is the recent increase in merger, acquisition, and takeover activity}

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

*There is a variety of immediate feedback {Nonverbal communication is a communication exchange that does not use words or uses words to carry more meaning than the strict definition of the words themselves}

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 {This most likely occurs when the parties dislike each other, do not have mutual respect, and do not enjoy interacting. In this scenario, there is no indication of negative personal dynamics}

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 {Following up involves checking at a later time to be sure that a message has been received and understood}

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 {Horizontal communication flows laterally. Communication flow from subordinate to manager is a vertical, or upward, communication flow within the organization}

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 {Horizontal communication flows laterally. The communication of Apoorva's announcement to her team members is a vertical flow of organizational communication. Communication flow from manager to subordinate is a vertical, or downward, communication flow within the organization}

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 {The key to overcoming reluctance is to create a culture in which bad news is viewed as a challenge that the team must work together in order to overcome rather than simply an end point after which someone has to be disciplined}

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 {Anna's plan ensures that the message will be accurate, thorough, and relevant when shared with each of her team members. A wheel communication network pattern, where Anna is the only person to disseminate the message, protects the effectiveness of the communication process}

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

*Written {Written communication provides a permanent record of the exchange. The ability to strategically construct a message can be a powerful way of making sure a message is received as intended. The receiver can take the time to read it carefully and can refer to it repeatedly, as needed. For these reasons, written communication is generally preferable when important details are involved or in situations in which the receiver will likely need to reference the details of the message repeatedly}

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 {Interpersonal communication is in the form of oral or written communication. In this situation, communication is taking place informally through nonverbal cues}

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 {Decoding is the process of converting a message into a form that has meaning for the receiver. Noise is something that disrupts communication of the message at any point in the communication process}

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 {Reluctance is an individual barrier to communication. With reluctance, a sender is unwilling to share information}

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 {Poor listening habits can be a major barrier to effective communication. Some people are simply poor listeners}

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 {Noise is an organizational barrier to communication. Some people are simply reluctant to initiate a communication exchange. A subordinate may be reluctant to transmit information upward for fear of reprisal or because it is felt that such an effort would be futile}

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 {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 {Good interpersonal relations throughout an organization can also be a source of synergy. 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}

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 {Ahmed uses a particular type of informal communication style known as management by wandering around. A management by wandering around communication approach is a way that some managers stay on top of office activity, picking up spontaneous information from unpredictable sources}

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 {Dajhia is trying to inhibit the type of informal communication known as a grapevine. Informal grapevine communication networks transfer and often distort messages throughout an organization in a seemingly haphazard manner}

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 {Decoding is the process of converting a message into a form that has meaning for the receiver. The disruption of communication between Anna and Steve is noise}

Traditional forms of written communication _____.

*inhibit feedback and interchange {Oral communication is preferred when the message is personal and nonroutine. The biggest single drawback of traditional forms of written communication is that they inhibit feedback and interchange}

Individual barriers to communication include _____.

*poor listening skills {Noise is an organizational barrier to communication. Individual barriers to communication include poor listening skills}