Essentials of Organizational Behavior, 12e (Robbins/Judge)
Chapter 11 Communication
1) Before communication can take place it needs a ________.
A) purpose
B) channel
C) receiver
D) filter
E) decoder
2) In a communication process, the ________ initiates a message by encoding a thought.
A) receiver
B) decoder
C) channel
D) sender
E) signal
3) In a communication process, the ________ is the actual physical product of the sender’s
encoding.
A) channel
B) message
C) feedback
D) transmitter
E) noise
4) With reference to the communication process, when a sender speaks, the speech is the
________.
A) channel
B) filter
C) message
D) noise
E) transmitter
5) John writes a memo to his employees. Putting his thoughts onto paper is an example of
________.
A) encoding
B) decoding
C) transferring
D) channeling
E) editing
6) With reference to the communication process, the ________ is the medium through which the
message travels.
A) feedback
B) noise
C) encoder
D) channel
E) decoder
7) With reference to the communication process, the ________ is the one to whom the message
is directed, who must first translate the symbols into understandable form.
A) editor
B) receiver
C) encoder
D) sender
E) channel
8) In a communication process, ________ is the check on how successful we have been in
transferring our messages as originally intended.
A) editing
B) decoding
C) feedback
D) encoding
E) noise
9) Which of the following statements is definitely true regarding an informal communication
channel?
A) It traditionally follows the authority chain within the organization.
B) It generally transmits messages related to the professional activities of members.
C) It is established by the organization.
D) It is generally used for communicating personal or social messages.
E) Information regarding change in the policies of the organization is transmitted through it.
10) Helena and Laura were talking on the phone. Laura’s two-year-old son fell and started crying
loudly. Laura could no longer hear what Helena said. This is an example of ________.
A) feedback
B) decoding
C) noise
D) encoding
E) filtering
11) Group leaders and managers communicating with employees to assign goals and to provide
job instructions is an example of a(n) ________ communication.
A) downward
B) lateral
C) upward
D) grapevine
E) horizontal
12) The receiver of a communication must first ________ the message.
A) encode
B) reproduce
C) transfer
D) translate
E) discard
13) A receiver who translates a sender’s message is engaging in the process of ________.
A) encoding
B) decoding
C) transmission
D) feedback
E) recoding
14) The communication used by managers to offer feedback about performance is ________
communication.
A) downward
B) lateral
C) informal
D) directional
E) grapevine
15) Which of the following is an example of downward communication flow?
A) An employee provides feedback to higher-ups regarding her progress toward goals.
B) An employee suggests a way of improving efficiency of a process to his team lead.
C) An employee receives a mail from her team leader pointing out problems that need attention.
D) An employee informs her colleague about changes in the company policy.
E) An employee informs his friend from a different department about a new coffee shop that has
just opened in the town.
16) All of the following are examples of downward communication flows except ________.
A) managers assigning goals
B) managers informing employees of procedures
C) managers pointing out problems that need attention
D) employees completing attitude surveys
E) managers telling employees to work more quickly
17) ________ communication flows to a higher level in the group or organization.
A) Horizontal
B) Downward
C) Lateral
D) Upward
E) Grapevine
18) Communication that takes place among members of work groups at the same level is known
as ________ communication.
A) diagonal
B) grapevine
C) upward
D) lateral
E) downward
19) Which of the following statements is true regarding oral communication?
A) It is often tangible and verifiable.
B) It can be stored for an indefinite period.
C) The sender can quickly obtain feedback from the receiver.
D) As compared to written communication, it is more likely to be well thought out, logical, and
clear.
E) In the case of oral communication, when the message has to pass through a number of people,
as the number of people increases the possibility of distortion of the message decreases.
20) When engaging in upward communication an employee should not ________.
A) meet his manager alone in a conference room
B) communicate in headlines
C) support ideas with action
D) engage in a meandering discussion
E) prepare an agenda
21) Which of the following types of communication is most likely to be used by employees to
provide feedback to higher-ups, inform them of progress toward goals, and relay current
problems?
A) lateral communication
B) upward communication
C) downward communication
D) horizontal communication
E) grapevine communication
22) Which of the following is an example of upward communication?
A) A team leader sends an e-mail to one of her team members giving him feedback about his
performance.
B) A team leader sends an e-mail to his team members pointing out problems that need attention.
C) A team member sends an e-mail to his team leader informing her about the problems faced by
him on the current project.
D) A manager sends an e-mail to all members in the organization informing them about new
policies and procedures.
E) A team member sends an e-mail to his colleague informing him about the latest changes in the
specifications of the project.
23) Communication messages that are passed through a great many people will most likely suffer
from which of the following?
A) selective perception
B) distortion
C) lack of non-verbal cues
D) information overload
E) formal communication integration
24) Which of the following is not a drawback of written messages?
A) They’re time consuming.
B) They are unlikely to be well thought-out.
C) They lack built-in feedback mechanisms.
D) It is difficult for senders to confirm whether they have been received.
E) They may be misinterpreted by their receivers.
25) Which of the following forms of communication most likely deals with body movements, the
intonations or emphasis we give to words, facial expressions, and the physical distance between
the sender and receiver?
A) written communication
B) downward communication
C) nonverbal communication
D) lateral communication
E) upward communication
26) All of the following are examples of nonverbal communication except ________.
A) intonations or emphasis
B) instant messaging
C) physical distance between the sender and the receiver
D) facial expressions
E) hand gestures
27) Genepa Corporation manufactures home appliances and other electronic products. Genepa is
planning to introduce a new refrigerator model. The marketing manager at Genepa has developed
a marketing plan for this new product and wants to communicate this plan to all the employees in
the marketing department. Which of the following is most likely to be the best form of
communication for communicating this plan?
A) nonverbal communication
B) oral communication
C) written communication
D) grapevine communication
E) lateral communication
28) When ________ communication is used for transferring a message, the message becomes
tangible and verifiable and it can be stored for an indefinite period.
A) oral
B) grapevine
C) written
D) nonverbal
E) lateral
29) Generally, which of the following methods of communication should be used for
communicating a complex and lengthy message when the message has to pass through a number
of people?
A) grapevine communication
B) written communication
C) oral communication
D) nonverbal communication
E) filtered communication
30) Which of the following types of small-group communication networks is most effective for
facilitating the emergence of a leader?
A) chain network
B) all-channel network
C) wheel network
D) mesh network
E) bus network
31) Which of the following types of small-group communication networks should be used if high
member satisfaction is desired?
A) star network
B) wheel network
C) mesh network
D) all-channel network
E) chain network
32) Peter is working on a project. He feels that the parameters need to be changed to meet client
specifications. First he must talk to his immediate supervisor, who then discusses the issue with
her department director. Peter is most likely part of which of the following types of small-group
communication network?
A) star network
B) mesh network
C) chain network
D) all-channel network
E) ring network
33) If a checkout clerk reports to a department manager, who in turn reports to a store manager,
who reports to a regional manager, the communication network is said to be a(n) ________
network.
A) mesh
B) all-channel
C) star
D) chain
E) wheel
34) When all communication is channeled through one central figure, a(n) ________
communication network exists.
A) all-channel
B) chain
C) mesh
D) wheel
E) ring
35) In a(n) ________ communication network, any group member can actively communicate
with any other member.
A) wheel
B) all-channel
C) mesh
D) chain
E) star
36) The ________ communication network is best illustrated by self-managed teams.
A) wheel
B) all-channel
C) mesh
D) chain
E) ring
37) An informal communication network in an organization is typically called the ________.
A) wheel network
B) grapevine
C) chain network
D) contextual system
E) free acting system
38) Ideally, a chain network should be used when ________.
A) high speed of information transfer is desired
B) accuracy of information is most important
C) the network is expected to facilitate emergence of a leader
D) high member satisfaction is desired
E) the teams using the chain network are self-managed teams
39) Which of the following statements is true regarding the grapevine?
A) It is a formal channel of communication in an organization.
B) About 10 percent of information that flows along the grapevine is accurate.
C) It is controlled by management.
D) Most employees perceive it as more believable and reliable than formal communiqués issued
by top management.
E) The grapevine is a popular form of written communication.
40) Which one of the following is an informal source of information for job applicants joining an
organization?
A) electronic communication
B) nonverbal communication
C) horizontal communication
D) vertical communication
E) grapevine communication
41) Rumors would most likely flourish in situations when ________.
A) there is no ambiguity
B) there is anxiety
C) the issue at hand is trivial
D) the management encourages transparency regarding all significant organizational issues
E) the organization uses self-managed teams
42) With regard to the grapevine and rumors, a manager should try to ________.
A) ignore it
B) destroy it
C) limit its range and impact
D) use it to her advantage
E) encourage its use
43) For a manager, it is worth understanding the grapevine in the organization because
________.
A) it is the least costly way of transmitting information
B) it improves employee motivation
C) it helps tap into employee anxieties
D) it increases job satisfaction for the employees
E) it improves team efficiency
44) Which of the following statements is true regarding e-mail?
A) Electronic mail started with the inception of the Internet.
B) As compared to verbal messages, the potential to misinterpret e-mails is even greater.
C) The cost of sending e-mails to employees is generally much higher than the cost of
distributing printed letters to them.
D) E-mail is the best way to communicate negative information.
E) Organizations rarely use e-mail for official purposes.