Deck 11: Communication in Organizations

Question 1

Jim needs to formally communicate with someone outside the organization.The most appropriate form of communication would be a

A)memo.
B)letter.
C)manual.
D)form.
E)report.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

According to your text, the secondary purpose of organizational communication is to

A)define problems.
B)make decisions.
C)share information.
D)achieve coordinated action.
E)None of these are correct.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

International communication problems include all of the following sources except

A)colors.
B)body language.
C)new forms of communication technology.
D)exchange rates.
E)language.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

is the process by which the receiver of the message interprets its meaning.

A)Communication
B)Language
C)Feedback
D)Encoding
E)Decoding

Question 5

What is the most common form of written communication in organizations?

A)E-mail
B)Speeches
C)Letters
D)Reports
E)Forms

Question 6

All of the following are forms of nonverbal communication except

A)a handshake.
B)speaking English.
C)smiling.
D)plush carpeting.
E)a gesture.

Question 7

The feedback phase of the communication process is initiated when

A)the receiver decodes the message.
B)the source encodes the message.
C)the receiver understands the message.
D)the initial source translates the message.
E)the receiver responds to the message.

Question 8

Communication in organizations includes all of the following purposes except

A)expressing feelings and emotions.
B)assisting decision making.
C)information sharing.
D)coordinating.
E)allocating rewards.

Question 9

All of the following are true about the social process of communication except

A)it requires face-to-face interaction.
B)it allows information exchange.
C)it is not an instantaneous event.
D)it involves two or more people.
E)it takes place over time.

Question 10

What is the most expressive component of the face?

A)The eyes
B)The eyebrows
C)The mouth
D)The ears
E)The forehead

Question 11

All of the following are examples of "body language" except

A)smiling.
B)frowning.
C)shouting.
D)making eye contact.
E)sitting back with arms folded.

Question 12

is any disturbance in the communication process that interferes with or distorts communication.

A)Feedback
B)Decoding
C)Noise
D)Transmission
E)None of these

Question 13

The face-to-face medium generally has more carrying capacity than the written letter because

A)the source has more information to decode.
B)the receiver can decide whether to encode the message.
C)good listening is key for proper reception of a message.
D)the source may intentionally filter information.
E)it allows the transmission of more than just words.

Question 14

All of the following are examples of oral communication in organizations except

A)A telephone call.
B)Reading a manual out loud to coworkers.
C)Discussing a task.
D)Thinking about a previous conversation with a colleague.
E)Speaking loudly.

Question 15

communication takes place informally, during task activities, and throughout meetings.

A)Group
B)Oral
C)Environmental
D)Secondary
E)Primary

Question 16

International communication is closely related to issues of coordination.One key coordination factor is

A)time differences across the two countries.
B)informal lines of communication.
C)organizational standards.
D)the source credibility.
E)the intentions of the receiver.

Question 17

Communication is defined as

A)a technical process that involves the transmission of data.
B)a social process that involves information exchange.
C)one person talking to another.
D)organizational memos.
E)gathering meaning to gain a strategic advantage.

Question 18

Which of the following is not true about feedback?

A)Feedback can be simple or complex.
B)Feedback can be written or oral, but not nonverbal.
C)Feedback verifies whether the message was received.
D)Feedback is initiated by the receiver.
E)Feedback verifies whether the message was understood.

Question 19

Which of the following is not necessarily true of the receiver?

A)The receiver is the target of the source.
B)The receiver interprets the message.
C)The receiver cannot choose the symbols or medium of the message.
D)The receiver may be an individual or the representative of a group or organization.
E)The receiver desires to understand the message as the sender intends it.

Question 20

Eye contact is a form of

A)communication medium.
B)physical communication.
C)personal communication.
D)nonverbal communication.
E)visual communication.

Question 21

Communication can be compared to the nervous system in the human body.

Question 22

For effective communication to take place when a manager attempts to give directions to an employee regarding an assignment, both parties must

A)decode the manager's message.
B)eliminate nonverbal cues.
C)instantaneously exchange information.
D)communicate face-to-face.
E)attach the same meaning to the symbols used in the message.

Question 23

Communication that is generally provides directions.

A)quick
B)horizontal
C)slow
D)upward
E)downward

Question 24

Fidelity can be diminished at which point in the communication process?

A)The source
B)Feedback
C)The receiver
D)The transmission
E)At any point in the communication process.

Question 25

The real increases in organizational productivity due to information technology come from

A)the increased speed of message transfer.
B)the increased volume of messages.
C)the heightened awareness of cultural diversity.
D)the ability to communicate in new and different ways.
E)the reduction in paperwork.

Question 26

The degree of correspondence between the intended message from the source and the message as translated by the receiver is called

A)static.
B)distortion.
C)filtering.
D)communication breakdown.
E)communication fidelity.

Question 27

The rumor grapevine can be characterized as which of the following?

A)Source
B)Receiver
C)Transmission
D)Feedback
E)Noise

Question 28

Which network allows each person to communicate with the people on both sides but not with anyone else?

A)Wheel
B)Star
C)All-channel
D)Chain
E)Circle

Question 29

The use of jargon

A)is sometimes intentional to obscure meaning or to show outsiders that the source belongs to the group that uses the language.
B)makes communication within a close collegial group less efficient.
C)slows down communication when noise is also present.
D)speeds up communication between two groups of people with semantic differences.
E)makes communication with people outside the group more efficient.

Question 30

Information overload can be reduced by

A)telecommuting.
B)sending fewer e-mail messages.
C)using the all-channel communication network.
D)providing less feedback.
E)balancing information load and information-processing capabilities.

Question 31

Filtering may be more likely to occur in which of the following forms of communication?

A)E-mail
B)Face-to-face conversations
C)Formal letters
D)All-channel networks
E)Downward communication

Question 32

Which of the following is not a receiver-based barrier to communication?

A)The receiver records the message for further review.
B)The receiver may discount an entire message on the basis of perception of the speaker's credibility.
C)The receiver may be experiencing overload.
D)The receiver's translation of the symbol differs from the initial source translation.
E)The receiver bases his attention level on his values.

Question 33

Steve is trying to understand the concern of an angry customer, but the customer is so irate Steve is having a difficult time.The customer's emotion is an example of

A)static.
B)feedback.
C)miscommunication.
D)noise.
E)channel deficiency.

Question 34

Which of the following is not a factor that influences the spontaneous development of small-group communication networks?

A)Task
B)Work environment
C)Group size
D)HR Policies
E)Member expertise

Question 35

A gatekeeper has a strategic position in the network that allows him or her to

A)generate more information.
B)control the flow of information.
C)select the medium senders and receivers will use.
D)eliminate channel noise.
E)reduce the number of liaisons and cosmopolites.

Question 36

Which type of network has each person communicating with only one other person, except for one person who communicates with everyone?

A)Star
B)Circle
C)Chain
D)Wheel
E)All-channel

Question 37

A(n) is a person who links the organization to the external environment, having frequent contact with sources outside the organization.

A)isolate
B)cosmopolite
C)gatekeeper
D)liaison
E)bridge

Question 38

Group effectiveness, as a result of the communication network, can be influenced by each of the following except

A)efforts to manage the flow of information.
B)the degree of verbal versus nonverbal communication.
C)the arrangement of offices and workspaces.
D)the attempt to involve members who typically contribute little during discussions.
E)efforts to manage the development of communication

Question 39

Upward communication usually provides feedback to

A)subordinates.
B)peers.
C)top managers.
D)customers.
E)entry-level and transfer employees.

Question 40

Telecommuting has increased due to

A)the high price of gasoline.
B)the shortage of office real estate.
C)the desire of employers to avoid paying benefits.
D)governmental legislation.
E)the increased availability of information technology.

Question 41

Radio static and television "ghosts" are good examples of feedback.

Question 42

The communication network in a small group is an important factor in determining the effectiveness of the group.

Question 43

It is important that a sender choose the medium that corresponds to the type of message he or she is sending.

Question 44

Formal communication is the timeliest, most effective form of communication.

Question 45

Written, oral, and nonverbal methods of communicating are often combined.

Question 46

The gatekeeper has a strategic position in the network that allows him or her to control information moving in either direction through a channel.

Question 47

The electronic "office of the future" links only the internal members of the organization.

Question 48

The liaison serves as a bridge between groups, tying groups together and facilitating the communication flow needed to integrate group activities.

Question 49

Organizational communication networks are almost always structurally the same as the reporting relationships of employees.

Question 50

Transmission is the process through which the symbols that represent the message are sent to the receiver.

Question 51

The cosmopolite links the organization to the external environment and may also be an opinion leader in the group.

Question 52

The isolated dyad tends to work alone and to interact and communicate little with others.

Question 53

The eyebrows are the most expressive component of the facial display.

Question 54

Each person in a circle network communicates with the people on both sides but not with anyone else.

Question 55

Encoding is the process by which the message is translated from an idea or thought into transmittable symbols.

Question 56

Buildings, office spaces, and furniture can convey messages.

Question 57

The most prevalent form of organizational communication is written communication.

Question 58

E-mail is probably the most common form of written communication in organizations.

Question 59

Fortunately for retailers, brand names translate across cultures without difficulty.

Question 60

The primary purpose of organizational communication is to share information with all the members of the organization.

Question 61

Communication fidelity is the degree of correspondence between the message intended by the source and the message understood by the receiver.

Question 62

The popular has all the characteristics of traditional verbal communication except that there is no feedback.

Question 63

Recent studies identified communication skills as the number-one criterion for hiring new college graduates.

Question 64

The study of meaning in language forms is called
"semantics."

Question 65

Communication is essential to the -
process.

Question 66

is the process by which the receiver of the message interprets its meaning.

Question 67

Poor encoding and decoding can be a result of channel
that interferes with the communication process.

Question 68

Communication range from interpersonal such as talking or touching, to mass media, such as newspapers, magazines, or television broadcasts.

Question 69

The communication process is a two-way process and takes place over rather than .

Question 70

An informal system of communication that coexists with the formal system is called the grapevine.

Question 71

A is a formal means of communicating with an individual, generally someone outside the organization.

Question 72

includes both actual movement and body positions during communication.

Question 73

The are the most expressive component of the face.

Question 74

is probably the most common form of written communication in organizations.

Question 75

The receiver responds with to the original source in order to verify receipt and understanding of the message.

Question 76

is the social process in which two or more parties exchange information and share meaning.

Question 77

Verification is the feedback portion of communication.

Question 78

The source encodes an idea or thought into and transmits it.

Question 79

convey status, power, and prestige and create an atmosphere for doing business.

Question 80

The second purpose of organizational communication is
sharing.