Which of the following statements is true of the brainstorming stage of solving a business communication problem quizlet?

The marketing director of an apparel company has to promote a person to the post of senior brand manager. There are three candidates in the running—David, Martina, and Nicki—and the marketing director has to ensure that the person she selects succeeds at the job. David has good product knowledge but poor communication skills. Martina is an average communicator but has excellent creative insight. Nicki possesses great communication skills but has average product knowledge. Keeping this scenario in mind, which of the following statements is true?

Nicki is most likely to succeed at the job because of her good communication skills.

Explanation:
Keeping this scenario in mind, Nicki is most likely to succeed at the job because of her good communication skills. As more people compete for fewer jobs, the ones who will build successful careers are those who can communicate well with customers and colleagues.

Which of the following is an example of an internal business document?
1. quotation
2. transmittal
3. 10-K report
4. thank-you letter
5. claims adjustment

transmittal

Explanation:
Examples of internal documents are transmittals, memos of congratulations, monthly or quarterly reports, and performance appraisals.

Which of the following is an example of an external business document?
1. transmittal
2. annual report
3. monthly report
4. memo of congratulations
5. policy and procedure bulletin

annual report

Explanation:
Examples of external documents are quotations, 10-K report, claims adjustment, and annual report.

Ada is writing a memo of congratulations to Enrique, who has been promoted to the post of assistant manager. Keeping in mind organizational documents, the most likely purpose of Ada's memo is to:
1. inform.
2. persuade.
3. request information.
4. build goodwill.
5. maintain a record.

build goodwill

Explanation:
The purpose of Ada's memo is most likely to build goodwill. A memo of congratulations is used to congratulate an employee who has won awards or been promoted.

Ali works in the customer service department of Pronto Mobile. He has to reply to a customer's request for reimbursement for a faulty product. Ali is likely to reply to the request via a:
1. transmittal.
2. thank-you letter.
3. procedure bulletin.
4. claims adjustment
5. statement of company policy.

claims adjustment

Explanation:
Ali is likely to reply to the request via a claims adjustment. A claims adjustment is a letter granting or denying a customer's request to be given credit for defective goods or service. Its main purposes are to build goodwill and to inform.

In business communication, the main purpose of a 10-K report is to:
1. inform.
2. persuade.
3. build goodwill.
4. build an image.
5. maintain a record.

inform

Explanation:
The 10-K report is a report that is filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission detailing financial information. Its main purpose is to inform.

Which of the following is most likely to reduce the cost of communication?
1. reducing document cycling
2. using emails with attachments
3. increasing the size of the emails
4. administering and maintaining archives
5. using paper documents instead of electronic communications

reducing document cycling

Explanation
Document cycling processes also increase costs. In many organizations, all external documents must be approved before they go out. A major document may cycle from writer to superior to writer to another superior to writer again 10 or more times before final approval.

Poor business communication is characterized by

writing that obscures ideas and results in drawn-out decisions.

Explanation
Bad writing takes longer to read because readers struggle to understand what they are reading. Poor writing may need to be rewritten and be frequently cycled to other people for help. In addition, ineffective communication may obscure ideas so that discussions and decisions are needlessly drawn out.

Eduardo, the owner of a bakery, plans to write a letter to all his customers about a change in the location of his store. The bakery is moving to a location that is not at the heart of the city, which may not be convenient for many customers. Which of the following is recommended for Eduardo while he writes the letter?

He should mention the benefits for the customers.

Explanation
Eduardo should mention the benefits for the customers. While writing in a business context, a letter should not be written from the writer's point of view; benefits for the reader should be mentioned. The main point should not be buried in the middle of a long first paragraph.

Mena, a new business owner, is giving a presentation to a client on how she plans to help them better market themselves. She makes sure that the information in her presentation is clear, complete, and accurate, and that it presents a positive image of her and her organization. She uses long paragraphs to present the information on the slides. Which of the following modifications should Mena make to her presentation for it to be more effective?

She should use visuals to present information to save the audience's time in understanding and reading the information.

Explanation
To make her presentation more effective, Mena should use visuals to present information in order to save the audience's time in understanding and reading the information. Good business and administrative communication meets five basic criteria: it's clear, complete, and correct; it saves the audience's time; and it builds goodwill.

Which of the following statements is true of conventions?

They are not static and tend to change with time.

Explanation
Conventions change over time. Consider how the conventions governing movies and television have changed just during your lifetime, allowing more explicit sex and violence. Similarly, conventions change in business. Paper memos have mostly given way to emails, and some emails are being replaced by text messaging.

Monique was recently hired as a marketing consulting in a foreign country and was able to adapt to the culture very quickly. When her colleagues asked her how she had managed to adapt so quickly, Monique said that she made an effort to understand the company's conventions. Which of the following would have been the best way for Monique to understand the company's conventions?

observing the actions of other employees

Explanation
Observing the actions of employees in the company would have been the best way for Monique to understand the company's conventions. Conventions are widely accepted practices you routinely encounter that help you recognize, produce, and interpret different kinds of communications. The best way to learn conventions in a particular workplace is to see what other workers are doing.

Corporate greed, international pacts, and philanthropic deeds are best included within the category of
1. corporate law.
2. business ethics.
3. strategic planning.
4. community service.
5. nonverbal communication.

business ethics

Explanation
Business ethics includes far more than corporate greed, international pacts, and philanthropy, of course. Much of business ethics involves routine practices, and many of these practices involve communication.

While creating its ethical code of conduct, an organization's management asks itself, "Do the words balance the organization's right to present its best case with its responsibility to present its message honestly?" In this case, which aspect of ethical issues in business communication is the management focusing on?

the manner of conveying the message

Explanation
In this case, the management is focusing on the manner of conveying the message. This also pertains to the language of the message, the words used, the graphics in the message, and the design of the document.

Lens Flare is a graphic design firm that enables its employees to exercise while working by connecting some employees' workstations to treadmills. Lens Flare believes that this environment facilitates employee motivation and creativity. This scenario best illustrates Lens Flare's:
1. ethical code.
2. corporate culture.
3. data security plan.
4. spatial arrangement.
5. time management matrix.

corporate culture.

Explanation
Lens Flare's corporate culture is best illustrated in this scenario. Corporate cultures vary widely. They range from formal—with individual offices, jackets, and hierarchical lines of command—to informal, with open office space, casual attire, and individually empowered workers.

Which of the following is a difference between formal and informal corporate cultures?

Formal corporate cultures are characterized by hierarchical lines of command; informal corporate cultures are not.

Explanation
Formal corporate cultures are characterized by hierarchical lines of command; informal corporate cultures are not. Corporate cultures range from formal—with individual offices, jackets, and hierarchical lines of command—to informal, with open office space, casual attire, and individually empowered workers.

Which of the following statements is true of the brainstorming stage of solving a business communication problem?

It assumes that there are usually several possible solutions to a problem.

Explanation
Brainstorming assumes that there are usually several possible solutions to a problem. Problem solving usually starts by gathering knowledge. In all but the very simplest problems, there are multiple possible solutions. The first one you think of may not be best. Consciously develop several solutions. Then measure them against your audience and purposes.

When deciding how much and what information to include in a presentation, you should

make a list of the points that must be included.

Explanation
While deciding the information to be included in your message, you should make a list of the points that must be included; check your draft to make sure you include them all. To include information without emphasizing it, put it in the middle of a paragraph or document and present it as briefly as possible.

When organizing your information to fit your audience, your purpose, and the situation, you should

present the good news first.

Explanation
While organizing information to fit the audiences, purposes, and the situation, you should put good news first. In general, put the main point or question first.

Which of the following is recommended while revising your draft to create a friendly and businesslike style?

Read your message as if you were in your audience's shoes.

Explanation
While revising your draft to communicate a friendly and businesslike style, it is recommended that you read your message as if you were in your audience's shoes.

Which of the following is an effective guideline to follow while focusing on sentence length and structure?

Which of the following is a good guideline to follow while focusing on sentence length and structure? Use short sentences instead of longer sentences to show how ideas are linked to each other.

Which of the following guidelines should be followed while editing a document quizlet?

Which of the following guidelines should be followed while editing a document? The editing process should always be followed by revision of the document. It is important to proofreading one's own document instead of swapping it with another.

Which of the following actions is most likely to emphasize the negative information in a message?

Which of the following actions is most likely to emphasize the negative information in a message? Giving a topic a lot of space emphasizes it. Therefore, you can de-emphasize negative information by giving it as little space as possible.

Which of the following is a difference between formal and informal corporate cultures?

Which of the following is a difference between formal and informal corporate cultures? Formal corporate cultures are characterized by hierarchical lines of command; informal corporate cultures are not.