CH-13 Managing Communication – Effective Management : Exam Guide

Chapter 13: Managing Communication TRUE/FALSE 1. Across all industries, poor communication skills rank as the single most important reason why people do not advance in their chosen career. Answer: True 2. Communication is the process of transmitting information from one person or place to another. Answer: True 3. The process of communication occurs when a Honeywell executive tells a Fortune magazine reporter, “Innovation is in Honeywellís lifeblood and the spirit of creativity comes from diversity.” Answer: True 4. Due to perceptual filtering, people exposed to the same information will often disagree about what they saw or heard. Answer: True 5. In the perceptual process, apprehension is the process of remembering interpreted information. Answer: False In the perceptual process, retention is the process of remembering interpreted information. 6. Perception is the process by which individuals attend to, organize, interpret, and retain information from their environments. Answer: True 7. In the perceptual process, interpretation is the process of incorporating new memories with old memories and creating the ability to recall both. Answer: False In the perceptual process, interpretation is the process of attaching meaning to new knowledge. 8. Selective perception is the tendency to notice and accept objects and information consistent with our values, beliefs, and expectations while screening out or not accepting inconsistent information. Answer: True 9. According to attribution theory, the two general reasons or attributions we use to explain peopleís behavior are primary attribution and secondary attribution. Answer: False According to attribution theory, we use two general reasons or attributions to explain peopleís behavior: an internal attribution and an external attribution. 10. The resistance bias is the tendency for people to perceive themselves as personally and situationally similar to someone who is having difficulty or trouble and therefore to use external attributions to explain the personís behavior. Answer: False The defensive bias is the tendency for people to perceive themselves as personally and situationally similar to someone who is having difficulty or trouble and therefore to use external attributions to explain the personís behavior. 11. When the 55-year-old executive sat in his office thinking about his 25-year-old colleague with two tattoos, a piercing, no watch, and a shameless propensity for chatting up the boss, he could have been using selective perception to screen out how effective an employee the younger man actually was. Answer: True 12. When things go wrong in the workplace, workers are more likely to perceive events and explain behavior using an external attribution, and managers are more likely to make an internal attribution. Answer: True 13. According to the theory of perception, the 55-year-old executive has a basic need to understand what motivates his 25-year-old colleague with two tattoos, a piercing, no watch, and a shameless propensity for chatting up the boss. Answer: False Attribution theory is the theory that says we all have a basic need to understand and explain the causes of other peopleís behavior. 14. The self-serving bias is the tendency to overestimate our value by attributing successes to ourselves (internal causes) and attributing failures to others or the environment (external causes). Answer: True 15. In the model of the communication process, decoding may result in faulty communication as a result of perceptual filters on the receiverís part. Answer: True 16. Feedback is not necessary in the communication process when the sender and receiver are both confident that they understand each other. Answer: False Complacency and overconfidence about the ease and simplicity of communication can lead senders and receivers to simply assume that they share a common understanding of the message and to not use feedback to improve the effectiveness of their communication. This is a serious mistake. 17. The conduit metaphor causes problems in communication by making managers too complacent and confident in their ability to easily and accurately transfer messages to receivers. Answer: True 18. Horizontal communication flows among managers and workers who are at the same organizational level. Answer: True 19. Informal communication occurs when the director of the research and development department of a watch manufacturer presents an idea for a digital watch made of diamonds to the marketing director. Answer: False This would be an example of formal communication more than likely, horizontal communication. 20. Another name for the informal communication channel is the “grapevine.” Answer: True 21. One recommendation for managers wishing to improve formal communication is to decrease reliance on downward communication. Answer: True 22. When the Richemont Group purchased Vacheron Constantin, the worldís oldest watch manufacturer in continuous production, the grapevine at Vacheron Constantin would more than likely have spread rumors of the acquisition throughout the firm when the plan was still in the discussion stage. Answer: True 23. The two kinds of one-on-one communication are mentoring and vestibule training. Answer: False The two kinds of one-on-one communication are coaching and counseling. 24. Nonverbal communication plays a role in management only when it supports or reinforces a verbal message. Answer: False Nonverbal communication may also contradict a verbal message, in which case it is often considered most informative. 25. In nonverbal communication, the term kinesics is used to refer to the pitch, rate, tone, volume, and speaking pattern (i.e., use of silences, pauses, or hesitations) of oneís voice. Answer: False The term paralanguage is used to refer to this. Kinesics are movements of the body and face. 26. According to the “Doing the Right Thing” box on protecting confidential information, it is the duty of all managers to protect their employeesí private information. Answer: True 27. When it comes to improving communication, managers must manage one-on-one communication while also managing organization-wide communication. Answer: True 28. As a general rule, managers prefer written communication over oral communication. Answer: False Studies show that managers generally prefer oral communication over written communication. 29. Managers with better listening skills are rated as better managers by their employees and are much more likely to be promoted. Answer: True 30. Listening is an example of a voluntary behavior. Answer: True 31. Active listening encourages listeners to ask for clarification of confusing or ambiguous statements. Answer: True 32. Involuntary listening is just as important as active listening, especially for managers, because it helps build rapport and trust with others. Answer: False Empathetic listening is just as important as active listening, especially for managers, because it helps build rapport and trust with others. 33. In communicating feedback to employees, managers need to recognize that feedback can be constructive or destructive. Answer: True 34. The first step in successful cross-cultural communication is familiarizing yourself with a countryís general work norms. Answer: True 35. Association time is how much time you must spend getting to know someone before the person is prepared to do business with you. Answer: False This is the definition of acquaintance time. 36. In affective cultures, people are much more likely to display emotions and feelings when communicating, whereas in neutral cultures they do not. Answer: True 37. People in polychronic cultures tend to do more than one thing at a time and view time as circular. Answer: True 38. The four important temporal concepts that affect cross-cultural communication are appointment time, schedule time, discussion time, and acquaintance time. Answer: True 39. Online discussion forums are the in-house equivalent of Internet newsgroups. Answer: True 40. Company hotlines, survey feedback, frequent informal meetings, and surprise visits are ways of overcoming organizational silence. Answer: True 41. Frequent informal meetings between top managers and lower-level employees are one of the best ways for top managers to hear what others feel and think. Answer: True 42. In general, blogs serve no value in the corporate world. Answer: False Blogs are simply another way to hear what people are thinking and sayingññboth inside and outside the organization. MULTIPLE CHOICE 1. _____________ is the process of transmitting information from one person or place to another. A. Reiterating B. Communication C. Feedback D. Reciprocating E. Channeling Answer: B Definition of communication. 2. Which of the following statements about the importance of communication is true? A. Many of the basic management processes cannot be performed without effective communications. B. Oral communication is the most important skill for college graduates who are entering the workforce. C. Poor communication skill is the single most important reason that people do not advance in their careers. D. Communication is especially important for top managers. E. All of these statements about the importance of communication are true. Answer: E All of the statements are true with regard to communication. 3. _____________ is the process by which individuals attend to, organize, interpret, and retain information from their environments. A. Active hearing B. Passive listening C. Perception D. Apprehension E. Participative communication Answer: C Definition of perception. 4. In the perceptual process, _____________ is the process of noticing, or becoming aware of, particular stimuli. A. retention B. organization C. interpretation D. attention E. activation Answer: D Definition of attention. 5. In the perceptual process, _____________ is the process of remembering interpreted information. A. apprehension B. organization C. interpretation D. retention E. activation Answer: D Definition of retention. 6. In the perceptual process, _____________ is the process of incorporating new information into your existing knowledge. A. comprehension B. organization C. interpretation D. retention E. attention Answer: B Definition of organization. 7. In the perceptual process, _____________ is the process of attaching meaning to new knowledge. A. attention B. organization C. interpretation D. definition E. retention Answer: C Definition of interpretation. 8. Which of the following statements about perception and perceptual filters is true? A. People pay attention to similar things. B. People organize and interpret what they pay attention to similarly. C. People remember things similarly. D. People are unaffected by differences in stimuli. E. People perceive according to personality-, psychology-, and experience-based filters. Answer: E People notice, organize, interpret, and remember in different manners because they respond differently to stimuli. 9. Because of _____________, people exposed to the same information will often disagree about what they saw or heard. A. defensive biases B. feedback variables C. differences in communication media D. perceptual filters E. communications deviations Answer: D Perceptual filters influence people to ignore or pay attention to a particular stimuli, which can cause disagreement with regard to what is said or heard. 10. Product placement (the use of branded products by characters in films and TV shows in return for a fee paid by the brandís owner) is commonplace today. Several news agencies have done extensive reports on the common practice. How often have you seen a character drinking a brand of soda, going to shop at a named retail outlet, or using some branded electronics equipment? If you havenít noticed these ads, you are probably experiencing: A. defensive biases B. feedback variables C. differences in communication media D. perceptual filters E. communications deviations Answer: D Because of perceptual filters, people exposed to the same information will often disagree about what they saw or heard. 11. Perceptual filters may occur as the result of: A. stimulus-based differences B. physiology-based differences C. situation-contextual differences D. personality-based differences E. all of these Answer: D Perceptual filters are the personality-, psychology-, or experience-based differences that influence people to ignore or pay attention to particular stimuli. 12. The steps in the basic perception process include all of the following EXCEPT: A. attention B. organization C. analysis D. interpretation E. retention Answer: C See Exhibit 13.1. 13. The steps in the perceptual process in order are: A. interpretation, attention, organization, action B. organization, attention, interpretation, retention C. attention, organization, interpretation, retention D. attention, interpretation, organization, retention E. attention, decision, intention, and action Answer: C See Exhibit 13.1. 14. The last step in the perceptual process is: A. interpretation B. retention C. attention D. organization E. action Answer: B See Exhibit 13.1. 15. _____________ is the tendency to fill in gaps of missing information by assuming that what we donít know is consistent with what we already know. A. Selective perception B. Kinesics C. Closure D. Defensive bias E. Attribution Answer: C Definition of closure. 16. Marathon runner Mariah Li noticed the San Diego Zoo was prohibiting people in motorized wheelchairs from viewing the zooís baby panda and saw nothing wrong with this policy. Tully Smythe, who is wheelchair-bound, saw the notice and felt he was being discriminated against because he could not use his wheelchair to access the panda site. This is an example of: A. selective perception B. kinesics C. faulty closure D. selective retention E. defensive biases Answer: A Selective perception is the tendency to notice and accept information consistent with our values, beliefs, and expectations, while ignoring or screening out or not accepting inconsistent information 17. Robin has postponed getting her ears pierced for years even though she loves to wear earrings and is convinced that jewelry manufacturers will not continue to produce clip-on earrings. When Robin was told that her favorite store would no longer stock Coret brand clip-on earrings, she assumed that this meant that Coret was no longer producing this type of earrings even though that was not the case. _____________ led to Robinís incorrect assumption. A. Selective perception B. Kinesics C. Closure D. Defensive bias E. Attribution Answer: C Closure is the tendency to fill in gaps of missing information by assuming that what we donít know is consistent with what we already know. 18. Mike is a big fan of all kinds of sports. As he walked past the snack room bulletin board, he was excited to notice the company was sponsoring a softball team. Non-athletic Kenneth walks by the same bulletin board at least three times every day and has yet to see the softball notice. The fact one saw the notice and the other did not is due to: A. selective perception B. kinesics C. faulty closure D. selective retention E. defensive biases Answer: A Selective perception is the tendency to notice and accept information consistent with our values, beliefs, and expectations, while ignoring or screening out or not accepting inconsistent information. 19. _____________ is the tendency to notice and accept objects and information consistent with our values, beliefs, and expectations, while ignoring or screening out or not accepting inconsistent information. A. Selective perception B. Kinesics C. Closure D. Attribution E. The mirror effect Answer: A Definition of selective perception. 20. The retired founder of L. L. Bean spent much of his time sitting on a set of stairs where he could watch customers coming and going to his store. He typically dressed in old pants, well-worn flannel shirts, and a pair of muddy boots. Customers assumed he was a derelict. Those who recognized him thought of him as a real character. He was seen differently by different people due to: A. attribution B. a defensive bias C. a reactive bias D. selective perception E. kinesics Answer: D Selective perception is the tendency to notice and accept objects and information consistent with our values, beliefs, and expectations, while ignoring or screening out or not accepting inconsistent information. 21. Clyde is a hunter and a member of the National Rifle Association (NRA) and proudly displays its decal on his truck. When he glimpsed a window decal on Donís car, he thought, “Hey, Don is a member of NRA, too.” Clyde correctly filled in the words on the decal by relating the shape and color of the decal to the decal he was familiar with. Clyde used _____________ to fill in missing information. A. a reactive bias B. closure C. selective reception D. paraperception E. a defensive bias Answer: B Closure is the tendency to fill in gaps of missing information by assuming that what we donít know is consistent with what we already know. 22. According to attribution theory, _____________ makes managers more likely to attribute workers problems or failures to internal causes than to external causes. A. closure B. the defensive bias C. the self-serving bias D. the fundamental attribution error E. kinesics Answer: D This defines fundamental attribution error. 23. According to attribution theory, we use two general reasons or attributions to explain peopleís behavior. They are: A. formalized and nonformalized attributions B. self-serving and defensive attributions C. objective and subjective attributions D. internal and external attributions E. centralized and decentralized attributions Answer: D Internal and external attributions are the two general reasons or attributions to explain peopleís behavior. 24. According to attribution theory, the defensive bias makes workers more likely to attribute their performance problems to: A. situational causes B. personal causes C. an internal locus of control D. the absence of unity of command E. none of these Answer: A The defensive bias is the tendency for people to perceive themselves as personally and situationally similar to someone who is having difficulty or trouble. 25. The _____________ states that we all have a basic need to understand and explain the causes of other peopleís behavior. A. attribution theory B. behavioral reflection theory C. theory of causality D. principle of consideration E. theory of empathetic reinforcement Answer: A Definition of attribution theory. 26. Renovation of a street and sidewalk was supposed to be finished in October. Wet weather prolonged the rebuilding until the middle of December. Local retailers blamed the city for low holiday sales. If you agree with this analysis of why sales were poor, then you: A. are experiencing the halo effect B. do not believe in attribution theory C. have a defensive bias D. have a reactive bias E. are experiencing perceptual empathy Answer: C The defensive bias is the tendency for people to perceive themselves as personally and situationally similar to someone who is having difficulty or troubleññin this case, an external attribution was made. 27. Lopez was injured at work when a warehouse shelving unit fell on him. According to attribution theory, his coworkers would be guilty of a(n) _____________ if they assumed the accident was due to the shelves being improperly anchored to the wall. A. fundamental attribution error B. reactive perception error C. error of culpability D. proactive perceptual error E. defensive bias Answer: E The defensive bias is the tendency for people to perceive themselves as personally and situationally similar to someone who is having difficulty or troubleññin this case, Lopez made an external attribution. 28. Karl was injured at work when a shelving unit fell on him. According to the attribution theory, his employer would be committing a(n) _____________ if he thought Karl was completely responsible for the accident because Karl was trying to reach an item on a high shelf by climbing on the shelving unit rather than using a ladder. A. fundamental attribution error B. reactive perception error C. error of culpability D. proactive perceptual error E. primary perceptual oversight Answer: A A fundamental attribution error is the tendency to ignore external causes of behavior and to attribute other peopleís actions to internal causes.. 29. When things go wrong in the workplace, workers are more likely to attribute their problems to _____________, while managers are more likely to attribute those same workersí problems to _____________. A. extrinsic reinforcers; intrinsic reinforcers B. external causes; internal causes C. the fundamental attribution error; the defensive bias D. the fundamental attribution error; the self-serving bias E. internal causes; external causes Answer: B Employees and coworkers are likely to attribute problems to external causes, while managers tend to attribute the problems to internal causes. 30. Someone experiencing a(n) _____________ would be likely to take any negative criticism of his or her department personally. A. empowerment bias B. error of culpability C. self-serving bias D. reactive error of perception E. proactive error of perception Answer: C The self-serving bias is the tendency to overestimate our value by attributing successes to ourselves and attributing failures to others or the environment. 31. _____________ is the tendency to overestimate our value by attributing successes to ourselves (internal causes) and attributing failures to others or the environment (external causes). A. Closure B. A defensive bias C. A self-serving bias D. The fundamental attribution error E. Over reward Answer: C Definition of self-serving bias. 32. In the model of the communication process, _____________ occurs when a message is put into a written, verbal, or symbolic form that can be recognized and understood by the receiver. A. encoding B. decoding C. transmission D. feedback E. receiving Answer: A See Exhibit 13.2. 33. Jergen Lindegaart is the chief executive of SAS Scandinavian Airlines. When he explained to stockholders why SAS was withdrawing from a joint venture with BMI British Midland, a United Kingdom company, he was engaged in: A. encoding B. feedback preparation C. feedforward D. selective filtering E. decoding Answer: A Encoding is putting a message into a verbal form that can be recognized and understood by receiver(s). 34. In the model of the communication process, _____________ makes senders aware of possible miscommunications and enables them to continue communicating until the receiver understands the intended message. A. encoding B. noise C. transmission D. feedback E. the communication medium Answer: D Feedback to sender is a return message to the sender that indicates the receiverís understanding of the message. 35. The crew renovating the downtown area accidentally dug up the sidewalk belonging to the First Methodist Church because they understood that all sidewalks were to be replaced. The crew was actually supposed to replace all city-owned sidewalks. In terms of the communication process, the crew members engaged in: A. selective perception B. incorrect decoding C. improper encoding D. negative feedback E. noise filtering Answer: B Decoding is the process by which the receiver translates the message into an understood message. Decoding was done incorrectly in this example. 36. The crew renovating the downtown area accidentally dug up the sidewalk belonging to the First Methodist Church because they understood that all sidewalks were to be replaced. The crew was actually supposed to replace all city-owned sidewalks. In terms of the communications process: A. noise prevented communication B. negative feedback occurred C. unreinforced communication resulted D. the city was guilty of a poor communication conduit E. selective encoding occurred Answer: A Noise is anything that interferes with the transmission of the intended message. 37. Noise can occur when: A. the sender isnít sure of what message to communicate B. the receiver doesnít have the time to understand the message C. the message is not decoded properly D. the message is not encoded properly E. any of these occur Answer: E Noise is anything that interferes with the transmission of the intended message. 38. Spending money on product placement (the use of branded products by characters in films and TV shows in return for a fee paid by the brandís owner) may not be as effective as the advertisers hope because what is occurring on the show or what the characters are saying may prevent the advertising message from being received. In other words, the communication process used for product placement can be interrupted by: A. encoding B. noise C. transmission D. feedback E. the communication medium Answer: B Noise is anything that interferes with the transmission of the intended message. 39. The _____________ is the mistaken assumption that senders can pipe their intended messages directly into the heads of receivers with perfect clarity and without noise or perceptual filters interfering with the receiversí understanding of the message. A. communication selection error B. decoding attribution error C. conduit metaphor D. encoding bias E. theory of passive listening Answer: C Definition of conduit metaphor. 40. The conduit metaphor is a false assumption that: A. noise does not have to exist if the communication channel is properly designed B. communication channels can transmit error-free messages C. encoding and decoding processes will match if the individuals communicating have the same cultural and social backgrounds D. perceptual filters will not interfere with the receiversí understanding of the message E. a defensive bias can be controlled by using open communication channels Answer: D Misunderstandings and communication problems will still occur because words and symbols typically have multiple meanings. 41. The _____________ is the system of official channels that carry organizationally approved messages and information. A. downward communication channel B. upward communication channel C. horizontal communication channel D. formal communication channel E. informal communication channel Answer: D Definition of a formal communication channel. 42. The three formal communication channels in organizations are categorized as: A. downward, horizontal, and upward B. hierarchical, functional, and organizational C. horizontal, vertical, and grapevine D. upward, dyadic, and downward E. vertical, horizontal, and dyadic Answer: A The three formal communication channels are downward, upward, and horizontal. 43. Dieter Zetsche is the chief executive of DaimlerChrysler. When he explained to unionized employees why the company had to reduce its healthcare coverage for its employees, he was engaged in _____________ communication. A. upward B. dyadic C. horizontal D. downward E. functional Answer: D Downward communication flows from higher levels to lower levels in an organization. 44. Scotiabank, one of Canadaís largest financial service providers, wanted to develop a customer-focused sales and service culture. To do this, it established a toll-free telephone line, which provided employees with a direct feedback channel. Its goal was to promote two-way communication and sustain a dialogue between frontline employees and the executive team throughout the change process. This is an example of a(n) _____________ communication channel. A. downward B. upward C. horizontal D. formal E. informal Answer: D The formal communication channel is the system of official channels that carry organizationally approved messages and information. 45. When Scotiabank, one of Canadaís largest financial service providers, wanted to develop a customer-focused sales and service culture, it avoided information overload by limiting the number of communication vehicles used. An executive team developed the plan through the use of _____________ communication. A. upward B. dyadic C. horizontal D. downward E. functional Answer: C Horizontal communication flows among managers who are at the same organizational level. 46. When Scotiabank, one of Canadaís largest financial service providers, wanted to develop a customer-focused sales and service culture, it avoided information overload by limiting the number of communication vehicles used. Top management developed the main messages, which were consistently communicated to all levels of employees throughout the organization. This is an example of a(n) _____________ communication channel. A. downward B. upward C. horizontal D. formal E. informal Answer: A Downward communication flows from higher levels to lower levels in an organization. 47. Mark Buckley, the CEO of Staples, gave a speech where he explained to employees how the retailer was going to use solar panels to generate about 20 percent of the power the stores need to operate. Buckley was engaged in _____________ communication. A. upward B. dyadic C. horizontal D. downward E. functional Answer: D Downward communication flows from higher levels to lower levels in an organization. 48. Hot Topic is a fast-growing clothing chain targeted to the alternative teen demographic. Hot Topicís CEO is Betsy McLaughlin, who relies on her employees to locate new trends. Almost daily, McLaughlin consults with her employees for suggestions on what the stores should carry. After attending a Clown Posse concert, an employee suggested the stores should carry Faygo soda (the kind the band sprays on audience members during a concert). The employeeís suggestion was an example of _____________ communication. A. upward B. dyadic C. horizontal D. downward E. functional Answer: A Upward communication flows from lower to higher levels in an organization. 49. W. L. Gore is the company that created Gore-Tex, among many other innovative products. Gore employees (known as associates) donít have titles or bosses in the traditional sense. Instead, associates make commitments to work on projects that they believe are most worthy of their time. As a result of doing away with traditional titles, the company encourages more _____________ communication. A. upward B. dyadic C. horizontal D. downward E. hierarchical Answer: C Horizontal communication flows among managers and workers who are at the same organizational level. 50. How can managers improve formal communications? A. By being aware of the problems associated with grapevine communication B. By setting up intranet chatrooms C. By decreasing the use of one-way communications D. By encouraging much greater use of horizontal communication E. By using reinforcement theory to eliminate gossip Answer: D Managers improve formal communication by decreasing reliance on downward communication, increasing changes for upward communication by increasing personal contact with lower-level managers and workers, encouraging much better use of horizontal communication, and being aware of the problems associated with downward, upward, and horizontal communication. 51. When a supervisor tells an entry-level employee that there will be no pay raise in the next six months, this is an example of communication. A. downward B. upward C. horizontal D. informal E. dyadic Answer: A Downward communication flows from higher to lower levels in an organization. 52. A senior manager has lunch with entry-level employees so that she can hear what they think about recent policy changes. This is an example of _____communication. A. horizontal B. upward C. downward D. dyadic E. informal communication Answer: B Upward communication flows from lower to higher levels in an organization. 53. An angry and defensive reaction is a common problem associated with _____________ feedback. A. constructive B. destructive C. dyadic D. informal E. horizontal Answer: B Destructive feedback almost always causes a negative or defensive reaction in the recipient. 54. The news provided by the military to soldiers serving in Vietnam was sometimes censored. Thirsting for uncensored news and music, ambitious GIs put to use the abundance of available communications equipment and became Vietnamís underground radio pirates. The pirate stations used military communications equipment instead of commercial broadcast equipment to pass along advice, information, and support not communicated by upper echelon military personnel. Soldiers in the field could hear the broadcasts on their field radios. This would be an example of a(n) _____________ communication channel. A. downward B. upward C. horizontal D. formal E. informal Answer: E Informal communication is the transmission of messages from employee to employee outside of formal communication channels. 55. On a November episode of Law & Order, the District Attorney described the judicial building in which he works as a “kudzu grapevine.” (Kudzu can grow up to 12 inches per 24-hour period.) What other term could he have used to describe communication in the building? A. Speedy chat room B. Super gossip chain C. Rapid-fire organizational communication D. Informal communication channel E. Continuous information channel Answer: D Informal communication is the transmission of messages from employee to employee outside of formal communication channels. 56. In the _____________ type of grapevine communication network, one “highly connected” individual shares information with many other managers and workers. A. star chain B. gossip chain C. cluster chain D. leader chain E. linear Answer: B This occurs in the gossip chain. Also see Exhibit 13.3. 57. The primary reason grapevines occur in organizations is: A. employees' curiosity B. lack of information C. people like to gossip D. encouragement from managers E. too much spare time Answer: A 58. In the _____________ type of grapevine communication network, numerous people simply tell a few of their friends. A. cluster chain B. gossip chain C. linear D. stratified E. decision tree Answer: A See Exhibit 13.3 59. Which of the following statements about informal communication in organizations is true? A. The informal communication channel is also called the conduit. B. Informal communication channels are primarily developed as a way to handle management that is perceived as the enemy. C. Information carried by informal communication channels is estimated to be 75 to 95 percent accurate. D. The best management strategy to controlling informal communication is to withhold information the managers wish to keep from employees. E. Intranets should never be used to control informal communications. Answer: C Managers can embrace the grapevine and use it to keep employees better informed. Grapevines use intranets to communicate. One of the reasons grapevines are used has nothing to with revenge and everything to do with speed. 60. Which of the following statements about informal communication in organizations is true? A. Informal communication follows the same channels as formal communication does. B. Informal communication channels cannot be managed. C. Information carried through informal communication channels is estimated to be only about 30 percent accurate. D. The best management strategy to controlling informal communication is to withhold information that managers wish to keep from employees. E. None of these statements about informal communication in organizations is true. Answer: E Informal communication uses different media than formal communication does. Grapevines can be managed. It is estimated that 75 to 95 percent of communication flowing through grapevines is correct. The best management strategy to controlling informal communication is to not act defensively but provide information the employees need to know. 61. The grapevine arises out of: A. personal-related stress B. the absence of horizontal communication C. vague, imprecise downward communication D. curiosity E. too few formal channels Answer: D 62. The two primary types of grapevine communications networks are: A. vertical and horizontal B. upward and downward C. departmental and organizational D. linear and circular E. cluster and gossip Answer: E See Exhibit 13.3. 63. _____________ is a kind of one-on-one communication used by managers to improve an employeeís on-the-job performance or behavior. A. Downward guidance B. Coaching C. Counseling D. Leading E. Supportive supervision Answer: B This defines coaching. 64. Sales calls generally succeed or fail based on customersí reactions to the salesperson. Therefore, it makes sense to observe behavior in these instances to facilitate improvement. When a sales manager accompanies a salesperson and watches him or her make sales calls, the manager can then use one-to-one communication to improve problem areas and praise areas of success. This would be an example of: A. downward guidance B. coaching C. counseling D. benchmarking E. supportive supervision Answer: B Coaching s a kind of one-on-one communication used by managers to improve an employeeís on-the-job performance or behavior. 65. Coaching is: A. a method commonly used to improve how managers communicate with their subordinates B. a kind of one-on-one communication primarily used by managers in exit interviews C. a kind of one-on-one communication primarily used by managers to improve an employeeís on-the-job performance or behavior D. a multilevel communication method that is used in place of negative reinforcement E. two-way communication designed to be reciprocally fulfilling Answer: C This defines coaching. 66. In a wood-processing facility, a new management team proposed changes to the workersí compensation package, which the workers did not accept. They started a strike, which led to a negotiation stalemate. Then, management asked an outsider to analyze the communication structure among the employees because it felt that information about the proposed changes was not being effectively communicated to all employees. The outside consultant discovered that all employees understood the proposed changes. The outside consultant proved: A. the reliability of closure B. the validity of the grapevine C. the need to change formal communication channels periodically D. the common problems associated with feedback E. the importance of dyadic communication Answer: B It is estimated that 75 to 95 percent of communication flowing through grapevines is correct. 67. Which of the following is one of the mistakes that managers tend to make when they are coaching employees? A. They wait too long before talking to them about the problem. B. They refrain from showing any feelings when they confront the employee. C. They refer the employee to an EAP. D. They require the employee to pay for his or her additional training. E. All of these are common mistakes made by managers attempting to coach employees. Answer: A Managers tend to wait for a problem before coaching. 68. At its Huntsville, Alabama, Butterball plant, ConAgra has established a child daycare center for its employees who needed free child care so they can work at the plant. This is an example of an: A. Extrinsic Award Program (EAP) B. Employee Assistance Plan (EAP) C. Empowerment Advocacy Program (EAP) D. Employee Advocacy Plan (EAP) E. Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Answer: E Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) are benefits provided by employers that help employees address personal issues. 69. _____________ is communicating with someone about non-job-related issues that may be affecting or interfering with the personís performance. A. Coaching B. Leading C. Counseling D. Directing E. Supportive communication Answer: C Definition of counseling. 70. Kinesics and paralanguage are two kinds of: A. communication channels B. perceptual errors C. verbal communication D. nonverbal communication E. grapevines Answer: D Kinesics are movements of the body and face, while paralanguage includes the pitch, rate, tone, volume and speaking pattern of oneís voice. 71. Which of the following is NOT an example of services typically provided by an Employee Assistance Program? A. Counseling B. Outplacement assistance C. Legal services D. Financial information E. Child care Answer: B Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) can offer immediate counseling and support; they can also provide referrals to organizations and professionals that can help employees and their family members address personal issues. Outplacement services are for employees who are leaving a company, while EAPs are part of the employeesí benefit package. 72. During a job interview, the interviewee is trying to deceive the interviewer if the hand is often used to cover the mouth and the person talks through the fingers as if hiding or trying to keep words from escaping. Less obvious but also a sign of deception is the single finger to the mouth or (with men) the mustache stroke. Interviewers can use their knowledge of these types of _____________ to determine when interviewees are telling the truth. A. proxemics B. kinesics C. paralanguage D. semiotics E. pseudo-language Answer: B Kinesics refers to the movement of the body and the face. 73. When Lilah saw her guest wrinkling her nose, she realized that she should have changed the litter in her cat box. Nose wrinkling is an example of communication through: A. proxemics B. kinesics C. paralanguage D. semiotics E. pseudo-language Answer: B Kinesics refers to movements of the body and the face. 74. In nonverbal communication, _____________ refers to movements of the body and face. A. kinesics B. proxemics C. paralanguage D. pseudo-language E. semiotics Answer: A Definition of kinesics. 75. In nonverbal communication, _____________ is the pitch, rate, tone, volume, and speaking pattern (i.e., use of silences, pauses, or hesitations) of oneís voice. A. kinesics B. proxemics C. paralanguage D. pseudo-language E. semiotics Answer: C Definition of paralanguage. 76. For some time, researchers have known that deceptive answers have a slower onset than honest ones. When faced with a threatening question, one may either hesitate or pause before a deceptive response. When contrasted with quick responses to other questions, this behavior might suggest deception. Researchers have found that vocal pitch rises measurably in deceptive responses. In a job interview, these characteristics would be examples of _____________ that would help the interviewer evaluate the job applicants. A. proxemics B. kinesics C. paralanguage D. semiotics E. pseudo-language Answer: C Paralanguage refers to the pitch, rate, tone, volume, and speaking pattern (i.e., use of silences, pauses, or hesitations) of oneís voice. 77. Rose knew by the shrillness of her teacherís voice that she was really in trouble and would probably be placed in after-school detention. Roseís teacher used _____________ to communicate her dismay with her. A. proxemics B. kinesics C. paralanguage D. semiotics E. pseudo-language Answer: C Paralanguage refers to the pitch, rate, tone, volume, and speaking pattern (i.e., use of silences, pauses, or hesitations) of oneís voice. 78. Which of the following is one of the primary tasks faced by managers who want to improve organizational communication? A. Controlling kinesics B. Managing small group communication C. Managing organization-wide communication D. Eliminating the grapevine E. Maintaining vertical communication channels Answer: C The other primary task is managing one-on-one communication. 79. Managers generally like and use _____________ but are less receptive to using _____________. A. oral communication; written communication B. written communication; oral communication C. downward communication; horizontal communication D. informal communication; formal communication E. horizontal communication; downward communication Answer: A Studies show that managers generally prefer oral communication over written communication. 80. Clarissa is unable to do her job efficiently because her supervisor comes into her office every 15 minutes or so to ask irrelevant questions or to make unimportant comments. Clarissa is experiencing a problem with: A. undefinable noise B. the use of an incorrect communication medium C. accepting feedback D. encoding and decoding E. the incorrect use of paralanguage Answer: B The wrong communication medium is being used when the type of communication does not match the medium used. 81. In which of the following cases would written communication be preferable to oral communication? A. When immediate feedback is needed B. When messages are complex and ambiguous C. When messages are emotion laden D. When messages are very simple E. When paralanguage is required Answer: D Written communication such as e-mail is well suited for delivering straightforward messages and information. 82. Which of the following statements about hearing and listening is true? A. Hearing and listening are synonyms. B. Hearing is the act of perceiving sounds, while listening is the act of making a conscious effort to hear. C. Hearing and listening both require paralanguage during communication transmission. D. By definition, listening is passive, and hearing is active. E. Listening is an involuntary behavior, and hearing is a voluntary behavior. Answer: B By definition, listening is active, and hearing is passive. Listening is a voluntary behavior, and hearing is an involuntary behavior. By definition, hearing is not influenced by paralanguage. 83. Which of the following statements about listening is true? A. Most managers retain about 25 percent of what they hear. B. Listening is a voluntary behavior. C. Managers with better listening skills are more likely to be promoted. D. Managers with better listening skills are rated as better managers by their employees. E. All of these statements about listening are true. Answer: E All of the statements are true with regard to listening. 84. Which of the following would be considered an involuntary physiological process? A. Hearing B. Active listening C. Empathetic listening D. Selective perception E. All of these Answer: A Hearing is the act or process of perceiving sounds, which is an involuntary physiologic process. 85. _____________ is a technique of assuming half the responsibility for successful communication by actively giving the speaker nonjudgmental feedback that shows youíve accurately heard what he or she said. A. Hearing B. Dyadic communication C. Active listening D. Empathetic listening E. Synergistic communication Answer: C Definition of active listening. 86. Today, the average salary in Macon, Georgia, for assembly line workers is $13 an hour. Previously, however, assembly line employees at the Brown & Williams plant in Macon made $26 an hour. When that plant was closed due to a merger, managers at the plant (who were given the opportunity to move to other plants) should have engaged in _____________ as employees described the forced changes in their lifestyles. A. empathetic listening B. positive feedback C. reactive communication D. dyadic communication E. coaching Answer: A Empathetic listening is a technique of understanding the speakerís perspective and personal frame of reference and giving feedback that conveys that understanding to the speaker. 87. _____________ is a technique of understanding the speakerís perspective and personal frame of reference and giving feedback that conveys that understanding to the speaker. A. Reflective hearing B. Symbiotic listening C. Active listening D. Empathetic listening E. Nonconfrontational listening Answer: D Definition of empathetic listening. 88. To be a better listener, you should: A. evaluate the message as you hear it B. listen for what is not said C. listen only for content D. make no eye contact with the speaker E. never ask the speaker to clarify ambiguous statements Answer: B The text discussion of listening includes the following strategies for becoming a better active listener: (1) clarify responses, (2) paraphrase what has been said, and (3) summarize what has been said. Evaluating a message as you hear it can represent a barrier to effective listening, as can selective listening for particular aspects of the communication. See also Exhibit 13.4. 89. Which of the following is a strategy designed to help you become a better active listener? A. Eliminate all noise. B. Ask for details. C. Paraphrase and summarize. D. Provide problem-oriented feedback. E. Use the AIDA approach. Answer: C See Exhibit 13.4. 90. Because it helps to build rapport and trust with others, _____________ is especially important for managers. A. active listening B. empathetic listening C. noise-free listening D. attribution-motivated listening E. nonjudgmental listening Answer: B Empathetic listening is understanding what is being said from the speakerís perspective and personal frame of reference. 91. In empathetic listening, ____is important because it demonstrates that you understand the speakerís emotions. A. clarifying responses B. reflecting feelings C. paraphrasing D. summarizing E. listening attribution Answer: B This technique uses statements such as “So, right now it sounds like you are feeling . . .” and “Do you feel a bit . . .?” 92. Stan OíNeal was hired as the new CEO of Merrill Lynch to make it profitable. As he made sweeping changes in the company, he was guilty of belittling the efforts of his managers and making them feel incompetent. In other words, OíNeal engaged in: A. reactive criticism B. invalid feedback C. unsolicited motivation D. demotivational feedback E. destructive feedback Answer: E Destructive feedback is disapproving without any intention of being helpful and almost always causes a negative reaction in the recipient. 93. Rubylyn is a very enthusiastic person who has been hired to work as the personal assistant for an event planner. At first, Rubylyn was driving her supervisor to distraction because she was always interrupting him and asking him if he wanted anything. After some _____________ with the event planner, Rubylyn better understood what her job entailed and became a valued employee. A. valid feedback B. constructive feedback C. proactive criticism D. conduit reconstruction E. motivational feedback Answer: B Constructive feedback is intended to be helpful, corrective, and/or encouraging. 94. The first thing that managers need to recognize when communicating feedback one-on-one to employees is that feedback can be: A. constructive or destructive B. bureaucratic or participative C. regulated or unregulated D. formalized or unformalized E. extrinsic or intrinsic Answer: A As a first step, managers need to recognize that feedback can be constructive or destructive. 95. _____________ is feedback that is disapproving without any intention of being helpful and almost always causes a negative or defensive reaction in the recipient. A. Unsolicited feedback B. Bureaucratic feedback C. Destructive feedback D. Administrative feedback E. Judgmental feedback Answer: C Definition of destructive feedback. 96. _____________ is feedback that is intended to be helpful, corrective, and/or encouraging and is aimed at correcting performance deficiencies and motivating employees. A. Empathetic feedback B. Participative feedback C. Solicited feedback D. Constructive feedback E. Motivational feedback Answer: D This defines constructive feedback. 97. A few years ago, Gregory Maugeri, VP of sales administration and operations of Time Warner City Cable (TWCC) in New York, decided that TWCC should gather client testimonials. He decided to solicit _____________ from the companyís best customers. From the information gathered, TWCC learned that it needed to modify its invoice form and that the sales staff needed to engage in more follow-up. A. empathetic feedback B. participative feedback C. solicited feedback D. constructive feedback E. motivational feedback Answer: D Constructive feedback is feedback that is intended to be helpful, corrective, and/or encouraging and is aimed at correcting performance deficiencies and motivating employees. 98. Feedback is more likely to be destructive than constructive when it is: A. immediate B. judgmental C. influenced by situational contexts D. problem-oriented E. focused on specific behaviors Answer: B Feedback associated with judgment would be a form of destructive feedback. 99. The last step of empathetic listening requires managers to: A. ask for clarification B. summarize what the speaker has said C. respond with feelings and then facts D. engage in problem identification E. paraphrase what has been said Answer: C The three steps of empathetic listening are (1) wait 10 seconds before responding, (2) be sure that what the speaker wants is understood and that questions are asked to clarify the speakerís intend, and (3) respond first with feelings and then facts. 100. Until last year, Dutch-based Ahold, the worldís fourth-biggest food retail and food service group by sales, owned and operated U.S. Foodservice, a catering company. With 27,000 employees and 70 distribution centers throughout the United States, U.S. Foodservice delivers food to retailers as large as McDonaldís Corporation and as small as neighborhood delis. One of the major problems between the two companies and one of the reasons why Ahold finally sold U.S. Foodservice was _____________, which prevented the two companies from communicating with each other in an effective manner. A. cross-cultural communication B. the absence of a formal grapevine C. kinetic communication D. jargon E. affective communication benchmarking Answer: A Cross-cultural communication involves transmitting information from a person in one country or culture to a person from another country or culture. 101. According to the text, in order to increase the chances of effective cross-cultural communication, managers need to be familiar with: A. differences in educational systems in various cultures B. cultural work norms C. cultural instrumentality D. cultural attitudes toward retention E. demographics Answer: B The first step for successful cross-cultural communication is familiarizing yourself with a cultureís general work norms. 102. In _____________ cultures, people are much more likely to display emotions when communicating. A. connotative B. demonstrative C. affective D. denotative E. reciprocating Answer: C The open display of emotions and feelings when communicating is more likely in affective cultures. 103. A description of Chinese employees by a British antiques exporter operating in 19th century Hong Kong states, “My employees have round placid faces from which it is impossible to read what they are thinking.” In terms of cross-cultural communication, the exporter was seeing a(n) _____________ culture. A. affective B. cognitive C. kinetic D. neutral E. polychronic Answer: D A neutral culture is one in which people do not display emotions and feelings when communicating. Also see Exhibit 13.5. 104. In _____________ cultures, little or no emotion is displayed during communications. A. repressive B. developing C. regressive D. cognitive E. neutral Answer: E This defines neutral cultures. 105. Managers should know and use the address terms that people in a given culture use to address each other in the workplace to increase the chances for successful cross-cultural communication. Doing this will tend to _____________ on the part of the person from the other culture who is being addressed (or spoken to). A. increase sensitivity B. increase awareness C. reduce defensiveness D. reduce ambiguity E. increase instrumentality Answer: C To decrease defensiveness, know address terms before addressing counterparts of another culture. 106. In _____________ cultures, people exhibit little or no emotion during communications. A. repressive B. developing C. regressive D. cognitive E. neutral Answer: E People do not display emotions and feelings when communicating in neutral cultures. 107. In monochronic cultures, people: A. tend to view time as circular B. engage in frequent multitasking C. hide their emotions during communications D. openly express their emotions during communications E. tend to view time as linear Answer: E Monochronic cultures are defined as cultures in which people tend to do one thing at a time and view time as linear. 108. Call-center training institutes are springing up all over in bigger cities in India, helping young people, for a fee, to de-Indianize themselves. During one lesson at one of the Indian institutes, the instructor was overheard saying, “Americans and the British are very specific with their times. When they say one minute, they mean one minute. When they say two minutes, they mean two minutes.” The instructor was referring to the fact that the Americans and the British do not have _____________ cultures. A. affective B. cognitive C. kinetic D. neutral E. polychronic Answer: E See Exhibit 13.6. In polychronic cultures, people meet time commitments only if possible without extreme measures, whereas in monochronic cultures, time commitments are taken seriously. 109. The United States and Canada tend to be fairly monochronic, while Mexico tends to be polychronic. Some cultures mix both styles, such as the Japanese, who are monochronic when it comes to work and polychronic in social situations. These two statements are discussing how different cultures: A. use facial expressions in communications B. influence the proxemics of communication C. express different attitudes toward time D. use paralanguage E. express emotions Answer: C Cultures tend to be either monochronic or polychronic in their orientation toward time. 110. One risk of imposing an American work order on employees from other cultural backgrounds is a mutual misunderstanding of each otherís concepts of time. Indian workers value a gradual and cyclical sense of time that equally includes work, family, sociability, community, and religion. This runs counter to the fast-paced, hyper-rapid, “cutting corners to get things done” approach to work and life that a U.S. employer may expect of recruits. This description indicates that the Indian culture is a _____________ culture. A. affective B. cognitive C. kinetic D. neutral E. polychronic Answer: E In polychronic cultures, people tend to do more than one thing at a time and view time as circular. 111. In polychronic cultures: A. people do not exhibit emotions while they are communicating B. paralanguage is more revealing than verbal language C. emotions are commonly expressed as the communication occurs D. people tend to do more than one thing at a time and view time as circular E. people view time as linear Answer: D In polychronic cultures, people tend to do more than one thing at a time and view time as circular. 112. Differences in monochronic and polychronic time are demonstrated through understanding all of the following EXCEPT: A. discussion time B. appointment time C. message time D. schedule time E. acquaintance time Answer: C There are four important temporal concepts that affect cross-cultural communication: appointment time, schedule time, discussion time, and acquaintance time. 113. In China, you may have an appointment with a client at noon. It is almost customary for you to show up after the appointment time. If you show up at 1 oíclock, or after, they probably will not think twice about your absence. If this same practice were to happen in the United States, you would probably have little chance of doing business because of it. This reflects the Chinese cultureís view of _____________ time. A. discussion B. appointment C. message D. schedule E. acquaintance Answer: B Appointment time is a cultural norm dealing with punctuality. 114. For the Chinese, since time is cyclical, deadlines are not understood and therefore are not restrictive. Chinese see the negotiating process as an opportunity to elicit as much information as possible, particularly that of a technical nature. This reflects the Chinese cultureís view of _____________ time. A. discussion B. appointment C. message D. schedule E. acquaintance Answer: D Schedule time refers to when projects should be finished. 115. Which of the following communication channels plays an important role in BOTH one-on-one and organization-wide communication? A. E-mail B. Televised speeches and meetings C. Videotaped speeches and meetings D. Corporate talk shows E. Broadcast voice mail Answer: A Although we normally think of e-mail as a means of one-on-one communication, it also plays an important role in organization-wide communication. 116. _____________ are the in-house equivalent of Internet newsgroups. By using web- or software-based discussion tools that are available across the company, employees can easily ask questions and share knowledge with each other. A. Intranet chat rooms B. Internet grapevines C. Corporate talk shows D. Online discussion forums E. Intranet grapevines Answer: D Definition of online discussion forums. 117. _____________ is the withholding of information about organizational problems or issues by employees. A. Organizational silence B. Organizational filtering C. Negative grapevining D. Lower-level filtering E. Communication shutdown Answer: A This defines organizational silence. 118. In a 2006 study of healthcare providers, fewer than 10 percent of physicians, nurses, and clinical staff said they would inform their supervisors when they became aware of poor clinical judgment or shortcuts that could harm patients. This group of physicians, nurses, and clinical staff has chosen to engage in: A. organizational silence B. organizational filtering C. negative grapevining D. lower-level filtering E. communication shutdown Answer: A Organizational silence occurs when employees withhold information about organizational problems or issues. 119. An Industry Week survey of 845 line managers from diverse organizations found that only 29 percent of first-level supervisors thought that their organization encouraged employees to express opinions openly. This means that the overwhelming majority of these supervisors engage in: A. organizational silence B. organizational filtering C. negative grapevining D. lower-level filtering E. arrested communication Answer: A Organizational silence is the withholding of information about organizational problems or issues by employees. 120. Organizational silence occurs when: A. an organization is about to engage in a leveraged buyout B. an organization refuses to answer customer complaints C. employees are advised to not discuss company issues with the news media D. organizations shut down efforts to conduct grapevine communications E. employees believe that telling managers about problems will not make a difference Answer: E Organizational silence also occurs when employees believe theyíll be punished or hurt in some way for sharing information about organizational problems or issues. 121. Which of the following gives top managers a quick, convenient way to address their work forces via oral communication? A. Televised speeches and meetings B. Videotaped speeches and meetings C. Broadcast voice mail D. Corporate talk shows E. All of these Answer: C Broadcast voice mail allows the sending of a recorded message to everyone in the organization, thus offering a quick and convenient way to communicate. 122. Which of the following is NOT one of the organization-wide communication techniques that is regularly used for staying in touch with people throughout the organization (i.e., hearing what others feel and think)? A. Company hotlines B. Televised/videotaped speeches and meetings C. Survey feedback D. Frequent informal meetings E. Surprise visits Answer: B Since televised/videotaped speeches and meetings are broadcast, there is no opportunity for feedback as is available with the other choices offered. 123. One of the best ways for top managers to hear what others feel and think is through: A. company hotlines B. surprise visits C. survey feedback D. frequent informal meetings E. participative management Answer: D The use of frequent informal meetings is one of the best ways for top managers to hear what others think and feel. 124. Refer to “What Would You Do?” When Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh uses his CEO blog to communicate with employees, he is using _____________ communication. A. informal B. horizontal C. downward D. upward E. social Answer: C Downward communication flows from higher to lower levels in an organiztion. 125. Refer to “What Would You Do?” When a Zappos customer service representative asks a buyer about the availability of a product, it is an example of _____________ communication. A. formal B. upward C. informal D. horizontal E. cross-cultural Answer: D Horizontal communication flows among managers and workers who are at the same organizational level. 126. Refer to “What Would You Do?” Zappos call center representatives are empowered to solve customer problems. In order to do this, the use of which of the following with the customers may NOT be helpful? A. Feedback B. Closure C. Listening D. Reducing noise E. Gapping Answer: B Closure involves assumption, which would not help when solving customer problems. SHORT ANSWER 1. List and briefly define the four parts of the perception process. Answer: Perception is the process by which individuals attend to, organize, interpret, and retain information from their environments. Attention is the process of noticing, or becoming aware of, particular stimuli. Organization is the process of incorporating new information (from the stimuli that you notice) into your existing knowledge. Interpretation is the process of attaching meaning to new knowledge. Finally, retention is the process of remembering interpreted information. 2. Briefly define perceptual filters. How do perceptual filters impact the perception process? Answer: Perceptual filters are the personality-, psychology-, or experience-based differences that influence people to ignore or pay attention to particular stimuli. Perceptual filters affect each part of the perception process: attention, organization, interpretation, and retention, by affecting which stimuli are attended to, how that information is incorporated into our existing knowledge (as well as the meaning attached to it), and what weíre likely to remember. Because of filtering, people exposed to the same information will often disagree about what they saw or heard. 3. Define attribution theory. Within your definition, be sure to define the two types of attributions that people typically make. Answer: Attribution theory says that we all have a basic need to understand and explain the causes of other peopleís behavior. In other words, we need to know why people do what they do. According to attribution theory, we use two general reasons or attributions to explain peopleís behavior: an internal attribution, in which behavior is thought to be voluntary or under the control of the individual; and an external attribution, in which behavior is thought to be involuntary and outside of the control of the individual. 4. What is the conduit metaphor? What is its significance to managers? Answer: The conduit metaphor refers to the mistaken assumption that senders can pipe their intended messages directly into the heads of receivers with perfect clarity and without noise or perceptual filters interfering with the receiversí understanding of the message. However, this just isnít possible because, depending on how theyíre used, words and symbols typically have multiple meanings. Thus, the conduit metaphor causes problems in communication by making managers too complacent and confident in their ability to easily and accurately transfer messages to receivers. Managers who want to be effective communicators need to (1) carefully choose words and symbols that will help receivers derive the intended meaning of a message and (2) be aware of and carefully manage all of the steps of the communication process. 5. Briefly identify the difference between the formal and informal communication channels in an organization. Answer: There are two general types of communication channels in organizations: formal and informal. The formal communication channel is the system of official channels that carry organizationally approved messages and information and consists of three channels: downward communication, upward communication, and horizontal communication. Organizational objectives, rules, policies, procedures, instructions, commands, and requests for information are all transmitted via the formal communication system or channel. The second general type of communication channel in organizations is the informal communication channel. This channel, which is sometimes called the grapevine, is the transmission of messages from employee to employee outside of formal communication channels. This is the place in which rumors and bits of information are shared as employees try to find out what is going on and how it might affect them or others. The most basic difference between these two channels is that messages in the formal channel are organizationally approved, whereas those in the informal channel may or may not be organizationally approved. 6. Distinguish between coaching and counseling. Answer: Coaching and counseling are both examples of one-on-one communication. Coaching is communicating with someone for the direct purpose of improving the personís on-the-job performance or behavior, while counseling is communicating with someone about non-job-related issues that may be affecting or interfering with the personís performance. Thus, the basic difference between the two is that coaching deals directly with on-the-job behavior or issues, while counseling deals directly with non-job-related issues. 7. What is an EAP? How can it help a manager deal with employee performance problems? Answer: Today, when workers are worried, stressed, and distracted by non-job-related issues that interfere with their job performance, most managers have the option of referring them to an EAP, or Employee Assistance Program. EAPs are typically free when provided as part of company benefit packages. EAPs provide referrals to organizations and professionals that help employees and their family members address personal issues. Or, in emergencies or times of crisis, EAPs can provide immediate counseling and support. Thus, an EAP helps a manager deal with employee performance problems by allowing the manager to refer those employees to specialists in circumstances where the performance problems are arising from non-job-related issues. 8. Briefly explain why it is important for managers to understand nonverbal communication. Answer: Nonverbal communication is any communication that doesnít involve words. Nonverbal communication and messages almost always accompany verbal communication and may support and reinforce the verbal message or contradict it. Researchers have estimated that as much as 93 percent of any message is transmitted nonverbally, with 55 percent coming from body language and facial expressions and 38 percent coming from tone and pitch of voice. And since many nonverbal cues are unintentional, receivers often consider nonverbal communication to be a more accurate representation of what senders are really thinking and feeling. Since nonverbal communication is so informative, especially when it contradicts verbal communication, managers need to learn how to monitor and control their nonverbal behavior. 9. Briefly differentiate between active listening and empathetic listening. Answer: Active listening means assuming half the responsibility for successful communication by actively giving the speaker nonjudgmental feedback that shows youíve accurately heard what he or she said. It is characterized by the strategies of clarifying responses, paraphrasing, summarizing, and evaluating or criticizing the message only after it has been accurately received. Empathetic listening means understanding the speakerís perspective and personal frame of reference and giving feedback that conveys that understanding to the speaker. Empathetic listening goes beyond active listening, because it depends on our ability to set aside our own attitudes or relationships to be able to see and understand things through someone elseís eyes. It relies for success on the additional strategies of showing your desire to understand and reflecting feelings. 10. How would a manager define constructive and destructive feedback? Answer: Managers need to recognize that feedback can be constructive or destructive. Destructive feedback is disapproving without any intention of being helpful and almost always causes a negative or defensive reaction in the recipient. By contrast, constructive feedback is intended to be helpful, corrective, and/or encouraging. It is aimed at correcting performance deficiencies and motivating employees. In order for feedback to be constructive rather than destructive, it must be immediate, focused on specific behaviors, and problem-oriented. 11. Briefly identify the four categories of knowledge and skill that a manager should have in order to manage one-on-one communication effectively. Answer: One-on-one communication can be more effectively managed by doing four things: (1) choosing the right communication medium, oral or written, as appropriate to the circumstances; (2) being a good listener, including active listening and empathetic listening as appropriate to the managerís communication goal; (3) giving effective feedback, where constructive feedback is immediate, focused on specific behaviors, problem-oriented, and less likely to promote defensiveness than destructive feedback; and (4) improving cross-cultural communication, where chances for success are enhanced by familiarizing yourself with a cultureís general work norms; determining whether a culture is affective or neutral in terms of emotion; developing respect for other cultures; and understanding how address terms and attitudes toward time (polychronic versus monochronic time, and appointment, schedule, discussion, and acquaintance time) differ from culture to culture. 12. E-mail and voice mail are typically used for one-on-one communication. However, they may also be used at times for organization-wide communication. Briefly explain how this is done. Answer: While e-mail and voice mail are typically used for one-on-one communication, they may also be used for organization-wide communication through the application of e-mail distribution lists and broadcast voice mail. E-mail distribution lists are simply lists of employee e-mail addresses, which can be used to simultaneously send the same message to everyone on the list. Similarly, broadcast voice mail can be used to send the same recorded message to everyone in the company simultaneously. Broadcast voice mail gives top managers a quick, convenient way to address their work forces via oral communication. 13. What is organizational silence? Why does it occur? What should managers do about it? Answer: Organizational silence refers to a situation in which employees withhold information about organizational problems or issues. It occurs when employees believe that telling management about problems wonít make a difference or that theyíll be punished for sharing such information. Fortunately, company hotlines, survey feedback, frequent informal meetings, and surprise visits are ways of overcoming organizational silence. Company hotlines are phone numbers that anyone in the company can anonymously call to leave information for upper management. Survey feedback is information collected by survey from organizational members that is then compiled, disseminated, and used to develop action plans for improvement. Many organizations make use of survey feedback by surveying their managers and employees several times a year. Frequent informal meetings between top managers and lower-level employees are one of the best ways for top managers to hear what others feel and think. Surprise visits provide an opportunity to encourage meaningful upward communication from those who normally donít get a chance to communicate with upper management. ESSAY 1. Explain how studentsí perception process and perceptual filters could complicate the communication process for the registrarís staff at a university, which is trying to implement an unpopular change in policy requiring the payment of an additional fee to drop classes after the first week (where no fee has been charged for this drop prior to the change). The registrar has placed notification of the change in the student registration newspaper, as an e-mail message to all students, and on posters across the campus. Answer: Communication is the process of transmitting information from one person or place to another. Perception is the process by which individuals attend to, organize, interpret, and retain information from their environments. Since both are based upon information, perception is a key part of communication and often becomes a key obstacle to effective communication, as in this example. Perception operates through a maze of perceptual filters, which are the personality-, psychology-, or experience-based differences that influence them to ignore or pay attention to particular stimuli. Because of filtering, people exposed to the same information will often disagree about what they saw or heard. In this policy change example, we can expect students and registrarís staff to have very different perceptions regarding the publicity of the new policy as well as its actual content. Perceptual filters affect each part of the perception process: attention, organization, interpretation, and retention. Attention is the process of noticing or becoming aware of particular stimuli. Because of perceptual filters, people attend to some stimuli and not others (students, who are hurt by the new policy, are less likely to notice relevant publicity, while registrar staff members, who are implementing the new policy, are more likely to perceive any such publicity). Organization is the process of incorporating new information (from the stimuli that you notice) into your existing knowledge. Because of perceptual filters, we are more likely to incorporate new knowledge that is consistent with what we already know or believe. Students are likely to believe that such fee increases are unwarranted and to interpret their “sudden” implementation as a tactical move to speed through implementation. Interpretation is the process of attaching meaning to new knowledge. Because of perceptual filters, our preferences and beliefs strongly influence the meaning we attach to new information (e.g., a student thinking, “This canít apply to me”). Finally, retention is the process of remembering interpreted information. In other words, retention is what we recall and commit to memory after we have perceived something. Of course, perceptual filters also affect retention, that is, what weíre likely to remember in the end. Again, the student will be less likely to retain the (unpleasant) change in policy, whereas the registrarís staff, faced with student complaints upon payment demand for the new drop fee, will cite numerous examples of publicity that the student “should have seen.” Two of the most common perception problems in organizations are manifestations of perceptual filtering: selective perception and closure. Selective perception is the tendency to notice and accept objects and information consistent with our values, beliefs, and expectations while ignoring or screening out or not accepting inconsistent information. This process would lead students to screen out the unpopular change and registrarís staff to notice it at every opportunity. Once we have initial information about a person, event, or process, closure is the tendency to fill in the gaps where information is missing, that is, to assume that what we donít know is consistent with what we already know. Thus, students with partial information about a change would expect no negative impact on themselves, while registrarís staff would fill in the details that they already know. In all of these ways, the nature of the perceptual process sets up an inherent conflict between the registrarís staff (who are convinced that they have adequately publicized the change and that students should know by now) and the students (who feel that this is just another example of their arbitrary mistreatment by the university administration). 2. Assume that you have just accepted your first job upon graduation from college. You are working as the supervisor of a group of manufacturing workers in a company that has had some financial problems. Workers have complained about being unfairly blamed for financial losses associated with the production process, and your predecessor quit as a result of grievances filed against him by his subordinates. Explain how you can use your understanding of attribution theory to be more effective in your personal perception of the causes of problems in your work unit and in your personal communications about those problems to your new subordinates. Answer: Attribution theory says that we all have a basic need to understand and explain the causes of other peopleís behavior. In other words, we need to know why people do what they do. According to attribution theory, we use two general reasons or attributions to explain peopleís behavior: an internal attribution, in which behavior is thought to be voluntary or under the control of the individual; and an external attribution, in which behavior is thought to be involuntary and outside of the control of the individual. Perception-based differences can lead to differences in the attributions (internal or external) that managers and workers make when explaining workplace behavior. In general, workers are more likely to explain behavior from a defensive bias (the tendency for people to perceive themselves as personally and situationally similar to someone who is having difficulty or trouble), in which they attribute problems to external causes (i.e., the situation). Managers, on the other hand, tend to commit the fundamental attribution error (the tendency to ignore external causes of behavior and to attribute other peopleís actions to internal causes), thus attributing problems to internal causes (i.e., the workerís oversight or error). Consequently, when things go wrong, itís common for managers to blame workers and for workers to blame the situation or context in which they do their jobs. Finally, this problem is compounded by a self-serving bias that leads people to attribute successes to internal causes and failures to external causes. So when workers receive negative feedback from managers, they can become defensive and emotional and not hear what their managers have to say. In the present example, you are a new, inexperienced supervisor of an already dissatisfied group of workers, where those workers may expect to be unfairly blamed for problems or mistakes. You need to keep in mind that these workers are more likely to identify situational causes for any performance problems that they exhibit and that you will have a tendency to assume that such problems are the result of worker mistakes or oversights. Thus, you need to temper your judgments by carefully discussing the possible causes of performance problems with your subordinates and only identifying personal causes when the evidence clearly points to this. (That is, donít jump on your subordinates and blame them for poor performance at the first hint of a problem.) If you use appropriate, supportive communication techniques in this process, you are less likely to threaten your subordinatesí positive self-image, and thus avoid defensive, emotional encounters with them. In a context of rational communication, the true reasons for performance problems can be identified and rectified, thus preserving your relationship with your subordinates and enhancing your unitís productivity (not to mention your prestige as a new supervisor!). 3. Identify and briefly describe the different kinds of communication channels in organizations. Specify the things that managers should know about using these channels in order to maximize their managerial effectiveness. Answer: There are two general types of communication channels in organizations: formal and informal. The formal communication channel is the system of official channels that carry organizationally approved messages and information. Organizational objectives, rules, policies, procedures, instructions, commands, and requests for information are all transmitted via the formal communication system or channel. There are three formal communication channels: downward communication, upward communication, and horizontal communication. Downward communication flows from higher to lower levels in an organization. Downward communication is used to issue orders down the organizational hierarchy, to give organizational members job-related information, to give managers and workers performance reviews from upper managers, and to make clear organizational objectives and goals. Upward communication flows from lower levels to higher levels in an organization. Upward communication is used to give higher-level managers feedback about operations, issues, and problems; to help higher-level managers assess organizational performance and effectiveness; to encourage lower-level managers and employees to participate in organizational decision making; and to give those at lower levels the chance to share their concerns with higher-level authorities. Horizontal communication flows among managers and workers who are at the same organizational level. Horizontal communication helps facilitate coordination and cooperation between different parts of a company and allows coworkers to share relevant information. It also helps people at the same level resolve conflicts and solve problems without involving high levels of management. In order to maximize their effectiveness with formal communication channels, managers should understand the basic nature and functions of these channels as just described. In addition, they should follow four recommendations: (1) decrease reliance on downward communication, (2) increase chances for upward communication by increasing personal contact with lower-level managers and workers, (3) encourage much greater use of horizontal communication, and (4) be aware of the problems associated with downward, upward, and horizontal communication. The second general type of communication channel in organizations is the informal communication channel. This channel, which is sometimes called the grapevine, is the transmission of messages from employee to employee outside of formal communication channels. The grapevine arises out of curiosity, that is, the need to know what is going on in an organization and how it might affect you or others. And to satisfy this curiosity, employees need a consistent supply of relevant, accurate, in-depth information about who is doing what and what changes are occurring within the organization. In order to maximize their effectiveness with informal communication channels, managers need to understand the inevitability of the grapevine. They must realize that they cannot “manage” the grapevine by withholding information or punishing those who share information with others. The grapevine abhors a vacuum, and in the absence of information from company management, rumors and anxiety will flourish. A better strategy is to embrace the grapevine to keep employees informed about possible changes and strategies. But in addition to using the grapevine to communicate with others, managers should not overlook the fact that the grapevine can be a tremendous source of valuable information and feedback. In fact, information flowing through organizational grapevines is estimated to be 75 percent to 95 percent accurate. 4. Assume that a friend of yours has just taken a job as international sales manager for a small but growing medical instrument company. Your friend will be directly supervising a variety of sales representatives from many different cultures, who are selling the companyís products in nations all over the world. Based upon your knowledge of communication in management, what advice would you give your friend about effectively managing one-on-one supervisory communication with these multicultural sales representatives? Answer: In general, one-on-one communication can be managed by (1) choosing the right communication medium, (2) being a good listener, (3) giving effective feedback, and (4) understanding cross-cultural communication. All four categories of knowledge and skill are relevant to this new supervisor, who faces a particularly challenging task. This new supervisor must establish effective superiorñsubordinate relations with his or her direct reports before an ongoing, effective managerial routine can be developed with them. Thus, particular attention must be paid to effective one-on-one communication immediately upon the arrival of the new international sales manager. Managers generally prefer oral communication because it provides the opportunity to ask questions and assess nonverbal communication, thus enhancing feedback. Oral communication is best suited to complex, ambiguous, or emotionally laden topics. Oral communication would be a preferred mode for this new supervisor until comfortable and predictable relationships have been established with all subordinates. The increased feedback available to the supervisor through oral communication helps to reduce the probability of misunderstandings or miscommunication, especially in the context of the cultural differences between them. Written communication is best suited for delivering straightforward messages and information but should probably be used sparingly until effective superiorñsubordinate relationships are established. Listening is important for managerial success, but most people are terrible listeners. To improve listening skills, particularly in this challenging setting where misunderstandings are more likely to result from the cultural differences, the new supervisor should choose to be an active listener (utilizing clarifying responses, paraphrasing, and summarizing) and an empathetic listener (showing a desire to understand and reflecting feelings). Empathetic listening is particularly important to building rapport and trust with these new subordinates. Feedback can be constructive or destructive. Destructive feedback is disapproving without any intention of being helpful and almost always causes a negative or defensive reaction in the recipient. By contrast, constructive feedback is intended to be helpful, corrective, and/or encouraging. It is aimed at correcting performance deficiencies and motivating employees. To be constructive, feedback must be immediate, focused on specific behaviors, and problem-oriented. Constructive feedback should clearly be the focus of effort on the part of this new supervisor, both to develop an effective rapport with subordinates in the short-term, and to motivate them and manage their performance effectively over the long term. Finally, to increase chances for successful cross-cultural communication under the particularly challenging circumstances facing this new supervisor, he or she needs to develop respect for other cultures by delaying judgments or conclusions about individuals from those cultures until more experience is gained, and always double-checking those judgments and conclusions with others. Further, the supervisor should determine whether the culture of each individual sales representative is emotionally affective or neutral, since this will likely influence the degree of emotion expressed by him or her. In addition, the new supervisor should make it a point to become familiar with the cultureís general work norms (the shared values, beliefs, and perceptions toward work and how it should be done), address terms (the cultural norms that establish whether you address businesspeople by their first names, family names, or titles), and attitudes toward time (appointment time, schedule time, discussion time, and acquaintance time) in each of the cultures from which his or her sales representatives come. Communicating with these representatives in more of the context of their own culture will make them feel more accepted, build trust and rapport, and enhance the supervisorís personal power with them, making it easier to motivate them to overcome performance obstacles and ultimately to perform well. 5. What are the two reasons why companies use organization-wide communications? Define three types of organization-wide communication. Give an example of the effective or ineffective use of each communication. Using the material from the text chapter on Managing Communication, explain why the example was particularly effective or ineffective. Answer: The purpose of organization-wide communication is twofold: (1) to allow managers to effectively communicate to a larger number of people throughout the organization (i.e., to get the message out); and (2) to allow managers to make themselves accessible (i.e., to hear what employees throughout their organizations are feeling and thinking). “Getting the message out” is facilitated by e-mail, collaborative discussion sites, televised/videotaped speeches and conferences, and broadcast voice mail. Such communication is extremely simple in the case of e-mail, where with the click of a button, managers can send an e-mail message to everyone in the company via e-mail distribution lists. In addition, online discussion forums (which are the in-house equivalent of Internet newsgroups; Web- or software-based discussion tools are available across the company to permit employees to easily ask questions and share knowledge with each other) permit employees to avoid “reinventing the wheel” and provide a historical database for people dealing with particular problems for the first time. Televised/videotaped speeches and meetings are simply speeches and meetings originally made to a smaller audience that are either simultaneously broadcast to other locations in the company or videotaped for subsequent distribution and viewing. Finally, broadcast voice mail allows managers to send a recorded message to everyone in the company and thus gives top managers a quick, convenient way to address their work forces via oral communication. Regarding the second purpose of organization-wide communication, managers need to overcome organizational silence (a situation in which employees withhold information about organizational problems or issues, which occurs when employees believe that telling management about problems wonít make a difference or that theyíll be punished for sharing such information) to find ways to hear what others feel and think. This can be done through anonymous company hotlines, survey feedback, frequent informal meetings, surprise visits, and blogs. All of these techniques help managers improve reception by hearing what others in the organization feel and think. Company hotlines are phone numbers that anyone in the company can anonymously call to leave information for upper management. Survey feedback is information collected by survey from organizational members that is then compiled, disseminated, and used to develop action plans for improvement. Frequent informal meetings between top managers and lower-level employees are one of the best ways for top managers to hear what others feel and think. Finally, one of the ways to get an accurate picture is to pay surprise visits (which should not be surprise inspections) to various parts of the organization. Surprise visits should be used as an opportunity to increase the chances for meaningful upward communication from those who normally donít get a chance to work with upper management. Blogs are another way to hear what people or thinking and saying, both inside and outside the organization. Student examples should clearly be manifestations of organization-wide communication, as opposed to one-on-one or small group communication. Original examples derived from personal experience, conversations with others or from other outside sources demonstrate a higher level of understanding of the text material than examples drawn directly from the textbook. Better answers will clearly use the chapter material to justify why the example given was particularly effective or ineffective. Test Bank for Effective Management Chuck Williams 9781285866246