Business Communication Today, 11e (Bovee/Thill)
Chapter 1 Achieving Success Through Effective Business Communication

1) Communication is the process of
A) transferring information and meaning.
B) listening actively.
C) writing messages.
D) none of the above.
Answer: A
Explanation: A) Communication is a two-way process that begins with the sender and ends when the receiver acquires information and meaning.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 3
Skill: Concept
Objective: 1
AACSB: Communication Abilities

2) When it comes to communication skills, employers express particular frustration with
A) experienced workers who shun new technologies.
B) recent college graduates who haven't learned how to adapt to a professional environment.
C) employees whose first language is not English.
D) male workers.
Answer: B
Explanation: B) Employers expect employees to speak and write in a professional manner that is clear, direct, and free of slang, jargon, and other inappropriate terms.
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 3
Skill: Concept
Objective: 2
AACSB: Communication Abilities

3) Stakeholders affected by the quality of business communication include
A) customers.
B) employees.
C) suppliers.
D) all of the above.
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Stakeholders include anyone who is impacted by a company in a direct or indirect way. Customers, suppliers, and employees are all stakeholders, as are shareholders, community members, and the wider world.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 4
Skill: Application
Objective: 1
AACSB: Communication Abilities 4) Which of the following is not a characteristic of effective business messages?
A) They provide practical information.
B) They present the writer's opinions as facts.
C) They state precise audience responsibilities.
D) They highlight and summarize essential information.
Answer: B
Explanation: B) When stated, opinions should always be identified as opinions, and they should be supported by facts and other forms of evidence.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 4
Skill: Critical Thinking
Objective: 2
AACSB: Communication Abilities

5) Business communication is often more demanding than social communication because communication on the job is affected by
A) the pervasiveness of technology.
B) the growing reliance on teamwork in business.
C) the globalization of business.
D) all of the above.
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Facility with technology, working collaboratively, and dealing with people from different cultures with different expectations are all factors that make business communication more challenging than social communication.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 5-7
Skill: Synthesis
Objective: 2
AACSB: Communication Abilities

6) A flatter organizational structure
A) tends to increase the chance of communication breakdowns.
B) helps make communication flow more efficiently.
C) is obsolete now that social networking is so widespread.
D) is helpful for small companies only.
Answer: B
Explanation: B) Tall, hierarchical organizations tend to restrict the free flow of information. Flat organizations avoid information bottlenecks and the isolation of information that can occur when one level holds on to information without passing it on to other levels.
Diff: 3 Page Ref: 7
Skill: Concept
Objective: 3
AACSB: Communication Abilities 7) In which of the following organizational structures do employees report to two managers at the same time?
A) Virtual organization
B) Matrix structure
C) Network structure
D) None of the above
Answer: B
Explanation: B) In a matrix structure, a single employee can have a department boss as well as a project manager to report to. The employee's overall boss would typically be the department boss, but in a matrix structure the person would also report directly to the head of his or her project team. In this case, the employee would have allegiance to both superiors.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 7
Skill: Concept
Objective: 2
AACSB: Communication Abilities

8) The term corporate culture refers to
A) the number of organizational levels within a corporation.
B) the extent to which corporations dominate a particular culture.
C) the mixture of values, traditions, and habits that give a company its atmosphere and personality.
D) a company's sponsorship of events such as concerts and plays.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Each corporation has a different culture that reflects its own particular history and style. Corporate culture is often hard to define, but veteran employees are almost always well aware of the do's and don'ts of their corporate culture. For example, in one company joking around with the boss may be encouraged, while a different company that kind of behavior could get a person fired.
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 7
Skill: Concept
Objective: 2
AACSB: Communication Abilities

9) An example of downward communication is
A) a junior staff person giving information to a staff supervisor.
B) a sales manager giving instructions to a salesperson.
C) an email message about sick leave from one staff secretary to another.
D) a company briefing held on the organization's top floor.
Answer: B
Explanation: B) Downward refers to communication that comes from a superior to a person in a lower level or position.
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 8
Skill: Application
Objective: 1
AACSB: Communication Abilities 10) An example of horizontal communication is
A) a junior staff person giving information to a staff supervisor.
B) a company briefing held on the organization's ground floor.
C) an email message about sick leave sent from one department secretary to a secretary in a different department.
D) all of the above.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) This is an example of horizontal communication because it is being transmitted between two people who are employed on the same level of the company hierarchy.
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 8
Skill: Application
Objective: 2
AACSB: Communication Abilities

11) Every organization has
A) an intranet.
B) an extranet.
C) an informal communication network.
D) a tall communication structure.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) The informal communication network is located wherever workers congregate, which could be hallways, drinking fountains, or lunchrooms. Informal communication also takes place on telephones and through email and social networks.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 8
Skill: Concept
Objective: 2
AACSB: Communication Abilities

12) In most organizations, the rumor mill tends to be particularly active when
A) employees are satisfied with their jobs.
B) formal communication channels are working efficiently.
C) employees are wasting company time.
D) the formal communication network is not providing the information employees want.
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Rumors tend to fly when more official lines of communication break down or are inadquate for some reason. So when employees want to know more, they tend to speculate among themselves. This feeds fuel into the rumor mill, which tends to operate at high levels during conditions of transition or crisis.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 8
Skill: Synthesis
Objective: 2
AACSB: Communication Abilities 13) ________ communication flows between departments to help employees share information, coordinate tasks, and solve complex problems.
A) Upward
B) Downward
C) Horizontal
D) Diagonal
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Horizontal communication occurs between employees who are roughly on the same level. Vertical communication, on the other hand, occurs between employees in different hierarchical levels.
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 8
Skill: Concept
Objective: 2
AACSB: Communication Abilities

14) Generally speaking, limitations of the formal communication network
A) discourage employees from taking advantage of social media.
B) have not affected the popularity of social media in the business environment.
C) have helped to spur the growth of social media in the business environment.
D) do none of the above.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) The more formal, conventional communication networks tend to be inadequate, the more people turn to other forms of communication, with social media currently being popular because of its ease of use and privacy.
Diff: 3 Page Ref: 8
Skill: Synthesis
Objective: 2
AACSB: Communication Abilities, Use of IT

15) To make your communication more effective,
A) clearly address your audience's wants and needs-not yours.
B) include as much information as possible, even if you're not sure it's necessary.
C) send the same messages by multiple channels.
D) do all of the above.
Answer: A
Explanation: A) Audiences tend to tune out when they receive "me" messages. To make sure a message is heard and understood, focus it on the other person, not yourself.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 9
Skill: Concept
Objective: 3
AACSB: Communication Abilities 16) In the first step of the communication process, the sender
A) decides what to say.
B) chooses a communication channel.
C) has an idea.
D) chooses a communication medium.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Communication begins with an idea that a person wants to convey to someone else. The idea exists purely as a thought and is not necessarily encoded in any form, written or spoken.
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 10
Skill: Concept
Objective: 2
AACSB: Communication Abilities

17) The final step in the communication process is
A) receiving the message.
B) sending the message.
C) giving feedback to the sender.
D) interpreting the message.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Feedback is information that conveys the receiver's response to the message. Feedback informs the sender of whether or not the message has been received and how well it has been interpreted.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 11
Skill: Concept
Objective: 2
AACSB: Communication Abilities

18) Uncomfortable meeting rooms, multitasking, and computer screens filled with popup messages are all examples of
A) problems with feedback.
B) distractions.
C) problems with background differences.
D) overload problems.
Answer: B
Explanation: B) Distractions can be internal or external. An uncomfortable or noisy meeting room is an example of an external distraction. Multitasking, or thinking about extraneous issues when one should be focusing on the issues at hand, is an example of an internal distraction.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 11
Skill: Application
Objective: 4
AACSB: Communication Abilities 19) Which of the following is not one of the five ways to get the audience to notice your messages?
A) Acknowledge the importance of the situation.
B) Practice empathy.
C) Use words, images, and designs that are familiar.
D) Consider audience expectations.
Answer: A
Explanation: A) Audiences respond well to messages that are empathetic, contain familiar references, and closely match what they are looking for. Stating how important the issue is may be helpful in special situations, but it is not a practice that should be employed in any general capacity.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 12-13
Skill: Concept
Objective: 3
AACSB: Communication Abilities

20) A manager hears the part of a message that supports his agenda, but doesn't seem to notice evidence that contradicts his point of view. The manager is engaging in
A) discrimination.
B) misreading.
C) selective perception.
D) stereotyping.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Selective perception occurs when a person hears what he or she "wants to hear." Listeners tend to tune out or fail to notice parts of communication that do not directly support their points of view. When they see or hear only their own point of view, they are engaging in selective perception.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 13
Skill: Critical Thinking
Objective: 4
AACSB: Communication Abilities

21) In order for audience members to respond appropriately to a business message, they must
A) remember the message.
B) be able to respond to the message.
C) be motivated to respond to the message.
D) do all of the above.
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Once a message is delivered, the audience starts the communication process by understanding the message and recalling what it tried to say. If the audience is able to meet the request made by the sender, he or she may choose to respond. However, in many cases, the audience has heard the message and is able to respond, but it has no reason or motivation to respond. For example, a request for sales data may be ignored if the receiver has no sales data to supply.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 14
Skill: Concept
Objective: 4
AACSB: Communication Abilities
22) "Business Communication 2.0" refers to
A) high-level correspondence as opposed to routine documents.
B) a new approach to business communication, emphasizing interaction and conversation rather than one-way publication.
C) specialized software that enables professionals to create impressive documents easily and efficiently.
D) none of the above.
Answer: B
Explanation: B) The key to Business Communication 2.0 is two-way communication. A company doesn't just issue information to its audience. Instead, it issues information in some kind of open format, such as a blog, then waits for response from customers, suppliers, and other stakeholders. The company may then respond to this feedback. The actual message has now been authored by everyone who participated in the conversation.
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 16
Skill: Concept
Objective: 1
AACSB: Communication Abilities

23) Whereas Business Communication 1.0 tends to emphasize ________, Business Communication 2.0 focuses more on ________.
A) discussion, lecture
B) collaboration, isolation
C) control, influence
D) permission, intrusion
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Business Communication 2.0 recognizes that few audience members like to be dictated to with iron-clad pronouncements. Business Communication 2.0 instead tries to influence the audience by allowing the audience to interact in the content of the message itself. When compared to Business Communication 1.0, control is lost in Business Communication 2.0, but credibility and persuasiveness are usually gained.
Diff: 3 Page Ref: 16
Skill: Concept
Objective: 1
AACSB: Communication Abilities

24) Most companies that embrace Business Communication 2.0
A) completely abandon the traditional approach to communication.
B) will eventually return to a 1.0 approach, since the technology turns out to be too complicated for most employees.
C) adopt a hybrid approach to communication, in which some messages follow the traditional model and others follow the 2.0 approach.
D) do none of the above.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Purely informational, no-nonsense communications still often work best with a Business Communication 1.0 approach. Companies use the Business Communication 2.0 when stakes are higher and they are trying to lay claim to new territory or persuade the audience to look at a situation in a new way.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 16
Skill: Synthesis
Objective: 1
AACSB: Communication Abilities 25) One major difference between the 1.0 and 2.0 approaches to business communication is that in the 2.0 approach audiences are encouraged to be
A) active participants in the communication.
B) compliant listeners.
C) passive recipients of the information the sender shares.
D) any of the above.
Answer: A
Explanation: A) Business Communication 2.0 stresses interaction between company levels. For example, Business Communication 2.0 may solicit feedback for a product while it is still being designed, something that would never occur in a Business Communication 1.0 environment.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 16
Skill: Concept
Objective: 1
AACSB: Communication Abilities

26) Which of the following is an example of Business Communication 2.0 in action?
A) A manager sends out weekly newsletters to employees.
B) An electronics store invites customers to submit YouTube videos showing how to install home theater systems.
C) An advertising firm creates a television commercial for a local automobile dealer.
D) All of the above are examples of Business Communication 2.0.
Answer: B
Explanation: B) Inviting customers to submit how-to videos accomplishes several things. It helps new users by providing useful information. It also encourages existing customers to feel that they play an important role in the development of the product. This sense of ownership tends to turn them into loyal customers.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 16
Skill: Critical Thinking
Objective: 1
AACSB: Communication Abilities

27) Information technology addiction is
A) a real problem that can lead to serious psychological problems.
B) a false condition concocted by workers who fear technology and its capabilities.
C) a condition that affects only those who work in high-tech jobs.
D) none of the above.
Answer: A
Explanation: A) Though it would seem like managers would approve of employees who are obsessed with staying connected, information technology addiction can get out of hand. In the event that a worker seems overly involved with technology, managers should strongly advise obtaining professional help.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 22
Skill: Concept
Objective: 5
AACSB: Communication Abilities, Use of IT 28) The "information technology paradox" refers to
A) widespread confusion over how to utilize email and IM.
B) the idea that technology has cut down interpersonal communication in business.
C) the idea that information tools (such as email) can waste as much time as they save.
D) none of the above.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) A good example of the paradox involves the overuse of email. Rather than function as an aid to efficiency, too many email correspondences can force workers into spending a significant part of their day simply keeping up with electronic correspondence.
Diff: 3 Page Ref: 22
Skill: Concept
Objective: 5
AACSB: Communication Abilities, Use of IT

29) Which of the following is the best solution to technology-related problems such as inappropriate use of the web and social media in the workplace?
A) Forbidding employees to use the web while they are in the office
B) Requiring employees to turn off their smartphones when they arrive for work
C) Developing clear policies that are evenly enforced
D) Rewarding employees who call your attention to those who are using these technologies inappropriately
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Clear rules and policies avoid misunderstandings and hard feelings. When setting guidelines, remember to be reasonable. Sending emails to schedule a daughter's softball game is acceptable. Shopping online for a new garden hose, on the other hand, should be considered unacceptable.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 22
Skill: Critical Thinking
Objective: 4
AACSB: Communication Abilities, Use of IT

30) The accepted principles of conduct that govern behavior within a society are known as
A) laws.
B) social guidelines.
C) ethics.
D) none of the above.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Ethical behavior goes beyond the question of legal or illegal. It may be legal to appropriate the idea of a colleague as your own, but it is not ethical.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 23
Skill: Concept
Objective: 3
AACSB: Communication Abilities, Ethical Understanding and Reasoning Abilities 31) Which of the following is not a characteristic of ethical communication?
A) It includes all relevant information.
B) It is designed to hide some negative information.
C) It is true in every sense.
D) It is not deceptive in any way.
Answer: B
Explanation: B) Concealing information that could be critical to making a judgment is unethical. It is essentially a form of lying because by not revealing important information the speaker is preventing the truth from being expressed and understood.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 23
Skill: Critical Thinking
Objective: 6
AACSB: Communication Abilities, Ethical Understanding and Reasoning Abilities

32) All of the following are examples of unethical communication except
A) using jargon.
B) selective misquoting.
C) distorting visuals.
D) plagiarism.
Answer: A
Explanation: A) Jargon may be annoying and may constitute a barrier to effective communication. However, there is nothing morally objectionable to using jargon, so it is not an unethical practice.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 23
Skill: Critical Thinking
Objective: 6
AACSB: Communication Abilities, Ethical Understanding and Reasoning Abilities

33) Which of the following is the best example of an ethical dilemma?
A) Deciding whether or not to promote the employee who has the better performance record or the employee who seems to be the better leader
B) Deciding whether or not to tell an employee that he needs to improve his performance
C) Deciding whether or not to use the copy machine for personal papers
D) Deciding whether or not to declare the costs of your vacation travel as a deductible business expense
Answer: A
Explanation: A) An ethical dilemma involves two alternatives that may both be right and morally acceptable. The situation is a dilemma because there is no single clear-cut "right" and "wrong" solution to the situation.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 24
Skill: Critical Thinking
Objective: 6
AACSB: Communication Abilities, Ethical Understanding and Reasoning Abilities 34) Which of the following is an example of an ethical lapse?
A) Putting unsigned suggestions in the company suggestion box
B) Sharing confidential information with a new employer about your previous (competing) employer's major clients
C) Telling your supervisor that another employee is stealing office supplies
D) Providing incorrect data in a report, even though you did not know it was incorrect at the time
Answer: B
Explanation: B) An ethical lapse is nothing more complicated than doing something that you know is wrong. It is referred to as a "lapse" because it is assumed that making an unethical choice is an isolated event and not part of a pattern of behavior.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 24
Skill: Critical Thinking
Objective: 6
AACSB: Communication Abilities, Ethical Understanding and Reasoning Abilities

35) To help establish clear guidelines for ethical behavior, many companies provide employees a written
A) ethics audit.
B) ethical dilemma.
C) ethical lapse.
D) code of ethics.
Answer: D
Explanation: D) A code of ethics should not be referred to in every decision an employee makes. Rather, a code of ethics serves as general boundaries for employees. They should be familiar enough with the code to know when they have strayed outside of its confines.
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 25
Skill: Application
Objective: 6
AACSB: Communication Abilities, Ethical Understanding and Reasoning Abilities

36) Despite increased market globalization, the nature of business communication has not changed much in recent years.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Technology, diversity, globalization, and an emphasis on small groups and teamwork are just some of the larger factors that have changed the nature business communication in the past few years.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 5-7
Skill: Synthesis
Objective: 2
AACSB: Communication Abilities, Multicultural and Diversity Understanding

37) Among other factors, the globalization of business has decreased the demand for skilled communicators.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Communication with people from cultures that are different from your own can be difficult. Understanding the subtleties of communication can make an enormous difference when dealing with cross-cultural problems.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 5
Skill: Concept
Objective: 2
AACSB: Communication Abilities, Multicultural and Diversity Understanding
38) Workforce diversity includes differences not only in race but also in gender, education, and other areas.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: Diversity can be significant even when it involves something as difficult to quantify as life experience. Two different people can have very different takes on a situation if they have different life experiences. These differences are just compounded when differences in race, gender, ethnicity, and so on are thrown into the mix.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 5
Skill: Concept
Objective: 2
AACSB: Communication Abilities, Multicultural and Diversity Understanding

39) Knowledge workers specialize in acquiring, processing, and communicating information.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: An example of a knowledge worker is a market research specialist who collects data (information), processes the information into a useful form, and communicates conclusions drawn from the data to others.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 6
Skill: Concept
Objective: 2
AACSB: Communication Abilities

40) Flatter organizational structures generally create less distortion when it comes to internal communication.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: The greatest amount of distortion occurs when one level of an organization interprets information and passes it on to another level with different priorities and perhaps even a different goal. Flatter organizations keep information flowing among individuals who share the same goals and speak the "same language," so distortion is bound to be reduced in this kind of a structure.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 7
Skill: Concept
Objective: 3
AACSB: Communication Abilities

41) In a virtual organization, a software company may take in a manufacturing firm to make the DVDs that contain the software that it offers.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: In a virtual organization, the company uses the services of another off-site service or company, and uses those services to create its product.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 7
Skill: Concept
Objective: 3
AACSB: Communication Abilities
42) A corporate culture is primarily concerned with what kind of art, music, and literature its leaders are interested in.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Corporate culture involves the values of the company and its leaders, not their preferences in the arts.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 7
Skill: Concept
Objective: 2
AACSB: Communication Abilities

43) Downward communication flows from employees to executives, providing accurate, timely reports on problems, trends, opportunities, grievances, and performance.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Downward communication strictly refers to information that flows from superiors to people in lower levels.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 8
Skill: Concept
Objective: 2
AACSB: Communication Abilities

44) Most of the information that flows downward in an organization is geared toward helping employees do their jobs.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: An example of downward communication in car dealer would be to remind sales people to make sure they mention zero-percent interest loans for selected new cars. Presumably, this information would help them sell more cars.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 8
Skill: Concept
Objective: 2
AACSB: Communication Abilities

45) Upward communication generally helps executives solve problems and make intelligent decisions.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: An example of upward communication would be bank employees informing management that customers are highly resentful of fees that are added on to bank services. Knowing how customers feel is valuable information that managers can use to create better policies for both the bank and customers.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 8
Skill: Concept
Objective: 2
AACSB: Communication Abilities

46) Within organizations, formal communication is upward and downward, while informal communication is always horizontal.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Formal and informal communication can flow in any direction. There is no set direction in which either formal or informal information flows.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 8
Skill: Concept
Objective: 2
AACSB: Communication Abilities
47) The rumor mill tends to be most active when employees receive too much information about their company.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: The rumor mill tends to be most active when something important is happening and employees are "in the dark" about what it is. When employees lack information, they tend to speculate and create gossip that may or may not be accurate.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 8
Skill: Concept
Objective: 2
AACSB: Communication Abilities

48) Because external communication is carefully orchestrated, almost none of it occurs informally.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: External communication typically involves a company communicating with an outside entity that it knows little about. Therefore, to avoid misinterpretation, external communication is almost always more formal than internal communication in which parties know one another.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 8
Skill: Concept
Objective: 2
AACSB: Communication Abilities

49) Emotional intelligence involves the ability to relate to the needs of others.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: The key to emotional intelligence is to pay attention to the emotional signals that others give and respond to them in a constructive way. For example, a manager with a strong emotional intelligence aptitude would never bring up work deficiencies to a worker who appears to be distraught over a personal matter. Instead, the manager would wait until a time when the worker was feeling less vulnerable.
Diff: 3 Page Ref: 9
Skill: Application
Objective: 2
AACSB: Communication Abilities

50) As long as employees get the job done, most companies are not concerned with employees meeting expectations of business etiquette.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Business etiquette should not be thought of as a rigid system, but rather a set of helpful guidelines that are respected at all times.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 10
Skill: Concept
Objective: 3
AACSB: Communication Abilities
51) The communication process is a simple one consisting of only two steps: the sender transmits the message and the receiver gets the message.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: The communication process does include sending and receiving messages. However, the entire process features eight steps rather than just two, with steps four and five being "send message" and "receive message."
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 10-11
Skill: Concept
Objective: 2
AACSB: Communication Abilities

52) Successful organizations usually avoid the need for feedback.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Feedback is critical to almost every form of communication. For example, feedback tells the sender of a message who seeks to solve a problem how the message was interpreted and what was done in response to the message. Feedback gives the sender the key information he or she needs to take the next step in solving the problem.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 11
Skill: Concept
Objective: 3
AACSB: Communication Abilities

53) Multitasking generally enhances the quality of employees' communication.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Multitasking is almost never good for communication. Typically, it creates a distraction that muddles the message and irritates the receiver of the message.
Diff: 3 Page Ref: 11
Skill: Concept
Objective: 3
AACSB: Communication Abilities

54) Factors such as poor acoustics and uncomfortable meeting rooms can be annoying but are not really that important when it comes to communication.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Any factor that puts up a barrier to communication ultimately degrades the quality of that communication. Ideas can still be conveyed in uncomfortable rooms with poor acoustics, but the probability for distortion and misunderstanding is greatly increased under these conditions.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 11
Skill: Concept
Objective: 3
AACSB: Communication Abilities
55) Filtering messages can occur unintentionally and lead communicators to miss out on information they need.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: An example of a filter causing problems is an email filter that sorts messages by sender. The program may place an unfamiliar sender in the bottom of the email list, causing it to be ignored by the receiver and the information it contained to be lost.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 12
Skill: Concept
Objective: 3
AACSB: Communication Abilities

56) In business, you can usually count on having your audience's full attention for important messages.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Audience members frequently have many urgent concerns and issues on their minds in addition to your issue at the time you are addressing them. So you should not be surprised if it seems difficult to fully gain the attention of your audience.
Diff: 3 Page Ref: 12
Skill: Concept
Objective: 3, 4
AACSB: Communication Abilities

57) The only real difference between the "1.0" and "2.0" approaches to Business Communication is that 2.0 involves using more communication technology.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Business Communication 2.0 is an entirely different way of communicating than 1.0. Business Communication 2.0 focuses on two-way or multi-way interaction rather than one-way interaction. Business Communication 2.0 is always looking to customers, suppliers, and other outsiders for input that will improve the product. Business Communication 1.0, on the other hand, typically creates a product and puts it on the market without any further interaction, discussion, or modification.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 15
Skill: Concept
Objective: 1
AACSB: Communication Abilities

58) The 2.0 approach to business communication emphasizes interaction and conversation among senders and audiences.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: Business Communication 2.0 values two-way and multi-way interaction between senders and their audience. The sender seeks feedback for the message sent, then modifies the message and sends it back out.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 15
Skill: Concept
Objective: 1
AACSB: Communication Abilities
59) Most organizations that embrace the 2.0 approach to business communication will still follow a more traditional approach for some communications (such as strategic plans and policy documents).
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: Business Communication 2.0 works better for projects and enterprises that need to be flexible and fluid. For example, a company does not want to use the 2.0 strategy of consulting customers or vendors when it comes to formulating a strategic plan that is intended to be highly structured and highly non-fluid.
Diff: 3 Page Ref: 15
Skill: Application
Objective: 1
AACSB: Communication Abilities

60) Despite predictions to the contrary, social media tools (such as blogs, social networks, and wikis) have had relatively little influence on the way companies communicate with customers.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Many examples exist in which a company modified its product on the basis of information on the Internet. For example, software companies often issue "beta" versions of their products in an unofficial way to solicit feedback from the public for how well the product performs. Using the feedback from, for example, the company's Facebook page can allow them to make critical modifications to their product.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 15
Skill: Concept
Objective: 1
AACSB: Communication Abilities

61) Using a wiki for employee training purposes is an example of the 2.0 approach to business communication.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: Rather than taking the time and trouble to create a training protocol, a company may resort to a well-made wiki, created by a user who has no connection to the company, for training.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 15
Skill: Application
Objective: 1
AACSB: Communication Abilities

62) Too much information can be worse than not enough information.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: Too much information can be just as bewildering and frustrating as not enough information. When you lack information you usually know what you lack and can then go about obtaining that information. When you have too much information you don't know where to start or how to proceed. In that case, too much information is worse than not enough information.
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 16
Skill: Concept
Objective: 3
AACSB: Communication Abilities
63) Effective communicators mark all email messages as "urgent" to make sure the audience responds.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Marking all messages "urgent" is an example of the "boy who cried wolf." After a while, receivers will know that the messages are not really urgent and perhaps ignore them altogether.
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 22
Skill: Concept
Objective: 3
AACSB: Communication Abilities

64) Even if a long report requires no immediate action from recipients, it's best not to mention that fact to ensure that they read the report.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Misleading receivers breeds mistrust. Once the receiver mistrusts your message, communication breaks down for good. For that reason, withholding information is always a bad idea.
Diff: 3 Page Ref: 22
Skill: Application
Objective: 3
AACSB: Communication Abilities

65) Ethics can be defined as not doing anything illegal.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Ethics refers to the morality of an act, not its legality. An illegal act, such as protesting bigotry, can be ethical. Conversely, a legal act, such as forcing workers to accept a benefits cut, can be unethical.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 23
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6
AACSB: Communication Abilities, Ethical Understanding and Reasoning Abilities

66) Plagiarism is only a problem in the classroom. In the business environment, it's just another term for information sharing.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Plagiarism is not only unethical, it is also illegal. When there are no legal holds on a text, plagiarism is still unethical and wrong. If a text is truly worth stealing, rather than plagiarize the user should simply give credit to the original author.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 23
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6
AACSB: Communication Abilities, Ethical Understanding and Reasoning Abilities
67) A message that is intended to mislead or manipulate the audience is unethical, even if its content is true.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: Misleading or manipulating an audience is unethical because it can lead to serious problems. For example, a pharmaceutical company that fails to release data from an unofficial source that can affect proper evaluation of its product is being unethical, even if it is not legally bound to disclose the results.
Diff: 3 Page Ref: 23
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6
AACSB: Communication Abilities, Ethical Understanding and Reasoning Abilities

68) "Stealth marketing" involves promoting products and services to customers who don't know they're being marketed to.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: A typical example of stealth marketing is paying to have a person promote a hair product on her social network page. The friends of this person are impressed by the "spontaneous" endorsement, and as a result are much more likely to try the product than if they knew the payment had been made.
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 23
Skill: Concept
Objective: 5
AACSB: Communication Abilities, Ethical Understanding and Reasoning Abilities

69) When people must choose between alternatives that aren't completely wrong or completely right, they are facing an ethical lapse.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: When people must choose between alternatives that aren't completely wrong or completely right, they are facing an ethical dilemma not an ethical lapse.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 24
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6
AACSB: Communication Abilities, Ethical Understanding and Reasoning Abilities

70) Although intellectual property laws were once a serious concern, the ease of sharing information through social media has decreased the need to be concerned with them.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: The ease with which copying of copyrighted material can be accomplished makes intellectual property laws more important than ever. Most published materials allow the user to take a small excerpt of a few lines without payment. Bloggers and other individuals who take extensive sections of texts or images need to get permission to use the item, a process that can be both lengthy and costly.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 27
Skill: Concept
Objective: 5
AACSB: Communication Abilities, Ethical Understanding and Reasoning Abilities
71) Communication is the process of transferring ________ and ________ between senders and receivers.
Answer: information, meaning
Explanation: The sender compiles the information and transmits it to the receiver, who interprets the information.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 3
Skill: Concept
Objective: 1
AACSB: Communication Abilities

72) Groups affected in some way by a company's actions are referred to as ________.
Answer: stakeholders
Explanation: Stakeholders for a company include management, employees, boards of directors, customers, suppliers, members of the local and wider community, and many others. Ultimately, a stakeholder is anyone who has an interest in the company or its product.
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 4
Skill: Concept
Objective: 2
AACSB: Communication Abilities

73) Workforce ________ refers to all the differences among the people you come into contact with on the job, including age, gender, sexual orientation, education, and so forth.
Answer: diversity
Explanation: Diversity refers to any permanent major characteristic that distinguishes people. For example, handicapped and non-handicapped are two different diversity categories. Opera-lover or non-opera-lover, on the other hand, are not diversity categories, because opera-loving is a choice, not a permanent characteristic of a person.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 5
Skill: Concept
Objective: 2
AACSB: Communication Abilities, Multicultural and Diversity Understanding

74) A ________ ________ is the mixture of values, traditions, and habits that give a company its atmosphere or personality.
Answer: corporate culture
Explanation: Corporate culture often focuses most on values that the company wants to promote. One corporate culture, for example, might encourage outdoor activities for its employees and provide them with equipment, information, and expertise on such things as hiking and biking. A different company might have no interest in promoting outdoor activities, but might take a great interest in supporting public charities.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 7
Skill: Concept
Objective: 2
AACSB: Communication Abilities
75) Understanding and respecting the members of your audience and making every effort to get your message across in a meaningful way is necessary to adopt an ________ -________ approach.
Answer: audience-centered
Explanation: The key to an audience-centered approach is for the sender of the message to focus on the needs of the audience, not his or her own needs. This "you" rather than "me" attitude breeds trust between the sender and the audience and makes the audience more receptive to any message that the sender wants to communicate.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 9
Skill: Concept
Objective: 3
AACSB: Communication Abilities
76) ________ ________ refers to the ability to relate to the needs of others, and is widely considered to be a vital characteristic of successful managers and leaders.
Answer: Emotional intelligence
Explanation: Emotional intelligence is a measure of how well a person can empathize and identify with others. Emotional intelligence involves both sending and receiving information. For example, a person with emotional intelligence can pick up on when her audience is not giving her their full attention. So rather than carry on without having a fully engaged audience, the speaker backs off and waits to communicate her message at a more receptive moment.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 9
Skill: Concept
Objective: 2
AACSB: Communication Abilities

77) When a sender puts an idea into a message, the sender is ________ the idea.
Answer: encoding
Explanation: Encoding can involve any kind of written, spoken, or physical code. Encoding can involve such things as: putting a message into words, conveying the message as a facial expression, writing the message, or translating the message into a computer language.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 10
Skill: Concept
Objective: 2
AACSB: Communication Abilities

78) In the communication process, ________ describes the step in which the audience extracts the idea from a message.
Answer: decoding
Explanation: Decoding is the act of interpreting the message, of changing it from a set of symbols to a form that is understood by the human brain.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 11
Skill: Concept
Objective: 2
AACSB: Communication Abilities
79) Selective ________ is the process of distorting or ignoring information that does not fit one's view of reality.
Answer: perception
Explanation: People sometimes hear only what they want to hearthis is a form of selective perception. When a supervisor tells a worker that he is very creative but too sloppy, the worker is engaging in selective perception if he hears the "creative" part of the message, but not the "sloppy" part.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 13
Skill: Concept
Objective: 3
AACSB: Communication Abilities

80) Social ________ tools such as blogs, wikis, and social networks have paved the way for companies to embrace the "2.0" approach to business communication.
Answer: media
Explanation: Blogs, wikis, and social networks are all forms of communication that are interactive and communal rather than one-way. Since interactive, communal communication is a hallmark of 2.0, these are the things that have been identified as blazing the trail to this new style of interaction.
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 15
Skill: Concept
Objective: 1
AACSB: Communication Abilities, Use of IT

81) Above all, the ________ communication model for business communication is more interactive and conversational than a traditional publishing or broadcasting approach.
Answer: social
Explanation: The social communication model focuses on two-way, rather than one-way communication. In this model, a back-and-forth conversation between individuals produces a collaborative product that suits the needs of both parties.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 15
Skill: Concept
Objective: 3
AACSB: Communication Abilities, Use of IT

82) According to the "information technology ________," information tools such as email and the Internet can waste as much time as they save.
Answer: paradox
Explanation: The situation is a paradox because theoretically, computer applications save time rather than waste time. But things such as email can lure users in to tending to a variety of time-consuming, trivial, non-critical issues. For many people, it is a good idea to work steadily during the day and do emails all at once rather than constantly getting distracted by them.
Diff: 3 Page Ref: 22
Skill: Concept
Objective: 5
AACSB: Communication Abilities, Use of IT
83) ________ are the accepted principles of conduct that govern behavior within a society.
Answer: Ethics
Explanation: Ethics are a society's moral rules, its sense of right and wrong, good and bad, acceptable or not acceptable.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 24
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6
AACSB: Communication Abilities, Ethical Understanding and Reasoning Abilities

84) An ethical ________ involves choosing between conflicting alternatives that are not clear-cut.
Answer: dilemma
Explanation: An ethical dilemma arises when the choice is between two alternatives that both have merit and are morally equivalent.
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 24
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6
AACSB: Communication Abilities, Ethical Understanding and Reasoning Abilities

85) An ethical ________ involves making a clearly unethical choice.
Answer: lapse
Explanation: An ethical lapse is a lapse, or temporary failure to exercise good judgment, when a normally ethical person carries out an unethical action.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 24
Skill: Concept
Objective: 6
AACSB: Communication Abilities, Ethical Understanding and Reasoning Abilities

86) How does the primary function of upward-flowing communication differ from that of downward-flowing communication?
Answer: Communication that flows upward mainly helps executives solve problems and make intelligent decisions. On the other hand, communication that flows downward is geared primarily toward helping employees do their jobs.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 8
Skill: Concept
Objective: 2
AACSB: Communication Abilities

87) When does the rumor mill tend to be most active within an organization? Include an example of a situation that might cause the rumor mill to become more active.
Answer: The informal communication network or "grapevine" tends to be most active when employees believe the formal network is not providing the information they want. For example, if employees are worried about possible layoffs but managers do not address the topic, the grapevine would probably become more active.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 8
Skill: Application
Objective: 2
AACSB: Communication Abilities 88) To adopt an audience-centered approach to communication, what do you need to learn about your audience? List at least three specific attributes.
Answer: An audience-centered approach requires learning as much as possible about the receiver's biases, education, age, status, style, and personal and professional concerns.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 9
Skill: Application
Objective: 3
AACSB: Communication Abilities

89) What does it mean for an audience to "decode" a message?
Answer: The audience decodes a message by extracting the ideas from it. Decoding is the sixth step in the communication process.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 11
Skill: Concept
Objective: 2
AACSB: Communication Abilities

90) Briefly explain the nature and importance of the final phase in the communication process.
Answer: The final phase in the communication process occurs when the receiver provides feedback for the sender. Feedback enables the sender to evaluate the effectiveness of the message.
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 11
Skill: Concept
Objective: 2
AACSB: Communication Abilities

91) List three social media tools that have inspired and enabled a more conversational approach to business communication.
Answer: These social media tools include blogs, social networks and wikis.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 15
Skill: Concept
Objective: 1
AACSB: Communication Abilities, Use of IT

92) Briefly describe at least one hypothetical or actual example of an organization utilizing the 2.0 approach to business communication.
Answer: (Answers may vary.) One example would be an online software vendor encouraging customers to review software titles they have purchased and then post those reviews on the vendor's website for other customers to access.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 15
Skill: Critical Thinking
Objective: 1
AACSB: Communication Abilities, Analytic Skills

93) What is the relationship between Web 2.0 and Business Communication 2.0?
Answer: Web 2.0 refers to second-generation of World Wide Web technologies such as blogs, wikis, and social networks. Business Communication 2.0 is a convenient label for a new, conversational approach to business communication that was inspired and enabled by these social media tools.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 15
Skill: Synthesis
Objective: 1
AACSB: Communication Abilities, Use of IT
94) How can the overuse or misuse of communication technology become a barrier to effective communication?
Answer: The overuse or misuse of communication technology can lead to information overload, in which people receive more information than they can effectively process.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 16
Skill: Concept
Objective: 4
AACSB: Communication Abilities, Use of IT

95) Briefly explain the difference between an ethical dilemma and an ethical lapse.
Answer: You face an ethical dilemma when you must choose between two or more conflicting alternatives that are not completely right or completely wrong. An ethical lapse, on the other hand, occurs when you make a choice that is clearly unethical and or illegal. An ethical dilemma can lead to an ethical lapse but doesn't necessarily do so.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 23
Skill: Critical Thinking
Objective: 6
AACSB: Communication Abilities, Ethical Understanding and Reasoning Abilities

96) Describe five characteristics of effective business messages.
Answer: Effective business messages provide practical information that immediately helps receivers in concrete ways. They also give facts rather than vague impressions, and provide compelling evidence to support all conclusions. They present information in a concise, efficient manner. Effective business messages also state precise expectations and responsibilities and offer compelling, persuasive arguments and recommendations.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 4
Skill: Concept
Objective: 2
AACSB: Communication Abilities

97) Explain the increasing dependence on knowledge workers in business, and provide at least two examples that illustrate the value of information in today's economy.
Answer: As global competition for talent, customers, and resources continues to grow, the importance of information continues to escalate, as well. Knowledge workers are employees at all levels of an organization who specialize in acquiring, processing, and communicating information, and they play a vital role in helping businesses compete in this information-centered environment. Several examples illustrate the value of information in today's economy: 1) competitive insights: the more a company knows about its competitors and their plans, the better able it will be to adjust its own business plans; 2) customer needs: information about customer needs is analyzed and summarized in order to develop goods and services that better satisfy customer demands; 3) regulations and guidelines: today's businesses must understand and follow a wide range of government regulations and guidelines covering such areas as employment, taxes, and accounting.
Diff: 3 Page Ref: 6
Skill: Concept
Objective: 3
AACSB: Communication Abilities, Analytic Skills
98) Outline the eight steps of the communication process.
Answer: The first step in the communication process occurs when the sender has an idea and decides to share it. Second, the sender encodes the idea as a message that the receiver will understand. Third, the sender produces the message in a transmittable medium. Fourth, the sender transmits the message through a channel (such as a face-to-face conversation or an email). Fifth, the audience receives the message. Sixth, the audience decodes the message by extracting the idea from it. Seventh, the audience responds to the message. Eighth, the audience provides feedback that helps the sender evaluate the effectiveness of the communication effort.
Diff: 3 Page Ref: 10-11
Skill: Concept
Objective: 2
AACSB: Communication Abilities

99) Describe four common types of communication barriers.
Answer: Four common types of communication barriers are noise and distractions, competing messages, filters, and channel breakdowns. Noise and distractions can be both physical and emotional and are especially common due to the widespread habit of multitasking. Competing messages make it difficult to gain and keep your audience's attention and can result in information overload, which makes it difficult to distinguish between useful and useless information and increases workplace stress. Messages can be blocked or distorted by filters, which are any human or technology intervention between the sender and the receiver. Filtering can be intentional or unintentional. Finally, channel breakdowns occur when the channel you select fails to deliver your message at all.
Diff: 3 Page Ref: 11-12
Skill: Concept
Objective: 3
AACSB: Communication Abilities

100) Briefly define Business Communication 2.0, and explain how it differs from a more traditional approach to business communication.
Answer: Business Communication 2.0 is a convenient label for a new social communication model that is transforming the ways organizations communicate. Unlike the traditional (or "1.0") approach which is characterized by a "we talk, you listen" model, this new approach is conversational and interactive, encouraging audiences to become active participants in the dialogue.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 15
Skill: Concept
Objective: 1
AACSB: Communication Abilities