The increasingly technological nature of the Information Age workplace makes written communication skills more critical than ever for

Read the following scenario, and determine if Linda is presenting herself in a professional manner. Linda Scarpino works for a telecommunications company in the sales department where she regularly communicates with clients. Linda often works from home and uses her home e-mail address, thecutetwin@hotmail.com, to communicate with her clients.

Read the following scenario, and determine if the message is professional. Message sent from a BlackBerry mobile device to a client: R U going 2 B in this PM need 2 chat This message sent from a BlackBerry mobile device to a client is:

Read the following questions, and identify the business trend illustrated in the example. Kate’s team was reorganized to be cross-functional, and each member is now expected to collaborate on every step of the process for updating her company’s website, including generating content, encouraging traffic through SEO optimization, and tracking the website’s hits.

Poornima, an HR manager at a telecommunications company, has been asked to review the company's policies for hiring contractors to ensure those policies comply with the company's ethical mission statement.

You work for an auto manufacturer designing brake systems, but you do not have a dedicated team. Instead, you move from project to project, joining a new team and project when your current project is concluded.

Manuel works for Cash'n'Carry, a payday loan company. He has been asked to develop an ethical mission statement to reassure customer concerns regarding predatory lending practices.

After a gas pipeline explosion that destroyed homes and injured dozens of people, Pacific Power Company publicly unveiled a new mission statement with a greater focus on safety and corporate accountability.

Choose the best description of the barrier listed: Physical barriers

Complete the sentence with the most appropriate choice: You can counter the effects of physical barriers by _________

Complete the sentence with the most appropriate choice: You can improve your listening if you __________

Read the following scenario, and answer the questions that follow. Diane is part of a recently restructured team. Diane previously held a supervisory role in a different division; however, due to a company merger, she is now a new member of a team with no formal hierarchy. In meetings, Diane is often distracted by the fact that she is no longer leading the team, and she doesn’t think her new coworkers really “get the big picture.” Diane finds herself just waiting for breaks in the conversation to make her points and ideas heard. When others are talking, she is often bored and inattentive, thinking about other tasks she needs to accomplish. Identify the listening barriers. Check all that apply.

Identify tips that would help Diane listen more effectively to her team. Check all that apply.

In American culture, we tend to _________ people who look directly at us, and sustained eye contact indicates _________________

In American culture, what does pulling away from a speaker indicate? Check all that apply.

Complete the following sentence with the most appropriate choices: Americans can be a bit standoffish. If someone violates their space or territory, they will ______________ . Similarly, Americans are fairly formal in the allocation of time. In the United States, if you show up on time, you demonstrate _____________ .

Complete the following sentence with the most appropriate choices: Sloppy e-mail messages and inappropriate dress

Mr. Youngher arrives at his interview for a community relations internship with Bethlehem Electric in Chicago five minutes late and in a rumpled suit. When he is introduced to the chief marketing officer, Mr. Youngher moves in close as they shake hands and winks. The executive takes a step back. Read the following scenario and answer the question. What advice or tips would you give Mr. Youngher as he prepares for other interviews?

Globalization has changed the nature of work. To communicate effectively in a global marketplace, you must understand the basic dimensions of culture: individualism, formality, communication style, and time orientation. The following examples describe a dimension of culture. Identify which dimension is described in each case. South Americans sometimes speak with extravagant or poetic language.

In North America, keeping people waiting for a business appointment is considered rude.

Two barriers prevent people from successfully understanding and accepting people from other cultures: ethnocentrism and stereotypes. Choose the best answer for each of the following. Fortunately, these barriers may be overcome by developing tolerance. If you have an ethnocentric view of the world, you hold which expectation?

When applied to individuals in professional settings, stereotypes:

What is the best way to develop tolerance?

Although most international business is conducted in English, levels of comprehension can vary. How can you enhance your oral communication skills in international environments? 

Writing or speaking in an intercultural business world can be challenging. However, many techniques exist for improving your communication skills. Dina has written a letter to a potential customer in Denmark. Thank you for giving my team the opportunity to present our proposal for the opening of eleven new stores in Copenhagen; we’d like to meet again to discuss the details further. How would you improve this sentence so it is clearer?

As diversity grows in both society and the workplace, interacting and communicating with your coworkers will present specific challenges and rewards. It is important to be sensitive to the diverse backgrounds of your coworkers and to understand how to navigate an increasingly diverse workplace. Which of the following are appropriate strategies for communication in diverse workplaces? 

Read the following scenarios, and choose the best answer for the following questions. At a team meeting, your manager addresses some of the discord between your team members and suggests that your team should work individually instead of as a group. She asks if anyone has an opinion on the subject. You know that there are often tough times when working in a group, but in the end your team always produces great results. What could you say to convince your manager to keep your team working together?

You are a manager at a greeting card company. One afternoon an employee comes to you seeking advice on how to deal with diversity challenges in his workgroup. What is the best piece of advice you can give him?

Identify whether the bold term is an abstract or concrete noun. The administrative assistant prepared the executive briefing.

Determine whether the bold term is a proper or common noun. Madden Publishing has its headquarters located downtown.

Which of the following are correctly spelled plural nouns? 

Collective nouns may be considered singular or plural depending on their action. Choose the appropriate verb for the bold noun in the following sentence. Our committee _______ the employee of the year.

Choose the correct noun form to complete the sentence. A1 Pet Supply has retail locations in six __________ in Ohio.