Question 1

Which of the following is not something a manager should do to communicate better across cultures?

Accepted Answer

A manager should not assume similarity until difference is proven as this can lead to misunderstandings and cultural stereotypes. It is important to acknowledge and understand cultural differences and not assume that everyone thinks and behaves the same way.

Question 2

Which of the following values is most likely to be important to low-context cultures?

Accepted Answer

Low-context cultures value directness in communication, meaning that messages are conveyed explicitly and clearly. This is because these cultures rely more heavily on verbal communication and explicit messages rather than implicit cues and nonverbal communication. Status, titles, trust, and space may also be important values in low-context cultures, but they are not as directly related to communication as directness.

Question 3

Information overload occurs when ________.

Accepted Answer

Information overload occurs when the amount of information being received exceeds the individual's capacity to process it, leading to difficulties in understanding, making decisions or taking action.

Question 4

Zeus Industries sells satellite television systems. Recently, the company invested heavily in one of the many new technologies available. Employees tell senior management that this investment was the right choice, but sales keep decreasing. Some sales employees have also given incorrect information to suppliers, even though the company has held numerous intensive training sessions to keep sales personnel apprised of changes in the industry. The company has also received low customer service ratings from recent consumer surveys. These surveys indicate that customers are frustrated with the specialized technical knowledge necessary to operate their satellite systems. The mistakes committed by the sales staff suggest that sales personnel are probably experiencing which of the following as a result of their intensive training?

Accepted Answer

The mistakes committed by the sales staff suggest that they are experiencing information overload as a result of intensive training, as they were unable to retain or apply the knowledge correctly. This can result in difficulty in decision-making, confusion, and errors.

Question 5

Jake tells his boss only what he believes the boss wants to hear. Jake is engaging in ________.

Accepted Answer

Jake is selectively filtering the information he is presenting to his boss, only sharing what he thinks his boss wants to hear rather than the entire truth or all relevant information.

Question 6

Receivers in communication see and hear based on their needs, motivations, experience, background, and other personal characteristics. This is called ________.

Accepted Answer

Selective perception is the tendency of individuals to selectively interpret what they see and hear based on their own interests, background, experience, and attitudes. This means that receivers may filter out information that is irrelevant or uncomfortable to them and pay more attention to messages that align with their preconceptions or beliefs.

Question 7

Selective perception refers to how a sender purposely manipulates information so the receiver will see it more favorably.

Accepted Answer

Selective perception refers to how a receiver selectively interprets and remembers information based on their own biases and expectations, rather than how a sender manipulates information.

Question 8

An employment interviewer who expects a female job applicant to put her family ahead of her career is likely to see that in all female applicants, regardless of whether they actually feel that way. This is an example of ________.

Accepted Answer

This is an example of selective perception, where the interviewer is perceiving all female applicants as prioritizing family over career, regardless of whether it is true or not.

Question 9

List and explain four of the barriers to effective communication.

Accepted Answer

The answer of List and explain four of the barriers...

Question 10

Filtering is a barrier to effective communication. Filtering takes place when ________.

Accepted Answer

Filtering occurs when a sender manipulates information to make it appear more favorable to the receiver.

Question 11

James and Neung are negotiating a purchase from Neung's Tai corporation. James notices that Neung is very quiet. Rather than assume that Neung is upset at how the negotiations are going, James continues to discuss the details of how the purchase will ensue. Finally James closes the deal and later learns that Neung's quiet moments were respectful moments to allow James to reveal his deal. Which strategy did James use to succeed?

Accepted Answer

The answer of James and Neung are negotiating a purchase...

Question 12

The mistakes committed by the sales staff suggest that sales personnel are probably experiencing which of the following as a result of their intensive training?

Accepted Answer

The mistakes committed by the sales staff indicate that they are facing information overload, which has resulted from intensive training. Information overload occurs when individuals receive too much information, which exceeds their capacity to process it effectively. It can result in errors, missed details, confusion, and reduced performance, as exhibited by the sales personnel.

Question 13

Even when we're communicating in the same language, words mean different things to different people, with ________ and context being two of the biggest factors that influence such differences.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Even when we're communicating in the same...

Question 14

If Albert is apprehensive regarding oral communication, which of the following behaviors is he least likely to display?

Accepted Answer

Albert's apprehension regarding oral communication suggests he would avoid situations that require speaking directly with others. Preferring to talk on the phone is the least likely behavior because it involves oral communication, which he finds apprehensive. Other options involve avoiding or altering oral communication, which aligns more closely with his apprehension.

Question 15

The phrase "get the low hanging fruit" means ________.

Accepted Answer

"Get the low hanging fruit" means to deal with the easiest or most accessible parts first. This is typically used in a business or project setting, where it's more efficient to tackle the simpler tasks before moving on to more complex or difficult ones.

Question 16

You have recently been promoted to district manager of a large scale restaurant chain which specializes in affordable meals in a pleasant environment. In accordance with management objectives, you are responsible for increasing sales of appetizers by 20 percent by the next quarter for the 15 locations in your area. Keeping channel richness in mind, how will you make contact with the restaurant employees to facilitate the sales increase?

Accepted Answer

The answer of You have recently been promoted to district...

Question 17

In ________, people rely heavily on nonverbal and subtle situational cues in communicating with others, and a person's official status, place in society, and reputation carry considerable weight.

Accepted Answer

High-context cultures rely on nonverbal and contextual cues for communication, and place significance on social hierarchy and reputation. Individualistic cultures prioritize individual goals over group goals, low power distance cultures seek to minimize power discrepancies, cultures with low uncertainty avoidance prioritize risk-taking and uncertainty. Long-term orientation refers to a society's focus on future rewards over short-term gains.

Question 18

Zeus Industries sells satellite television systems. Recently, the company invested heavily in one of the many new technologies available. Employees tell senior management that this investment was the right choice, but sales keep decreasing. Some sales employees have also given incorrect information to suppliers, even though the company has held numerous intensive training sessions to keep sales personnel apprised of changes in the industry. The company has also received low customer service ratings from recent consumer surveys. These surveys indicate that customers are frustrated with the specialized technical knowledge necessary to operate their satellite systems. Which of the following best characterizes the communication problems occurring between employees and senior management?

Accepted Answer

The employees are filtering their communication with senior management by only reporting positive feedback about the new technology investment and not addressing the issue of decreasing sales and poor customer service ratings. Additionally, the sales employees may be filtering the information they give to suppliers, leading to incorrect information being passed along.

Question 19

Filtering is most likely to occur in organizations in which there are many vertical levels.

Accepted Answer

Filtering is a communication process in which the information is lost or distorted as it moves up or down the organizational hierarchy. The more the levels, the higher the probability of filtering. Therefore, organizations with many vertical levels are more likely to experience filtering.

Question 20

Which of the following is not a barrier to effective communication?

Accepted Answer

The grapevine is an informal communication network, not a barrier to effective communication.

Quiz 11: Communication