Chapter 4

PLANNING BUSINESS MESSAGES

Multiple Choice
1. The three primary steps involved in preparing a business message are
a. planning, writing, and completing.
b. informing, persuading, and collaborating.
c. defining the purpose, the main idea, and the topic.
d. satisfying the audience's informational, motivational, and practical
needs.
ANSW!" a# $%&&%'()T*" easy# +A," -.# T*+" concept
/. %n developing business messages, the stage during which you step bac0 to see
whether you have e1pressed your ideas clearly is the
a. planning stage.
b. writing stage.
c. completing stage.
d. feedbac0 stage.
ANSW!" c# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," -1# T*+" concept
2. %n preparing business messages, you should devote about 333333 percent of
your time to planning.
a. 1.
b. /.
c. 4.
d. 5.
ANSW!" c# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," -1# T*+" concept
6. Which of the following is not a general purpose common to business
communication7
a. To inform
b. To persuade
c. To negotiate
d. To collaborate
ANSW!" c# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," -/# T*+" concept
52
4. An e1ample of a specific purpose for a business message would be
a. to impart information to the audience.
b. to inform employees about the new vacation policy.
c. to persuade readers to ta0e an action.
d. to obtain audience participation and collaboration.
ANSW!" b# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," -/# T*+" application
8. 9ost messages should not be sent unless they will
a. bring about a change.
b. increase your chances of being promoted.
c. please your boss.
d. do all of the above.
ANSW!" a# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," -/# T*+" concept
5. A message should be deferred or canceled if
a. your news is bad.
b. someone else wants to deliver it.
c. your audience is highly receptive.
d. the timing is wrong.
ANSW!" d# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," -2# T*+" concept
:. Audience analysis is relatively easy when you are communicating with
a. strangers.
b. co;wor0ers.
c. large groups of people.
d. customers on a mailing list.
ANSW!" b# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," -2# T*+" concept
-. The primary audience for your message is made up of
a. all who receive it.
b. the 0ey decision ma0ers in the audience.
c. those people with the highest status.
d. those people who represent the opinions and attitudes of the ma<ority.
ANSW!" b# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," -2# T*+" concept
53
1.. 9essages should be especially detailed if
a. you e1pect a favorable response.
b. you are unsure about the audience=s level of understanding.
c. you and your audience share the same general bac0ground.
d. all of the above are the case.
ANSW!" b# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," -2# T*+" concept
11. ducating your audience re>uires
a. providing as much information as possible.
b. giving only enough information to accomplish the purpose of the
message.
c. providing little information, as long as you indicate that you=re open to
any >uestions that may arise.
d. gearing your message to the least informed segment of the audience,
even if they are not the 0ey decision ma0ers.
ANSW!" b# $%&&%'()T*" difficult# +A," -2# T*+" concept
1/. %f you face a s0eptical audience, try to
a. be as straightforward as possible about stating your conclusions and
recommendations.
b. avoid stating your conclusions and recommendations.
c. use less evidence in support of your points.
d. introduce your conclusions and recommendations gradually with more
proof.
ANSW!" d# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," -6# T*+" concept
12. Which of the following is not an informal method of gathering information to
meet your audience=s needs7
a. !eading reports and other company documents
b. 'hatting with supervisors and colleagues
c. 'onducting library research
d. As0ing your audience for input
ANSW!" c# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," -6# T*+" concept
16. When meeting your audience=s informational needs, you emphasi?e ideas
a. of greatest interest to the audience.
b. that are uncontroversial.
c. that will have the least impact on the audience.
d. that don=t need supporting evidence.
ANSW!" a# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," -4# T*+" concept
54
14. A good way to test the thoroughness of your business message is to chec0 it
for
a. a main idea.
b. a purpose.
c. the who, what, when, where, why, and how.
d. accuracy.
ANSW!" c# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," -4# T*+" concept
18. %f you ma0e an honest mista0e, such as giving incorrect information, the best
thing to do is
a. ta0e no action.
b. blame someone else.
c. contact the primary audience immediately and correct the error.
d. start loo0ing for a new <ob.
ANSW!" c# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," -8# T*+" concept
15. When choosing the appropriate medium for your message, your choices
include
a. oral media.
b. written media.
c. electronic media.
d. all of the above.
ANSW!" d# $%&&%'()T*" easy# +A," -:# T*+" concept
1:. When you must reach a dispersed audience >uic0ly, which media are most
effective7
a. Written media
b. @ral media
c. lectronic media
d. +resentations
ANSW!" c# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," --# T*+" concept
1-. Telephone calls are
a. considered an outdated medium by many businesspeople.
b. now acceptable only for e1ternal communication.
c. still a vital communication lin0 for many organi?ations.
d. no longer practical when compared to e;mail.
ANSW!" c# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," 1..# T*+" concept
55
/.. Which of the following electronic media would be best for sending a brief,
unambiguous message that does not re>uire an immediate response7
a. videoconferencing
b. voice mail
c. videotape
d. '$;!@9
ANSW!" b# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," 1..# T*+" concept
/1. +$& is a
a. widely used format for sending documents electronically.
b. popular telephone connectivity service.
c. highly technical videoconferencing program.
d. type of voice;to;te1t translation software.
ANSW!" a# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," 1..# T*+" concept
//. %n part, media richness refers to
a. the cost of sending a message through a particular medium.
b. the popularity of a specific medium.
c. a medium=s ability to facilitate feedbac0.
d. the difficulties involved with using a particular medium.
ANSW!" c# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," 1..# T*+" concept
/2. The richest communication medium is
a. a phone call.
b. a memo.
c. an e;mail.
d. a face;to;face conversation.
ANSW!" d# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," 1..# T*+" concept
/6. As a new supervisor, you need to introduce yourself to your team of ten
employees. The best medium for this type of nonroutine message would be
a. a face;to;face meeting.
b. an e;mail.
c. a memo.
d. a conference call.
ANSW!" a# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," 1..# T*+" application
56
/4. )eaner media are best used for messages that
a. are routine.
b. are highly emotional.
c. are nonroutine.
d. re>uire feedbac0.
ANSW!" a# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," 1..# T*+" concept
/8. A 0ey advantage of oral communication is
a. the ability to plan and control the message.
b. the opportunity to meet an audience's information needs.
c. the ability to transmit highly comple1 messages.
d. the opportunity to get immediate feedbac0.
ANSW!" d# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," 1.1# T*+" concept
/5. A written message is preferable to an oral one when
a. immediate feedbac0 is desired.
b. the audience is large and geographically dispersed.
c. the message is relatively simple.
d. the information is controversial.
ANSW!" b# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," 1.1# T*+" concept
/:. @ne of the drawbac0s of using e;mail is
a. its high cost.
b. its slow speed.
c. its lac0 of privacy.
d. all of the above.
ANSW!" c# $%&&%'()T*" easy# +A," 1.1# T*+" concept
/-. Which of the following is not a disadvantage of electronic media7
a. Aigh cost
b. +otential for inadvertently creating tension and conflict
c. Tendency for employees to overuse them
d. All of the above
ANSW!" a# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," 1.1# T*+" concept
57
2.. %n high;conte1t cultures, 33333333333333333 media are often more effective
than 33333333333333333 ones.
a. leaner, richer
b. oral, written
c. foreign, domestic
d. none of the above
ANSW!" b# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," 1./# T*+" concept
21. Which of the following formats is most formal7
a. ;mail
b. 9emo
c. Blog
d. All are e>ual in formality
ANSW!" b# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," 1./# T*+" concept
2/. Which of the following is not an important factor to consider when choosing a
medium for your message7
a. (rgency
b. 'ost
c. ,ender of the audience
d. 'onfidentiality
ANSW!" c# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," 1./# T*+" concept
22. Which of the following is an e1ample of a message topic7
a. CTo get the board of directors to increase the research and development
budgetD
b. C'ompetitors spend more than our company does on research and
developmentD
c. C&unding for research and developmentD
d. CThe research and development budget is inade>uate in our competitive
mar0etplaceD
ANSW!" c# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," 1.6;.4# T*+" application
26. When you 0now your audience will be receptive to your message, it is
generally best to organi?e it using aEnF
a. comple1 approach.
b. indirect approach.
c. direct approach.
d. none of the above
ANSW!" c# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," 1.8# T*+" concept
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35. Whatever the length of your message, you should limit the number of major
support points to roughly
a. two.
b. three.
c. six.
d. ten.
ANSWER: c; DIFFICULTY: moderate; PAGE: 106; TYPE: concept
True or False
28. When allocating your time among the three stages of the writing process, you
should use about a fourth of the time for planning, half the time for writing, and a
>uarter of the time for completing.
ANSW!" &# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," -1# T*+" concept
25. The three general purposes of business messages are to inform, to persuade,
and to collaborate.
ANSW!" T# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," -/# T*+" concept
2:. %f your message is intended strictly to inform, you control the message and
need little interaction with your audience.
ANSW!" T# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," -/# T*+" concept
2-. %f the general purpose of your message is to persuade, you will have little
control over your message but will have a ma1imum of audience interaction.
ANSW!" &# $%&&%'()T*" difficult# +A," -/# T*+" concept
6.. 'ollaborative messages are high in audience participation but low in
communicator control.
ANSW!" T# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," -/# T*+" concept
61. There is no point in sending a message if its purpose is not realistic.
ANSW!" T# $%&&%'()T*" easy# +A," -2# T*+" concept
6/. @nce you have established your purpose, it=s best to consider whether it is
worth pursuing at this time.
ANSW!" T# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," -2# T*+" concept
59
62. No matter how you feel personally about a situation, your communication
should reflect your organi?ation=s ob<ectives.
ANSW!" T# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," -2# T*+" concept
66. When analy?ing your audience, you should focus on the 0ey decision ma0ers.
ANSW!" T# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," -2# T*+" concept
64. As long as your message is clear, the si?e of your audience should not affect
your approach.
ANSW!" &# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," -2# T*+" concept
68. %f you don=t 0now who your audience will be, there=s no point in trying to
guess what would be of interest to them.
ANSW!" &# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," -2# T*+" concept
65. %f you e1pect your audience to be s0eptical, you will need to provide more
proof and introduce your conclusions and recommendations more gradually.
ANSW!" T# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," -6# T*+" concept
6:. @ne informal method for learning more about your audience=s information
needs is to as0 them directly for input.
ANSW!" T# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," -6# T*+" concept
6-. When you get a vague re>uest for information, the best way to handle it is to
provide all the information you can and allow the audience to pic0 and choose
what is useful to them.
ANSW!" &# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," -4# T*+" concept
4.. ,ood communicators include only the information that their audience has
specifically re>uested.
ANSW!" &# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," -4# T*+" concept
60
41. A helpful way to test the thoroughness of your message is to use the
<ournalistic approach" as0ing yourself whether you have covered the who, what,
where, when, why, and how.
ANSW!" T# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," -4# T*+" concept
4/. Accuracy of information is less important in business communication than in
other types of communication.
ANSW!" &# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," -4# T*+" concept
42. @nline sources generally re>uire more careful evaluation than other media.
ANSW!" T# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," -4# T*+" concept
46. 9essages can be unethical simply because certain details have not been
included.
ANSW!" T# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," -8# T*+" concept
44. %f you provide inaccurate information in a business message, the best course
of action is to say nothing and hope that no one notices.
ANSW!" &# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," -8# T*+" concept
48. As long as your message is clear, the medium you choose won=t really matter.
ANSW!" &# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," -:# T*+" concept
45. %f you want to emphasi?e the confidentiality of a message, the preferred
medium would be a fa1 or a memo.
ANSW!" &# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," -:# T*+" concept
4:. %n today=s fast;paced environment, traditional business messages rely
primarily on visual images, with occasional support from te1t.
ANSW!" &# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," --# T*+" concept
4-. 9edia richness refers to the relative costs of advertising in the various mass
media.
ANSW!" &# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," 1..# T*+" concept
61
8.. &ace;to;face communication is the richest medium.
ANSW!" T# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," 1..# T*+" concept
81. Goice mail is a particularly effective medium for lengthy messages.
ANSW!" &# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," 1..# T*+" concept
8/. The main advantage of written communication is that the writer has an
opportunity to plan and control the message.
ANSW!" T# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," 1.1# T*+" concept
82. The biggest drawbac0 to e;mail is that it is underutili?ed.
ANSW!" &# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," 1.1# T*+" concept
86. @ne advantage of e;mail is its high level of privacy.
ANSW!" &# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," 1.1# T*+" concept
84. %nstant messaging has >uic0ly become the best medium for sending comple1
business messages.
ANSW!" &# $%&&%'()T*" easy# +A," 1./# T*+" concept
88. The urgency of your message should help you decide what medium to use.
ANSW!" T# $%&&%'()T*" easy# +A," 1./# T*+" concept
85. The best time to organi?e a message is after you=ve put a draft of it on paperH
that way you 0now e1actly what you=re wor0ing with.
ANSW!" &# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," 1./;.2# T*+" concept
8:. The topic and main idea of a message are basically the same thing.
ANSW!" &# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," 1.6# T*+" concept
8-. Brainstorming is helpful when wor0ing alone but is not an effective way to
generate ideas if you are wor0ing with others.
ANSW!" &# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," 1.4# T*+" concept
62
5.. %n most cases, routine messages should be organi?ed using the indirect
approach.
ANSW!" &# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," 1.5# T*+" concept
Fill-in-the-Blank
51. Step one of the writing process is 33333333333333333333, in which you
analy?e the situation, gather information, select the right medium for the message,
and organi?e the information.
ANSW!" planning# $%&&%'()T*" easy# +A," -.# T*+" concept
5/. The final step in the writing process is 33333333333333333333 your
message, which involves revising, producing, and distributing it.
ANSW!" completing# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," -1# T*+" concept
52. The three general purposes of business messages are to inform, to persuade, or
to 33333333333333333333 with the audience.
ANSW!" collaborate# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," -/# T*+" concept
56. %n addition to having a general purpose, each business message has a EanF
33333333333333333333 purpose.
ANSW!" specific# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," -/# T*+" concept
54. $uring the planning step you need to analy?e your 33333333333333333333,
including its si?e and composition, e1isting 0nowledge about the sub<ect, and
probable reaction to your message.
ANSW!" audience# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," -2# T*+" concept
58. A good way to test the thoroughness of your message is to use the
33333333333333333333 approach and as0 whether the message answers who,
what, when, where, why, and how.
ANSW!" <ournalistic# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," -4# T*+" concept
55. Speeches, presentations, and meetings are all e1amples of
33333333333333333333 media.
ANSW!" oral# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," -:# T*+" concept
63
5:. 9edia 33333333333333333333 is the ability of a medium to convey a
message using more than one informational cue, facilitate feedback, and establish
personal focus.
ANSW!" richness# $%&&%'()T*" easy# +A," 1..# T*+" concept
5-. very medium has 33333333333333333333 that ma0e it inappropriate for
certain messages.
ANSW!" limitations @! drawbac0s# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," 1./#
T*+" concept
:.. &actors you should consider in choosing a communication
33333333333333333333 include formality, confidentiality, feedbac0, time, and
cost.
ANSW!" medium# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," 1./# T*+" concept
:1. %ncluding 33333333333333333333 material is an organi?ation problem that
frustrates your audience.
ANSW!" irrelevant# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," 1./# T*+" concept
:/. Your entire message supports, explains, or demonstrates your
33333333333333333333 33333333333333333333 Ha specific statement about
the topic of your message.
ANSW!" main idea# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," 1.6# T*+" concept
:2. The 33333333333333333333 of your message is the range of information you
present, the overall length, and the level of detailall of which need to
correspond to your main idea.
ANSW!" scope# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," 1.4# T*+" concept
:6. No matter how long your message is, you should limit the number of ma<or
support points to roughly 33333333333333333333.
ANSW!" si1# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," 1.8# T*+" concept
:4. An alternative to creating an outline of your message is to use aEnF
33333333333333333333 33333333333333333333 similar to those used to show a
company=s management structure.
ANSW!" organi?ation chart# $%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," 1.-# T*+"
concept
64
Short Answer
:8. $escribe at least three of the tas0s involved in developing an audience profile.
ANSW!" $eveloping an audience profile involves identifying your primary
audience and determining its si?e, geographic distribution, and composition. %t
also re>uires gauging your audience=s level of understanding, considering their
e1pectations and preferences, and forecasting their probable reaction to your
message.
$%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," -2;-6# T*+" concept
:5. )ist at least four methods of gathering information to include in your message.
ANSW!" Strategies for gathering information include E1F considering other
viewpoints# E/F reading reports and other company documents# E2F tal0ing with
supervisors, colleagues, or customers# and E6F as0ing your audience for input.
$%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," -6# T*+" concept
::. Aow can the <ournalistic approach help you include all re>uired information in
you business messages7
ANSW!" The <ournalistic approach enables you to chec0 the thoroughness of
your message by seeing whether your message answers who, what, when, where,
why, and how.
$%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," -4# T*+" concept
:-. )ist at least three strategies to help ensure the accuracy of information you in
include in business messages.
ANSW!" You can minimize mistakes by double-checking every piece of
information you collect. If you are consulting sources outside the organization,
ask yourself whether they are current and reliable. Be particularly careful when
using sources you find on the Internet. Be sure to review any mathematical or
financial calculations. Check all dates and schedules, and examine your own
assumptions and conclusions to be certain they are valid.
$%&&%'()T*" difficult# +A," -4# T*+" concept
-.. Briefly describe how to meet an unfamiliar audience=s informational needs.
ANSW!" When you don=t 0now your audience, use common sense to identify
points of particular interest. Audience factors such as age, <ob, location, income,
and education can give you a clue.
$%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," -8# T*+" concept
65
-1. Briefly define media richness, and provide at least one e1ample of a rich
medium and a lean medium.
ANSW!" 9edia richness is the value of a communication medium in a given
situation. %t is determined by a medium=s ability to convey a message by means of
more than one informational cue, facilitate feedbac0, and establish personal focus.
&ace;to;face conversation is the richest medium, while unaddressed documents
such as posters and signs are the leanest.
$%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," 1..# T*+" concept
-/. $escribe at least two disadvantages of using electronic media for business
messages.
ANSW!" $espite the speed convenience of electronic media, they are not
without problems. These media help companies get input from a wider variety of
people but people also tend to overuse them, leading to message overload. They
can also lac0 privacy, and their use is so popular that it can diminish employees=
productivity.
$%&&%'()T*" difficult# +A," 1.1# T*+" concept
-2. Briefly e1plain the difference between the topic of a message and the main
idea.
ANSW!" The topic of a message is its broad sub<ect, condensed to one idea. %n
contrast, the main idea is a specific statement about the topic.
$%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," 1.6# T*+" concept
-6. %n preparing a letter to a vendor regarding a missing part of your order, would
the direct or indirect approach be preferable7 Briefly e1plain your choice.
ANSW!" %n this case, the direct approach would be best because the audience is
li0ely to be receptive to the message. The indirect approach should be used when
the audience will probably react with s0epticism or resistance.
$%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," 1.8;.5# T*+" application
-4. Briefly distinguish between the deductive and inductive approaches to
organi?ing business messages.
ANSW!" The deductive, or direct, approach starts with the main idea and then
provides supporting evidence. The inductive approach builds a case with
supporting evidence before presenting the main idea.
$%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," 1.8;.5# T*+" concept
66
Essay
-8. What are the four tas0s involved in planning business messages7
ANSW!" +lanning business messages involves E1F analyzing the situation by
defining your purpose and developing a profile of your audience, E/F gathering
information that will meet your audience's needs, (3) selecting the right medium
to deliver your message, and (4) organizing the information by defining your
main idea, limiting your scope, selecting a direct or an indirect approach, and
outlining your content
$%&&%'()T*" difficult# +A," -.# T*+" concept
-5. 1plain each phase of the three;step writing process.
ANSW!" The three;step writing process includes planning, writing, and
completing the business message. +lanning involves analy?ing the situation,
gathering information, selecting the right medium for your message, and
organi?ing the information. Writing the message involves adapting to your
audience and composing your message. 'ompleting a business message includes
revising, producing, proofreading, and distributing it.
$%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," -.;-1# T*+" concept
-:. )ist at least three helpful >uestions to as0 in evaluating the purpose of a
message.
ANSW!" @nce you have determined the specific purpose of a business
message, you can decide whether that purpose merits the time and effort re>uired
for you to prepare and send the message. %n order to test the purpose of a
message, one should as0 E1F Will anything change as a result of this message? (2)
Is my purpose realistic? (3) Is the time right? and (4) Is the purpose acceptable to
my organization?
$%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," -2# T*+" concept
--. Aow can your audience=s level of understanding help you determine the
appropriate amount of information to include in a business message7
ANSW!" %f audience members do not share your general bac0ground, your
message will li0ely need to include an element of education. You should try to
include only enough information to accomplish the specific purpose of your
message. If the members of your audience have various levels of understanding,
gear your coverage to your primary audience (the key decision makers).
$%&&%'()T*" difficult# +A," -2# T*+" concept
67
1... Briefly describe at least three factors to consider when choosing media for
business messages.
ANSW!" A number of factors can help you to determine the best medium for a
business message. One is media richness, which is a mediums ability to convey
a message through more than one informational cue, facilitate feedback, and
establish personal focus. Another is formality, since your media choice governs
the style and tone of your message. It is also important to consider media
limitations, since every medium has drawbacks that make it inappropriate for
certain messages. The medium you choose also influences your audiences
perceptions of your intentions as a sender. Urgency and cost are other important
factors. Finally, it is vital to consider audience preferences when deciding which
medium to use for a message.
$%&&%'()T*" moderate# +A," 1..;.1# T*+" concept
68