Question 1

Table 9.1
Organizational communication students are observing and studying the communication at a corporate board meeting. Because the company is a multinational company, some of the people present are wearing headphones to hear the simultaneous translation from English language of the speaker at the head of the table, into their languages.
-Refer to Table 9.1. The first two hours of this meeting is a report on the company's progress over the last year, supported by data pertaining to growth in market share, overall profits, revenue forecasts, etc. The most effective medium for conveying this information would be:
A) just what they are doing, a oral presentation.
B) the telephone for one-on-one discussion.
C) text-messaging or micro-blogging.
D) a written memo or report, supported by graphs and tables.

Accepted Answer

A written memo or report, supported by graphs and tables would be the most effective medium for conveying information about the company's progress over the last year, as it allows for clear and concise presentation of data, which can be referred to and analyzed at a later time.

Question 2

Table 9.1
Organizational communication students are observing and studying the communication at a corporate board meeting. Because the company is a multinational company, some of the people present are wearing headphones to hear the simultaneous translation from English language of the speaker at the head of the table, into their languages.
-Refer to Table 9.1. The translators doing the simultaneous translation from English into other languages represent ________ in the communications model.
A) encoding
B) sending
C) channel
D) decoding

Accepted Answer

The answer of Table 9.1
Organizational communication students are observing and...

Question 3

Table 9.1
Organizational communication students are observing and studying the communication at a corporate board meeting. Because the company is a multinational company, some of the people present are wearing headphones to hear the simultaneous translation from English language of the speaker at the head of the table, into their languages.
-Refer to Table 9.1. When the non-English speaking members of the meeting respond to the presentation with their comments and questions, they are:
A) encoding.
B) sending.
C) decoding.
D) giving feedback.

Accepted Answer

When non-English speaking members respond with comments and questions, they are giving feedback to the presentation. Feedback is a response to a message that indicates whether and how the message was received and interpreted.

Question 4

Table 9.3
Jane has been tasked with the responsibility for opening the communication channels between employees and management. She implements a simple system quickly, where employees can share their good ideas about how to improve the organization by submitting their ideas in writing and being rewarded for the ideas that are used by the company. Corporate executives like the idea but they want broader participation. They would like feedback from all employees if possible. Once they have that feedback, they want to informally meet with selected employees to discuss the issues the broader outreach raises.
-Refer to Table 9.3. The tool that will get the executives what they want once they have the broadest possible input would be a/an:
A) corporate hotline.
B) suggestion system.
C) employee survey.
D) brown bag meeting.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Table 9.3
Jane has been tasked with the...

Question 5

Writing is the best medium for communicating an ambiguous message.

Accepted Answer

Writing lacks the immediate feedback, tone, and body language cues that can help clarify ambiguity, making other forms of communication like face-to-face conversation more effective for ambiguous messages.

Question 6

Bill, the HR director, has scheduled an informal meeting between hourly employees and middle-managers, leaving the first line supervisors out of the meeting. Bill has set up a/an:
A) brown bag meeting.
B) skip-level meeting.
C) corporate hotline.
D) employee survey.

Accepted Answer

This is a skip-level meeting, which refers to a meeting where higher-level managers meet with employees several levels below them in the organization chart, skipping the immediate supervisor or manager. In this case, Bill has skipped the first line supervisors and scheduled the meeting between hourly employees and middle-managers. A brown bag meeting typically involves employees bringing their own lunch to discuss work-related issues, a corporate hotline is typically a phone number employees can call to report issues or concerns, and an employee survey involves collecting feedback from employees through a survey or questionnaire.

Question 7

Memos, e-mail, and faxes are examples of written communication that are "rich" because of the amount of information they provide.

Accepted Answer

Memos, e-mails, and faxes are actually examples of written communication that are considered "lean" because they provide limited cues for interpretation and have a low capacity for immediate feedback, therefore they are not rich.

Question 8

If the HR director wanted information from as many employees as possible on a regular basis, using a quick and easy method of gathering the information, his best choice of tool would be:
A) brown bag meetings.
B) skip-level meetings.
C) a corporate hotline.
D) employee surveys.

Accepted Answer

Employee surveys are the best choice for gathering information from a large number of employees on a regular basis. Surveys are quick and easy to administer and can be distributed to employees through email or online platforms, making it easier for employees to respond and participate. Additionally, surveys can be anonymous, which can encourage employees to be more honest and open in their responses.

Question 9

Table 9.2
A student of organizational communication, John is studying how the target of a communication shapes the communication. In his studies, he notes that the technical professionals tend to not tell middle managers about problems they are having with the system or about shutdowns they will implement to change something. This isn't a problem for John because he hears about the system shut downs from the IS department secretary who calls him up to warn him about 10 minutes before the system goes down. However, up and down the hall, John can hear managers swearing, as the system goes down and their work disappears for anywhere from 15 minutes to a couple of hours.
The marketing manager tends to work fairly hard at keeping the sales and operation managers current on her plans for product campaigns so the sales people can talk about them and operations can make sure there is enough product on hand to meet demand.
-Refer to Table 9.2. The marketing manager's communication to the sales and operations managers is an example of:
A) downward communication.
B) lateral communication.
C) diagonal communication.
D) upward communication.

Accepted Answer

The marketing manager's communication to the sales and operations managers is an example of lateral communication, which occurs between individuals or teams on the same hierarchical level, but in different functional areas or departments.

Question 10

Supportive communication is characterized by:
A) focusing on the person, not the problem.
B) accuracy and honesty.
C) providing reasons based on what others have done.
D) All of these.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Supportive communication is characterized by:
A) focusing on...

Question 11

Jerry wants to tell Mary he likes her. As he is thinking about how to frame what he wants to say, he is at the choosing a channel stage of the communication process.

Accepted Answer

Jerry is at the encoding stage of the communication process, where he is thinking about how to frame his message.

Question 12

Table 9.3
Jane has been tasked with the responsibility for opening the communication channels between employees and management. She implements a simple system quickly, where employees can share their good ideas about how to improve the organization by submitting their ideas in writing and being rewarded for the ideas that are used by the company. Corporate executives like the idea but they want broader participation. They would like feedback from all employees if possible. Once they have that feedback, they want to informally meet with selected employees to discuss the issues the broader outreach raises.
-Refer to Table 9.3. To meet the desires of upper management, Jane should implement a/an:
A) corporate hotline.
B) suggestion system.
C) employee survey.
D) brown bag meeting.

Accepted Answer

To gather feedback from all employees, the most effective approach would be to conduct an employee survey. This will allow for all employees to submit their feedback in a way that is organized and collected in a central location. It also provides a way to analyze the results and identify common themes or areas of concern. Once the survey results have been reviewed, upper management can then invite selected employees for an informal meeting to discuss the issues that were raised.

Question 13

Table 9.2
A student of organizational communication, John is studying how the target of a communication shapes the communication. In his studies, he notes that the technical professionals tend to not tell middle managers about problems they are having with the system or about shutdowns they will implement to change something. This isn't a problem for John because he hears about the system shut downs from the IS department secretary who calls him up to warn him about 10 minutes before the system goes down. However, up and down the hall, John can hear managers swearing, as the system goes down and their work disappears for anywhere from 15 minutes to a couple of hours.
The marketing manager tends to work fairly hard at keeping the sales and operation managers current on her plans for product campaigns so the sales people can talk about them and operations can make sure there is enough product on hand to meet demand.
-Refer to Table 9.2. The problem with the lack of communication between the technical professionals and the middle managers is an example of a lack of:
A) downward communication.
B) horizontal communication.
C) diagonal communication.
D) upward communication.

Accepted Answer

The lack of communication between technical professionals and middle managers is an example of a lack of upward communication, where information from lower levels of an organization is not effectively communicated to higher levels.

Question 14

In a discussion with other managers, Stone tells Thelma that he disagrees with her. "I don't agree, but I would like to hear your position, I could be wrong." In terms of supportive communication, this is an example of:
A) validating language.
B) reflexive discourse.
C) convivial communication.
D) upward messaging.

Accepted Answer

Stone's response shows validating language because he acknowledges Thelma's point of view and expresses a willingness to listen and potentially learn from her perspective, even though he disagrees.

Question 15

A way to ensure accuracy in the receipt of messages is for the sender to:
A) avoid redundancy.
B) practice active listening.
C) use queuing.
D) require verification.

Accepted Answer

Requiring verification from the receiver is the most effective way to ensure accuracy in the receipt of messages. This could involve asking the receiver to confirm the message or to repeat it back to the sender. This helps to identify any misunderstandings and allows for clarification before any actions are taken based on the message. While the other options may improve communication, they do not necessarily guarantee accuracy in the receipt of messages.

Question 16

Due to advances in technology, one-way communication is now more commonly used in organizations than two-way communication.

Accepted Answer

This statement is false. While advances in technology have certainly made one-way communication easier (e.g. mass emails, social media posts), organizations still rely heavily on two-way communication for things like meetings, feedback sessions, and performance evaluations. In fact, effective communication is often cited as a key factor in the success of an organization, and fostering dialogue and open communication is crucial for building trust and maintaining morale among employees.

Question 17

Table 9.3
Jane has been tasked with the responsibility for opening the communication channels between employees and management. She implements a simple system quickly, where employees can share their good ideas about how to improve the organization by submitting their ideas in writing and being rewarded for the ideas that are used by the company. Corporate executives like the idea but they want broader participation. They would like feedback from all employees if possible. Once they have that feedback, they want to informally meet with selected employees to discuss the issues the broader outreach raises.
-Refer to Table 9.3. Jane's initial effort for feedback is called a/an:
A) corporate hotline.
B) suggestion system.
C) employee survey.
D) brown bag meeting.

Accepted Answer

Jane's system where employees can submit their ideas in writing and be rewarded for successful ideas is a suggestion system.

Question 18

If you are in a discussion and you want to keep the conversation going, you would use ________ to encourage the continuation of the discussion.
A) disjunctive statements
B) verification
C) the snowball effect
D) conjunctive statements

Accepted Answer

Conjunctive statements are used to connect ideas and keep the conversation flowing. They often begin with phrases such as "and," "also," or "in addition." By using conjunctive statements, you can show interest in what the other person is saying and encourage them to keep sharing their thoughts.

Question 19

Table 9.2
A student of organizational communication, John is studying how the target of a communication shapes the communication. In his studies, he notes that the technical professionals tend to not tell middle managers about problems they are having with the system or about shutdowns they will implement to change something. This isn't a problem for John because he hears about the system shut downs from the IS department secretary who calls him up to warn him about 10 minutes before the system goes down. However, up and down the hall, John can hear managers swearing, as the system goes down and their work disappears for anywhere from 15 minutes to a couple of hours.
The marketing manager tends to work fairly hard at keeping the sales and operation managers current on her plans for product campaigns so the sales people can talk about them and operations can make sure there is enough product on hand to meet demand.
-Refer to Table 9.2. The way John hears about the system shut downs is an example of:
A) informal communication.
B) cross-departmental interchange.
C) downward communication.
D) inside communication.

Accepted Answer

John hearing about the system shut downs through the IS department secretary, rather than through formal channels within his own department, is an example of informal communication.

Question 20

Table 9.1
Organizational communication students are observing and studying the communication at a corporate board meeting. Because the company is a multinational company, some of the people present are wearing headphones to hear the simultaneous translation from English language of the speaker at the head of the table, into their languages.
-Refer to Table 9.1. The headphones the international guests are wearing exemplify which element of the communications model?
A) Encoding
B) Channel
C) Decoding
D) Feedback

Accepted Answer

The headphones the international guests are wearing represent the channel element of the communications model, as they are the medium that carries the message (simultaneous translation) from the speaker to the receiver.

Quiz 9: Communication in Organizations

Writing is the best medium for communicating an ambiguous message.

Bill, the HR director, has scheduled an informal meeting between hourly employees and middle-managers, leaving the first line supervisors out of the meeting. Bill has set up a/an:

Memos, e-mail, and faxes are examples of written communication that are "rich" because of the amount of information they provide.

If the HR director wanted information from as many employees as possible on a regular basis, using a quick and easy method of gathering the information, his best choice of tool would be:

Supportive communication is characterized by:

Jerry wants to tell Mary he likes her. As he is thinking about how to frame what he wants to say, he is at the choosing a channel stage of the communication process.

In a discussion with other managers, Stone tells Thelma that he disagrees with her. "I don't agree, but I would like to hear your position, I could be wrong." In terms of supportive communication, this is an example of:

A way to ensure accuracy in the receipt of messages is for the sender to:

Due to advances in technology, one-way communication is now more commonly used in organizations than two-way communication.

If you are in a discussion and you want to keep the conversation going, you would use ________ to encourage the continuation of the discussion.