Question 1

Which of the following was NOT identified by the authors as a reason for managers to communicate?

Accepted Answer

The authors did not identify "Improve relations" as a primary reason for managers to communicate. The other options are commonly recognized purposes of managerial communication.

Question 2

Japanese and American managers often have difficulty communicating with one another. If this difficulty can be attributed to that fact that the two groups of managers come from different countries, the source of their difficulty is

Accepted Answer

The primary source of difficulty in communication between Japanese and American managers, as described, stems from their different cultural backgrounds. Cultural differences can significantly impact communication styles, expectations, and interpretations, leading to potential misunderstandings or difficulties in communication.

Question 3

When evaluating which international markets a company wanted to expand to, one board member criticized the culture of the central American countries because they do not adhere to the same punctuality standards shared by most businesses in North America. The board member's statement is indicative of the __________ that many U.S. firms suffer from.

Accepted Answer

The board member's statement reflects ethnocentrism, which is the belief in the inherent superiority of one's own ethnic group or culture. In this context, the board member is implying that the punctuality standards of North American businesses are superior to those in Central American countries.

Question 4

Recently, a U.S. agricultural chemical firm had an opportunity to export one of its most profitable products to a country in South America. The U.S. firm decided not to, however, because it couldn't understand why the executives from the South American firm wouldn't learn how to speak English and dress like Americans when they visited the United States. The attitude of the American agricultural chemical firm in this example is an illustration of

Accepted Answer

The attitude of the American agricultural chemical firm reflects ethnocentrism, which is the belief in the inherent superiority of one's own ethnic group or culture and a lack of regard for other cultures.

Question 5

When senders and receivers come from different cultural backgrounds, breakdowns in the communication process are more likely. This barrier to effective communication is referred to as

Accepted Answer

Cross-cultural diversity refers to the differences in cultures that can lead to misunderstandings and communication breakdowns when people from different backgrounds interact. These differences can affect language, non-verbal cues, and communication styles, making it a significant barrier to effective communication.

Question 6

Individuals will often look for hidden meanings in messages and divert their energies to defensive tactics rather than trying to convey meaning. This source of communication breakdown is best categorized as

Accepted Answer

The answer of Individuals will often look for hidden meanings...

Question 7

When a group of managers gathered for lunch, one remarked that he could no longer take any week-long vacations, because when he returned he routinely had fifty to sixty e-mails from various clients and upper management, and all of them required his immediate attention. The other managers agreed that the volume of e-mail resulted in a major problem for them all. This problem could best be classified as

Accepted Answer

The problem described is best classified as information overload because the managers are overwhelmed by the high volume of emails that require their immediate attention upon returning from vacation.

Question 8

In her job, Ann handles a large amount of information. Recently, Ann has noticed that she has made more mistakes than normal in handling information, she is constantly looking for people to help her out, and she is withdrawing more and more from the information flow. From this description, we can surmise that Ann is suffering from

Accepted Answer

Ann's symptoms of making more mistakes than normal, constantly seeking help, and withdrawing from the information flow suggest she is experiencing information overload. This condition occurs when an individual is overwhelmed by the amount of information they need to process, leading to decreased performance and increased stress.

Question 9

Individuals experience information overload when

Accepted Answer

Individuals experience information overload when they are asked to handle too much information at one time, making it difficult to process and make decisions.

Question 10

Which of the following gender differences is not true?

Accepted Answer

Men and women both use eye contact in communication, but the statement that men use more eye contact than women is not universally supported by research. In fact, studies often find that women use more eye contact as a means of communication and connection.

Question 11

When communicating, Roger tends to lean back in his chair, whereas Martha tends to use much more eye contact. The contrast between Roger's and Martha's physical communication styles is best described as one of

Accepted Answer

Gender differences often influence communication styles, with men typically using more relaxed body language and women using more eye contact.

Question 12

Terminology or language specific to a particular profession or group is called

Accepted Answer

Jargon refers to specialized language used by members of a particular profession or group, making it the correct choice.

Question 13

At Walt Disney World, employees are called "cast members, customers are called "guests, and a crowd is called an "audience. This set of words or language that is specific to Disney is called

Accepted Answer

Jargon refers to specialized language used within a particular group, profession, or culture. In this context, Disney's unique terminology for employees, customers, and crowds is specific to its brand culture, making it a form of jargon.

Question 14

On a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier, the person responsible for flight operations is called the "Air Boss, the motorized carts that tow airplanes on the flight deck are called "mules, and helicopters are called "helos. These terms, which help facilitate the carrier's communication process, are examples of:

Accepted Answer

These terms are examples of jargon, which refers to specialized language used by a particular group or profession to facilitate clear and efficient communication among its members.

Question 15

According to our textbook, __________ differences can result in breakdowns and lead to distorted communications and misunderstandings between men and women because of the differences between males and females.

Accepted Answer

Gender differences can lead to misunderstandings and communication breakdowns between men and women due to the inherent differences in how each gender communicates and perceives information.

Question 16

Which of the following statements is inaccurate in terms of communication differences between men and women?

Accepted Answer

Men are typically less likely to use qualifiers in their speech. Qualifiers are words or phrases that soften statements, making them less direct or assertive, which is a communication style more commonly associated with women.

Question 17

Imprecision and multiple meanings are elements in which of the following concepts?

Accepted Answer

Language characteristics inherently include imprecision and multiple meanings, as the way words and phrases are interpreted can vary widely among different speakers and contexts.

Question 18

Which type of communication involves messages sent from subordinates to bosses?

Accepted Answer

Upward communication refers to the flow of information from lower levels of a hierarchy to higher levels, such as messages from subordinates to bosses.

Question 19

Amanda Smith's supervisor has relayed some important information to her, upon which she must now react. This exchange of information is called

Accepted Answer

Downward communication refers to the flow of information from higher levels of the organizational hierarchy (such as a supervisor) to lower levels (such as an employee).

Question 20

At Wells Construction, information flows from individuals in higher levels of the organization to those in lower levels. This type of flow of information is called

Accepted Answer

Downward communication refers to the flow of information from higher levels of an organization to lower levels.

Quiz 11: Communicating Effectively Within Diverse Organizations