CH11 (test bank) Flashcards
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.
B) Communication involves the transfer and understanding of meaning.
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
D) control
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
E) members of the organization showing their satisfaction and frustrations
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
B) information
Before communication can take place a ________ is required.
A) filter
B) channel
C) receiver
D) purpose
E) decoder
D) purpose
In a communication process, the ________ initiates a message by encoding a thought.
A) receiver
B) decoder
C) transmitter
D) sender
E) receptor
D) sender
The ________ is the actual physical product of the sender’s encoding.
A) channel
B) filter
C) message
D) noise
E) medium
C) message
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
C) encoder
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
B) receiver
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
D) Ann
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
C) Jennifer
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
E) the compliance with the organizational authority chain
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.
D) It is generally used for communicating personal or social messages.
When the receiver of a communication translates the message, it is known as ________.
A) encoding
B) conveying
C) transmitting
D) filtering
E) decoding
E) decoding
In a communication process, ________ is the check on how successful we have been in transferring
our messages as originally intended.
C) feedback
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
B) 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
B) downward communication
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.
E) Ray is holding his monthly meeting with his team in which he informs them of their monthly targets.
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
D) one-way nature
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
C) upward communication
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.
C) The assembly line workers have conducted a signature campaign asking for the revision of the old
pay scales.
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
D) lateral
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
A) lateral
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.
B) Lateral communication occurring with management’s knowledge and support can be beneficial even
if it does not follow the formal vertical structure.
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.
C) The company stipulated that all communication be in the upward or downward mode only to ensure
clarity and control.
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.
C) The sender can quickly obtain feedback from the receiver.
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
D) a high degree of tangibility and verifiability
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
C) written communication
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
C) nonverbal communication
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
B) personal e-mails
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.
D) Level of interest and the perceived status between a sender and a receiver can be studied through
body language.
E) Messages received through oral and nonverbal communication cannot be contradictory to each other.
D) Level of interest and the perceived status between a sender and a receiver can be studied through
body language.
The ________ network is a type of formal small-group network that rigidly follows the formal and
hierarchical levels of command.
A) matrix
B) chain
C) wheel
D) all channel
E) cross-functional
B) chain
Peter is working on a project. He feels that the parameters need to be changed to meet client
specifications. First, he must talk to his immediate supervisor, who will then discuss the issue with her
department director before any change can be implemented. Peter is most likely to be a part of the
________ type of small-group communication networks.
A) star network
B) mesh network
C) chain network
D) all-channel network
E) ring network
C) chain network
The ________ network is a type of formal small-group network that relies on a central figure to act
as the conduit for all the group’s communication.
A) matrix
B) chain
C) wheel
D) all channel
E) cross-functional
C) wheel
Carol Zelner, the manager of a small event management company, is known for her efficiency. She
provides the team with clearly defined tasks, guidelines, and directives. Further, she is always available
to provide feedback or resolve troubles. Recently, with Carol on leave for about three weeks, the team
had a lot of problems. The team members lacked the requisite information on client details, locations,
and budgets and had to repeatedly cross-check with each other or the clients. Which of the following, if
true, would best explain the problems faced by Carol’s team currently?
A) Members of Carol’s team have a high degree of satisfaction with their role in the team’s
communication.
B) Carol selects employees for her company by evaluating their personality traits to ensure that they fit
well into the team-based environment of the company.
C) Carol encourages all group members to actively communicate with each other.
D) Carol’s team primarily consists of individuals from low-context cultures.
E) The communication in Carol’s team follows the approach represented by a wheel network.
E) The communication in Carol’s team follows the approach represented by a wheel network.
The ________ network is a type of formal small-group network that permits the entire group to
actively communicate with each other.
A) matrix
B) virtual
C) wheel
D) chain
E) all-channel
E) all-channel
The all-channel network is practiced most commonly in ________.
A) traditional teams
B) self-managed teams
C) cross-functional teams
D) problem-solving groups
E) work groups
B) self-managed teams
Ideally, a chain network should be used when ________.
A) high speed of information transfer is desired
B) accuracy of information is most important
C) the network is expected to facilitate emergence of a leader
D) high member satisfaction is desired
E) the teams using the chain network are self-managed teams
B) accuracy of information is most important
