Business Communication Essentials, 6e (Bovee/Thill)

1) Which of the following is true about the importance of effective communication to your career and to the companies where you will work? A) Communication is important for most jobs, except technical jobs such as engineering or finance. B) The higher you rise in your organization, the more time you spend using the technical skills of your profession, and the less time you spend communicating. C) Good communicators are generally more difficult to find than good accountants, good engineers, or good attorneys. D) Good communication has not been linked to financial advantages for companies. E) Communication is important for most jobs, unless you are an entrepreneur. Answer: C Explanation: C) The world is full of good marketing strategists, good accountants, good engineers, and good attorneys—but it is not full of good communicators. Acquiring good communication skills will provide you with an opportunity to stand out from your competition in the job market. Classification: Conceptual AACSB: Communication Abilities LO: 1 Difficulty: Easy Learning Outcome: Describe best practices in team and interpersonal communication 2) Which of the following is true about the importance of effective communication to your career and to the companies where you will work? A) Communication is important for most jobs, except technical jobs such as engineering or finance. B) The higher you rise in your organization, the less time you spend using the technical skills of your profession, and the more time you spend communicating. C) Good communicators are generally much easier to find than good accountants, good engineers, or good attorneys. D) Good communication has not been linked to financial advantages for companies. E) Communication is important for most jobs, unless you are an entrepreneur. Answer: B Explanation: B) As you take on leadership and management roles, communication becomes even more important. The higher you rise in an organization, the less time you will spend using the technical skills of your particular profession and the more time you will spend communicating. Top executives spend most of their time communicating, and businesspeople who can't communicate well don't stand much chance of reaching the top. Classification: Conceptual AACSB: Communication Abilities LO: 1 Difficulty: Easy Learning Outcome: Describe best practices in team and interpersonal communication 1 3) Which of the following is true about the importance of effective communication to your career and to the companies where you will work? A) Communication is important for most jobs, except technical jobs such as engineering or finance. B) The higher you rise in your organization, the more time you spend using the technical skills of your profession, and the less time you spend communicating. C) Good communicators are generally much easier to find than good accountants, good engineers, or good attorneys. D) Companies that communicate well significantly outperform those that communicate poorly. E) Communication is important for most jobs, unless you are an entrepreneur. Answer: D Explanation: D) Good communication has clear financial advantages. Companies that communicate well significantly outperform those that communicate poorly. Classification: Conceptual AACSB: Communication Abilities LO: 1 Difficulty: Easy Learning Outcome: Describe best practices in team and interpersonal communication 4) Effective communication strengthens the connections between a company and all of its ________. A) factions B) cliques C) stakeholders D) captive audience E) captive market Answer: C Explanation: C) A company's stakeholders are those groups that are affected in some way by the company's actions: customers, employees, shareholders, suppliers, neighbors, the community, the nation, and the world as a whole. Classification: Conceptual LO: 1 Difficulty: Easy Learning Outcome: Discuss the challenges and importance of business communications 2 5) Effective business messages ________. A) convey abstract ideas B) provide practical information C) are usually voluminous D) do not attempt to influence the reader E) are usually informal Answer: B Explanation: B) To make your communication efforts as effective as possible, provide practical information. Give recipients useful information, whether it's to help them perform a desired action or understand a new company policy. Classification: Conceptual AACSB: Communication Abilities LO: 1 Difficulty: Easy Learning Outcome: Describe strategies for developing persuasive business messages 6) To be effective, business messages should ________. A) use abstract words that lend themselves to interpretation B) never contain opinions C) present expansive and repetitive information D) not make arguments or recommendations E) give facts rather than vague impressions Answer: E Explanation: E) To make your communication efforts as effective as possible, give facts rather than vague impressions. Use concrete language, 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. Classification: Conceptual AACSB: Communication Abilities LO: 1 Difficulty: Easy Learning Outcome: Describe strategies for developing persuasive business messages 7) To be effective, business messages should ________. A) use abstract words that lend themselves to interpretation B) adopt an informal tone C) present information in a concise, efficient manner D) not make arguments or recommendations E) never contain opinions Answer: C Explanation: C) To make your communication efforts as effective as possible, present information in a concise, efficient manner. Concise messages show respect for people's time, and they increase the chances of a positive response. Classification: Conceptual AACSB: Communication Abilities LO: 1 Difficulty: Easy 3 8) To be effective, business messages should ________. A) use abstract words that lend themselves to interpretation B) adopt an informal tone C) never contain opinions D) not make arguments or recommendations E) show your readers how they will benefit by responding to your message Answer: E Explanation: E) To make your communication efforts as effective as possible, you should offer compelling, persuasive arguments and recommendations. Show your readers precisely how they will benefit by responding the way you want them to respond to your message. Classification: Conceptual AACSB: Communication Abilities LO: 1 Difficulty: Easy Learning Outcome: Describe strategies for developing persuasive business messages 9) To be effective, business messages should ________. A) generate a specific response from a specific audience B) adopt an informal tone C) use abstract words that lend themselves to interpretation D) not make arguments or recommendations E) never contain opinions Answer: A Explanation: A) To make your communication efforts as effective as possible, you should clarify expectations and responsibilities. Craft messages to generate a specific response from a specific audience. When appropriate, clearly state what you expect from audience members or what you can do for them. Classification: Conceptual AACSB: Communication Abilities LO: 1 Difficulty: Easy Learning Outcome: Describe strategies for developing persuasive business messages 4 10) Which of the following is true about communicating in today's business environment? A) Following accepted standards of grammar, spelling and other aspects of high-quality business writing are no longer relevant in today's technology-driven business environment. B) One should always communicate ethically, even when the choices are not crystal clear. C) Constructing compelling narratives—telling stories—is obsolete in today's fast-paced business environment. D) Adapting your messages and communication styles to specific audiences is unethical and, often, illegal. E) It is now an accepted fact that business communication skills are largely innate and cannot be learnt. Answer: B Explanation: B) Communicating ethically, even when the choices are not crystal clear, is an important communication task that one must be proficient at in today's business environment. Classification: Conceptual AACSB: Communication Abilities LO: 2 Difficulty: Moderate Learning Outcome: Describe the opportunities and challenges of communicating in a diverse world