Chapter 03 Planning and Decision Making

Name: Class: Date: Chapter 03: Planning and Decision Making Multiple Choice 1. Identify a true statement about organizational culture. a. It is constant and remains the same in all organizations throughout the world. b. It determines the extent to which an individual member is isolated from the culture. c. It negates communication constituents like symbols and logos. d. It is created and reproduced through the communication practices of its participants. 2. _____ is a pattern of shared basic assumptions that a group learned as it solved its problems of external adaptation and internal integration and which has worked well enough to be taught to new members as the correct way to perceive, think, and feel in relation to these problems. a. Competency mapping b. Chronemics c. Organizational culture d. Ethnocentrism ANSWER: 3. In the context of Competing Values Framework, which of the following is true of adhocracy culture? a. It refers to a structured workplace where leaders act like coordinators. b. It refers to a competitive workplace where leaders are hard drivers. c. It refers to a friendly workplace where leaders act like father figures. d. It refers to a dynamic workplace where leaders stimulate innovation. ANSWER: 4. Andy works at Aerial Corp. He has been working very hard and feels that he deserves a pay hike. He seeks a meeting with his manager, Anna, to ask for a raise. Since Anna is busy preparing for the annual board meeting, Andy decides to postpone the meeting with Anna. In this scenario, which of the following dimensions of context influenced Andy's interaction with Anna? a. The physical context b. The social context c. The chronological context d. The cultural context ANSWER: 5. In the context of dimensions of context, the difference between communication patterns of men and women is attributed to the _____. a. chronological context b. social context c. cultural context d. physical context ANSWER: 6. _____ can be disseminated using a variety of media or forms, including memos, letters, emails, instant or text Page 1 Name: Class: Date: Chapter 03: Planning and Decision Making messaging, faxes, press releases, company websites, blogs, blog applications, wikis, and reports. a. Oral communication b. Written communication c. Kinesic communication d. Haptic communication ANSWER: 7. Which of the following is true of face-to-face communication? a. It increases the opportunity of processing and remembering a long and complex message. b. It provides fewer opportunities to facilitate feedback and establish a personal focus. c. It includes nonverbal information in addition to that provided in written or oral form. d. It facilitates greater control over a message than written communication. ANSWER: 8. Stazia Inc. is a software company that intends to collaborate with Softron Inc., another multinational company. Steve, the chief executive officer of Stazia, decides to discuss the company's objectives with Jared, the chief executive officer of Softron. Steve seeks to obtain information about the services Softron offers and the quality process it follows. Steve intends to gather maximum information from this discussion including nonverbal cues. In this scenario, which of the following channels of communication should Steve use? a. An email message b. A telephone conversation c. A face-to-face meeting d. A voice mail ANSWER: c 9. Which of the following is true of nonverbal communication? a. It is the best channel of communication when a high degree of control is to be maintained over a message sent. b. It is difficult to interpret for a variety of reasons, mainly because it is not generally considered a coded language. c. It is appropriate when the message to be communicated should be precise and should avoid chances of ambiguity. d. It is an efficient channel of communication when long and complex messages have to be delivered. ANSWER: 10. Which of the following is an issue with nonverbal communication? a. Nonverbal communication does not supplement oral forms. b. Nonverbal communication does not provide any additional information. c. All nonverbal codes lack richness. d. Some nonverbal codes are sent unintentionally. ANSWER: 11. Raj, a senior engineer at a manufacturing firm, leads a designing team from the home country, while the team works from the host country. Currently, the team is working on a project and is in the verge of finalizing a design. At this point, Page 2 Name: Class: Date: Chapter 03: Planning and Decision Making the client communicates a change in the design. Raj has to pass this information to his team immediately. In this scenario, which of the following will be the ideal channel of communication? a. Kinesic communication b. The telephone c. A face-to-face meeting d. Metacommunication ANSWER: b 12. Which of the following is considered an expensive channel of communication for business users? a. A blog application b. A face-to-face meeting c. A videoconferencing tool d. A teleconferencing tool ANSWER: b 13. Zhenyu, a manager at Finertech Inc., needs to inform an employee who reports to him that he was not considered for a promotion. He intends to use a channel of communication that will allow him a great degree of control over his message. In this scenario, which of the following channels of communication should Zhenyu use? a. A written channel b. A visual channel c. A nonverbal channel d. A kinesic channel ANSWER: 14. Which of the following is a similarity between a memo and a voice mail? a. Both memo and voice mail constitute oral communication. b. Neither a memo nor a voice mail requires a feedback. c. Both memo and voice mail are intended for an external audience. d. Neither a memo nor a voice mail can be used for confirming. ANSWER: b 15. Which of the following is a difference between communicating through a Web page and the telephone? a. A Web page is an expensive medium of communication, whereas the telephone is an inexpensive medium of communication. b. A Web page is used for sharing information with a large audience, whereas the telephone is used for sending confidential information. c. A Web page is used for discussing bad-news messages, whereas the telephone is used for sharing good-news messages. d. A Web page is ideal for a one-to-one communication, whereas the telephone is used for sharing data worldwide. ANSWER: b 16. Isabella was hit by a car while she was walking on the road and sustained minor injuries. She filed a case against the car driver. As the case was being investigated, several witnesses on the road provided various statements about the Page 3 Name: Class: Date: Chapter 03: Planning and Decision Making accident. In this scenario, which of the following is most likely a reason for contradictory statements of the witnesses? a. Rapport created by previous dealings b. Individual differences in perception c. Inability to decode nonverbal cues d. Ineffectiveness of the communication channel ANSWER: b 17. Which of the following statements is true of perception of reality? a. It is limited by previous experiences. b. It is unaffected by our attitudes toward the sender of a message. c. It is similar among individuals with similar backgrounds. d. It is independent of our viewpoints. ANSWER: a 18. Alan, the chief executive officer of Pioneer Inc., was requested by Jack, a student at Woodhouse Elementary School, to share some information about Pioneer for his project report. While Alan could have forwarded one of the several emails he had written about the company to his clients, he used simple words and gave simple basic facts about Pioneer when responding to Jack. In this scenario, which of the following audience characteristics did Alan consider? a. Rapport b. Age c. Economic level d. Culture ANSWER: b 19. Zelda is the founder of Green House, a non-governmental organization for orphans. Since the non-governmental organization was nearing bankruptcy, Zelda decided to write emails requesting business owners and major corporations in the city for donations. She drafted two different emails—one for addressing small businesses and another for multinational corporations for the same purpose. In this scenario, which of the following audience characteristics did Zelda take into consideration while drafting two different emails? a. Age b. Economic level c. Educational background d. Culture ANSWER: 20. Ray Muller, a renowned physicist, is addressing a gathering of physics students from different parts of the world. While delivering his speech, which of the following audience characteristics should Ray Muller be aware of? a. Economic level b. Educational background c. Culture d. Rapport ANSWER: c 21. Which of the following is a result of gaining firsthand knowledge of the audience before writing a message? a. It complicates the task of organizing the sender's message. Page 4 Name: Class: Date: Chapter 03: Planning and Decision Making b. It supports the sender's viewpoint with subjective information. c. It permits the sender to address the audience's needs and concerns. d. It eliminates the scope for negative feedback. ANSWER: c 22. Which of the following does communicating ethically involve? a. Upholding the sender's interests over the interests of the audience b. Selecting words that may convey several meanings in addition to that intended c. Embellishing facts to make ideas sound better d. Expressing ideas clearly and understandably ANSWER: d 23. Which of the following techniques should be followed to communicate ethically and responsibly? a. A sender should embellish facts to make ideas sound better. b. A sender should use such words that convey several meanings in addition to what is intended. c. A sender's message should support his or her interests. d. A sender's viewpoints should be supported with objective facts. ANSWER: d 24. Written defamatory remarks are referred to as _____. a. libel b. slander c. jargon d. consensus ANSWER: a 25. In a discussion of communication, the word _____ means the act of dividing a topic into parts and arranging them in an appropriate sequence. a. synergy b. organize c. control d. stroke ANSWER: b 26. In which of the following ways does an outline of a complex message benefit the sender? a. It permits concentration on one phase at a time. b. It reinforces a "me attitude." c. It ensures that unimportant points are also given emphasis. d. It facilitates prolonging the duration of communication. ANSWER: a Page 5 Name: Class: Date: Chapter 03: Planning and Decision Making 27. Which of the following is true of outlining before communicating a complex message? a. It ensures that insignificant points appear at emphatic positions. b. It encourages positive reaction toward the message and the sender. c. It enables concentration on multiple phases at a time. d. It increases the chances of leaving out essential ideas. ANSWER: b 28. In the process of selecting an outline for a message, which of the following steps should take place before predicting the reaction of the audience? a. Determining the central idea to be conveyed b. Analyzing if the audience will be pleased or displeased by the message c. Determining how the sender's personal preferences will affect communication d. Drafting the supporting details of an idea ANSWER: a 29. Patrick prepares a presentation of a research paper that begins with the major idea. He then realizes that the topic could be antagonizing and may not please his audience. In this scenario, which of the following should Patrick use? a. The deductive approach b. The inductive approach c. Metacommunication d. Excommunication ANSWER: b 30. Which of the following is true of the inductive approach of communicating a message? a. It is used when the message is intended to please the audience. b. It is used to discourage audience involvement. c. It is used when the message is routine. d. It is used when the audience needs to be persuaded by the message. ANSWER: d True / False 31. Clan culture refers to a structured and formalized workplace where leaders act like coordinators or administrators. a. True b. False ANSWER: T or F 32. The cultural context refers to the nature of relationship between communicators as well as who is present. a. True b. False ANSWER: T or F 33. The cultural context includes the cultural backgrounds of the people with whom you may be communicating. a. True Page 6 Name: Class: Date: Chapter 03: Planning and Decision Making b. False ANSWER: True 34. Context is a complex, multidimensional force that should be considered when planning a message. a. True b. False ANSWER: T or F 35. Communication in face-to-face situations is always verbal. a. True b. False ANSWER: False 36. Oral communication is the best choice for conveying large amounts of information. a. True b. False ANSWER: False 37. Face-to-face communication provides opportunities to facilitate feedback and establish a personal focus. a. True b. False ANSWER: True 38. Perception is the part of the communication process that involves how we look at others and the world around us. a. True b. False ANSWER: T or F 39. Ideas are more interesting and appealing if they are expressed from the sender's viewpoint. a. True b. False ANSWER: T or F 40. Embellishment or exaggeration is justified while communicating information for marketing purposes. a. True b. False ANSWER: False 41. Written defamatory remarks are referred to as slander. a. True b. False ANSWER: T or F 42. In the communication process, outlining should be completed prior to writing. a. True Page 7 Name: Class: Date: Chapter 03: Planning and Decision Making b. False ANSWER: True 43. Outlining increases the chance of leaving out an essential idea or including an unessential idea. a. True b. False ANSWER: T or F 44. A receiver's reaction to a message is strongly influenced by the sequence in which ideas are presented. a. True b. False ANSWER: True 45. Organizing a message first will ensure that ideas are presented clearly and logically and all vital components are included. a. True b. False ANSWER: T or F 46. Inductive organization of a message can be especially effective if the main idea confirms the conclusion the audience has drawn from the preceding details. a. True b. False ANSWER: T or F Completion Step 1 - Consider the Applicable Contextual Forces 47. American businesses invest more than $3 billion every year to help employees improve their writing and communication skills. Effective communication is tied to the corporate bottom line. Thus, communication that commands attention and is easily understood is essential for your professional success. Creating effective workplace messages requires planning. The fifth step in the planning and preparation process is to _________. A. organize the message before starting to write B. select an appropriate channel C. determine the purpose and select the channel ANSWER: organize the message before starting to write 48. American businesses invest more than $3 billion every year to help employees improve their writing and communication skills. Effective communication is tied to the corporate bottom line. Thus, communication that commands attention and is easily understood is essential for your professional success. Creating effective workplace messages requires planning. When planning and preparing spoken & written messages for your audience, Put the steps in the right order. Determine purpose and select an appropriate channel Organize the message Adapt the message to the audience's needs & concerns Page 8 _________ _________ _________ Name: Class: Date: Chapter 03: Planning and Decision Making Envision the audience Consider the contextual forces Prepare the first draft A. Step 1 B. Step 2 C. Step 3 D. Step 4 E. Step 5 F. Step 6 ANSWER: B-E-D-C-A-F _________ _________ _________ 49. The way that time influences communication and interactions is referred to as _________context. A. physical B. chronological C. social ANSWER: chronological Step 2 - Determine the Purpose and Select an Appropriate Channel and Medium 50. To communicate effectively you must decide what you are trying to say before you write or speak. Carefully analyzing the purpose and channel of your message will result in a more successful message that can help you maintain goodwill, be more productive, and maintain a high level of professionalism. You need to share a very complicated project plan with your local team who are all from Ohio. The channel choice consideration you might want to address is the _________. A. amount of information covered B. need for interpretation C. cost ANSWER: amount of information covered 51. Read the scenario, and then answer the corresponding question. You are the general manager of a sizable car dealership in Lubbock, Texas. Although your dealership narrowly escaped closure during the recent recession, car and truck sales continue to decline. To remain profitable, you will need to eliminate five positions within the dealership. Before you begin laying off employees, you decide that, to avoid misinformation, your employees should know about the dealership’s difficult situation and your plans to reduce the size of its staff. You begin to plan a message to the employees to prepare them for the hard decisions that the dealership will have to make in the next few months. The best channel for delivering the previous message is a_________. A. voicemail B. traditional financial report C. traditional group meeting ANSWER: traditional group meeting Step 3 - Envision the Audience Differences in perception often cause confusion in communication. Therefore, it is important to analyze your audience and its point of view before crafting a message. To craft effective messages, you must understand the characteristics, expectations, and needs of the audience. 52. Every audience has different perceptions and needs. To help envision the audience’s expectations for your message, you should focus on __________ about the receiver. A. stereotypes you hold Page 9 Name: Class: Date: Chapter 03: Planning and Decision Making B. relevant information you know C. predispositions you have ANSWER: relevant information you know Step 4 - Adapt the Message to Audience Needs and Concerns Envisioning your audience members allows you to adapt your message to meet their needs. Professional messages that are adapted to the needs and expectations of the audience build and protect goodwill between you and the recipient of the message. Adaptations include focusing on the audience’s viewpoint, communicating ethically and responsibly, building goodwill, and using the right language. 53. Messages that are tailored to the concerns of the audience reflect _________. A. socialism B. a “me attitude” C. a “you attitude” ANSWER: a “you attitude” Chapter 3 Review Planning is an important part of the communication process. Taking the time to plan and prepare your messages will ensure that your professional messages are targeted appropriately for the audience and the purpose of the message. Review what you have learned in this chapter by completing the following questions. 54. Read the scenario, and then answer the corresponding question. Lorraine is a division manager for a consumer products manufacturing company. Lorraine’s company has not weathered a recent recession very well. Due to the company’s hardships, Lorraine’s division is facing a 10 percent budget cut. To avoid eliminating positions, Lorraine would like to convince her employees to take a voluntary 3 percent pay cut. The purpose of Lorraine’s message regarding the layoffs is to __________. A. build goodwill with her employees to maintain morale B. eliminate the least productive employees C. persuade the employees to accept a voluntary pay cut ANSWER: persuade the employees to accept a voluntary pay cut 55. Consider the message outline represented in the image and then complete the sentence. Page 10 Name: Class: Date: Chapter 03: Planning and Decision Making From LEHMAN/DUFRENE. Business Communication (with Teams Handbook), 16e. © 2011 South-Western, a part of Cengage Learning, Inc. Reproduced by permission The message outline is an illustration of the _________ approach outline. This approach is best used when the audience will have a _________ reaction to your message. A. deductive, pleased or interested B. inductive, displeased or disinterested ANSWER: inductive, displeased or disinterested Essay Page 11