Question 1

Metaphors and other types of ambiguous language are useful when:

Accepted Answer

A)  the sender wants to communicate to people experiencing information overload. 
B)  the message is sent through the grapevine rather than formal communication channels. 
C)  the sender wants to minimize the risk that the receiver would misinterpret the message sent. 
D)  the issue or concept that the sender is trying to communicate is ill-defined or complex. 
E)  Ambiguous language is useful under all of these conditions. 
A)  the sender wants to communicate to people experiencing information overload. 
B)  the message is sent through the grapevine rather than formal communication channels. 
C)  the sender wants to minimize the risk that the receiver would misinterpret the message sent. 
D)  the issue or concept that the sender is trying to communicate is ill-defined or complex. 
E)  Ambiguous language is useful under all of these conditions. D

Question 2

The CEO of Bear Securities Ltd.is concerned that investment analysts and brokers at Bear Securities are using too much jargon to communicate with each other and with clients.The CEO believes that the use of jargon will result in costly communication errors and may intimidate clients.Discuss the accuracy of the CEO's concerns.

Accepted Answer

Jargon may be both useful and problematic in this situation.To the investment analysts and brokers,jargon is probably extremely useful technical language that both understand.It increases communication efficiency because it consists of short symbols representing a concept that would otherwise take much longer to communicate.By using jargon,the sender and receiver are less likely to misunderstand each other because they have already learned the common meaning to the symbol.This jargon may also increase cohesiveness among investment analysts and brokers at Bear Securities.For example,employees identify more with each other and the organization when they possess a unique language that separates them from employees in other organizations.Moreover,if some of the jargon is unique to this organization,it might represent a way to communicate the corporate culture at Bear Securities.
Aside from these likely benefits,jargon may be a problem at Bear Securities when communicating with clients.The problems with jargon occur when the receiver does not understand the jargon used by the sender.This may be a concern if clients do not understand the jargon used by Bear Securities employees.When jargon lacks meaning,clients are more likely to decode it incorrectly.Moreover,they may feel a sense of psychological distance from Bear Securities' employees,thereby weakening the client relationship.

Question 3

Emotional contagion receives relatively little attention in organizational behaviour literature (it is mostly studied by psychologists),yet it is an important part of social interaction in the workplace.Define emotional contagion and identify two benefits of this phenomenon.

Accepted Answer

Emotional contagion refers to the notion that we tend to 'catch' other people's emotions by continuously mimicking the facial expressions and nonverbal cues of others.For instance,listeners smile more and exhibit other emotional displays of happiness while hearing someone describe a positive event.Similarly,listeners will wince when the speaker describes an event in which they were hurt.
Along with defining emotional contagion,students need to identify any two of the three benefits described in the textbook (presented below).
Communicates caring.Mimicry provides continuous feedback,communicating that we understand and empathize with the sender.To consider the significance of this,imagine if employees remain expressionless after watching a colleague bang his or her head! The lack of parallel behaviour conveys a lack of understanding or caring.
Improves the listener's empathy.Mimicking the nonverbal behaviours of other people seems to be a way of receiving emotional meaning from those people.If a colleague is angry with a client,your tendency to frown and show anger while listening helps you to share that emotion more fully.In other words,we receive meaning by expressing the sender's emotions as well as by listening to the sender's words.
Strengthens team cohesiveness.Emotional contagion is a type of 'social glue' that bonds people together.Social solidarity is built out of each member's awareness of a collective sentiment.Through nonverbal expressions of emotional contagion,people see that others share the same emotions that they feel.This strengthens team cohesiveness by providing evidence of member similarity.

Question 4

What function does communication play in organizations?

Accepted Answer

A)  Communication minimizes "silos of knowledge." 
B)  Communication helps decision makers learn about organizational problems. 
C)  Communication helps employees fulfill their drive to bond. 
D)  Communication aids employee well-being. 
E)  Communication serves all of these functions. 
A)  Communication minimizes "silos of knowledge." 
B)  Communication helps decision makers learn about organizational problems. 
C)  Communication helps employees fulfill their drive to bond. 
D)  Communication aids employee well-being. 
E)  Communication serves all of these functions.

Question 5

Research has found that women are generally more sensitive than are men to nonverbal communication.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 6

Which of the following communication media tends to be best for transmitting emotions and persuading the receiver?

Accepted Answer

A)  Newsletter 
B)  Email message 
C)  Telephone conversation 
D)  Face-to-face meeting 
E)  Memorandum to all employees 
A)  Newsletter 
B)  Email message 
C)  Telephone conversation 
D)  Face-to-face meeting 
E)  Memorandum to all employees

Question 7

People experienced with a particular communication medium can "push" the amount of media richness normally possible through that information channel.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 8

Which of the following is potentially 'noise' in the communication process?

Accepted Answer

A)  Perceptual differences between sender and receiver. 
B)  Filtering information up the organizational hierarchy. 
C)  Receiving more information than the person can process. 
D)  Jargon that the receiver does not understand. 
E)  All of these represent examples of noise. 
A)  Perceptual differences between sender and receiver. 
B)  Filtering information up the organizational hierarchy. 
C)  Receiving more information than the person can process. 
D)  Jargon that the receiver does not understand. 
E)  All of these represent examples of noise.

Question 9

A resort in New Brunswick employs people from at least eight countries with significantly different cultures.The resort's new manager is concerned that communication problems might exist among these employees,but she doesn't know what problems would occur.Identify and explain three communication barriers that might occur due to cultural differences among employees.

Accepted Answer

When senders and receivers have diverse

Question 10

Interpersonal communication occurs as soon as a message is received by someone else.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 11

The grapevine is an important social process that fulfills the employees' drive to bond.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 12

Open-design offices:

Accepted Answer

A)  replace the need for employee surveys in large organizations. 
B)  tend to increase informal communication and knowledge sharing among people in those open offices. 
C)  tend to increase stress due to the loss of privacy and personal space. 
D)  do all of these. 
E)  tend to increase informal communication AND stress due to the loss of privacy. 
A)  replace the need for employee surveys in large organizations. 
B)  tend to increase informal communication and knowledge sharing among people in those open offices. 
C)  tend to increase stress due to the loss of privacy and personal space. 
D)  do all of these. 
E)  tend to increase informal communication AND stress due to the loss of privacy.

Question 13

An important factor in choosing the best communication channel is its media richness.What does this concept mean and what two conditions require a communication channel that is high in media richness?

Accepted Answer

Media richness refers to the data-carryi

Question 14

A few organizations have recently tried to minimize employee use of email when communicating with colleagues.Specifically,these companies have banned the use of email (except for special circumstances)on Fridays.Discuss two reasons why companies might want to minimize the use of email.

Accepted Answer

The textbook describes four problems wit

Question 15

Which of the following is Not a factor which influences the efficiency and effectiveness of encoding and decoding?

Accepted Answer

A)  Whether both parties have a similar "codebook." 
B)  The extent toe which both parties have similar mental models. 
C)  The parties' familiarity with the message topic. 
D)  The sender and receiver's proficiency with the communication channel 
E)  The gender of the sender or receiver. 
A)  Whether both parties have a similar "codebook." 
B)  The extent toe which both parties have similar mental models. 
C)  The parties' familiarity with the message topic. 
D)  The sender and receiver's proficiency with the communication channel 
E)  The gender of the sender or receiver.

Question 16

A problem with email is that:

Accepted Answer

A)  it contributes to information overload. 
B)  it increases the frequency of flaming. 
C)  it is difficult to interpret emotion in email messages. 
D)  it lacks the warmth of human interaction. 
E)  All of these are problems with email. 
A)  it contributes to information overload. 
B)  it increases the frequency of flaming. 
C)  it is difficult to interpret emotion in email messages. 
D)  it lacks the warmth of human interaction. 
E)  All of these are problems with email.

Question 17

In organizational communication,'flaming' generally refers to:

Accepted Answer

A)  telling an employee in front of other people that he or she is fired. 
B)  ranting and raving in front of a large audience. 
C)  an emotionally charged email message, usually one that communicates the sender's anger. 
D)  using any signal with the hands that has an obscene meaning to the receiver. 
E)  interrupting the speaker before he or she has finished talking to you. 
A)  telling an employee in front of other people that he or she is fired. 
B)  ranting and raving in front of a large audience. 
C)  an emotionally charged email message, usually one that communicates the sender's anger. 
D)  using any signal with the hands that has an obscene meaning to the receiver. 
E)  interrupting the speaker before he or she has finished talking to you.

Question 18

What effect can jargon potentially have in organizations?

Accepted Answer

A)  Jargon may result in misunderstandings between sender and receiver. 
B)  Jargon may symbolize an employee's identity in a group. 
C)  Jargon may improve communication efficiency. 
D)  Jargon may shape and maintain an organization's cultural values. 
E)  Jargon may improve communication efficiency, and at other times lead to misunderstandings between sender and receiver. 
A)  Jargon may result in misunderstandings between sender and receiver. 
B)  Jargon may symbolize an employee's identity in a group. 
C)  Jargon may improve communication efficiency. 
D)  Jargon may shape and maintain an organization's cultural values. 
E)  Jargon may improve communication efficiency, and at other times lead to misunderstandings between sender and receiver.

Question 19

In the communication process model,what happens immediately after the receiver receives the encoded message?

Accepted Answer

A)  The sender receives confirmation that the message has been understood. 
B)  The receiver confirms with the sender that the message sent was intended to be a message. 
C)  The receiver decodes the received message. 
D)  The sender encodes the message. 
E)  The receiver forms feedback in response to the received message. 
A)  The sender receives confirmation that the message has been understood. 
B)  The receiver confirms with the sender that the message sent was intended to be a message. 
C)  The receiver decodes the received message. 
D)  The sender encodes the message. 
E)  The receiver forms feedback in response to the received message.

Question 20

Which of the following statements about cross-cultural communication is FALSE?

Accepted Answer

A)  In Japan, a listener's silence after the speaker finishes talking indicates that the listener disagrees with the sender's message. 
B)  Brazilians view interruptions as evidence that the other person is involved in the conversation. 
C)  Shaking one's head from side to side means a different thing in different cultures. 
D)  Talking loudly may be a sign of sincerity in some cultures and a sign of rudeness in other cultures. 
E)  Maintaining direct eye contact is acceptable to most Canadians, but is considered rude in some cultures. 
A)  In Japan, a listener's silence after the speaker finishes talking indicates that the listener disagrees with the sender's message. 
B)  Brazilians view interruptions as evidence that the other person is involved in the conversation. 
C)  Shaking one's head from side to side means a different thing in different cultures. 
D)  Talking loudly may be a sign of sincerity in some cultures and a sign of rudeness in other cultures. 
E)  Maintaining direct eye contact is acceptable to most Canadians, but is considered rude in some cultures.

Metaphors and other types of ambiguous language are useful when:

Emotional contagion receives relatively little attention in organizational behaviour literature (it is mostly studied by psychologists),yet it is an important part of social interaction in the workplace.Define emotional contagion and identify two benefits of this phenomenon.

What function does communication play in organizations?

Research has found that women are generally more sensitive than are men to nonverbal communication.

Which of the following communication media tends to be best for transmitting emotions and persuading the receiver?

People experienced with a particular communication medium can "push" the amount of media richness normally possible through that information channel.

Which of the following is potentially 'noise' in the communication process?

Interpersonal communication occurs as soon as a message is received by someone else.

The grapevine is an important social process that fulfills the employees' drive to bond.

Open-design offices:

An important factor in choosing the best communication channel is its media richness.What does this concept mean and what two conditions require a communication channel that is high in media richness?

A few organizations have recently tried to minimize employee use of email when communicating with colleagues.Specifically,these companies have banned the use of email (except for special circumstances)on Fridays.Discuss two reasons why companies might want to minimize the use of email.

Which of the following is Not a factor which influences the efficiency and effectiveness of encoding and decoding?

A problem with email is that:

In organizational communication,'flaming' generally refers to:

What effect can jargon potentially have in organizations?

In the communication process model,what happens immediately after the receiver receives the encoded message?

Which of the following statements about cross-cultural communication is FALSE?

Introduction to the Field of Organizational Behaviour

Individual Behaviour, Personality, and Values

Perceiving Ourselves and Others in Organizations

Workplace Emotions,attitudes,and Stress

Foundations of Employee Motivation

Applied Performance Practices

Decision Making and Creativity

Team Dynamics

Power and Influence in the Workplace

Conflict and Negotiation in the Workplace

Leadership in Organizational Settings

Designing Organizational Structures

Organizational Culture

Organizational Change

Filters

Exam 9: Communicating in Teams and Organizations

Metaphors and other types of ambiguous language are useful when:

Emotional contagion receives relatively little attention in organizational behaviour literature (it is mostly studied by psychologists),yet it is an important part of social interaction in the workplace.Define emotional contagion and identify two benefits of this phenomenon.

What function does communication play in organizations?

Research has found that women are generally more sensitive than are men to nonverbal communication.

Which of the following communication media tends to be best for transmitting emotions and persuading the receiver?

People experienced with a particular communication medium can "push" the amount of media richness normally possible through that information channel.

Which of the following is potentially 'noise' in the communication process?

Interpersonal communication occurs as soon as a message is received by someone else.

The grapevine is an important social process that fulfills the employees' drive to bond.

Open-design offices:

An important factor in choosing the best communication channel is its media richness.What does this concept mean and what two conditions require a communication channel that is high in media richness?

A few organizations have recently tried to minimize employee use of email when communicating with colleagues.Specifically,these companies have banned the use of email (except for special circumstances)on Fridays.Discuss two reasons why companies might want to minimize the use of email.

Which of the following is Not a factor which influences the efficiency and effectiveness of encoding and decoding?

A problem with email is that:

In organizational communication,'flaming' generally refers to:

What effect can jargon potentially have in organizations?

In the communication process model,what happens immediately after the receiver receives the encoded message?

Which of the following statements about cross-cultural communication is FALSE?

Introduction to the Field of Organizational Behaviour

Individual Behaviour, Personality, and Values

Perceiving Ourselves and Others in Organizations

Workplace Emotions,attitudes,and Stress

Foundations of Employee Motivation

Applied Performance Practices

Decision Making and Creativity

Team Dynamics

Power and Influence in the Workplace

Conflict and Negotiation in the Workplace

Leadership in Organizational Settings

Designing Organizational Structures

Organizational Culture

Organizational Change

Filters