Business Communication (MB 121) - January 2004 Questions

Question Paper
Business Communication (MB 121) : January 2004
Section A : Basic Concepts (30 Marks)
• This section consists of questions with serial number 1 -
30.
• Answer all questions.
• Each question carries one mark.
• Maximum time for answering Section A is 30 Minutes.
1. There are many ways in which organizational communication flows. In which of the
following, communication flows between the units or individuals of the same hierarchical
level?
a. Lateral communication
b. Informal communication
c. Upward communication
d. Downward communication
e. Formal communication.
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2. The term used to refer to factors that interfere with the exchange of messages
a. Grapevine
b. Noise
c. Network
d. Encoding
e. None of the above.
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3. Which of the following statements are true regarding nonverbal communication?
I. Meaning of nonverbal cues is different in different cultures.
II. Meaning of nonverbal cues is same in every culture.
III. Nonverbal communication doesn’t use words to convey message.
a. Only (I) above
b. Only (II) above
c. Both (I) and (III) above
d. Both (II) and (III) above
e. None of the above.
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4. Proxemics is the study of how people use the physical space around them and what this use
says about them. In which of the following zones most business is transacted?
a. Intimate distance zone
b. Personal distance zone
c. Public distance zone
d. Social distance zone
e. None of the above.
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5. Many people are poor listeners, because they are overly concerned with themselves. This
concern, a barrier to listening is termed as
a. Casual attitude
b. Preoccupation
c. Prejudice
d. Discriminative listening
e. Egocentrism.
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6. In the communication process the receiver of the message is also called the
a. Decoder
b. Encoder
c. Recorder
d. Receptor
e. Carrier.
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7. In an interview, most questions fall along a continuum of openness. Depending on the
purpose you want to achieve you can frame a question as either close ended or open ended.
Identify the close-ended question from the following
a. Tell me about yourself
b. Did you graduate from college?
c. Why are you absent from work so frequently?
d. What do you know about our smoking policy?
e. None of the above.
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8. In which of the following stages, in-group decision making, the group members get to know
each other?
a. The conflict stage
b. The reinforcement stage
c. The orientation stage
d. The emergence stage
e. None of the above.
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9. Which of the following visual aids will be helpful to depict changes in quantitative data over
time and illustrate trends?
a. Bar charts
b. Pie charts
c. Gantt charts
d. Line charts
e. Tables.
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10. Reports have been classified in numerous ways, accounting reports, marketing reports,
financial reports etc. Such reports are termed as
a. Formal reports
b. Short reports
c. Informational reports
d. The proposal reports
e. Functional reports.
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11. In which of the following sections of your application letter, you ask the reader for a specific
action.
a. Closing section
b. Middle section
c. Opening section
d. Formal section
e. None of the above.
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12. Which of the following is the phase in the communication process that allows you to evaluate
the effectiveness of your message
a. Transmittal
b. Feedback
c. Reception
d. Decoding
e. Encoding.
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13. An illustration is the narration of a happening or incident which amplifies, proves, or
clarifies the point under consideration. In which of the following types of illustration, real
life characters are usually mentioned.
a. Parable
b. Fable
c. Anecdote
d. Analogies
e. None of the above.
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14. Which of the following statements are true regarding deductive structure?
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I. In the deductive structure the proposal is stated first and then arguments that
support the proposal are presented.
II. Deductive structure is advisable when we want to say good news.
III. In the deductive structure the arguments are presented first in a way that leads
to the proposition.
a. Only (I) above
b. Only (II) above
c. Only (III) above
d. Both (I) and (II) above
e. Both (II) and (III) above.
15. There are many barriers to free flow of communication. Egotism, defensiveness, hostility,
preoccupation, fear are some of the examples of
a. Disruption
b. Physiological noise
c. Normal noise
d. Grimacing
e. Psychological noise.
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16. Identify the core statement from the following
I. Petrol consumption is increasing in all parts of India.
II. It is increasing in the North.
III. Bihar is experiencing a sharp increase.
a. Only (I) above
b. Only (II) above
c. Only (III) above
d. Both (I) and (II) above
e. All (I), (II) and (III) above.
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17. When Managers depend on formal channels of communication, sometimes they risk
encountering “distortion”. One way to minimize distortion is
a. Including all relevant information that is true in every sense and is not deceptive in any
way
b. Reducing the number of levels in the organization structure
c. Keeping audience in mind at all times
d. Exchanging messages with customers, vendors, distributors, competitors, investors,
journalists, and govt. representatives
e. There are no ways to stop distortions.
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18. In which of the following types of Resumes are the skills, accomplishments, employment
given in the first section and academic experience in subordinate sections?
a. Chronological Resume
b. Technical Resume
c. Functional Resume
d. Combination of chronological & functional resume
e. Divisional resume.
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19. Identify the sentence(s) that is/are grammatically correct and conveys the meaning clearly.
a. The first ice cream, eaten in China in about 2000 BC, was more lumpy than the modern
era
b. The first ice cream, eaten in China in about 2000 BC, was more lumpy than the ice
cream in the modern era
c. The first ice cream, eaten in China in about 2000 BC, was more lumpy than that in the
modern era
d. Eaten in China in about 2000 BC, the first ice cream was more lumpy than the modern
era
e. Both (b) and (c) above.
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20. Whatever the type of letter one is writing, it is always advisable to plan the letter keeping the
fundamentals of letter writing in mind. What are the fundamentals?
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a. Knowledge of the subject, audience, and purpose
b. Knowledge of the subject, distance it has to travel, and purpose
c. Knowledge of the subject, type of benefits expected from the letter, distance it has to
travel
d. Purpose of the letter, distance it has to travel, and capacity of the audience
e. Purpose of the letter, knowledge of the subject, budget allocated for correspondence.
21. There are three types of meetings which are usually conducted. Which of the following
meetings is focused on arriving at a decision and is conducted to change existing procedures,
to adopt a new system and sometimes, to generate new ideas?
a. Change-facilitating meetings
b. Problem solving meetings
c. Informational meetings
d. Extraordinary meetings
e. Routine meetings.
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22. Many elements are to be included while writing a report. Which of the following elements
contains a brief technical summary?
a. Letter of transmittal
b. Table of contents
c. Abstract
d. Executive summary
e. List of illustrations.
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23. In which of the following approaches to conflict, competing is advisable?
a. When you perceive that you have no chance of satisfying your concerns
b. When two parties with equal power are committed to mutually exclusive goals
c. A long-term relationship between the parties is important
d. When you have to protect yourself against those who would take advantage of a more
cooperative approach
e. When the goals of both parties are important but not worth pushing too hard to achieve.
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24. The seating arrangements in a meeting can have a bearing on the final outcome of the
meeting. Studies have shown that people react in certain predictable ways to certain physical
surroundings. Which of the following types is suitable for large groups that are meeting to
obtain information?
a. The banquet style
b. T formation style
c. Participative style
d. Equalizing style
e. Theatre style.
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25. Which of the following is generally a brief, accurate record of the business transacted at the
previous meeting?
a. Minutes
b. Agenda
c. Memoirs
d. Notice
e. Appendix.
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26. Where is the signature block in the commercial letter placed?
a. Double space below the body
b. Double space below the salutation
c. Four spaces below the complimentary close
d. Double space below the inside address
e. Four spaces below the dateline.
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27. To physically transmit a message, you select a communication channel. The channel is a
means to convey the message. When is it advisable to use an oral channel?
a. When feedback is not immediately needed
b. When it is necessary to convey a large amount of data
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c. When immediate feedback is necessary
d. When the sender shares a comfortable relationship with the receiver
e. When the sender does not want to leave a proof.
28. When a letter is written for something, to which the writer thinks he/she is entitled, the letter
is called as a claim letter. A response to the claim letter is termed as
a. Good news letter
b. Routine letter
c. Adjustment letter
d. Commercial letter
e. Return letter.
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29. The three letter formats that are usually used are the block, the modified block and the
a. Simplified block
b. Split block
c. Half block
d. Revised block
e. Simple block.
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30. An effective job search begins with careful career planning. Which of the following does not
come in the career planning process?
a. Self Analysis
b. Career Analysis
c. Job Analysis
d. Company Analysis
e. None of the above.
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END OF SECTION A
Section B : Caselets (50 Marks)
• This section consists of questions with serial number 1 - 6
• Answer all questions.
• Marks are indicated against each question.
• Detailed workings should form section of your answer.
• Do not spend more than 110 - 120 minutes on Section B.
Caselet 1
Read the caselet carefully and answer the following questions:
1. From the following caselet, explain the role of informal communication and when does grapevine thrive,
and how does this communication flow?
(9 marks) <>
2. “The reason offered by the management is that, staff members just wouldn’t be able to cope with bad
news. They might all descend into a wild panic, which surely wouldn’t do anyone any good”. Do you
agree with the justification offered by the management to withhold communication to the employees about
the sales of the company?
(8 marks) <>
3. CEO of a reputed a company once said: “Trust isn’t handed over to you as a gift; you receive it on loan.”
What does this statement signify?
(7 marks) <>
A paper manufacturer with over 300 employees once announced that it was planning to move to more
spacious and attractive premises thirty miles down the road. When staff members heard the news, they were
very apprehensive.
Would transport be provided, so that they would be able to commute easily to the new factory? What
would workplace facilities be like in the new place-even if the plant itself would be bigger and brighter,
may be working conditions would be inferior?
And what about schedules? Would some jobs become redundant? Or, may be the opposite would happen,
and they would land up with extra, unwanted, responsibilities?
At any rate, the company promised to move in six months. And that’s about all the information that was
forthcoming from the corporate big brass. Anxiety turned into passive resignation-for the time being. All
the workers could do was wait and see.
The six months passed. But the only thing emanating from the executive office was an uncanny silence.
And of course, when facts are slow in coming, rumors rush in to take their place. Stories began to circulate
that the company was in a difficult spot financially, and was looking for a buyer to bail it out of trouble.
Whereupon, the company president came out of hiding for once, but only to say that the rumors were false,
and that purely technical problems were delaying the move a bit, but it would take place within year.
For another year, management continued to insist that the move was imminent, while employees’ moods
alternated between nail-biting anxiety, denial of reality and mounting anger.
Finally, the charade ended. An official announcement confirmed that the company would be continuing its
business, and hinted that company had been sold.
The reason offered by the management is that, staff members just wouldn’t be able to cope with bad news.
They might all descend into a wild panic, which surely wouldn’t do anyone any good.
The executives may have sincerely believed that they could turn the critical situation around in a relatively
short time. Why terrify our people with alarm bells, they may have nobly thought, if the crisis will in any
event, blow over soon?
The result is, within a year, the company had lost 35 per cent of its labor force, and given its two-faced
reputation, found it no easy thing to recruit replacements.
Business psychologist Robert Rosen, who tells over this story in his book, “The Healthy Company” points
out that trust either feeds on itself and grows, or fades faster and faster until it disappears.
CEO of a reputed a company once said: “Trust isn’t handed over to you as a gift; you receive it on loan.”
Caselet 2
Read the caselet carefully and answer the following questions:
4. From the following caselet identify the assumptions, reactions and judgment of the boss.
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5. From the caselet identify the barriers to communication and define them.
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Suppose Vijay, an employee, is in his boss's office. The boss says, "I think, Vijay, that this is the best way
to do your job." And to that, Vijay says, "Oh Yeah?"
The boss assumes that he understands what Vijay means when Vijay says; "Oh Yeah?" so there is no need
to find out. He is sure that Vijay does not understand why this is the best way to do his job, so he has to tell
him.
Assuming the boss is generally logical, lucid, and clear and presents his facts and evidence well, what does
he do in this situation? Operating under the assumption that what is taking place between him and Vijay is
logical, he can draw only one of the two conclusions: either (1) He has not been clear enough or, (2) Vijay
is too stupid to understand.
The boss's first reaction is that he has not been clear enough, so he begins to "spell out" his case. If he
continues not to "get through, he uses words of few and fewer syllables. He is reluctant to give up, so he
continues to explain. What happens?
The more he cannot get Vijay to understand him, the more frustrated and emotional he becomes - and the
more his ability to reason logically is diminished. Since he sees himself as a reasonable, logical chap, he
projects the problem on to Vijay, concluding that he is uncooperative or stupid. This perception will affect
what he says and does.
Under these pressures, he evaluates Vijay more and more in terms of his own values and tends to treat
Vijay's as unimportant, essentially denying Vijay's uniqueness and difference. He treats Vijay as if he had
little capacity for self direction.
The boss does not see that he is doing these things. He is trying to explain to Vijay why this is the best way
to do the job. He is trying to be helpful. He is a man of goodwill and wants to set Vijay straight. This is the
way he sees himself and his behavior. But it is for this very reason that Vijay's "Oh Yeah?" is getting under
his skin.
"How dumb can this guy be?," is all that Vijay will hear not the boss's good intentions. Vijay will feel
misunderstood. He will not see his boss as a man of goodwill trying to be helpful. Rather, he will perceive
him as a threat to his self-esteem and personal integrity. Against this threat, Vijay will feel the need to
defend himself at all cost.
The boss represents a very common pattern of misunderstanding. The misunderstanding does not arise
because he is not clear enough in expressing himself. Rather, he misevaluates what takes place when two
people are talking together.
His misunderstanding the process of personal communication is based on common assumptions: (a) that
what is taking place is something logical; (b) that words mean something in and of themselves, apart from
the people speaking them; and (c) that the purpose of the interaction is to get Vijay to see things from his
point of view.
These assumptions set off a chain reaction of perceptions and negative feelings, which block
communication. By ignoring Vijay's feelings and rationalizing his own, he ignores his relationship to Vijay
as an important determinate of their communication. As a result, Vijay hears his attitude more clearly than
the logical content of his words. Vijay feels that his uniqueness is being denied. Since his personal integrity
is at stake, he becomes defensive and belligerent. And this frustrates his boss who perceives Vijay as stupid,
so he says and does things that make Vijay still more defensive.
Hierarchy creates a paradox. Though it is crucial for a boss to be able to listen non-judgmentally, to
understand other points of views and get valid information, the essence of his job is to do the opposite,
make judgments. Bosses must evaluate the success of their efforts. Often times they are evaluated on how
well they do this. The danger is that this bias for judging will subvert the boss's inclination to listen
carefully. They may be tempted to resolve this paradox as and either/or. They must recognize that to make
judgments you must suspend judgment.
6. Read the letter carefully and answer the following questions:
a. Identify the drawbacks in the letter
b. Rewrite the letter.
December 1, 2003
Mr. Suresh Agarwal
Purchasing Agent
UTB Bank
55, Nagarjuna hills
Hyderabad
Dear Suresh Agarwal
Please complete the enclosed questionnaire and return it to me in the envelope provided. I dislike having
to impose on the valuable time of a busy executive such as you, but in order for me to complete the research
for my thesis at the university. I must seek first-hand information from business leaders.
The study deals with the attitudes of purchasing agents toward vendor gravities. As I believe you know,
gifts from sellers to executives who do the buying for companies pose a problem of great concern. The
questionnaire seeks information about practices in your firm and about your own opinions.
Response will be kept confidential, of course. Please return the questionnaire to me by December 20.
Sincerely
Sankar Mani
Enclosure
(4 + 6 = 10 marks) <>
END OF SECTION B
Section C : Applied Theory (20 Marks)
• This section consists of questions with serial number 7 - 8.
• Answer all questions.
• Marks are indicated against each question.
• Do not spend more than 25 -30 minutes on Section C.
7. “Lack of coordination between verbal and nonverbal communication leads to disastrous results”. In that
light explain the importance of proper coordination between verbal and nonverbal communication to make
the communication effective and explain the components of nonverbal communication.
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8. You are working in a computer manufacturing company as a customer relation executive. Write to a
customer denying his credit request of December 2, 2003. Explain to him you would be happy to
reconsider the application if he resubmits the same after four months.
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END OF SECTION C
END OF QUESTION PAPER