Carla met her manager to discuss an issue she was facing in the office. During the meeting, her manager's phone was constantly ringing. This made it difficult for Carla to explain her problem clearly. Her manager, distracted by the ringing phone, could not grasp the significance of the problem and sent Carla back with half-hearted promises to take appropriate action. In this scenario, the ringing telephone represents
A) a cue.
B) noise.
C) a filter.
D) a communication channel.
E) media richness.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The ringing phone in this scenario is an example of noise, which refers to any interference that affects the clarity, accuracy, or effectiveness of a message during the communication process. The noise in this case made it difficult for Carla to convey her message clearly, and it also distracted her manager from fully understanding the importance of the issue.

Carla Met Her Manager to Discuss an Issue She Was