Question 1

_________ roles involve functions prescribed by the organization itself.

Accepted Answer

Formal roles are those roles that are defined and officially prescribed by the organization itself, outlining specific duties and responsibilities.

Question 2

An organizational chart specifies the _________ connection between roles in a company.

Accepted Answer

An organizational chart specifies the formal connection between roles in a company, outlining the official, structured relationships and reporting lines.

Question 3

Which of the following is a type of an informal role in an organization?

Accepted Answer

Informal roles in organizations are not officially designated positions but rather roles that individuals naturally assume based on their personalities or behaviors. A "Company comedian" is an example of an informal role, as it refers to someone who informally contributes to the company culture through humor, rather than through a designated job title or responsibility.

Question 4

Tyrese believes that his job is much easier if he gets along with his co-workers. To that end, he organizes frequent game nights at his house for his colleagues, and he is sure to eat lunch with different co-workers every day. Over time, Tyrese's colleagues will most likely come to depend on his _______ role as a social event organizer.

Accepted Answer

Tyrese's role as a social event organizer is not officially assigned or recognized by the organization, making it an informal role. He takes it upon himself to organize these social events to build better relationships with his co-workers.

Question 5

Which of the following is NOT a type of story used to affirm organizational identity?

Accepted Answer

Integral is not a recognized type of story used to affirm organizational identity. Collegial, Personal, and Corporate stories are common narratives that organizations use to define and communicate their identity and values.

Question 6

Most fans of Apple know the ________ story of how co-founders Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak assembled the first Apple computer in Jobs's garage.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Most fans of Apple know the ________...

Question 7

________________ stories reflect both how people see themselves and how they want others to see them.

Accepted Answer

Personal stories reflect how individuals perceive themselves and how they wish to be perceived by others.

Question 8

To highlight your creativity, you tell your co-workers about the time you won first prize in a poetry contest; you are telling a ________________ story.

Accepted Answer

Winning a poetry contest is unrelated to professional achievements or work environment, making it a personal story that showcases individual interests or talents outside of the workplace context.

Question 9

__________ stories aren't gossip; they help identify organizational members' positive and negative attributes to others in the organization.

Accepted Answer

Collegial stories are shared among peers and colleagues within an organization and often serve to highlight the positive and negative attributes of individuals within the organization, distinguishing them from mere gossip.

Question 10

Chris is transferred to another location for the party supply store that employs him. He is unsure of his new manager and doesn't know how she feels about her sales staff. What type of stories would most likely help Chris get ideas about how to interact with his new manager?

Accepted Answer

Collegial stories are shared among employees and often provide insights into the culture and expectations within a workplace, including how to interact with managers.

Question 11

Because many organizations are complex systems that simultaneously engage in multiple tasks and pursue multiple goals, one approach to organizational ___________ won't necessarily fit every organization or situation.

Accepted Answer

Organizations are complex systems with multiple tasks and goals, requiring diverse communication strategies to address different needs and situations. Communication is key to managing such complexity effectively.

Question 12

According to the _________________ approach, organizational communication is seen as a pipeline through which information flows from one source to another.

Accepted Answer

The information-transfer approach views organizational communication as a pipeline through which information flows from one source to another, emphasizing the transmission and reception of information.

Question 13

The information-transfer approach to organizational communication most closely resembles which model of communication?

Accepted Answer

The information-transfer approach to organizational communication is most closely aligned with the action model of communication. This model views communication as a one-way process where a sender transmits a message to a receiver, emphasizing the transfer of information from one point to another.

Question 14

At a college located on the coast of North Carolina, the president e-mails his 528 employees with instructions about hurricane warnings and watches. He feels he is very specific as to when his employees should come to campus and when they should stay home. To his surprise, he notices that during the first hurricane watch, many employees do not report to work; he thought he had clearly explained they should come to work in that event. Because he sent the information out to his employees with the understanding that he was not open to feedback or questions, this _________ approach to organizational communication was not effective.

Accepted Answer

The president's approach is described as one where he disseminated information with the expectation that it would be understood as he intended, without opening a channel for feedback or clarification. This aligns with the information-transfer model of communication, which focuses on the one-way dissemination of information from the sender to the receiver.

Question 15

If you nod, smile, and offer other positive nonverbal feedback while your club president is outlining plans for an upcoming fundraiser, you are engaging in what approach to organizational communication?

Accepted Answer

The answer of If you nod, smile, and offer other...

Question 16

When using the ____________ approach to communication, communicators can adjust their messages based on the feedback they receive.

Accepted Answer

The transactional approach to communication emphasizes the dynamic nature of communication where both parties are simultaneously senders and receivers, allowing for the adjustment of messages based on ongoing feedback.

Question 17

Hasim's public relations firm has been asked to create a public relations campaign for a local nonprofit. Since Hasim is not sure what type of approach would work to appropriately represent the client, he wants to test the reaction of his co-workers to his campaign and get immediate feedback. Which type of organizational communication would be most effective for the success of Hasim's project?

Accepted Answer

Transactional communication is most effective in this scenario because it involves a two-way exchange of information, allowing Hasim to present his ideas and receive immediate feedback from his co-workers. This approach supports the iterative process of refining the campaign based on reactions and suggestions.

Question 18

The _____________ approach to organizational communication recognizes that people in an organization can use communication to control their environments.

Accepted Answer

The strategic control approach to organizational communication acknowledges that individuals use communication to influence and control their environments, focusing on the flexibility and adaptability of communication strategies.

Question 19

As a supervisor, your primary goal is not that your employees understand one another but that they act in an organized and mutually satisfied way. This means you employ a ___________ approach to organizational communication.

Accepted Answer

Strategic control focuses on guiding employees' actions towards organizational goals, ensuring they work together effectively, even if complete mutual understanding is not achieved.

Question 20

General Electric's corporate slogan is Imagination at Work, rather than the more specific Power Generation at Work. This company is engaging in strategic _______________ to allow both employees and consumers to interpret the slogan in ways that best suit them.

Accepted Answer

The correct answer is strategic ambiguity. General Electric uses a broad slogan to allow for multiple interpretations, which can appeal to a wider audience and adapt to various aspects of their business beyond just power generation.

Quiz 16: Communicating in Organizations