MANA3335 MindTap Learn It: Chapter 12: Communication in Organizations

Which of the following are disadvantages of written communication? Check all that apply.

*Both sender and receiver must have access to and use some tools or technology *A sent message may go unread for some time *If the message is not understood, some time may elapse before that feedback reaches the sender {Disadvantages of written communication include the fact that the sender does not control when messages are read and that sender and receiver must use equipment of some kind. Another disadvantage is that if a message is misunderstood or provokes a negative reaction, the sender may not get that feedback for some time—or ever. Addressing a large audience in writing does not trigger the same kind of fear as does, for many people, speaking to a large group}

Which of the following are barriers to communication arising from the nature of the organization? Check all that apply.

*Different groups have different perceptions of a topic *Employees at different levels are reluctant to speak or listen to each other *The same terms have different meanings to different groups {Barriers to communication that arise from the organization include those that come about when communication occurs between employees in different departments, at different levels, in different types of jobs, or in different geographic areas, as well as when the organization's culture results in an overload of information or tasks that compete with communication. Different groups may not share a common understanding of the same language, or indeed the same language at all. Employees in different areas of the company or in different jobs may have different perceptions of a topic that make it difficult to understand information that conflicts with those perceptions. Employees at higher levels may be dismissive of information from lower levels, and employees at lower levels may be anxious about communicating to those at higher levels}

Which of the following statements is true of horizontal communication?

*It allows employees with different knowledge bases to contribute to problem solving {Horizontal communication consists of communication between employees who are at the same level of the organization but in different departments. This communication flow makes organizations more effective because it allows different parts of the organization to coordinate their activities and it allows employees with different knowledge or skills to work together to solve problems. Because it is defined in relation to the organization's departmental structure, it is considered formal, not informal, communication}

Which of the following are advantages of oral communication? Check all that apply.

*It includes nonverbal as well as verbal components *It requires no special equipment *The sender and receiver can easily seek clarification and give feedback {Oral communication involves speaking. This form of communication has a number of advantages, including the fact that the parties can readily seek clarification and provide feedback without delays; it is a rich form of communication because it includes components such as facial expressions and tone of voice; and it requires no keyboard, email app, or other technology. A drawback of oral communication is that, unless someone makes an audio or video recording, it does not produce a record that the parties can refer to later}

Which of the following statements is true of vertical communication?

*It is most effective when it is a two-way flow between levels of the organization {Vertical communication consists of downward communication from managers to subordinates, such as when a manager informs their direct reports of a policy change. It also includes upward communication from subordinates to managers, such as when employees tell a manager that new equipment would make their jobs easier. Organizations benefit most when vertical communication operates in both directions. Because it follows the lines of the organizational structure, it is considered formal, not informal, communication}

Which of the following are disadvantages of oral communication? Check all that apply.

*Physical noise can interfere with hearing the message *It does not produce a record of the communication *The participants may not be able to take time to formulate their thoughts as carefully as they would like {Disadvantages of oral communication include the fact that participants often cannot take as much time as they would like to assemble and phrase their ideas, no documentation is produced, and physical noise can interfere with reception. An advantage of oral communication is that the parties can seek clarification and respond with feedback without delay}

Every fall, interested employees sign up to play a Jeopardy!-style trivia tournament. The chief information officer (CIO) talks to users of technology throughout the organization whenever the CIO runs into them, from the loading dock clerk to the head of human resources. The call center supervisor talks to everyone in the organization who deals with customers, from salespeople to delivery people, whenever the supervisor runs into them. An employee who has decided to leave the organization tells a coworker. That coworker shares the information with two other colleagues, one of whom tells another employee.

*Social Gatherings *Management by Wandering Around *Management by Wandering Around *Grapevine {Social activities among coworkers that aren't related to work, such as playing trivia tournaments, are a way for members of the organization to feel more connected and establish positive interpersonal relations. Communication of both personal and work-related information often occurs during these events. By taking every opportunity to talk to individuals in different jobs and departments, the CIO is practicing management by wandering around. By doing so, they are receiving information from more sources than if they relied solely on formal communication channels. In this example, information is spreading through informal networks of coworkers who have close enough relationships with each other that they share interesting news when they have it. Because the employee who first shares the news tells a group of people, who in turn tell groups of people, this is an example of a gossip chain. In this example, information is spreading through informal networks of coworkers who have close enough relationships with each other that they share interesting news when they have it. Because the employee who first shares the news tells only one person, who in turn tells only two other people, and so forth, this is an example of a cluster chain}

Which of the following are potential disadvantages associated with reliance on digital communication? Check all that apply.

*Some employees may believe that the usual rules of the workplace do not apply and transgress policies against harassment *Employees may have difficulty establishing close working relationships *Remote employees may not have access to all the information that would be helpful to them {Some individuals feel there is just no substitute for face-to-face communication. Employees in a remote, or virtual, workplace may feel cut off from each other and feel only weakly connected to the organization's culture. They may also find themselves excluded from the informal networks formed by employees at a physical location. In addition, some individuals believe that the rules that apply to nondigital life do not apply on the internet and send messages or engage in other behavior that creates a hostile work environment. Digital communication makes it easier for people in different time zones to communicate, as they can send instant messages, social media posts, emails, and shared documents during their regular work hours and, in turn, pick up these communications during work hours. Some organizations have gained efficiency, for example, by having a North American team work on a project using a certain skill set and then pass the day's work off to another team in Asia, who accomplish different tasks with a different skill set before passing the work back to North America at the end of their workday}

Which of the following steps in the communication process occur after the sender chooses the words to express the message? Check all that apply.

*The receiver holds the message in their mind *A channel for conveying the information is chosen *The information is decoded {The last three steps of the communication process, listed below, occur before the message is sent. The act of choosing the words and/or nonverbal means to express the message is the encoding of the message, which occurs in step 2. 1.The sender determines what information to transmit. 2.In encoding, the sender chooses words and/or nonverbal methods to convey the information. 3.A channel is chosen as the means of transmission. 4.In decoding, the receiver interprets the message. 5.The receiver has the information, or at least some version of it.}

Which of the following are advantages of written communication? Check all that apply

*The sender can take time to collect information and formulate the most effective phrasing to express it *It produces a durable and accurate record of the communication *The receiver can take time to review the information carefully {Written communication has several advantages, including the fact that it produces a record for future reference. Also, sender and receiver can take their time producing and interpreting the information, respectively. A potential drawback of written communication is that many people find writing difficult and so may not be able to express complex thoughts accurately in this way}

Which of the following are among the reasons an organization should foster positive interpersonal relations among its employees? Check all that apply.

*To provide a source of emotional support to help employees handle challenges at work *To meet the needs of employees with high needs for social affiliation *To increase productivity due to the mutual support employees can provide each other {Organizations try to create a culture that support positive interpersonal relations among employees to promote higher satisfaction among employees with high needs for social affiliation, to provide a source of emotional support for employees facing workplace challenges, and to increase productivity. Organizations should try to minimize political behavior}

How can managers communicate effectively within the organization?

*Use the appropriate channels for different types of messages {Managers can develop their organizational communication skills by learning to use the channels that are most effective for different kinds of information. For example, giving a subordinate constructive performance feedback is best done face-to-face because the subordinate may need clarification or may have an emotional response that requires further communication in real time. In addition, the manager may want to follow up with a written summary of the feedback that both parties can consult if they recall the discussion differently later}

Which of the following are examples of personal electronic communication technology? Check all that apply.

*Video conference software *Instant-messaging app *Company intranet {Personal electronic communication technology includes any internet-enabled technology that allows employees to exchange information with each other or access organizational information. Examples include the company intranet, the internet, social networking sites, instant messaging apps, and video conferencing software. A digital projector is generally attached to a laptop and used to project the computer's display onto a large screen so people in the room can see it. This is therefore associated with face-to-face communication rather than virtual communication}

A manager should establish a _____________ communication network when the group's tasks are routine and simple.

*centralized {Centralized networks, in which a leader coordinates the flow of information to group members, are well suited to simple, routine tasks}

A manager should establish a ___________ communication network when the group's work is complex and nonroutine.

*decentralized {Decentralized networks, in which each member of the group has equal access to the information that every other group member has, are best suited to facilitate complex, unfamiliar work}

When transmitted information is understood in the way the sender intended, ___________ has taken place.

*effective communication {Communication is effective when the message interpreted by the receiver is the same as the message the sender intended to relate}

An individual who uses ______ is using nonverbal communication.

*facial expressions, body movements, and eye contact {Nonverbal communication includes a host of elements. A few of these are facial expressions, body movements, and eye contact. Others include physical contact, proximity between communicators, gestures, images, attire, settings, word choice, tone, volume, and pauses}

A manager who makes sure to talk somewhat randomly to employees throughout the organization and other individuals with connections to the organization is engaged in ___________ .

*management by wandering around {Management by wandering around is the term used to describe communicating on an ad hoc basis with individuals dispersed throughout the organization, as well as people such as customers and vendors. This can be an excellent way for a manager to receive information that would not otherwise be available through their immediate network or formal organizational communication channels}

If an employee has a high need for social affiliation, __________ will be important to the employee's job satisfaction.

*positive interpersonal relations {Most employees can experience increased (or decreased) job satisfaction for a wide range of reasons. For this employee, the high need for social affiliation indicates that interpersonal relations with coworkers will play a significant role in job satisfaction}

Nonverbal communication includes __________________ .

*the clothing people wear, the setting of the communication, and their nearness to each other {Nonverbal communication includes a host of elements. A few of these are attire, setting, and proximity. Others include facial expressions, body movements, eye contact, physical contact, gestures, images, word choice, tone, volume, and pauses}

An informal communication network that often disseminates information along different paths than the organization's formal communication channels is _______________ .

*the grapevine {The grapevine is the informal communication network that exists in organizations of any size. Information passed through the grapevine is often highly accurate, and managers can benefit from being included in this network}