BCOM Exam 2

Thomas is preparing a report on the cost of living in the seven most populous cities in the world. He decides to include a graphic that will help his readers compare the cost of living in all the seven cities. In this case, which of the following graphics will best represent the data? a. A bar chart b. An organizational chart c. The Gantt chart d. A flowchart

A A bar chart

Which of the following is a guideline that assists in effective email usage? a. Do not contribute to email overload. b. Send messages that are formatted. c. Check mails once every week. d. Do not use separate accounts for receiving messages.

A Do not contribute to email overload.

Which of the following can make the closing paragraph of a bad-news message pleasant? a. Including a forward-looking idea b. Restating the refusal c. Inserting trite statements d. Including a decision that merits an apology

A Including a forward-looking idea

Which of the following is true of the reasons section of a bad-news message? a. It should emphasize how the audience will benefit from the decision. b. It should include "company policy" as one of the reasons. c. It should be written using the deductive approach if it is a significant matter. d. It should always be presented as a "silver lining" idea.

A It should emphasize how the audience will benefit from the decision.

Which of the following is true of negative organizational news? a. Managers who can communicate negative information in a sensitive, honest, and timely way can calm fears. b. Employees seldom want to know about situations adversely affecting their organization. c. Employees who are aware of their organization's potential problems feel disconnected from the organization. d. Effective managers recognize that employee morale and public goodwill are easy to repair even after they are damaged.

A Managers who can communicate negative information in a sensitive, honest, and timely way can calm fears.

Which of the following exemplifies a good practice when writing a letter extending credit? a. Megha including sales promotional material in her letter b. Tim concealing the basis for the decision to extend credit c. Amar emphasizing the acknowledgment of the order more than the credit aspect d. Davis writing a letter using an inductive sequence

A Megha including sales promotional material in her letter

Which of the following techniques can help in subordinating the price of a product in a sales message? a. Stating the price in terms of small units b. Introducing the price early in the message c. Mentioning the price in a simple sentence d. Introducing the price before creating a desire for the product

A Stating the price in terms of small units

Which of the following is true of persuasive claims? a. They assume that a request will be granted only after explanations have been presented. b. They are accorded willingly, and therefore a forceful, accusatory tone is inappropriate. c. They pertain to guarantees, warranties, and other contractual conditions. d. They posit that a petition will be approved quickly and willingly, without convincing.

A They assume that a request will be granted only after explanations have been presented.

An effective sales message: a. asks confidently for action. b. includes well-known anecdotes and jargon. c. uses general language. d. is written using a deductive outline.

A asks confidently for action.

Who among the following adheres to the guidelines for preparing effective email messages? a. Ellis, who restates the subject in the body of the message b. Jake, who avoids using a descriptive subject line c. Alan, who focuses on multiple topics and addresses all of them in the email d. Mary, who avoids integrating graphs and pictures into the email

A. Ellis, who restates the subject in the body of the message

Which of the following is an idea that you can incorporate into an effective beginning paragraph of a bad-news message? a. Introduce the refusal of a current request by referring to the initial transaction. b. When there is positive and negative information to be conveyed, state the negative news first. c. Begin the refusal with a statement that leads the audience to expect good news. d. Always present the main idea in the first statement of the message.

A. Introduce the refusal of a current request by referring to the initial transaction.

Which of the following can make persuasion effective? a. Knowing your audience b. Avoiding comparisons with other alternatives c. Using the deductive approach d. Writing generalized messages

A. Knowing your audience

Which of the following is a guideline you should follow to ensure the effective use of graphics? a. Use graphics to contribute to the overall understanding of the idea under discussion. b. Make sure the graphics used exceed the text significantly. c. Save graphics for data that can be easily communicated in words. d. Incorporate a wide selection of typefaces and colors while using graphics.

A. Use graphics to contribute to the overall understanding of the idea under discussion.

Angela wants to teach her employees how to handle customer service complaints efficiently. She creates a procedure manual that includes a step-by-step diagram with written instructions. In this case, the graphic used in the procedure manual is a _____. a. flowchart b. pie chart c. pictogram d. bar chart

A. flowchart

Which of the following is a suggestion that you should follow for constructing effective bar charts? a. Avoid frills such as 3D formatting. b. Avoid positioning the bars chronologically. c. Use gridlines to avoid visual distortion. d. Use elaborate labeling for better understanding.

Avoid frills such as 3D formatting.

_____ are dynamic, with rapidly changing content that does not require authorization to post. a. Flames b. Blogs

B Blogs

_____ is effective when sending a single message to several recipients and when needing to communicate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. a. A weblog b. Email c. Spyware d. A wiki

B Email

Which of the following is a guideline for effective voice mail communication? a. Refrain from updating your greeting often. b. Encourage callers to leave detailed messages. c. Check your voice mail once a week. d. Never leave your email address or fax number on your greeting.

B Encourage callers to leave detailed messages.

Which of the following is true of a blog? a. It provides complete anonymity to all users in the internal blogs used in organizations. b. It can be used as an online scrapbook, a personal diary, or a digital soapbox. c. It rarely has the capacity to store knowledge in archives for future use. d. It allows visitors to change the original posted material and add comments.

B It can be used as an online scrapbook, a personal diary, or a digital soapbox.

Which of the following is true of face-to-face delivery of bad news? a. It runs the risk of misinterpretation of a message. b. It enables immediate feedback. c. It lacks nonverbal cues. d. It decreases the potential for escalation of emotion.

B It enables immediate feedback.

Which of the following is true of the last paragraph of a sales message? a. It should include testimonials, guarantees, and enclosures. b. It should restate the central selling point. c. It should be relatively long and detailed. d. It should be written using a deductive outline.

B It should restate the central selling point.

Which of the following numbering systems is recommended when incorporating graphs, pictures, and tables in a written report? a. Number the graphs and the pictures as "Figure 1," and so on, and the tables as "Table 1," and so on. b. Number all the graphs, pictures, and tables in a single numbering system—that is, "Figure 1," "Figure 2," and so on. c. Number the graphs as "Graph 1," and so on, the pictures as "Figure 1," and so on, and the tables as "Table 1," and so on. d. Use only Roman numerals while numbering the graphics.

B Number all the graphs, pictures, and tables in a single numbering system—that is, "Figure 1," "Figure 2," and so on.

Which of the following should be avoided when writing the closing paragraph of a bad-news message? a. Statements that include general terms and abstract nouns b. Statements that encourage future controversy c. Statements that restate an appealing idea stated previously d. Statements that offer a counterproposal

B Statements that encourage future controversy

Which of the following is a difference between subtle sales messages and direct sales messages? a. Subtle sales messages are never included in adjustments, whereas direct sales messages are always included in adjustments. b. Subtle sales messages have a good chance of being read, whereas direct sales messages might not be read at all. c. Subtle sales messages include persuasive arguments, whereas direct sales messages do not include persuasive arguments. d. Subtle sales messages discuss goods or services already bought, whereas direct sales messages include statements about related merchandise.

B Subtle sales messages have a good chance of being read, whereas direct sales messages might not be read at all.

Which of the following statements is true of instant messaging (IM)? a. With IM, it is important to pay careful attention to spelling and grammar when trading messages. b. To use IM, you maintain a list of people with whom you want to interact. c. With IM, your conversation with someone is free from eavesdropping. d. The best known IM programs require special hardware and training.

B To use IM, you maintain a list of people with whom you want to interact.

A(n) _____ is needed in a sales message when the audience is not known to have expressed an interest in a product, idea, or service previously. a. buffer b. attention-getter c. resale d. counterproposal

B attention-getter

An advantage of using the inductive sequence in a bad-news message is that the inductive sequence of ideas: a. saves the reader's time by stating the refusal before providing reasons. b. de-emphasizes the refusal by closing on a neutral or pleasant note. c. does not require any explanation. d. does not need a suggestion of counterproposal.

B de-emphasizes the refusal by closing on a neutral or pleasant note.

For preparing an effective table, you should: a. document the source of the data presented by adding source notes above the table. b. place a superscript symbol beside an entry that requires additional explanation. c. give the table a title that forces the reader to review the table. d. refer to the table as "the following table" or "the figure on the following page."

B place a superscript symbol beside an entry that requires additional explanation.

Which of the following is true of cellphone communication? a. It ensures complete confidentiality. b. It improves performance among salespersons by improving their outreach to clients. c. It is free from policies and legal restrictions. d. It is cost-effective when communicating with people located in several time zones.

B It improves performance among salespersons by improving their outreach to clients.

Who among the following individuals follows good practice when sending a good-news message? a. Zaiba, a manager at BayWave Corp., who delivers positive news to her employees without providing additional details b. Ava, a manager at Auroville Inc., who conveys positive news to her employees using a direct approach c. Dave, a manager at Wizzware Inc., who organizes his message such that the main idea is presented at the end d. Sameer, a manager at GreenMove Inc., who stresses on the closing thought more than on the main message

B Ava, a manager at Auroville Inc., who conveys positive news to her employees using a direct approach

Identify a true statement about the last paragraph of a sales message. a. It should include a detailed description of the product to be sold. b. It should be relatively short for proper clarity and emphasis. c. It should not restate the central selling point. d. It should include testimonials, guarantees, and enclosures.

B. It should be relatively short for proper clarity and emphasis.

To get a reader's attention and interest using a sales message, you must: a. place the central selling feature of a product in the middle paragraph of the message. b. use a unique combination of words to describe how a product can solve the reader's problem. c. organize the message using the deductive outline. d. choose an anecdote that is likely to be familiar to the reader.

B. use a unique combination of words to describe how a product can solve the reader's problem.

_____ are graphics that can be incorporated into reports. a. Anecdotes b. Bibliographies c. Cartoons d. Index cards

C Cartoons

Fractions, ratios, and percentages are examples of _____. a. data distortion b. diverse language c. common language d. qualitative interpretation

C Common Language

Ashton, a customer care executive at Millington Technologies Inc., receives a message from a customer requesting free service for a laptop whose warranty has expired. Which of the following guidelines should Ashton follow when composing the message denying the customer's claim? a. He should avoid providing an explanation for the refusal. b. He should avoid offering possible alternatives to resolve the problem. c. He should avoid stressing the actions that should have been taken to avoid the problem. d. He should avoid closing the message with resale or sales promotional material.

C He should avoid stressing the actions that should have been taken to avoid the problem.

Which of the following should be followed when writing a bad-news statement? a. The bad-news statement should never subordinate the refusal. b. The bad-news statement should always be presented indirectly. c. The bad-news statement should be written in passive voice. d. The bad-news statement should be included in the opening paragraph.

C The bad-news statement should be written in passive voice.

Which of the following considerations must be made before sending a message? a. Messages cannot be retrieved once they are deleted. b. A technological option is inappropriate if the message is straightforward and informative. c. The communication channel should fit the sender's purpose. d. An electronic format is preferred over a face-to-face encounter for sensitive situations.

C The communication channel should fit the sender's purpose.

Which of the following is the main idea of a persuasive message written using the AIDA approach? a. The product's cost b. The factual evidence c. The request for action d. The product's features

C The request for action

For persuasion to be effective, you must: a. coerce someone into taking action favorable to him or her. b. accept your audience's point of view. c. have a rational and logical response to your audience's arguments. d. use abstract nouns and passive verbs in your message.

C have a rational and logical response to your audience's arguments.

While writing a good-news message, _____. a. the closing thought should always be emphasized b. an inductive sequence should be followed c. the main idea should be placed at the beginning d. supporting details should be omitted

C the main idea should be placed at the beginning

When delivering a bad-news message, if the refusal appears in the first sentence of the message, _____. a. the supporting details need not be presented b. the reader tends to concentrate on understanding the supporting details c. the reader's reaction is likely to be negative d. the message is easily accepted

C the reader's reaction is likely to be negative

A _____ is a collaborative website that hosts the collective work of many authors. a. flame b. weblog c. wiki d. cookie

C wiki

Including a flowchart with written instructions: a. helps show quantitative totals or comparisons. b. helps illustrate the trends in quantitative data. c. minimizes the chance of errors in work tasks. d. is effective for showing geographic relationships of data.

C minimizes the chance of errors in work tasks.

Smith recently purchased a DVD player that caused problems while still in its warranty period. Smith wrote to the manufacturer of the DVD player requesting a replacement. He asked for an adjustment before providing an explanation, assuming that the claim would be granted willingly. The message written by Smith is an example of a(n) _____. a. persuasive claim b. adjustment message c. routine claim d. form message

C routine claim

Which of the following is a Web 2.0 technology? a. A flame b. A cookie c. A wiki d. A database

C. A wiki

. Identify a true statement about maps. a. They are less visual than written messages. b. They are less interesting than written messages. c. They are less confusing than written messages. d. They are less concise than written messages.

C. They are less confusing than written messages.

Which of the following is a guideline you should follow when constructing pie charts? a. Avoid labeling all the slices. b. Position the smallest slice or the slice that needs less emphasis at the 12 o'clock position. c. While labeling the slices, exclude information about the quantitative size, such as percentage, dollars, of each slice. d. A legend should be used if it is not possible to place the appropriate labeling information beside each slice.

D A legend should be used if it is not possible to place the appropriate labeling information beside each slice.

Illumination Apparel is a fashion retailer chain. In 2001, it opened 126 outlets in different cities. Stacy, a sales manager at Illumination Apparel, has to present the data on the total revenue generated in these 126 outlets in the last 10 years. In this case, which of the following graphics is best suited for Stacy's presentation? a. A flowchart b. A pictogram c. A photograph d. A map

D A map

_____ are defined as messages that are fair responses by businesses to legitimate requests in claim messages by customers. a. Inductive messages b. Acknowledgement messages c. Procedural messages d. Adjustment messages

D Adjustment messages

. Identify a true statement about channel selection. a. Personal interaction cannot replace written communication, printed or online, which is essential in today's team-based work environments. b. If a message is straightforward and informative, a technological communication channel is inappropriate. c. An electronic communication tool is appropriate for communicating bad-news messages in sensitive situations. d. Before choosing a communication channel, it should be determined whether a permanent record of a message is needed or if a temporary form would suffice.

D Before choosing a communication channel, it should be determined whether a permanent record of a message is needed or if a temporary form would suffice.

Which of the following is true of email? a. It offers a personal touch to business communication. b. It is best suited for delivering sensitive and confidential information. c. It is costly if used for communicating with people located in different time zones. d. It facilitates the fast, convenient flow of information among users at various locations.

D It facilitates the fast, convenient flow of information among users at various locations.

Which of the following is true of a counterproposal? a. It always represents a tangible benefit. b. It always precedes the refusal. c. It increases the need to state the refusal directly. d. It helps preserve a relationship with the receiver.

D It helps preserve a relationship with the receiver.

_____ can be included in unsolicited sales messages for gaining attention. a. Counterproposals b. Technical jargons c. Clichés d. Personal experiences

D Personal experiences

Melody, a manager at Wisbane Inc., received a message from an employee requesting a change in his work timings. However, she had been instructed by her superiors that the company work timings must be strictly followed without any alteration. Which of the following guidelines should Melody follow when composing the message denying the employee's request? a. She should place the bad news in the independent clause of a simple sentence. b. She should compose the message in active voice. c. She should state the refusal before providing reasons.

D She should state the refusal before providing reasons.

To give a routine claim the emphasis it deserves, the message must: a. begin with details and explanation. b. be written inductively. c. use a forceful, persuasive tone. d. begin with a request for an adjustment.

D begin with a request for an adjustment.

One of the purposes of using graphics in a written discussion is to _____ data. a. understate b. eliminate c. decentralize d. reinforce

D reinforce

Which of the following statements is true of text messaging? a. It cannot be used for business purposes. b. It cannot be used to send messages from a cellphone to a computer. c. It puts less premium on conciseness than email. d. It is a refinement of computer instant messaging.

D. It is a refinement of computer instant messaging.

Which of the following statements is true of pie charts? a. They make it easier to understand processes. b. They present data in columns and rows. c. They are ineffective in showing percentages. d. They are ineffective in showing quantitative totals.

D. They are ineffective in showing quantitative totals.

A form message is a document that indicates an order has been received and is being processed. a. True b. False

False

A graphic that will not fit on the page where it is introduced should be placed in the appendix. a. True b. False

False

A line chart is an effective graphic for comparing housing prices in a particular region with housing prices in another region. a. True b. False

False

A line chart is similar to an area chart. a. True b. False

False

English-speaking readers typically start scanning at the top right side of the main content area of a website. a. True b. False

False

Replies to requests for credit information are complicated. a. True b. False

False

Revisions to organizational charts become complex when prepared using word-processing or graphics software. a. True b. False

False

The best reason for a refusal is "company policy" because it requires no further explanation. a. True b. False

False

The use of graphics is generally avoided in reports because they are complicated and difficult to understand. a. True b. False

False

When delivering negative organizational news, convey the bad news as late as possible. a. True b. False

False

Will has written a letter to the sales manager of a computer manufacturing company inquiring about the features of the company's new netbook. In response to the query, the manager's letter should begin with an attention-getting sentence to invoke Will's interest in owning a netbook. a. True b. False

False

Identify a true statement about persuasion. a. It does not involve elaborate preparations such as conducting tests and experiments on products. b. It is an attempt to trap someone into taking action favorable to the communicator. c. It does not need to be a hard sell. d. It involves the communicator taking the spotlight.

It does not need to be a hard sell.

Although the word "grant" is acceptable when talking about claims, its use in adjustment messages is discouraged. a. True b. False

TRUE

Electronic presentations, flip charts, whiteboards, and overhead transparencies are the visual means most often used to accompany presentations. a. True b. False

TRUE

If you put readers to work using your product, service, or idea to solve problems, they will be the subject of most of the sentences of your sales message. a. True b. False

TRUE

When constructing bar charts, position the bars chronologically or in some other logical order. a. True b. False

TRUE

1. Which of the following is true of adjustment messages? A. The inclusion of sales promotional material in such messages is strictly avoided. B. They are usually written to customers requesting them to take back their claim. C. The word "grant" is routinely used in these messages while responding to customers. D. They provide an opportunity for businesses to build a good reputation.

They provide an opportunity for businesses to build a good reputation.