Business Comm. Ch. 1

A _____ refers to the major, well-established channels for information exchange within an organization. A. personal communication network B. formal network C. supply chain D. regulatory network E. grapevine

B

An angry customer calls the public relations department of Neptune Inc. to complain about a defect in the company's product. This form of communication can be categorized as _____. A. internal-operational communication B. external-operational communication C. personal communication D. informal communication E. grapevine communication

B

Josiah has just been hired by a large investment firm. His boss informs him that Fridays are "casual" When Friday comes, Josiah comes to work in jeans and a golf shirt, but all the other males are wearing dress shirts and slacks. This problem in communication is an example of _____. A. masking B. bypassing C. exaggeration D. heckling E. brainstorming

B

Social intelligence is best defined as the ability to _____. A. choose the right format for a given document B. quickly assess the emotions of those around and adapt their words, tone, and gestures accordingly C. interact with data, see patterns in data, make data-based decisions, and use data to design for desired outcomes D. determine the deeper meaning or significance of data E. observe proper business etiquette

B

The automation of tasks by smart machines _____. A. improves the average social intelligence of employees B. enables employees to spend more time on tasks that require strong interpretive skills C. offers employees the opportunity to develop visual literacy and ethical reasoning D. develops a high level of information literacy in employees E. improves the technological competence of employees

B

Which of the following is most likely to be true of a situation that heavily involves the audience in the communication process? A. The communicator will not be able to develop a well-informed sense of the situation. B. Solving a communication problem will be a recursive process. C. The communicator will have trouble achieving his/her goals. D. Choosing an appropriate medium for the message becomes a challenge. E. Composing the message will requires lesser consideration.

B

Which of the following is true about external-operational communication? A. It includes the ongoing discussions that the senior management undertakes to determine the goals and processes of the business. B. It includes all of the business's efforts at selling, from sales letters and emails to ads, tradeshow displays, and customer visits. C. It includes the orders and instructions that supervisors give employees, as well as written and oral exchanges among employees about work matters. D. It includes company reports that employees prepare concerning sales, production, inventories, finance, maintenance, and so on. E. It includes the messages that employees write and speak in carrying out their assignments and contributing their ideas to the business.

B

Which of the following statements is true about business communication within an organization? A. An organization's communication patterns are independent of the industry in which it operates. B. Organizations in a stable environment tend to depend on established types of formal communication. C. Simpler organizations typically require more communication than complex organizations. D. The geographic dispersion of an organization tends to have an adverse impact on its external communication. E. The communication of a homogeneous organization requires more adaptation to participants values than that of a multicultural organization.

B

Identify the impact of new media on communication. A. New media have increased rigidity in thinking and reduced peoples problem-solving skills. B. New media have decreased the average social intelligence of people at work. C. New media have increased the ease of tapping the intelligence of people outside an organization. D. New media have reduced the need for cross-cultural competency. E. New media have lowered the quality of communication at the workplace.

C

Skillful managers are most likely to deal with their organization's grapevine by _____. A. controlling it with rules and regulations B. establishing communication procedures to control the network C. recognizing its presence and using it for a positive purpose D. ignoring it E. deregulating the use of social media during work hours

C

The first step in the communication process is to _____. A. compose a message B. interpret the message C. sense the need for communication D. select a course of action E. decide on a response

C

Which of the following best exemplifies a communicator's professional context influencing communication? A. Medpace Inc.'s hierarchical structure causes its employees to expect a formal style in communications from their superiors. B. Jose, an optimistic person, likes to put an inspirational quote at the end of his email messages. C. Gordon, a graphic designer, prefers to communicate ideas visually. D. Melissa refuses to apologize to her subordinate after yelling at the subordinate in public. E. Trevor often uses social media sites at work because his company's products are marketed to young adults.

C

Which of the following best exemplifies personal communication? A. A team's discussion of how to improve work performance B. An acknowledgement that an order has been received C. A note to a supplier thanking him for the Christmas card he sent D. A business proposal written to the general manager of a company E. A team meeting to discuss the progress of an ongoing project

C

Which of the following constitutes an internal audience for a business? A. The company's competitors B. The company's customers C. The company's employees D. The company's suppliers E. Government officials

C

Which of the following is a current challenge for business communicators? A. Increased popularity of hierarchical structures in organizations B. Decreased diversity of employees at the workplace C. Increased focus on corporate social responsibility D. Increased rejection of new media in family-owned businesses E. Decreased usage of electronic correspondence by business writers

C

List the two main categories of problems. What approach is followed in solving these problems?

Problems are broadly divided into two types: • Well-defined problems: Well-defined problems can be solved by following a formula, and there is a path to the best solution. • Ill-defined problems: Solving ill-defined problems requires research, analysis, creativity, and judgment. Heuristics may be used to aid in the solving of an ill-defined problem, but they cannot be relied on entirely; the solution must be adapted to the situation. Ill-defined problems do not have a perfect solution, but a good solution can be developed with proper research and analysis.

Create a business scenario involving communicators from two different countries and give a brief account of the different contexts that would need to be considered for effective communication to occur.

Students answers will vary. The answer should emphasize the aspects of the larger context (economic, sociocultural, and historical) that would affect the communicators. The student can also consider the relationship that the communicators wish to establish and the particular contexts that can affect communication.

Explain the main categories of business communication.

Students examples will vary. There are three main categories of business communication: 1) Internal-Operational Communication: All the communication that occurs in conducting work within a business is internal operational. This is the communication among the business's employees that is done to perform the work of the business and track its success. 2) External-Operational Communication: The work-related communicating that a business does with people and groups outside the business is external-operational communication. This is the business's communication with its publics—suppliers, service companies, customers, government agencies, the general public, and others. 3) Personal Communication: Communication that takes place without apparent purpose as far as the operating plan of the business is concerned is called personal communication.

Bypassing is a communication problem that occurs when a sender and receiver attach completely different meanings to the same words.

TRUE Bypassing is a communication problem that occurs when a sender and receiver attach completely different meanings to the same words. Since every person has his or her own mental "filters"—preconceptions, frames of reference, and verbal worlds—wording the information so that it will be understood can be a challenge.

Communication ranks at or near the top of the business skills needed for success.

TRUE Communication is a major and essential part of the work of business. Communication ranks at or near the top of the business skills needed for success.

Internal audiences, as well as external ones, can occupy different professional roles and therefore favor different kinds of content and language.

TRUE Internal audiences, as well as, external ones can occupy different professional roles and therefore favor different kinds of content and language. Part of successful communication is being alert to your audiences different professional contexts.

Interpreting a message is more than just extracting information from a message.

TRUE Interpretation of a message involves not only extracting information from the message but also guessing your communication purpose, forming judgments about you and those you represent, and picking up on cues about the relationship you want to promote between yourself and the recipient. It occurs at the recipient's end in the business communication process.

No two people have identical contexts or mental "filters"

TRUE No two people have precisely the same values, backgrounds, and verbal worlds. All of these elements, called mental "filters" influence how people perceive new situations and how they communicate.

The widespread use of the Internet has increased companies' attention to social responsibility.

TRUE The Internet has increased companies attention to social responsibility. It has brought a new transparency to companies business practices, with negative information traveling quickly and widely. Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) such as CorpWatch, Consumer Federation of America, and Greenpeace can exert a powerful influence on public opinion and even on governments.

The ability of people to quickly assess the emotions of those around them and adapt their words, tone, and gestures accordingly is known as social intelligence.

TRUE The ability of people to quickly assess the emotions of those around them and adapt their words, tone, and gestures accordingly is known as social intelligence.

The informal network inside an organization is often referred to as the grapevine.

TRUE The informal network inside an organization is often referred to as the grapevine. The grapevine usually carries far more information than the formal communication system, and on many matters it is more effective in determining the course of an organization.

The formal network refers to the main lines of operational communication in a business.

TRUE The main lines of operational communication in a business constitute the formal network. Through these channels flows the bulk of the communication that the business needs to operate.

Briefly define the formal network of an organization.

The formal network consists of the established lines of communication in an organization. Through these channels flows the bulk of the communication that the business needs to operate. Specifically, the flow includes the upward, lateral, and downward movement of information; the downward movement of orders, instructions, advisories, and announcements; and the broad dissemination of company information. It details the expectations about what can and cannot be said, who may and may not say it, and how the messages should be structured and worded.

Discuss the term "new media"

The forms of electronic communication that have developed since email are collectively called new media. They include messages on social networks, online meetings, podcasts, and other communications that can be accessed on demand and invite user participation. It is now easy to network with others, even on the other side of the world, and to tap the intelligence of those outside the boundaries of the organization. New media are also increasing the need for employees who have social intelligence.

What is the goal of business communication? Define the terms mental filters and bypassing.

The goal of business communication is to create a shared understanding of business situations that will enable people to work successfully together. Mental filters are preconceptions, frames of reference, and verbal worlds that can influence communicators interpretations. Bypassing is a communication problem that occurs when the sender and the receiver attach different meanings to the same words.

How does a communicator's particular context influence the act of communication?

Many contexts of a communicator influence the act of communication: • Organizational contexts: The type and culture of an organization will shape the communication choices in many ways, and the organizational contexts audiences will, in turn, shape their responses. In every act of business communication, at least one of the parties involved is likely to be representing an organization. • Professional contexts: Different professionals possess different kinds of expertise, speak differently, and have different perspectives. Part of successful communication involves being alert to the audiences different professional contexts as well as their different priorities. • Personal contexts: The genes inherited, family and upbringing, life experiences, schooling, and the culture in which a person is reared affects his personality. Communicative acts can also be affected by successes and failures, current relationships, financial ups and downs, state of health, and physical environment. Though such personal matters are not disclosed, they definitely affect communication.

A memorandum reporting the shortage of certain goods written by the warehouse supervisor of Yellow Lamination Inc. to the company's purchasing department would be best classified as a form of _____. A. internal-operational communication B. external-operational communication C. personal communication D. grapevine communication E. internal-external communication

A

Computational thinking is best defined as the ability to _____. A. interact with data, see patterns in data, make data-based decisions, and use data to design for desired outcomes B. understand and adapt to other people's preference for individualism or collectivism, political environment and ideas about social hierarchy of different countries C. quickly assess the emotions of those around and adapt one's word, tone, and gestures accordingly D. create visuals and determine the deeper, underlying meaning or significance of messages E. manipulate people into accepting one's viewpoint regarding ethics and social responsibility

A

Cross-cultural competency is best defined as the ability to _____. A. understand and adapt to the preference for individualism or collectivism, religious beliefs, political environment, and ideas about social hierarchy of different countries B. interact with data, see patterns in data, make data-based decisions, and use data to design for desired outcomes C. determine the deeper, underlying meaning or significance of messages D. manipulate people into accepting one's viewpoint regarding religion E. create and interpret graphics

A

In the process of communication, once the primary sender of a message develops a well- informed sense of the situation, the next logical step is to _____. A. analyze the potential audiences B. interpret the message C. choose an appropriate time to send the message D. draft and then revise the message carefully E. extract information from the message

A

The advent of new media has _____. A. increased the need for employees who have social intelligence B. eliminated the need for traditional modes of communication such as face-to-face conversations C. limited the demand for digital networking and virtual collaboration D. increased the hierarchical nature of organizational setups E. reduced the decision-making power of front-line employees

A

The widespread use of the Internet has _____. A. forced companies into focusing harder on developing a socially responsible image B. restricted negative information from spreading quickly and widely C. reduced the likelihood of culturally diverse people working together on a global team D. made organizations less accountable to society and removed them from public scrutiny E. reduced the amount of time employees can spend on tasks that require deeper interpretation

A

Which of the following is true about contexts for communication? A. Communication can be influenced by the communicators; professional roles. B. The communicators; personal contexts do not influence their communication. C. The largest context in which business communication takes place is the organizational context. D. The organizational context does not influence either external communication or the grapevine. E. Customs and cultures have no effect on business communication.

A

_____ is best defined as the ability to understand and adapt to the preferences for individualism or collectivism, religious beliefs, political environment, and ideas about social hierarchy of people in different countries. A. Cross-cultural competency B. Ethical reasoning C. Computational thinking D. Visual literacy E. Corporate social responsibility

A

Which of the following is an example of external-operational communication? A. Discussions held by the senior management to determine the goals and processes of a business B. Orders and instructions issued by supervisors to employees about handling irate customers C. Discussion between the CEOs of two companies regarding a possible merger of their companies D. Employees reports concerning sales, production, inventories, finance, and maintenance E. Messages written by employees to their supervisors regarding the progress of their work

C

Which of the following is true about internal-operational communication? A. It includes a business's communication with its customers. B. It includes a business's communication with its suppliers. C. It includes the orders and instructions that supervisors give to their employees. D. It includes the instructions that the supervisors of a business give to its vendors. E. It includes a business's communication with government agencies.

C

Which of the following statements is true about increasing globalism and workplace diversity? A. Businesspeople, on a global level, have the same understanding of punctuality and efficiency. B. Countries and cultures become less interconnected as businesses expand across the world. C. The requirement for cultural agility in workplace communication has increased significantly. D. People around the world share standardized notions of business and communication. E. The differences in cultures are solely responsible for workplace diversity.

C

Communication with an external audience should be undertaken with careful attention to both content and tone because _____. A. front-line employees now have a higher level of decision-making power B. new media are increasing the need for employees with social intelligence C. external audiences tend to have low literacy D. such messages can be regarded as public-relations messages, conveying a certain image of the company E. communicating with external audiences is far more important than communicating with internal audiences

D

Sensing a need for communication typically occurs at the recipients end in the business communication process.

FALSE Sensing a need for communication occurs when a sender believes that some form of communication will help him/her achieve the desired state.

The grapevine of an organization is best defined as _____. A. a network that follows a set pattern of communication within the organization B. a network that is highly dependent on the computational skills of the organization's employees C. a collection of the simple, well-defined communication streams within an organization D. the informal network used by the employees within the organization E. the network used by the organization to communicate with its core business partners

D

Which of the following approaches will be most effective for solving business communication problems? A. Use trial and error. B. Treat all situations involving communication as well-defined problems. C. Use what has worked for other companies. D. Consider the likely effects of a number of different solutions, and choose the solution with the best likely effect. E. Use a formula that works for solving well-defined problems.

D

Which of the following best exemplifies a personal context influencing communication? A. Because of Medpace Inc.'s hierarchical structure, employees are expected to use a formal style when communicating with high-ranking executives. B. Jose, a freelance software trainer, prefers to use technical jargon when communicating with vendors. C. Paula, a fashion designer, writes a fashion blog. D. Jason stressed because of a tight deadline, writes a rude email to a coworker. E. Gemini Inc.'s employees use social media in their communication at work.

D

Which of the following best illustrates an ill-defined problem? A. How to calculate the annual profits of a company B. How to calculate the money left in a department's budget C. How to count the number of hours an employee stays in the office D. How to communicate a dip in profits to a company's stakeholders E. How to fill in a monthly production report

D

Which of the following is a form of external-operational communication? A. Discussions among the board members to decide the future course of the organization B. Coffee-table conversations between employees regarding the progress of their respective projects C. Monthly sales reports created by an automated software D. Meetings that executives hold with leaders of community organizations E. Messages that employees write to their team members regarding project-related issues

D

Which of the following statements is true about ill-defined problems? A. Ill-defined problems can be solved by using a set formula. B. There are few ill-defined problems in a well-run business. C. Ill-defined problems are always negative. D. Solving ill-defined problems requires analytical skill and good judgment. E. Ill-defined problems have unique and perfect solutions.

D

Which of the following statements is true about personal communication? A. Personal communication is an official part of a business's operations. B. Personal communication should be avoided as it is often counter-productive to the organization's goals. C. Personal communication is regulated by the formal network. D. Communication with external parties will often include elements of personal communication. E. The attitudes of the employees and those with whom they communicate are not influenced by personal communication.

D

_____ is the communication problem that arises when two people using the same word think that they agree on its meaning but actually do not. A. Groupthink B. Brainstorming C. Masking D. Bypassing E. Heckling

D

Baby Boomers refer to those people who _____. A. have more than three children B. were born after the year 1979 C. were brought up in multi-cultural societies D. oppose population-control strategies E. were born soon after World War II

E

Pedro, a sales manager, asks Rafael, one of his new recruits, to send him a sales report by EOD (end of day). Rafael intends on creating the report after returning home and sending it to Pedro by midnight. While Rafael is on his way out after finishing his work for the day, Pedro spots him and asks him for the report. It is only then that Rafael realizes that Pedro expected him to finish the report before leaving. This scenario exemplifies _____. A. groupthink B. heckling C. masking D. brainstorming E. bypassing

E

The ability to meaningfully, accurately, and efficiently create and interpret pictures and other graphics is known as _____. A. cross-cultural competency B. social intelligence C. computational thinking D. ethical reasoning E. visual literacy

E

Which of the following is an example of internal-operational communication? A. A letter written by a consumer to the customer care service B. An advertisement put on a company's website for the general public C. An order form submitted to an organization's supplier for raw materials D. A businessperson's posts on Twitter or LinkedIn E. A memo concerning the production and sales targets for an organization

E

Which of the following is true about the formal network of an organization? A. The formal network does not include the upward and lateral movement of information in an organization. B. The formal communication network never includes external audiences. C. The formal network is the only important communication network in an organization. D. The formal network is unrelated to an organization's business plan. E. The formal network constitutes the main lines through which the bulk of operational communication flows.

E

Which of the following is true about the informal network of an organization? A. The informal network consists of organized, well-established channels for information exchange. B. The informal network can be controlled by the manager's network. C. The informal network carries insignificant information. D. Use of the informal network should be discouraged. E. The informal network follows no set pattern and is usually a complex relationship of smaller networks.

E

Which of the following statements is true about email? A. Email came into existence during the 1950s. B. Email has entirely replaced the need for phone conversations. C. Email is the primary form of oral communication. D. Email allows a communicator to reach out to only one person at a time. E. Email is the most heavily used communication medium in business.

E

Which of the following statements is true about organizational culture? A. The concept of organizational or corporate culture was popularized in the early 1930s. B. A company's organizational culture can be determined by management. C. The focus on organizational culture by management consultants and theorists has drastically decreased over time. D. The official organizational culture of a company is exactly the same as its actual organizational culture. E. Organizational culture refers to an organization's customary, but often unstated, ways of perceiving and doing things.

E

Which of the following statements is true about the actual organizational culture of a company? A. It is invariably the same as the company's official organizational culture. B. It is a dynamic, living realm of meaning constructed through communications at the topmost level of the company. C. It is always reflected in the company's mission statement. D. It is announced through formal communications by the management of the company. E. It is the medium of preferred values and practices in which the company's members do their work.

E

The ability to interact with data, see patterns in data, make data-based decisions, and use data to design for desired outcomes is known as visual literacy.

FALSE Computational thinking is the ability to interact with data, see patterns in data, make data- based decisions, and use data to design for desired outcomes. The ability to create and interpret graphics is known as visual literacy.

A business's communication with its suppliers is a typical example of internal-operational communication.

FALSE External-operational communication consists of a business's communication with its suppliers, service companies, customers, government agencies, the general public, and others. Internal- operational communication is the communication among the business's employees that is done to perform the work of the business and track its success.

The kind of communicating a business does is independent of the nature of the business.

FALSE Just how much and what kind of communicating a business does depends on several factors. The nature of the business is one such factor. Another factor is the business's size and complexity.

Imagination and creativity are for the creative disciplines. Business communication problems should be solved using standard procedures.

FALSE Most real-world problems, including business communication problems, cannot be solved by following a formula. They do not come to us in neat packages with the path to the best solution clearly implied. Instead, they require research, analysis, creativity, and judgment.

Written communication has replaced oral communication in business settings.

FALSE Oral communication is a major part of the information flow in businesses. So, too, are various types of written communication—instant messaging, text messaging, online postings and comments, email, memos, letters, and reports, as well as forms and records.

Personal communication interferes with good business relationships and should be prohibited in the workplace.

FALSE Personal communication is essential in the workplace since it helps make and sustain the relationships upon which business depends. Personal communication is the exchange of information and feelings in which we human beings engage whenever we come together.

Poor communication negatively affects big businesses, not small businesses.

FALSE Poor communication costs businesses millions of dollars every single day in the form of wasted time, misunderstandings, eroded customer loyalty, and lost business. SIS International Research found that poor communication is a problem for small and midsized businesses, not just for big corporations.

The official culture and the actual culture in a company are exactly the same.

FALSE The official culture and the actual culture in a company are not necessarily the same. Officially, the company management may announce and try to promote a certain culture through formal communications such as mission statements and mottoes. But the actual culture of a company is a dynamic, living realm of meaning constructed daily through infinite behaviors and communications at all levels of the company.

The importance of communication skills is the same at all levels of an organization.

FALSE Whatever position you have in business, your performance will be judged largely on the basis of your ability to communicate. If you perform and communicate well, you are likely to be rewarded with advancement. And the higher you advance, the more you will need your communication ability.

Solving a communication problem is typically a linear process.

FALSE While the activities involved in solving a communication problem tend to form a linear pattern, the communicator often needs to revisit earlier steps while moving through the different activities. In other words, solving a communication problem is a recursive process.

Discuss the effects of the grapevine on an organization. How do skillful managers take advantage of this network?

The informal network inside an organization is often referred to as the grapevine. Despite carrying much gossip and rumor, the grapevine usually carries far more information than the formal communication system, and on many matters it is more effective in determining the course of an organization. The grapevine extends to external audiences. The widespread use of social media has dramatically increased employees informal communication with outsiders, which may help or hurt the company. Skillful managers can find out who the talk leaders are and give them the information that will do the most good for the organization. They also make management decisions that cultivate positive talk.

List the steps involved in the communication process.

The steps involved in the communication process are: 1. Sensing a communication need 2. Defining the situation 3. Considering possible communication strategies 4. Selecting a course of action 5. Composing a message 6. Sending the message 7. Receiving the message 8. Interpreting the message 9. Deciding on a response 10. Replying to the message

Describe the various factors that affect the types and amount of communicating that a business does.

The types and amount of communicating that a business does depends on several factors: • The nature of the business: Businesses that require interaction with its customers, suppliers, manufacturers, distributors, etc. will require far more communication than simple services. • The business's size and complexity: Relatively simple businesses require far less communication than complex businesses. • The business's relation to its environment: Businesses in a comparatively stable environment will tend to depend on established types of formal communication in a set organizational hierarchy, whereas those in a volatile environment will tend to improvise more in terms of their communications and company structure. • The geographic dispersion of the operations of a business: Internal communication in a business with multiple locations differs from that of a one-location business. Enabling employees to work from home, requiring them to travel, and relying on outside contractors can also increase a company's geographical reach, and thus affect its communication. The communication of a multicultural organization will require more adaptation to participants values, perspectives, and language skills than that of a relatively homogeneous organization.