BUSINESS COMMUNICATIONS
CHAPTER 1 REVIEW
True/False
- The formal communication network is an unofficial but important part of any organization.
- The more links in the formal communication chain, the greater the opportunity for distortion of messages.
- Large companies, by necessity, must establish a hierarchy with many levels.
- Most of the information that flows downward in an organization is geared toward helping employees do their jobs.
- Upward communication in an organization is just as important as downward communication.
- The "grapevine" is another name for formal horizontal communication within an organization.
- Instead of trying to eliminate the grapevine, sophisticated companies minimize its importance by making certain that the official word gets out.
- Successful managers avoid the temptation to tap into the grapevine.
- Public relations messages are not openly sponsored and paid for by the company; instead, they are carried by the media when they are considered noteworthy.
- One high-profile function of the PR department is to help management plan for and respond to crises.
Multiple Choice
- The best way to improve your own and your company's effectiveness is to (A) listen carefully to your superiors; (B) agree with your boss as much as possible; (C) get to know the "power" employees; (D) make sure that you receive, use, and pass on all messages required to help your group function well.
- A manager's basic role is to (A) make and carry out decisions; (B) attend meetings and make speeches; (C) pass little gems of information along to junior employees; (D) coordinate external communication sources.
- Flat communication structures (A) increase the number of levels in the organization; (B) require fewer people to report to the same supervisor; (C) reduce the number of levels in the organization; (D) restrict the communication between employees of different departments.
- Managers' over-dependence on formal communication channels can result in (A) increased employee flexibility; (B) condensed lines of authority; (C) information overload; (D) distorted information.
- A sales manager giving instructions to a salesperson is an example of (A) upward communication flow; (B) downward communication flow; (C) horizontal communication flow; (D) informal communication flow.
- Formal methods for channeling information upward include (A) group meetings; (B) interviews with employees who are leaving the company; (C) formal procedures for resolving grievances; (D) all of the above.
- The sales manager writing a memo to the vice president of finance is an example of (A) upward communication flow. (B) downward communication flow; (C) horizontal communication flow; (D) informal communication flow.
- Horizontal communication flow is (A) only implemented through advanced technology; (B) only important if the company is very large; (C) crucial; (D) less important today than it was in the past.
- A casual conversation between co-workers is an example of (A) upward communication flow; (B) downward communication flow; (C) interdepartmental communication flow; (D) informal communication flow.
- How much of the information that travels along the grapevine actually pertains to business? (A) almost none of it; (B) half of it; (C) more than three-quarters of it; (D) none of the above.
- Cultural diversity in the domestic workplace (A) is one result of firms hiring more and more employees whose cultural backgrounds differ; (B) is less important than cultural diversity in foreign countries because the cultural differences within a county are less significant. (C) will be nonexistent by the turn of the century. (D) has nothing in common with cultural diversity across national borders.
- One result of ever-changing technology in the workplace is (A) a decrease in the speed of communication. (B) a decrease in the amount of information to be processed. (C) a decrease in wages for white-collar workers. (D) an increase in the speed of communication.
- When you use an audience-centered approach to communication, you (A) ignore ethical questions completed. (B) keep your audience in mind at all times while communicating. (C) get your own way, even if it isn't beneficial to your audience. (D) tell jokes and stories.
- Which of the following contributes to effective organizational communication? (A) a small organization (B) state-of-the-art equipment (C) efficient flow of messages (D) all of the above
- 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 or personality (D) a company's sponsorship of cultural events.
Short Answer
- How does communication affect your business future?
- How do organizations use internal communication?
- What are the differences between formal and informal communication channels?
- Describe the two departments responsible for external communication in most organizations.
- How can companies communicate successfully in a crisis?
- What is meant by "fostering an open communication climate"?
- How can you determine communication is ethical?
- What are some of the difficulties involved in intercultural communication?
- What is meant by "use an audience-centered approach to communication"?