Organizational Behavior 16th Edition By Robbins Judge – Test Bank

Overview

Chapter 11
Communication

1) Which of the following statements is true with regard to communication?
A) Communication cannot be used to motivate and control employees in an organization.
B) Communication involves the transfer and understanding of meaning.
C) Communication involves the mere imparting of meaning to another person or group.
D) Perfect communication is not dependent on a channel and its richness.
E) Perfect communication results in dissimilar mental models.
Answer: B
Explanation: B) Communication must include both the transfer and the understanding of meaning. Perfect communication, if it existed, would occur when a thought or idea was transmitted so the receiver perceived exactly the same mental picture as the sender. Communication serves four major functions within a group or organization: control, motivation, emotional expression, and information.
LO: 1
AACSB: Communication
Difficulty: Moderate
Quest. Category: Concept
Learning Outcome: Describe the factors influencing effective communication in organizations

2) Norah Baines is one of the most devoted teachers at Oakwood Academy. She has been working with the institution for seven years and is expecting a promotion soon. However, Norah’s candidacy for this promotion is passed over in favor of another less experienced male employee as Norah plans to start a family soon. Consequently, Norah writes a formal letter voicing her concerns. Norah’s letter fulfills the ________ function of communication.
A) motivation
B) accommodation
C) facilitation
D) control
E) informal
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Communication serves four major functions within a group or organization: control, motivation, emotional expression, and information. Communication acts to control member behavior in several ways. Organizations have authority hierarchies and formal guidelines employees are required to follow. When employees must communicate any job-related grievance to their immediate boss, follow their job description, or comply with company policies, communication is performing a control function.
LO: 1
AACSB: Communication
Difficulty: Hard
Quest. Category: Application
Learning Outcome: Describe the factors influencing effective communication in organizations

3) The emotional expression function of communication involves ________.
A) managers motivating employees by setting specific goals
B) management communicating company policies to employees
C) managers training employees in decision-making strategies
D) members of the organization following their job descriptions
E) members of the organization showing their satisfaction and frustrations
Answer: E
Explanation: E) The work group is a primary source of social interaction for many employees. Communication within the group is a fundamental mechanism by which members show their satisfaction and frustrations. Communication, therefore, provides for the emotional expression of feelings and fulfillment of social needs.
LO: 1
AACSB: Communication
Difficulty: Easy
Quest. Category: Concept
Learning Outcome: Describe the factors influencing effective communication in organizations

4) Synergy Inc. has recently assigned some of its best employees to form a cross-functional team and complete a project from a new client. Many of the employees on this team are apprehensive about the structure and dynamics of how they will function as a group and accomplish this goal. To energize the employees, their immediate manager is holding a meeting with them next week where he will provide them some additional training in strategies and methods that may work well for the team. The manager’s initiative to hold this meeting fulfills the ________ function of communication.
A) filtering
B) information
C) emotional expression
D) control
E) informal
Answer: B
Explanation: B) Communication serves four major functions within a group or organization: control, motivation, emotional expression, and information. The final function of communication is to facilitate decision making. Communication provides the information individuals and groups need to make decisions by transmitting the data needed to identify and evaluate choices.
LO: 1
AACSB: Communication
Difficulty: Hard
Quest. Category: Application
Learning Outcome: Describe the factors influencing effective communication in organizations

5) Before communication can take place, a ________ is required.
A) filter
B) channel
C) receiver
D) purpose
E) decoder
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Before communication can take place, it needs a purpose, a message to be conveyed between a sender and a receiver. The key parts of the communication process are (1) the sender, (2) encoding, (3) the message, (4) the channel, (5) decoding, (6) the receiver, (7) noise, and (8) feedback.
LO: 2
AACSB: Communication
Difficulty: Easy
Quest. Category: Concept
Learning Outcome: Describe the factors influencing effective communication in organizations

6) In a communication process, the ________ initiates a message by encoding a thought.
A) receiver
B) decoder
C) transmitter
D) sender
E) receptor
Answer: D
Explanation: D) In a communication process, the sender initiates a message by encoding a thought.
LO: 2
AACSB: Communication
Difficulty: Easy
Quest. Category: Concept
Learning Outcome: Describe the factors influencing effective communication in organizations

7) The ________ is the actual physical product of the sender’s encoding.
A) channel
B) filter
C) message
D) noise
E) medium
Answer: C
Explanation: C) The message is the actual physical product of the sender’s encoding.
LO: 2
AACSB: Communication
Difficulty: Easy
Quest. Category: Concept
Learning Outcome: Describe the factors influencing effective communication in organizations

8) With reference to the communication process, the ________ is the medium through which the message travels.
A) feedback
B) noise
C) encoder
D) channel
E) decoder
Answer: D
Explanation: D) The channel is the medium through which the message travels.
LO: 2
AACSB: Communication
Difficulty: Easy
Quest. Category: Concept
Learning Outcome: Describe the factors influencing effective communication in organizations

9) With reference to the communication process, the ________ is the one to whom the message is directed, who must first translate the symbols into understandable form.
A) creator
B) receiver
C) encoder
D) sender
E) transmitter
Answer: B
Explanation: B) The receiver is the person(s) to whom the message is directed, who must first translate the symbols into understandable form.
LO: 2
AACSB: Communication
Difficulty: Easy
Quest. Category: Concept
Learning Outcome: Describe the factors influencing effective communication in organizations

10) Stacey was at work when Ann, her sister, called to confirm their dinner plan the following weekend at their Aunt Hilda’s farmhouse. Stacey said she would call Joe, her husband, and get back to her. However, when Stacey called her back, Ann could not hear most of what she said because Jennifer, Ann’s daughter, was crying loudly in the background. Who is the first sender in this scenario?
A) Joe
B) Stacey
C) Jennifer
D) Ann
E) Hilda
Answer: D
Explanation: D) The sender initiates a message by encoding a thought. Here, Ann initiates the communication by calling her sister to ask a question and this makes her the first sender.
LO: 2
AACSB: Communication
Difficulty: Moderate
Quest. Category: Application
Learning Outcome: Describe the factors influencing effective communication in organizations