Corporate Communications

Racist language can be found in blunt statements and in subtle references. Which of the following could begin a racist statement?

"Those people..."

Which of the following negative news statements is written in the most effective and meaningful way?

"We have taken several steps to resolve the product malfunction and will be offering all customers the new version of the product free of charge"

Having the ability to consider your audience is a key component of effective communication. As an orthopedic surgeon, you have been asked to present at a high school career fair. Which of the following statements would be the least effective and relevant for this audience?

A lumbar laminotomy involves removing a small piece of bone from the vertebrae to relieve pressure on nerves and eliminate sciatica

The three subheadings in the concluding section of Sugako's speech outline are as follows: 1. Review steps for finding and financing rental properties 2. Emphasize income potential of rental properties 3. Suggest that self-management of rentals can be a rewarding retirement activity. What is Sugako presenting in subheading 3?

A residual message

A press conference is a presentation of information to the media. There has been a recent privacy breach at a bank. Which of the following statements would be best for a press conference?

ABC Bank takes this breach very seriously and is committed to taking quick action to protect the privacy of our customers.

You have just relocated to one of your company's international offices. You are excited about the opportunity, and you are making the transition to living abroad. Which of the following aspects of your international assignment does this describe?

Acculturation

Your supervisor is explaining a complex new process to you. Which of the following actions would most clearly illustrate that you have attentively listened to the message she has communicated?

Acknowledge what she has said

Which type of visual communication shows the audience an item that is crucial to see for it to be understood in a discussion, such as evidence in a criminal trial?

Actual Object

Which of the following elements of the GASCAP/T method of organizing strategies is represented in these sentences? "Caffeine is a stimulant. So is tobacco. They each can have a negative impact on our systems and should be avoided in pregnant women."

Analogy

In Dewey's reflective thinking sequence, which of the following identifies the proper order for problem solving?

Analyze the problem. Establish criteria. Consider possible solutions.

When you take into account your audience's interests and expectations before choosing a speech topic, which strategy are you considering?

Appropriateness

In cultures with direct communication style (such as the United States), truthfulness and efficiency in communicating negative information is highly valued and personal or political sensitivities are often set aside, especially in a business setting. In indirect cultures (such as Japan), directly communicating negative information is seen as impolite and crude, even in a business setting. Which of the following would be the most effective way to deliver negative news to your employee about his/her breach of acceptable work policies if your company is in the U.S.?

Ask the employee to meet with you privately in your office

During a meeting, your client makes a comment about how she wants to "make sense of things". Which of the following predicates of rapport does this represent?

Auditory Digital

Which of the following characteristics about the concept of self are subject to change over time?

Beliefs

Dale is the manager of a business unit. Mary is a new employee who recently completed orientation and is ready to begin contributing. Dale asked Mary to be a member of the newest project team. Using William Schultz's theory of interpersonal needs, which aspect is Dale appealing to in this interpersonal communication with Mary?

Belonging

One of the members of your group continually interrupts when other members are speaking. He continually attempts to insert his point of view and tries to steer the project into a different direction. Which of the following team roles does this describe?

Blocker

Which of the following statements describes the ways in which written and oral communication are similar?

Both forms have verbal and nonverbal categories

In the transactional process of communication, the distinction between source and receiver can be blurred during conversation. Why is this so?

Both participants play roles at the same time

Which of the following parts of a negative news message involves neutral or positive information?

Buffer

You receive an email from your supervisor asking you to ship all available packages that have more than 30 umbrellas to a specific retailer. You identify five boxes that contain 35 umbrellas and promptly ship them. Three days later, your supervisor calls you to complain that an insufficient number of boxes have been shipped, and that there are actually 15 boxes that contain 30 umbrellas or more. There appears to be a misunderstanding of the intended meaning, which can be due to differences in context of culture. Which of the following explains this misunderstanding?

Bypassing

The truly excellent writer does which of the following?

Can explain ideas in a way that any audience can understand

Developing both intrapersonal communication and interpersonal communication is of great importance. Which of the following statements is most accurate?

Communication that takes place within a person is intrapersonal; communication that occurs between two or more persons is called interpersonal

Which of the following statements about connotative meaning is correct?

Connotative terms can be found in the community of users

You will be attending a seminar given by a well-known motivational speaker. You have heard that these sessions are lively and interactive, and you expect that the other attendees will be anticipating this as well. Which of the following components of communication does this describe?

Context

An office manager sends a memo to the organization noting that for three consecutive days during the past two months, employees have shown up for work at least 30 minutes late. She anticipates that these poor punctuality practices will continue in the future. Which of the Gestalt organizing principles does this illustrate?

Continuity

After a group of new hires tour a facility, they are taken to an auditorium, where they receive instructions on how to fill out their employment paperwork. What category of presentations did they experience?

Demonstration

Experiencing sadness and anxiety when confronted by trends in your host culture is an example of which stage of the acculturation process?

Depression-frustration

One of a company's primary products has malfunctioned in several situations and caused several injuries. The CEO of the company issued a public statement about the events and how the company will address the situation. A press conference will be held at the end of the day. Which of the following elements of a crisis communication plan do these actions represent?

Designating a spokesperson

You are about to inform one of your departments that their request to relocate to another part of the building has been denied. This group always tries to be clear and concise in its communications. What format should be used to inform the group that they will not be moving to a new location?

Direct

During a crisis, you are approached by a member of the local media requesting an interview. How should you respond?

Direct the media to the designated spokesperson

For two days, Brazilian hosts entertained a Swiss business delegation with trips to Brazilian cultural events and tourist locations. On the third day, they presented a concise, effective business proposal to the Swiss. However, by then, the Swiss had decided against investing, because they felt the Brazilians had spent too much time entertaining and not enough time on business. The Swiss wanted more time spent on actual business as a gesture of perceived importance. Which of the following characterizes the divergence in the Swiss and Brazilian cultural orientations in this example?

Direct vs. indirect

Which of the following are challenges associated with communicating ethically?

Egalitarianism

You give a presentation to a group of diverse workers at a manufacturing plant. Some of these people are from top management, others are line workers, and others have mid-level positions. Which of the following characteristics will you exhibit when you share your material in a way that is relevant to your entire audience?

Egalitarianism

Bill has always felt that workers from his country are more motivated and productive than workers from other nations. As a result, he only hires people who are native to his country and who have the same background as his own. Which of the following characteristics does this illustrate?

Ethnocentrism

You recently presented to peers at one of your company's international locations. During the meeting, audience members asked questions, even though you had asked that all questions be held until the end. Some audience members also addressed each other during the presentation about the points you were making, though you had asked that no private conversations take place during the meeting. You were displeased with this behavior, since you felt that the behavior you expected was correct and their behavior was wrong. Which of the following describes your attitude toward their actions?

Ethnocentrism

An office worker is sarcastic with many of her colleagues, and addresses the office mail person as the "information distribution manager". Her colleagues think this is funny, but the mail person does not appreciate these word substitutions. What kind of language does this characterization represent?

Euphemism

You are presenting your company's innovative new process for manufacturing dishwashers. The process is quite complex, so you want to ensure that the information is clear. Which is the best way to present this information?

Exposition

You are preparing content for your company's website, and you want to ensure that you only use material you are legally entitled to. Which of the following pieces of legislation should you become familiar with?

Fair Use Act

In which stage of the employment interview should a candidate be prepared to answer questions about how his or her qualifications and experience meet the expectations of the position he or she is interviewing for, and to clarify or discuss further how he or she would be a great fit for the position?

Feedback

As a manager, your team consists of 15 women, 10 of whom are new mothers and 5 that have school-aged children. Which of the following scenarios may be most important to your team?

Flexible work hours

As payroll manager, you have a quarterly report that you send to the state to record unemployment tax. Which of the following statements would most likely be used in this scenario?

Form 941 for 2nd quarter 2021 for XYZ Corporation is attached. Please email me at [email protected] with questions.

Which writing style(s) did Ayana use when she wrote this email message to her supervisor? How can you be sure? Hello Ms. Johnson - Thank you for providing feedback regarding the project proposal. As a result of your feedback, I will revise the summary and add discussed details to the project outcome. I will send you the updated proposal for review on Monday.

Formal. Ayana used professional language that is concise.

Which of the following forms of framing determines what news or information reaches a mass audience?

Gatekeeping

Which of the following describes the differences between hearing and listening?

Hearing is effortless, while listening is an active process

Which of the following is an example of a closed-ended question?

How often do you visit our store?

How we see ourselves and how we feel about ourselves influences how we communicate with others. Which of the following statements may indicate that the person is feeling defensive?

I hope you know that it wasn't my fault.

Source is one of the eight essential components of communication. Which of the following is the best description of source?

Imagines, creates, and sends messages

As the CEO of a growing online travel service, you want to ensure that your company promotes trips that are popular with travelers of all ages. Which of the following statements uses authority to make your argument?

In recent data released by the National Park Service, attendance in 2020 nearly doubled over attendance in 2019 and represented multiple age groups.

Which of the following statements about communication is true?

Inability to communicate impacts your sense of self (self-concept).

Which of the following elements of communication is represented by these examples of oral and written applications? Oral Application: "Sue misses a call from Jack because she didn't take into account the time difference in their locations" Written Application: "Jack waits for a call from Sue, but she doesn't call"

Interference

Bill's job as an account manager is to work with clients in his local area. Recent organizational changes require all employees to have contact with the company's global offices and clients in foreign regions. At a training session, employees were given examples of how to interact with employees and clients from these nations. Most employees understood the nature of these exercises and were open to learning how to work with people from different backgrounds and cultures. Bill, however, was very open in his comments about his opinions of people from these nations, and he claimed they were not as knowledgeable and skilled as the clients he works with in his home country. As Bill's manager, which of the following statement(s) would be appropriate to address his ethnocentrism behaviors?

International business requires tolerance, understanding, patience, and openness to difference

Your work takes you to several Spanish-speaking countries. This is the only factor you consider when characterizing these individuals. As a result, you believe that communication between these people is which of the following?

Intracultural

You are new to a job, and your supervisor calls a meeting for 9AM. You show up at her office at 9:30 and find that everyone else is already involved in the meeting. Afterwards, you are chastised for being late, however, you don't understand why this is a problem or issue. Which of the following communication contexts addresses this variation in time perception?

Intrapersonal communication

You receive a memo that outlines an upcoming team meeting. While preparing for the meeting, you begin to think about your role, what contributions you offer to the group, and the materials you need to illustrate your points. What form of communication does this describe?

Intrapersonal communication

Which of the following is the primary problem with how this statement is written? "In the three months since the project was launched, the five people working on the team achieved four of the seven objectives we determined were necessary for completing the project; we are on schedule to complete the entire project within the next five to six weeks."

It is vague and imprecise

Which of the following is a disadvantage of a functional resume?

It may be associated with gaps in employment history

Under which of the following leadership styles will the leader be required to balance the need for control and the need for space?

Laissez-faire

Verbal communication is governed by five key principles. Which of the following principles is represented by the sentence "a car is a mode of transportation"?

Language is abstract.

Under which type of leader is there an emphasis on the group, orientation, and education?

Leader-as-coach

The CEO of your major competitor is running an ad campaign in the newspapers and online stating that your products have caused harm and injury to numerous consumers and that people should buy their products instead. As a result, your sales have declined and your company's reputation has suffered. These claims are not true. Which of the following civil wrongs has been committed?

Libel

In her new job as an executive assistant, Diane has discovered that she needs to be a very active listener to assist her boss efficiently. Which of the following statements of advice would you give her?

Maintain eye contact with the speaker.

You are presenting your organization's plans for the coming year to shareholders. This information is designed in a way that will help them determine which way they should vote on these plans. Which of the following tactics is essential in ensuring that the audience will listen to what you have to say?

Make the information relevant

XYZ Co. is led by a CEO that has a history of not valuing the input of employees. At the monthly manager meeting, which scenario would best align with the concept of self-fulfilling prophecy?

Managers listen but do not engage

Forming groups fulfills many human needs such as the need for affiliation, affection, and control. Finding a natural balance within a group can be a challenge. Which of the following may be an indicator that a group is sized inappropriately?

Many group members feel intimidated to share their thoughts

Kate and Leo are sitting in the company cafeteria, watching the streaming video of a business program on Kate's laptop. Their boss Joshua, in his office, has the same streaming video on his desktop computer, while Martin, who is using the photocopier in the room next door, is listening to it on his iPod. The four colleagues are all listening to the same program, because a fifth colleague is being interviewed by the program's host. At this moment in time, the streaming video represents which of the following communication contexts?

Mass communication

You are preparing a message that will introduce your company's new product. It is difficult to tailor the message to your audience, given the outlet you are using. Which of the following communication contexts is being used?

Mass communication

In the constructivist model of communication, source and receiver exchange a critical element of communication that is used to enable understanding. What is that element?

Meaning

As Director of Human Resources, you are responsible for communicating new policies to employees. During an earlier meeting, you informed employees that the number of sick days had been reduced and that they would not have as many paid holidays. Employees did not respond well. The company added paid vacation days to offset the new policy. At the most recent meeting, employees were not as hostile. Which of the following explains the improved reception at the second meeting?

Measurable gain

Clare and Holly are friends planning a vacation. They are trying to decide between San Antonio, Texas and San Diego, California. Holly points out that "both have great attractions: one has the riverwalk, while the other has the ocean." This statement is best characterized as an example of which of the eight communication process components?

Message

You are the lead engineer at a bicycle manufacturing firm. You have been spearheading a project that uses technology to increase bicycle racers' performance. You have discussed this project with other engineers, and you have been asked to write a report for the company's manufacturing department. You would like to simply write down your conversations with the engineers, rather than compose something new. Is this a good idea?

No, because written communication will not elicit the same feedback from the manufacturing department as oral communication.

Your group has just completed the stop of establishing the rules by which members will operate. Which of the stages in the group development process does this represent?

Norming

Mary, Pat, and Dale are members of a work group. Each member represents a unit in a different geographic location. During their first meeting, they decide that all future meetings for the group will be conducted using Skype, and all documents will be prepared using the same template. This group has defined which of the following?

Norms

Which of the following meeting agenda elements are sent out in advance?

Notes from the last meeting

"Please indicate the year of your birth."

Numerical

If you were asked to write a section of a company report, which excerpt below would you use? a. We want our patients to be happy. b. Our people try real hard to keep our patients satisfied. c. We know that our investors want our patients to be happy.

Patient satisfaction is a core value of XYZ Co. and is reflected in our policies and expectations.

You developed a purpose statement for an upcoming meeting; the document will help create the agenda. You approached several people who will attend the meeting to help facilitate the agenda. What may be a result of this pre-meeting contact?

People at the pre-meeting may be more encouraged to participate at the actual meeting

For which of the following individuals does nonverbal communication play a larger role in how the recipient perceives what that person is saying?

Politician

Which of the following words might indicate that we are trying to intentionally manipulate the meaning of our message?

Preowned

Which of the following can help to reduce or eliminate the storming stage at a meeting?

Prepare a clearly defined agenda

George will be part of the group that is creating a new tool for his company. The profile and mechanics for this tool are new and very different from previous models, but George feels that his past design experience will be applicable to this project. Which of the following describes George's expectations?

Preunderstanding

Mary enjoys spending time with her siblings, her classmates, and her neighbors. What group is Mary affiliating with?

Primary group

You are preparing a speech discussing a situation in one of your international offices. Which of the following organizing principles are you using when you say the following? "While the situation is ongoing, we have hired new employees to ensure that all client needs are being met."

Problem and solution

Safety is a growing concern in the warehouse. As Chief Operations Officer, you must address this immediately. To avoid reasoning error when speaking to the shift managers, which of the following verbal communication strategies would prove most effective?

Provide recent data verifying the increase in safety incidents in the warehouse then ask for their input

Which of the following is part of the Gestalt principles of organization?

Proximity

ohn is presenting a new software system to all of the company's employees. He is the expert on how the system works, the features and benefits of the program, and how it is an improvement over the old system. He knows that people don't generally like change, and he expects that there will be many questions and comments from the audience. Which of the following behaviors should he exhibit to ensure that he and the audience can develop a relationship during the session that is interdependent?

Reciprocity

A meeting about whether or not employees should be able to work from home for a few days a week has evolved into a discussion about employee benefits, vacation days, and other issues. As the leader of this meeting, you want to ensure that the main purpose of the meeting is resolved. Which of the following activities will enable you to ensure that the work-from-home issue is addressed?

Redirect the discussion by highlighting the agenda

You sent an email to your team with information about an upcoming project. In this email, you included the deadline for the project and the team members who will participate. However, you did not include a list of the tasks assigned to each member, or the hierarchy of who reports to whom. As a result, there is confusion and uncertainty about the project's next steps. Which of the following activities should you have done with this email before you distributed it to the team?

Reflecting

You are in working on a report on the company's sales figures for the past year. You are taking the time to ensure that all the data is accurate, and that your analysis of these figures is correct. Your supervisor keeps asking for the report and accuses you of procrastination. In reality, what task are you performing?

Reflection

Jackson likes to weave a thematic phrase into all of his presentations and always plans a dramatic pause after each one. He uses these carefully crafted, highly recognizable phrases many times during his presentations. What is Jackson's technique called?

Repetition

Which of the following is an effective strategy for writing more effective emails?

Reread, revise, and review.

Carlo is listening to a peer share their perspective. Which action can Carlo do to show that he is listening actively?

Restate the message in his own words

Maslow and Schultz both developed theories about interpersonal needs. Which of the following describes the primary difference between these theories?

Schultz believes that our needs operate on a continuum

You had a meeting with your new client's team recently, and you included a wide range of visual aids, such as PowerPoints, videos, and demonstrations. Audience members also had the opportunity to try the new product during the presentation. After the meeting, several members of the team approached you to say how much they enjoyed your presentation and the chance to try out the product. It appeared that they best remembered the hands-on part of the presentation. Which element of selective perception does their behavior illustrate?

Selective retention

After a recent presentation, you asked for feedback and comments about your material and how you were received by your audience. You want to know whether the audience found you engaging, and whether or not they liked you. Which of the following elements does this represent?

Self esteem

You have been at your new job for 6 months. You've met everyone on your team, and interacted with most of the other departments. You have been a reliable worker, and other employees have started to seek your advice and input with their own projects. Which level of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs does this illustrate?

Self-actualization

In your role as a sales manager, you provide your staff with information on a variety of subjects, and you tend to write extensive emails and reports that are shared with other employees. You prefer writing these reports over in-person conversations about these subjects. Which of the following are you communicating through these actions?

Self-concept

Which of the following terms describes how we see and feel about ourselves and, and influences how we communicate with others?

Self-concept

You have assigned your new hire with a simple project to evaluate their expertise and work ethic. Your expectation is that they will do a poor job, since you had a bad first impression and they were not your first choice for the position. You likely conveyed your feelings through your tone and body language, and they did a poor job, as you expected. Which of the following concepts do these events illustrate?

Self-fulfilling prophecy

Your supervisor has given you a new assignment that will have high visibility in the company. She tells you that she anticipates that you will do a good job on this project, and her body language is relaxed and confident. Which of the following expectations about your performance does her behavior illustrate?

Self-fulfilling prophecy

As the department manager, one of your responsibilities is to hire new employees and fire those whose performance is not up to standards. One of your employees is a very nice person, but has consistently received poor job reviews, and you need to fire them. Which of the following actions should be the first step in handling this difficult conversation?

Set aside a special time

You include information about unemployment rates through the years in your presentation about American history. You note the high unemployment rate in November 1982 (10.8%), and you compare it with 2.5% in May 1953. Which of the following elements of the GASCAP/T method of organizing strategies are you using to communicate these figures?

Sign

As a new employee at your company, you are uncertain about how you will fit in, fearful about the unfamiliarity of a new job, and worried about how you will get acquainted with your co-workers. Which of the following theories describes your behavior?

Social Penetration Theory

One man argues that taxes should be raised on everyone. His friend argues that taxes should be lowered for everyone. Which Gestalt principle is exemplified by these arguments?

Symmetry

You will likely have a strong emotional response during your presentation about a recent environmental crisis caused by your company. To ensure that your emotional response is appropriate and effective, which of the following should you consider?

Tact, timing, and trust

If your skills, experience, education, and accomplishments are the perfect fit for a specific job opening, what type of resume should you submit with your application?

Targeted

Which type of resume specifically highlights only the experience and skills a job seeker has that are relevant to the job duties?

Targeted

Your text discusses the findings of a survey measuring the qualities and skills employers seek. According to this survey, conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, communication skills are extremely important. Which of the following communication skills appeared in the top five most desired skills potential employers seek?

Teamwork skills (works well with others, group communication)

You are writing a letter to a customer in response to their complaint. Your comments include the resolution you are proposing to the customer and how their complaint is being addressed by your company. In which part of the letter will these comments appear?

The body

Planning a speech begins with knowing your general and specific purposes, your audience, your time allotment, and which of the following?

The information the audience has

Which management theory is characterized by skepticism about workers' willingness to work?

Theory X

Which management theory views workers as highly motivated and responsible for their actions?

Theory Y

Your company promotes worker participation, emphasizes job rotation, skills development, and loyalty to the company. This represents a combination of both American and Japanese styles of management, and is known as which of the following theories?

Theory Z

Which of the following best describes co-languages?

They exist and interact with a dominant language but are distinct from it.

How can introductions be used to ensure that a meeting is productive?

They should be conducted even if only one person is new

Words stand for ideas and things, but they are not the same as those ideas and things. Which of the following is part of the semantic triangle?

Thought

Matt is conducting research for a speech he has been asked to present, and has come across several studies with evidence he would like to include in his presentation. Matt needs to know who conducted the studies, how they were conducted, and who funded the studies. Why does he need to know this information?

To avoid including biased information in his presentation.

If you present information to an audience but do not ask them to do anything with it, what is the most accurate way to describe the purpose of your speech?

To share information

You converse with a colleague, and find that you are both receivers and sources of information at the same time. In which of the following communication models are you participating?

Transactional

Which theory of self-disclosure explains that we choose to know more about others with whom we have interactions in order to reduce or resolve the anxiety associated with the unknown?

Uncertainty theory

Which of the following is an effective way focusing on your message and avoiding fallacies?

Use the 5-step motivational approach

Steve is a customer service representative who receives hundreds of emails each day. He has been reprimanded by his boss for failing to respond to these emails, which are indicated to Steve by an audible tone on his computer. Which of the following statements about hearing and listening appears to apply to Steve's lack of responsiveness?

We can block out things that we hear

Which of the following negative news statements offers an assurance?

We have identified the source of the breakdown and put new security measures in place

Which of the following is an example of a categorical closed-ended question?

What is your gender? -- Male / Female

What element should you address first in an effective elevator speech?

Who you are

Which of the following are elements in the semantic triangle of language and perception?

Word, thought, thing

Your job requires you to interact with clients from multiple industries. Which of the following would be an indicator that there is a need for research to be conducted to ensure you are able to carry out your responsibilities and better meet customer needs?

You have experience in some industries, but little to no experience in others

You wrote a lengthy document to your employees that outlined a change in vacation days, sick time, and personal days off. It took you a great deal of time to compile the information in this document, and you would like to distribute it immediately. What should you do to ensure that your document is ready to be distributed?

You should proofread for proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation, and ensure that it is easy to read.

What part of an elevator speech does the following statement address? "Please feel free to pass along my business card to any of your associates you feel might be in need of my services."

Your call to action

Which of the following statements is the most direct example of delivering negative news?

Your request for an extra vacation day has been denied.

By understanding that our ____ are not the only ones possible, we can limit ethnocentrism and improve ____ communication.

perceptions; intercultural

After ____ and organization, ____ is the third step in the perception process.

selection; interpretation