Business Communications!
CH 13 QUIZ!
10 QUESTIONS !!
CH 03: CLICK AND DRAG: Design Decisions!
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Drag the labels to their corresponding elements on this business letter. Keep in mind that you will not need to use all of the labels.
1: Letterhead 2: Dateline 3: Inside Address 4: Salutation 5: Body 6: Complimentary Close 7: Signature Block 8: Information Notation
CH 09 QUIZ
10 QUESTIONS.~
CH 03: Click & Drag: Letter Elements!
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CH 04 CASE
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CH 04 CASE: OAKDALE HOSPITAL
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02. Reports that are long and formal typically have ______, which come before the report itself. a) progress pages b) memo pages c) appendices d) inventory reports e) prefatory pages
e) prefatory pages
05. Which of the following examples avoids gender bias? a) waitress b) policewoman c) mailman d) manpower e) sales associate
e) sales associate
CH 08 CASE
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CH 09 CASE POLICY CHANGE
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CH 13 CASE
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CH 14 VIDEO CASE
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LEARNING TO COMMUNICATE IN A NEW JOB
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Enjoying the SkyLounge Club
The ability to persuade others will come in handy countless times during your career, whatever profession you've chosen or company you work for. See if you can think like a professional persuader by planning an email to send to the customers of Sky Airlines. The email will attempt to persuade readers to purchase a 30-day trial membership in the company's SkyLounge Club. This activity will test your understanding of the following: -The qualities of an attention-getting opening -The use of persuasive appeals to develop your message -The use of scenario painting in sales messages -The importance of the you-viewpoint and positive emphasis in sales messages.
Reject it
Use a different color for every heading to signal a new section, Minimize white space to create a shorter document, Use two serif fonts, one for the body and one for headings, & Format a serif font for the body text at a size of 8 points.
Choosing a Visual for Allied Distribution
When you are presented with raw data, you may have several options for which visual you choose to present the data. Some of these options will be more effective than others. Your job is to choose the one that best communicates your message.
Recognizing Letter Elements
While it is true that email is the most common format for business correspondence, it is also true that many businesspeople use letters to communicate with external audiences, to send formal messages, or even to present short reports. Using standard letter format is an indication of your professionalism and credibility as a businessperson—it shows that you have taken the time to understand and use common business conventions in your writing.
03. Does Mara need to apologize to her readers? a) No. The readers' feelings about the decision are irrelevant. b) No. The readers are probably not going to be that upset by the news anyway. c) No. The decision is based on sound business reasoning. d) Yes. The news will be extremely upsetting to the readers. e) Yes. The readers deserve an apology for Mara's extreme actions.
c) No. The decision is based on sound business reasoning.
04. At their next meeting, when Mike tries again to get Mr. Tokunaka to sign the contract, Mr. Tokunaka says, "Your price is very good." He is probably hinting that a) he likes Mike better now. b) he is ready to do business. c) he won't be signing the contract at this time. d) he wants to end relations now. e) he wants more money.
c) he won't be signing the contract at this time.
01. Which of the following statements about business communication activities is true? a) A business's relation to its environment does not influence its communication practices b) The nature of a business rarely affects its communication practices c) A business with one location tends to require more formal, complex communication than one with multiple locations d) The content and quality of a company's communication have a great deal to do with employee's attitudes and behavior e) A relatively simple business, such as a repair service, requires far more communication than a complex business, such as an automobile manufacturer
d) The content and quality of a company's communication have a great deal to do with employee's attitudes and behavior
03. Which of the following terms is best defined as the ability of people to quickly assess the emotions of those around them and adapt their words, tone, and gestures accordingly? a) cross-cultural competency b) visual literacy c) computational thinking d) bypassing e) social intelligence
e) social intelligence
05. A good-news or neutral message ought to begin with a) an expression of goodwill. b) additional information related to the message. c) elaborate introductory remarks. d) an introduction to yourself or your company. e) the main objective of the message.
e) the main objective of the message.
Textbook: Business Communication: A Problem-Solving Approach, First Edition
Author: Kathryn Rentz
Writing a Coherent Paragraph
Effective paragraphs are unified and coherent; that is, they have one main idea and a smooth flow from one sentence to the next. The goal of this exercise is to demonstrate your ability to generate a unified, coherent paragraph. Doing well on this exercise requires an understanding of the following. - Topic sentence - Paragraph unity - Coherence - Transitional devices
CH 10 QUIZ!
10 QUESTIONS.~
01. Shawnell gives a live, online video presentation that does not provide any means of audience participation. This is an example of a) a webinar. b) a webcast. c) a Skype speech. d) an extemporaneous speech. e) a web meeting.
b) a webcast.
04. Which of the following best illustrates the declining formality of letters? a) the increased use of email and text messaging over letters b) the use of letters to communicate with external audiences rather than friends c) the development of a standardized format for letters for use in business scenarios d) the continued use of letters despite the emergence of other modes of communication e) the omission of old-fashioned salutations and the switch to more modern options
e) the omission of old-fashioned salutations and the switch to more modern options
Planning a Job Talk Having to give an interesting talk may come sooner in your career than you think! You may need to design such a talk to get a job, as in the following scenario. Alyssa is a finalist for the job of assistant director of development for the Metropolitan Youth Collaborative, a large nonprofit organization in her city. This organization provides mentoring and college-readiness services to kids across the city, from grades 3 through 12. It currently has over 1,700 volunteers, many of whom come from the 100 companies that support the organization. The position for which Alyssa is being considered is with the organization's development team, which raises money for the organization through grant writing, marketing campaigns, publicity events, and requests for corporate funding. For her second and final interview, she has been asked to prepare a brief oral presentation (five to seven minutes). Since a large part of her job, if she gets it, will be to give presentations that recruit sponsors and volunteers, this interviewing requirement makes sense. She has been asked to prepare her talk on the topic "My Most Valuable Educational Experience." A computer, projector, and screen will be available for her use. Her audience will be the interviewers she has already met as well as anyone else in the organization who wants to attend. Using the chapter's advice and your good judgment, indicate which decisions on Alyssa's part would be wise in this situation and which would be unwise.
Roll over each strategy to read its content. Then drag the strategy to the "Strong Strategy" or "Weak Strategy" target area. There can be more than one good or bad strategy for handling any given part of the talk.
09. _____ refers to a list of topics to be covered that is developed when planning a meeting. a) Schedule b) Parliamentary procedure c) Meeting minutes d) Blueprint e) Agenda
e) Agenda
CH 06 QUIZ!
10 QUESTIONS.~
CH 08 QUIZ!
10 QUESTIONS~
Faulty Parallelism:
Sales writes & Jill
05. If a businessperson from Portugal is negotiating with a businessperson from Poland to purchase the services of the Polish company, and they do not share a common language, what language will they most likely use to conduct their business? a) English b) Spanish c) Polish d) Portuguese e) Greek
a) English
02. Because he is distracted, Miguel's primary issue is that he a) misses the point. b) is inappropriate. c) shows disrespect to Pilar. d) appears arrogant. e) becomes defensive.
a) misses the point.
06. Which one of the following statements about conversational language is true? a) It should not be used in business communication. b) It is warm, but impersonal. c) It engages the reader and is easily understood. d) It means using colloquial language in a business setting. e) It consists primarily of slang and jargon.
c) It engages the reader and is easily understood.
09. Which of the following statements about closing an adjustment refusal is true? a) You should reassert the refusal to ensure the reader clearly understands your message. b) You should not write about new products or services that may interest the reader. c) You must apologize for failing to make the adjustment. d) You should limit the closing to a statement such as "Thank you for your business." e) You may reinforce the message that you care about the reader's business.
e) You may reinforce the message that you care about the reader's business.
Denying a Request for a Reduced Rate
Denying a customer's request is not generally a pleasant job--especially when the customer is one of your best and one whom you have worked well with. Your goal in this activity is to use the indirect pattern to refuse the request while retaining the customer's goodwill and business.
Making Design Decisions
In our increasingly visual world, businesspeople depend on good document design to read and understand business documents. As a business professional, you will want to ensure that your choices regarding color, font, layout, and visuals are appropriate for the audience, context, and purpose of your communication. If you do so, your audiences will understand your messages and they will appreciate the time and care you took to ensure clear communication.
Choosing the Right Channel
Read the following scenario. Answer the questions regarding the scenario to choose which type of document you need to write to meet your communication goals
01. Which of the following transitional words and phrases indicates that what will be said resembles what has just been said? a) however b) in contrast c) for example d) likewise e) in spite of
d) likewise
CH 07 VIDEO CASE
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CH 15 COVER LETTER!~
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The Components of a Formal Report With formal reports, readers expect the report components to be in their conventional order. This activity will test your understanding of which piece goes where.
Drag each report component to its proper place in the order of components.
04. How many of your credit union members who have debit cards have not used their debit cards at least twice in the last year? a) 62,000 b) 46,500 c) 13,950 d) 32,550 e) 8,700
c) 13,950 How to figure it out: 46,500 x 30 x .01 = 13,950
Read the following business scenario and answer the questions that follow.
Scenario on next card.
07. _____ are most identical to telephone conversations as the parties involved communicate in real time. a) Instant messages b) Letters c) Emails d) Tweets e) Memorandums
a) Instant messages
02. Which of the following sentences contains surplus words? a) It should be understood that attendance is expected at the staff meeting every Friday. b) The committee reviewed the grant proposals. c) After reviewing the request, I decided to approve it. d) The company had to lay off 20 percent of its staff. e) Employees have the right to voice their opinion.
a) It should be understood that attendance is expected at the staff meeting every Friday.
04. The meetings of formal committees and professional organizations usually follow the rules of conduct known as a) parliamentary procedure. b) paralanguage. c) back-channeling. d) conflict negotiation. e) organizational communication.
a) parliamentary procedure.
01. Given the intended readers, which of the following would make the best central appeal of the message? a) You can apply the cost of a 30-day trial membership to an annual membership. b) You can enjoy luxurious surroundings. c) You can relax or catch up on business comfortably between flights. d) You can enjoy all the complimentary food you like. e) You can impress your fellow travelers.
c) You can relax or catch up on business comfortably between flights.
09. What assumption can you make about your audience? a) People with debit cards are probably older but would still be likely to use the Internet. b) People who use debit cards are probably younger and likely to use the Internet. c) All debit card users will have access to the Internet. d) Not all debit card users may have access to the Internet. e) Debit card users would be more likely to pay attention to electronic communication than they would to a letter they receive in the mail.
d) Not all debit card users may have access to the Internet.
04. At the meeting, your boss will briefly introduce you and your topic, and then you will speak. Of the following, what is the best option for opening your talk? a) Tell a joke to break the ice. b) Describe your credentials as a researcher. c) Talk about the history and success of Hot Wings. d) Ask the audience a question to get their attention. e) Thank the audience for having you and then start explaining why and how you did the study.
e) Thank the audience for having you and then start explaining why and how you did the study.
07. Which of the following statements about stereotypes is true? a) They should never be used in international business for any reason. b) They are more likely to exemplify an individual than a general type. c) They have no basis in reality. d) They are positive generalizations about a culture. e) They can blind us to people's true natures.
e) They can blind us to people's true natures.
08. Which of the following statements about negotiating is true? a) If you succeed in getting what you want, you should push for more. b) You should never walk away from a negotiation. c) In business, the point of negotiation is always to eliminate the bottom line. d) The goal of negotiation is to get what you want, even if the other party is unsatisfied. e) You should point out the benefits to your audience to keep them interested in the negotiation.
e) You should point out the benefits to your audience to keep them interested in the negotiation.
05. Which of the following could be a helpful and appropriate appendix to the report? a) a representative post from the employees' blog b) a sample social-media policy to help LHC develop such a policy c) a table of the blog's pros and cons d) a list and description of all the sources you consulted e) both a representative post from the blog and a sample social-media policy
e) both a representative post from the blog and a sample social-media policy
05. "1e. Which of the following would be an appropriate way to label and number the visual?" a) either Graph 1 or Figure 4 b) either Chart 4 or Figure 1 c) either Chart 1 or Figure 4 d) either Chart 4 or Figure 4 e) either Chart 2 or Figure 2
e) either Chart 2 or Figure 2
06. When explaining a proposal to business associates, Adelaide makes sure to explicitly state all relevant background information. Adelaide most likely belongs to a ______ culture. a) high-context b) monochronic c) polychronic d) high power distance e) low-context
e) low-context
CH 06 VIDEO CASE
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CH 02 QUIZ!
10 QUESTIONS.
A Policy Change at Affinity Software Solutions
Communicating change is a challenge in the workplace, especially if the change will not be a popular one. In this type of bad-news message, your goal is the same as it is in other bad-news messages: to communicate the bad news, preserve goodwill, and project a professional image. Analyzing this case requires an understanding of the following regarding negative announcements: -Using the indirect plan for organizing a message -Setting up the bad news with a good buffer -Explaining the situation -Presenting the bad news -Focusing on next steps or any benefits -Closing on a positive, encouraging note Read the case and answer the questions that follow.
01. If you are trying to determine if a particular action is ethical, and you do so by considering what would happen if everyone in society engaged in that action, you are applying a) Benthamite ethics. b) a code of conduct. c) Aristotelian ethics. d) Kantian ethics. e) utilitarian ethics.
d) Kantian ethics.
09. Manfred creates a bar graph and starts it at 50 because all of the bars represent numbers higher than 50. What error has Manfred committed? a) an error of interpretation b) an error of size c) an error of format d) an error of scale e) an error of process
d) an error of scale
STATEMENTS: - Statement 3 - Statement 4 - Statement 10 - Statement 7 - Statement 5 - Statement 2 - Statement 9 - Statement 6 - Statement 1 - Statement 8
Body Language: - Statement 1 - Statement 5 - Statement 8 Time: - Statement 4 - Statement 7 Space: - Statement 3 - Statement 9 Paralanguage: - Statement 2 - Statement 6 - Statement 10
01. Of the following, what is the best wording for your title? a) Increasing Sales at Hot Wings on Non-sale Nights b) A Marketing Study for Hot Wings c) Hot Wings Sales Recommendations d) How to Boost Your Sales e) Some Like It Hot: Spicing It Up at Hot Wings
a) Increasing Sales at Hot Wings on Non-sale Nights
02. To what serious potential consequence of her plan is Gina not giving enough consideration? a) legal problems for the company b) harm to innocent parties c) public scandal for the company d) loss of her and Jason's jobs e) All of the answers are correct
e) All of the answers are correct
09. Which of the following statements about the body of a presentation is true? a) It should contain fewer coherence helpers than a written report. b) It should be more formal than a written report and use an impersonal style. c) It should use at least three levels of hierarchy in its outline. d) It needs more, and more elaborate, transitions than a written report. e) It needs to be longer and more detailed than the body of a written report.
d) It needs more, and more elaborate, transitions than a written report.
04. Which of the following is an example of a problem-solving report? a) A fund-raising organization prepares weekly summaries of its efforts to achieve its goal. b) An employee prepares a statement about his progress toward completing a project. c) A store manager creates a report regarding customer traffic in the store over the weekend. d) A manager creates a report related to production data. e) A manager writes a report to analyze a sudden loss in sales revenue.
e) A manager writes a report to analyze a sudden loss in sales revenue.
Options: - Sentence 5 - Sentence 4 - Sentence 2 - Sentence 1 - Sentence 3 - Sentence 6
Introduction: Sentence 4 Body Paragraph 1: Sentence 2 Body Paragraph 2: Sentence 5 Conclusion: Sentence 1 Explanations for the intro and body paragraph 1: It is recommended that the opening in a letter granting an adjustment or request be the good news first ("Your replacement order...is scheduled to reach you..."). The next section is explaining what went wrong and how we are going to prevent it from happening again (...proofreading error was the cause so we reminded our staff to proofread the orders...). This assures them that they can be comfortable continuing as our customer. The other two statements weren't used for a couple of reasons. It is best to avoid blaming the customer especially if we are granting the request. In one sentence, there was a bit of blaming for not proofreading better. It is better to move forward with positive tone. Apologies are considered tricky because it admits fault, but I can understand why that would seem like good customer service communication to you. The other statements are just considered better in this situation.
Writing Jean's Résumé You are helping Jean write a résumé for an entry-level accounting position. She is relying on you to help her make good choices about the information she includes in the résumé and about how to arrange the information logically. Because she will email the résumé, she also has questions about formatting a digital résumé. Analyzing this case requires an understanding of the following concepts regarding résumés: -Personal information -The objective -Education -Work experience -Extracurricular activities -Electronic résumés Read the following business scenario and answer the questions that follow.
Jean plans to graduate in May and is preparing a résumé for an entry-level accounting position. She is an excellent student who has maintained a GPA of 3.8 while working 20 hours per week, serving as president of the Student Accounting Society (SAS), and volunteering for VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance), where accounting students help low-income individuals complete their tax returns. Last spring and summer, she completed an internship at CliftonLarsonAllen, working primarily on clients' taxes. She really enjoyed the internship and now wants to secure a full-time position at Larson Allen after she graduates. She works 10 hours per week at the campus information desk and 10 hours per week as an office assistant at Hixton Manufacturing. Because she has so much information to put on her résumé, Jean has considered several possibilities for organizing and presenting it to her reader and has asked for your advice about writing a résumé.
Roll over each phrase below to reveal a sample sentence. Then drag the item to the type of problem that the sentence BEST illustrates. More than one sentence may illustrate each problem.
Phrases: - Kent - Gift by Christmas - Helpful assistance - Jill - Internet - Safety record - Sales writer - Quality testing - Fire safety equipment - Volunteer activities
Scenario:
Sean Hempleman, a recent college graduate, has just joined the IT (information technology) department of a medical billing company. The company's clients are medical offices whose administrators prefer to contact out the billing for the services rather than billing the patients themselves. Sean's job is to help his department resolve employees' computer problems, keep the billing functioning efficiently and accurately, and prevent security breaches. Use his situation to test your understanding of the business communication environment.
Read the case and then answer the multiple-choice questions.
Test your sales-writing skills by putting yourself in the shoes of a professional sales writer at Sky Airlines. The writer's task is to email all members of the airline's bonus miles program (also called a "frequent flyer" program) to sell them a 30-day membership in the SkyLounge Club. Members of the club have access to a comfortable lounge in over 40 airports across the globe. Each lounge is a nicely decorated, quiet place where members can get away from the commotion in the airport, and each lounge offers free beverages and snacks, Wi-Fi, satellite television, and personalized attention from airline staff. It's a great place to recharge and relax—and in much more comfortable seats than the usual plastic airport chairs. Because the readers are already members of the bonus miles program and therefore fly somewhat regularly, they are likely to be somewhat affluent. Many who belong to the bonus miles program are business people who fly frequently as part of their jobs. But a yearly membership in the SkyLounge Club costs $500, a price tag that has kept many members of the bonus miles program from joining the club. The purpose of the current promotion is to allow those who are not yet members of the club to experience its many amenities without having to spend $500 to do so. The 30-day membership will cost only $90, and those who take advantage of this offer can apply the $90 to a yearly membership if they decide to join. The hope is that many who try the SkyLounge Club will enjoy its exclusive benefits enough to become annual members. Use Chapter 10's advice about writing sales messages to select the answers that will generate the best solution to this communication problem.
Asking for Better Work from Your Boss
The techniques for building and maintaining goodwill apply not only to external messages, such as messages to customers; they also apply to internal messages, even—or perhaps especially—messages to readers who outrank you within your organization. Whoever your reader, striving to evoke a positive response will be well worth the effort. The goal of this exercise is to demonstrate your ability to apply the following principles in an email to your boss. -Use the you-viewpoint. -Use a conversational style that has the right level of formality and avoids "rubber stamps." -Employ positive language to achieve goodwill and other desired effects. -Use positive emphasis.
Run with it
Use bold text to format key words, Prefer left-justified text for paragraphs to avoid distracting extra spaces between words, Group related data, Use a color palette of blue and green to convey trustworthiness and wealth, Incorporate colors from the company logo, & Use a font such as Cambria or Futura to communicate a contemporary look.
Recognizing the Types of Nonverbal Communication
Using nonverbal communication appropriately will help you be a more effective communicator in any professional situation. This activity will help you recognize the various types of nonverbal communication you can use in the workplace, including: -Body language -Space -Time -Paralanguage Read each statement regarding a type of nonverbal communication and then move that statement to the category of nonverbal communication it represents.
Scenario:
You are a communication specialist at Eastern Lakes Credit Union—one of your community's most successful financial institutions. Its involvement in the community, friendly staff, and variety of services make it a popular choice. In fact, the credit union prides itself on providing personalized service despite its size. Of your 62,000 members, 75 percent have debit cards. Of these 75 percent, 30 percent do not use their cards at least twice a year, though nearly all of them use credit cards. Unused cards are costly to the credit union. To encourage members to use their debit cards (or at least cancel the cards if they don't plan to use them), Eastern Lakes is going to charge a $15 annual fee to users who do not use their cards at least twice in a calendar year. Today is October 15. The policy takes effect January 1. The policy applies only to debit card use, not to credit card use. The credit union's database has identified the names of the 75 percent of the people who have debit cards. You have been asked to communicate the policy change to all of the people who hold debit cards, explain the need for the policy, and retain the audience's goodwill. People who receive or inquire about debit cards after today will have this information communicated at that time. Two strategies immediately come to your mind. One is to send a letter, but wow...the cost of the postage! Though the credit union will gladly pay the postage to ensure debit card users get the message, you also consider taking advantage of the credit union's web page and social networking tools—such as the credit union's blog, Facebook page, and Twitter—to communicate quickly and cost effectively to such a large audience. You already know that you don't have everyone's email address, so email is not an option. Because you're a smart business writer, you realize that you must carefully analyze your audience to determine whether your best option is to communicate via a letter or via electronic channels. Keep in mind that even if you eventually use both channels (printed channel/letter or electronic channel), you must initially choose one.
Read the case and then answer the questions using what you have learned about indirect messages to guide your answers.
You have been with Kiel Office Supplies for less than six months but Milo Khang is already one of your favorite customers. Not only does Milo purchase all of his small business's office supplies from you, but he has also purchases copy machines, computers, printers, and other office supplies. Before you began work with Kiel, the person who was previously in your position gave Milo a large discount on a service agreement contract (47 percent). The service agreement is about to expire, and Milo emailed you to ask about an even larger discount this year (50 percent), saying his business has been slow lately and his revenues much less than last year's. You sympathize with Milo, but you are not able to give him such a large discount. Instead, you generated a price quote for him matching the previous year's discount. Now you have to respond to Milo's email. You know he will be disappointed. You genuinely like Milo, and you think he is hoping your good relationship will lead you to agree with his request. Your denial of his request will likely be a shock, so you decide to use the indirect approach in your email to him.
Increasing Business at Hot Wings The opportunity to present your work to your bosses or clients is an opportunity not to be squandered! Not only can your presentation make a difference to the business, but it can also yield professional benefits for you if you do it well. This activity will enable you to practice preparing such a presentation. You will need to apply what the chapter says about -Planning an oral report -Designing effective visuals to support your talk -Projecting appealing personal traits -Interacting with your audience Read the overview below and complete the activities that follow.
You work at Hot Wings, a restaurant that specializes in spicy chicken wings, to help pay your way through school. Your marketing course required that each student conduct a study to increase sales at a local establishment of their choice, so you chose your own place of employment for your study. In consultation with your boss, the manager of the campus Hot Wings, you decided to explore which marketing strategies might bring more business to the restaurant on non-sale weeknights. You performed three kinds of research. First, you studied the marketing literature to see what comparable restaurants have done to increase sales. Then you designed an online survey, which you sent to the students in all your business classes (a total of 210 students). Finally, you approached customers on a sale night at your Hot Wings restaurant to ask them what might bring them in on a non-sale night (a total of 34 respondents). You delivered your findings and recommendations to your boss in a written report. He loved it so much that he wants you to come to the next regional managers' meeting, which will be held in your city, and present your report to the other managers. Their restaurants aren't near campus, but they tend to serve a largely young-adult clientele, so your findings could be quite useful to them. A computer and projector will be available, so you decide to create slides to support your talk. Use the chapter's advice about preparing an oral report and designing effective presentation visuals to make additional decisions.
Read the overview below and complete the activities that follow.
You work for Allied Distribution, a food service distributor that offers wholesale prices to a variety of customers, including restaurants, hotels, schools, hospitals, and other types of businesses that offer food service to their employees. You recently conducted a survey of your major clients in Wisconsin and are now selecting visuals for your report. In planning your visuals, you have decided to include a visual that shows the distribution of the types of companies the respondents in your survey represent. Your purpose in using a visual to present these data is to show your reader what types of companies are represented in the survey and to give the reader an immediate understanding of how much any one type of company is represented. The distribution is as follows: restaurants, 35 percent; hotels, 22 percent; schools, 17 percent; hospitals, 13 percent; businesses/manufacturing firms, 8 percent; other, 5 percent. This visual will be the fourth one in your report. Two of the previous visuals are tables, and the third is a bar chart. The visual that follows the one you create for the above data will be a map showing where your clients are located throughout Wisconsin. Answer the questions to defend your choice of the format your visual will take and to explain how you will number and title the visual.
SCENARIO:
You work for Oakdale Regional Hospital. Oakdale serves a metropolitan area of approximately 100,000 people and has 15 satellite clinics in rural communities throughout the region. Recently, Oakdale hired a new CEO, Ramona Jackson, who wants to gain a better understanding of Oakdale's culture, its reputation among the people and community it serves, and how Oakdale accomplishes its mission. She charged a team with surveying employees, patients, vendors, and community members to assess their perceptions of Oakdale. She wants the survey results presented in a written report, which she plans to make public. You are a member of the team responsible for conducting surveys and writing the report. To get the best data possible, your team sent four different surveys (one each to employees, patients, vendors, and community members) to accommodate each group's relationship with Oakdale. The questions included yes/no questions and questions in which respondents rated items on a scale of 1 to 5. The purpose of these questions was to get quick, quantifiable, statistical data that would be represented well in quantitative visuals (e.g., charts and graphs). You also asked several open-ended questions that allowed respondents to share their thoughts and opinions. Even though this type of information does not lend itself well to quantitative visuals, you know that it can lend itself to some text-based visuals. The survey results are in. Each member of the team is assigned to write a section of the report, but even with the division of labor, the amount of data each person is working with is staggering. Because of your excellent analytical and communication skills, your team members have asked you to guide them in their use of visuals for their sections of the report. As your team members work on their individual sections of the report, they have several questions that you need to answer.
04. Which of the following statements presents the best wording of the bad news? a) "As you know, last year we lowered the price of our premium contract from $2,400 to $1,500. You then received our standard volume discount of 15 percent off the revised $1,500 price, which resulted in a 47 percent discount. Due to the large discount already extended to your company, we are not able to extend the discount to 50 percent. We are happy to match the previous discount of 47 percent." b) "We are not able to extend the discount to 50 percent because of the large discount already extended to your company. We are happy to match the previous discount of 47 percent. As you know, last year we lowered the price of our premium contract from $2,400 to $1,500. You then received our standard volume discount of 15 percent off the revised $1,500 price, which resulted in a 47 percent discount." c) "Please keep in mind you already receive a 47 percent discount. To give you a 50 percent discount would affect our revenue and would force us to give the same discount to our other customers who are equally valued. If they were to find out what we were doing for you, they would want the same discount. We cannot risk having people finding out." d) "I am truly sorry that we cannot do better than the current 47 percent discount we offer. You are one of our best customers, and I have enjoyed working with you in my short time here. I wish I could do more for you, but it simply is not possible. Again, I apologize and hope that we can retain our working relationship." e) "As you know, last year we lowered the price of our premium contract from $2,400 to $1,500. You then received our standard volume discount of 15 percent off the revised $1,500 price, which resulted in a 47 percent discount. I apologize, but I cannot do better than 47 percent, which we can still offer you for next year. A 50 percent discount is nearly unheard of in our business, so you will find that the 47 percent discount is likely the best you will get."
a) "As you know, last year we lowered the price of our premium contract from $2,400 to $1,500. You then received our standard volume discount of 15 percent off the revised $1,500 price, which resulted in a 47 percent discount. Due to the large discount already extended to your company, we are not able to extend the discount to 50 percent. We are happy to match the previous discount of 47 percent."
03. How many of your credit union members currently have debit cards? a) 46,500 b) 62,000 c) 15,500 d) 50,000 e) 13,000
a) 46,500 How to figure it out: 62,000 x 75 x .01 = 46,500
05. Sean's company employs about 100 people, all of whom work in the same building. The company's structure is hierarchical; the employees consist of about 70 billing clerks (who process bills that need to be sent from the medical clients to their patients), about 15 nonmanagerial professionals (in IT, accounting, sales, and customer relations), and about 15 managers/executives. Which is least likely to be true about his company's communication? a) For their internal communications, all employees use a friendly, casual tone b) The billing clerks do not send many communications to the executives or upper-level managers c) The nonmanagerial professionals tend to communicate more with each other and their manager than they do with the billing clerks d) There are written guidelines for many of the company's procedures e) The billing clerks' external communications follow standardized formats
a) For their internal communications, all employees use a friendly, casual tone
06. How important is it to you to have your readers feel as though they have a personal connection to you? a) Important. Eastern Lakes sees personalized service as one of the reasons for its success. b) Not important. This is just a minor policy change; a general message to a mass audience will work. c) Not important. The number of debit card users is too large; a general message to a mass audience will work. d) Important. Eastern Lakes has a reputation to protect. e) Not important. People do not expect personalized service from large organizations.
a) Important. Eastern Lakes sees personalized service as one of the reasons for its success.
04. Sean will need to figure out both his department's and his company's culture in order to understand how he should communicate in his new job. Which of the following is not a true statement about organizational culture? a) Reading the company's mission statement is the most effective way to learn the culture b) It can take quite a while to learn the culture of a company c) While company leaders can influence the culture, they cannot fully control it d) The company culture is influenced by the many acts of communication that take place within it each day e) Watching what other employees say and do is essential for learning how you've expected to behave in the company
a) Reading the company's mission statement is the most effective way to learn the culture
03. Many team members have asked you about the best way to incorporate visuals into the report. Which of the following is sound advice? a) Start with a summary statement that introduces the visual, present the visual, and then call your reader's attention to specific points. b) Avoid signal phrases such as "As Table 1 shows..." c) Call your reader's attention to specific points in the visual, but do not include any kind of summary statement. d) Don't use the text to provide examples that call your audience's attention to findings; the visual should do this. e) Don't discuss exceptions to the idea conveyed in the visual; this will make your visual less credible.
a) Start with a summary statement that introduces the visual, present the visual, and then call your reader's attention to specific points.
02. When refusing requests, which of the following statements about the opening of the message is true? a) The writer should begin the message with a buffer that sets up the discussion. b) The writer should explain the bad news immediately after delivering it. c) The writer should begin the message with a reference to alternative solutions. d) The writer should deliver the bad news right away in second person. e) The writer should explain the bad news with an emphasis on what cannot happen.
a) The writer should begin the message with a buffer that sets up the discussion.
01. Several committee members are stumped about how to select the types of visuals they will use in the report as well as where and when to include visuals in the report. You should tell them to do all except which of the following? a) Use visuals only to present quantitative data; avoid text-based visuals. b) Determine which data from each group's responses they want to emphasize. c) Determine whether the visual is appropriate for an audience that includes the CEO and public. d) Decide when in the report it will be most appropriate to present the visuals. e) Consider what colors will help them best convey the data.
a) Use visuals only to present quantitative data; avoid text-based visuals.
10. Which of the following sentences has a misplaced modifier? a) We have compiled a list of selected candidates using the information we gathered during the selection process. b) Aaron was asked to revamp the company website to make it appear more sophisticated. c) Rory was asked to create a report on the implications of implementing the controversial new policy. d) The company charges its customers only after they have signed the sales slip. e) On Wednesday, the council decided to apply for a grant.
a) We have compiled a list of selected candidates using the information we gathered during the selection process.
05. Deshaun has to write a complex and lengthy year-end report, which is due by the end of January. Which of the following computer tools will help Deshaun schedule time to work on this into every business day? a) an electronic calendar b) an outlining program c) collaboration software d) a word processing program e) a database program
a) an electronic calendar
03. Which product would most likely to be sold to consumers using a rational appeal? a) automobile tires b) exotic flowers c) diamond rings d) candies e) teen fashion accessories
a) automobile tires
01. Which form of report would be appropriate for this situation? a) either an email report or a short report attached to an email message b) a letter report c) a formal report d) a memo report e) an email report
a) either an email report or a short report attached to an email message
04. Benedito considers the customs of his culture to be normal and the customs of other cultures to be weird. Benedito is displaying a) ethnocentrism. b) power distance. c) low-context tendencies. d) monochronic tendencies. e) cultural intelligence.
a) ethnocentrism.
03. The part of your email that asks him for additional information should a) include examples of the kind of information you're looking for. b) say, "Please provide any additional information you'd like about our social-media marketing strategies." c) say, "Please be so kind as to provide specific examples of our social-media marketing strategies." d) tell him that you need additional information soon. e) explain why what he sent won't be sufficient.
a) include examples of the kind of information you're looking for.
04. What key question have you failed to answer explicitly? a) whether your facilities are available on the dates Renata needs them b) what amenities are in the hotel rooms c) whether the conference rooms have Microsoft Office d) what attractions are in the downtown Minneapolis area e) whether breakfast and lunch are available
a) whether your facilities are available on the dates Renata needs them
05. The ending of the message should say a) you're excited about the conference and will let him know what you learned about other companies' strategies. b) your boss's cooperation is much appreciated. c) "Thank you for your time." d) "If you need additional information, do not hesitate to ask." e) "I will do my best to represent our company well."
a) you're excited about the conference and will let him know what you learned about other companies' strategies.
05. Which of the following has the best you-viewpoint and positive emphasis? a) The $90 fee for a 30-day membership may seem steep, but it includes access to all lounges—and you can bring two traveling companions with you. b) You'll pay just $90 for your 30-day membership—and you can apply this amount to an annual membership if you decide to continue enjoying the SkyLounge Club. c) The fee is just $90—and it can be applied to an annual membership if purchased within 10 days of the temporary membership's expiration. d) The cost of a 30-day membership is $90. This amount includes access to all lounges operated by Sky Airlines. e) And all this comes with just a $90 price tag.
b) You'll pay just $90 for your 30-day membership—and you can apply this amount to an annual membership if you decide to continue enjoying the SkyLounge Club.
02. You could argue that it would be appropriate in this case to state your assessment of the blog up front but make your recommendation for action only after presenting the information about the blog. Your reasoning would be a) that your boss might not read the whole report if you stated your recommendation up front. b) both that you want to avoid seeming pushy and that you want to build support for your recommendation before presenting it. c) that your recommendation is of little importance here. d) that, given your position, it could seem pushy to make your recommendation at the beginning of the report. e) that you want to build your boss's confidence in your analysis before making your recommendation.
b) both that you want to avoid seeming pushy and that you want to build support for your recommendation before presenting it.
10. What will be your primary channel for communicating your message? What will be your secondary channels for communicating your message? a) Electronic communication (e.g., email and social media) will be the primary channel because most people use at least one form of it. A letter will be the secondary channel. b) Electronic communication (e.g., email and social media) will be the primary channel because most people use at least one form of it. You will not use a secondary channel such as a letter because mailing costs are too expensive. c) A letter will be the primary channel because all members have mailing addresses, while not all members use social media or email. Electronic communication (e.g., email and social media) will be the secondary channel. d) A letter will be the primary channel. Electronic communication (e.g., email and social media) will not be used at all because it is too time-consuming. e) You will hang colorful posters in your lobby so that people can see them when they visit the credit union. You will not use a letter or social media because of the time and cost associated with these channels.
c) A letter will be the primary channel because all members have mailing addresses, while not all members use social media or email. Electronic communication (e.g., email and social media) will be the secondary channel.
05. The key questions on your survey asked the respondents to indicate which features of Hot Wings were most important to them and how likely different promotions would be to bring them in on non-sale nights. Of the following options, which would be the best way to present the answers to these questions? a) Put all the results in a one-page table and hand it out to the audience. b) Put all the results in a table and display it on one slide. c) For each question, display a graph showing the breakdown of the responses. d) Display the key findings in a bulleted list and give the numerical breakdown of the responses orally. e) Display the key findings in a bulleted list without presenting or stating the specific numerical results.
c) For each question, display a graph showing the breakdown of the responses.
03. Which of the following choices would not be a reader-friendly way to organize the report's information? a) Organize the information in the order of the reader's most likely questions. b) Organize the information in terms of the blog's pros and cons. c) Go through the posts and evaluate them one by one. d) Organize your assessment of the blog on the basis of the criteria for an effective employee blog. e) Organize on the basis of your key observations, using examples from the blog to support each one.
c) Go through the posts and evaluate them one by one.
07. Florian, a customer relations specialist at a clothing company, is writing a letter refusing a customer request to replace, free of charge, a box of shirts that the customer spilled ink on. Which of the following is the best way for Florian to begin his letter? a) He should begin his letter by apologizing to the customer, while offering no explanation or alternative. b) He should begin his letter with a direct refusal. c) He should begin his letter with a buffer that sets up the discussion. d) He should begin his letter by stating that the customer caused the damage to the shirts. e) He should begin his letter by suggesting that the customer's request is unreasonable.
c) He should begin his letter with a buffer that sets up the discussion.
07. How important is it to communicate this information immediately (i.e., today)? a) Not important. The policy takes effect in 2.5 months; the information is not needed immediately. b) Important. You need to get the information out today so that you can move on to other tasks. c) Important. Readers should know this information today so they can use their debit cards by January 1. d) Not important. If people value their debit cards, they will use them. e) Not important. Even if members don't use their cards, the $15 fee is still less than what they would have spent on purchases with their debit cards.
c) Important. Readers should know this information today so they can use their debit cards by January 1.
06. Which of the sentences in the message does not contain any cluttering phrases? a) We do have a block of rooms we can reserve for you in the amount of $164 per night. b) I have received your email in regard to the use of Marriott...for your October conference. c) Our conference facilities are perfect for what you need. d) At the present time, we have 20 conference rooms equipped with...projectors and Microsoft Office. e) I look forward to hearing from you in the near future.
c) Our conference facilities are perfect for what you need.
03. Which of the following would make the best opening sentence for this message? a) We'd like to offer you an invitation to join Sky Airlines' SkyLounge Club for 30 days. b) Before you get started on your next trip, sign up for a membership in Sky Airlines' exclusive SkyLounge Club. c) Plush seats, a quiet environment, complimentary food and beverages, personalized attention—they're all waiting for you in Sky Airlines' SkyLounge. d) Have you always wanted to belong to an exclusive airline club but never been able to afford it? e) It is our pleasure to offer you a 30-day membership to Sky Airlines' exclusive SkyLounge Club.
c) Plush seats, a quiet environment, complimentary food and beverages, personalized attention—they're all waiting for you in Sky Airlines' SkyLounge.
05. What might you do to improve the conclusion of this message? a) Nothing. The conclusion is fine as it is. b) Address some of the negative aspects of the Marriott that Renata might not be aware of. c) Refer to other sources of information (e.g., links to city and hotel websites, an attached price list) and invite her to call you to reserve your rooms and facilities. d) Avoid thanking her for anything; she has not yet chosen your facility. e) Restate your main point ("The above are answers to your questions.").
c) Refer to other sources of information (e.g., links to city and hotel websites, an attached price list) and invite her to call you to reserve your rooms and facilities.
06. Which of the following statements about creating a buffer for a negative announcement is true? a) You must include information justifying your bad news. b) You must compliment your reader to set a positive tone. c) You should choose whichever option will most likely prepare your readers to accept the coming bad news. d) You should begin by apologizing for the bad news you need to share. e) You should clearly state exactly what the bad news is.
c) You should choose whichever option will most likely prepare your readers to accept the coming bad news.
02. A chain of parking garages recently offered customers the ability to pay for parking on their mobile phone instead of paying at an office or feeding a parking meter. This is an example of a business making use of the technology known as a) collaborative software. b) Internet tracking. c) a mobile application. d) concept mapping. e) cloud computing.
c) a mobile application.
07. In which of the following sections of a presentation should the speaker attempt to make a personal connection with the audience and provide enough context for the audience to care about the topic? a) the goodwill ending b) the conclusion c) the introduction d) the body e) the question-and-answer session
c) the introduction
09. Which of the following is an example of external-operational communication? a) Sasha and Reki are co-workers who meet to discuss the schedule for their upcoming presentation b) Jasmine sends a monthly company newsletter to employees who work from home c) Olivia calls one of her site managers to discuss an order he needs placed d) Adam creates and uploads an online advertisement that will be visible to the general public e) Andre sends an email to his supervisor to notify her of his progress on a project
d) Adam creates and uploads an online advertisement that will be visible to the general public
05. Which of the following is true of back-channeling? a) Back-channeling is the process of using technologies to comment on and enhance presentations in real time. b) Back-channeling is one of the techniques associated with nonverbal communication. c) Back-channeling reduces a person's ability to focus his or her attention on an oral message. d) Back-channeling involves repeating what you think you heard. e) Back-channeling involves focusing on what is being said and reserving judgment.
d) Back-channeling involves repeating what you think you heard.
07. When someone has asked you two or more question in a message and you want to send them a favorable response, which of the following is a good strategy? a) Answer the most important question in one message and all the other questions in a different message. b) Request that the sender limit the number of questions. c) Begin your response with a general statement and then answer all of the questions in a single paragraph. d) Begin your response by letting the reader know that you are complying with his or her request, then answer the questions. e) Address each question in a separate message so that each response stands out.
d) Begin your response by letting the reader know that you are complying with his or her request, then answer the questions.
10. Elijah is giving a presentation on market conditions to the various department managers at his company, which designs and manufactures bathroom and kitchen hardware. The design manager asks Elijah a question about how well a particular style of faucet manufactured by a rival company is selling, but Elijah's research did not reveal specific information on this product. What should he do? a) He should give a reasonable answer based on his other knowledge. b) He should make an estimate based on the rival's overall sales numbers. c) He should say, "That's a good question," and redirect the conversation. d) He should acknowledge that he does not know the answer. e) He should ignore the question and indicate that it is time to move on.
d) He should acknowledge that he does not know the answer.
06. Malik is in the process of developing a business report. Which of the following conventions should he follow when adding visuals to his document? a) Malik should ensure that the visuals in his document use a variety of styles and fonts. b) Malik should consider including small and simple visuals in an appendix or attachment. c) Malik should make sure that all of his visuals have portrait orientation. d) Malik should use borders in his document to separate the visuals from the text. e) To maintain consistency, Malik should always use a full page to represent each visual in his document.
d) Malik should use borders in his document to separate the visuals from the text.
10. Which of the following is true of scatter diagrams? a) They are especially good for showing percentage changes, and one can use them for any series in which plus and minus quantities are present. b) They contain columns that begin at a central point of reference and either go up or down. c) They are constructed by drawing the information to be illustrated as a continuous line on a grid that is scaled to show time changes from left to right. d) They allow users to validate hunches about cause and effect, but they can only be interpreted for correlation. e) They compare differences in quantities using differences in the lengths of bars to represent those quantities.
d) They allow users to validate hunches about cause and effect, but they can only be interpreted for correlation.
02. Which of the following statements about entertaining presentations is true? a) They usually require engaging graphics and sometimes sound and video. b) They often end with a recommendation or summary. c) They are typically about topics that have been chosen for the speaker. d) They are expected to surprise, amuse, challenge, or otherwise affect the audience emotionally. e) They typically involve a high degree of audience interaction.
d) They are expected to surprise, amuse, challenge, or otherwise affect the audience emotionally.
10. Which of the following is the first step you should take in drafting an adjustment refusal? a) State the refusal clearly and bluntly. b) Describe the company policy regarding adjustment grants. c) Present an explanation that justifies the reasoning behind your refusal. d) Use a neutral buffer that sets up your strategy. e) Warn the reader not to make requests for mishaps due to negligence.
d) Use a neutral buffer that sets up your strategy.
03. What does Jean need to do to improve how she presents the following information regarding her work at the campus information desk? -Work at the information desk -Answer questions -Count money -Sell postage stamps -Give directions, phone numbers, and other information to customers a) Begin each item in the list with a noun. b) Make the list grammatically parallel. c) Keep the list to only three items. d) Word the list items so that they are more descriptive and include items in the list that refer to the skills she acquired. e) Begin each item with a lowercase letter.
d) Word the list items so that they are more descriptive and include items in the list that refer to the skills she acquired.
09. Which of the following is the best example of a feasibility study? a) a step-by-step description of a problem along with remedial action b) a report developed by an external agency, such as a consultancy, for a client c) a report that is generated every day using predefined templates d) a comparison of two or more alternatives with the goal of finding the best one e) a detailed analysis of a competitor's strengths and weaknesses
d) a comparison of two or more alternatives with the goal of finding the best one
08. Fusion Foods owns several restaurants in a city that has recently raised the minimum wage to $15 per hour. The wage hike will happen over a period of four years, with an increase of $1.25 taking place each February. Fusion Foods executives are interested to see if there is a relationship between the change in the minimum wage and the profits of their restaurants, which cater to different target markets. What type of visual would best help Fusion Foods reveal a correlation? a) a decision tree b) a pictograph c) a Gantt chart d) a scatter diagram e) a stacked column chart
d) a scatter diagram
02. You learn that Germans tend to be direct and will ask questions or ask for clarification as they need it. In general, they value facts more than saving face or reading emotional cues. These traits indicate that they a) are high-context communicators. b) are ethnocentric. c) are naturally distrustful. d) are low-context communicators. e) lean toward the feminine end of the cultural spectrum.
d) are low-context communicators.
02. You would use a pie chart to represent these data to a) compare the differences in the percentages. b) examine discrete (individual) units of raw data. c) determine a trend in the percentages over time. d) compare each percentage (piece of information) relative to the entire set of data (the whole). e) view all the variables from a three-dimensional perspective.
d) compare each percentage (piece of information) relative to the entire set of data (the whole).
03. Which of the following statements would be the best buffer for this message? a) "Thank you for contacting me about renewing your service agreement. I enjoyed seeing you at the chamber of commerce social last week and catching up with you about our busy summers. Now that fall is here we will have to schedule the golf date we discussed." b) "Thank you for contacting me about renewing your service agreement. Milo, we have developed a good working relationship in the last few months. Because of this, I am hoping you will understand my response below to your request for a larger discount on your service agreement." c) "Thank you for contacting me about renewing your service agreement. The market downturn has affected many businesses, including Kiel Office Supplies. As a result, we must maximize our income from service agreements and deny requests from all customers (even our best ones) for discounted service agreement rates." d) "Thank you for contacting me about renewing your service agreement. However, due to your already generous 47 percent discount, we are not able to grant your request for 50 percent discount." e) "Thank you for contacting me about renewing your service agreement. I understand the financial difficulties that the current market downturn is causing your company and know that service agreements are one of the ways you can control your machines' maintenance costs."
e) "Thank you for contacting me about renewing your service agreement. I understand the financial difficulties that the current market downturn is causing your company and know that service agreements are one of the ways you can control your machines' maintenance costs."
03. After the opening sentence, what should Rico say? a) ''You'll see from my résumé that I, too, am community minded, which makes me a good fit as an intern.'' b) Rico should say nothing more. He should move to the body of the letter. c) ''I know that if you review my résumé, you'll see that I am qualified for this position.'' d) ''My personal philosophy of community service makes me an ideal candidate for an intern position.'' e) ''My professional selling major and restaurant experience make me an ideal candidate for an intern position.''
e) ''My professional selling major and restaurant experience make me an ideal candidate for an intern position.''
10. Derrick has written a formal report and plans to bind it on the top. Which of the following does he need to do? a) increase the top and bottom margins by 1/2 inch b) increase all the margins by 1 inch c) add an extra 1/2 inch to the left margin d) make sure all margins are at least 1 inch wide e) add an extra 1/2 inch to the top margin
e) add an extra 1/2 inch to the top margin
06. If you are giving a presentation, and two audience members are carrying on a distracting side conversation, you should a) join in their conversation and return to your speech later. b) stop your presentation, gather your materials, and leave the room. c) ignore them and hope that they stop on their own. d) angrily point out that they are being rude and need to leave. e) pause and wait for them to finish or politely ask them to stop talking.
e) pause and wait for them to finish or politely ask them to stop talking.
09. Which of the following combines a verb with a second element to create a meaning that the verb does not have alone? a) high-context verbs b) colloquialisms c) conjunctions d) adjectives e) two-word verbs
e) two-word verbs
SCENARIOS: - Marie - Gardening Today - Jacqueline - Simone - The Rug Gallery - Savoir Fare - Seth TERMS: - Brand Equity - Content Marketing - Twitter - Integrated Marketing - Social-Media Plan - Live Links - A Poll
CORRECT ANSWERS: - Brand Equity: Savoir Fare - Content Marketing: The Rug Gallery - Twitter: Simone - Integrated Marketing: Gardening Today - Social-Media Plan: Jacqueline - Live Links: Seth - A Poll: Marie
REPORT COMPONENTS: - Limitations of the Project - Appendix - Ending Summary - Executive Summary - Bibliography - Title Page - Title Fly - Transmittal Message - Table of Contents - Detailed Findings
CORRECT ORDER: - Title Fly - Title Page - Transmittal Message - Table of Contents - Executive Summary - Limitations of the Project - Detailed Findings - Ending Summary - Bibliography - Appendix
Preparing for a Cross-Cultural Meeting
Cross-cultural business meetings often have high stakes. Sometimes the company is paying a great deal of travel money for the communication to take place; sometimes the communication can help or hinder the gaining of an important client; and sometimes an important business partnership rides on the effectiveness of the communication. This activity will test your understanding of how to prepare yourself for such meetings. Read the case and then answer the multiple-choice questions. You work for Innovations Data Solutions, an international company specializing in secure data storage. Your company has arranged for you to travel to Berlin to negotiate a sales contract with Scheidt Pharmaceuticals. This will be your first business dealings with a German company, so you need to prepare wisely for this cross-cultural encounter.
06. The _____ sentence expresses the main idea of a paragraph, and the remaining sentences build around and support it. a) topic b) see-saw c) clutter d) transitional e) coherent
a) topic
04. Which of the following would be the best title for the visual? a) Respondents in the Survey b) Comparison of Respondents by Company Type c) Companies in the Survey d) Representations of Company Type e) Percentages of Company Types
b) Comparison of Respondents by Company Type
08. Which of the following is an example of a colloquialism? a) as pretty as a rose b) head for the hills c) dedicated fiber optic circuit d) pass over e) Thank you for your time
b) head for the hills
03. When preparing to conduct business with people from another culture, you should a) study your culture so you can tell the other businesspeople how your customs are normal when compared to theirs. b) make sure that you know yourself and understand the business you represent. c) prepare a script and stick to it during your conversation to avoid using colloquialisms or slang. d) focus only on learning more about the other culture. e) spend all of your energy learning the language of the other culture.
b) make sure that you know yourself and understand the business you represent.
02. Who is your target audience for this message? a) people who apply for debit cards between October 16 and January 1 and need the information immediately b) only individuals who currently have Eastern Lakes debit cards c) all Eastern Lakes Credit Union members who may or may not be interested in a debit card d) people who are not members of Eastern Lakes Credit Union but may want to become members e) people who are members of Eastern Lakes Credit Union and replied to a survey that they may want to get debit cards
b) only individuals who currently have Eastern Lakes debit cards
01. The first sentence of your message to Brad should a) thank him for the comments he sent but tell him that you need more information from him. b) thank him for the helpful comments he sent you. reference your first email on the topic and remind him of the information you'd initially requested. d) ask if he can provide more information. e) begin with an off-topic, pleasant comment to put him in a good mood.
b) thank him for the helpful comments he sent you.
01. The comment "Roger really like sushi" is most likely a hint from Mr. Tokunaka that he a) has decided against the deal. b) isn't a very good businessman. c) wants to move at a slower pace. d) refuses to work with Mike. e) has no respect for Mike's time.
c) wants to move at a slower pace.
07. Headings in the same level of a report must be grammatically parallel. Choose the answer that is parallel to the following heading: Taking the Next Step a) To Address Customer Concerns b) Potential Problems c) Advertising Tactics d) Capturing the Market Response e) After Results Are Received
d) Capturing the Market Response
02. Which of the following sentences best meets the requirements for good sales writing? a) We have shoes to fit every need and every sense of style. b) We have more shoes to choose from than any other store in the city. c) No other store in the city can beat our wide range of shoes. d) Here, you can browse the widest range of shoes in the city and find the pair that fits your style. e) We have two different stores in the city to provide our customers with the widest range of styles.
d) Here, you can browse the widest range of shoes in the city and find the pair that fits your style.
03. Which of the following statements about receiving feedback is true? a) The greater the power distance, the more likely you will have an opportunity to respond to the feedback. b) Use the "I am sorry...you..." pattern, not the "I am sorry...I/my..." pattern. c) You should automatically apologize whether or not you agree with the feedback. d) Thank the deliverer for his or her input, no matter what the feedback is. e) Refrain from speaking up if you think the feedback is unfair; you will just seem defensive.
d) Thank the deliverer for his or her input, no matter what the feedback is.
07. Which of the following sentences best meets the requirements for good sales writing? a) We are the best in the candy business. b) Our candies are the best in town. c) No other store in the city can beat our wide range of candies. d) When was the last time you had a truly delicious piece of candy? e) We make exotically flavored candies.
d) When was the last time you had a truly delicious piece of candy?
03. Emails from the IT department to the employees are an established genre in this company. This means that all such messages tend to: a) have a similar style b) treat the employees in a similar way c) represent the IT department in a consistent way d) include certain kinds of content and exclude other kinds e) all these answers are correct
e) all these answers are correct
06. The rise of the Internet and social media has resulted in increased transparency when it comes to businesses' practices. As a result, ______ departments and initiatives have been developed to help companies embrace practices that improve their public image. a) verbal literacy b) computational thinking c) bypassing d) visual literacy e) corporate social responsibility
e) corporate social responsibility
06. The two goals of the opening of a persuasive request are to lead into the central strategy and a) gather information about the reader. b) summarize the contents of the entire message. c) make the request clear and positive. d) get straight to the point of the message. e) gain the attention of the reader.
e) gain the attention of the reader.
10. Alyssa is a graphic designer who knows that her clients will be upset when they learn that their project is behind schedule. During her next conference call with them, she tells them details about the project, but decides not to mention that there is no way it will be finished on time. This is an example of a a) positioned falsehood. b) discriminatory falsehood. c) white lie. d) lie of commission. e) lie of omission.
e) lie of omission.
Improving Communication at Oakdale Hospital
Businesspeople frequently work with large data sets that require them to determine how they will integrate all of that data into their communication in the form of visuals. This exercise will help you think through the process of planning for and integrating visuals from a large data set into a report. Analyzing this case requires an understanding of the various steps in the visual communication process. -Planning -Gathering and collecting -Analyzing and organizing -Choosing a form -Placing and interpreting -Evaluating
More information:
Choosing the right channel is as critical to communicating your message as the words you use. This activity helps you think through the process of choosing a communication channel that is best suited to the type of message you are sending.
Mixed or Incomplete Construction:
Kent & Internet
"Bad Advice"
Lee, Uncle Bob, Eric, Jackson, & Judy
Today's workplace is quite different from the workplace of several decades ago. Rather than having rigid structures in which each employee performs a narrow set of tasks, organizations now operate in a fast-changing environment that requires employees to have many different skills. This activity will test your awareness of your employer's likely expectations.
To complete the activity, roll over each speaker to read his or her advice about preparing for professional success. Then, depending on the soundness of the advice, drag the speaker either to the "Good Advice" or "Bad Advice" area.
03. What can you do to improve the arrangement of your answers to Renata's questions? a) Use a more positive tone. b) Use a more formal tone. c) Avoiding providing answers to all; ask Renata to call you or refer her to your website d) Keep the arrangement of the answers as it is currently in the message e) Place the answers in an organized numbered list, answering the questions in the order Renata asked them
e) Place the answers in an organized numbered list, answering the questions in the order Renata asked them
Investigating an Employee Blog Equipping yourself with the concepts and advice in this chapter will take you only so far. As with every other form of communication described in this book, you must analyze the specific situation you're in to be able to write the most effective report. Doing a good job on this analytical exercise will require that you understand -The characteristics of shorter reports as compared to long, formal reports -The traits and uses of different kinds of reports -The importance of adapting any type of report to the specific situation Read the report-writing scenario and then answer the questions to plan an effective report.
You're a newly hired member of the Human Resources and Communications Department at LHC Design, a 130-employee firm that designs architecture, visual merchandising, and branding strategies for retail stores. Today your boss, Jenna Bostick, emailed you an assignment that will enable you to show off your research and writing skills. Jenna, the director of the department, will be attending an executive team meeting next week, and she would like to know by then what, if anything, the company should do about the employee blog that has sprung up on WordPress, a free blog-hosting site. Apparently, several LHC designers, strategists, and artists have taken it upon themselves to start a blog in which they can share their creative ideas with each other, with creative people in other companies, and with current and potential clients. They call their blog "InspirationPoint," and it seems to be gathering momentum. "What should the company do about this blog? Ignore it? Squelch it? Link it to the company website?" Jenna asks. She wants your recommendation so that she can make her own, based on yours, to the executive team. Of course, to figure out what to recommend, you'll need to do research. You'll start by studying the blog itself. Then you'll arrange appointments to speak with the young employees who started and maintain the blog. You'll also study websites, books, and articles about corporate blogging, and you'll look for any other data that might help your boss decide what course of action to recommend to her bosses. Make Jenna feel great about hiring you by doing a stellar job on this report.
04. The part of your email that asks him for additional information should say, a) "I'll be leaving for the conference on Friday, and I'm looking forward to sharing the good things we're doing." b) "As I will be leaving for the conference on Friday, may I have your response by the end of the day on Thursday?" c) "Please send this information ASAP, as I'll be leaving for the conference on Friday." d) "If you could send me this information today, I'd appreciate it." e) "I apologize for the tight deadline, but I'll need this information by the end of the day today."
a) "I'll be leaving for the conference on Friday, and I'm looking forward to sharing the good things we're doing."
03. What mistake does Mike make when he answers Mr. Tokunaka's questions about Roger? a) He fails to hear Mr. Tokunaka's concern. b) He uses language that's too informal. c) He uses excessive gesturing. d) He answers too hastily. e) He makes all of these mistakes.
a) He fails to hear Mr. Tokunaka's concern.
02. Which of the following subject lines would be best for this email? a) Renewal of Your Service Discount b) Denial: Service Agreement Discount c) Service Agreement Discount Remains at 47% d) Service Agreement Discount Remains the Same e) Service Agreement
a) Renewal of Your Service Discount
04. A direct claim should end with a) a simple expression of goodwill. b) an indirect statement of what you need. c) a threat to discontinue business. d) a fragmented sentence hinting at your disappointment. e) a statement that reflects your emotions.
a) a simple expression of goodwill.
03. Which of the following would be a good way to present a refusal to a customer's request for reimbursement? a) Refunds are only available to customers who return the defective item, which you have failed to do. b) Refunds are available only when the defective product has been returned. c) Because you failed to notify us in time, you request cannot be fulfilled. d) I have to refuse your request. e)I regret to inform you that we must deny your request.
b) Refunds are available only when the defective product has been returned.
08. Luis's coffee company has to make a negative announcement to let customers know about an increase in the price of their drinks. Which of the following should Luis include in the announcement to help people feel better about the price increase? a) a statement that readers are welcome to get their coffee elsewhere if they believe the new prices are too high b) a statement reminding readers that they will still get to enjoy exceptional service and quality coffee drinks made to order c) a reminder that readers won't be able to find less-expensive coffee in any other coffee shop d) an apology for the company's decision and a statement of the company's hope that the readers will continue to be customers e) a statement that the rise in prices is due to customers who steal from the company by demanding remakes of drinks
b) a statement reminding readers that they will still get to enjoy exceptional service and quality coffee drinks made to order
06. Misha has written a multipage informal business report, and she has decided to format it as a memo. Which of the following does she need to do? a) include an action date b) include a header with the date, the reader's name, and the page number c) create a title page d) include the company letterhead e) include a salutation
b) include a header with the date, the reader's name, and the page number
01. What should be the main purpose of this email? a) to tell Renata about the attractions in Minneapolis that conference attendees could access b) to answer Renata's questions and provide the information she requested about Marriott Minneapolis City Center c) to provide general information about the facilities at Marriott Minneapolis City Center d) to promote the city of Minneapolis e) to persuade Renata to book her conference at the Marriott Minneapolis City Center
b) to answer Renata's questions and provide the information she requested about Marriott Minneapolis City Center
03. How does Pilar's communication impact Miguel's ability to attend to her message? a) Her point is irrelevant. b) Her verbal communication and nonverbal communication are too passive and tentative. c) She cannot focus on her main point. d) She is not listening to Miguel's point that the client's complaint is minimal compared to the success of the campaign. e) She does not present an exact amount regarding the budget overruns.
b) Her verbal communication and nonverbal communication are too passive and tentative.
CH 08 CLICK AND DRAG
Granting a Client's Claim and Regaining Her Trust
07. Kara is scheduled to present her new sales plan next week. She wants to emphasize one of her key points on a page that otherwise lacks visuals. Which of the following would she use to do this? a) a pull quote b) a bulleted list c) pictograph d) a flowchart e) a process chart
a) a pull quote
10. If the reaction of your target audience is likely to be __________, you should use the direct order of organizing information in your message. a) Biased b) Negative c) Neutral d) Unpleasant e) Aggressive
c) Neutral
08. Which of the following statements about casual operational messages is true? a) They are used to communicate with outside parties, such as other companies. b) They must be carefully worded and constructed. c) They are typically used to give quick responses to work needs. d) They use an indirect, sometimes roundabout communication style. e) They often resemble carefully scripted speeches.
c) They are typically used to give quick responses to work needs.
03. Which of the following sentences uses subordination? a) The project has already been approved, so we can start work on Monday. b) My boss is busy on Monday, but she could meet with you on Tuesday. c) Our managers will have their meeting tonight, and they will let us all know the results tomorrow. d) Although we gave a polished presentation, the company chose to work with our competitors. e) Do you want to start with last year's files, or would it make more sense to look at this year's files first?
d) Although we gave a polished presentation, the company chose to work with our competitors.
02. If Ming wants a tertiary color, she should combine a) two primary colors b) two secondary colors c) two complementary colors d) a primary color with a related secondary color e) a primary color and a complementary color
d) a primary color with a related secondary color
09. One difference between memos and letters is that memos... a) are initialed by the writer than signed b) use specific headings that are common to all memos c) are the most widely used form of external communication d) do not use pre-defined templates and formats e) are more formal and use a highly formal style of writing
a) are initialed by the writer than signed
10. McKimson Communications recently got rid of most of its bulky servers and moved the majority of its software and files to website storage systems. This is an example of a business making use of the technology known as... a) cloud computing b) internet tracking c) collaborative software d) concept mapping e) a mobile application
a) cloud computing
06. The first step in resolving a conflict is to a) choose the conflict management strategy you will use. b) work toward a common goal. c) define the conflict. d) negotiate the terms of the conflict. e) recognize the goals behind the conflict.
c) define the conflict.
02. Which of the following statements about nonverbal communication is true? a) It includes the use of written text but not spoken words. b) It accounts for only a small part of the total message during a face-to-face conversation. c) It occurs only during face-to-face communication. d) It is used to supplement verbal communication as well as to convey meaning on its own. e) It is relatively unimportant in our technology-dominated age.
d) It is used to supplement verbal communication as well as to convey meaning on its own.
08. Which of the following statements about memos is true? a) Memos have the same form as other communication forms. b) Memos are more formal than letters. c) Memos are currently more popular than emails. d) Memos are mostly used for communicating within an organization. e) Memos are currently the most widely used form of internal communication.
d) Memos are mostly used for communicating within an organization.
01. When you present the justification and bad news in a negative announcement, it is important that you ______, which is not something you typically need to do in other negative message situations. a) state that you know readers understand your point of view b) use negative language c) be as vague as possible about your justifications d) anticipate and cover potential reader questions e) apologize to each individual reader
d) anticipate and cover potential reader questions
05. Jean has the following activities, hobbies, and personal characteristics listed on her résumé. Are there any that she should omit? 1. President - Student Accounting Society 2. Volunteer - VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) 3. Engaged 4. Member - UMass Intramural Volleyball Team 5. Lutheran a) 3 b) 5 c) 4,5 d) 3,4,5 e) 3,5
e) 3,5
02. Alessia and Maarten have scheduled a lunch meeting to discuss doing business together. Maarten arrives at the restaurant precisely on time, but Alessia doesn't arrive until after Maarten has finished his first glass of iced tea. She does not apologize for her lateness, and she launches into a cheerful discussion of the restaurant's history. Maarten nods along, but he is impatient to get down to business so that they can eat. Which of the following statements is most likely true? a) Alessia belongs to a polychronic culture, and Maarten belongs to a monochronic culture. b) Alessia belongs to a low power distance culture, and Maarten belongs to a high power culture. c) Alessia belongs to a high-context culture, and Maarten belongs to a low-context culture. d) Alessia belongs to a low-context culture, and Maarten belongs to a high-context culture. e) Alessia belongs to a monochronic culture, and Maarten belongs to a polychronic culture.
a) Alessia belongs to a polychronic culture, and Maarten belongs to a monochronic culture.
03. You would use a bar chart to represent these data to a) compare the differences in the percentages. b) examine discrete (individual) units of raw data. c) compare each percentage (piece of information) relative to the entire set of data (the whole). d) determine a trend in the percentages over time. e) view all the variables from a three-dimensional perspective.
a) compare the differences in the percentages.
Read the overview below and complete the activities that follow. Today you received a complaint from a client regarding a shipment. Becky Cooper ordered 15 dozen pens from your company. The pens advertise her company and are to be distributed to students at an upcoming career conference at a local university. She received the pens, only to find that her company name was spelled incorrectly. She wants the error corrected and a shipment of new pens delivered in time for the conference next week. Of course you'll correct the error at no cost to her. You'll also put a rush on the order so that she receives the pens in time for her event. Because she is a new customer, you want to regain her trust and goodwill so that she orders from you again. You told her this over the phone, but because both her company and yours require a written record of the incident and adjustment of her order, you will send her an email in which you grant her claim for a replacement. Completing this exercise requires an understanding of the following: -Direct-order messages -Adjustment grants
Roll over each sentence. Drag the sentence number to the timeline to order the sentences so that they form a well-written adjustment grant. You will not use all of the sentences.
04. Which of the following is a part of the aspect of physical staging when delivering a collaborative presentation? a) deciding how the visuals will be presented b) deciding who will do the introduction c) deciding the sequence and order of the presentation d) determining the supporting information and designing the visuals e) determining the opening of the message
a) deciding how the visuals will be presented
01. Sean's boss asks him to write an email message to all employees to tell them how to request computer help. This message will be an example of: a) internal-operational communication b) external-operational communication c) personal communication d) both internal-operational and external-operational communication e) both internal-operational and personal communication
a) internal-operational communication
04. What does Jean need to do to improve how she presents the following information regarding her position as an office assistant? -Process payroll for 300 employees -Route calls using a multi-line phone system -File confidential personnel documents -Data entry using Excel and PeopleSoft -Mail distribution to 15 offices at 3 locations a) Add more items to the list. b) Begin each list item with an action verb. c) Use fewer items in the list. d) Begin each list item with a noun. e) Omit some of the detail to keep the list more general.
b) Begin each list item with an action verb.
06. Which of the following would be a better closing for Rico? 1. "My education and work experience have prepared me for a sales internship with Southern Valley. May I meet with you to discuss this position? You may contact me at...to arrange an interview." 2. "I know this internship would benefit me greatly. If you think I am qualified; please call me at...to set up an interview." 3. "You and I would both benefit from my work. You may contact me at...if you are interested in an interview." a) 1 b) 3 c) either 1 or 2 d) either 1 or 3 e) 2
a) 1
09. What is included on the title fly? a) the report title b) the subject c) a salutation d) the author name e) the date
a) the report title
01. You will tell Mara all of the following about her message except that a) the message should be organized in the indirect approach. b) she does not need to apologize, as this is a necessary step based on solid business reasons. c) the message contains unnecessary negative language that affects its tone. d) the opening paragraph is a good way to begin given the audience's likely reaction to the message. e) the conclusion should be more forward-looking and less condescending.
d) the opening paragraph is a good way to begin given the audience's likely reaction to the message.
03. An outright falsehood is referred to as a lie of a) omission. b) substitution. c) discrimination. d) orientation. e) commission.
e) commission.
CH 03 QUIZ!
10 QUESTIONS!
CH 04 QUIZ
10 QUESTIONS!
CH 07 QUIZ
10 QUESTIONS!
CH 14 QUIZ!
10 QUESTIONS!
05. A government agency is looking for someone to rehab a government-owned building. Warren has to write a proposal to do that project. He is aware that the agency is expecting a number of responses to its request. In this case, it is best to use the a) implicit message. b) roundabout order. c) we-viewpoint. d) direct order. e) soft sales message.
d) direct order.
Dangling or Misplaced Modifier:
Volunteer activities, Quality testing, & Safety record
02. When Mr. Tokunaka stops the conversation to ask Mike, "You don't like eels?," Mike's answer a) should have been less negative. b) should have included humor. c) should have been "yes." d) was appropriately honest. e) showed a desire to learn more.
a) should have been less negative.
01. People from a culture who view personal space as a right are more likely to a) jostle for space when shopping. b) stand in line and wait their turn. c) touch others when waiting in a crowd. d) stand very close to one another when talking. e) be on time to appointments.
b) stand in line and wait their turn.
04. You learn that Germans will shake hands at the beginning and end of a business meeting, but close contact such as hugging or touching each other on the shoulder is generally reserved for friends and family. In public, though, Germans will stand close to other people (e.g., while waiting in line). Such behavior indicates the Germans' attitude toward a) power distance. b) uncertainty avoidance. c) space. d) individualism. e) frankness.
c) space.
03. Which of the following statements about oral reports is true? a) They usually begin by providing a call to action. b) They typically use a direct structure. c) They are less likely than written reports to use the explicit structure. d) They typically end by presenting the purpose. e) They typically use indirect structure.
e) They typically use indirect structure.
02. Sondra wants to know which type of visual would best help her compare responses from patients and responses from employees on a question regarding safety at Oakdale. To answer the question, respondents rated their answers on a scale of 1-5. What would you tell her? a) Don't use any visual; use text when showing comparisons. b) Use a bar or column chart. c) Use a diagram. d) Use a line graph. e) Use a flowchart.
b) Use a bar or column chart.
04. Why should Pilar have avoided saying, "This is not a comment on your work at all"? a) She is stating the obvious. b) Miguel is not listening to her anyway. c) The client did not say this was a comment on Miguel's work, so Pilar should not say so either. d) Miguel's reaction indicates his filter caused him to hear the opposite—that her decision is a comment on his work. e) Miguel is the only designer she has ever said this to, so Pilar needs to be careful not to single out Miguel.
d) Miguel's reaction indicates his filter caused him to hear the opposite—that her decision is a comment on his work.
03. Which of the following should typically determine the exact placement of a visual on a page? a) the source of the visual b) the content of the visual c) the color of the visual d) the type of the visual e) the size of the visual
e) the size of the visual
01. Which of the following is true of taking minutes at a meeting? a) All meeting minutes should note excused or unexcused absences. b) The format of meeting minutes depends on the nature of the meeting, group preferences, and company requirements. c) All meeting minutes are highly informal and resemble casually written notes. d) All recorded meeting minutes are voted on by group members before they are accepted. e) All meeting minutes are highly formal, with headings and complete sentences.
b) The format of meeting minutes depends on the nature of the meeting, group preferences, and company requirements.
02. The colors in the Hot Wings logo are red, black, and yellow, so of the following, the best design for your slides would be a) red type, with the Hot Wings logo as the background for the slides. b) black type on a pale yellow background, with the Hot Wings logo in one of the corners. c) yellow type on a red background, with the Hot Wings logo in one of the corners. d) red type on a yellow background, with a black border. e) red type on a yellow background, with the Hot Wings logo in one of the corners.
b) black type on a pale yellow background, with the Hot Wings logo in one of the corners.
04. When Jason says, "I have a feeling that there's just a lot of pressure on you," he is a) being too defensive. b) trying to help Gina realize that stress as impaired her judgement. c) sugar-coating the situation. d) being insulting. e) getting too emotional.
b) trying to help Gina realize that stress as impaired her judgement.
09. Which of the following sentences uses mixed construction? a) Our salespeople are some of the best in the business. b) I'm disappointed in the third quarter report, but I have high hopes for the fourth quarter. c) Geeta started the meeting by taking roll, then the minutes from the last meeting were read by her. d) Benji's presentation really impressed the investors, and I think they will agree to move forward. e) Most of our products are produced in our Nashville factory.
c) Geeta started the meeting by taking roll, then the minutes from the last meeting were read by her.
06. Jean has to send her résumé via email. She should consider all of the following except a) including her name in the file name of her résumé. b) using a standard font for the text in her résumé. c) putting the text of the résumé in the body of the email only, as readers may not be able to open attachments. d) using the ruler or tables to align text in the résumé rather than tabs or the space bar. e) sending the document as a PDF file (in addition to the Word file) to preserve the format.
c) putting the text of the résumé in the body of the email only, as readers may not be able to open attachments.
01. What type of cover letter should Rico write? a) neither solicited nor unsolicited b) a letter with the unsolicited format in the introduction and the solicited format for the rest of the document c) solicited d) unsolicited e) either solicited or unsolicited
c) solicited
03. Which of the following statements about formal internal-operational messages is true? a) They are typically written using more complicated, advanced language. b) They typically follow an indirect order. c) They are usually written by assistants to summarize meeting minutes. d) They frequently involve a sequence of steps or topics. e) They are essentially the same thing as memos.
d) They frequently involve a sequence of steps or topics.
08. When giving collaborative presentations, which of the following is considered part of physical staging? a) deciding the sequence of the presentation b) determining the content and the extent of contribution of each member c) deciding who will do the question-and-answer session d) deciding on how to enter or leave the presentation area e) determining the supporting information and designing the visual
d) deciding on how to enter or leave the presentation area
04. Visual literacy 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 the preference for individualism or collectivism, religious beliefs, political environment, and ideas about social hierarchy of different countries c) manipulate people into accepting one's viewpoint regarding religion d) effectively use analytical skills to create and interpret graphics e) determine the deeper, underlying meaning or significance of messages expressed by people
d) effectively use analytical skills to create and interpret graphics
05. Which of the following would be an unethical decision on your part? a) to view being on time for the meeting as unimportant b) not to go out to dinner with the Germans after the meeting c) to negotiate firmly on behalf of your company d) to bring an expensive gift to the chief German negotiator e) to adapt your natural behavior and conversation style to that of the Germans
d) to bring an expensive gift to the chief German negotiator
03. Gina does not understand that business communicators should a) take initiative. b) use emotion to persuade. c) avoid creativity. d) work together to solve problems ethically. e) avoid emotion.
d) work together to solve problems ethically.
01. Thomas works for a charity and wants to partner with a company to host events that would help his charity and also give the companies some good publicity. He wants to send a letter to the public relations department manager, but he doesn't know the manager's name. How should he write the salutation of his letter? a) He should write Dear Public Relations Manager. b) He should write Dear Sir or Madam. c) He should write Dear Mr. Smith. d) He should write Dear Sir. e) He should write To Whom It May Concern.
a) He should write Dear Public Relations Manager.
05. Which of the Ten Commandments of Listening does Miguel violate? a) Miguel violates all of these commandments. b) He does not stop talking. c) He does not empathize with Pilar. d) He does not remove distractions. e) He does not show Pilar he wants to listen.
a) Miguel violates all of these commandments.
09. Which product would most likely be sold to consumers using a primarily emotional appeal? a) sports cars b) toothpaste c) clothes dryers d) flashlights e) electric heaters
a) sports cars
06. Which of the following statements about informal writing is true? a) It is not used in text messages or instant messages. b) It is best restricted to external business communication messages. c) It uses colloquialisms less selectively than casual writing does. d) It shares some of the qualities of casual writing. e) It does not make use of contractions or personal pronouns.
d) It shares some of the qualities of casual writing.
05. When using a visual aid during your presentation, you should a) read the points on your slides verbatim. b) refer to your visual with physical action and words. c) stick to discussing only the information contained on your slides. d) keep your attention and eyes focused on the visual while discussing it. e) avoid explaining the visual; its purpose should be limited to adding visual interest.
b) refer to your visual with physical action and words.
07. Which strategy for conflict resolution requires that both sides of the conflict make concessions so that each side believes the resolution is fair? a) the collaboration strategy b) the conflict avoidance strategy c) the compromising strategy d) the competitive strategy e) the accommodative strategy
c) the compromising strategy
01. Miguel appears distracted at several times. What factor related to the nature of listening is a problem for him? a) filtering b) remembering c) sensing d) back channeling e) active listening
c) sensing
04. Which of the following descriptions of the SkyLounge is the best example of scenario painting? a) You can experience a serene environment where you can check your emails, make phone calls—or just sit back and relax. b) Each SkyLounge is staffed by flight attendants who give club members personalized assistance with their travels. c) Each SkyLounge is like a nicely furnished living room—with extras. d) There are over 40 lounges located worldwide—from New York to Paris to Istanbul. e) All SkyLounge Clubs offer a complimentary, fully stocked bar, a range of tasty snacks, Wi-Fi, and satellite television.
a) You can experience a serene environment where you can check your emails, make phone calls—or just sit back and relax.
02. The next part of the email should a) ask him for the additional information you'll need to be able to share the exciting things your company is doing. b) reference your first email and remind him of the information you'd originally requested. c) say, "Unfortunately, I need more specific information about our company's strategies." d) say, "Unfortunately, I will need additional information, especially about how we use social media internationally." e) stress that you need the information within two days, since the conference is fast approaching.
a) ask him for the additional information you'll need to be able to share the exciting things your company is doing.
05. However Gina's proposal turns out, her communication with Jason has already a) damaged her boss's trust in her. b) caused a public scandal. c) cost the company money. d) revealed her lack of initiative. e) made her boss feel incompetent.
a) damaged her boss's trust in her.
02. Sean's email message to the employees to tell them how to ask for computer help will be part of: a) the company's formal communication network b) the company grapevine c) intradepartmental communication d) cross-cultural communications e) the company's external network
a) the company's formal communication network
04. Information such as a person's age, gender, income, and geographic location is called _____ information. a) psychographic b) angiographic c) demographic d) geographic e) physiographic
c) demographic
CH 15 CASE RESUME
!! REQUIRED INFORMATION !!
01. What is your relationship with Milo, and how will this relationship affect the tone of your message? a) Friendly and formal. You and Milo have met and are cordial, but you do not see each other outside work, so your tone and style will be formal but conversational. b) Friendly and informal. You've come to know Milo well as a business associate, so you can be informal. c) Neutral. You know Milo by name, but that's about it. You really don't know him at all, so your tone will be formal and somewhat distant. d) No relationship. You don't know Milo at all, so your tone will be highly formal and impersonal. e) Unfriendly and hostile. You and Milo know each other and do not have a good relationship. You will have to be careful in your tone and style so that you are professional and do not show your dislike of Milo.
b) Friendly and informal. You've come to know Milo well as a business associate, so you can be informal.
02. Jean has listed her education as follows. What information should she omit to strengthen this section? Bachelor of Business Administration: Accounting (May 2018)University of Massachusetts-BostonGPA: 3.8/4.0Honors Thesis: "VITA Program Participation and Accounting Students' Perceptions of Community Service" Central High School, Diploma (May 2014)GPA: 4.0/4.0 a) her GPA b) the information about high school c) the information about her honors thesis d) the name of her degree e) "Boston" from "University of Massachusetts-Boston"
b) the information about high school
03. Which of the following statements about the executive summary is true? a) It transmits the report to the reader and provides an introduction. b) It is always included as part of the report proper. c) It is often the only part of a report busy executives will read. d) Its inclusion depends on the formality and cost of the report. e) It contains extra information not covered in the report itself.
c) It is often the only part of a report busy executives will read.
03. Which of the following is typically included in the planning stage of the writing process? a) revising your content b) creating the perfect draft c) choosing a form of communication d) editing your language e) proofreading your documents
c) choosing a form of communication
07. One of the personal qualities you should cultivate as an ethical communicator is ______, which is the personal trait that inclines people to trust you. a) integrity b) bravery c) credibility d) restraint e) savvy
c) credibility
01. A decision tree a) is a chart that shows comparisons of qualities at a moment in time. b) is a chart that is used to compare the subdivisions of percentages. c) is a chart that allows the readers to follow a particular path and arrive at an outcome. d) is a visual presentation that shows planning and scheduling activities e) is a chart that shows the hierarchy of levels and positions in an organization
c) is a chart that allows the readers to follow a particular path and arrive at an outcome.
02. What should follow the opening statement? a) contact information so that Renata can call you for the answers to her questions b) a link to the Marriott Minneapolis City Center's website so that Renata can find the information herself c) the answers to Renata's questions d) a request for Renata to provide contracts for you to review regarding her company's needs for the conference e) the current information in the email ("We always...a lot to see and do")
c) the answers to Renata's questions
Read the scenario regarding the design decisions required to format a report and then classify each decision as one that you would accept or reject.
SCENARIO ON THE NEXT CARD.
03. Of the following, what is the best choice regarding the type on your slides? a) Use 32-point type for headings and 24-point type for text. b) Use 24-point type for headings and 12-point type for text. c) Use different fonts on different slides, depending on topic. d) Use 40-point type type for headings and 14-point type for text. e) Use italics for all type on your slides.
a) Use 32-point type for headings and 24-point type for text.
10. Organizing your short report using the _____ is especially preferable when you will be recommending something that you know your readers will not favor or want to hear. a) direct order b) time-based pattern c) place-based pattern d) impersonal order e) indirect order
e) indirect order
Roll over the statements to read the sentences that appear. Then drop each statement into the correct sentence area on the timeline to create a unified, well-organized, smooth paragraph. Put the topic sentence at the beginning. You will not need to use all of the statements. - Statement 2 - Statement 5 - Statement 1 - Statement 7 - Statement 3 - Statement 4 - Statement 8 - Statement 6
Correct timeline: Topic Sentence: Statement 5 Sentence 2: Statement 3 Sentence 3: Statement 8 Sentence 4: Statement 6 Sentence 5: Statement 1 Sentence 6: Statement 7 Sentence 7: Statement 4
02. Which of the following would make the best subject line for this message? a) SkyLounge special offer b) Enjoy the SkyLounge Club on your next trip c) A 30-day offer you can't refuse d) An exclusive offer from Sky Airlines e) Free food and drink while you travel
b) Enjoy the SkyLounge Club on your next trip
07. When all parts of a sentence work together to make one clear point, the sentence has a) subordination b) unity c) mixed construction d) coordination e) action
b) unity
05. Email reports tend to be problem-solving reports because they are a) written using the indirect order. b) primarily used to communicate with external audiences. c) formal reports. d) largely internal reports. e) written by executives at the higher levels of hierarchy in an organization.
d) largely internal reports.
01. Which of the following is true about social media? a) Social media is used solely for personal purposes and not for business purposes. b) Social media presents a platform for extremely private exchanges. c) Messages on social networking sites are not restricted to a fixed number of characters. d) Messages on social media sites should be begin with the main point. e) Messages on social networking sites cannot be viewed by the public.
d) Messages on social media sites should be begin with the main point.
02. Which of the following is a better opening sentence for Rico's letter? 1. I talked with Charlotte Farmer at Internship Mania. After our conversation, I knew that Southern Valley would benefit me as I learn more about the sales profession. 2. Charlotte Farmer spoke with me at McKinley University's Internship Mania and suggested I send my cover letter and résumé to you to be considered for a sales internship. 3. The purpose of this letter is to follow up with you based on a conversation I had with Charlotte Farmer. Based on our conversation, I am very interested in applying for a sales internship. a) either 1 or 2 b) either 2 or 3 c) 3 d) 1 e) 2
e) 2
06. Which of the following is true about routine operational reports? a) Routine operational reports tend to be submitted on an as-needed basis. b) The form and contents of routine operational reports will not vary from company to company. c) When creating routine operational reports, you should avoid using template macros or merge documents. d) The nature of the organization does not influence the forms taken by routine operational reports. e) Many of the routine operational reports will be submitted on predesigned forms.
e) Many of the routine operational reports will be submitted on predesigned forms.
10. When you initiate a call, you should a) talk fast to ensure that too much time is not taken up. b) talk in a monotone to sound formal. c) mention your affiliation to the receiver only at the end of the call. d) mention your name only at the end of the call. e) identify yourself and ask for the person with whom you wish to speak.
e) identify yourself and ask for the person with whom you wish to speak.
07. Rico has decided to send his cover letter in an email format. He will need to consider all of the following except a) using a formal salutation and closing. b) highlighting his qualifications. c) introducing himself and his purpose in a short email message and attaching his full cover letter. d) including a clear subject line. e) lengthening the message.
e) lengthening the message.
Ensuring a Successful Conference
Most correspondence in business consists of direct-order, routine messages. Your ability to craft direct, clear, and concise messages will be key to your success.
Your company, Affinity Software Solutions, has a policy that allows your senior management staff to attend one professional development activity a year (e.g., an annual professional conference, continuing education). The senior managers really enjoy this program because it provides a break in their routine and lets them travel, network, and build their skills. The program has been a fabulous morale builder among your senior management staff and has provided assistant managers with motivation to earn senior management status. However, business has not been good this past year and, to save money, the company has decided to suspend this policy indefinitely. You know the employees are not going to be happy, but when the alternatives are layoffs, increased employee contributions toward health insurance (or perhaps switching to an employee plan with less coverage), and elimination of sales performance bonuses, this policy seems to be one of the least necessary expenses for the company. If senior managers want to take vacation time and pay for the professional development activities on their own, they certainly may, but the company will no longer pay for any time off or any costs associated with professional development activities. As Affinity's budget director you know senior managers will be surprised and upset by this decision. They really look forward to professional development activities. The policy has been around so long that some even see this policy as a right rather than a privilege. Some others may wonder how they will maintain their skills or network. They certainly won't want to pay for these activities themselves. Mara Harris, the human resources director, has written the following draft of a message. She has now sent it to you for your revisions. Read Mara's message, and provide feedback.
SUBJECT: Discontinuation of Personal Development Program Funding Dear Senior Managers: Due to budget issues, we are forced to discontinue our Professional Development Program effective immediately. We know you enjoy the program, and we know this will be an inconvenience for many of you. We apologize for the inconvenience, but of all the things we can cut to help our financial situation, this program has the fewest consequences companywide. No other employees even get this benefit, and laying them (or you) off, cutting health insurance coverage, or cutting sales incentives while senior managers enjoy vacations from work on the company's dime is simply unacceptable. There are better and cheaper ways for you to network (e.g., local professional organizations, webinars, brown-bag lunches hosted by area professionals), and this will give you the opportunity to find them. If you want to take your own vacation time and pay for your own professional development, you may, but the company, unfortunately, will no longer pay for any time off or any cost associated with professional development activities. Again, we apologize for the inconvenience. Many of us have enjoyed these professional development activities, but we will need to suspend the program indefinitely. We hope that your commitment to your customers will be sufficient motivation for doing your job well as a senior manager.
02. When determining how large to make a visual, your main consideration is a) how important and complex the information in the visual is. b) whether the visual will be in color or black and white. c) how many pages you need your report to be. d) whether the visual's content is negative or positive. e) how much room you will need for borders.
a) how important and complex the information in the visual is.
08. Which of the following statements about a table of contents is true? a) The table of contents should include the report title and author information. b) The headings and subheadings in a table of contents should be formatted so they are distinguishable as different levels. c) The table of contents should directly follow the title fly. d) A table of contents should be included for all reports, regardless of length. e) The table of contents is only necessary for an informal report.
b) The headings and subheadings in a table of contents should be formatted so they are distinguishable as different levels.
07. Which of the following is true about meeting minutes? a) The format of the meeting minutes report is the same across organizations. b) Meeting minutes are verbatim transcripts of meetings. c) The signatory of the meeting minutes is always the convener of the meeting. d) Meeting minutes include only objective data. e) Meeting minutes typically provide detailed analysis of problems and make recommendations.
d) Meeting minutes include only objective data.
08. A phrase that can be replaced by shorter wording without losing meaning is a a) quote b) jargon phrase c) parallel phrase d) cluttering phrase e) transitional phrase
d) cluttering phrase
01. Which product would most likely be sold to consumers primarily using an emotional appeal? a) gasoline b) medicine c) industrial machinery d) jewelry e) refrigerators
d) jewelry
02. Why should employees be wary of participating in the grapevine in a business? a) Managers typically use the grapevine to purposefully spread misinformation b) The grapevine is primarily made up of gossip and lies c) The grapevine is seen by most supervisors as a form of insurrection d) Grapevine information is too complex for the average person to make sense of e) The grapevine can result in your unwise remarks making it back to your supervisor
e) The grapevine can result in your unwise remarks making it back to your supervisor
Manager's Hot Seat: Let's Break a Deal: Cross-Cultural Communication Gone Wrong
Being ethnocentric not only hinders your understanding of people who are different from you; it can also be quite costly! To succeed in cross-cultural encounters, you must be sensitive to others' values and behavioral norms. The goal of this exercise is to test your ability to analyze a cross-cultural conversation and use your knowledge of dimensions of cultural differences to explain why it did not go well. Mike Sokolow is Director of Foreign Sales for Mustang Jeans, a U.S.-based clothing manufacturer and worldwide distributor. In this video, he is meeting with Norio Tokunaka, Vice President of Merchandising for a large retail clothing chain in Japan. The purpose of the meeting is to have Mr. Tokunaka finalize a contract that will authorize his company, PopWear, to sell Mustang Jeans to the Japanese market. Before this meeting, Mr. Tokunaka had been meeting with Roger Small, but Mustang has moved Roger out of international sales into domestic sales. Some of Roger's clients, including Mr. Tokunaka, have been handed over to Mike. This increase in Mike's responsibilities has made him a very busy man. Roger and Mr. Tokunaka had already worked out all the terms of the contract, so Mike doesn't expect any problems with getting Mr. Tokunaka to sign it. Watch the video to see what happens, and answer the questions to indicate why the meeting turned out as it did. Skim the questions below to see what parts of the video you'll be asked about. Then click the ► button to watch the video. When answering the questions, you may want to go back and review parts of the video.
SCENARIO:
You have recently been asked to prepare a feasibility report about expanding your company's market to several cities in your state. You want the report to make a good impression in terms of both its content and its visual appeal, and you know that the design of the report will affect your professional image. You want to be seen as energetic, progressive, and modern. Plus, you want to make sure the design of the report facilitates reading and comprehension of all the good data you have gathered. You ask your assistant to help you by creating a design template and style guide for the report. She has provided you with her suggestions, and now it is up to you to accept each suggestion or reject it. Apply what you know about the principles of document design to run with or reject each design suggestion below.
05. What is the best way to address the fact that Rico has little sales experience? a) ''As a server, I promote products and have won Server of the Week twice for selling the most daily specials.'' b) ''You might not think that a server sells products, but I sell daily specials on every shift and have won awards.'' c) ''I have never actually sold anything, but I work as a server for a restaurant, where I promote daily specials.'' d) ''I know selling insurance isn't the same as selling food, but I know I can promote your product just as well.'' e) ''My current job isn't technically in sales, but I have won awards for selling daily specials in my job as a server.''
a) ''As a server, I promote products and have won Server of the Week twice for selling the most daily specials.''
01. Which of the following items needs to be omitted from Jean's identifying information? a) [email protected] b) 617-287-9872 (cell) c) 2345 Redwood Drive, Boston, MA 01545 d) www.linkedin.com/in/jeanmpaulson e) Jean M. Paulson
04. The quality of enabling readers to proceed easily through a message, without side trips and backward shifts, is called a) subordination b) coherence c) redundancy d) faulty parallelism e) coordination
b) coherence
05. When Mr. Tokunaka says he's "sure we will have a very good business in the future and we will play golf together...," he probably means that he a) doesn't like Americans. b) could be open to future relations. c) feels his time has been wasted. d) is through with Mustang Jeans. e) is trying to act like an American.
b) could be open to future relations.
10. According to Geert Hofstede, ______ is "the collective programming of the mind which distinguishes the members of one category of people from another." a) globalization b) culture c) technology d) communication e) business
b) culture
04. If a business writer is constructing a table for a document and wants to emphasize the row totals, he or she should a) put them in italics. b) place them on the left side of the table. c) put them in bold. d) place them at the top of the table. e) place them on the right side of the table.
b) place them on the left side of the table.
05. When using acronyms, if there is a chance that your reader may not understand the initials, the best practice is to a) only use abbreviations b) spell out the words the first time and follow them with initials c) use a graphic to illustrate the terms d) check with the audience to find out if they are familiar with such terms e) post a list of the abbreviations used at the appendix
b) spell out the words the first time and follow them with initials
05. Which of the following is an example of something that would affect a communicator's particular context in business communication? a) the start of recession occurring weeks before the communicator's message b) the communicator's degree in psychology c) the communicator delivering the message at 3:30 PM d) the communicator delivering the message in the break room e) the implementation of a new tax on certain business transactions a year before the communicator's message
b) the communicator's degree in psychology
05. Which of the following statements presents the best way to word the conclusion? a) "Again, I am sorry I am not able to grant your request for a 50 percent discount. I am hoping you want to continue doing business with us, as I have come to value you as a customer." b) "If you would like to discuss the terms of your service agreement further, please let me know. I am happy to continue the discussion." c) "I've attached the paperwork for next year's service agreement, which shows the 47 percent discount. Be sure to complete it and send it to me by December 31 to guarantee continuous service. I look forward to serving you in the coming year." d) "On behalf of Kiel Office Supplies, I do apologize that we cannot offer you a better rate. Please know that you will continue to receive our excellent service in the coming year. Thank you for your business."
c) "I've attached the paperwork for next year's service agreement, which shows the 47 percent discount. Be sure to complete it and send it to me by December 31 to guarantee continuous service. I look forward to serving you in the coming year."
05. How should Mara rewrite the concluding statement to reflect a goodwill ending? a) She should not rewrite the conclusion. It is fine as it is. b) Thank you in advance for your understanding and willingness to give up this benefit. Clearly, this is the best of all the alternatives. c) "We are truly sorry. We hope that your commitment to your customers will be sufficient motivation for doing your job well as a senior manager." d) "To learn more about free or low-cost professional development opportunities, please visit the Professional Development page on the company intranet. The page contains a list of over 100 local and online meetings, webinars, seminars, and roundtables that may interest you." e) "You are a valued member of our staff, and this decision in no way reflects what we think of you. We needed to make the cuts in order to save the company."
d) "To learn more about free or low-cost professional development opportunities, please visit the Professional Development page on the company intranet. The page contains a list of over 100 local and online meetings, webinars, seminars, and roundtables that may interest you."
04. Which of the following is true regarding setting up one's strategy to write an adjustment refusal? a) You might state the facts, being sure to explain how the reader is to blame for the situation. b) You should use a tone that is blunt and frank. c) You should never include a date reference early in the message. d) You might begin at a point of common agreement and then explain how the case at hand is an exception. e) You should warn the reader and explain the consequences of making frivolous claims.
d) You might begin at a point of common agreement and then explain how the case at hand is an exception.
01. Which of the following describes the ethical error that Gina is making? a) wanting Jason to lie about the timing of the proposed investment b) introducing her plan as "awesome news" c) playing political games d) pressuring Jason to do something wrong e) She is making all of these ethical errors
e) She is making all of these ethical errors
Using Social Media for Promotional Purposes Social media have dramatically increased the number of ways companies can increase their brand awareness, reach potential customers, and make existing customers more loyal. But to use social media effectively for promotional purposes, you need an understanding of the appropriate uses for each tool and the guidelines for their use. This activity will test your understanding of terms and tools in the world of multimedia selling.
Roll over each name to reveal a workplace scenario related to social media. Then drag it to the target term that best completes that scenario.
01. Which of the following correctly represents your best option for creating a visual to represent these data? a) a bar chart b) a pie chart c) a pie or bar chart d) a pie chart or a line graph e) a line graph, pie chart, or a bar chart
c) a pie or bar chart
10. Why do sales messages sent by email often create hostility among intended customers? a) They adapt the message according to the audience. b) They typically use the direct method of organizing data. c) They use the you-viewpoint. d) They mostly use the active voice. e) They are mostly unsolicited emails.
e) They are mostly unsolicited emails.
05. The format you select for this particular audience and communication goal must enable you to a) project a friendly image yet establish a formal tone with a major policy change b) communicate quickly and informally to a general audience c) demonstrate a friendly and informal tone that is consistent with a marketing or public relations campaign d) create a causal, friendly tone that lets credit members know the advantages of having a debit card e) establish a formal and serious tone so that people understand the differences between debit cards and credit cards
a) project a friendly image yet establish a formal tone with a major policy change
"Good Advice"
Carrie, Co-op Student, Grant, Janine, Upper-level Student, & Guest Speaker
CH 02 CASE
!! REQUIRED INFORMATION !!
CH 12 QUIZ!
10 QUESTIONS!!
Extra Words or Phrases:
Fire safety equipment, Gift by Christmas, & Helpful assistance
Read the case and then answer the multiple-choice questions about it.
It has been five years since you graduated from college with a degree in marketing, and you're pleased with your career so far. Immediately after graduation, you landed a job as an accounts specialist on the sales team of a large corporation that manufactures consumer products. During your time on the job, you have kept your current clients happy and have also acquired a few new accounts. It's a long way to the top from here, but this is a company that likes to promote from within, and you believe that your future is bright. One of your achievements is that you have become an active member of your state's chapter of the American Marketing Association. In fact, together with two other members, you'll be giving a presentation at the organization's national meeting in Seattle this year. Your group's talk will be on the topic of "Maintaining Customer Loyalty Through Social Media," and the presenters will discuss strategies their companies are using. Each presenter's talk will also include comments from a top executive in the company about the use and importance of social media marketing in his or her company. When your presentation was accepted for the conference program six months ago, you emailed Brad Diggs, your company's VP of sales and marketing, to ask if he'd be willing to share his thoughts about the importance of social media in sales and marketing. He said he'd be glad to. But you had to send him two email reminders to get him to send you his comments, which he finally did today, only three days before you leave for the conference. The problem is that his comments are skimpy and too general. He clearly doesn't remember that, in your original request, you asked him not just to talk in general terms but to focus on how your particular company is using and benefiting from social media marketing. Since your company has distributors and customers around the world, you'd also asked him to address specifically how social media are helping the company cultivate sales internationally. You can hardly use what he sent you, so you'll need to give it one more try. Email him to let him know that he didn't send you what you asked for and that you need better content from him within two days.
Manager's Hot Seat: Listening Skills: Yeah, Whatever
Listening skills are important in any type of communication, but they are especially important when giving and receiving feedback and when managing difficult conversations. Effective business communicators will remember that listening requires more than the mental or physical component of receiving information. Verbal and nonverbal responses are also an indication of an effective listener. The goal of this activity is to analyze a conversation and determine how the participants could have demonstrated better listening skills in order to better manage a difficult conversation. To complete the exercise, you will need to use what you know about conversations, listening, and nonverbal communication. Skim the questions below to see what parts of the video you'll be asked about. Then click the ► button to watch the video. When answering the questions, you may want to review parts of the video. Pilar Grimault is a senior account manager at Midnight Visions, a worldwide advertising agency. Before becoming an account manager, she was a creative director for Midnight Visions in London. She manages teams ranging from 25 to 150 people, working on accounts for record labels, fashion houses, and entertainment conglomerates. Recently, Miguel Valentino, a creative designer, completed work for Jezebel, a long-standing client. The campaign was a huge success, but the client has complained to Pilar about Miguel's project management skills. Specifically, the client is concerned that the project costs exceeded the allotted budget. Pilar has requested a meeting with Miguel to discuss the client's concern and to get a process in place for managing costs on future projects.
To be an effective communicator, you need to be aware of the "big picture" in which your communications will take place. This activity will test your understanding of concepts that can help you grasp the communication environment where you work.
Read the scenario and use your understanding of the business environment to answer the questions
STRATEGIES: - Evidence Strategy B - Presentation-Style Strategy A - Visuals Strategy A - Organizing Strategy B - Visuals Strategy B - Organizing Strategy A - Evidence Strategy A - Introduction Strategy C - Introduction Strategy B - Introduction Strategy A - Presentation-Style Strategy B - Evidence Strategy C - Visuals Strategy C
STRONG STRATEGY: - Introduction Strategy A - Organizing Strategy B - Evidence Strategy A - Evidence Strategy B - Visuals Strategy A - Presentation-Style Strategy B WEAK STRATEGY: - Introduction Strategy B - Introduction Strategy C - Organizing Strategy A - Evidence Strategy C - Visuals Strategy C - Presentation-Style Strategy A - Visuals Strategy B
CH 06 CASE
!! REQUIRED INFORMATION !!
CH 07 CASE
!! REQUIRED INFORMATION !!
CH 09 CASE REDUCED RATE
!! REQUIRED INFORMATION !!
CH 10 CASE SKYLOUNGE
!! REQUIRED INFORMATION !!
CH 05 QUIZ
10 QUESTIONS.
CH 01 QUIZ!
10 QUESTIONS.~
Identifying Sentence Problems
As Chapter 5 says, sentences can have a wide range of problems that cause readers trouble. This activity will test your understanding of the following problems. -Mixed constructions (sentences that confusingly combine two different kinds of sentences) -Incomplete constructions (sentences that don't complete an expected pattern of words) -Dangling and misplaced modifiers (modifiers that don't go with anything or that are in the wrong place) -Faulty parallelism (pairs or series of items that are grammatically unalike)
Ethics in Business Communication
Each time you communicate, you are presenting a certain picture of reality as well as affecting your relations with others. This means that ethical considerations are involved in everything you say and write. But some situations will raise more ethical issues than others. This activity will ask you to analyze a conversation in which ethical issues are being raised and to demonstrate your understanding of ethical communication.
Writing an Effective Cover Letter Cover letters are persuasive messages that sell an applicant's skills and abilities. This activity requires you to think carefully about the content of a cover letter so that the message is targeted to the audience's needs and communicates the applicant's qualifications for a position. Analyzing this case requires an understanding of the following concepts regarding cover letters: -Solicited versus unsolicited cover letters -Selecting content -Gaining attention in the opening -Organizing for persuasion -Driving for action in the close Read the case below and answer the questions.
Rico is a junior at McKinley College and is applying for an internship in sales with Southern Valley Insurance Company. He saw the job posting in the career services office on his campus and was fortunate to talk with company representative Charlotte Farmer at the recent Internship Mania event at McKinley. Charlotte told Rico to send his résumé and cover letter to the company and handed him the human resources director's business card. Rico has done some research on the company and has decided this is a place where he would really like to work. He knows he doesn't have a lot of sales experience, but he has worked as a server at a restaurant. He has excellent customer service skills and is known for his ability to work as a team member. He has also taken courses in sales including professional sales, sales management, and buyer behavior. He has written the following cover letter and would like your feedback. Mr. Chuck Roberts, Human Resources Director Southern Valley Insurance Company 425 Broadway Street St. Louis, MO 63101 Dear Mr. Roberts: I have seen Southern Valley's website, and I am impressed with your commitment to community involvement. Your work with the local youth club and Junior Achievement, as well as your generous support of environmental causes, is commendable. It is understandable that you receive many applications each year for sales interns. I am hoping I can be among the lucky ones, as this opportunity would be great for me to learn about the insurance business and get work experience. I, too, am very interested in community service. In this last year, I have volunteered for neighborhood cleanup and tutored elementary students in reading and in math. I am also an avid outdoors person who is committed to protecting our environment, just as you are. My personality and interests are consistent with your company philosophy, which would make me a great fit for a sales internship. I am also a marketing major with a sales emphasis. Though I have never actually sold anything, I do work as a server for a restaurant, where I promote daily specials. Last week, I won the award for having the most orders for the specials on the days that I worked. You can see from my résumé that I am well qualified for an internship. I am really interested in this position and would appreciate the opportunity to further discuss this matter during an interview. I know this could be a win-win situation for both of us, as I gain needed experience, and you benefit from an intern who is also committed to the community. Sincerely, Rico Reyes Enclosed: Résumé
Read the following business scenario and answer the questions that follow. You work as an event coordinator at the Marriott Minneapolis City Center in downtown Minneapolis. You recently received an email from Renata Haimes from Midwest Insurance requesting information about conference facilities. She would like to hold a conference at the Marriott Minneapolis City Center for approximately 250 safety trainers across the country who work for Midwest. Renata wants to know if she can hold the conference from October 13 to 17. She presented you with a bulleted list of questions she wants you to answer regarding your ability to provide the following: at least 20 rooms for conference sessions, wireless access, data projectors and Microsoft Office in each meeting room, a banquet facility, dining services for breakfast and lunch each day, and a block of guest rooms. She also asked for a list of hotel amenities and for shopping, dining, and entertainment opportunities in Minneapolis. Based on Renata's message, you have crafted the email response below. Now that you have drafted your email, you must go back and revise the document for organization, content, style, and correctness. You must analyze your message carefully to be sure you meet Renata's needs.
Subject: Your January 2 Inquiry Dear Renata: I have received your email in regard to the use of Marriott Minneapolis City Center for your October conference. We always welcome groups such as yours to our facility and are excited that you would like to visit us next October. The Marriott and the city of Minneapolis offer many attractions that are sure to take care of your guests and keep them entertained throughout their stay. October is an especially nice time in Minneapolis. From sports to shopping, there is a lot to see and do. Our conference facilities are perfect for what you need. We do have a block of rooms we can reserve for you in the amount of $164 per night. These rooms are equipped with wireless access, luxury bedding, and beautiful views of Minneapolis. They are also smoke-free. We have a workout facility and a pool and whirlpool. At the present time, we have 20 conference rooms equipped with data projectors and Microsoft Office. All hotel common areas and meeting rooms have wireless access. Breakfast and lunch menus and banquet accommodations can be determined when you book the facilities. The 8-mile enclosed skywalk system offers easy access to downtown shopping and dining, and the Nicolet Mall (a fantastic shopping and dining area) is nearby. Thank you for considering Marriott Minneapolis City Center. I look forward to hearing from you in the near future. (Your Name) Event Coordinator Marriott Minneapolis City Center 30 South 7th Street • Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402 612-349-4000 ext. 4000
Read the overview below and complete the activities that follow.
The two characters in the video work for Smith/Blackwell, a financial services company. Jason Powell has been director of new accounts for the company for the past four years. In the last two years, investments have fallen by over 50 percent company-wide. When Jason joined Smith/Blackwell, he hired Gina Travers as an assets manager reporting to him. She is expected to generate approximately $6 million in investments per year. In the current year, though, she has brought in only $3.5 million, and the year is almost over. The video concerns an idea Gina has for giving the company a much-needed financial boost. Use the concepts and advice in Chapter 6 to analyze the two communicators' comments from an ethical standpoint. Skim the questions below to see what parts of the video you'll be asked about. Then click the ► button to watch the video. When answering the questions, you may want to go back and review parts of the video.
04. To improve the tone and style of her message, Mara could do all of the following in her second paragraph except a) remove the information about the other possible cuts that were considered. b) begin with the reasons and explanation for the decision and then embed the bad news in a subordinate (dependent) clause or in the middle of the paragraph. c) eliminate the negative language. d) end the paragraph with the alternatives to traveling for professional development or with the news that employees can attend professional development activities if they pay for them and take vacation time. e) avoid referring to the decision as an "inconvenience" and instead present the decision as a logical outcome of all of the factors that were considered.
a) remove the information about the other possible cuts that were considered.
08. Aristotelian ethics propose that a) the purpose of life is to achieve happiness by acting in the right, virtuous way. b) virtuous acts are only worthwhile if another person witnesses them. c) a person should base ethical decisions on how many people will be affected positively. d) if one person acts virtuously, the people in that person's society will also begin to act virtuously. e) virtue is in the eye of the beholder.
a) the purpose of life is to achieve happiness by acting in the right, virtuous way.
08. Prefatory pages are typically included in a report when a) the situation is formal and the report is long. b) most of the information in the report needs to be covered in the beginning. c) the report is used for reporting routine information, and the situation is informal. d) the report is being sent to an internal audience. e) the writer needs to convey the main message directly.
a) the situation is formal and the report is long.
02. Mara asks you if you can identify her main point. What is her main point? a) to announce that the Professional Development Program will be discontinued b) to ask employees to decide which action to take to address the company's budget problems (discontinuing the Professional Development Program, laying off employees, increasing health insurance premiums, or discontinuing the sales incentives) c) to show all employees that managers are willing to sacrifice a costly benefit for the good of the company d) to let managers know that the company will pay for costs associated with the Professional Development Program but not for time off to attend professional development activities e) to apologize for discontinuing the Professional Development Program
a) to announce that the Professional Development Program will be discontinued
03. Raj is writing a forecast report for one of his clients, and he wants to use more than one font to add some interest. Which of the following options should he use? a) a serif font for the main body, a sans serif font for the headings, a second sans serif font for the subheadings b) a serif font for the body of the text and a sans serif font for the headings c) one serif font for the text and a second serif font for the headings d) a serif font for the body text, a second serif font for the title page, and a sans serif font for the headings e) one sans serif font for the text and a second sans serif font for the headings
b) a serif font for the body of the text and a sans serif font for the headings
02. Raina is making a routine inquiry and has only one question to ask. She should a) embed the question in the body of the message. b) ask the question immediately and then move to a goodwill ending. c) employ a writer-centered approach. d) present the question at the end of the message. e) use the we-viewpoint instead of the you-viewpoint.
b) ask the question immediately and then move to a goodwill ending.
03. You learn that Germans tend to be monochronic. This means that a) in Germany, even people who have worked together for years may not be on a first-name basis. b) it will probably be frowned upon if you arrive late for your meeting. c) they focus on the present rather than the past d) they feel a great deal of loyalty toward their employers. e) they are likely to want to spend time getting to know you before getting down to business.
b) it will probably be frowned upon if you arrive late for your meeting.
05. The use of a buffer in a negative message indicates a) that the writer will give a direct delivery of the bad news without any explanation. b) the writer's consideration for the feelings of the reader. c) that the writer is not trying to cushion the bad news. d) the writer's frank and blunt manner of expressing news. e) the writer's unwillingness to offer an alternative solution.
b) the writer's consideration for the feelings of the reader.
01. What is your main purpose for writing this message? a) to formally communicate a policy change to all credit union members and encourage them to sign up for debit cards if they do not have one b) to formally communicate a policy change to debit card users and encourage them to use their debit cards c) to remind debit card holders to use their debit cards by October 15 to avoid a penalty d) to promote the benefits of using a debit card and answer credit union members' questions e) to let all credit union members know that they should visit Facebook or Twitter to learn about your new debit card policy
b) to formally communicate a policy change to debit card users and encourage them to use their debit cards
04. Which of the following information should Rico use to draw Mr. Roberts' attention to in the body of the letter? a) Rico's interest in community service b) the fact that Rico has no sales experience and that is why he needs the internship c) Rico's qualifications for the work of an intern—his sales classes, his work experience, and his interest in environmental causes d) the ways in which Rico will benefit if Southern Valley hires him e) every item that is in Rico's résumé
c) Rico's qualifications for the work of an intern—his sales classes, his work experience, and his interest in environmental causes
01. Which of the following is true about progress reports? a) Very few progress reports are informal, narrative reports, but most are quite routine and structured. b) The overall message of a progress report should indicate progress regardless of reality. c) When writing progress reports, you should emphasize the positive if possible. d) Progress reports generally do not include projections of future progress. e) Progress reports typically do not discuss problems encountered or anticipated.
c) When writing progress reports, you should emphasize the positive if possible.
04. Shawnell writes a cover letter in response to a job posting and ends it with the sentence "Thank you for your time." This sentence is an example of a) an I-statement. b) a salutation. c) a rubber stamp. d) a formality. e) jargon.
c) a rubber stamp.
05. Which of the following ought to be included in every memo? a) an address b) a signature block c) a subject d) a salutation e) a complimentary closing
c) a subject
01. When determining your message's basic plan, a good beginning is to a) use the direct approach to organize information. b) use an opening that summarizes the contents of your message. c) assess your readers' probable reaction to what you have to say. d) elaborate any Introductory remarks to ensure your readers understand the message's purpose. e) structure your message using the indirect approach.
c) assess your readers' probable reaction to what you have to say.
04. When creating a chart that uses color, which of the following options should you use to help color blind readers understand it? a) only blue and green b) only primary or tertiary colors c) different degrees of shading d) bright primary colors e) only secondary colors
c) different degrees of shading
05. The most frequently used chart in comparing the subdivisions of wholes is the a) combination chart. b) flowchart. c) pie chart. d) line chart. e) pictograph.
c) pie chart.
02. Which of the following about using positive words is true? a) In business situations, positive words have a tendency to make you seem weak. b) Using positive words means making I-statements. c) Positive words should be reserved for conversations with people you know well. d) Positive words are always a more appropriate choice than negative words. e) Positive words can put the reader in a receptive frame of mind, even if the news is negative.
e) Positive words can put the reader in a receptive frame of mind, even if the news is negative.
10. Which of the following statements about professionalism is true? a) Professionalism is essentially the same thing as business etiquette b) Professionalism applies to spoken conversations, but not written communication c) Much like communication, professionalism is a simple concept d) It is only important to display professionalism while resume building e) Professionalism goes beyond just being courteous, having good manners, and dressing appropriately
e) Professionalism goes beyond just being courteous, having good manners, and dressing appropriately
08. Which product would most likely be sold to consumers using a rational appeal? a) toys b) imported wine c) fiction books d) speaker systems e) dishwashers
e) dishwashers
CH 12 CASE
!! REQUIRED INFORMATION !!
01. Which of the following is not good advice about preparing for your trip? a) Plan to ignore any cultural differences and just focus on what the companies have in common. b) Study the country's geography, history, and religion. c) Plan to use a firm, brief handshake. d) Visit http://geert-hofstede.com to see how Germany and the United States compare. e) Learn about German culture and, as necessary, adapt your communication to the specific traits of the meeting participants.
a) Plan to ignore any cultural differences and just focus on what the companies have in common.
06. Which of the following guidelines should be followed when writing a routine inquiry? a) Use the opening of the message to focus on the main objective. b) Avoid writing the message using the you-viewpoint. c) Use an indirect approach to organize the content of the message. d) If the message contains many questions, group them into a compound question. e) Avoid asking more than two questions in a single message.
a) Use the opening of the message to focus on the main objective.
04. Which of the following would make the most appropriate final sentence of the report? a) "It is therefore advisable for LHC Design to develop social-media guidelines and require that employees follow them." b) "In light of the blog's assets, I would recommend that the blog's authors be encouraged to continue but that we develop a social-media policy to guide such practices." c) "As you can see, the pros outweigh the cons in this case, so I'd say let the authors continue their blog." d) "I hope this information is helpful." e) "Please let me know if you'd like me to help you present this information to the executive team."
b) "In light of the blog's assets, I would recommend that the blog's authors be encouraged to continue but that we develop a social-media policy to guide such practices."
07. Which of the following is true about personal communication? a) External-operational communication does not include elements of personal communication b) Personal communication helps make and sustain the relationships upon which business depends c) Personal communication mainly includes information that flows out of the organization to vendors, partners, and competitors d) Personal communication constitutes an official part of a business's operations e) Personal communication follows a set pattern of communication dictated by the rules of a formal network
b) Personal communication helps make and sustain the relationships upon which business depends
08. How important is the factor of cost in choosing whether to send a letter or post the message electronically? a) Important. The credit union wants the most cost-effective option for sending the message. b) Somewhat important. The credit union would prefer a cost-effective option unless one isn't available. Getting the message out is the driving factor in choosing the channel for delivering the message. c) Somewhat important. The credit union wants to protect its bottom line, but if an option is costly, the credit union can always pass the cost along to the members. d) Important. The credit union cannot afford the cost of postage. e) Not important. The cheapest option is probably an online message, and it is not the credit union's fault if people don't use the Internet.
b) Somewhat important. The credit union would prefer a cost-effective option unless one isn't available. Getting the message out is the driving factor in choosing the channel for delivering the message.
09. What are the three most useful ways to manage emphasis for positive effect? a) word choice, punctuation, and white space b) space, message length, and heading information c) word choice, paragraph length, and sentence structure d) title structure, position, and message length e) position, sentence structure, and space
e) position, sentence structure, and space
08. Which of the following statements is true about ill-defined problems? a) Ill-defined problems can be solved using pre-approved procedures b) Ill-defined problems have unique and perfect solutions to each problem c) Ill-defined problems come in neat packages, with the path to the best solution clearly implied d) Ill-defined problems cannot be solved using recursive communication processes e) Ill-defined problems need to be tackled with research, analysis, creativity, and judgement
e) Ill-defined problems need to be tackled with research, analysis, creativity, and judgement
09. Which of the following is a method of making answers stand out in a response to more than two questions? a) Displaying each answer in a different font. b) Using fragmented phrases to grab the reader's attention. c) Using the we-viewpoint to emphasize the answers. d) Italicizing all the answers and using different font colors. e) Placing the answers in different paragraphs or numbering them.
e) Placing the answers in different paragraphs or numbering them.
