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Test Bank for Business Communication Today, 15th Edition

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    Business Communication Today Fifteenth Edition Courtland L. Bovee John V. Thill Test Bank (Download only) for Business Communication Today Revised by: Susan Schanne

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    1 Business Communication Today, 15e (Bovee/Thill) Chapter 1 Understanding the Foundations of Business Communications 1) Communication is the process of A) transferring information and meaning. B) listening actively. C) writing messages. D) speaking to oth ers. E) providing data to benefit the speaker. Answer: A Explanation: A) Communication is a two - way process that begins with the sender and ends when the receiver acquires information and meaning. Difficulty: Moderate LO: 1.1: Explain the importance of effe ctive communication to your career and to the companies where you will work. Skill: Concept AACSB: Written and oral communication Learning Outcome: Plan and prepare business messages 2) Which of the following must occur for communication to be con sider ed successful? A) The audience must be aware a message is being constructed. B) The message must be sent using more than one media method. C) It must transfer or negotiate understanding. D) The audience must agree with the goals of the message. E) The mess age must offer a benefit to both the sender and the receiver. Answer: C Explanation: C) Communication is the process of transferring information and meaning between senders and receivers, using a variety of media forms. Communication can happen in a vari ety of ways, but there must be a transfer of understanding for the communication to be successful. Understanding does not mean agreement. Difficulty: Moderate LO: 1.1: Explain the importance of effective communication to your career and to the compa nies where you will work. Skill: Application AACSB: Written and oral communication Learning Outcome: Discuss the challenges and importance of business communications

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    2 3) Which of the following developments is putting additional pressure on communicatio n skil ls? A) Having great ideas B) The need for managers to connect with staff and external business partners C) Connecting with those who have a similar background D) Utilizing established company networks E) The changing nature of employment Answer: E E xplanation: E) Ambition and great ideas aren't enough. You'll need to communicate with a wide variety of people if you want to succeed in business. The changing nature of employment is putting new pressure on communication skills, too. Many companies now supplement their permanent workforces with independent contractors who are brought on for a short period or even just a single project. Difficulty: Easy LO: 1.1: Explain the importance of effective communi cation to your career and to the companies where you will work. Skill: Concept AACSB: Written and oral communication Learning Outcome: Discuss the challenges and importance of business communications 4) Which of the following is one of the benefits of strong communication skills? A) More detailed str ategic plans B) The ability to prevent stakeholders from switching to competitors C) Stronger relationships D) Eliminating risk E) Fewer employee leaks of sensitive information Answer: C Explanation: C) Ju st as in personal and social relationships, busin ess relationships depend on effective connections between the company and all stakeholders, including employees, customers, and others affected by the company's business decisions. Communication helps to fos ter emotional connections that create a healthy w ork environment. Difficulty: Moderate LO: 1.1: Explain the importance of effective communication to your career and to the companies where you will work. Skill: Critical Thinking AACSB: Written and oral communication Learning Outcome: Discuss the cha llenges and importance of business communications

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    3 5) Which of the following is the term for all the parties affected by the actions of an organization? A) Employees B) Managers C) The network D) Stakeholder s E) The government Answer: D Explanation: D) Stakeholders are those groups affected in some way by t he company's actions: customers, employees, shareholders, suppliers, neighbors, the community, the nation, and the world as a whole. Difficulty: Easy LO: 1.1: Explain the importance of effective comm unication to your career and to the companies where you will work. Skill: Concept AACSB: Written and oral communication Learning Outcome: Discuss the challenges and importance of business communications 6) Which of the following can communicators do to make sure they share facts rather than vague impressio ns? A) Provide optimistic information B) Present information in a concise manner C) Offer compelling arguments and recommendations D) Identify areas of responsibility E) Use concrete language with spec ific detail Answer: E Explanation: E) Use concrete la nguage, specific detail, and information that is clear, convincing, accurate, and ethical. Even when an opinion is called for, present compelling evidence to support your conclusion. Difficulty: Moder ate LO: 1.1: Explain the importance of effective commu nication to your career and to the companies where you will work. Skill: Critical Thinking AACSB: Written and oral communication Learning Outcome: Discuss the challenges and importance of business c ommunications

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    4 7) Which of the following will help the audience understand how they will benefit from your message? A) Offering compelling arguments and recommendations B) Clarifying expectations and responsibilities C) Presenting information in an effici ent manner D) Providing practical information E) Giving vague impressions Answer: A Explanation: A) Show your readers precisely how they will benefit by responding the way y ou want them to respond to your message. This is done by offering compelling, per suasive arguments and recommendations. Difficulty: Moderate LO: 1.1: Explain the importance of effective communication to your career and to the companies where you will wor k. Skill: Critical Thinking AACSB: Written and oral communication Learning Outc ome: Discuss the challenges and importance of business communications 8) Which of these is a reason why it's important to learn how to communicate efficiently? A) Efficient messages are cheaper to transmit. B) Efficient messages don't need to convey as m any facts. C) Concise messages don't need to be personalized. D) Short messages are easier to write. E) Concise messages show respect for people's time. Answer: E Explanation : E) To make your communication efforts as effective as possible, focus on makin g them practical, factual, concise, clear, and persuasive. Concise messages show respect for people's time, and they increase the chances of a positive response. Difficulty: Moderate LO: 1.1: Explain the importance of effective communication to your care er and to the companies where you will work. Skill: Critical Thinking AACSB: Written and oral communication Learning Outcome: Discuss the challenges and importance of busin ess communications 9) Improving your communication skills may be the single most important step you can take in your career. Answer: TRUE Explanation: The world is full of good marketing strategists, good accountants, good engineers, and good attorneys — but it is not full of good communicators. Strong communication skills will help y ou stand out from your competition in the job market. Difficulty: Moderate LO: 1.1: Explain the importance of effective communication to your career and to the companies whe re you will work. Skill: Concept AACSB: Written and oral communication Learning Outcome: Discuss the challenges and importance of business communications

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    5 10) Senior executives spend less and less of their workday communicating as they take on more leadership responsibility. Answer: FALSE Explanation: If you launch a company or mo ve into an executive role in an existing organization, you can expect communi cation to consume the majority of your time. Top executives spend most of their workdays communicating, and businesspeople who can't communicate well don't stand much chance of re aching the top. Difficulty: Moderate LO: 1.1: Explain the importance of eff ective communication to your career and to the companies where you will work. Skill: Critical Thinking AACSB: Written and oral communication Learning Outcome: Discuss the chall enges and importance of business communications 11) Strong communication ski lls are important even for employees with technical skills, such as engineers and accountants. Answer: TRUE Explanation: In fields such as engineering or finance, you often need to share complex ideas with executives, customers, and colleagues, and your ability to connect with people outside your field can be as important as your technical expertise. Difficulty: Moderate LO: 1.1: Explain the importance of effective communicatio n to your career and to the companies where you will work. Skill: Critical T hinking AACSB: Written and oral communication Learning Outcome: Discuss the challenges and importance of business communications 12) Describe five characteristics of effective business messages. Answer: Effective business messages provide practical inf ormation that immediately helps receivers in concrete ways. Such messages present facts rather than vague impressions, communicate efficiently and concisely, and clarify expectati ons and responsibilities.. Finally, effective business messages offer compell ing, persuasive arguments and recommendations. Difficulty: Moderate LO: 1.1: Explain the importance of effective communication to your career and to the companies where you will work. Skill: Concept AACSB: Written and oral communication Learning Outcom e: Plan and prepare business messages

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    6 13) 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) management. E) personality. Answer: B Explanation: B) Professionalism is the quality of performing at a high level and conducting oneself with purpose and pride. Difficulty: Moderate LO: 1.2: Explain what it means to communic ate as a professional in a business context. Skill: Concept AACSB : Reflective thinking Learning Outcome: Discuss the challenges and importance of business communications 14) Understanding people's feelings and managing your own feelings in a productive way is referred to as A) common sense. B) professionalism. C) di straction. D) emotional intelligence. E) compatibility. Answer: D Explanation: D) Relating to the needs of others is a key part of emotional intelligence, which is the ability to read othe r people's emotions accurately and to manage one's own emotions in productive ways. The more you know about your audience, the easier it will be to focus on their needs, which will make it easier for them to hear and respond positively to your message. Dif ficulty: Moderate LO: 1.2: Explain what it means to communicate as a professional in a business context. Skill: Critical Thinking AACSB: Interpersonal relations and teamwork Learning Outcome: Describe the opportunities and challenges of communicating in a diverse world

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    7 15) All elements of professionalism depend on A) using effective communication skills. B) developing strong recommendations. C) having clear expectations of the job. D) pursuing practical skills. E) providing only fact - based informati on. Answer: A Explanation: A) Professionalism can be broken down into six distinct traits: striving to excel, being dependable and accountable, being a team player, demonstrating a sense of etiquette, making ethical decisions, and maintaining a positive outlook. The ke y aspect of these elements of professionalism depends on effective communication. Difficulty: Moderate LO: 1.2: Explain what it means to communicate as a professional in a business context. Skill: Concept AACSB: Written and oral communi cation Learning Outcome: Discuss the challenges and importance of business communications 16) Which of the following encompasses all communication that occurs outside the lines of command in the company's organization structure? A) The lateral communicat ion network B) A diagonal communication network C) The informal communication network D) A horizontal communication network E) The audience - centered communication network Answer: C Explanation: C) Informal communication takes place naturally when employe es interact, bot h on the job and in social settings. Some of it takes place when the formal network doesn't provide information that employees want. The informal communication network is located wherever workers congregate, which could be hallways, drinkin g fountains, or lunchrooms. Informal communication also takes place on telephones and through email and social networks. Difficulty: Moderate LO: 1.2: Explain what it means to communicate as a professional in a business context. Skill: Critical Thinking AACSB: Written and oral communication Learning Outcome: Plan and prepare business messages

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    8 17) Which of the following is the ability to evaluate evidence completely and use that evidence to form a logical conclusion? A) Professionalism B) Audience - cen tered approach C) Critical thinking D) Digital information fluency E) Ethics Answer: C Explanation: C) Critical thinking is the ability to evaluate evidence completely and objectively in order to form logical conclusions and make sound recommendations Di fficulty: Mode rate LO: 1.2: Explain what it means to communicate as a professional in a business context. Skill: Critical Thinking AACSB: Written and oral communication Learning Outcome: Discuss the challenges and importance of business communications 18) What comm unication network is being followed when ideas follow the lines of command in an organization? A) Horizontal B) Informal C) Critical D) Formal E) Diagonal Answer: D Explanation: D) Every organization has a formal communication network, in which ideas and information flow along the lines of command (the hierarchical levels) in the company's organization structure. Difficulty: Moderate LO: 1.2: Explain what it means to communicate as a professional in a business context. Skill: Critical Th inking AACSB: Written and oral communication Learning Outcome: Discuss the challenges and importance of business communications

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    9 19) An audience - centered approach to communication involves A) saying whatever it takes to win over the members of your audi ence. B) embeddi ng 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) preparing a mess age as if the audience will not be interested. Answer: C Explanation: C) Use an audience - centered approach to help you understand and respect the members of your audience, and then make every effort to get your message across in a way that's meaningful t o them. Difficulty: Difficult LO: 1.2: Explain what it means to communicate as a professional in a business context. Skill: Concept AACSB: Written and ora l communication Learning Outcome: Discuss the challenges and importance of business communication s 20) How does information flow between departments when people are trying to coordinate tasks or solve complex organizational problems? A) Upwardly B) Diago nally C) Informally D) Vertically E) Horizontally Answer: E Explanation: E) Horizontal communica tion flows between departments to help employees share information, coordinate tasks, and solve complex problems. Difficulty: Moderate LO: 1.2: Explain what it means to communicate as a professional in a business context. Skill: Concept AACSB: Written and oral communication Learning Outcome: Discuss the challenges and importance of business communications

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    10 21) Which of the following can best be described a s recognizing information needs, locating and evaluating reliable sources of information, organiz ing information into cohesive messages, and using information ethically? A) Formal communication B) Workplace proficiency C) Digital information fluency D) P ositive work relationships E) Social communication models Answer: C Explanation: C) Employers e xpect you to be able to recognize information needs, locate and evaluate reliable sources of information, organize information into cohesive messages, and use information ethically, often referred to as digital information fluen cy. Difficulty: Difficult LO: 1.2: Explain what it means to communicate as a professional in a business context. Skill: Synthesis AACSB: Written and oral communication Learning Outcome: Discuss the challenges and importance of business communications 22) Which of the following is the term for a combination of skills that includes social skills and the ability to relate to the needs of others? A) Etiquette B) Emotional intelligence C) Informal communications D) Formal communications E) Critical thinki ng Answer: B Explanation: B) This ability to read other people's emotions accurately and to manage one's own emotions in productive ways is called emotional intelligence. The ability to relate to the needs of others is a key part of emotional intelligenc e and is widely considered t o be a vital characteristic of successful managers and leaders. Difficulty: Moderate LO: 1.2: Explain what it means to communicate as a professional in a business context. Skill: Concept AACSB: Written and oral communication Learning Outcome: Discuss the challenges and importance of business communications

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    11 23) How can communicators ensure they are using an audience - centered approach to their communication? A) Incorporate a strong sense of etiquette B) Send the message throu gh several communication ch annels C) Develop the message in a way that is meaningful to the audience D) Provide instructions to the audience on how to decode the message E) Create communication barriers for all information other than that which you are con veying Answer: C Explanati on: C) An audience - centered approach involves understanding an d respecting the members of your audience and making every effort to get your message across in a way that is meaningful to them. Difficulty: Moderate LO: 1.2: Explain what it means to commun icate as a professional in a business context. Skill: Critical Thinking AACSB: Written and oral communication Learning Outcome: Discuss the challenges and importance of business communications 24) In the formal communication network, what type of commu nication path is used when information flows from leadership to employees? A) Upward B) Horizontal C) Vertical D) Downward E) Multidirectional Answer: D Explanation: D) Downward communication flows from executives to employees, conveying executive decisi ons and providing information that helps employees do their job s. Difficulty: Moderate LO: 1.2: Explain what it means to communicate as a professional in a business context. Skill: Critical Thinking AACSB: Written and oral communication Learning Outcom e: Discuss the challenges and importance of business communica tions

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    12 25) Which of the following is one way employees can practice the "you" attitude in their communication efforts? A) Explain their educational background and expertise B) Include a great amount of detailed background information C) Avoid digital form s of a message whenever possible D) Assume the audience has a high degree of emotional intelligence E) Learn as much as possible about the audience's biases and style Answer: E Explanation: E) When adopting the "you" attitude, learn as much as possible about the biases, education, age, status, style, and personal and professional concerns of your receivers. If you're addressing people you don't know and you're unable to find out more about th em, try to project yourself into their position by using common sense and imagination. Difficulty: Moderate LO: 1.2: Explain what it means to communicate as a professional in a business context. Skill: Critical Thinking AACSB: Written and oral communic ation Learning Outcome: Discuss the challenges and importance of business communications 26) Which of the following is a vital element of audience - centered communication? A) Professional etiquette B) Bias C) Emotional intelligence D) The "y ou" attitude E ) Ethics Answer: A Explanation: A) A vital element of audience - centered communication is etiquette, the expected norms of polite behavior in any particular situation. Difficulty: Moderate LO: 1.2: Explain what it means to communicate as a professional in a business context. Skill: Application AACSB: Written and oral communication Learning Outcome: Discuss the challenges and importance of business communications 27) Which of the following is an expected behavior on the job? A) Using tex t messaging wh enever possible B) Communicating ethically C) Saving time by limiting research sources D) Ensuring others are listening to what you have to say E) Using text language and shortened forms of grammar and spelling whenever possible Answer: B Ex planation: B) Communicating ethically, even when choices aren't crystal clear or you have to share news that people don't want to hear, is expected of all employees. Difficulty: Moderate LO : 1.2: Explain what it means to communicate as a professional in a business co ntext. Skill: Critical Thinking AACSB: Written and oral communication Learning Outcome: Discuss the challenges and importance of business communications

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    13 28) Which of these s kills is used to evaluate evidence completely and objectively in order to make sound recommendations? A) Decoding skills B) Professionalism C) Critical thinking D) Persuasive arguments E) A formal communication network Answer: C Explanation: C) Critical thinking is the ability to evaluate evidence completely and objectively in orde r to form logical conclusions and make sound recommendations. Difficulty: Moderate LO: 1.2: Explain what it means to communicate as a professional in a business context. Skill : Critical Thinking AACSB: Written and oral communication Learning Outcome: Discuss the challenges and importance of business communications 29) Adopting the "you" attitude is part of developing an audience - centered approach to communication. Answer: TRUE Explanation: An audience - centered approach involves understanding and res pecting the members of your audience and making every effort to get your message across in a way that is meaningful to them. This approach is also known as adopting the "you" at titude, in contrast to messages that are about "me." Difficulty: Moderate LO: 1.2: Explain what it means to communicate as a professional in a business context. Skill: Application AACSB: Written and oral communication Learning Outcome: Discuss the cha llenges and importance of business communications 30) Critical thinking includ es using time management skills and accepted standards of texting and instant messaging language. Answer: FALSE Explanation: Critical thinking is the ability to evaluate evidence completely and objectively in order to form log ical conclusions and make so und recommendations. Difficulty: Moderate LO: 1.2: Explain what it means to communicate as a professional in a business context. Skill: Critical Thinking AACSB: Written and oral communication Learning Outcome: Discuss the c hallenges and importance of business communications

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    14 31) Why is communication important to professionalism? Answer: Professionalism is the quality of performing at a high level with purpose and pride. Professionals do more than put in the hours and collec t a paycheck; instead, they go beyond minimum expectations and commit to making meaningful contributions. Without strong communication skills, you won't be able to perform to your potential and others won't recognize you as the professional you aspire to b e. Difficulty: Moderate LO : 1.2: Explain what it means to communicate as a professional in a business context. Skill: Concept AACSB: Written and oral communication Learning Outcome: Discuss the challenges and importance of business communications 32) Discuss professionalism an d explain the six distinct traits of a professional. Answer: Professionalism is the quality of performing at a high level and conducting oneself with purpose and pride. It means doing more than putting in the hours and collectin g a paycheck: True professi onals go beyond minimum expectations and commit to making meaningful contributions. Professionalism can be broken down into six distinct traits: striving to excel, being dependable and accountable, being a team player, demonstrat ing a sense of etiquette, m aking ethical decisions, and maintaining a positive outlook. Difficulty: Difficult LO: 1.2: Explain what it means to communicate as a professional in a business context. Skill: Synthesis AACSB: Written and oral communication Learning Outcome: Discuss the challenges and importance of business communications 33) Discuss the range of communication tasks that employers expect you to be competent at. Answer: Today's employers expect you to be competent at a range of communicatio n tasks that reflect the va lue of communication. First, employers expect you to be able to acquire, process, and share information based on the information needs of the audience, and use that information ethically. Second, employers expect you to use commu nication to foster positive working relationships by practicing listening, etiquette, respectful conflict resolution, and communication with those of diverse backgrounds. Third, employers expect you to act responsibly and professionally on social media and other public venues, and t o follow accepted standards of grammar, spelling and quality in writing and speaking. Fourth, employers expect efficiency in using tools they provide. Difficulty: Moderate LO: 1.2: Explain what it means to communicate as a prof essional in a business cont ext. Skill: Critical Thinking AACSB: Written and oral communication Learning Outcome: Discuss the challenges and importance of business communications

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