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Organizational Communication Balancing Creativity and Constraint 8Th Edition Eisenberg Test Bank Full Chapter PDF
Organizational Communication Balancing Creativity and Constraint 8Th Edition Eisenberg Test Bank Full Chapter PDF
3. Which of the following is the key factor that turns a group into a system?
A) Relationships
B) Organization
C) Nature
D) None of the options are correct.
4. Which of the following theories changed the way that we look at the universe, thereby
giving rise to the systems approach?
A) Giddens's theory of structuration
B) Weick's sense-making model
C) von Bertalanffy's general systems theory
D) Einstein's theory of relativity
Page 1
5. Policies are important texts that give individuals the means to understand their
relationship to the organization. According to the text, this policy knowledge includes
all of the following EXCEPT
A) health insurance.
B) vacation time.
C) workload.
D) political and religious affiliation.
6. An employee who regularly interacts with others outside of the organization is referred
to as a(n)
A) systems manager.
B) environmental scanner.
C) external facilitator.
D) boundary spanner.
7. When individuals use common resources to benefit personal needs rather than the needs
of the whole, this process is called
A) closed systems.
B) counterdependence.
C) "the tragedy of the commons."
D) "counter-networking."
9. "There is no best way to organize" and "all ways of organizing are not equally effective"
are two tenets of
A) Giddens's theory of structuration.
B) contingency theory.
C) von Bertalanffy's general systems theory.
D) Einstein's theory of relativity.
Page 2
10. According to the text, which of the following is the main reason that researchers are not
doing a better job of studying organizational communication from a systems approach?
A) Insufficient statistics training
B) The changing nature of systems
C) The concept of equifinality
D) Insufficient research support
11. According to Peter Senge, which of the following concepts requires us to shift our way
of thinking about organizations to a more participative and holistic approach?
A) Open systems
B) Closed systems
C) Interdependent systems
D) Learning organizations
12. As part of his early theorizing on sense making, Karl Weick referred to the process of
making sense of uncertainty through interaction as
A) enactment.
B) equivocality reduction.
C) retention.
D) partial inclusion.
13. Which of the following is NOT one of the properties of sense making as identified by
Karl Weick?
A) Enactment
B) Socialization
C) Selection
D) Extracted cues
14. Karl Weick said, "How can I know what I think until I see what I say?" This statement
best represents which of the following concepts?
A) Retrospective sense making
B) Selection
C) Equifinality
D) Partial inclusion
15. The idea that we all display some, but not all, of our behaviors at work is called
A) enactment.
B) extracted cues.
C) partial inclusion.
D) selective construction.
Page 3
16. Which of the following concepts from the systems approach shows us that average
employees could be strong leaders in their community outside of work?
A) Distributed intelligence
B) Partial inclusion
C) Boundary spanners
D) Socialization
18. Which of the following concepts is found in both Weick's basic model of organizing and
his theory of retrospective sense making?
A) Retention
B) Continuation
C) Enactment
D) Socialization
19. Part of Weick's theory of retrospective sense making suggests that sufficient information
and plausibility take precedence over
A) socialization.
B) retrospection.
C) accuracy.
D) enactment.
21. Which of the following approaches claims that the whole is greater than the sum of its
parts?
A) Classical management
B) Interpretivism
C) The human relations approach
D) The systems approach
Page 4
22. When one struggles with uncertainty due to multiple interpretations of a single
experience, the systems approach would suggest that this person struggles with
A) retrospection.
B) enactment.
C) equivocality.
D) equifinality.
23. Learning organizations that use "double-loop learning" rely on which of the following
concepts?
A) Socialization
B) Feedback
C) Sense making
D) "Counter-networking"
24. When organizations need both cooperative and competitive models at work in a single
system, which of the following strategic approaches to organizing should they consider?
A) Coopetition
B) Retrospection
C) Open systems
D) General systems
25. According to the systems approach, which of the following concepts connects
communication and action?
A) Dialogue
B) Feedback
C) Empathic concern
D) Interdependence
26. The concept of distributed intelligence recognizes that all members of a system—be
they people or cells—are important.
A) True
B) False
Page 5
28. Closed systems are more likely to respond quickly to a change in the system.
A) True
B) False
29. One emerging area of inquiry that makes important use of systems concepts is the study
of policy communication.
A) True
B) False
31. Equifinality refers to the notion that there is "one best way" to organize.
A) True
B) False
34. Loosely coupled systems are always superior to tightly coupled systems.
A) True
B) False
35. According to Karl Weick, loosely coupled systems are not able to withstand jolts from
the environment.
A) True
B) False
Page 6
36. Interdependence refers to the relationship between the whole and the individual parts.
A) True
B) False
38. In systems theory, there are two main types of feedback: direct and indirect.
A) True
B) False
39. Weick's theory of retrospective sense making does not take into account people who
strive to act only in accordance with predetermined plans.
A) True
B) False
40. The typical college or university exemplifies a loosely coupled system, because the
actions of one department often have little impact on the actions of another department.
A) True
B) False
41. Draw connections between general systems theory as it applies to biological and
physical sciences as well as how it has been adapted to the social sciences.
45. How is systems theory unique from the other three theoretical approaches to
organizational communication?
Page 7
46. Explain the concept of an open system. Provide an example that illustrates your point.
48. Describe how equifinality operates in organizations. Offer an example of this concept
that illustrates your point.
49. Illustrate Weick's process of sense making, and explain its importance to organizational
communication.
51. Explain Weick's quotation, "How can I know what I think until I see what I say?"
Moreover, use his model of retrospective sense making to explain how Weick's
approach has shifted to a more relationally based quotation, "How can we know what
we think until we see what we say?"
52. The concept of interdependence is a central concept to the systems approach. Explain
interdependence by demonstrating how it relates to the other concepts associated with
the systems approach. Conclude your essay by offering a very detailed example of how
interdependence makes a system work.
53. The concept of feedback is particularly important to systems theory. Explain how
feedback operates in a systems approach, paying particular attention to deviation-
counteracting versus deviation-amplifying feedback.
Page 8
Answer Key
1. B
2. C
3. A
4. D
5. D
6. D
7. C
8. D
9. B
10. B
11. D
12. B
13. C
14. A
15. C
16. B
17. A
18. C
19. C
20. D
21. D
22. C
23. B
24. A
25. B
26. A
27. B
28. B
29. A
30. A
31. B
32. A
33. A
34. B
35. B
36. A
37. A
38. B
39. A
40. A
41.
42.
43.
44.
Page 9
45.
46.
47.
48.
49.
50.
51.
52.
53.
Page 10
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hailstones. Instinctively dropping on my knees, I gripped an angle of
the rock, curled up like a young fern frond with my face pressed
against my breast, and in this attitude submitted as best I could to
my thundering bath. The heavier masses seemed to strike like
cobblestones, and there was a confused noise of many waters about
my ears—hissing, gurgling, clashing sounds that were not heard as
music. The situation was quickly realized. How fast one’s thoughts
burn in such times of stress! I was weighing chances of escape.
Would the column be swayed a few inches away from the wall, or
would it come yet closer? The fall was in flood and not so lightly
would its ponderous mass be swayed. My fate seemed to depend on
a breath of the “idle wind.” It was moved gently forward, the
pounding ceased, and I was once more visited by glimpses of the
moon. But fearing I might be caught at a disadvantage in making too
hasty a retreat, I moved only a few feet along the bench to where a
block of ice lay. I wedged myself between the ice and the wall, and
lay face downwards, until the steadiness of the light gave
encouragement to rise and get away. Somewhat nerve-shaken,
drenched, and benumbed, I made out to build a fire, warmed myself,
ran home, reached my cabin before daylight, got an hour or two of
sleep, and awoke sound and comfortable, better, not worse, for my
hard midnight bath.—From “The Yosemite.” Copyright by The
Century Co., New York, and used by their kind permission.
SOMBRE[7]
By William Wetmore Story
Long golden beams from the setting sun swept over the plains of
Andalusia, and fell upon the Geralda tower of the great cathedral of
Sevilla, many miles in the distance. In their path they illumined a
stretch of vast pastures enclosed by whitened stone walls, and
dotted with magnificent cattle. In a far corner of one of the
enclosures the figure of a young girl passed through an arched stone
gateway. As she paused to look upon the scattered groups of
grazing beasts, the level rays played in lights and shadows upon the
waving masses of dark chestnut hair, richly health-tinted young face,
creamy neck, and large, lustrous eyes now painfully dry, as if tears
were exhausted. She gazed from group to group, calling eagerly,
“Sombre! Sombre!”
A pair of long, gleaming horns rose abruptly amid the browsing
herd, and a magnificent bull came towards her at a brisk trot. The
sunbeams glinted upon his dark coat as it swelled and sank under
the play of powerful muscles. His neck and shoulders were leonine
in massive strength, the legs and hind-quarters as sleek and
symmetrical as those of a race-horse, but his ferociousness was
held in check by that devoted love dumb animals express for those
who love them.
In a moment the young girl’s white arms were thrown around the
animal’s dusky neck, and her cheek was lain against the silken skin.
“Oh, Sombre!” she murmured, “do you know what they are going to
do with you? Papa wants to send you to the Plaza de Toros! I have
begged him in vain to spare you. Does he think after Anita has
brought you from a tiny calf to be such a beautiful, dear toro that she
can give you to the cruel matador to be tortured, made crazy and
killed?”
She was sobbing bitterly, and the devoted beast was striving
vainly to turn his head far enough to lick the fair neck bending down
upon his. Presently the sobbing ceased, and she stroked the strong
shoulders with her small hand.
“Never fear, Sombre, if they take you to Sevilla Anita will find a
way to save you! Now, say good night.”
Sombre thrust out his huge tongue and licked the little hand and
arms. Then she bent forward and kissed him on the frowning, furry
forehead and departed.
Anita’s path homeward lay through another field where a herd of
cattle were being driven. A young herdsman, riding a strong horse at
a brisk canter, saw the young girl enter from the adjoining pasture.
With joyful exclamation in English he rode towards her calling,
“Anita, have you seen the posters?”
Waiting until he reached her side, with bated breath she asked, “Is
—is Sombre advertised?”
“Yes, on the outer gateway. But here, I have a poster in my
pocket.”
Plaza de Toros de Sevilla
May 17.
Anniversary of the King’s Birthday,
Six Bulls to be killed,
The two magnificent brother bulls
Sol and Sombre,
and others very ferocious,
against
The intrepid Matadores,
Lariato, the American, and
Amador, of Sevilla.
“It is cruel of them, cruel! (Reading) ‘Lariato, the American.’ Why,
that is yourself! You will spare him! You will spare my Sombre!”
“They do not permit me to fight Don Alonzo’s bulls, for I raise them
and they would not fight me. Amador will fight Sombre.”
“No, no! You must fight Sombre. That wicked Amador will kill him!”
“But so would I, Anita, or be killed by him!”
Anita was silent for a time; suddenly she exclaimed: “Orlando, do
you love me well enough to put faith in a promise which will seem
impossible of fulfillment?”
“God knows I do!”
“Then listen; if Sombre goes to the Plaza de Toros, you must fight
him and spare him even though they hiss and jeer at you.”
“Death is easier. Perhaps the managers will let me fight him, for
you have raised him, and I can tell them that I have scarcely seen
him. I will fight him, Anita, and for your sake I will let him kill me!”
“No, no, Orlando, for this is my promise, even in the last extremity
Sombre shall not harm you!”
“And then, Anita!”
“Then I will leave my father’s house and go with you. We will buy
Sombre and go to those plains in your country you love so to tell
about. You will become a ranch hero, and Sombre shall be the
patriarch of our herd!”
“I have tried that once and failed!”
“Ah, but you had neither Sombre nor Anita then!” And waving him
a kiss she ran off across the field.
On the 17th of May, in the Plaza de Toros, there was a murmur
from thousands of throats like the magnified hum of bees. Amador of
Sevilla had killed several bulls and now there was a short
intermission. In a stall of the lowest tier sat Anita alone. Presently a
band of music began a stately march, and under a high stone
archway a long procession advanced. First, gaudily caparisoned
picadors on blindfolded studs, two by two, separated and came to a
halt, facing the center, with long lances abreast. Then red-coated
toreadors carrying long barbs, with brilliant streamers of ribbon,
grouped themselves near the heavy closed doors of the bull-pen;
finally, the capeadors in yellow satin, carrying flaming red capes on
their arms, filed around like the mounted picadors and stood
between their studs.
The music ceased, the murmur of voices died away, and the gates
of the bull-pen were thrown open. At a quick trot, a great black bull
dashed in, receiving in his shoulders as he passed the toreador’s
two short barbs. Anita gripped her chair and gasped, “Sombre!”
Coming from a darkened pen, Sombre had trotted eagerly forward,
expecting to find himself once more in his loved pastures, but he
paused, bewildered in the glare of light. Hither and thither he turned
in nervous abruptness, his head raised high, his tail slowly lashing
his flanks. Then he lowered his grand head and sniffed the earth,
and then he smelled fresh, warm blood, the blood of his own kind.
With gathering rage he lowered his keen horns close to the ground
and gave a deep, hoarse bellow of defiance, flinging clod after clod
with his forefeet high above his back. Then there flaunted toward him
a red object at which he charged, but it swept aside, and a new sting
of pain was felt in his neck, and warm blood was trickling over his
glossy skin. Again and again he charged, but each time the red thing
vanished and there was more pain, more torturing barbs that
maddened him.
Presently a horseman advanced with lowered spear. Surely horse
and rider could not vanish. Ah, no! Sombre found that it was not
intended that they should. Rushing upon them he struck them with
such a blow that they were forced backwards twenty feet and both
gave a scream of pain. The picador was dragged away with a broken
leg, and the horse lay lifeless, for Sombre’s horn had pierced its
heart. Instantly a great cry went up from that crater of humanity,
“Bravo! Bravo, Toro! Bravo, Sombre!”
More than once he earned that grand applause, then his
tormentors disappeared and through one of the archways advanced
a young man tall and athletic. On his left arm hung a scarlet mantle,
and in his right hand he carried a long, keen sword. Passing under
the archway, the matador swept his sword in military salute, then
with lowered point he stepped into the arena and faced his
antagonist. Upon all fell an awful silence, for Lariato and Sombre
were met in a struggle to the death!
For a time the combatants stood motionless, eyeing each other
intently. Then came stealthy movements, hither and thither, then
thundering, desperate charges, and graceful, hair-breadth escapes.
At last in one great charge, Sombre’s horn tore the mantle from
Lariato’s arm and carrying it half around the ring, as a flaming
banner, the bull ground and trampled it in the dust. A slight hissing
was heard in the audience which turned to thundering applause
when Lariato contemptuously refused a new mantle! The audience
became breathless, the man alone was now the mad beast’s target!
Sombre, dripping with blood and perspiration, his flanks swelling
and falling in his great gasps for breath, his eyes half blinded by the
dust and glare of the arena, gave the matador one brief glance, then
with head low down, charged upon him. Lariato’s long keen blade
was lowered confidently to its death-dealing slant.
Just as the murderous sword-point seemed about to sink through
the bull’s shoulders, into his very heart, a despairing woman’s cry
reached the matador’s ears. Then a mighty hiss, interspersed with
hoots and jeers, went up from the exasperated spectators, for the
bull thundered on, with the sword scarcely penetrating the tough
muscles, standing upright between his shoulders, while Lariato stood
disarmed.
Coming to a standstill far beyond his antagonist, Sombre shook
his huge neck and the sword spun high into the air and fell toward
the center of the ring. Lariato took several steps toward it, but
tottered and fell upon the ground in a swoon, for he had been
severely bruised.
With an exultant roar, the bull rushed back to complete his victory;
the hissing and the hooting was hushed, and groans of horror filled
the air. Suddenly, just as the animal had gained full headway in his
murderous charge, a slight, white figure glided into the ring, and a
clear voice cried “Sombre!”
At the sound of that voice, the charging beast came strainingly to a
halt, threw up his head, and gazed eagerly about, then turned and
rushed toward the girl! Capeadors hurried forward flaunting their red
capes, but she waved them back.
“Go back! You shall torment him no more, my poor, tortured,
wounded Sombre!”
In a moment the great beast was beside her, licking her dress and
arms and hands. As she deftly extricated the barbs from his neck
and shoulders, the thousands of throats around them shrieked out a
vast pandemonium of bravos. Blood was covering her hands and
staining her dress, but Anita was blind to it. Meanwhile Lariato had
struggled to his feet and hurried towards her. “God bless you,” he
was saying, but she pushed past him with a glad smile, saying,
“Wait, I have something to say to them!”
Standing in the middle of the ring, Anita waited for silence.
Delaying until not a sound was heard, she said in a clear voice that
reached every ear:
“Jeer not at Lariato; he spared my pet, my Sombre, because he
loved me.”
No matador ever gained such applause as followed. Bouquets,
sombreros, scarfs, and full purses showered into the ring, and as
that strange group stood facing the ovation, “Bravo, Lariato, Bravo,
la Señorita de Toros, Bravo, Sombre!” rang out and reëchoed over
the distant housetops.
KAWEAH’S RUN
By Clarence King
As I walked over to see Kaweah at the corral, I glanced down the
river, and saw, perhaps a quarter of a mile below, two horsemen ride
down our bank, spur their horses into the stream, swim to the other
side, and struggle up a steep bank, disappearing among bunches of
cottonwood trees near the river.
They were Spaniards—the same who had swum King’s River the
afternoon before, and, as it flashed on me finally, the two whom I had
studied so attentively at Visalia. Then I at once saw their purpose
was to waylay me, and made up my mind to give them a lively run.
I decided to strike across, and jumping into the saddle threw
Kaweah into a sharp trot.
I glanced at my girth and then at the bright copper upon my pistol,
and settled myself firmly.
By this time I had regained the road, which lay before me traced
over the blank, objectless plain in vanishing perspective. Fifteen
miles lay between me and a station; Kaweah and pistol were my only
defense, yet at that moment I felt a thrill of pleasure, a wild moment
of inspiration, almost worth the danger to experience.
I glanced over my shoulder and found that the Spaniards were
crowding their horses to their fullest speed; their hoofs, rattling on