Instructor Resource
Dainton, Applying Communication Theory for Professional Life 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2018
Chapter 9: Organizational Communication
Test Bank
Multiple Choice
1. ______ is the tendency for a given system to maintain stability in the face of
change.
A. Retention
B. Homeostasis
C. Enactment
D. Metamorphosis
2. An organizational culture that adopts a low risk and rapid pace for feedback
and rewards is known as a ______ culture.
A. bet the company
B. process-oriented
C. tough-guy, macho
D. work hard, play hard
3. Viewpoints organizational members hold about the world, including
perceptions, thoughts, feelings, and beliefs, are called ______.
A. artifacts
B. assumptions
C. attitudes
D. values
4. Craig recently started working for a human resources consulting firm. He has
been making comparisons between this organization and that of his previous job,
where he worked in sales. One big difference Craig has noticed is that at his old
job, people seemed much friendlier and there was a lot of interoffice
socialization. At his new job, everyone works fairly isolated. Craig is experiencing
which stage of organizational assimilation?
A. anticipatory socialization stage
B. comparison stage
C. encounter phase
D. metamorphosis stage
5. The sense of belonging that individuals feel to an organization is known as
______.
A. cohesion
B. identification
C. participation
D. positive face
6. At the end of October, you and your coworkers decided to bring some fun into
the office and wore Halloween costumes. However, your supervisor wasn’t
amused, and he has filed a complaint with Human Resources. During a meeting
with HR, the Director says “according to the Employee Handbook, you have
violated code five, which states that all employees must comply with a
professional dress code. Failure to follow the dress code constitutes a violation of
university regulations.” Which form of control is being used?
A. bureaucratic
B. concertive
C. simple
D. technological
7. Renee has determined a faster way to complete monthly inventory reports.
When she proposes her idea to Sal, her supervisor, he responds, “That’s a great
suggestion Renee, however, because of the way each store’s UPC labels are
coded, we can’t sort by department, only by store.” Sal is using which type of
organizational control?
A. bureaucratic
B. concertive
C. technological
D. unobtrusive
8. Which of the following situations best describes an example of a double
interact, as used in Weick’s Information Systems Approach?
A. An employee speaks; the manager listens and nods her head.
B. Each person in the system acts and responds to each other person in the
system.
C. An employee makes a suggestion to improve the production line; the manager
follows the suggestion and corporate productivity increases.
D. An employee offers a suggestion; the manager tells her that the correct
procedure is to put the suggestion in writing and send it to all department heads;
the employee follows the procedure.
9. A double interact consists of an act, a response, and a/an ______.
A. adjustment
B. double loop
C. encounter
D. rule
10. One focus of organizing theory is explaining how organizational members
can ______.
A. bypass certain rules to get the job done
B. increase equivocality
C. reduce ambiguous messages
D. reduce double interacts
11. ______ is considered positive nonsummativity, the ability to achieve more
together than with individual effort.
A. Interdependence
B. Homeostasis
C. Equifinality
D. Synergy
12. Jared is planning a celebratory event at his organization for two retiring
members with Janice. Janice believes they should get an ad hoc committee
together and distribute the work, while Jared believes they should just get the aid
of two other members and work collectively. What concept of the systems
metaphor are they dealing with?
A. interdependence
B. homeostasis
C. equifinality
D. synergy
13. Some consider The Beatles to be an example of ______; separately, they
were not the best musicians, but together they created bestselling and critically
acclaimed music.
Instructor Resource
Dainton, Applying Communication Theory for Professional Life 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2018
A. system
B. nonsummativity
C. interdependence
D. homeostasis
14. Donelle is very upset that Pete is leaving their company. She thinks no one
can do the job the way that he does. Pete assures her that he has seen many
employees come and go, and while it will be somewhat different, things will
eventually go back to “normal.” Pete is referring to what concept of the systems
metaphor?
A. system
B. nonsummativity
C. interdependence
D. homeostasis
15. ______ is the main reason why nonsummativity occurs.
A. Interdependence
B. Homeostasis
C. Equifinality
D. Synergy
16. While ______ are by definition observable, interpreting what they mean may
not always be obvious.
A. heroes
B. artifacts
C. values
D. basic assumptions
17. The ______ culture is focused on how things get done, not by what gets
accomplished.
A. bet the company
B. process
C. tough-guy, macho
D. work hard, play hard
18. The informal communication processes within the organization, including
stories, jokes, and gossip, constitute which of the following?
A. retention
B. equifinality
C. cultural network
D. synergy
19. Growing up, Austin’s mother told him not to be a police officer because she
thought it was too dangerous. Also, Austin never really liked shows that featured
police officers, like Cops. What stage of assimilation does this refer to?
A. vocational anticipatory socialization
B. anticipatory socialization
C. encounter stage
D. metamorphosis stage
20. After many months, Gina finally feels like she is a part of the organization.
People actually come to her to get questions answered, and Phil doesn’t call her
“Noob” anymore (short for “newbie”). What stage of assimilation does this refer
to?
A. vocational anticipatory socialization
B. anticipatory socialization
C. encounter stage
D. metamorphosis stage
21. Hermione, Ron, and Harry are attending the annual banquet to celebrate
their graduation from Hogwarts. This event occurs every year to honor the
school’s graduates. Such an event is an example of which of the following?
A. artifact
B. rites
C. rituals
D. rites and rituals
22. At Fred’s job in Bedrock, Mr. Slate expects every employee to arrive to work
on time, to have their work completed on schedule, and to cash their paychecks
within three days of receiving them. Mr. Slate’s attention to timeliness is
something he is trying to instill in his employees. This is an example of which of
the following?
A. assumption
B. artifact
C. value
D. assimilation
23. Control that is direct and authoritarian is known as which of the following?
A. simple
Instructor Resource
Dainton, Applying Communication Theory for Professional Life 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2018
B. complex
C. referent
D. loyal
True/False
1. According to Schein, organizational members are consciously aware of
organizational cultures.
2. The physical layout of how an office is arranged (cubicles, offices) and
decorated (modern, industrial) is part of its organizational cultural.
3. Organizational assumptions are the least important part of organizational
culture.
4. Jablin’s research showed that the process of being assimilated into an
organization is fairly simple.
5. An organizational newcomer starts to become socialized into the organization
before he or she ever works in the organization.
6. Nonsummativity is always positive.
7. According to the systems metaphors, an organization does not recover from a
loss; it becomes a completely new organization, meaning there is no balance.
8. The work hard, play hard culture is characterized by fun and action.
9. When a leader articulates a value system, it becomes part of the organization.
10. When a newcomer enters an organization, they internalize values and
behavior in order to fulfill organizational expectations, while at the same time try
to have an impact on his or her role and work environment.
Essay
1. Which view of organizational culture makes more sense to you: Deal and
Kennedy’s four cultures or Schein’s three-level model? In your essay, make sure
to explain either: (1) Deal and Kennedy’s four cultures and give an example for
each or (2) Schein’s three levels and give an example for each. Your response
should also provide a clear and compelling reason for why you think one theory
is superior to the other.
2. Compare organizational assimilation theory and organizational information and
control (OIC) theory. Specifically, how might the two theories overlap to explain a
newcomer’s socialization and progress within the organization?
3. Explain four of the five types of organizational control. Give an example of
each to show your understanding.
4. Part of organizing theory, explain the three-stage process of sociocultural
evolution for organizations.
5. Explain equivocality.