Chapter 11



Chapter 11

Managerial Communication and Information Technology

Multiple Choice

For each of the following, choose the answer that most completely answers the question.

Understanding Managerial Communication

1. The specific reason that the importance of effective communication for managers can't be overemphasized is that

a. every communication a manager writes goes within the organization.

b. all verbal communications require face-to-face interaction.

c. every organization uses communications.

d. everything a manager does involves communicating.

e. each communication that s/he sends is suppose to be effective.

d hard

2. Once a decision is made,

a. the project starts.

b. communication must take place.

c. it must be followed to completion.

d. the funds to complete the decision are found.

e. others are told and the decision is implemented.

b hard

3. Ineffective communication skills

a. can lead to a continuous stream of problems for the manager.

b. are the result of being a poor manager.

c. are learned, not borne into us.

d. can result in an over-forecast of production units.

e. have effectively shut a plant down due to lost sales.

a hard

What is Communication?

4. Communication hasn't taken place unless

a. a point was made.

b. the words are spoken.

c. followers agree with idea.

d. management agrees to the decision.

e. information or ideas have been conveyed.

e moderate

5. Many of us define good communication

a. as having other do what you say.

b. making a point when asked our opinion.

c. as having someone accept our views.

d. being able to speak our view on most topics.

e. being able to dominate a discussion with our views.

c hard

6. Interpersonal communication is

a. a form of organizational communication.

b. the same as organizational communication.

c. a process that includes organizational communication.

d. composed of organizational, internal and external communication.

e. not as effective as organizational communication.

a hard

The Process of Interpersonal Communication

7. By definition! Noise

a. does not exist if communications are completed.

b. disrupts to the point that it makes communicating improbable.

c. has to be noisy.

d. are disturbances that interfere with the transmission, receipt, or feedback of a message.

e. consists of problem forms that make it more difficult than impossible to express an idea or thought.

d moderate

Methods of Communicating Interpersonally

8. When students begin putting their books, notebooks, and papers away, they are telling their instructor that class is over in which form of communication?

a. interpersonal

b. skilled

c nonverbal

d. filtering

e. selective

c moderate

Barriers to Effective Interpersonal Communication

9. When using selective perception, the receiver projects his or her interests and expectations into communications as

a. body language.

b. they are decoded.

c. verbal intonation

d. filtering

e. they are encoded

b moderate

10. When people feel that they're being threatened, they tend to react in ways that

a. give them control of the situation.

b. with violence that make communications impossible

c. by quitting their job and leaving the facility.

d. pick-up an object to defend themselves against the threats.

e. reduce their ability to achieve mutual understanding.

e moderate

11. Jargon is

a. an organizational language.

b. a unique language spoken among accountants.

c. specialized terminology or technical language that members of a group use to communicate among themselves.

d. a message that means the same to the receiver as it did to the sender.

e. a communication pattern that are individual oriented and spelled out.

c moderate

12. The Japanese value decisions by consensus, and open communication a. is an inherent part of the work setting.

b. is an acceptable manner of accomplishing the work.

c. is not an integral part of the process of consensus making.

d. is initiated by the lower levels of the organization to bring about change.

e. is a sure way for the consensus to be built within a group.

a moderate

Overcoming the Barriers to Effective Interpersonal Communication

13. Many communication problems can be directly attributed to

a. someone not exaggerating the problem.

b. differences in gender communications.

c. differences in the age of the parties communicating.

d. misunderstanding and inaccuracies.

e. differences in the culture of the two parties involved in the communication.

d hard

14. Understanding is improved by simplifying the language used in

a. addition to carefully choosing the receiver.

b. the message and speaking louder.

c. relation to the audience intended.

d. with making sure that the receiver is familiar with the product.

e. situations where the receiver is a specialist in the field.

c moderate

15. Active listening is enhanced by developing

a. apathy with the sender.

b. a system to minimize the noise in the area.

c. paying attention to the body language of the sender.

d. open communications with those around you in the group.

e. empathy with the sender.

e moderate

Managing Workforce Diversity

16. Research shows us that men and women tend to

a. have similar communication styles.

b. respond to stimuli with nearly the same reaction.

c. organize our work in a similar manner.

d. think a lot alike and communicate equally well.

e. have different communication styles.

e moderate

17. To keep gender differences from becoming persistent barriers to effective communication requires acceptance, understanding, and a commitment to

a. furthering the effort to communicate better.

b. communication adaptively with each other.

c. making it easier to share responsibilities within the organization.

d. attending development seminars that explain the differences.

e. understanding what the other person is saying from their perspective.

b hard

Formal Versus Informal Communication

18. Communication within an organization is often described as

a. informal.

b. formal.

c. uniform.

d. formal or informal.

e. vertical.

d easy

Direction of Communication Flow

19. Downward communication is used to inform, direct,

a. enforce and control employees.

b. coordinate, and evaluate employees.

c. discipline, and reward employees.

d. utilize and coordinate employees.

e. support and evaluate employees.

b moderate

20. Lateral communication takes place among any employees

a. on the same organizational level.

b. in the same work group.

c. within the same organization.

d. performing the same work.

e. assigned to the same supervisor.

a hard

21. When there is an interest in the efficiency and speed of communication between managers at different levels and in different departments, then

a. upward communication works best.

b diagonal communication should be used.

c. lateral communication is ideal.

d. informal will work the fastest.

e, formal ensures rapid delivery.

b moderate

Organizational Communication Networks

22. To form communication networks, you combine

a. lateral and upward communication flows.

b. lateral and downward communication flows.

c. lateral and diagonal communication flows.

d. horizontal and lateral communication flows.

e. vertical and horizontal communication flows.

e hard

23. In the all-channel network, communication flows

a. between an identifiable and strong leader and others in the work group.

b. in a circle until all of the members of a work group have been informed.

c. freely among all members of a formal work team.

d. fully within the organizational department.

e. among the managers of a functional area of an organization.

c moderate

24. An organization's grapevine works as both

a. an opportunity to learn new tasks and see friends.

b. a screen and mirror to turn away and send back messages.

c. smoke and mirrors in dealing with difficult employee issues.

d. a filter and a feedback mechanism for a manager.

e. a sender and receiver in the communications process.

d moderate

25. Because rumors that flow along the grapevine can never be eliminated entirely, a manager can minimize the negative consequences of rumors by

a. starting their own tales on the grapevine.

b. being open and disclosing a new rumor to the employees.

c. limiting their range and impact.

d. informing their boss that the rumor is out.

e. telling the employees that the rumor is not true.

c moderate

Understanding Information Technology

26. Although changing technology has been a significant source of the environmental uncertainty facing organizations, these same technological advances have enabled managers to coordinate the work efforts of employees in ways that

a. ensure that the work is completed.

b. allow the implementation of quality control in real-time.

c. enable the manager to oversee more employees.

d. configure organizational structures in new configurations.

e. can lead to increased efficiency and effectiveness.

e moderate

27. Information technology now touches every aspect of

a. any company's operations.

b. employees' lives.

c. a manager's job.

d. almost every company's business.

e. the communications process.

d hard

How Technology Affects Managerial Communication

28. In a networked computer system, an organization links its computers together through compatible hardware and software,

a. through the Internet.

b. creating its own Internet.

c. creating an organizational network.

d. establishing intradepartmental networks.

e. and utilizes the efficiencies of the network.

c easy

29. A drawback of instant messaging is that

a. it takes employees away from their work while waiting on the arrival of a message.

b. it requires groups of users to be logged on to the organization's computer network at the same time.

c. it works with most application software and allows for a security breech by unauthorized personnel.

d. IM requires a high level of computer literacy that many employees don't possess.

e. it can "leak" onto the Internet disclosing company secrets to unauthorized people.

b moderate

30. An intranet is an organizational communication network that uses Internet technology and is

a. available to anyone with the correct password.

b. used to communicate with suppliers and customers alike.

c. faster than using the Internet.

d. more reliable than the Internet for organizational communications.

e. accessible only by organizational employees.

e easy

Fill-in-the blank

For each of the following, choose the answer that most completely answers the question.

What is Communication?

31. For communication to be successful, the meaning must be imparted __________.

a. received by the other person.

b. and an action taken by the receiver

c. and feedback established

d. and understood

d moderate

32. __________consist of all the pattern, networks, and systems of communication within an organization.

a. The grapevine

b. Interpersonal communication

c. Organizational communication

d. Open communication

c moderate

The Process of Interpersonal Communication

33. Anything that interferes with understanding a message can be considered __________.

a. a problem

b. communications difficulty

c. interference

d. noise

d moderate

34. Four conditions influence the effectiveness of an encoded message: the skills, attitudes, and knowledge of the sender, and __________.

a. the social-cultural system.

b. the same for the receiver

c. the age of the sender

d. environmental problems

a moderate

d

35. __________ is the actual physical product encoded by the source.

a. An idea

b. A message

c. A written note

d. A hand-signal

b moderate

36. Feedback returns the message to the sender and provides a check __________.

a. on how well the receiver is doing

b on the ability of the receiver to perform the task

c. on whether understanding has been achieved

d. on what the sender should do the next time a message is sent

c moderate

Methods of Communicating Interpersonally

37. An example of a nonverbal communication would be__________.

a. an outline on the blackboard

b. a student with a hand raised

c. a billboard along the highway

d. a written note

b easy

38. Frowns, gestures, facial expressions are examples of __________.

a. nonverbal communication

b. personal feelings

c. body language

d. body intonations

c easy

39. Offense could be taken by a student who just asked a question of the instructor, and the instructor said "What do you mean by that?" Especially if the instructor used __________.

a. harsh verbal intonation

b. body intonations

c. personal feelings

d. frowns and gestures

a moderate

Barriers to Effective Interpersonal Communication

40. __________ is the deliberate manipulation of information to make it appear more favorable to the receiver.

a. Spin

b. Encoding

c. Fabricating

d. Filtering

d moderate

41. When people selectively interpret what they see or hear on the basis of their interest, background, experience, and attitudes, they are using __________.

a. defensive mechanisms

b. selective perception

c. defensive hearing

d. selective hearing

b easy

Overcoming the barriers to Effective Interpersonal Communication

42. Managers needs to simplify language and __________ whom the message is directed so that the language can be tailored to the receivers.

a. send the communication to

b. write the jargon for

c. to consider the audience

d. present it to

c moderate

43. Listening is an active search for meaning, whereas __________ is passive.

a. speaking

b. encoding

c. decoding

d. hearing

d easy

The Communication Styles of Men and Women

44. Men use talk to emphasize status, while women use it to __________.

a. create connection

b. provide insight to ideas

c. send clear signals

d. settle disputes

a moderate

45. Men are __________ women in conversation.

a. less often direct than

b. more often direct than

c, equally often as direct as

d. never as direct as

b moderate

Formal Versus Informal Communication

46. Any communication that takes place within prescribed organizational work arrangements would be classified as __________.

a. official

b. procedural

c. prescribed

d. formal

d easy

Direction of Communication Flow

47. __________ communication keeps managers aware of how employees feel about their jobs, their co-workers, and the organization in general.

a. upward

b. prescribed

c. downward

d. informal

a easy

48. The __________ network represents communication flowing between a clearly identifiable and strong leader and others in a work group or team.

a. chain

b. all-channel

c. wheel

d. star

c moderate

How Technology Affects Managerial Communication

49. Information technology has made it possible for people in organizations to be fully accessible, any time, __________.

a. and any way

b. now and in the future

c. visually or by voice mail

d. regardless of where they are

d easy

50. While the economic benefits of information technology are obvious, managers must not forget to address the __________.

a. differences in time zones

b. psychological drawbacks

c. differences in organizational levels

d. personality difference of people

b moderate

Scenario Questions

For each of the following, choose the answer that most completely answers the question.

George Wilberson is an engineer by training and manager of a work team that consist of two engineers, four production workers, an accountant, and a purchasing manager. They are about to embark on a new project for their company. George has prepared a memorandum for the work team explaining to them the objectives of the work team. Some of the production workers and the accountant have come to see George and ask for clarification about the memorandum.

The Process of Interpersonal Communication

51. When George prepared the memorandum and wrote the words on the paper, he was involved in

a. channeling the message.

b. organizational communication.

c. information technology.

d. decoding the message.

b moderate

52. The accountant in particular stated to George that he had difficulty understanding some of the technical terms used in the memorandum. These technical terms are commonly known as .

a. encoding.

b. the channel.

c. noise.

d. jargon.

d easy

53. The team began work on the project and reported to George that they had started doing as he had asked in the memorandum, but George noticed immediately that the work team did not appear to be doing what he thought that they should. The work team's performance provided George

a. noise.

b. decoding.

c. feedback.

d. the message.

c moderate

54. George held a meeting with the work team to determine what had gone wrong. It was determined that members of the work team had many varied experiences in the company, different technical backgrounds, and varying emotions about working on the assignment. These differences among the work team members created __________ for George's communication.

a. encoding

b. noise

c. decoding

d. feedback

b moderate

Sandra Milestone, the CEO of Excalibur Manufacturing Company had concluded that the company would have to reduce its employee group by 10% within the next four weeks due to a decreased demand for the products the company manufactured. She spent a over thirty hours preparing charts, tables, graphs, diagrams and other forms of visual aids for her presentation to the employees about the upcoming reduction in force so that they could understand the reason and feel better about the company.

Barriers to Effective Communication

55. When Sandra prepared the visual aids to help the employees understand and feel better about the company, she was doing what to the message she had to deliver?

a. deliberating

b. filtering

c. selective perception

d. upward communication

b easy

56. By the time that Sandra had finished the presentation to the employees, she had spoken for one and one-half hours, shown fourteen visual aids and no one asked a question. The employees were probably dealing with which of the following barrier to effective communications?

a. information overload

b. selective perception

c. defensiveness

d. receiver emotions

a moderate

57. As the employees began to leave the meeting room, some were overheard grumbling about the profit-rakers at the top, that it didn't make any difference to Sandra if employees lost their job, and that if the company wanted loyalty, it should hire a dog. These statements are the result of which barrier to effective communications?

a. selective perception

b. information overload

c. defensiveness

d. downward communication

c moderate

58. One employee in the finish department told her co-workers that what she heard Sandra say was that "the company was laying off the 10% so that the company could boost the dividends paid to the stockholder at the end of the quarter, and that the Board of Directors was worried about the return on assets." These claims are most likely the result of which barrier to effective communications?

a. information overload

b. verbal intonation

c. filtering

d. selective perception

Recently the employees of Chatterbox Enterprises, Inc. received a letter from the Vice-President of Operations explaining that a new facility would be built in Chatland City, US. It was also stated that about one fourth of the employees from the current Chatland City facility would be transferred to the new facility and if an employee wanted to volunteer for the transfer, they could do so by going to the Human Resource office and filling our a request form. Sam, a production supervisor first went to Tammy, the Purchasing Manager, who had already volunteered to transfer, and discussed with her the possibility of becoming her Inventory Control supervisor at the new facility. Tammy told Sam that Ruth, the current Inventory Control supervisor would not be transferring and that she would consider his request.

Direction of Communication Flow

59. The letter from the Vice-President to the employees is an example of which type of organizational communication?

a. horizontal

b. formal

c. lateral

d. informal

b easy

60. When Sam went and talked with Tammy, he was involved in which type of organizational communication?

a diagonal

b. upward

c. horizontal

d. lateral

a moderate

61. If Sam had talked with his co-supervisors prior to going to talk with Tammy, he would have been involved in which type of organizational communication?

a. formal

b. internal

c. lateral

d. downward

c easy

62. When Sam went to the Human Resource office and applied for transfer to the new facility, he was participating in which type of organizational communication?

a. formal

b. downward

c. diagonal

d. lateral

a moderate

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