Final Exam Business Comm 3160-010 (Ritchie) UNCC Flashcards

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The term corporate culture refers to

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c. the mixture of values, traditions, and habits that give a company its atmosphere and personality

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Among other factors, the globalization of business has decreased the demand for skilled communicators.

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False

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During a long meeting, you notice that you're only listening to parts of the message that directly involve you. You are engaging in

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c. selective perception. Correct

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The "information technology paradox" refers to

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c. the idea that information tools (such as e-mail) can waste as much time as they save. Correct

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Which of the following is an example of Business Communication 2.0 in action?

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b. An electronics store invites customers to submit YouTube videos showing how to install home theater systems. Correct

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A casual conversation between co-workers is an example of

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. informal communication.

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An example of informal external communication would be

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a. on the golf course, a restaurant owner listening to a friend describe the poor service she recently received while dining at the restaurant. Correct

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The goal of an open communication climate is to eliminate the need for any feedback.

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False

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When people must choose between alternatives that aren't completely wrong or completely right, they are facing an ethical lapse.

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False

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Using podcasts for employee training purposes is an example of the 2.0 approach to business communication.

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True

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One member of a task force on which you serve is particularly good at helping other members get along and work through their differences. This individual plays a

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a. team-maintenance role. Correct

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To resolve conflict successfully, it helps to get feelings out in the open before dealing with the main issues.

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true

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When conducting business over a meal, you should wait to bring out business documents until after the entrée plates have been removed.

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True

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Meeting minutes should typically include

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A list of those present for the meeting, the times the meeting started and ended, descriptions of all major decisions reached at the meeting.

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Only one sales representative can go to the conference in Hawaii, but both Susan and Sean want to go. After much discussion and arguing, they draw straws and Susan gets the trip. This is an example of

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A win-lose situation.

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The use of time and space can send powerful nonverbal signals.

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True

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Dealing directly with resistance is never good for team maintenance.

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False

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A meeting agenda

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b. should be circulated before the meeting, providing participants with enough time to prepare. Correct

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When it comes to online etiquette,

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b. it is vital to follow basic expectations of spelling, punctuation, and capitalization. Correct

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Research suggests that only about 25% of top executives rank listening as the most important skill needed to get things done in the workplace.

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False.

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In general, business correspondence in other countries is often ________ the style used by U.S. businesspeople.

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b. more formal than Correct

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Evidence suggests that whatever the culture, men and women tend to have different communication styles.

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True

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In every culture, it's safe to assume that people view material comforts earned by individual effort as a sign of superiority.

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False

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Studies have shown that people often have cultural beliefs and biases of which they are not even aware.

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True

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Meeting a deadline is generally less important than building a relationship for businesspeople from

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Taiwan

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In some cultures, planning for the future is regarded as a waste of time.

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True

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When speaking in English to people who use English as a second language, you should

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c. speak slowly and clearly. Correct

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In high-context cultures such as that of Japan,

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a. people rely more on nonverbal circumstances and cues to convey meaning.

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When it comes to planning for the future,

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c. some societies view it as a waste of time.

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Ethnocentrism is the tendency to have an equally unbiased view of all ethnic groups.

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False

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Of the following media, which is the richest?

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b. An interactive website enabling audiences to participate in the communication process

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The best time to choose between the direct and indirect approach for organizing messages is before you've decided on the main idea.

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False

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Once you have established your purpose, it's best to consider whether it is worth pursuing at this time.

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True

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Collaborative messages are high in audience participation but low in communicator control.

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True

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As long as your message is clear and interesting, the medium you choose doesn't really matter.

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False

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In today's fast-paced environment, traditional business messages rely primarily on visual images, with occasional support from text.

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False

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One effective informal method for learning more about your audience's information needs is to ask them directly for input.

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True

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Face-to-face communication is the richest medium.

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True

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Gauging the quality of the information you provide in business messages requires ensuring that the information is

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Pertinent, accurate and ethical.

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VoIP is a

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technology for making telephone calls via the internet.

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Clichés are a valuable tool in business writing, as readers find such words and phrases to be comfortable and familiar.

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False

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A conversational tone is not appropriate for most business messages.

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False

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When you want to develop a paragraph by showing how a general idea is broken into specific categories, which of these methods would you use?

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Classification

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"The evaluator noted several shortcomings" is written in the active voice.

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True

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The denotative meaning of a word is its dictionary definition.

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True

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When composing a draft, you should never skip to another section of the document until you've finished the current one.

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False

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A complex sentence consists of

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one main thought and one or more subordinate thoughts

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A euphemism is a word or phrase that is

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a milder term for one with negative connotations

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Abstract words are direct, vivid, clear, and exact.

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False

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When delivering negative news, it is misleading to emphasize any positive aspects of the situation.

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False

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One way to make your messages clearer is to break up overly long sentences into shorter sentences.

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True

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The main tasks in completing a business message consist of all except

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forecasting

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Starting a sentence with "It is" or "There are" is

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usually a sign that the sentence could be shorter and more active.

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The revision tracking feature in word-processing programs

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provides a history of a document's revisions

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Items in a list do not need to have parallel construction.

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False

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The middle section of a message has the greatest impact on the audience.

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False

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Informative headings and subheadings

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b. guide readers to think a certain way about the topics covered.

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When selecting typefaces for most business documents, you should

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generally avoid using more than two typefaces on a page.

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Because the first thing that readers will notice about your message is its appearance, you should pay special attention to design and page layout.

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False

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Readers can understand informative headings without reading the rest of the document.

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True

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Roughly ________ percent of U.S. employers have terminated employees for misuse of company e-mail systems.

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25

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E-mail hygiene refers to

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c. all the efforts companies make to keep e-mail clean and safe.

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To save on advertising costs, you should begin using your company's blog to promote the products. Blogs are a great venue for hard-sell tactics.

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False

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E-mail etiquette requires that writers do all of the following except

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mark all e-mails as "urgent" to make sure they are read.

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When it comes to monitoring incoming and outgoing e-mail,

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about 25 percent of U.S. employers regularly do so

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An effective e-mail subject line is very short and describes only the general topic of the message.

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False

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Advantages of using IM rather than e-mail include

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Its lower cost than phone calls and e-mail, its availability on a wide range of devices, and its ability to mimic conversation more closely.

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Thanks to Facebook, you've recently connected with an old friend who lives in another state. She e-mails you frequently, often sharing racially charged jokes that you find offensive. Concerned about what would happen if your boss or co-workers saw her e-mails, you should

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b. politely ask her to stop sending the jokes, and then speak privately with your boss about the problem and how you have addressed it.

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Unlike other business presentations, podcasts require little planning and are most effective when delivered impromptu.

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False

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It is illegal for your company to open and read e-mail you send and receive at work.

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False

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The closing section of a positive message

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a. highlights a benefit to the audience or expresses goodwill.

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When making a routine request, you should

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assume the reader will comply.

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When sending a positive message to a customer, it is a good idea to reassure the customer that he or she has made a wise purchase.

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True

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Because informative messages such as meeting announcements and reminder notices are generally neutral, it is not necessary to worry too much about the reader's attitude toward the information.

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True

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"I am pleased to inform you that . . ." is a good standard opening for a positive message.

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False

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Routine, positive messages should do all of the following except

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always use an indirect approach.

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If you have negative comments to express regarding the qualifications of a job candidate, it is best to

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list the shortcomings as areas for improvement

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Goodwill messages were once common in business, but are now mostly regarded as a waste of time.

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False

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Before volunteering someone's name as a reference, always

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ask that person's permission.

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The close of a routine reply or positive message should

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clearly state who will do what next.

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A poorly written buffer can mislead your audience into expecting that positive news will follow.

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True

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It's best to suggest that the bad news will actually benefit your audience-even if you don't really think it will.

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False

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In a negative message organized using the indirect format, the reasons for the decision

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come directly after the buffer and follow naturally from it.

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Negative messages about business transactions are designed to

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Modify the customer's expectations, explain how you plan to resolve the situation, and repair whatever damage might have been done to the business relationship.

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In the close to a negative message, you should repeat the bad news.

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False

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If you must send a negative message to someone in another country

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use the direct approach for countries like France but the indirect approach for countries like Japan.

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One important goal of a buffer is to

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b. establish common ground with your reader.

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You should always use the direct approach when denying a request for information.

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False

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A letter in which you refuse to provide an employee reference or recommendation

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should be brief and direct.

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A good way to make bad news less painful is to

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de-emphasize it by embedding it in the middle of a sentence or paragraph.

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The purpose of the interest section of a persuasive message is to

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explain the relevance of your message to your audience.

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When writing persuasive messages, one way to avoid faulty logic is to

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avoid hasty generalizations

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When using the AIDA approach to persuasion, the closing should

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urge the audience to take the action you are requesting

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Induction refers to reasoning from a generalization to a specific conclusion.

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False

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Since promotional messages are not legally binding contracts in most states, it is usually acceptable to imply offers or promises you cannot deliver.

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False

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When it comes to persuasive messages, an up-front hard-sell approach is usually the most successful.

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False

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In marketing and sales messages, you can de-emphasize the price of your product by

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mentioning it in the middle of a paragraph after you've presented benefits and selling points.

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In marketing and sales messages, the best way to handle potential objections is to

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identify them up front and try to address as many as you can.

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Personality, lifestyle, and attitudes are assessed through

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psychographic studies.

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An example of faulty logic is to assume that one event caused another just because it happened first.

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True

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Reports that examine the financial aspects of a proposed decision, such as acquiring another company, are called due diligence reports.

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True

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In an informational report describing sales trends from October to December of last year, chronology would be the best topical organization strategy to use.

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True

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Position papers spell out lasting guidelines on company policies and procedures.

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False

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Operating reports establish expectations and guidelines to direct future action.

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False

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If sales for the first six months of the year were $24,000, $20,000, $23,000, $20,000, $19,000, and $21,000, the mean for the six months would be $20,000.

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False

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A justification report is an internal report designed to persuade top management to approve a proposed investment or project.

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False

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One drawback of using the yardstick approach to structure business reports is that

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it can get a little boring when you have many options to consider

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A Boolean search involves using operators such as AND, OR, and NOT.

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True

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Because of its natural feel and versatility, the ________ approach is generally the most persuasive way to develop an analytical report for skeptical readers.

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2 + 2 = 4

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To find out your company's average monthly utility bill over the last year, you would need to calculate the ________ of the last twelve bills.

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mean

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In business reports, it is best to place each visual

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a. within, beside, or immediately after the paragraph it illustrates.

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If you have a great deal of detailed, specific information to present, the best visual to use would be

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a table.

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The general purpose of any proposal is to get your audience members to change their minds about some important issue.

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False

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When presenting reports online, you should generally expect the audience to be more skeptical of your content.

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True

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In business, the longer the report, the less formal your tone should be.

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False

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When choosing points to illustrate with visuals in your report, you should

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consider adding visuals to parts that seem a little bit dull

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________ refers to decorative elements that clutter documents without adding any relevant informatio

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Chartjunk

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In the text of a report, only the most important visual aids should be referred to by number.

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False

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Tables are ideal for presenting detailed, specific information.

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True

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Making arbitrary changes in color, shape, size, or texture is one way of stimulating an audience's interest in your presentation.

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False

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A letter of ________ is a specialized cover letter that introduces your report to the audience.

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transmittal

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Which of the following is not a typical function of the introduction to a report?

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Documenting sources

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The letter of transmittal

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may follow the direct or indirect plan.

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The prefatory parts of a report should

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a. help readers decide whether they need to read the report.

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In general, letters of authorization and acceptance are included in only the most formal reports.

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True

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What would be the best title for a formal report on your company's proposed acquisition of Freedman's Nuts ; Bolts?

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"The Pros and Cons of Acquiring Freedman Fasteners"

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The widespread use of programs such as Microsoft Word to create business reports has raised audiences' expectations.

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True

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It is sometimes acceptable for the title page to serve as the report cover.

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True

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You've used information from several websites to support your argument in a formal report. You should

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. clearly document the sources in the report

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After distributing your report, you should wait at least three weeks before contacting the audience if you don't hear from them.

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False

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"Now that we've reviewed the problem, let's take a look at some solutions" is an example of

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a good transition between major sections of a speech.

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Most speakers can comfortably cover one electronic slide per minute.

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False

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Transitional words and phrases such as "Now that we've covered . . . " are generally less important in oral presentations than in written reports.

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False

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Selecting the right medium for your presentation is

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an important decision since technology offers a number of choices

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You should always end business presentations in a cheerful, optimistic tone-even it requires some acting on your part.

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False

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If your purpose is to analyze, persuade, or collaborate, you should organize your speech around conclusions and recommendations or a logical argument.

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True

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As a speaker, how you go about establishing credibility depends in part on

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Your relationship with the audience, whether or not you are a well-known expert in the subject matter, and whether you will introduce yourself or have someone else introduce you.

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When your time is up at the end of the question-and-answer period, you can prepare your audience by

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saying that you will take one more question.

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If your speech or presentation requires the audience to participate in an upcoming project, you should

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close your speech by explaining who is responsible for doing what

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You will communicate more successfully with an international audience if you speak slowly and distinctly and pause frequently.

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True

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Which of the following is not a common problem that employers see in résumés?

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They are too straightforward

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The most common way to organize a résumé is

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chronologically

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Experts agree that every résumé should include a statement of the applicant's career objective.

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False

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One example of an effective career objective is "A fulfilling position that provides ample opportunity for career growth and personal satisfaction."

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False

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It would be inappropriate to mention volunteer work (such as participation in local charity events) on a résumé.

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False

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Unlike chronological and functional résumés, a combination résumé combines descriptions of your education and employment background.

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False

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Not all résumés need to be limited to one page in length.

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True

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Employers generally prefer to look outside the organization to fill openings rather than hire from within.

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False

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Networking requires nothing more than simply putting yourself in contact with powerful people and asking them for a job.

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False

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A résumé is a persuasive message designed to help get you an interview.

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True

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The opening paragraph of your application letter should

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Clearly state your reason for writing, give the recipient a reason to keep reading, and show that you have researched the company and the position.

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You can prepare for a job interview by anticipating the questions that will be asked and rehearsing answers to each one.

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True

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It is illegal for an interviewer to ask about your religious affiliation, marital status, or number of children.

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True

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Most interviewers expect applicants to be a few minutes late for their appointment.

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False

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The employer should not ask you questions about

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Your marital status, your health, and your religion.

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If you do not hear from the employer within two days of your interview, you should follow up with a message of inquiry.

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False

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Which type of interview would be likely to include a question such as "You seem wholly unqualified for this job, and your answers so far have been vague and unconvincing. Why should we continue with this?"

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Stress

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Unsolicited application letters are those sent in response to want ads for job openings.

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False

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In the second round of interviews, your best approach is to

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relate your training and experience to the organization's needs.

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In the final paragraph of your application letter you should

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request an interview and provide contact information.

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