PART I: SHORT RESPONSE
Directions: Please answer each of the following questions. Please ensure that your responses are at least 1 to 2 paragraphs in length, if applicable. When using outside resources, please be sure to use proper APA format. Please visit the Academic Resource Center for concise APA guidelines.
1. List at least five benefits that effective communication delivers to businesses.
2. What makes business communication effective?
3. How can businesses adopt an audience-centric approach to their communications?
4. Why is decoding a message such a complex process?
5. Is the social communication model a more audience-centric approach to business communication than the basic communication model? Why/ why not?
6. What are the disadvantages of the social communication model?
7. Explain the concepts of transparency in business communications and stealth marketing, giving examples for both.
8. Distinguish between ethical dilemmas and ethical lapses, giving appropriate examples for both.
9. What are the advantages and challenges of a diverse workforce?
10. Explain the concept of information overload. How can you guard against information overload when using communication technology?
11. Andrew is the manager of the Human Resources department in his firm. He needs to create an employee manual to be given to new employees in the firm. The manual should cover topics like organization goals, dress code, leave policy, organization rules, etc. He can choose to work on the manual alone, or form a team to do the work instead. Which method should Andrew pick, and how should he go about it? Explain your choice giving the advantages and disadvantages of each approach.
12. The top management of an automobile company with branches across the country wants to replace in-person meetings for teams which work closely with each other with meetings in virtual worlds, to minimize travel time and costs. Make an argument for the superiority of in-person meetings, describing the disadvantages of the virtual method.
13. Sportswear Inc. has branches across the United States. At present, company executives travel to other branches for key strategy meetings. Sportswear Inc. wants to cut costs and save time. Discuss some options the company can use to achieve this and describe the benefits of each method.
14. List and briefly describe three important forms of meeting technologies in use today.
15. Two rival candidates for the office of Student Body President at Bournville University must debate a given topic before the election. Describe the three types of active listening and state how each type of listening can help listeners choose a candidate to vote for. If you were the speaker, which type of listening do you think would help your campaign?
16. Two rival candidates in the race for mayor of Springton are scheduled to speak on education policies in the city, a controversial topic. Each will be promoting his plan for education. Which type of listening will help listeners decide which plan is likely to be successful?
17. List and explain the phases of the listening process.
18. List and discuss the barriers to effective listening.
19. Describe the major types of nonverbal communication. Discuss how a speaker's nonverbal communication can affect listeners and what listeners' nonverbal communication may convey to a speaker. Describe possible ways in which a speaker can aid listening through the use of nonverbal methods of communication.
20. Your colleague, Brian, has been picked for an international assignment and will soon be moving to France, to head a project there. He has been studying French for the past three months, and is fairly fluent in the language. However, you know that he needs to be aware of the importance of nonverbal signals, and what they mean in a different culture. Explain the different types of nonverbal communication, and how they may be interpreted differently in different cultures. Explain how nonverbal communication can have an effect on business etiquette.
PART II: REFLECTION PAPER
Directions: Please write a 2-3 page reflection paper on your textbook readings for the week. Use APA format and cite the text, as necessary.
Please visit the Academic Resource Center for concise APA guidelines.