California State University, Northridge

MGT 360

Organizational Behavior, Version 1.1

Bauer & Erdogan

FWK Test Item File Chapter 8

TRUE/FALSE

1)Communication is the process by which information is exchanged between individuals through a common system of symbols, signs, or behavior.

2. The best approach to delivering bad news in the workplace, such as a downsizing decision, is a written one like e-mail.

3. Research indicates that communication ability is related to a manager’s performance.

4. Deficient interpersonal communication was a factor in 70-80% of all accidents over the past 20 years.

5. Though employees seem more satisfied when their company communicates with them about issues that impact them, effective communication does little to improve the firm’s market value.

6. The communication process is very complex, and thus presents almost insurmountable challenges to understanding and controlling it.

7. The sender in the communication process is totally responsible for successful, effective communication between the sender and receiver.

8. In the communication process, noise is found only in the external environment of the communication situation.

9. Filtering, emotional disconnects, and lack of credibility are all barriers to effective communication.

10. Selective perception is the personal filtering of what we see and hear so as to suit our own needs.

11. Nancy goes to work at her job at the university after the December holiday break. She opens her email and finds 312 emails after her vacation. Nancy is experiencing information overload.

12. The EEOC is an acronym for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in the Human Resource area.

13. Men like to ask questions before starting a project; women just “jump right in.”

14. Men tend to focus more on data in their communications, while women focus on intuition.

15. The word or term “secretary” is an example of biased language.

16. Listening is an art, not a skill, and thus individuals cannot be trained to be better listeners.

17. The phrase, “You had better…” is a communication freezer because it is somewhat threatening.

18. There are two types of communication in organizations: verbal and written.

19. Storytelling is largely an ineffective means of communication as receivers perceive the senders to be largely unable to control the process.

20. Crucial conversations are discussions where the stakes are high, so opinions need to be in line with the majority in the group.

21. Verbal communication is largely asynchronous.

22. Written communication is the most often used form of communication in business.

23. People speak much faster than they hear words.

24. Nonverbal communication is at least as important as verbal communication.

25. If I emphasize the word “Max” in the following sentence, “I did not tell Max you were late,” it could suggest that I might have implied it to anyone listening.

26. There are cultural differences in the use of nonverbal communication elements like body language and facial expression.

27. Proxemics suggests that standing at an intimate distance to a colleague increases communication effectiveness.

28. The most information-rich communication channel is a formal written document like a report.

29. A face-to-face information channel is high in information richness.

30. Written communication is best utilized when the ideas are simple.

31. In a business e-mail, using a subject line is often unnecessary as it may create unrealistic expectations about the message content.

32. Communication flows upward, downward, and laterally in an organization, but it is not possible for communication to flow diagonally.

33. Written and verbal communication tends to seek, give, or exchange information.

34. A press release generally appears to be independent of its sender.

35. People are not happy when something unexpected happens, but they are less upset when things are somewhat hidden.

36. In crisis situations, it is extremely important that an executive be the spokesperson for the firm.

37. Communication methods and forms differ little across cultures.

38. A nonverbal gesture, like the “OK symbol” made in the United States, could be offensive in another culture.

39. In China, as in the United States, direct eye contact is important in a communication situation.

40. The sentence construction of the “Isn’t it?” question we ask in the United States is confusing for non-native speakers.

FILL IN THE BLANK

41.                                is the process by which information is exchanged between individuals through a common system of symbols, signs or behavior.

42. Communication fulfills three main functions within an organization including

                                   ,                                                , and                                        .

43. A     originates the communication process.

44. The process of translating ideas into words is                                                       .

45. Communication media include spoken words, written words, or signs.

46. Anything that interferes with or distorts the message being transformed is

                                                 .

47.                                     is a communication barrier where information is withheld or distorted to manage a person’s reactions.

48. Personal filtering of what we see and hear so as to suit our own needs is

                                                                             .

49. When we receive more information than we can take in, the imbalance is known as                    .

50. An informal gossip network that can be a barrier to effective communication is called a              .

51. Words mean different things to different people; this is the concept of

                           .

52. In accounting, students talk about LIFO and FIFO; these are two examples of shortcuts called that many in the field take to talk in code.

53. Men and women differ in their communication styles. When using analogies in their discussion, men reference                                                                                   and women reference              

                                 .

54. To resolve the issue of biased language, instead of calling an individual a businessman, you should call that individual a                                                                                       .

55. The behavior where we are not really listening but preparing our response is called     .

56. Giving full attention to what other people say, taking time to understand the points made, asking questions as needed, and not interrupting at inappropriate times is called                        .

57.                                                                               put an end to effective communication by making the receiver feel judged or defensive and include criticizing, blaming, ordering or judging.

58. The three types of communication are:                                                 ,                                          , and

59. Discussions that are high stakes and where opinions vary and emotions run strong are                                                                         .

60. A message that can be read at any time is                                           unlike a conversation, which is carried on in real time.

61.         communication does a better job of conveying feelings while

                                          communication does a better job of conveying facts.

62. Nonverbal cues including the tone, pace, and volume of speech is called

                                      .

63.                                is a term coined by Edward T. Hall to denote the different kinds of distance that occur between people.

64. The distance between two people, like a mother and child, usually in the zero to eighteen inch range is called the                                                                               distance.

65.                                                                            communication channels convey more nonverbal information and tend to be used by effective managers.

66.                             communication is best utilized when you need feedback and there is time urgency.

67.                                   communication is best utilized when ideas are complicated or you are conveying facts.

68.                                     are symbols that offer clues to the emotional side of words used in e-mail messages.

69.                                                 professionals create external communication about a client’s products, services, or practices for specific receivers.

70. High                               cultures place a high value on establishing relationships prior to working with others while low      cultures “get down to business.”

SHORT ANSWERS

71. Briefly discuss the elements in the communication process.

72. Name the three functions which communication fulfills and provide an example of each.

73. Name, describe and provide an example of two barriers to effective communication.

74. Give two examples of biased language and indicate why they would be considered biased.

75. Give an example of a communication freezer and indicate why it ends effective communication.

76. Why is storytelling an important verbal communication skill?

77. Define a crucial conversation and give an example of it.

78. Compare and contrast the uses for written and oral communication.

79. Define and provide an example of paralanguage.

80. Define and provide an example of body language.

81. Define proxemics and provide an example of it.

82. Define an “information-rich” communication channel and provide an example of such a channel that is high in information richness.

83. Provide two instances when written communication should be utilized and two when the choice should be oral communication.

84. Briefly discuss the different directions information can flow in an organization.

85. Provide two examples of external communications.

ESSAY

86. Using the process model of communications as a focal point, discuss how a manager might prepare for his first meeting as the new head of a marketing department.

87. Maynard is the production department supervisor in a manufacturing firm. Recently rumors have been spreading through the department grapevine regarding a possible company-wide downsizing that will lay off approximately 20% of the employees. If you were Maynard, how would you handle this situation?

88. Maria is the first female manager of the Finance Department at Xylox Corporation. She is contemplating her opportunities and threats as they are presented her over the next few months and realizes that communication between herself and her subordinates will be vital to success. Maria has six subordinates, all of them male. What are some of the key gender-based communication differences she should be attuned to as she begins her interactions with her employees?

89. Sergei has a career coach. The coach has just finished two extensive assessment sessions with Sergei and is now reporting to him on his results. The career coach tells Sergei that he has poor listening skills and must address them immediately before focusing on any other weaknesses. If you were the career

coach, what tips might you give to him to begin an improvement plan focused on enhancing listening skills?

90. Networking is a very vital part of a student’s job search process. One key element in networking is the ability to carry on conversations. Like listening, conversation making is a skill that can be learned. What are some recommendations for being a better conversationalist?

91. You have been asked to teach a business communication lesson on business e- mails. What are some important topics and tips you might want to include in that lesson?

92. Your company has just been received a phone call from the local news station requesting a response to a claim made on the air by a viewer. The viewer accuses your store of selling a toy she purchased that has made her child sick. The customer alleges that the paint used on the toy contains lead. Further, she has stated, on the air, that your firm was aware of the problem but because the toy is so popular and made exclusively for your store, you were unwilling to pull the item from the store shelves, choosing instead to make the profit on the toy. What will you do?

93. You are part of a group in a business communication class. You have a project due next week where you are to discuss nonverbal communication cues that differ depending on the country or culture. What will your segment of the project look like?

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