Deck 12: Communication in Organizations

Question 1

If you have a short,routine message to communicate,written communication is usually the best form.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

In general,the type of organizational communication that is most likely to be distorted is upward communication.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

Complete information means that the information must provide a valid and reliable reflection of reality.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

A customer billing system that keeps accounts up-to-date and generates bills to be mailed at the end of the month would be classified as a DSS.

Question 5

Office application software is part of a TPS.

Question 6

A promotion should be communicated in person with the details in writing so the promoted person can refer back to it after the excitement wears off.

Question 7

Formal information systems and personal information technology are components of an organization's information technology.

Question 8

Sandra's boss changes his mind a lot.He approves things and then disapproves when she follows through on them.The best way for Sandra to communicate with him is e-mail,so she has a record of his decisions.

Question 9

For information to be considered relevant it must include all the pertinent facts about a situation.

Question 10

Managers often complain about information overload.They are receiving information that is not relevant.

Question 11

Timely information means it is current for that day.

Question 12

Oral communication is easy,and it can be done with little preparation.

Question 13

Information is raw figures and facts reflecting a single aspect of reality.

Question 14

A best-selling author gave a speech and signed books.The speech was not good.Sometimes choosing the right form of communication depends on the person's abilities just as much as the situation.

Question 15

Colin Powell says "never believe the first report." In other words,information that is fast is not always accurate.

Question 16

When a manager's iPhone loses power,and all she can see is a blank screen,she is experiencing noise.

Question 17

A company newsletter is lateral communication.

Question 18

Managers around the world agree that communication is one of their most important tasks.

Question 19

A communication web is the pattern through which the members of a group or team communicate.

Question 20

Colleen files her tax return on April 14th.The information is timely.

Question 21

Whenever one of Richard's workers does a good job,Richard gives him a "thumbs up." This is an example of nonverbal communication.

Question 22

Using good listening skills makes the other person feel important and valued.

Question 23

Information that is complete

A)must be available at the appropriate time.
B)must present all pertinent facts.
C)must accurately reflect the real world.
D)must have bearing on the problem at hand.
E)All of these.

Question 24

What is the difference between "communication" and "effective communication"?

A)Transmission channel used
B)Level of information
C)Consistency of meaning
D)Information technology involved
E)Number of people involved

Question 25

The resources used by an organization to manage information are called Information Managers.

Question 26

Politicians sometimes "float an idea" to the press anonymously to get feedback before they formally announce an initiative.The politicians are using the grapevine effectively.

Question 27

Management by wandering around is a system for increasing upward communication in an organization.

Question 28

You have a job interview in which you and the interviewer sit in two armchairs with nothing between you.The room is bright and tastefully decorated.These characteristics are all part of the form of nonverbal communication called image.

Question 29

The most important technique for improving communication is to be a good listener.

Question 30

Which of the following is a method of encoding messages?

A)Words
B)Facial expressions
C)Gestures
D)Physical actions
E)All of these.

Question 31

An upper-level executive at Gucci has just received a monthly sales report.The two-page analysis indicates which urban area successfully implemented a new policy.It will be useful to show to marketing.This document is an example of

A)data that marketers need to understand.
B)information because it has been analyzed.
C)how managers pretend that information is relevant when it isn't.
D)data that are not in a format that would be useful for carrying out the company's business.
E)resources used to convert data into information.

Question 32

Renu has the customer satisfaction statistics.Renu has

A)data that requires analyzing and organizing before they will be of value.
B)information that can be used as a basis for future actions on her part.
C)information that requires analyzing and organizing before it will be of value.
D)data that can be used as a basis for actions on her part without any further manipulation.
E)either data or information¾they mean the same thing.

Question 33

Rising Star gymnastics has a team handbook that lays out the policy on using social media."Use of social media,such as Facebook,Twitter,etc,to defame Rising Star,its Coaches,or other gymnasts will not be tolerated." The handbook policy information is not

A)accurate.
B)timely.
C)complete.
D)relevant.
E)all of these.

Question 34

An ESS differs from a MIS because an ESS operates with higher-level data and serves higher-level managers than does a MIS.

Question 35

Twanya is the school counselor responsible for scheduling.In looking at the data she notes student evaluations were periodically low for a professor.Upon further research she notes the evaluations were lowest for all Money and Banking classes¾considered to be difficult no matter who taught the class.Her initial information was

A)incomplete.
B)inaccurate.
C)relevant.
D)important.
E)untimely.

Question 36

Expert systems supply everyday users with "instant expertise."

Question 37

Effective communication would be most important for

A)a pilot transferring control of the aircraft.
B)someone commenting about the weather.
C)an after-dinner speaker at a Rotary Club meeting.
D)a political speech.
E)a CEO's letter in the monthly newsletter.

Question 38

Information that provides a reliable and valid reflection of the real world is said to be

A)accurate.
B)complete.
C)differentiated.
D)systematic.
E)dependable.

Question 39

The water cooler is the term used for the informal communication network that exists in all organizations.

Question 40

The EPA was considering two different sticker designs for auto fuel-economy.One design included a letter grade A+ to D,but it was argued that the letter grade fell short because it is imbued with memories people have of school.Others argued that it was simple and easy to understand.The argument comes down to how to get consumers information that is

A)accurate.
B)timely.
C)complete.
D)relevant.
E)all of these.

Question 41

Which of the following factors influences the encoding process?

A)The content of the message
B)The familiarity of the sender and receiver
C)The sender's personal distractions
D)The message composition or makeup
E)All of these.

Question 42

Which of the following is a medium for transmitting a message within an organization?

A)A memo
B)A report
C)Meetings
D)E-mail messages
E)All of these.

Question 43

Managers who announce they have an "open door" policy and actually want people to use it are encouraging

A)written communication.
B)upward communication.
C)horizontal communication.
D)whistle-blowing.
E)the creation of the grapevine.

Question 44

A company blog at Wegmans gathers information from a group of people on a topic.For example,everyone who interviewed a prospective job candidate could post their assessment on a blog and comment on each other's observations.This is an example of a(n)____ communication network.

A)all channel
B)chain
C)wheel
D)Y
E)circle

Question 45

Which of the following is typical content of upward communication in organizations?

A)A request
B)Information
C)A suggestion
D)A complaint
E)All of these.

Question 46

Oral communication is usually better than written communication when the message is

A)impersonal,routine,and longer.
B)personal,routine,and longer.
C)impersonal,routine,and shorter.
D)personal,nonroutine,and shorter.
E)None of these.

Question 47

KFC used Facebook,Twitter,and the KFC website to introduce 18-25 year olds to Colonel Sanders,the founder of KFC.KFC used a(n)____.

A)social media system
B)MIS
C)DSS
D)expert system
E)ESS

Question 48

When the United States experienced the largest blackout in U.S.history,initial TV and radio reports blamed a fire in a Con Edison building in New York City.They turned out to be wrong.This illustrates which disadvantage of oral communication?

A)It can be quite inaccurate.
B)It often creates a need for feedback.
C)It is more time-consuming than written communication.
D)Managers are uncomfortable using oral communication.
E)None of these.

Question 49

Management by wandering around increases ____ communications within an organization.

A)written
B)vertical
C)horizontal
D)whistle-blowing
E)the use of the grapevine

Question 50

Which of the following would be likely to include all forms of organizational communication?

A)Peers coordinating the details of a project
B)A suggestion box
C)A memo from the president of the company
D)A daily staff meeting
E)An absenteeism report submitted by the clerk who keeps employee records

Question 51

Manish is planning a party.He invites eleven people.What type of network would be most effective?

A)Chain
B)Y
C)Circle
D)All channel
E)Wheel

Question 52

Ashley was interviewing for a job opening when her interviewer was interrupted by her assistant with an urgent phone message.This is an example of

A)miscommunication.
B)semantics.
C)decoding.
D)noise.
E)None of these.

Question 53

The best form of interpersonal communication to use when you have a personal or nonroutine message to communicate is

A)horizontal.
B)oral.
C)downward.
D)written.
E)upward.

Question 54

When the group's task is ____,____ networks tend to perform better.

A)routine; decentralized
B)nonroutine; decentralized
C)routine; centralized
D)nonroutine; centralized
E)None of these.

Question 55

When the group's task is ____,____ networks tend to perform with greater efficiency.

A)simple; centralized
B)simple; decentralized
C)complex; decentralized
D)complex; centralized
E)None of these.

Question 56

Which of the following is NOT an advantage of oral communication?

A)It is accurate.
B)It is easy to use.
C)It facilitates feedback.
D)It is comfortable for managers.
E)All of these are advantages.

Question 57

Vikranta is reading a policy letter about absences.In terms of the communication process,this is an example of

A)noise.
B)decoding.
C)information overload.
D)channel selection.
E)encoding.

Question 58

According to the text,if you have a personal,nonroutine,or brief message to convey,the best form of interpersonal communication is probably

A)oral.
B)written.
C)lateral.
D)informal.
E)downward.

Question 59

When Esposito compiles the company newsletter,he is preparing

A)vertical communication.
B)upward communication.
C)diagonal communication.
D)horizontal communication.
E)informal communication.

Question 60

Which of the following would NOT be considered noise in the communication process?

A)Sender and receiver with different cultural backgrounds
B)Sender and receiver asking questions
C)A telephone call in the middle of a job interview
D)Receiver is going through a divorce
E)The room is so cold the sender is clutching his fists

Question 61

A marketer for a motion picture company is determining when to release a movie to gain maximum exposure and viewers.The marketer needs to use a(n)____ system.

A)transaction-processing
B)decision support
C)executive support
D)management information
E)expert

Question 62

The EPA was considering two different sticker designs for auto fuel-economy.One design included a letter grade A+ to D,but it was argued that the letter grade fell short because it is imbued with memories people have of school.Others argued that it was simple and easy to understand.They have the organizational barrier

A)semantics.
B)information overload.
C)status difference.
D)different perceptions.
E)conflicting signals.

Question 63

When the various business units of the organization compile information about themselves and make this information available to the other business units of the organization,this system is called a(n)

A)Internet.
B)expert system.
C)EIS.
D)TPS.
E)intranet.

Question 64

Twitter is an example of a(n)

A)TPS
B)MIS
C)DSS
D)expert system
E)ESS

Question 65

Telecommunication allows managers to send messages through

A)electronic mail systems.
B)twitter.
C)voice messaging.
D)smart phones.
E)All of these.

Question 66

Eufronio is an executive.Each morning he gets a copy of all the major newspaper articles about his company and its competitors.The type of system he is using is a(n)

A)expert system.
B)intranet.
C)TPS.
D)MIS.
E)ESS.

Question 67

Which barrier to communication exists when the sender is NOT considered a reliable source of information?

A)Overload
B)Semantics
C)Prejudice
D)Credibility
E)Poor listening habits

Question 68

Businesses are using social media in new ways to communicate.Delta passengers can buy tickets on Delta's Facebook page.This is a change in ____ systems.

A)transaction-processing
B)management information
C)expert
D)decision support
E)integrated

Question 69

Which of the following is NOT considered to be a form of personal electronic technology?

A)DSS
B)Laptop computer
C)Smart phone
D)iPad
E)iTouch.

Question 70

David tells a story to Patty.Patty immediately tells a story about herself without reacting to David's story.David believes Patty didn't hear him because she was preparing what she was going to say.This is an example of

A)poor listening skills.
B)predispositions about the topic under discussion.
C)credibility about the topic of discussion.
D)noise.
E)conflicting cues.

Question 71

Which of the following statements about the grapevine is FALSE?

A)It can be used to transmit information quickly.
B)It builds a sense of togetherness.
C)It is a useful way to transmit confidential information.
D)It may extend beyond the organizational boundaries.
E)It is often used as a way to get power.

Question 72

Boeing's information system shares quality control information with its suppliers.This is an example of a(n)

A)intranet.
B)extranet.
C)Internet.
D)videoconference.
E)telecommute.

Question 73

Which of the following includes nonverbal communication?

A)An e-mail message
B)A Skype video conference
C)A legal contract
D)iTouch
E)cell phone conversation

Question 74

A school board hired a new principal without consulting any educators.The candidate used a lot of jargon to sound impressive,but in reality he did not know much about running a school.The school board had the organizational barrier

A)perception.
B)poor listening skills.
C)status or power differences.
D)information overload.
E)language differences.

Question 75

Michelle was an advocate for health care reform.No matter how many statistics show the cost of health care increasing after reform,she refuses to believe them She has the individual barrier

A)inconsistent signals.
B)credibility.
C)predispositions.
D)poor listening skills.
E)reluctance to communicate.

Question 76

Stewart weighs 350 pounds.When he meets with people he prefers to sit at a table.This is an example of

A)body language.
B)inflection and tone.
C)facial expression.
D)images.
E)setting.

Question 77

In comparison to verbal communication,nonverbal communication

A)conveys more of the content of the message.
B)conveys message content in a symbolic way.
C)conveys message content indirectly.
D)All of these.
E)Only "conveys more of the content of the message" and "conveys message content in a symbolic way."

Question 78

Which of the following shows the correct order,from the simplest,most basic data,to the most sophisticated and highly aggregated data?

A)TPS,MIS,DSS,ESS
B)DSS,TPS,ESS,MIS
C)DSS,TPS,MIS,ESS
D)TPS,DSS,ESS,MIS
E)None of these.

Question 79

Undercover Boss is a reality show in which CEOs perform entry level jobs incognito in their own companies.This allows the CEOs to eliminate the organizational barrier

A)perception.
B)poor listening skills.
C)status or power differences.
D)information overload.
E)language differences

Question 80

Which of the following is an example of management by wandering around?

A)Paul walks to the mail room twice each day,stopping along the way to chat with his friends.
B)Undercover Boss is a reality show in which CEOs perform entry level jobs incognito in their own companies.
C)Mary asks her employees to attend a weekly lunch meeting,with time for informal discussion.
D)Hans briefly shakes the hand of each employee when he visits a factory.
E)All of these.