BUAD 309 Chapter 11 | Questions, Answers and Rationales

BUAD 309 Chapter 11 | Questions, Answers and Rationales Which of the following statements is true with regard to communication? A) Communication cannot be used to motivate and control employees in an organization. B) Communication involves the transfer and understanding of meaning. C) Communication involves the mere imparting of meaning to another person or group. D) Perfect communication is not dependent on a channel and its richness. E) Perfect communication results in dissimilar mental models. Communication must include both the transfer and the understanding of meaning. Perfect communication, if it existed, would occur when a thought or idea was transmitted so the receiver perceived exactly the same mental picture as the sender. Communication serves four major functions within a group or organization: control, motivation, emotional expression, and information. Norah Baines has been one of the most devoted teachers at Oakwood Academy. She has been working with the institution for seven years and is expecting a promotion soon. However, Norah's candidacy for this promotion is passed over in favor of another less experienced male employee as Norah plans to start a family soon. Consequently, Norah writes a formal letter voicing her concerns. Norah's letter fulfills the ________ function of communication. A) motivation B) accommodation C) facilitation D) control E) informal Communication serves four major functions within a group or organization: control, motivation, emotional expression, and information. Communication acts to control member behavior in several ways. Organizations have authority hierarchies and formal guidelines employees are required to follow. When employees must communicate any job-related grievance to their immediate boss, follow their job description, or comply with company policies, communication is performing a control function. The emotional expression function of communication involves ________. A) managers motivating employees by setting specific goals B) management communicating company policies to employees C) managers training employees in decision-making strategies D) members of the organization following their job descriptions E) members of the organization showing their satisfaction and frustrations The work group is a primary source of social interaction for many employees. Communication within the group is a fundamental mechanism by which members show their satisfaction and frustrations. Communication, therefore, provides for the emotional expression of feelings and fulfillment of social needs. Synergy Inc. has recently assigned some of its best employees to form a cross-functional team and complete a project from a new client. Many of the employees on this team are apprehensive about the structure and dynamics of how they will function as a group and accomplish this goal. To energize the employees, their immediate manager is holding a meeting with them next week where he will provide them some additional training in strategies and methods that may work well for the team. The manager's initiative to hold this meeting fulfills the ________ function of communication. A) filtering B) information C) emotional expression D) control E) informal Communication serves four major functions within a group or organization: control, motivation, emotional expression, and information. The final function of communication is to facilitate decision making. Communication provides the information individuals and groups need to make decisions by transmitting the data needed to identify and evaluate choices. Before communication can take place a ________ is required. A) filter B) channel C) receiver D) purpose E) decoder Before communication can take place it needs a purpose, a message to be conveyed between a sender and a receiver. The key parts of the communication process are (1) the sender, (2) encoding, (3) the message, (4) the channel, (5) decoding, (6) the receiver, (7) noise, and (8) feedback. In a communication process, the ________ initiates a message by encoding a thought. A) receiver B) decoder C) transmitter D) sender E) receptor In a communication process, the sender initiates a message by encoding a thought. The ________ is the actual physical product of the sender's encoding. A) channel B) filter C) message D) noise E) medium The message is the actual physical product of the sender's encoding. With reference to the communication process, the ________ is the medium through which the message travels. A) feedback B) noise C) encoder D) channel E) decoder The channel is the medium through which the message travels. With reference to the communication process, the ________ is the one to whom the message is directed, who must first translate the symbols into understandable form. A) creator B) receiver C) encoder D) sender E) transmitter The receiver is the person(s) to whom the message is directed, who must first translate the symbols into understandable form. Stacey was at work when Ann, her sister, called to confirm their dinner plan the following weekend at their aunt Hilda's farmhouse. Stacey said she would call Joe, her husband, and get back to her. However, when Stacey called her back, Ann could not hear most of what she said because Jennifer, Ann's daughter, was crying loudly in the background. Who is the first sender in this scenario? A) Joe B) Stacey C) Jennifer D) Ann E) Hilda The sender initiates a message by encoding a thought. Here, Ann initiates the communication by calling her sister to ask a question and this makes her the first sender. Stacey was at work when Ann, her sister, called to confirm their dinner plan the following weekend at their aunt Hilda's farmhouse. Stacey said she would call Joe, her husband, and get back to her. However, when Stacey called her back, Ann could not hear most of what she said because Jennifer, Ann's daughter, was crying loudly in the background. Who represents the noise in the communication process depicted in the scenario? A) Hilda B) Joe C) Jennifer D) Ann E) Stacey Noise represents communication barriers that distort the clarity of the message, such as perceptual problems, information overload, semantic difficulties, or cultural differences. Jennifer's crying is the noise in this scenario. Formal information channels are characterized by ________. A) the transmission of spontaneous messages B) the emergence in response to individual choices C) the absence of noise in the communication cycle D) the personal and social nature of usage E) the compliance with the organizational authority chain Formal channels are established by the organization and transmit messages related to the professional activities of members. They traditionally follow the authority chain within the organization. Other forms of messages, such as personal or social, follow informal channels, which are spontaneous and emerge as a response to individual choices. Which of the following statements is true regarding an informal communication channel? A) It traditionally follows the authority chain within the organization. B) It generally transmits messages related to the professional activities of members. C) It is established by the organization. D) It is generally used for communicating personal or social messages. E) Information regarding change in the policies of the organization is transmitted through it. Formal channels are established by the organization and transmit messages related to the professional activities of members. They traditionally follow the authority chain within the organization. Other forms of messages, such as personal or social, follow informal channels, which are spontaneous and emerge as a response to individual choices. When the receiver of a communication translates the message, it is known as ________. A) encoding B) conveying C) transmitting D) filtering E) decoding The receiver is the person(s) to whom the message is directed, who must first translate the symbols into understandable form. This step is the decoding of the message. In a communication process, ________ is the check on how successful we have been in transferring our messages as originally intended. A) filtering B) signal C) feedback D) encoding E) noise Feedback is the check on how successful we have been in transferring our messages as originally intended. It determines whether understanding has been achieved. Which of the following is the final step in the communication process? A) silence B) feedback loop C) all-channel transmission D) decoding E) encoding Feedback is the check on how successful we have been in transferring our messages as originally intended. It determines whether understanding has been achieved. The final link in the communication process is a feedback loop. Communication that flows from one level of a group or organization to a lower level is called ________. A) intrapersonal communication B) downward communication C) upward communication D) lateral communication E) horizontal communication Communication that flows from one level of a group or organization to a lower level is downward communication. Group leaders and managers use it to assign goals, provide job instructions, explain policies and procedures, point out problems that need attention, and offer feedback about performance. Which of the following is an example of downward communication? A) Harry is reporting the work he has done for the day to his supervisor. B) Ben, an assembly line worker, is communicating some safety concerns he has to his manager. C) Silas has just sent a request for leave to his supervisor and is hoping that it will be accepted. D) John and Jack, the production and the marketing managers, have met to discuss the budget constraints they are facing. E) Ray is holding his monthly meeting with his team in which he informs them of their monthly targets. Communication that flows from one level of a group or organization to a lower level is downward communication. Group leaders and managers use it to assign goals, provide job instructions, explain policies and procedures, point out problems that need attention, and offer feedback about performance. Which of the following is a disadvantage of downward communication? A) communication apprehension B) inferiority complex C) inability to convey feedback D) one-way nature E) fear of authority chain One of the problems in downward communication is its one-way nature; generally, managers inform employees but rarely solicit their advice or opinions. Communication that flows to a higher level in the group or organization is called ________. A) intrapersonal communication B) downward communication C) upward communication D) lateral communication E) horizontal communication Upward communication flows to a higher level in the group or organization. It's used to provide feedback to higher-ups, inform them of progress toward goals, and relay current problems. Which of the following is an example of upward communication? A) Jennifer has just received an outstanding performance rating as a part of the yearly appraisals. B) Sherry is holding a project initiation meeting with her team to familiarize her team with the guidelines and requirements. C) The assembly line workers have conducted a signature campaign asking for the revision of the old pay scales. D) The management has recently given a copy of the new safety policies that the employees must abide by in their daily work. E) The heads of the different departments of Carver Inc. have met to discuss their plans for the coming year. Upward communication flows to a higher level in the group or organization. It's used to provide feedback to higher-ups, inform them of progress toward goals, and relay current problems. The employees are holding this signature campaign to convey their pay-related grievance to the management. Communication that takes place among members of work groups at the same level is known as ________ communication. A) diagonal B) grapevine C) upward D) lateral E) downward When communication takes place among members of the same work group, members of work groups at the same level, managers at the same level, or any other horizontally equivalent workers, it is described as lateral communication. Reuben Williams, the marketing manager for F&B Industries, is frustrated. He feels that the production division repeatedly lets his division down. When the latest marketing strategy announced that a new product will be available in the market by July, the production division was unable to complete the production of the first batch till August. The production manager claims that manpower is short and the targets placed on the production division are unreasonably high. To resolve this deadlock, they will be meeting soon. This meeting is an example of ________ communication. A) lateral B) grapevine C) diagonal D) upward E) downward When communication takes place among members of the same work group, members of work groups at the same level, managers at the same level, or any other horizontally equivalent workers, it is described as lateral communication. The marketing manager and the production manager belong to the same hierarchical level but represent different divisions; their communication is an example of lateral communication. Which of the following is a unique advantage of lateral communication? A) Lateral communication helps in the transmission of ideas and information. B) Lateral communication occurring with management's knowledge and support can be beneficial even if it does not follow the formal vertical structure. C) Lateral communication facilitates emotional expression, enhances motivation, and helps the organization control its employees effectively. D) Lateral communication facilitates coordination at the intradepartmental level. E) Lateral communication works quickly as it does not follow the stages of the communication process. Because strictly adhering to the formal vertical structure for all communications can be inefficient, lateral communication occurring with management's knowledge and support can be beneficial. Gehring Services is a company organized around a strong management which values experience, knowledge, and structure. The company has a detailed framework of rules, procedures, and guidelines in place to help employees respond to problems in an orderly manner. Mails, memos, and notifications are used to communicate between managers, employees, and the management. Despite such provisions to help in structuring and executing work, the company incurs losses for delays and quality issues. One of their key clients had asked for two similar projects to be delivered by the teams headed by Briony and Benedict. While Benedict's team completed the project successfully on time, Briony's team had to implement numerous last minute changes to meet client specifications and she ended up delivering the project over a week late. Which of the following, if true, would explain this delay in Briony's submission? A) Briony's team was comprised of members who generated a lot of positive synergy while working together. B) Briony and Benedict had teams comprising equal members and were allocated company resources in equitable manner. C) The company stipulated that all communication be in the upward or downward mode only to ensure clarity and control. D) Briony had a good track record with clients who trusted her to do a good job. E) The management allowed Briony's team an extension to complete the project. The fact that Briony's team was comprised of members who generated a lot of positive synergy while working together does not explain the delay in the team's submission. The fact that Briony and Benedict had teams comprised of equal members and were allocated company resources in equitable manner does not explain the delay in Briony's project submission. The fact that the company stipulated that all communication be in the upward or downward mode does explain the delay in Briony's project submission. Because Gehring services strictly adheres to the formal vertical structure for all communications, it has become inefficient. Lateral communication occurring with management's knowledge and support can be beneficial in such a situation. The fact that Briony had a good track record with clients who trusted her to do a good job does not explain the delay in her project submission. The fact that the management allowed Briony's team an extension to complete the project is a consequence of the delay. Which of the following statements is true regarding oral communication? A) It is tangible and verifiable. B) It can be stored for an indefinite period. C) The sender can quickly obtain feedback from the receiver. D) As compared to written communication, it is more likely to be well thought out, logical, and clear. E) In the case of oral communication, the possibility of distortion of the message decreases. The advantages of oral communication are speed and feedback. We can convey a verbal message and receive a response in minimal time. If the receiver is unsure of the message, rapid feedback allows the sender to quickly detect and correct it. The major disadvantage of oral communication surfaces whenever a message has to pass through a number of people: the more people, the greater the potential distortion. Written communication is characterized by ________. A) a high degree of potential distortion B) the speed of transmission and feedback C) the availability of nonverbal cues D) a high degree of tangibility and verifiability E) minimal time required for transmission and feedback Written communication is often tangible and verifiable. Both the sender and receiver have a record of the communication; and the message can be stored for an indefinite period. Genepa Corporation manufactures home appliances and other electronic products. Genepa is planning to introduce a new refrigerator model. The marketing manager at Genepa has developed a marketing plan for this new product and wants to communicate this plan to all the employees in the marketing department. Which of the following is most likely to be the best form of communication for communicating this plan? A) nonverbal communication B) oral communication C) written communication D) grapevine communication E) lateral communication Written communication is often tangible and verifiable. When it's printed, both the sender and receiver have a record of the communication; and the message can be stored for an indefinite period. The marketing plan is likely to contain a number of tasks spread out over several months. By putting it in writing, those who have to initiate the plan can readily refer to it over its lifespan. Which of the following forms of communication is characterized by the use of only body movements, intonations, facial expressions, and physical distance to communicate? A) written communication B) downward communication C) nonverbal communication D) lateral communication E) upward communication Nonverbal communication deals with body movements, the intonations or emphasis we give to words, facial expressions, and the physical distance between the sender and receiver. Downward, upward, and lateral communication may or may not be nonverbal. Which of the following modes of communication does not come under the purview of nonverbal communication? A) physical distance B) personal e-mails C) intonations D) facial expressions E) body movement Nonverbal communication deals with body movements, the intonations or emphasis we give to words, facial expressions, and the physical distance between the sender and receiver. Which of the following statements is true with regard to nonverbal communication? A) Nonverbal communication has a high degree of potential distortion. B) E-mails and memos are examples of nonverbal communication. C) The importance of nonverbal cues is low as they have no fixed meanings.