Reference no: EM132203196

Organizational Communication Questions -

Part A: Multiple Choices

Indicate the best answer to the following 30 multiple choice questions.

1. What characteristic of an organization is interrelated and interdependent to make the whole organization function?

a. rules

b. roles

c. hierarchy

d. norms

e. system

2. Darren has realized that the best way to find out what is going on in the office is to hang out in the copy room. This is an example of what type of network?

a. formal

b. informal

c. bypassed

d. informational

e. cable

3. Jo, a low-level employee, is e-mailing an organizational vice-president about an idea she has for the organization. This is a form of what type of communication?

a. formal

b. upward

c. chain

d. illegal

e. informal

4. Darla walks in on her coworker, Troy, who is crying. Darla asks Troy what is wrong, to which he responds, "Nothing!" This is an example of which of the functions of nonverbal messages?

a. complementing

b. rearranging

c. substituting

d. contradicting

e. repeating

5. An individual's position in a group or organization is referred to as an individual's _________.

a. role

b. rule

c. place

d. status

e. purpose

6. An individual's predisposition towards work, motivation to work, job satisfaction, and ways of dealing with peers, subordinates, and supervisors on the job are referred to as her or his what?

a. organizational outlook

b. organizational goals

c. organizational orientation

d. organizational personality

e. organizational temperament

7. Alondra is very disgruntled with the status quo within her organization and despises the hierarchy within the organization. What organizational orientation does Alondra have?

a. upwardly mobile

b. indifference

c. ambivalence

d. goal centered

e. achievement orientation

8. Fatima and Hamid work within the same division in a large corporation. The two quickly became friends because they are both Iranian. Which type of homophily explains how this occurs?

a. attitudinal

b. background

c. demographic

d. optimal

e. fabricated

9. Which form of homophily is created when two people are not honest about who they are and what their attitudes, beliefs, and values are?

a. attitudinal

b. background

c. demographic

d. optimal

e. fabricated

10. Which orientation to management believes that it is possible to integrate the goals of the organization with the goals of the individual?

a. human relations

b. interpersonal

c. scientific

d. humanistic

e. human resources

11. Chris' management communication style tends to consist of a high concern for task and a high concern for people. Which leadership style does he possess?

a. social

b. task

c. balanced

d. moderate

e. leaderless

12. Diallo has a lot of faith in his employees, but he still makes most of the major decisions himself. What kind of manager would he be, according to Likert's PDM Theory?

a. exploitive authoritative

b. benevolent authoritative

c. consultative

d. participative

e. instructive

13. Abu encourages his subordinates to communicate with him and with their peers and tries to make communication very interactive. What management communication style does Abu have?

a. tell

b. sell

c. consult

d. discuss

e. join

14. Which of the following is not a ramification of too much or too little status in an organization?

a. it inhibits communication

b. solidarity is not developed

c. it interferes with work

d. it causes resentment and conflict

e. it causes communication underload

15. Dialo and Gabby are very good friends. Dialo can get Gabby to do things for him by mentioning that if she were a "good friend" she would do it. Which type of power is Dialo using?

a. coercive

b. reward

c. expert

d. legitimate

e. relational

16. Which of the following statements is false about the relationship between cultures and organizations?

a. organizations shape cultures

b. different organizations have different organizational cultures

c. culture shapes organizations

d. culture is not impacted by organizations

e. individuals entering an organization go through culture shock

17. What is the viewing of one's culture as the center of the universe?

a. egocentrism

b. cultural identity

c. prejudice

d. discrimination

e. ethnocentrism

18. Angel never seems to find out about what is going on in his organization until it is too late. He never seems to hear anything that is going on. Angel is an example of what type of person in an informal communication system?

a. liaison

b. opinion leader

c. informer

d. isolater

e. innovator

19. Which of the following sets of needs create tension that all organizations must face?

a. shareholders' needs and manager's needs

b. managers' needs and workers' needs

c. individual members' needs and the needs of the organization

d. the needs of the society and the needs of the organization

20. Organizations require us to sacrifice some of our independence and replace it with

a. specialization

b. efficiency

c. interdependence

d. coordination

21. Organizations that face turbulent environments are most effective when their communication systems

a. are capable of adapting to change

b. are stable-employees do not think everything around them is chaotic

c. limit information flow through the organization to prevent information overload

d. a and b only

22. For rule systems to succeed in influencing employee behaviors

a. the rules must be perceived

b. as being fair, objective, and equally enforced

c. employees' behaviors must be linked to a credible reward system

d. a and b

e. none of the above (rule systems never succeed)

23. Participatory decision making has been shown to

a. have no effect on job satisfaction and decrease productivity

b. increase job satisfaction, increase gossip levels, and have no effect on motivation

c. increase job satisfaction, increase motivation, and have no absolute effect on productivity

d. decrease workplace relationships, decrease motivation, and increase productivity

24. Organizational stories play which of the following functions?

a. they reveal the values of the organization

b. they allow people to justify their actions at work

c. they support the culture by making its taken-for-granted assumptions seem legitimate

d. a, b, and c

25. Network organizations motivate and control their units and their units' members through

a. hierarchical authority

b. cultivating trust

c. network-based formal systems for monitoring and control members' activities

d. b and c

26. Role negotiation occurs when employees

a. enter a new organization

b. transfer within the same organization

c. adapt to a merger or downsizing

d. a, b, and c

27. Contingency design theory suggest that when an organization exists in an unstable and highly complex environment, the organizational strategy used should include

a. the use of many memos and other forms of written communication

b. a high degree of centralization for maximum efficiency

c. a highly qualified and experienced staff

d. a and c

28. The influence granted to individuals as a result of their status or formal role in the organization is

a. referent power

b. asset power

c. legitimate power

d. constant power

29. Asking technical questions instead of practical questions

a. privileges some interests over others, usually preserving the status quo

b. focuses our attention on seemingly value-neutral issues rather than value-laden issues

c. enables us to better understand "how" a process works

d. a, b, and c

30. Groupthink occurs more often among what type of groups?

a. highly cohesive groups

b. taskforce groups

c. egocentric groups

d. none of the above

PART B: Short Answer

Provide a response of at least 125 words to each of the following questions:

1. Considering the various barriers to effective communication explored early in the course, what benefits does the "open climate" of communication provide for overcoming communication barriers?

2. New employees often experience "culture shock" when entering a new workplace. What can an organization do to help new hires overcome culture shock?

3. Based on the knowledge you have gained in this course, what challenges do globalization present to organizational communication?

4. In Week 4, we explored relational strategies for organizing and how information technologies support these strategies. What impacts do information technologies have on organizational communication?

5. Organizational decision making often involves groups. What are the advantages and disadvantages for relying on groups in organizational decision making?