Deck 17: Managing Interpersonal Relations and Communication

Question 1

Good interpersonal relations throughout an organization can be a source of synergy.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Oral communication is usually best when the message is more impersonal,routine,and longer.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

A form of noise might be difficulties in understanding messages due to language barriers.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Top executives are only true leaders if they handle communication effectively.

Question 5

Horizontal communication is particularly critical to the coordination of the efforts of interdependent units.

Question 6

The difference between communication and effective communication is mutual understanding.

Question 7

When the task is complex and nonroutine,such as making a major decision about organizational strategy,a wheel network tends to be most effective.

Question 8

The form of organizational communication most often distorted is horizontal communication.

Question 9

Communication always involves two or more people.

Question 10

Give-and-take communication with active feedback is likely to be more effective than one-way communication.

Question 11

Accuracy is the primary advantage of oral communication.

Question 12

Blogs can function much like face-to-face grapevines to communicate information that's suppressed elsewhere.

Question 13

Most executives prefer oral communication.

Question 14

Some organizations do not have a grapevine.

Question 15

Interpersonal relations,communication,and group processes are a pervasive part of all organizations and a vital part of all managerial activities.

Question 16

Managers should do whatever it takes to eliminate the informal communication system in the organization.

Question 17

The nature of interpersonal relations in an organization is as varied as the individual members themselves.

Question 18

The Y is the most centralized network because one person receives and disseminates all information.

Question 19

If managers want to use the most accurate form of communication,they should use the grapevine.

Question 20

Poor-quality interpersonal relations can be an important negative element in the workplace.

Question 21

Effective communication would be most important for

A) a pilot transferring control of the aircraft.
B) someone complaining about the weather.
C) an after-dinner speaker at a Lions Club meeting.
D) a campaign speech.
E) a company newsletter.

Question 22

Which of the following statements about communication and the manager's job is TRUE?

A) Communication is a part of almost all managerial activities.
B) The planning function requires little communication.
C) Communication is the only thing that holds an organization together.
D) Thanks to electronics,the role of communication is less important now than it was ten years ago.
E) Communication is so complex that managers need not try to understand the process.

Question 23

The distance the interviewer stands from the job applicant is an example of body language.

Question 24

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

Question 25

Credibility problems caused by withholding information and making bad decisions can be barriers to communication.

Question 26

Effective communication is determined by

A) the sender.
B) the receiver.
C) mutual understanding.
D) how the decoding process occurs.
E) how the encoding process occurs.

Question 27

People who support one another and who work well together can accomplish much more than people who do not do these things.These strong relationships produce

A) synergy.
B) entropy.
C) subsystem failure.
D) open systems reactivity.
E) closed systems thinking.

Question 28

Bill and Dave are working on a problem,but they are having trouble getting through to each other because one of them thinks the problem is a promotional problem and the other thinks it is a distribution problem.The barrier causing this ineffective communication is different perceptions.

Question 29

Research indicates that managers spend most of their time

A) sending e-mail.
B) reading e-mail.
C) on the computer.
D) interacting with others.
E) giving speeches.

Question 30

Body language accounts for about 25 percent of the content of the message.

Question 31

Nonverbal communication is a powerful but little-understood form of communication in organizations.

Question 32

One outcome of good interpersonal relations in organizations is

A) synergy.
B) entropy.
C) subsystem failure.
D) open-systems reactivity.
E) closed-systems thinking.

Question 33

According to the text,which of the following behaviors is NOT a type of interpersonal interaction occurring in organizations?

A) Professional
B) Personal
C) Positive
D) Predictive
E) Negative

Question 34

Which of the following is an example of communication?

A) Television
B) Gossiping
C) Someone crossing his legs
D) A frown
E) All of these choices

Question 35

The process of sending and receiving information from one person to another is called

A) talking.
B) encoding.
C) decoding.
D) networking.
E) communication.

Question 36

Being a good listener requires that the individual concentrate,be patient,ask questions,and not interrupt.

Question 37

When the message received has the same meaning as the message sent,the communication is said to be

A) simple.
B) nonverbal.
C) effective.
D) pervasive.
E) autonomous.

Question 38

People with referent power typically use image and body language well.

Question 39

Recent research has shown that the information carried in the organizational grapevine is fairly accurate.

Question 40

When two people attach different meanings to the same word,the resulting barrier to communication is called noise.

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 choices

Question 42

Interpersonal communication

A) can be written.
B) can be oral.
C) is affected by noise.
D) occurs between people.
E) All of these choices

Question 43

The first step in the communication process is

A) meaning.
B) encoding.
C) decoding.
D) transmission.
E) channel creation.

Question 44

Dana once had computer problems after downloading program updates.She is now reluctant to update software,so she misses pieces of information.This is causing

A) channel clatter.
B) interference.
C) noise.
D) static.
E) transmission difficulty.

Question 45

Mark asked Sandra,"Are you using your 529,401K,IRA,or savings to pay for that?" Sandra had a blank expression.In terms of the communication process,Sandra was unable to ____ the message because she did not understand the jargon Mark used.

A) transmit
B) encode
C) channel
D) decode
E) decipher

Question 46

Meaning,encoding,transmission,and decoding are the elements of

A) networking.
B) MIS.
C) communication.
D) panel discussions.
E) negotiation.

Question 47

Arthur works in customer service.He answered a call complaining about the item's size.He is sending a different size to the customer.This is an example of

A) the communication process.
B) ineffective communication.
C) noise.
D) miscommunication.
E) a semantics problem.

Question 48

After a message is transmitted,it must then be

A) decoded.
B) encoded.
C) channeled through an all-channel network.
D) sent to the proper recipient.
E) scrubbed for noise.

Question 49

Which of the following is not a channel of communication?

A) Language barrier
B) Letter
C) Facial expression
D) Job interview
E) Clothing

Question 50

____ is anything that interferes with the communication process.

A) Channel clatter
B) Interference
C) Noise
D) Static
E) Transmission difficulty

Question 51

To which of the following management functions does communicating directly relate?

A) Controlling
B) Planning
C) Leading
D) Organizing
E) All of these choices

Question 52

Mark asked Sandra,"Are you using your 529,401K,IRA,or savings to pay for that?" Sandra had a blank expression.In terms of the communication process,Mark's use of jargon was part of his

A) transcending.
B) encoding.
C) channeling.
D) decoding.
E) deciphering.

Question 53

The second step in the communication process is

A) decoding.
B) encoding.
C) channeling through an all-channel network.
D) sending to the proper recipient.
E) scrubbing for noise.

Question 54

Pam said to her teenage daughter,Kennedy,"I knew you could do it." Pam thought she was expressing,'I believe in you and want to support you in your effort.' Kennedy heard,'I know all about you and have you figured out.You can't surprise me.' This is an example of

A) noise.
B) effective communication.
C) ineffective communication.
D) semantics.
E) encoding.

Question 55

Poor cell phone service is an example of

A) overload.
B) miscommunication.
C) noise.
D) a semantic problem.
E) three-way communication.

Question 56

The person who transmits the message is the

A) receiver.
B) sender.
C) messenger.
D) translator.
E) boss.

Question 57

Which of the following is NOT necessary for communication to take place?

A) At least two people
B) A relatively short amount of time for each element
C) Someone with information to be passed on
D) An attempt to transmit information
E) A fact,idea,or some other kind of message

Question 58

The order of the communication process is

A) meaning,encoding,transmission,decoding,feedback.
B) meaning,noise,transmission,decoding,feedback.
C) idea,encoding,transmission,decoding,feedback.
D) meaning,decoding,transmission,encoding,feedback.
E) idea,decoding,transmission,encoding,feedback.

Question 59

Written pages,face-to-face discussion,and airwaves are examples of

A) decoding devices.
B) communication channels.
C) receiver attributes.
D) communication attributes.
E) encoding.

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 under personal stress
E) A new,inexperienced employee having to make a presentation to a group of top managers

Question 61

Laila was translating for a speaker.He said,"Life begins when you are very small." Laila accidentally translated,"Life begins when you are a sperm." This illustrates which disadvantage of oral communication?

A) It can be inaccurate.
B) It often creates a need for feedback.
C) It is more time-consuming than written communication.
D) There is no permanent record.
E) Noise

Question 62

The best time to use oral communication is when you have to exchange

A) a monthly report on company absenteeism.
B) a nonpersonal message.
C) a lengthy welcoming message to a new salesperson.
D) a brief,time-sensitive,personal message.
E) detailed information about an upcoming negotiation.

Question 63

When Esposito compiles the company newsletter,he is preparing ____ communication.

A) horizontal
B) transactional
C) informal
D) transformational
E) vertical

Question 64

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

Question 65

Which of the following is an example of vertical communication?

A) Performance evaluation interview
B) Company newsletter
C) Sales manager conducting a sales meeting
D) Employee calling in sick to his or her supervisor
E) All of these choices

Question 66

The biggest single drawback of written communication is

A) its slow feedback and interchange.
B) its lack of clarity.
C) the formal implications it carries.
D) the lack of time for preparation.
E) its lack of accuracy.

Question 67

Employees of CNN saw military boats around D.C.and people said they heard gunfire.CNN reported military action;however,there was no gunfire and the Coast Guard merely was training.The next day,newspapers reported the miscommunication and helped clarify the confusion.This illustrates which advantage of written communication?

A) Its slow feedback and interchange
B) Its lack of clarity
C) Its formal implications
D) Its time for preparation
E) Its accuracy

Question 68

Which of the following statements about written communication is FALSE?

A) Written communication improves accuracy.
B) Written communication hinders feedback.
C) Written communication is more time-consuming than oral communication.
D) Most managers prefer written communication to oral communication.
E) Written communication is often quite accurate and provides a permanent record of the exchange.

Question 69

Which of the following is a type of organizational communication?

A) Downward communication
B) Upward communication
C) Horizontal communication
D) Electronic communication
E) All of these choices

Question 70

The unity of command principle is best illustrated by the ____ communication network.

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

Question 71

Which of the following is an example of downward communication?

A) Employee suggestion box
B) Expense account filed by a sales representative with her supervisor
C) Standard operating procedure
D) Letter to the editor in the company newsletter
E) Absenteeism report from the clerk who keeps employee records

Question 72

Management by wandering around increases ____ communications within an organization.

A) vertical
B) transactional
C) downward
D) horizontal
E) informal

Question 73

Which of the following statements does NOT describe an advantage of oral communication?

A) It is easy to use.
B) It is accurate.
C) It facilitates feedback.
D) It is comfortable for managers.
E) It can be done with little preparation.

Question 74

Which of the following statements describes an advantage of oral communication?

A) Clarity
B) Accuracy
C) Avoids problems associated with noise
D) Ample time available to introduce new information
E) Promotes prompt feedback and interchange

Question 75

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

A) downward
B) transactional
C) upward
D) horizontal
E) informal

Question 76

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 77

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 78

Which of the following forms of organizational communication is most likely to be distorted?

A) Vertical
B) Upward
C) Downward
D) Horizontal
E) Written

Question 79

Seth installed suggestion boxes where employees can pass along their comments.He is encouraging

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

Question 80

The best time to use written communication is when you have to exchange

A) an extremely time-sensitive message.
B) an extraordinary message.
C) a personal message such as with a loved one.
D) important details.
E) information about a missed shipment from a supplier who does not usually make errors.