Deck 7: Communication Across the Organisation

Question 1

Why does a matrix organisation enable quicker and more efficient decision making?

A)It is simple to administer
B)It is functional and divisional with both vertical and horizontal command chains
C)Managers and staff have strong interpersonal and communication skills
D)It is a complex and formal structure

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Complexity in an organisational structure relates to

A)jobs and levels of differentiation
B)the range of tasks that have to be carried out
C)the level of sophistication of service and product delivered
D)the range and depth of tasks that have to be carried out

Answer 2

A

Question 3

'Organisational culture' is defined as

A)the values the organisation represents
B)the common understandings among members
C)the pattern of shared assumptions,beliefs and norms uniting members of an organisation
D)how members of an organisation should behave

Answer 3

C

Question 4

In which way is the culture of an organisation communicated and reinforced?

A)By unique terms and ways of using words
B)Through stories,material symbols,language and rituals
C)Through the history of the organisation
D)By attending the training classes of an organisation

Question 5

Lateral communication is more likely to occur

A)between friends and like-minded colleagues in an organisation
B)between competing individuals or divisions in an organisation
C)when the organisation is organic or when project teams are in operation
D)when either diagonal or downward communications are beginning to fail

Question 6

According to early organisational theorists,the purpose of communication was to

A)study how staff communicate in an organisation
B)take into account the human relations aspects in organisations
C)achieve work efficiency and production goals
D)study how people communicate across cultures

Question 7

What is the major challenge for management?

A)To find a balance between control,motivation,efficiency and effectiveness
B)To identify the various communication processes
C)To identify the needs of individuals and the organisation
D)To give appropriate feedback within an organisation

Question 8

A first-line supervisor might 'filter' or withhold unpleasant information from her manager.This is an example of

A)tact,diplomacy and picking the right moment
B)the misuse of an upward communication channel
C)managing upwards,managing your boss
D)challenging managerial authority

Question 9

An example of communication within an informal structure in an organisation is

A)formal documentation from senior staff
B)telephone conversations between managers when making a decision
C)telephone calls following-up a booking with a client
D)none of the above

Question 10

An organisation that has a low level of formalisation shows

A)a flat management structure and little formality during interactions
B)little control and independence for employees
C)small or no power available for employees
D)a low level of control by management

Question 11

What is the purpose of understanding an organisation's structure and communication flows?

A)To identify a number of features of an organisation
B)To decide what type of organisation is operating
C)To identify the ways people interact and communicate with one another
D)To understand the organisation's framework,its culture and cohesiveness

Question 12

To be effective in communicating within an organisation,one needs to

A)identify the divisions and departments in an organisation
B)identify the organisation's characteristics
C)identify the degree of formality or informality within the organisation
D)identify organisational,individual and cultural factors within the organisation

Question 13

Centralisation in organisations refers to

A)the appropriate balance between laissez faire and rigidity
B)the focusing of control;whether a flat or tall organisational structure exists
C)physical or virtual location
D)where the major decisions are made

Question 14

According to Drucker 1973 and others,the contemporary aim of communication is to

A)enhance the rapid development of information technology
B)increase knowledge acquisition,applications and services
C)change how people behave in the workplace
D)communicate more effectively with managers

Question 15

An organisation's structure has the most impact on

A)the nature of the organisation
B)the levels of complexity within an organisation
C)the way people interact and communicate with one another
D)the hierarchy and specialisation of functions

Question 16

What does it mean to have a functional structure?

A)When the organisation combines similarity of expertise,skills and work activity
B)When the organisation has a traditional hierarchical management system
C)When the organisation's departments are grouped into functional areas
D)None of them above

Question 17

A major impact on the effectiveness of communication in the workplace is determined by

A)the behaviour of senior staff and the way an organisation is structured
B)the type of background that employees have
C)the level of education achieved by management
D)the level of communication technologies deployed

Question 18

The nature of formal organisational communication is influenced by

A)the people,the processes and the approach to strategy
B)the levels of complexity,formalisation,centralisation and interactions among people,processes and approach to strategy
C)the organisation's charter,the Board and the circumstances at the time
D)structure,people,finances and the interplay between these aspects of the organisation's operations

Question 19

An organisation that has a high level of centralisation is likely to have evidence of

A)lots of emails,submissions and reports prepared for decision-makers
B)better control systems in place and more effective decision-making
C)better access to information,better focus,clearer surety of purpose and improved results
D)many filters through which information is communicated and poorer outcomes

Question 20

Within groups and departments in informal networks,gossip travels along

A)the single strand
B)the probability chain
C)the cluster chain
D)the grapevine

Question 21

According to Robbins at al 2008,the highest level of member satisfaction in small group networks is seen in the

A)wheel network
B)all-channel network
C)network
D)circle network

Question 22

'New Networks' refers to

A)the use and linkage of modern communication technologies such as the Internet,databases,Customer Relationship Management software and virtual as well as open meetings for stakeholders
B)free-form structures where there is freedom of interaction with relevant information,groups and individuals about current or emerging areas of common concern or opportunity
C)teams or groups of people affected by change where information is shared openly,where talk is open,where trust is built and where problems or issues are considered from company and user perspectives and specific outputs generated
D)autonomous work groups communicating clearly and directly with each other,dynamic rather than static entities,forming and re-forming,often with evolving membership structures in successive iterations

Question 23

What is the key to efficient decision making and performance in a matrix structure?

A)Dual authority and centralised approval
B)Managers and staff with strong interpersonal and communication skills
C)Cooperation and communication between functional and divisional managers
D)Capable administrators

Question 24

Which of the following is not a feature of a knowledge management structure?

A)Information is transferred between people faster than in a traditional structure
B)Decisions are usually decentralised
C)A flat,informal structure
D)Complexity

Question 25

How can communication be improved within and outside an organisation?

A)By shaping the organisation's operations,its performance,the behaviour of people and the flow of communication
B)By analysing an organisation's structure and flow of communication
C)By facilitating open and clear communication by all,across the organisation
D)By identifying organisational,individual and cultural factors

Question 26

Conflict can occur as a disadvantage of the informal structure when

A)there is no change in the informal structure over time
B)there is resistance to change
C)the goals of customers and staff are different
D)the goals of the informal network are different from those of the formal organisation

Question 27

Why is 'boundaryless organisation' long-lasting? It

A)comes from traditional structures responding to the demands of globalisation,strategic alliances,and technological and supply interdependence
B)redirects communication without feedback
C)eliminates the vertical boundaries exclusively
D)creates a flatter structure

Question 28

Social media is proving effective as a means of organisational communication because

A)it enables two-way communication between an organisation and its stakeholders
B)it can complement existing channels of communication
C)it fosters partnerships within and outside the organisation
D)all of the above

Question 29

Emotionally intelligent people working in business communication contexts understand that it is important to

A)balance subjectivity and intuition with objectivity and logic
B)be able to communicate with people who have both a left-brain and a right-brain orientation
C)know when to speak and when to remain silent
D)focus on productive,positive outcomes whilst developing shared vision and values

Question 30

The main disadvantage of a 'network structure' is

A)the lack of rigid tiers of management
B)the more ambitious staff demand a clear path
C)difficulty in promotion,staff turnover and lack of leadership or support
D)lack of face-to-face communication

Question 31

The behaviour required to achieve the organisation's goals is most likely to be established when

A)the points of view of employers and employees are similar
B)the employees persuade leaders and managers to appreciate their point of view
C)business organisations develop effective communication channels
D)the employer and employees work towards the same goals

Question 32

Which of the following is NOT an example of a way in which an organisation could improve its communication?

A)Change organisational structures to enhance communication
B)Acknowledge emotional intelligence
C)Promote communication skills
D)Encourage academic research in its field

Question 33

A workforce culture that appreciates routine and structure is best served by

A)an organic structure
B)a mechanistic structure
C)free-form structures
D)formal rules,policies,and job descriptions

Question 34

The effectiveness of a matrix structure depends on

A)its complexity and formalisation
B)its environment and communication climate
C)the dual authority in a matrix structure
D)the interpersonal competence of leaders,managers and staff

Question 35

A requirement for people who want to enhance their communication skills and build productivity in their organisations does NOT include

A)being an open communicator,having a collaborative style and encouraging participation
B)preparing to take responsibility and possessing a problem-solving orientation
C)being respectful to others and having a facilitative approach to problems and issues
D)participating in all social activities during off-duty hours

Question 36

What constitutes the informal organisational structure? The links

A)between individuals as a result of their patterns of behaviour
B)within official lines
C)between functional departments in most organisations
D)between staff and clients

Question 37

Which of the following is NOT a use of communication network analysis?

A)To unearth previously hidden network structures
B)To find links that don't appear on organisational charts
C)To locate the best way to communicate with those left out of the network
D)To determine whether expected communication channels are actually used

Question 38

Mapping and measuring flows between people and groups within an organisation is referred to as

A)knowledge management
B)social networking analysis
C)network analysis
D)none of the above

Question 39

A network that relies on a central figure who acts as a conduit for group communication is

A)a Y network
B)a circle network
C)a wheel network
D)an all-channel network

Question 40

According to Robbins et al 2008,culture is NOT created by

A)founders indoctrinating and socialising employees to their way of thinking and feeling
B)founders' own behaviour in acting as role models to encourage employees to identify with them
C)founders hiring and keeping employees who are more creative than they are
D)all of the above

Question 41

The most commonly used network in an organisation is the gossip chain.

Question 42

History forms images of an organisation that help to shape its culture.

Question 43

Decision making is usually highly centralised with decisions requiring the approval of senior management.

Question 44

Acknowledgement and feedback to individuals and groups on their achievements normally leads to decreased job satisfaction.

Question 45

An established culture is sustained exclusively through selection practices,the actions of top management and socialisation.

Question 46

The communication purpose in early organisational theories was knowledge-oriented whereas,in modern organisational theories,it is task-oriented.

Question 47

Decentralised communication will result in a reduction in initiative and lower productivity in the workplace.

Question 48

Organisational cultures are similar across different organisations.

Question 49

How people work and how organisations are valued in contemporary economies are often changed by the exercise of authority,coordination and control in an organisation.

Question 50

In a simple structure,there are more decision-makers to negotiate with than in a complex one.

Question 51

The grapevine is an important part of any group or organisation's communication network and well worth understanding.

Question 52

While all organisations have a formal and an informal structure,the informal structure is developed to provide official links between people in the organisation.

Question 53

Culture cannot be passed on and learnt.

Question 54

Horizontal communication channels are often created to short-circuit the hierarchy imposed by vertical channels.

Question 55

The more complex the organisation,the more complex the communication within it,and the greater the opportunity for communication barriers to develop.

Question 56

Whatever form it takes,the informal communication contact between employees in an organisation is not as important as the formal links.

Question 57

There is insufficient evidence to show that the way a business functions can have a major impact on how communication takes place and on its effectiveness.

Question 58

An organisation can change its culture by developing and communicating new stories.

Question 59

In a bureaucratic structure the organisation is simple with not many different levels of management.

Question 60

The way of passing information randomly,with one person telling another person,who then tells one or two others,is known as the Gossip Chain.

Question 61

Social media is useful to replace some existing channels of communication in modern organisations.

Question 62

Discuss the impact of social media on organisational communication.In what ways is the use of social media effective,and what kinds of organisational networks would be facilitated through social media?

Question 63

In 'networks',the communication structure depends on the technology used to communicate to people.

Question 64

Decisions are usually centralised in a knowledge-management structure.

Question 65

If you were a newly appointed manager in an organisation,describe some of the steps you would take to assess organisational culture in your workplace.What type of networks would you encourage to facilitate effective communication,and why?

Question 66

Briefly describe the various types of communication channels that are used in organisations.What value is there for a manager who understands communication channels? Give some examples to illustrate your response to this question.

Question 67

Matrix structures and the organisation's culture should enable managers and teams to collaborate.

Question 68

The matrix structure and reporting lines are designed to focus on the status of staff.

Question 69

What is organisational culture? How does it develop in an organisation? What is the role of organisational culture in improving communication? Explain your ideas with examples.

Question 70

In knowledge-management structures,low formalisation gives knowledge workers a low degree of autonomy,discretion and control over their work.

Question 71

While the direction of communication within an organisation affects the format and effectiveness of that communication,we must also consider the impact of the communication networks that are established.

Question 72

How many organisational structures are there and how are they different? What are the impacts of different structures on organisational and interpersonal interactions? Give two examples.

Question 73

What are the advantages and disadvantages of the informal organisational structure?

Question 74

Knowledge management organisational structures comprise knowledge leaders.

Question 75

Discuss the statement 'The grapevine ought to be banned.It creates nothing but mischief!'

Question 76

What are some common patterns of interaction in small group networks? Provide examples.

Question 77

The informal organisation is avoidable.To deal with it,management should recognise its avoidability and influence its direction.

Question 78

Autonomous work groups encourage communication and interaction because an individual or group is given almost total freedom to complete the task.