Georgia State University

BCOM 3950

Multiple Choice

1)One of the fastest ways to ensure your career success is to

1. 1. learn how to design Web pages.
   2. post a persuasive résumé online.
   3. develop excellent communication skills.
   4. invite your boss out to lunch periodically.

2. On the job you are more likely to be taken seriously and promoted if you
   1. look and sound professional.
   2. frame your degree or certificate and hang it on your office or cubicle wall.
   3. appear to be busy even when you’re not really doing anything.
   4. do all of the above.

3. Because the U.S. economy is increasingly                                            based, education is extremely important.
   1. politically
   2. production
   3. knowledge
   4. labor

4. Major trends in today’s dynamic world of work include increased emphasis on self- directed work groups and virtual teams, heightened global competition, innovative communication technologies, new work environments, and focus on
   1. creating an entirely online presence.
   2. promoting from within.
   3. restructuring and downsizing.
   4. information and knowledge as corporate assets.

5. Communication is defined as “the transmission of information and meaning from one individual or group to another.” The crucial element of this definition is

                                        .

1. 1. transmission.
   2. information.
   3. meaning.
   4. all of the above are equally important.

6. The communication process begins when the sender
   1. determines the appropriate communication channel.
   2. has an idea.
   3. encodes an idea into a message.
   4. plans for feedback.

7. Many of us are poor listeners because
   1. the brain can process information at least three times as fast as people talk.
   2. we tend to “tune out” speakers whose ideas run counter to our own.
   3. we would rather talk than listen.
   4. All answer choices are correct.

8. You can improve your listening skills if you follow tips for active listening, including
   1. keeping an open mind, establishing a receptive mind-set, and listening between the lines.
   2. establishing a receptive mind-set, concentrating on appearance and delivery, and sifting information through biases.
   3. capitalizing on lag time, concentrating on your next comment, and taking as many notes as possible.
   4. All answer choices are correct.

9. Your boss is giving instructions for a new method of keeping expense accounts. However, you find it difficult to concentrate because you think the change is unnecessary. What type of barrier to effective listening are you experiencing?
   1. Language problem barrier
   2. Psychological barrier
   3. Physical barrier
   4. Nonverbal distraction barrier

10. A listener who nods her head and maintains eye contact with a speaker is probably
    1. listening actively to what the speaker is saying.
    2. not understanding what the speaker is saying.
    3. faking attention while she listens to music on her MP3 player.
    4. formulating her response to a point with which she disagrees.

11. Brian is attending a seminar on workplace efficiency and must make a presentation on this topic when he returns to work. Brian can increase his comprehension by keeping an open mind, listening for main points, taking selective notes, and
    1. closing his eyes.
    2. speaking up immediately when he does not agree with the speaker.
    3. filling in the lag time by reviewing in his mind other things he must do that day.
    4. judging ideas, not appearances.

12. Amelia has made a conscious effort to become an active listener. Therefore, she shuts down her computer, turns off her cell phone, and asks her assistant to hold all incoming calls when she conducts interviews. What technique is she using to improve listening?
    1. Keeping an open mind
    2. Establishing a receptive mind-set
    3. Capitalizing on lag time

1. 4. Controlling her surroundings

13. Which of the following is considered a form of nonverbal communication?
    1. Facial expressions, such as a frown or raising the eyebrows
    2. Eye contact, such as staring or avoiding looking someone in the eye
    3. Time, such as showing up too late or too early
    4. All of the above are forms of nonverbal communication

14. Nonverbal communication includes
    1. all unwritten and unspoken messages, intended or not.
    2. only body language and gestures that accompany a spoken message.
    3. only eye contact and facial expressions that support the meaning of the words.
    4. only cues that reveal agreement with or contradiction of the verbal message.

15. Most people think that the best predictor of a speaker’s true feelings is his or her
    1. facial expressions.
    2. posture.
    3. gestures.
    4. eyes.

16. Suzanne wants to make a good impression during a job interview. What should she do?
    1. Avoid eye contact with her interviewer in order to show respect.
    2. Slump down in her chair to show that she’s relaxed.
    3. Wear professional business attire.
    4. She should do all of the above.

17.          Melissa noticed that Stephen slammed his desk drawer right after he said that he was happy to work late. Melissa should

a.             tell Stephen that he should behave more professionally.

b.            respond to the verbal message only and thank him for working late.

c.             politely seek additional information by saying, I’m not sure that you really want to stay late. Do you have somewhere you need to be?

d.            fire Stephen for insubordination.

18.          Every country has a unique culture or common heritage that

a.             teaches its members how to behave and conditions their reactions. b. results from a common gene pool.

c.             is created by a structured educational system.

d.            comes from an orderly system of government and laws.

19. and Germany) depend little on the context of a situation to convey their meaning. They

tend to be logical, analytical, and action oriented. a. high-context

b.   Asian c. ancient

d. low-conte

20. North Americans value straightforwardness and are suspicious of evasiveness. These traits identify the cultural dimension of
    1. individualism.
    2. formality.
    3. communication style.
    4. time orientation.

21. An American businessperson who thinks that all Swiss are hard-working, efficient, and neat is illustrating an example of
    1. ethnocentrism.
    2. tolerance.
    3. stereotyping.
    4. a cultural norm.

22. Robert frequently comments that he likes working independently because that’s the American way—and the American way is the best way! Robert’s belief in the superiority of his own culture is an example of

stereotyping. b. individualism. c. ethnocentrism.

d. communication style.

23. Working with people from other cultures will requires tolerance. One of the best ways to become more tolerant is by
    1. practicing empathy.
    2. increasing your individualism.
    3. encouraging ethnocentrism.
    4. knowing your communication style.

24. While conducting business with a customer from Italy, Zoe was careful to speak slowly and clearly, using short sentences and short, familiar words. But she noticed that the customer had a glazed expression and did not understand her. Zoe should
    1. repeat what she has said in a louder voice.
    2. graciously accept the blame for not making her meaning clear.
    3. end the conversation until an interpreter can be found.
    4. require the Italian businessperson to restate the message in simple words.

25. When speaking with someone for whom English is a second language, you should talk slowly, enunciate clearly, check frequently for comprehension, observe eye messages, listen without interrupting, and
    1. follow up in writing.
    2. avoid smiling, which might make you appear to lack seriousness.
    3. use vocabulary words that will impress the listener.
    4. assume that the listener understands if he or she nods and smiles in agreement.

26. When writing for a multicultural audience, you are more likely to be understood if you use short sentences and short paragraphs and if you include
    1. slang, such as This product really rocks!
    2. idioms, such as You can improve your bottom line by using this product.
    3. acronyms, such as ASAP.
    4. action-specific verbs, such as e-mail me if you have any questions rather than contact me if you have any questions.

27. Max is preparing a contract between his company and one in Mexico. What should he do when citing numbers in the contract?
    1. Use figures for all dates for clarity.

1. 2. Use American currency figures.
   3. Use figures instead of spelling them out.
   4. Do all of the above.

28. Which of the following is a benefit of a diverse work environment?
    1. Better ability to create the products that consumers desire
    2. Fewer discrimination lawsuits, fewer union clashes, and less government regulatory action
    3. Improvement of employee relationships and increased productivity
    4. All of the above are benefits of a diverse work environment.

29. Megahertz Technology Solutions, Inc. recently suffered a discrimination lawsuit. Advice to improve its workforce diversity is likely to include understanding the value of differences, providing diversity training for employees, building on similarities, and
    1. hiring a more homogenous work group.
    2. making fewer assumptions.
    3. requiring all employees to use jargon that conveys stereotypes.
    4. making sure all employees conform to a standard company culture.

30. Workers who communicate successfully with diverse audiences must make few assumptions, learn about their own and other cultures, and
    1. seek common ground.
    2. help others conform.
    3. avoid noticing differences.
    4. All answer choices are correct.

True-False

1. In making hiring decisions, employers often rank communication skills among the most requested competencies.

2. Because of today’s communication technology, writing skills are less important than in the past.

3. We are born with the ability to read, listen, speak, and write.

4. Theresa will be working with Alex on a virtual team to develop a new marketing plan. Because they won’t meet face to face, their work will be less dependent on good communication skills.

5. The central objective of communication is the transmission of meaning.

6. Anything that disrupts the transmission of a message in the communication process is called noise.

7. Words have the same basic meanings for everyone; therefore, messages communicated verbally are always understood.

8. After explaining a new procedure to her employees, Amy asks, “Is there anything that wasn’t clear?” She is asking this question to encourage feedback.

9. Most people listen with 50 percent or higher efficiency.

10. Psychological barriers to listening include hearing disabilities, poor acoustics, and noisy surroundings.

11. If you want to become a better listener, your first step is to stop talking.

12. Brooke is listening to a difficult presentation on nanotechnology development. As a good listener, she should take complete notes of everything said.

13. When verbal and nonverbal messages conflict, listeners tend to believe the verbal message.

14. Both your personal appearance and the physical appearance of your business documents transmit immediate and important nonverbal messages.

15. Zach’s company does business globally. By associating with people from diverse cultures, Zach can widen his knowledge of intercultural messages and can increase his tolerance of differences.

16. Greg will be the student speaker for graduation. To ensure that his nonverbal cues support his verbal message, he should ask friends and family to monitor his conscious and unconscious body movements and gestures.

17. Joseph will be traveling to South America to increase sales for his company. Because the meanings of nonverbal gestures are similar in all cultures, Joseph can indicate that everything is OK with his South American customers by using his thumb and forefinger to form a circle.

18. Laura values individualism and personal responsibility in herself and coworkers. These values are typical of North American culture.

19. Bijan and his family place great emphasis on tradition, ceremony, and social rules. Bijan is most likely a member of a low-context culture.

20. North Americans consider time a precious commodity and correlate it with productivity, efficiency, and money.

21. Cross-cultural communication can be improved by practicing tolerance and ethnocentrism.

22. For international trade it is a good idea to learn and use the metric system.

23. Developing a diverse staff that can work together cooperatively is one of the biggest challenges facing business organizations today.

24. Because Ryan has never met a person from Germany, he is worried about traveling there to do business for his company. Ryan could reduce his worry by attending a meeting of the local German club and interacting with its members from Germany.

25. Businesses that want to capitalize on cultural diversity need to train workers to think and act alike in order to reduce conflicts.

Fill-in-the-Blank

1.                                       skills refer to reading, listening, nonverbal, speaking, and writing skills.

2.                                                     is defined as “the transmission of information and meaning from one individual or group to another.”

3. In the communication process,                                              means converting an idea into words or gestures that will convey meaning.

4. When you decide the spoken or written means by which you will send a message, you have selected the                                                                        of communication.

5. When the receiver translates the message from its symbol form into meaning, it is known as       .

6. The verbal and nonverbal responses of the receiver create                                   , a vital part of the entire communication process that helps the sender know that the message was received and understood.

7.                             cues include eye contact, facial expression, body movements, space, time, territory, and appearance.

8. According to a model developed by cultural anthropologist Edward T. Hall,

                                         refers to the stimuli, environment, or ambience surrounding an event and is arranged on a continuum from low to high.

9. The belief in the superiority of one’s own culture is known as                                         . This natural attitude is found in all cultures.

10.                                       means learning about beliefs and practices different from our own and appreciating them. One of the best ways to develop this trait is to practice empathy.

Multiple Choice

1. When you prepare a business message or oral presentation, you should be certain that your writing is economical, persuasive, audience-oriented, and
   1. purposeful.
   2. creative.
   3. lengthy.
   4. formal.

2. When preparing a business message, you should make your writing audience-oriented.

Audience-oriented means you should

1. 1. write to solve a problem or convey information.
   2. attempt to get your audience to believe and accept your message.
   3. present ideas clearly but concisely.
   4. concentrate on looking at the problem from the receiver’s perspective.

3. Business writing should be purposeful. In this context, purposeful can best be defined as
   1. presenting ideas clearly and concisely.
   2. concentrating on the receiver’s perspective instead of your own.
   3. solving problems and conveying information.
   4. getting your audience to believe and accept your message.

4. Business writing should be economical. In this context, economical can best be defined as
   1. presenting ideas clearly and concisely.
   2. concentrating on the receiver’s perspective instead of your own.
   3. solving problems and conveying information.
   4. getting your audience to believe and accept your message.

5. Business writing should be persuasive. In this context, persuasive can best be defined as
   1. presenting ideas clearly and concisely.
   2. concentrating on the receiver’s perspective instead of your own.
   3. solving problems and conveying information.
   4. getting your audience to believe and accept your message.

6. The first phase of the writing process involves analyzing the audience and your purpose for writing, anticipating how your audience will react to your message, and
   1. investigating background information.
   2. composing your message.
   3. adapting your message to the audience.
   4. looking for previous company documents on the topic.

7. During the second phase of the writing process, you conduct research,
   1. clarify the audience demographics, and edit word choices.
   2. anticipate audience reaction, and adapt the message.
   3. organize ideas, and compose the message.
   4. evaluate message effectiveness, and revise as needed.

8. In the final phase of the writing process, check the message for clarity and readability, proofread for errors, and
   1. evaluate for effectiveness.
   2. assess the cost in the selected delivery channel.
   3. solve the problem.
   4. forward the document to the publishing department.

9. Experts say that writers should spend the most time in the                     stage of the writing process.
   1. prewriting
   2. writing
   3. revising
   4. transmission

10. The primary purpose of business writing is typically to inform or persuade; a common secondary purpose is to
    1. promote goodwill.
    2. comply with governmental regulations.
    3. create written documentation.
    4. avoid lawsuits.

11. Before Melissa organizes and composes her message, she should ask two questions: (1) Why am I sending this message? and (2)
    1. Why did my boss give this task to me?
    2. What do I hope to achieve with this message?
    3. How can I get this message written as quickly as possible?
    4. Do I have enough time and financial resources to complete the work?

12. Travis must determine the channel for an important business message. In this context,

channel refers to the

1. 1. individuals who will receive the message.

1. 2. degree of formality required.
   3. medium through which the message is sent.
   4. tone and approach needed to accomplish his purpose.

13. You are selecting a channel for sending your message. Which of the following is not a factor to consider when making this decision?
    1. The amount and speed of feedback and interactivity required
    2. Cost of the channel
    3. The confidentiality and sensitivity of the message
    4. The primary channel used by your competitors

14.          Which of the following communication channels would be considered the richest medium? a. Written proposal

b.            E-mail message

c.             Face-to-face conversation d. Discussion board posting

15. Human Resources Manager Claire Siu must inform Anthony that company job changes require him to seek retraining or lose his position. The best channel for Ms. Siu to deliver this message is
    1. an e-mail message.
    2. face-to-face communication.
    3. voice mail.
    4. an instant message.

16. Michael usually holds team meetings on Tuesday mornings, but he needs to reschedule next week’s meeting to Wednesday morning. To tell team members that the date of the next meeting has been changed, Michael should
    1. send an e-mail.
    2. meet in person with each team member to explain the change.
    3. call a team meeting to announce the change.
    4. write a short team report to explain the change.

17. Lindsay is writing a property description for a new real estate brochure. To make her brochure more effective, Lindsay should anticipate her audience. This means she
    1. identifies the property’s outstanding traits and describes them clearly.
    2. concentrates on the price and value of the property.
    3. writes using familiar words and a friendly, informal tone.
    4. considers what the readers are like and how the readers will react to the message.

18. Profiling the audience for a business message helps the writer
    1. identify the appropriate tone, language, and channel.

1. 2. guarantee that the audience will respond positively to the message.
   3. select slang and jargon the audience will recognize and appreciate.
   4. create a perfect first draft.

19. One technique that improves business writing is the use of empathy. Empathy refers to
    1. using inclusive language to eliminate bias.
    2. putting yourself in the receiver’s shoes to adapt the message to the receiver’s needs.
    3. appealing to the audience by using a sender focus.
    4. formatting documents to meet business standards.

20. Which of the following sentences best focuses on the audience?
    1. We are very pleased to have you as our newest customer.
    2. You can help us by sending us your payment immediately.
    3. Register now to lock in your preferred travel dates.
    4. All of the above sentences are focused on the audience rather than the sender.

21. Jorge must inform Samantha that she is not eligible to have an August vacation for which she recently applied. Which of the following sentences best demonstrates the “you” view Jorge should use in denying Samantha’s application?
    1. I have not approved your vacation for August because you applied too late.
    2. We didn’t receive your application early enough for the August vacation schedule.
    3. Although the August schedule is full, you may qualify for a vacation in September if you apply now.
    4. The August vacation schedule was posted in May. You should have consulted it before applying now.

22. Create a conversational but professional tone in letters, e-mail messages, instant messages, and memos by
    1. choosing a clear format and effective document layout.
    2. smiling and using good eye contact.
    3. using familiar words, occasional contractions, and pronouns such as I and you.
    4. using slang and IM abbreviations such as IMHO and BTW.

23. Marketing Director Kiprova will inform the board of directors that customers are not responding positive to the company’s Paris Hilton ads. Which of the following is the most appropriate announcement?
    1. Our customers are ripping on our Paris Hilton ads, even though we know these ads rock.
    2. Our customers are badmouthing this awesome new marketing campaign; they are obviously just out of it.
    3. I have received criticism of the new Paris Hilton ads from our customers.
    4. It has come to my attention that our customers have denigrated our strategic implementation of Paris Hilton’s notoriety in our novel ad campaign.

24. As employees conduct more business using instant messaging, they should send messages that are informal, conversational, and
    1. professional.

1. 2. streamlined (e.g., using abbreviations such as ur for you are).
   3. casual, including low-level language.
   4. filled with slang and jargon.

25. Which of the following represents the best business writing?
    1. We regret that we are unable to accept you as a credit customer at this time.
    2. You will never be sorry that you opened a checking account with our bank.
    3. We cannot accept the returned merchandise because it is not resalable.
    4. You can return all resalable merchandise for a store credit.

26. Which of the following is most acceptable for business writing?
    1. Every physician must carry his own malpractice insurance.
    2. Every physician must carry their own malpractice insurance.
    3. All physicians must carry their own malpractice insurance.
    4. Every physician must carry his or her own malpractice insurance.

27. Business writers are encouraged to use plain English, which means
    1. using active-voice verbs, personal pronouns, short sentences, and familiar words.
    2. writing without weakening qualifiers.
    3. avoiding all negative expressions.
    4. including slang and low-level diction that everyone understands.