Sub: Organizational Behavior.

Topic: Q&A Chapter 8.

Class: Accounting 3rd year B.
Mogadishu University
1. Key terms
Communication: is the process of sending and receiving messages from one place to
another place.

Message: Is a purpose or an idea to be conveyed in communication event.

Noise: is anything that disrupts communication, including the attitudes and emotions of
the receiver.
Telecommuting: is a Working at home and sending output to the office electronically.
Nonverbal communication: the transmission of messages by means other than words.

Body language: refers to the aspects of nonverbal communication directly related to

movements of the body, such as gestures and posture.
Formal communication channels: are the official pathways for sending information
inside and outside an organization.
Informal communication channels: is the unofficial network of channels that
supplements the formal channels
Grapevine: is the major informal communication channel in organizations
Network organization: a spherical structure that can rotate self-managing teams and
other resources around a common knowledge base.

Semantics: the varying meanings people attach to words

Filtering: the coloring and altering of information to make it more acceptable to the
receiver.
Mixed signals: is a sending different message about the same topic to different audiences.
Value judgment: is an overall opinion of something based on a quick perception of its
merit.
Information (or communication) overload: occurs when people are so overloaded with
information that they cannot respond effectively to messages, resulting in stress.
Active listening: means listening for full meaning without making premature judgments
or interpretations.
Linguistic style: A person’s characteristic speaking pattern, involving the amount of
directness used, pacing and pausing, word choice, and the use of jokes, figures of speech,
questions, and apologies.

Prepared By: Mohamed Hassan Mohamed {Kulmiye}.

2. Write down the communication process?

Ans:

 Source (the sender).

 Message.

 Channel (Medium).

 Receiver.

 Feedback.

 Environment.

 Noise.

3. Describe the impact of communication technology on interpersonal communication in

organizations?

Ans: The information technology has influenced the quantity and quality of interpersonal
communications in the workplace. Four such advances are e-mail, telecommuting,
blogging, and presentation technology. Telecommuters can lose out on face-to-face
human interaction.

4. What are the suggestions need to guide the presenters when a using presentation
technology?

Ans:

 Reveal points only as needed.

 Talk to the audience and not the screen.

 Tell a story and show some slides to support that story.

 Keep the slide in view until the audience gets the point.

 Project the key points of your presentation as headlines, using a large font.

Prepared By: Mohamed Hassan Mohamed {Kulmiye}.

5. Write down the positive and negative impact of computer-mediated communication on
behavior?

Ans:

Positive impact

 Is an immediate.

 Information can be exchanged at a rapid pace.

 Keeping large numbers of people informed and alert.

Negative impact.

 Lack of a human touch.

 It's more difficult to motivate, listen to, or encourage a worker.

6. List the nine categories of Nonverbal communication?

Ans:

 Environment.

 Body placement.

 Posture.

 Hand gesture.

 Facial expressions and movement.

 Voice tone.

 Clothing, dress, and appearance.

 Mirroring.

 Touching.

7. What are the communication directions? And explain each?

Ans: Messages in organizations travel in five directions: downward, upward,

horizontally, diagonally, and spherically.

A. Downward communication: is the flow of messages from one level to a lower level.

B. Upward communication: is the transmission of messages from lower to higher levels

in an organization.
C. Horizontal communication: is sending messages among people at the same
organizational level.

D.Diagonal communication: is the transmission of messages to higher or lower

organizational levels in different units.

E.Spherical communication: is communication among members from different teams in

the network organization.

8. List the barriers of effective communication?

Ans:

 Semantics.

 Filtering of negative information.

 Lack of credibility of the sender.

 Mixed signals and mixed messages.

 Value judgements.

 Information overload.

 Poor communication skills.

9. How to overcome barriers of communication?

Ans:

 Clarify ideas before sending.

 Motivate the receiver.

 Foster informal communication.

 Communicate feelings behind the facts.

 Be aware of nonverbal communication.

 Repeat the message and obtain feedback.

 Adapt to the other person’s communication style.

 Engage in meta-communication.

 Send a handwritten note to the receiver.

Prepared By: Mohamed Hassan Mohamed {Kulmiye}.

10. Explain how to overcome potential cross-gender and cross-cultural communication
problems?

Ans: Sensitivity to gender differences in style is important for overcoming communication

barriers. For example, men tend to be more direct in their conversation, whereas women
emphasize politeness. Men prefer to work out their problems by themselves, whereas
women prefer to talk out solutions with another person.

Cross-cultural communication barriers can be overcome in general by sensitivity to

cultural differences.

Communicators should keep in mind several suggestions:

 Show respect for all workers.

 Use straightforward language and speak slowly and clearly.

 Be alert to cultural differences in customs and behavior.

 Be attentive to individual differences in appearance.

Prepared By: Mohamed Hassan Mohamed{Kulmiye}.