Chapter 1 - Communicating in Todays Workplace

Identify the letter of the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question. 1. In the world of work, an economy based on information and knowledge is rapidly emerging. To be successful in these jobs, you must be able to ______________, make decisions, and communicate those decisions. a. think critically b. program a computer c. work in a satellite office d. train co-workers 2. The workplace is undergoing profound changes, and many of these transformations are due to ______________. a. finding employment through the Internet b. Videoconferencing c. rapidly changing hardware and software d. global competition 3. While todays flatter organizations have many benefits, they also bring greater ______________ challenges. a. Employee b. Communication c. Internet d. Ethical 4. A ______________ is a website with journal entries usually written by one person with comments by others. a. Server b. Podcast c. PDA d. Blog 5. Workers today are collaborating, telecommuting, ______________, and serving on virtual teams, all of which demand excellent communication skills.

a. using fax machines b. working in open offices c. fixing computers d. working nine-to-five jobs 6. Communication is defined as the transmission of ______________ from one individual or group to another. a. Meaning b. information and meaning c. Knowledge d. meaning and wisdom 7. Rene is deciding whether to prepare a memo to announce a new procedure or to hold a staff meeting to discuss how the new procedure should be implemented. She is involved in which segment of the communication process? a. Message encoding. b. Message transmission. c. Idea formation. d. Message decoding 8. Barriers to successful communication include bypassing, differing frames of reference, lack of language or listening skills, emotional interference, and physical distractions. Misunderstandings are less likely if you arrange your ideas logically and use ______________. a. fewer words b. a spell checker c. precise words d. transmission software 9. While sailing through her software presentation to the new employees, Jill noticed a stony glaze on the eyes of some listeners. She then slowed down, reviewed the main points, and paused to encourage questions. Jill was striving to overcome communication barriers by ______________. a. questioning her assumptions, biases, and prejudices b. improving her language and listening skills

c. creating an environment for useful feedback d. reducing physical distractions 10.Internal communication often consists of e-mail, memos, and voice messages. External communication generally consists of ______________. a. Letters b. Reports c. Meetings d. Videoconferences 11.Which of the following is an external communication? a. An accounting report showing the year's net income. b. A sales letter to a potential customer. c. A memo informing an employee of her new insurance benefits. d. A meeting of all department managers. 12.Which of the following demonstrates use of an inappropriate communication channel? a. Janine prepares a long memo to explain a complicated new procedure to employees in her unit. b. A supervisor sends an e-mail message to all employees announcing a company picnic. c. A manager sends a text-message to an employee telling the employee he or she is being fired. d. The lead operator on the assembly line orally lets his boss know about an equipment problem. 13.Organizational communication functions to inform, to persuade, and to ______________. a. diversify workplaces b. write reports c. send e-mails d. promote goodwill 14.Job plans, policies, directives, and personnel assessments are generally examples of ______________ communication.

a. Upward b. Downward c. Horizontal d. Diagonal 15.Before responding to an ethical dilemma, you should ask yourself (a) whether the action you are considering is legal, (b) how you would look at the problem if you were on the opposite side, (c) whether you can think of alternate solutions, (d) how you would feel if your friends and family learned of your action, and (e) whether ______________. a. it makes you feel good b. it makes you feel bad c. you can discuss the problem with someone whose advice you trust d. you will be guilty of falling into the "doctrine of relative filth" trap

True / False Indicate whether the sentence or statement is true or false. 1. The abilities to read, listen, speak, and write effectively are inborn. 2. Writing skills are difficult to develop and are increasingly significant. 3. To thrive in the age of knowledge, you need to be able to think critically, make decisions, and communicate those decisions. 4. Using abstract words or gestures when encoding a message will help both senders and receivers better understand the meaning of a message. 5. Business communicators are moving from one-sided and rather slow

communication channels, such as memos and letters, to more interactive, fastresults communication channels such as e-mail, text messaging, voice mail, cell phones, smart phones, and wireless fidelity (WiFi) networks. 6. Oral communication is an ineffective way to reach group consensus because seeing each others facial expressions can interfere with the decision-making process. 7. Information flowing downward provides feedback from non-management employees to management.

8. To improve horizontal communication, companies are (1) training employees in teamwork and communication techniques, (2) offering incentive programs that encourage employees to collect and share valuable feedback, and (3) encouraging full participation in team functions. 9. Management can reduce the negative effects of the grapevine by providing ample information through formal channels. 10.It is important not to discuss your ethical dilemma with a co-worker, as doing so will not provide any helpful insights.