Question 1

When using the direct approach in negative news messages,the message should start with ________.

Accepted Answer

A) a sincere apology 
B) a buffer statement 
C) a disclaimer limiting the responsibility of the sender 
D) a clear statement of the bad news 
E) an explanation for the bad news 
A) a sincere apology 
B) a buffer statement 
C) a disclaimer limiting the responsibility of the sender 
D) a clear statement of the bad news 
E) an explanation for the bad news

Question 2

Which of the following is a guideline for making a clear statement of the bad news when organizing a negative message using the indirect method?

Accepted Answer

A) Put the bad news as the main clause of a compound or complex sentence. 
B) Use parenthetical expressions to frame the bad news. 
C) Maximize the space or time devoted to the bad news. 
D) Put the bad news in the beginning or end of a paragraph. 
E) Try to disguise the bad news when you emphasize the positive. 
A) Put the bad news as the main clause of a compound or complex sentence. 
B) Use parenthetical expressions to frame the bad news. 
C) Maximize the space or time devoted to the bad news. 
D) Put the bad news in the beginning or end of a paragraph. 
E) Try to disguise the bad news when you emphasize the positive.

Question 3

Which of the following is a guideline to avoid accusations of defamation?

Accepted Answer

A) Obscure and disguise the bad news. 
B) Limit further communication on the matter. 
C) Emphasize a desire for a good relationship in the future. 
D) Always use "company policy" as an explanation for bad news. 
E) Close with an apology to express your sympathy. 
A) Obscure and disguise the bad news. 
B) Limit further communication on the matter. 
C) Emphasize a desire for a good relationship in the future. 
D) Always use "company policy" as an explanation for bad news. 
E) Close with an apology to express your sympathy.

Question 4

Lara is responding to a customer who complained that his broadband service was down for two days during a recent storm and that he missed out on some important business communications as a result.Which of the following lines reflects the best way in which Lara can apologize to this customer?

Accepted Answer

A) I am shocked and dismayed that you had to go through this. 
B) I take personal responsibility for the inconvenience caused to you. 
C) I am sorry that the company could not get your service back up more promptly. 
D) I am sorry to hear of your difficulties. 
E) I apologize on behalf of the company. 
A) I am shocked and dismayed that you had to go through this. 
B) I take personal responsibility for the inconvenience caused to you. 
C) I am sorry that the company could not get your service back up more promptly. 
D) I am sorry to hear of your difficulties. 
E) I apologize on behalf of the company.

Question 5

As a Fire Insurance Claims Adjuster with Veritas Insurance,Marshall must send a message to Synthesis Inc.refusing their claim for damages caused due to a fire in their warehouse.He uses the direct method to organize the message.Which of the following statements,if true,would support Marshall's choice?

Accepted Answer

A) Synthesis Inc. will be in serious financial trouble if Veritas refuses to cover the damage, and would probably have to file for bankruptcy. 
B) This is the first claim ever made by Synthesis Inc. in the 10 years that it has insured with Marshall's company. 
C) Synthesis Inc.'s policy is a comprehensive one that indemnifies for loss arising out of fire, burglary, theft and third party risks. 
D) A preliminary report filed by Veritas with Synthesis Inc. immediately after the fire, indicated that the fire was a result of a robbery and would be covered under the company's Theft Insurance policy. 
E) This fire was the second such incident in a year in Synthesis' warehouses, and the claim on the first one had been paid in full by Veritas. 
A) Synthesis Inc. will be in serious financial trouble if Veritas refuses to cover the damage, and would probably have to file for bankruptcy. 
B) This is the first claim ever made by Synthesis Inc. in the 10 years that it has insured with Marshall's company. 
C) Synthesis Inc.'s policy is a comprehensive one that indemnifies for loss arising out of fire, burglary, theft and third party risks. 
D) A preliminary report filed by Veritas with Synthesis Inc. immediately after the fire, indicated that the fire was a result of a robbery and would be covered under the company's Theft Insurance policy. 
E) This fire was the second such incident in a year in Synthesis' warehouses, and the claim on the first one had been paid in full by Veritas.

Question 6

Describe the direct and indirect approaches to organizing negative news messages.Chandler,the Operations Manager at your company,wishes to communicate to a vendor that the company will not be renewing his contract because it is not happy with his services.Since you handle all external corporate communications,Chandler requests you to draft a message conveying the news to the vendor.What additional information would you need from Chandler to decide if you should use the direct or the indirect approach in organizing your message?

Accepted Answer

One of the most critical planning decisi

Question 7

What are the guidelines for writing employment termination messages?

Accepted Answer

Termination messages should always be wr

Question 8

When providing reasons for bad news in a negative news message that uses the indirect approach,you should ________.

Accepted Answer

A) use "company policy" as the reason whenever possible 
B) start with the most positive points and then move on to increasingly negative ones 
C) present your reasons in a clearly apologetic tone 
D) avoid going into details of the reasons for the bad news 
E) avoid couching negative points in positive language 
A) use "company policy" as the reason whenever possible 
B) start with the most positive points and then move on to increasingly negative ones 
C) present your reasons in a clearly apologetic tone 
D) avoid going into details of the reasons for the bad news 
E) avoid couching negative points in positive language

Question 9

Which of the following is a guideline for making a clear statement of the bad news when organizing a negative message using the indirect method?

Accepted Answer

A) Try to put the bad news as the main clause of a compound or complex sentence. 
B) Avoid putting the bad news in parenthetical expressions. 
C) Maximize the space or time devoted to the bad news. 
D) Put the bad news in the beginning or end of a paragraph. 
E) Try to use a conditional statement to imply that a favorable answer may be possible in the future. 
A) Try to put the bad news as the main clause of a compound or complex sentence. 
B) Avoid putting the bad news in parenthetical expressions. 
C) Maximize the space or time devoted to the bad news. 
D) Put the bad news in the beginning or end of a paragraph. 
E) Try to use a conditional statement to imply that a favorable answer may be possible in the future.

Question 10

To successfully sue for defamation,the aggrieved party must prove that ________.

Accepted Answer

A) the defendant profited from making the statement 
B) the statement was false 
C) the statement was made out of anger or malice 
D) the statement uses private information 
E) the statement has been made in writing 
A) the defendant profited from making the statement 
B) the statement was false 
C) the statement was made out of anger or malice 
D) the statement uses private information 
E) the statement has been made in writing

Question 11

To avoid negative surprises in performance reviews,managers should meet with employees to agree on clear goals for the upcoming year and then provide regular feedback and coaching as needed throughout the year if an employee's performance falls below expectations.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 12

When using the indirect approach to organize negative news message,the opening statement should be ________.

Accepted Answer

A) an apology 
B) an explanation for the news 
C) a clear statement of the news 
D) a statement unrelated to the point of the message 
E) a buffer 
A) an apology 
B) an explanation for the news 
C) a clear statement of the news 
D) a statement unrelated to the point of the message 
E) a buffer

Question 13

When refusing claims,you should ________.

Accepted Answer

A) avoid taking responsibility by accusing the customer 
B) maintain a personal and intimate tone to build rapport 
C) apologize sincerely for the negative answer 
D) not offer alternative solutions as that is unethical 
E) emphasize your continued desire for a positive relationship with the customer 
A) avoid taking responsibility by accusing the customer 
B) maintain a personal and intimate tone to build rapport 
C) apologize sincerely for the negative answer 
D) not offer alternative solutions as that is unethical 
E) emphasize your continued desire for a positive relationship with the customer

Question 14

In a negative message that uses the indirect approach,an ideal explanation section should ________.

Accepted Answer

A) include a sincere apology 
B) give additional information about the bad news revealed in the opening 
C) first reveal the bad news and then suggest alternative courses of action 
D) signal the negative news ahead 
E) take the focus away from the issue at hand 
A) include a sincere apology 
B) give additional information about the bad news revealed in the opening 
C) first reveal the bad news and then suggest alternative courses of action 
D) signal the negative news ahead 
E) take the focus away from the issue at hand

Question 15

What are the guidelines for handling bad news about transactions?

Accepted Answer

Bad news about transactions is always un

Question 16

As an executive in the Admissions Office of Greenwood College,Janet must send rejection letters to applicants of the MBA program at the college.She decides to organize her messages using the indirect approach.Which of the following facts,if true,would support Janet's choice?

Accepted Answer

A) All the rejected applicants are offered the option of registering for the two-year diploma course in management instead, which has the same standing in the job market as an MBA. 
B) The college was recently refused a grant that it had applied for to support its MBA program. 
C) The college's decision is final and further discussion or communication about the matter will not be entertained. 
D) All the applicants know that the decision hinges on their scores in an aptitude test and have already been informed of their scores and the cut-off for the year. 
E) Owing to the large number of enrollments it accepts and its above average rating, this college is considered a "safety net" college by several applicants-a college they wouldn't mind getting into if the bigger names don't work out. 
A) All the rejected applicants are offered the option of registering for the two-year diploma course in management instead, which has the same standing in the job market as an MBA. 
B) The college was recently refused a grant that it had applied for to support its MBA program. 
C) The college's decision is final and further discussion or communication about the matter will not be entertained. 
D) All the applicants know that the decision hinges on their scores in an aptitude test and have already been informed of their scores and the cut-off for the year. 
E) Owing to the large number of enrollments it accepts and its above average rating, this college is considered a "safety net" college by several applicants-a college they wouldn't mind getting into if the bigger names don't work out.

Question 17

Which of the following is true about refusing routine requests?

Accepted Answer

A) Use phrases such as "Let me think about it and get back to you" as a way to delay saying no. 
B) The direct approach works best for most routine negative responses. 
C) Avoid offering alternative ideas. 
D) Always imply that other assistance or information might be available. 
E) The direct approach works best when the stakes are high for you or for the receiver. 
A) Use phrases such as "Let me think about it and get back to you" as a way to delay saying no. 
B) The direct approach works best for most routine negative responses. 
C) Avoid offering alternative ideas. 
D) Always imply that other assistance or information might be available. 
E) The direct approach works best when the stakes are high for you or for the receiver.

Question 18

When using the indirect approach in organizing your negative news message,make sure you don't overemphasize the bad news.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 19

What are the points to keep in mind when developing rejection letters for job applicants?

Accepted Answer

Although rejections are routine communic

Question 20

When developing messages conveying negative organizational news,ensure to match your approach to the situation.As a public relations executive at a multinational food company,what approach would you use when sending a message communicating to the public a recall of a batch of canned food that is found to have been contaminated with e-coli virus? Would you use the same approach to inform the public that you are discontinuing a certain line of cereals due to low demand? Why/why not?

Accepted Answer

The first instance is an emergency situa

When using the direct approach in negative news messages,the message should start with ________.

Which of the following is a guideline for making a clear statement of the bad news when organizing a negative message using the indirect method?

Which of the following is a guideline to avoid accusations of defamation?

Lara is responding to a customer who complained that his broadband service was down for two days during a recent storm and that he missed out on some important business communications as a result.Which of the following lines reflects the best way in which Lara can apologize to this customer?

What are the guidelines for writing employment termination messages?

When providing reasons for bad news in a negative news message that uses the indirect approach,you should ________.

Which of the following is a guideline for making a clear statement of the bad news when organizing a negative message using the indirect method?

To successfully sue for defamation,the aggrieved party must prove that ________.

To avoid negative surprises in performance reviews,managers should meet with employees to agree on clear goals for the upcoming year and then provide regular feedback and coaching as needed throughout the year if an employee's performance falls below expectations.

When using the indirect approach to organize negative news message,the opening statement should be ________.

When refusing claims,you should ________.

In a negative message that uses the indirect approach,an ideal explanation section should ________.

What are the guidelines for handling bad news about transactions?

As an executive in the Admissions Office of Greenwood College,Janet must send rejection letters to applicants of the MBA program at the college.She decides to organize her messages using the indirect approach.Which of the following facts,if true,would support Janet's choice?

Which of the following is true about refusing routine requests?

When using the indirect approach in organizing your negative news message,make sure you don't overemphasize the bad news.

What are the points to keep in mind when developing rejection letters for job applicants?

Understanding Business Communication in Todays Workplace

Mastering Team Skills and Interpersonal Communication

Planning Business Messages

Writing Business Messages

Completing Business Messages

Crafting Messages for Electronic Media

Writing Routine and Positive Messages

Writing Persuasive Messages

Understanding and Planning Reports and Proposals

Writing and Completing Reports and Proposals

Developing Oral and Online Presentations

Building Careers and Writing Résumés

Applying and Interviewing for Employment

Filters

Exam 8: Writing Negative Messages

When using the direct approach in negative news messages,the message should start with ________.

Which of the following is a guideline for making a clear statement of the bad news when organizing a negative message using the indirect method?

Which of the following is a guideline to avoid accusations of defamation?

Lara is responding to a customer who complained that his broadband service was down for two days during a recent storm and that he missed out on some important business communications as a result.Which of the following lines reflects the best way in which Lara can apologize to this customer?

What are the guidelines for writing employment termination messages?

When providing reasons for bad news in a negative news message that uses the indirect approach,you should ________.

Which of the following is a guideline for making a clear statement of the bad news when organizing a negative message using the indirect method?

To successfully sue for defamation,the aggrieved party must prove that ________.

To avoid negative surprises in performance reviews,managers should meet with employees to agree on clear goals for the upcoming year and then provide regular feedback and coaching as needed throughout the year if an employee's performance falls below expectations.

When using the indirect approach to organize negative news message,the opening statement should be ________.

When refusing claims,you should ________.

In a negative message that uses the indirect approach,an ideal explanation section should ________.

What are the guidelines for handling bad news about transactions?

As an executive in the Admissions Office of Greenwood College,Janet must send rejection letters to applicants of the MBA program at the college.She decides to organize her messages using the indirect approach.Which of the following facts,if true,would support Janet's choice?

Which of the following is true about refusing routine requests?

When using the indirect approach in organizing your negative news message,make sure you don't overemphasize the bad news.

What are the points to keep in mind when developing rejection letters for job applicants?

Understanding Business Communication in Todays Workplace

Mastering Team Skills and Interpersonal Communication

Planning Business Messages

Writing Business Messages

Completing Business Messages

Crafting Messages for Electronic Media

Writing Routine and Positive Messages

Writing Persuasive Messages

Understanding and Planning Reports and Proposals

Writing and Completing Reports and Proposals

Developing Oral and Online Presentations

Building Careers and Writing Résumés

Applying and Interviewing for Employment

Filters