Deck 1: Succeeding in the Mobile and Social Workplace

Question 1

Which of the following is not a physical barrier for listening?

A)Hearing disabilities
B)Poor acoustics
C)Noisy surroundings
D)Personal values

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Your boss is giving instructions for a new method of keeping expense accounts. However, you find it difficult to concentrate because you think the change is unnecessary. What type of barrier to effective listening are you experiencing?

A)Language problem barrier
B)Psychological barrier
C)Physical barrier
D)Nonverbal distraction barrier

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Communication skills

A)are not as important as technical skills for career success.
B)are not necessary in today's competitive job market.
C)are ranked by recruiters at the top of qualities they most desire in job seekers.
D)cannot be learned; they are innate.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Amelia has made a conscious effort to become an active listener. Therefore, she shuts down her computer, turns off her cell phone, and asks her assistant to hold all incoming calls when she conducts interviews. What technique is she using to improve listening?

A)Keeping an open mind
B)Establishing a receptive mind-set
C)Capitalizing on lag time
D)Controlling her surroundings

Question 5

Which of the following statements is most accurate?

A)Workers today communicate less than in previous years.
B)Technology has not affected how and why we communicate.
C)Businesses today generate a wide range of messages using a variety of media.
D)Writing is a skill set used only by managers and corporate executives.

Question 6

Which statement about today's workplace is most accurate?

A)Employees can expect to have more managers.
B)Very few businesses involve employees in decision making.
C)Today's employees can expect to interact with people from many cultures.
D)Businesses use social media only to interact with customers.

Question 7

According to research, what percentage of our work time is spent listening?

A)50 percent
B)90 percent
C)10 percent
D)25 percent

Question 8

Major trends in today's dynamic world of work include increased emphasis on self-directed work groups and virtual teams, heightened global competition, innovative communication technologies, new work environments, and focus on

A)creating an entirely online presence.
B)promoting from within.
C)increasing levels of management.
D)business ethics.

Question 9

Which of the following statements about today's business environments is most accurate?

A)The number of telecommuting employees is expected to decline in the future.
B)All companies assign offices for employees.
C)Many employees today no longer need an office; they can work anytime and anywhere.
D)Workers today spend more time in offices than workers in the past.

Question 10

The ability to locate and identify a device as soon as its user connects to the network is known as

A)presence technology.
B)cloud computing.
C)videoconferencing.
D)podcasting.

Question 11

Strategic use of e-mail, internet, voice mail, and texting are most important in developing your

A)on-the-job accuracy.
B)relationships with your co-workers.
C)professional reputation.
D)productivity goals.

Question 12

Which of the following statements is most accurate?

A)Very few management problems are related to listening.
B)The average person remembers nearly three quarters of what he or she hears following a 10-minute presentation.
C)We misinterpret, misunderstand, or change very little of what we hear.
D)Most people are not very good listeners.

Question 13

Peter must inform his employees that his company will need to let go of employees. Which word would be best for Peter to use when conveying this idea to his employees?

A)Layoff
B)Streamlining
C)Paradigm shift
D)Rightsizing

Question 14

Many of us are poor listeners because

A)the brain can process information at least three times as fast as people talk.
B)we tend to "tune out" speakers whose ideas run counter to our own.
C)we would rather talk than listen.
D)All answer choices are correct.

Question 15

According to researchers, most people listen at what level of proficiency?

A)100 percent
B)5 percent
C)25-50 percent
D)75 percent

Question 16

Which of the following is associated with active listening?

A)Establishing a receptive mind-set
B)Focusing on appearance and delivery
C)Concentrating on your next comment
D)Taking as many notes as possible

Question 17

The term  flattened management hierarchies  refers to

A)renewed emphasis on ethics.
B)fewer levels of management.
C)more levels of management.
D)less individual decision making and communication.

Question 18

To show that you are actively listening during a job interview, you should

A)nod strategically and maintain eye contact.
B)take selective notes.
C)ask related questions.
D)do all of these.

Question 19

Soft skills are essential career attributes that include communicating effectively, solving problems, making ethical decisions, and

A)tabulating statistical information.
B)appreciating diversity.
C)operating with the latest technology.
D)All are correct.

Question 20

Which of the following statements is most accurate?

A)The need for well-written messages has declined in today's workforce.
B)Employers rank soft skills as less valuable than hard skills.
C)Social media are playing an increasingly prominent role in business.
D)Today's use of digital media requires less written communication.

Question 21

Which of the following countries would likely view a business contract as a binding document?

A)Mexico
B)Greece
C)Japan
D)Germany

Question 22

The most important cultural dimension is

A)power distance.
B)communication style.
C)time orientation.
D)context.

Question 23

Which statement about the effect of social media and communication technology on culture is most accurate?

A)Because of social media, communicators can now reach out to larger and more varied audiences than in the past.
B)Social media always makes individuals of various cultures feel connected.
C)Social media offers very little potential for intercultural engagement.
D)Developers of social media should use the same design principles for all audiences.

Question 24

Most people think that the best predictor of a speaker's true feelings is his or her

A)facial expressions.
B)posture.
C)gestures.
D)eyes.

Question 25

Every country has a unique culture or common heritage that

A)teaches its members how to behave and conditions their reactions.
B)results from a common gene pool.
C)is created by a structured educational system.
D)comes from an orderly system of government and laws.

Question 26

North Americans value straightforwardness and are suspicious of evasiveness. These traits identify the cultural dimension of

A)individualism.
B)power distance.
C)communication style.
D)time orientation.

Question 27

Which of the following is not a dimension of culture?

A)Power distance
B)Individualism
C)Tolerance
D)Time orientation

Question 28

Which of the following statements about nonverbal communication is most accurate?

A)The meaning of some gestures can vary among cultures.
B)The way an e-mail, letter, memo, or report looks can have either a positive or a negative effect on a receiver.
C)The manner in which we structure and use time can reveal our personalities and attitudes.
D)All statements are accurate.

Question 29

Stephen's manager notices that he slammed his desk drawer right after he said that he was happy to work late. To optimize communication, the manager should

A)tell Stephen that he should behave more professionally.
B)respond to the verbal message only and thank him for working late.
C)seek additional information by saying, I'm not sure that you're okay with staying late. Do you have somewhere you need to be?
D)avoid asking Stephen to stay late in the future.

Question 30

According to Edward T. Hall, in which spatial zone do most people converse with friends and family members?

A)Intimate
B)Personal
C)Social
D)Public

Question 31

Which of the following tips should you follow to improve your nonverbal communication skills?

A)Focus only on the sender's words when you are engaged in conversation.
B)Proofread all correspondence you send.
C)Avoid individuals from other cultures so that you don't start using nonverbal behaviors displayed in other cultures.
D)Avoid asking the speaker questions when his or her nonverbal and verbal messages contradict.

Question 32

According to Edward T. Hall, which spatial zone is the largest?

A)Intimate
B)Personal
C)Social
D)Public

Question 33

Nonverbal communication includes

A)all unwritten and unspoken messages, intended or not.
B)only body language and gestures that accompany a spoken message.
C)only eye contact and facial expressions that support the meaning of the words.
D)only cues that reveal agreement with or contradiction of the verbal message.

Question 34

Which of the following is a form of nonverbal communication?

A)Facial expressions, such as frowning or raising the eyebrows
B)Eye contact, such as staring or avoiding looking someone in the eye
C)Time, such as showing up too late or too early
D)All answer choices are forms of nonverbal communication.

Question 35

In addition to her attire and physical engagement during an interview, what other part of Suzanne's candidacy for the position embodies nonverbal communication?

A)How well she shows that she has researched the company in her responses to questions.
B)The visual appeal of the resume and cover letter she has submitted.
C)The content of the questions she asks at the end of the interview.
D)All of these.

Question 36

Which of the following statements about nonverbal communication is most accurate?

A)Nonverbal communication comprises very little of a message that is sent or received.
B)When verbal and nonverbal messages contradict, receivers believe that the verbal message is more accurate.
C)Meanings of nonverbal behaviors are often influenced by the communication context and by one's culture.
D)Nonverbal communication applies to only intended messages.

Question 37

Communicators from North America, Scandinavia, and Germany tend to be logical, analytical, and action oriented. They also depend little on the context of a situation to convey their meaning. These communicators represent what kind of culture?

A)High-context
B)Primitive
C)Ancient
D)Low-context

Question 38

Which statement about ethnocentrism is most accurate?

A)Ethnocentrism occurs in only Western cultures.
B)Ethnocentrism does not exist in today's culturally diverse workplace.
C)Ethnocentrism causes us to judge others by our own values.
D)Ethnocentrism is the oversimplified perception of a behavioral pattern or characteristic applied to all groups.

Question 39

Which of the following is a common trait of a business communicator from a low-context culture?

A)Valuing group membership
B)Preferring indirect verbal interaction
C)Placing emphasis on written information
D)Relying on context and feeling

Question 40

Which of the following countries represents a high-context culture?

A)United States
B)Germany
C)Norway
D)Japan

Question 41

Learning about beliefs and practices different from our own and appreciating them means displaying

A)tolerance.
B)individualism.
C)stereotyping.
D)gender norming.

Question 42

Workers who communicate successfully with diverse audiences must make few assumptions, learn about their own and other cultures, and

A)seek common ground.
B)help others conform.
C)avoid noticing differences.
D)encourage group thinking.

Question 43

When speaking with someone for whom English is a second language, you should talk slowly, enunciate clearly, check frequently for comprehension, observe eye messages, listen without interrupting, and

A)follow up important messages in writing.
B)avoid smiling, which might make you appear to lack seriousness.
C)use words that will impress the listener.
D)assume that the listener understands if he or she nods and smiles in agreement.

Question 44

Psychological barriers to listening include hearing disabilities, poor acoustics, and noisy surroundings.

Question 45

Because of today's communication technology, employees in today's workforce can expect to write fewer messages.

Question 46

As a frontline employee, you can expect to have more managers in the workforce.

Question 47

Which of the following is an example of an idiom , which can cause confusion for multicultural audiences?

A)This product really rocks!
B)Our products can improve your bottom line.
C)Please submit your report ASAP.
D)Call me if you have any questions.

Question 48

As an employee in today's digital workplace, you can expect to work more independently rather than collaboratively in groups.

Question 49

Despite their popularity among teens, social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter are rarely used in today's business world.

Question 50

While conducting business with a customer from Italy, Zoe was careful to speak slowly and clearly, using short sentences and familiar words. However, she noticed that the customer had a glazed expression and did not understand her. Zoe should

A)repeat what she has said in a louder voice.
B)graciously accept the blame for not making her meaning clear.
C)end the conversation until an interpreter can be found.
D)require the Italian businessperson to restate the message in simple words.

Question 51

Employees in today's workforce must be prepared to write using a variety of media.

Question 52

Appreciating diversity is an example of a "soft" skill.

Question 53

Faking attention while others are speaking often increases listening skills.

Question 54

Recruiters often rank communication skills as the highest skill set sought by employers.

Question 55

One of the best ways to increase tolerance when communicating with those from other cultures is to practice  empathy,  which refers to

A)speaking louder and listening more actively.
B)sharing your preferred communication style with others.
C)trying to see the world through others' eyes
D)thinking more individualistically

Question 56

Max is preparing a contract between his company and one in Mexico. What should he do when citing numbers in the contract?

A)Use the metric system.
B)Use American currency figures.
C)Write all months as figures rather than as words.
D)Avoid using any figures in the contract.

Question 57

An American businessperson who thinks that all Swiss are hardworking, efficient, and neat is demonstrating an example of

A)ethnocentrism.
B)tolerance.
C)stereotyping.
D)a cultural norm.

Question 58

Which of the following is key to improving workforce diversity?

A)Hiring a more homogenous work group.
B)Making fewer assumptions.
C)Ignoring differences.
D)Requiring employees to conform to a standard company culture.

Question 59

Which of the following is a benefit of a diverse work environment?

A)Being better ability to create the products desired by consumers
B)Experiencing fewer discrimination lawsuits, fewer union clashes, and less government regulatory action
C)Improving employee relationships and increasing productivity
D)All are benefits of a diverse work environment.

Question 60

Only managers and business executives need strong communication skills.

Question 61

Laura values individualism and personal responsibility in herself and coworkers. These values are typical of North American culture.

Question 62

Our culture molds the way we think, behave, and communicate.

Question 63

Most Americans communicate with business associates at approximately 1½ feet.

Question 64

When verbal and nonverbal messages conflict, listeners tend to believe the verbal message.

Question 65

To improve your listening ability, focus both on what is spoken and what is unspoken.

Question 66

Trying to write down the majority of what a speaker is saying can improve your listening skills.

Question 67

Individuals in high-context cultures prefer direct verbal interaction, value individualism, rely on logic, say "No" directly, and give authority to written information.

Question 68

Zach's company does business globally. By associating with people from diverse cultures, Zach can widen his knowledge of intercultural messages and can increase his tolerance of differences.

Question 69

Most communication is nonverbal.

Question 70

The physical appearance of your business documents (such as resume and cover letter)transmit important nonverbal messages.

Question 71

Understanding a message involves listening to only the spoken words.

Question 72

Communication style is the most important dimension of culture.

Question 73

Individuals in Western cultures are more relaxed about social status and the appearance of power.

Question 74

If you want to become a better listener, your first step is to stop talking.

Question 75

Brooke is listening to a difficult presentation on nanotechnology development. As a good listener, she should ask as many questions as possible during the presentation.

Question 76

Greg wants to make sure that his posture during his upcoming job interview affirms his interest in the position. To accomplish this, he should lean slightly forward, sit erectly, and maintain eye contact.

Question 77

The United States is an example of a low-context culture.

Question 78

Establishing a receptive mind-set refers to the listener's openness to learn something new.

Question 79

North Americans consider time a precious commodity and correlate it with productivity, efficiency, and money.

Question 80

Physical barriers to listening include only environmentally produced noises.