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Excellence in Business Communication, 12e (Thill/Bovee)
Chapter 1 Professional Communication in a Digital, Social, Mobile World
1) Which of the following best describes the communication process?
A) transferring information and meaning
B) listening actively
C) writing messages
D) speaking to others
E) providing data that benefits the speaker
companies where you will work.
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Difficulty: Moderate
Classification: Conceptual
Learning Outcome: Discuss the challenges and importance of business communication
2) Which of the following results in additional pressure on communication skills?
A) having great ideas
B) rising higher within the organization
C) connecting with decision-makers outside of your area of expertise
D) established company networks
E) the changing nature of employment
companies where you will work.
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Difficulty: Easy
Classification: Conceptual
Learning Outcome: Discuss the challenges and importance of business communication
2
3) Which of the following is most affected by effective communication by a company?
A) the nation
B) the suppliers
C) the competitors
D) the world
E) the stakeholders
companies where you will work.
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Difficulty: Moderate
Classification: Application
Learning Outcome: Discuss the challenges and importance of business communication
4) Which of the following is not a characteristic of effective business messages?
A) They provide practical information.
B) They present the writer’s opinions as facts.
C) They state precise audience responsibilities.
D) They highlight and summarize essential information.
E) They are short.
companies where you will work.
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Difficulty: Moderate
Classification: Critical Thinking
Learning Outcome: Discuss the challenges and importance of business communication
3
5) All of the following except ________ will make your business messages more effective.
A) providing practical information
B) clarifying expectations and responsibilities
C) presenting information concisely and efficiently
D) discussing personal issues and complaining about problems
E) showing readers how they will benefit by responding the way you want them to
companies where you will work.
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Difficulty: Moderate
Classification: Critical Thinking
Learning Outcome: Discuss the challenges and importance of business communication
6) How do executives in established firms spend the majority of their time?
A) budgeting
B) traveling
C) communicating
D) plying their trade
E) buying and selling
companies where you will work.
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Difficulty: Moderate
Classification: Conceptual
Learning Outcome: Discuss the challenges and importance of business communication
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7) Effective communication helps businesses make stronger decisions based on
A) closer ties with communities in the marketplace.
B) timely, reliable information.
C) clearer and more persuasive marketing messages.
D) greater employee engagement.
E) earlier warning of potential problems.
companies where you will work.
AACSB: Reflective thinking
Difficulty: Moderate
Classification: Application
Learning Outcome: Discuss the challenges and importance of business communication
8) Describe five characteristics of effective business messages.
companies where you will work.
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Difficulty: Moderate
Classification: Conceptual
Learning Outcome: Discuss the challenges and importance of business communication
9) The quality of performing at a high level and conducting oneself with pride and purpose is
known as
A) expediency.
B) professionalism.
C) entrepreneurialism.
D) impression management.
E) leadership.
AACSB: Reflective thinking
Difficulty: Moderate
Classification: Conceptual
Learning Outcome: Discuss the challenges and importance of business communication
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10) According to the concept of emotional intelligence, if you’ll be speaking to people you don’t
know and you can’t find out more about them,
A) don’t worry because you can adjust to their needs on the fly.
B) always put your own needs before their needs.
C) rely on chance and circumstance to help you relate to their needs.
D) use common sense and imagination to relate to their needs.
E) use general and simple terms to ensure understanding.
AACSB: Reflective thinking
Difficulty: Moderate
Classification: Conceptual
Learning Outcome: Discuss the challenges and importance of business communication
11) The term digital information fluency encompasses all of the following elements except
A) recognizing information needs.
B) searching efficiently to locate reliable sources of information.
C) using gathered information ethically.
D) using random methods to present ideas and information.
E) actively listening to others.
AACSB: Reflective thinking
Difficulty: Moderate
Classification: Conceptual
Learning Outcome: Discuss the challenges and importance of business communication
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12) An example of downward communication is
A) a junior staff person giving information to a staff supervisor.
B) a sales manager giving instructions to a salesperson.
C) an email message about sick leave from one staff secretary to another.
D) a company briefing held on the organization’s top floor.
E) a conversation between colleagues that quickly becomes hostile.
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Difficulty: Easy
Classification: Application
Learning Outcome: Discuss the challenges and importance of business communication
13) An example of horizontal communication is
A) a junior staff person giving information to a staff supervisor.
B) a company briefing held on the organization’s ground floor.
C) an email message about sick leave sent from one department secretary to a secretary in a
different department.
D) an email message that sparks a chain of multiple replies.
E) a manager sending an email to his or her staff.
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Difficulty: Moderate
Classification: Application
Learning Outcome: Discuss the challenges and importance of business communication
7
14) Every organization has ________, which encompasses all communication that occurs outside
the lines of command in the company’s organizational structure.
A) an online social networking presence
B) an extraneous communication network
C) an informal communication network
D) an internal communication network
E) a transitional communication system
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Difficulty: Moderate
Classification: Conceptual
Learning Outcome: Discuss the challenges and importance of business communication
15) In most organizations, the rumor mill tends to be particularly active when
A) employees are satisfied with their jobs.
B) formal communication channels are working efficiently.
C) employees are wasting company time.
D) the formal communication network is not providing the information employees want.
E) there is a lack of gender balance among the employees.
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Difficulty: Moderate
Classification: Synthesis
Learning Outcome: Discuss the challenges and importance of business communication
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16) ________ communication flows between departments to help employees share information,
coordinate tasks, and solve complex problems.
A) Upward
B) Downward
C) Horizontal
D) Diagonal
E) Circular
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Difficulty: Easy
Classification: Conceptual
Learning Outcome: Discuss the challenges and importance of business communication
17) An audience-centered approach to communication involves
A) saying whatever it takes to win over the members of your audience.
B) embedding a layer of technology between you and your audience members.
C) respecting, understanding, and meeting the needs of your audience members.
D) focusing on how the members of the audience can help you obtain your goals.
E) starting by telling the audience exactly how they can help you.
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Difficulty: Difficult
Classification: Conceptual/Application
Learning Outcome: Discuss the challenges and importance of business communication
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18) Generally speaking, limitations of the formal communication network
A) discourage employees from taking advantage of social media.
B) have not affected the popularity of social media in the business environment.
C) have helped to spur the growth of social media in the business environment.
D) discourage upward communication.
E) hinder the ability to convey executive decisions.
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Difficulty: Difficult
Classification: Synthesis
Learning Outcome: Discuss the challenges and importance of business communication
19) To make your communication more effective,
A) clearly address your audience’s wants and needs—not yours.
B) include as much information as possible, even if you’re not sure it’s necessary.
C) prepare the message as if the audience is not interested.
D) start by telling the audience how they can help you.
E) limit questions.
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Difficulty: Moderate
Classification: Conceptual
Learning Outcome: Discuss the challenges and importance of business communication
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20) When you adopt ________ to communication, you understand and respect the members of
your audience and make every effort to communicate in a way that’s meaningful to them.
A) an audience-centered approach
B) a technology-driven approach
C) an egocentric approach
D) a performance-maximization approach
E) a downward flow approach
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Difficulty: Moderate
Classification: Conceptual
Learning Outcome: Discuss the challenges and importance of business communication
21) The concept of ________ refers to the ability to relate to the needs of others, which is a vital
characteristic of successful managers and leaders.
A) interpersonal adaptability
B) relational franchising
C) emotional intelligence
D) macro-generational empathy
E) critical thinking
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Difficulty: Moderate
Classification: Conceptual
Learning Outcome: Discuss the challenges and importance of business communication