Business Communications: Chapter 3

Perception is limited by previous experiences and attitudes toward the sender of the message

As a sender of a message, it is important to consider the age and economic level of the receiver of the message.

Perception is limited by previous experiences and attitudes toward the sender of the message

When a manager sends a message that has a grammar or spelling error, the receiver may question her credibility or feel disrespected

Supporting your view with objective facts is part of being an ethical communicator.

Embellishment or exaggeration is justified when needed for persuasive sales messages.

Doublespeak is a term that refers to a message that deliberately misleads, hides, or evades the truth.

An effective communicator of a message develops the message from the receiver's viewpoint which is a "you attitude" rather than a "me attitude."

Fraud refers to errors that can occur in interpreting persuasive messages.

The use of euphemisms eliminates the need to use negative terms that may suggest unpleasant ideas.

Using bias-free language permits the receiver to focus on your message rather than raising serious questions about your sensitivity.

Clichés are handy verbal shortcuts that should be used whenever possible to shorten business messages.

Using profanity on the job may be offensive to some or viewed as creating a hostile work environment.

Jargon may be used effectively when communicating with colleagues in the same field.

Because graphics are based on numeric data, distortion is not as likely as in text discussion.

The use of doublespeak may be either deliberate or unintentional.

Avoiding the use of second person and using subjunctive mood are two writing techniques that worsen the tone of a negative idea

Organizing a message begins with considering your purpose and the receiver's likely reaction to the message.

An effective outline for a message helps ensure that all ideas will appear in equally emphatic positions.

A message that presents details and explanations before the main idea is arranged deductively

A message that will not likely interest the receiver should be organized in a deductive order

To inform U.S. employees about the transfer of 300 jobs from Dallas, Texas to Heidelberg, Germany, a manager should use a deductive outline for the message.

Both good-news and routine news messages follow the deductive pattern

By adapting its products to fit a more culturally diverse group of consumers, Hallmark Cards, Inc. has demonstrated the need to analyze its audience.

The perception of reality of both the sender and the receiver a. is limited by signals we receive through our five senses. b. appears the same to each person when communication is effective. c. eliminates confusion in communication. d. is the same for people from the same culture.

Which of the following is FALSE about how perceptions can affect the communication process? a. Perception is limited by the experiences of the sender of the message. b. Messages are filtered through an individual's frame of reference. c. People tend to support ideas that are different from their own. d. People tend to see only things that they want to see.

The sender of a message should analyze the audience before developing the message in order to do all but which one of the following? a. Establish rapport and credibility b. Address the receiver's needs c. Simplify the task of organizing the message d. Assure that perception of reality is the same for everyone

Which of the following statements about empathy is FALSE? a. Empathy helps build positive interpersonal relationships. b. Empathy enables the writer to predict a reader's reactions more accurately. c. Empathy allows the writer to construct a message that addresses the reader's needs. d. Empathy is only possible when the writer has firsthand experience of the reader's situation.

Using words that infer the communicator is on a superior level as compared to the receiver's inferior level is known as a. condescending. b. using euphemisms. c. stating dysphemisms. d. being connotative.

Richard sent a letter to Enrico, his client in El Salvador who speaks English with hesitancy. What is the most obvious problem with the following excerpt from the letter? "I'm so sorry I dropped the ball on the contract negotiations. I've been wearing so many hats lately, I hardly know if I'm coming or going. I promise I'll make things up to you as soon as my situation levels out." a. Parallelism b. Culturally biased terms c. Regional jargon d. All of the above

Which of the following statements is MOST sender-centered? a. Congratulations on your new job with the sales department. b. I want to take this opportunity to offer my thanks for the service provided. c. Please send a copy of your annual report. d. All customers receive a discount with the coupon.

Which of the following statements should a manager use to effectively communicate with an employee who has recently learned to speak English? a. We have our competition between a rock and a hard place. b. Your quarterly sales figures have gone through the roof. c. Bob must be off his rocker if he expects us to complete the report today. d. The points in your proposal are exactly what I was looking for.

Which of the following sentences best expresses the receiver's point of view? a. I want to take this opportunity to offer my congratulations on your recent promotion. b. A promotion is always great news. c. Congratulations on your recent promotion to regional manager. d. I hear that congratulations are in order!

Jacquelyn wants to attach a memo to the report that her supervisor requested concerning a new employee health care plan. She is generally in favor of the new plan. Select the best opening sentence for that memo. a. I am writing to let you know that the report you requested is now completed. b. May I take this opportunity to let you know that I favor the new plan. c. The attached report on the new health care plan offers some definite advantages. d. I wish to inform you that the report you requested has been completed.

An investment manager enthusiastically reports that his client's stock portfolio has experienced 24 percent growth but does not reveal that the stock market as a whole grew by 32 percent during the same period. Which of the following ethical guidelines has the investment manager ignored? a. Clear and understandable expression of the idea b. Honest and fair expression of the idea c. Tactful and pleasant expression of the idea d. Graphical support that communicates facts accurately

Which of the following statements is ethically questionable? a. Effective communication should reflect personal values and company standards of ethical conduct. b. Managers should be certain to distinguish their opinions from facts. c. Unpleasant ideas should be stated as tactfully as possible to preserve self-esteem of the reader. d. Facts can be exaggerated as long as the purpose of the message reflects the reader's best interest.

Christopher told his new employee that he developed a marketing campaign in his previous position. In fact, he actually was assigned to the marketing campaign after it was developed. Which ethical guideline did Christopher violate? a. The message should not embellish or exaggerate the facts. b. Ideas should be expressed clearly and understandably. c. Viewpoint should be supported with objective facts. d. No ethical guideline was violated.

Which of the following best describes the appropriate use of euphemisms? a. Eliminate euphemisms because people can recognize such expressions for what they are—unpleasant ideas presented with a little sugar coating. b. Avoid euphemisms with excessive sugar coating and those that appear sarcastic. c. Use euphemisms whenever possible because they show your attempt to be polite and positive. d. None of the above describes appropriate use.

The politician seeking re-election referred to the importance of "revenue enhancements" for providing additional community services. This is an example of a. Doublespeak or corporate speak b. Denotative meaning c. Cultural bias d. Emphatic tone

Which of the following statements is true of dysphemisms? a. Dysphemisms are friendly references to a particular individual or group. b. Dysphemisms direct attention to the real message and away from irrelevant emotional issues. c. Some dysphemisms are common across regions, cultures, and occupations. d. Dysphemisms can be complimentary if chosen carefully.

Which statement is true concerning connotative meaning? a. Connotative meaning is the literal meaning most people assign to a word. b. Connotative words help to build positive human relations. c. Connotations exclude the sender's qualitative judgment. d. Connotations involve messages that are implied.

Which of the following demonstrates a proper sensitivity in wording? a. The black workers supply the manpower we need to get the task accomplished. b. It was time for the 62-year-old judge to leave his position. c. The administration has accepted six of the new executive's recommendations. d. Only the overweight customers remained at the buffet after the first hour.

Which of the following reflects the most sensitivity? a. Because the elevator was installed for our handicapped employees and guests, all able-bodied personnel should use the stairs. b. The management of Crystal Oil Products has taken meticulous care to provide full access to all areas of the building for its less-fortunate employees and guests. c. Because company finances have been burdened to their limit, only the blind employees will have voice input installed on their computers. d. Personnel with vision impairments may request that voice input be installed on their computers.

Which is NOT recommended when communicating with or about people with disabilities? a. Refer to the disability first and the person second. b. Avoid words that are negative or judgmental, such as handicap, unfortunate, afflicted, and victim. c. When describing people without disabilities, use the word typical rather than normal. d. All are recommended.

Which of the following sentences avoids the use of an outdated expression or cliché? a. Enclosed please find a copy of my progress report. b. Per your request, enclosed is my progress report. c. Please be informed that you should review the enclosed report at your earliest convenience. d. All include an outdated expression or cliché.

Which of the following is the MOST accurate statement concerning a business person's vocabulary? a. Business people don't need a broad vocabulary because simple language is best in business. b. Business people need a broad vocabulary to choose precisely the right word for a given situation. c. Business people need a broad vocabulary of simple, concrete words; longer, multi-syllable words are not appropriate in business writing. d. Business people need only a small working vocabulary and can use the computer thesaurus on the infrequent occasions when a complex word is needed.

Which of the following is the MOST accurate statement concerning conciseness? a. To prepare a concise passage, include only those details that the receiver needs, and state those details in the fewest possible words. b. Conciseness means that the writer should use as few words as possible when composing a message. c. Conciseness results in weakly worded passages that indicate poor writing skills. d. Conciseness is not recommended in formal business documents, such as business reports, because full disclosure is needed in such situations.

To project a positive, tactful tone in a written message, a. rely only on positive words. b. compliment the receiver in the first and last paragraphs. c. avoid using second person when stating negative ideas. d. use active voice when conveying negative ideas.

Which sentence reflects the most effective wording? a. You failed to tell us the color you wanted. b. Please check the color you prefer on the enclosed card. c. You did not state the color; do it now. d. You probably forgot that we needed to know the color. e. We are unable to ship your order at this time due to lack of information.

Which statement effectively uses specific language to help the receiver understand the message? a. Please send the information at your earliest convenience. b. Please send the price estimate ASAP before our next meeting. c. Please send the cost estimate for the chairs to the following address by June 1. d. Thank you in advance for sending the estimate.

Two techniques for effectively presenting a negative idea are a. use passive voice and place the bad news in a dependent clause rather than the main clause. b. use active voice and place the bad news in a separate sentence. c. use non-specific words and place the bad news at the beginning of the message. d. use concrete words and place the bad news at the end of the message.

In a deductive message, the most important information should be a. placed at the very end of the message. b. placed at the beginning of the message. c. placed in the middle of the message. d. placed in all sections of the message.

Which of the following is the BEST example of concise communication? a. All those employees who are on a salary basis will not receive compensation for number of hours worked in excess of 40 hours per week. b. Compensation is not available for salaried employees who are asked to work overtime to complete the excess workload. c. It is standard company policy that those who are salaried as managers are expected to work overtime with no financial compensation. d. Salaried employees will not receive financial compensation for overtime work.

Which of the following is the BEST example of a message with a positive, tactful tone? a. You failed to specify the alternate choice if the preferred item was not available. b. It is imperative to remember to never leave the doors unlocked during the weekend. c. The unfortunate careless error has negatively affected all budgets. d. Remember to complete the form and return it next week so the order can be processed.

Which of the following is NOT part of the three-step process to determine an appropriate order for a business document? a. Identify the central idea of the message. b. Determine the likely receiver reaction to the message. c. Decide if the central idea should be listed first or near the end. d. Start with the most difficult points first.