Executive Post Graduate Diploma in Management

Subject: Business Communication

Sample Question paper (Reference only)

Level 1: Objective Type (2 marks each)

1. ____________________ is a process in which an effort is purposely made by "A" to offset the efforts
of "B" by some form of blocking that will result in frustrating "B" in attaining his or her goals or
furthering his or her interests.

Communication  Conflict
Competition
Negotiation

2. We are in the ____________________stage of the conflict process when a member engages in

action that frustrates the attainment of another's goals or prevents the furthering of the other's
interests.
 Third
First
Second
Fourth

3. ____________________is the decision making bias where people tend to be overly affected by the
way information is presented to them.
 Framing negotiations
Anchoring and adjustments
Overconfidence
Availability of
information

4. Value judgements are ____________________statements.

 Should
May be
Could be
Could have been

5. Ethical conduct requires ____________________.

 Moral courage
Hypocrisy
Cowardice
Popularity

6. Which of the following is not a characteristic of an effective business message?

(a) They provide practical information

 (b) They express the writer's opinion

(c) They clarify and condense information

(d) They use concrete language and offer specific details

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7. A disadvantage of oral communication is:-

(a) People would rather write to each other than talk in person
 (b) There is little opportunity to revise your words once you have said them

(c) The lack of opportunity of feedback

(d) All of the above

8. The most basic type of communication is:-

(a) Sign language

(b) Written
 (c) Nonverbal

(d) Oral

9. Companies that use intranets:-

 (a) Facilitate communication between employees within a company

(b) Are behind the times technologically

(c) Are engaging in e-commerce with their customers

(d) All of the above

10. Today's successful companies:-

(a) Limit decisions to a few Managers at the top of a formal hierarchy

(b) Realize that the traditional management structure still works best
 (c) Use teams and collaborative work groups to arrive at quick decisions

(d) Make all important decisions by going through a painstaking, careful and time consuming proc
ess

11. An example of internal communication would be:-

(a) A phone call from a Manager to a computer repair firm checking on the status of a printer bein
g repaired

(b) An e-mail message from a Manager to a supplier requesting updated prices on parts
 (c) An e-
mail message from a Sales Manager to a salesperson asking for a report on travel expenses for a tr
ade show

(d) A fax from a magazine to an advertiser quoting new ad rates

12. An example of downward communication flow is:-

(a) A junior staff person giving information to a staff supervisor

(b) A company briefing held on the organization's top floor

(c) An e-mail message about sick leave sent from one staff secretary to another
 (d) A Sales Manager giving instructions to a salesperson

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13. Formal methods for channeling information upward include:-

(a) Group meetings

(b) Formal procedures for resolving grievances

(c) Interviews with employees who are leaving the company
 (d) All of the above

14. The Director of advertising writing a memo to the Plant Manager is an example of:-

 (a) Horizontal communication flow

(b) Upward communication flow

(c) Downward communication flow

(d) Informal communication flow

15. A casual conversation between co-workers is an example of:-

(a) Upward communication flow

(b) Interdepartmental communication flow

(c) Downward communication flow
 (d) Informal communication flow

16. How much of the information that travels along the grapevine actually pertains to business?

(a) Almost none of it

 (b) More than three quarters of it

(c) Half of it

(d) None of the above

17. Some Executives are wary of informal communication channels, possibly because they:-

 (a) Fear a loss of their control over the flow of information

(b) Fear the spread of misinformation

(c) Believe only formal channels are efficient carriers of information

(d) Object to casual conversations on company time

18. An example of external communication would be:-

(a) A memo from a Manager at headquarters to a Manager at a store in another state

 (b) An e-mail from a salesperson to a customer

(c) A teleconference among company's sales representatives in several states

(d) Talking on a cell phone to a colleague

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19. To minimize the impact of a crisis, Managers should:-

(a) Give out as little information as possible

(b) Leave out any negative information that could put the company in a bad light

(c) Avoid dealing with the press
 (d) None of the above

20. In the first step of the communication process, the sender:-

(a) Transmits the message

(b) Decides what to say
 (c) Has an idea

(d) Chooses a medium of transmission

21. A communication channel is the:-

(a) Specific method chosen for sending a message, such as e-mail, a memo or a phone call

(b) Same thing as the communication medium
 (c) Overall method chosen for sending a message: nonverbal or verbal (oral or written)

(d) All of the above

22. The final link in the communication chain is:-

(a) Receiving the message

(b) Interpreting the message

(c) Sending the message
 (d) Giving feedback to the sender

23. The fact that as a sender you tend to focus on those message details that are important to you is
called:-

(a) Stereotyping

(b) Discrimination
 (c) Selective perception

(d) Ethnocentrism

24. If a company's formal communication network limits the flow of information,:-

(a) Only the people at the top of the chain of command see "the big picture"

(b) Communication becomes fragmented

(c) Lower level employees lack a means for sharing their ideas with the Managers
 (d) All of the above

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25. A flatter organizational structure:-

(a) Can block effective communication by overburdening key individuals

(b) Decreases the chance of misunderstandings occurring

(c) Helps cut costs and increase productivity
 (d) All of the above

26. The biggest mistake in holding meetings is:-

(a) Not inviting enough participants

(b) Sticking too closely to the agenda

(c) Circulating the agenda too far in advance
 (d) Not having a specific goal

27. In an informational meeting:-

(a) The group must arrive at some kind of decision

(b) Brainstorming sessions are common
 (c) The participants share information and coordinate actions

(d) All of the above

28. A meeting agenda:-

(a) Is a formality that most groups skip these days

 (b) Should be circulated a few days before the meeting

(c) Is only a guideline and deviations are common and expected

(d) Should be general rather than specific

29. If you are listening mainly to understand and retain information imparted by a speaker, you are
engaging in:-

 (a) Content listening

(b) Empathic listening

(c) Critical listening

(d) Active listening

30. If you are engaging in critical listening, your goal is to:-

 (a) Evaluate the logic and validity of the message

(b) Appreciate the speaker's point of view

(c) Understand and retain information

(d) Understand the speaker's feelings, needs and wants

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31. If you are listening mainly to understand the speaker's needs and wants, you are engaging in:-

(a) Sustained listening

(b) Critical listening

(c) Content listening
 (d) Empathic or active listening

32. The first step in the basic listening process is:-

(a) Evaluating the message

(b) Encoding the message

(c) Interpreting the message
 (d) Physically receiving the message

33. If a person says one thing but sends a conflicting message nonverbally, then people are more likely
to:-

(a) Just stop listening

(b) Believe the verbal message
 (c) Believe the nonverbal message

(d) None of the above

34. Many difficulties in intercultural communication occur because people in different cultures have
different:-

 (a) Basic assumptions

(b) Genetics

(c) Media

(d) Environments

35. When it comes to decision making customs, Executives from low context cultures:-

(a) Arrive at decisions through consensus, after an elaborate and time consuming process

(b) Spend a lot of time on each little point to display their good faith
 (c) Try to reach decisions as quickly and as efficiently as possible

(d) Prefer to make their deals slowly, after much discussion

36. Stereotyping:-

 (a) Can be useful in the early stages of learning about a culture

(b) Is often the result of thorough, specific and accurate evidence

(c) Lets you deal with individuals as they really are

(d) Is never a good practice

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37. Ethnocentrism can be overcomed by:-

(a) Ignoring the distinctions between cultures

 (b) Maintaining an open mind

(c) Judging other groups according to your own standards

(d) Remembering that people from other cultures communicate in ways that are inferior to your o
wn

38. Which of the following is not a tip for successful intercultural business communication?

(a) Be patient and persistent

(b) Learn how respect is communicated in various cultures
 (c) Assume that you and your audience are similar until differences are proved

(d) Communicate with each person as an individual and not as a member of a group

39. Which of the following is not a general purpose common to business communication?

(a) To persuade

(b) To collaborate

(c) To inform
 (d) To negotiate

40. When choosing the appropriate channel for your message, you are choosing between:-

(a) Personal vs. impersonal media

(b) Formal vs. informal media

(c) Electronic vs. traditional media
 (d) Oral vs. written media

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Level 2: Descriptive Type (10 marks each)

1. Critically examine the need for good communication, keeping in mind the various roles Managers
play.

2. You are a software consultant and the member of a Volunteer Advisory Board of a local charitable
group. The group decides to invite quotations for a data processing system and asks you to provide
expert advice. The company you work for decides to bid. What would you do? Explain keeping in
mind how Managers can make moral judgments.

3. Your company has asked you to chalk out a statement of ethical principles. What steps would you
follow to evolve it?

4. Aristotle told his students they would have a greater chance for success as they prepare to deliver a
speech if they would first consider three basic elements, audience, purpose and speech. Elaborate.

5. Aristotle told his pupils that people rise to speak for three basic reasons, to inform, to persuade and
to inspire. What do you think he meant?

6. Differentiate between positive and negative speaking styles.

7. How would you deal with common obstacles like stereotypes, prejudices, feelings, language and
culture while speaking?

8. Describe briefly the barriers to communication with examples.

9. How can statements of ethical principles help an organization?

10. How would you make ethical statements work?

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