The correct answer for each question is indicated by a

Multiple Choice Q 0073377791

.
4220637 1

no

Communication in

Select the statement about business communication that is not true. Whatever position you have in business, your performance will be judged A) largely by your ability to communicate. B) C) If you communicate well, you are likely to be promoted. All college-educated employees communicate well in the workplace.

Businesses want and need people with good communication skills. D) Feedback: Difficulty: Easy Learning Objective: 01-1 Topic: The Role of Communication in Business Bloom's: Comprehension AACSB: Communication Page: 3 Explanation: Evidence of the importance of communication in business is found in numerous surveys of executives, recruiters, and academicians. Without exception, these surveys have found that communication (especially written communication) ranks at or near the top of the business skills needed for success. At the same time, research suggests that most employees, even the college trained, do not communicate well. Surveys show that, in the opinion of their employees, even managers and executives who think they communicate well actually fall short.
2
2 CORRECT

The text discusses three trends from the RAND study that are likely to have a huge impact on communication practices in the 21st century. Which of the following is one of these three trends? A) B) C) An increasing regulation of international trade An increasing control of immigration in developed countries The growing diversity in the workplace and in types of workplaces

The growing number of pressures acting upon the knowledge worker D) Feedback:

Difficulty: Medium Learning Objective: 01-2 Topic: The Role of Communication in Business Bloom's: Comprehension AACSB: Communication Pages: 5-6 Explanation: A recent study prepared for the U.S. Department of Labor by the RAND Corporation identified trends that are likely to have a huge impact on communication practices and purposes in the 21st century. The textbook highlights three: the ongoing development of new information technologies, the increasingly global nature of business, and the growing diversity in the workplace and in types of workplaces.
3
3 INCORRECT

Business communication tends to fall into three broad categories A) B) C) International, external, and personal External, internal, and operational Internal operational, external operational, and personal

External operational, external, and personal D) Feedback: Difficulty: Medium Learning Objective: 01-3 Topic: The Role of Communication in Business Bloom's: Comprehension AACSB: Communication Pages: 8-9 Explanation: Communication in the workplace is work-related (operational) or personal. Personal communication helps make and sustain the relationships upon which business depends. Operational communication occurs with others within the organization (internal operational) or with individuals outside of the organization (external operational).
4
4 CORRECT

Which of the following is not an example of internal-operational communication? A) B) Placing orders with suppliers Giving orders and instructions to employees

C)

Sending emails with questions about a task assigned by a supervisor

Writing reports concerning sales and inventories D) Feedback: Difficulty: Medium Learning Objective: 01-3 Topic: The Role of Communication in Business Bloom's: Comprehension AACSB: Communication Page: 8 Explanation: Supervisors give instructions to their employees; employees write reports about sales and inventories for internal audiences; and employees send internal emails to supervisors to ask questions about job assignments. When an employee places an order with a supplier, the employee communicates with someone external to the company.
5
5 INCORRECT

The marketing manager of a company sends an email to the creative head of the advertising company that is handling its account. This is an example of A) B) C) Personal communication Informal communication Downward communication

External-operational communication D) Feedback: Difficulty: Hard Learning Objective: 01-3 Topic: The Role of Communication in Business Bloom's: Application AACSB: Analytical Page: 8 Explanation: External-operational communication is work-related communication that occurs with someone outside the company. In this case, the advertising company is a vendor, an external audience. Because all external communication conveys an image of the company, informal communication would not be the best choice in this situation. Personal communication is the exchange of information and feelings in which we human beings engage whenever we come together; it tends to refer to internal communication in the workplace. Finally, downward communication would not be the best answer choice because the creative director would hold an equal position to or higher

position than the marketing manager.

In the formal network of an organization, the flow of information can be ___________. A) B) C) Upward or downward Upward, downward, or lateral Downward only

Upward only D) Feedback: Difficulty: Medium Learning Objective: 01-4 Topic: The Role of Communication in Business Bloom's: Comprehension AACSB: Communication Page: 11 Explanation: The flow of formal channels in an organization includes the upward, lateral, and downward movement of information in the form of reports, memos, email, and other media within the organization; the downward movement of orders, instructions, advisories, and announcements; and the broad dissemination of company information through the organization's newsletter, bulletin boards, email, intranet, and blogs.
7
7 INCORRECT

Amanda Slate, who works in the accounting department, is a single-mother like Sally Hendricks in the marketing department. They discuss common issues and usually have lunch together. This is an example of the formation of A) B) C) An organizational network An informal network A formal network

A professional network D) Feedback: Difficulty: Medium Learning Objective: 01-4 Topic: The Role of Communication in Business

Bloom's: Application AACSB: Analytical Pages: 11-12 Explanation: Formal networks, including organizational networks, are the main lines of operational communication. The bulk of communication needed for a business to operate flows through these channels. A professional network tends to be comprised of people with the same expertise in the same field. Informal networks are comprised of personal communications that may or may not support the formal communication network of a business. The department you belong to, the other employees whom you see in the course of your workday, and even random personal connections, such as having the same hometown or having kids the same age, can cause links in this network to form.
8
8 INCORRECT

Choose the least appropriate comment about the grapevine in an organization. A) B) C) It carries much gossip and rumor. It carries more information than the formal communication network. Wise managers ignore it.

It is more valuable to the company's operations than a first impression might D) indicate. Feedback: Difficulty: Medium Learning Objective: 01-4 Topic: The Role of Communication in Business Bloom's: Comprehension AACSB: Communication Page: 12 Explanation: The grapevine certainly carries much gossip and rumor, but it usually carries far more information than the formal communication system and can be useful for giving people information that will do the most good for the organization. Skillful managers will use it to make management decisions that will cultivate positive talk.
9
9 INCORRECT

Which of the following statements best applies to the concept of organizational culture as defined in the textbook? In a healthy organizational culture employees seem to know what they are A) doing and seem to be happy. Official culture and the actual culture in a company are not necessarily the B) same thing.

C)

The culture of a company is dynamic.

All of the above. D) Feedback: Difficulty: Medium Learning Objective: 01-7 Topic: The Role of Communication in Business Bloom's Taxonomy: Comprehension AACSB: Communication Page: 13 Explanation: Organizational culture is dynamic. While companies make official attempts to create a particular culture and working environment, the company's culture is also influenced by the day-to-day actions of employees. Finally, employees in a healthy working environment tend to be happier.
10
10 CORRECT

Which of the following statements is true about business communication as a problem-solving activity? There are common communication solutions that can successfully be applied A) to all problems in business. Business communication problems require analysis, creativity, and B) judgment. If you use the "rule of thumb" approach with business communication, you C) will always have a plan that will solve each unique communication problem. Focused thinking, research, and planning will guarantee success in the D) complex world of business communication. Feedback: Difficulty: Hard Learning Objective: 01-6 Topic: The Business Communication Process Bloom's: Comprehension AACSB: Communication Page: 14 Explanation: Each business communication situation needs to be analyzed and responded to using analysis, creativity, and good judgment. A general "rule of thumb" or common solution is less likely to result in successful communication, particularly when trying to resolve ill-defined problems. While focused thinking, research, and planning will make the chances of success as high as possible, they do not to guarantee success in business communication.
11 4

11 INCORRECT

When solving a communication problem, which of the following should you take into account?

A) B) C)

Your relationship with your recipients The larger business-economic, sociocultural, and historical contexts Your recipients' organizational, professional, and personal contexts

All of the above D) Feedback: Difficulty: Medium Learning Objective: 01-6 Topic: The Business Communication Process Bloom's: Comprehension AACSB: Communication Page: 15 Explanation: Business communication takes place in a variety of contexts, which include the larger context of the general business-economic climate, the sociocultural context, the historical context, the context of the personal relationship between you and your recipients, and the contexts of your recipients' experience outside of the specific communication event.
12
12 CORRECT

Which step usually comes earliest in the communication process? A) B) C) Searching for possible solutions Composing the message Defining the situation

Choosing a communication channel D) Feedback: Difficulty: Medium Learning Objective: 01-8 Topic: The Business Communication Process Bloom's: Comprehension AACSB: Communication Page: 16 Explanation: Researchers generally agree that the communication process includes the following activities, generally in this order: 1) sensing a communication need, 2) defining the situation, 3) considering possible communication strategies, 4) selecting a course of action, 5) composing the message, and 6) sending the message.

13
13 CORRECT

You have received a complaint from a customer. You probe the issue: "Does the customer have a legitimate point?" "What additional information is needed to understand the situation better?" By asking these questions, you are A) B) C) Defining the situation Wasting precious time Deciding on a response

Considering possible solutions D) Feedback: Difficulty: Medium Learning Objective: 01-8 Topic: The Business Communication Process Bloom's: Application AACSB: Analytical Page: 16 Explanation: To create a successful message or to plan a communication event, you need to have a well-informed sense of the situation. Defining the situation generally occurs before considering possible solutions for the situation and deciding upon a response.
14
14 INCORRECT

In the communication process selecting a course of action includes A) B) C) Considering the channel you will use to deliver the message Considering the potential costs and benefits of each option Making preliminary choices about the content, structure, and verbal style

All of the above D) Feedback: Difficulty: Medium Learning Objective: 01-8 Topic: The Business Communication Process Bloom's: Comprehension AACSB: Communication Page: 16 Explanation: Selecting a course of action includesconsidering the situation as you

have defined; looking at your communication options; considering the potential costs and benefits of each option; making preliminary choices about the message type, contents, structure, verbal style, and visual format; and making choices about the channel used to deliver the message.
15
15 INCORRECT

Which of the following statements is the most appropriate choice for describing the model of communication presented in the book? A) B) It can be a recursive process. It is mutually constructed in many situations.

It is related to situations in which people are deliberately communicating to C) achieve particular business-related goals. All of the above. D) Feedback: Difficulty: Medium Learning Objective: 01-8 Topic: The Business Communication Process Bloom's: Comprehension AACSB: Communication Pages: 14-17 Explanation: In many communication situations, especially those involving realtime conversation, the two parties work together to reach a mutual understanding. Even though people can, and often do, communicate inadvertently, this communication model focuses on what happens when someone deliberately undertakes to communicate with someone else to achieve particular business-related goals. Finally, while these activities tend to form a linear pattern, the communicator often needs to revisit earlier steps of the process while moving through the different activities. In other words, solving a communication problem can be a recursive process. This is particularly true for situations that invite many different solutions or heavily involve the audience in the communication process.