Test Bank Docx Chapter 10 Delivering Negative Messages

Chapter 10

Delivering Negative Messages

True / False Questions

1.	Mishandled negative communication can be expensive, in terms of both money and reputation. True False

2.	Having the audience accept the bad news is a secondary purpose of negative messages. True False

3.	Agents learn to respond to customer complaints by empathizing with a frustrated customer. This can make a difference between a bad experience and a good experience. True False

4.	Messages that at first appear to be negative cannot be structured to create a positive feeling. True False

5.	While delivering negative messages to clients, it is important to make inconspicuous refusals so that the clients do not feel offended. True False

6.	Teresa, a project manager, sends an e-mail to her subordinate informing him that he is going to be laid off. This is a recommended way to communicate serious negative messages to team members. True False

7.	When choosing a channel for delivering bad news, you should consider the type and complexity of the explanation. True False

8.	In a negative message, it is best to emphasize a refusal by placing it in a paragraph by itself. True False

9.	Giving your audience an alternative or a compromise in a negative message allows you to end on a positive note. True False

10.	In a negative message, you should ensure that good alternatives are mentioned in the ending. True False

11.	All negative messages should contain an apology in order to sound sincere. True False

12.	Japanese often see apologies as a way of taking the blame. True False

13.

Hiroku, the sales manager of a manufacturing firm in Japan, apologizes to Samantha, the purchasing manager of Nezzles Inc., a consumer goods manufacturer in America for sending her defective goods. It is likely that Samantha will interpret his apology to mean that he is expressing regret, but not taking responsibility for the mistake.

True False

14.	To maintain the correct tone in a negative message, check your draft carefully for positive emphasis and you-attitude at the level of ideas, not individual words. True False

15.	The phrase "unfortunately" is appropriate in a negative message and helps a writer empathize with the audience. True False

16.	The words used to state a reason for a refusal are independent of context. True False

17.	You should present disciplinary notices and negative performance appraisals indirectly with buffers. True False

18.	While creating messages regarding layoffs and firings, it is good to state the reasons in a way that is clear, but does not expose the organization to legal liabilities. True False

19.	It is always better to work out a customer problem in a public forum, so that the public can see how you deal with customers. True False

20.	Social media are always the most effective channels to solve customer complaints, because they expand the positivity. True False

Multiple Choice Questions

21.

Which of the following is least likely to be a type of negative message?

A.	A rejection or refusal

B.	An announcement of a policy change that suits the audience

C.	A negative performance review

D.	A disciplinary notice

E.	A notice of defect for a product and a product recall

22.

One of the primary purposes of a negative message is to:

A.	reduce further communication on the same subject.

B.	retain a good image of the communicator's organization.

C.	avoid creating more work for the sender.

D.	maintain as much goodwill as possible.

E.	maintain a good image of the communicator.

23.

Which of the following is true of negative messages?

A.	They are no longer a part of business and administrative communication.

B.	They do not attempt to maintain goodwill.

C.	They have a single purpose of eliminating future communication on an issue.

D.	They cannot be restructured to create a positive feeling.

E.	They should make readers feel that the decision made is fair and reasonable.

24.

Which of the following is recommended while conveying bad news to customers?

A.	Present good reasons for a refusal at the end of a message.

B.	Convey the negative news twice in a message in order for it to be clear.

C.	Present negative information ambiguously to avoid offending the customer.

D.	Present an alternative or compromise if one is available.

E.	Ask for an action that will help the customer accept the consequences easily.

25.

Jovina, a delivery manager, is required to inform a client that she will not be able to make his delivery by the required date. Her company has been dealing with a labor strike, which will delay the delivery by almost a week. Since Jovina has a good relationship with this client, she expects him to understand. In which of the following ways should Jovina put across the negative message to her client?

A.	She should first inform him about the strike and then state that the delivery will be delayed.

B.	She should clearly and unemotionally tell him that there might be a delay in delivery, but she should not provide any other information.

C.	She should begin by telling him that one of her team members had forgotten to inform her of the delivery date.

D.	She should mention the delay at least a few times in the body to ensure the message is clear to him.

E.	She should end her message with an apology and a statement of regret.

26.

A negative message to a customer should end with:

A.	an account of how the problem occurred.

B.	a statement restating the problem.

C.	clear data about the negative information.

D.	explanation of the history of the problem.

E.	a positive, forward-looking statement.

27.

Which of the following is the best way to begin a negative message to a customer to make it more likely that the customer will read the letter?

A.	Turning the negative message into a persuasive one

B.	Presenting the negative information in a positive way

C.	Using a buffer and then presenting the bad news

D.	Putting the bad news first, while pairing it with an alternative

E.	Presenting only alternatives without mentioning the bad news

28.

Freddy is in charge of the efficient functioning of the assembly line of a well-known cell phone manufacturing company. On Monday, Freddy faced a problem which caused the assembly line to be stopped for two hours. This caused a delay in production and a possible financial loss to the company. While informing his boss of the delay, Freddy should remember to:

A.	tell him the problem, emotionally.

B.	state only one alternative to the problem, even though there are more.

C.	avoid making suggestions to fix the problem.

D.	wait for his boss to suggest a solution.

E.	describe the underlying factors that led to the specific problem.

29.

Which of the following ways is the right way to deal with criticism?

A.	Focus more on your response than the criticism.

B.	Listen carefully even if you don't value the person.

C.	Defend yourself, but do not express anger.

D.	Accept the criticism without asking questions.

E.	Consider it as a misunderstanding if it cannot be clarified and let it go.

30.

Ann has been called into an unplanned meeting with her supervisor, who wants to give her feedback on her recent project. During the meeting, Ann's supervisor criticizes her style of working and her inability to focus on her tasks. Which of the following should Ann do to deal with the criticism effectively?

A.	She should focus on her response instead of on the criticism.

B.	She should attempt to determine the accuracy of the criticism.

C.	She should express her true feelings about the criticism.

D.	She should clarify her stance and then forget about the criticism.

E.	She should avoid asking any questions as this will encourage further criticism.

31.

Which of the following actions is recommended when dealing with criticism?

A.	Focus on your response, not on the criticism.

B.	Ask questions to show that you are listening.

C.	Ignore criticism that seems off base.

D.	Express your anger honestly.

E.	Clarify the misunderstanding, but do not make any changes.

32.

When receiving criticism from a supervisor, which of the following actions will help you judge the quality of the criticism?

A.	Focusing on your response

B.	Expressing your resentment

C.	Ignoring the criticism

D.	Asking questions

E.	Criticizing the supervisor

33.

Adella is a campaign manager at a not-for-profit organization. She notices that one of her subordinates, Mary has not achieved any of her objectives for an ongoing campaign. After speaking to the other campaign managers, Adella discovers that Mary has not achieved her objectives for some other projects as well. After her discussion with the HR department, Adella decides that Mary should be terminated. In which of the following ways should Adella convey this news to Mary?

A.	Adella should send Mary an e-mail telling her that she has been terminated.

B.	Adella should send Mary a text message informing her that she must not resume work the next day.

C.	Adella should present the reasons for Mary's termination ambiguously to avoid offending her.

D.	Adella should deliver this news to Mary in person instead of through e-mail or phone.

E.	Adella should present the news in such a way that it comes as a surprise to Mary.

34.

April needs to let her supervisor know that she will not be able to make her presentation to a client on the scheduled date. Before sending the message, she considers the severity of the message, the degree of surprise the supervisor will experience, her corporate culture, and her relationship with the supervisor. In this scenario, April is most likely considering these factors in order to:

A.	identify a language in which to deliver the bad news.

B.	decide whether or not she should deliver the bad news at all.

C.	determine the level of honesty she should include in the bad news.

D.	determine who she can recommend to make the presentation instead of her.

E.	choose a channel for delivering the bad news.

35.

Which of the following should you do while creating a subject line for a negative message?

A.	Use a generic subject line when readers may ignore the message.

B.	Use a negative subject line when the reader needs the information to make a decision.

C.	Use a neutral subject line in order to ensure that the reader reads the message.

D.	Use an ambiguous subject line when the reader needs to make a decision.

E.	Use a buffer in the subject line so that it stands out and draws the reader's attention.

36.

Estefani is an HR manager at a bank in Exodia, a developing country. She is organizing a 500m marathon for the bank's customers and employees. The funds from this event will contribute to a project for the education of underprivileged children. However, the event is just a week away and the participation has been extremely low. This may cause the bank to cancel the event. Estefani needs to inform her manager about the low participation, so that he can take an immediate decision on it. Which of the following would be the best subject line for Estefani's e-mail?

A.	Status of the Exodia Marathon Event

B.	Low participation for Exodia Marathon Event

C.	Update on the Exodia Marathon Event

D.	Details: Exodia Marathon Event

E.	Urgent: Marathon Update for your Reference

37.

A negative _____ in a message should be used when you feel that the reader may ignore what could seem like a routine message.

body

B.	illustration

C.	subject line

D.	conclusion

summary

38.

Which of the following parts of a negative message allows you to delay the negative with the help of a neutral or positive statement?

A.	Subject line

Buffer

Reason

D.	Alternative

Ending

39.

Which of the following must be true of a buffer for it to be effective?

A.	It should put the reader in a negative frame of mind to accept the bad news.

B.	It should convey the bad news explicitly in the beginning of a message.

C.	It should convey bad news to a reader ambiguously to avoid antagonizing him or her.

D.	It should provide a smooth, natural transition to the body of the letter.

E.	It should convert bad news into good news through persuasion.

40.

Which of the following makes a good buffer for a negative message?

A.	Putting the reader in a less positive frame of mind

B.	Stating a specific principle

C.	Starting with the bad news

D.	Implying a positive

E.	Thanking the reader for something he or she has done

41.

Lola works as a campaign manager at a marine conservation organization. For the past five years, she has been working on a campaign that has gained a lot of support from the public. This has resulted in a huge number of volunteers for the campaign. Recently, however, due to lack of budget, the campaign was temporarily closed. Lola needs to convey this negative message to the volunteers. Which of the following illustrates the most effective buffer statement that should employed by Lola in her message?

A.	I am sorry to inform you but work on the campaign is closed for now.

B.	Due to the negative response from the wildlife department, work on the campaign is temporarily closed.

C.	The campaign is over for this year and we will start again in 2015.

D.	Thank you for working with us to help the campaign gain force.

E.	We will no longer be working on the campaign this year. Thank you for all your support.

42.

Which of the following is a result of providing a reason for a negative message?

A.	It results in the audience being "totally surprised" by the negative news.

B.	It results in the audience having stronger feelings about the negative message.

C.	It prepares the audience for the negative, resulting in people who more easily accept it.

D.	It prepares the audience for an appropriately angry response.

E.	It helps dilute the negative message so that the audiences are not expecting it.

43.

Which of the following is recommended while providing refusals in a message?

A.	De-emphasize the refusal by placing it in a different paragraph from that of the reason.

B.	Ensure that the implication is ambiguous, so that the reader is not easily offended.

C.	Ensure that another message is not required for conveying the same message again.

D.	Emphasize the refusal by putting it in a separate paragraph by itself.

E.	Present both strong and weak reasons for a refusal and let the audience choose between them.

44.

Which of the following is recommended while providing alternatives in a negative message to an audience?

A.	Execute the alternatives stated in the message and ask the audience for approval.

B.	Provide only limited information to the audience to act on the alternatives.

C.	Limit the audience's psychological freedom to refuse the alternatives.

D.	Allow the audience to decide whether they want to try the alternatives.

E.	Take the necessary steps to implement the alternatives.

45.

Jessica has been a loyal customer of the Deluxe Bank for over ten years. Over the years, she has never faced any major problems with the bank. However, when she applied for a house loan recently, her request was rejected. In response, Jessica closed her current account with the bank and switched to another bank. Her response best illustrates the phenomenon of _____.

A.	psychological repression

B.	emotional regression

C.	psychological reactance

D.	psychodynamics

E.	psychodrama

46.

Which of the following is a benefit of providing an audience with alternatives in a negative message?

A.	It increases the audience's psychological reactance.

B.	It enables the audience to reestablish their sense of freedom.

C.	It encourages the audience to assert their freedom in another area.

D.	It enables the audience to act in a way that might hurt you.

E.	It limits the audience's independence.

47.

In business documents, apologies should:

A.	not take timing into account because it is irrelevant.

B.	be an integral part of all negative messages.

C.	always be placed at the end of a message.

D.	be mentioned twice in a message in order to sound sincere.

E.	not be used when you are not at fault.

48.

Deborah's supervisor has asked her to send him the progress report of a campaign she worked on. To send the report, she needs to collect updates from other managers on the project. She does not receive an update from the communication manager and is, therefore, unable to send the report on time. Which of the following illustrates the most appropriate apology for Deborah to send to her supervisor?

A.	Please consider my sincere apologies for the delay. I had to wait for the update from the communication manager. It was not my fault.

B.	I am sorry I could not send the report in on time. The communication manager sent the update this afternoon.

C.	I needed an update from the communication manager to send you the report. Now that I have it, please find the report enclosed with this e-mail.

D.	Do consider apologies from our entire team for not sending the report on time.

E.	I am sorry I could not meet the deadline for submitting the report. I can assure you it will not happen again.

49.

Which of the following statements is true of cross-cultural apologizing?

A.	Western cultures assume that apologies are ways of expressing regret.

B.	Group-oriented cultures assume that apologies are a way to take responsibility for mistakes.

C.	The reactions to apologies are deeply tied to culture.

D.	Cultural differences in interpreting apologies are relevant in social situations only.

E.	Cross-cultural apologizing is easy.

50.

In business communication, tone is particularly important when:

A.	you want readers to feel that you have taken their requests seriously.

B.	you want readers to understand the mistakes they've made.

C.	you are not focusing on maintaining goodwill.

D.	you are not demonstrating empathy toward a reader.

E.	you are checking a document at the level of individual words only.

51.

If Tina is angry about her team's failure to meet a deadline, how should she communicate this to her team?

A.	She should single-handedly determine a way to prevent the problem from happening again.

B.	She should communicate with her team outside the organization.

C.	She should point out how the problem affects her and no one else.

D.	She should point out how the problem impacts other people or the company.

E.	She should use "should have" statements to tell the team what they should have done.

52.

Jetline Airways regularly e-mails its customers with quarterly statements of their earned frequent flier miles. Now, to save money, the company is going to stop mailing statements and ask customers to look up the information on the airline's website. Which of the following illustrates the best way to recast the situation as a positive message?

A.	This is your last Preferred Passenger paper statement.

B.	Next month onwards, we will be unable to mail you frequent flier miles earned.

C.	New, convenient online statements will replace this quarterly mailing.

D.	Please check our website every time you need details about frequent flier miles earned.

E.	If you need updates about frequent flier miles earned, refer to our website.

53.

Damario's employee made an error in a quotation that was sent to one of Damario's valued customers. This placed Damario in an extremely awkward position with the customer. Damario was furious with his employee and wanted to communicate this to him in the best way possible. Which of the following statements illustrates the best use of a phrase that communicates an appropriate tone?

A.	I want you to have your documents reviewed by a peer before you send them to the customer.

B.	Are you always this incompetent?

C.	You should have double-checked the document before you sent it to our customer.

D.	Please learn from your mistakes.

E.	You have put me in an awkward position and this should not happen again.

54.

Which of the following negative messages is the hardest to compose?

A.	Product recalls

Pamphlets

C.	Sales letters

D.	Press releases

Brochures

55.

Which of the following is true of claims in business communication?

A.	They should always be conveyed through a paper trail instead of a phone call.

B.	They should invariably start with a buffer because this will ensure that they are seen as valid.

C.	They should include supporting facts such as what went wrong and the extent of damage.

D.	They should be free from identifiers because they tend to cloud a reader's judgment.

E.	They should ambiguously provide the problem at the end of a message.

56.

Selena's flight back to her hometown was delayed by two days, and she was very upset about having to pay for two additional nights at her hotel. While writing a complaint to the airline, which of the following should Selena follow?

A.	She should ask for reimbursement of her accommodation expenses for those two days.

B.	She should write in length explaining her predicament.

C.	She should threaten to never fly with the airlines again.

D.	She should begin the letter with a buffer.

E.	She should ask the airlines to pay her for her entire trip's accommodation.

57.

Which of the following is recommended while writing rejections and refusals?

A.	Avoid providing an alternative because it tends to shift focus from the refusal.

B.	Make the message short and aggressive so that the reader takes it seriously.

C.	Double-check the words to ensure that the message means different things in different situations.

D.	Use your knowledge of the organization's culture for messages within the organization.

E.	Avoid using knowledge about the specific individual while crafting the message.

58.

Stillex Corp. is currently in the process of hiring recent college graduates for its internship positions. While e-mailing candidates who did not qualify for an in-person interview round, the company should:

A.	suggest an alternate position for which the candidates can apply.

B.	state that the procedures of the hiring process are confidential.

C.	keep the e-mail short and concise.

D.	phrase the refusal directly.

E.	list out the reasons why the candidates were not selected.

59.

Which of the following is true of resignation letters written by employees?

A.	The best letters try to neutralize the organization's feeling that they are not good enough.

B.	The best letters try to convey the message that the organization is not good enough.

C.	Positive letters can impact your chances for receiving a positive recommendation in the future.

D.	Whether letters are positive or negative, they receive positive recommendations in the future.

E.	Resignation letters are easy to write because they do not have serious future implications.

60.

Which of the following should be undertaken while creating disciplinary notices?

A.	Present them directly to increase their importance.

B.	Present them by starting and ending with a positive statement.

C.	Minimize the severity of an issue with the help of buffers.

D.	Use generalizations and inferences for all statements made.

E.	Avoid citing quantifiable observations of the employee's behavior.

61.

Leigh has received repeated negative feedback about her attitude toward her co-workers. In spite of this, she has continued to behave disrespectfully with a few of them. Which of the following is a suitable response from the company in this situation?

A.	To present Leigh with a disciplinary notice with no buffer in the beginning

B.	To make inferences about Leigh based on her behavior

C.	To make generalizations about Leigh's behavior patterns

D.	To cite general observations about Leigh's behavior while giving her feedback

E.	To fire Leigh without any warning before productivity is affected

62.

Performance reviews will be positive when they are designed to:

A.	expose the company to legal liabilities.

B.	help the company build a dossier to support firing an employee.

C.	help an underperforming employee excel.

D.	help when an employee violates company policy.

E.	help a basically good employee improve.

63.

Which of the following is a likely result of communicating honest reasons for a company's layoffs?

A.	It is unlikely to protect the company from legal liabilities.

B.	It is less likely to cause employees to sue the company.

C.	It may make it more difficult to save jobs.

D.	It makes layoff notices necessary.

E.	It will permanently help the bottom line.

64.

Which of the following is true of layoffs?

A.	They never happen for personal reasons.

B.	They provide long-term savings.

C.	They should only be delivered orally.

D.	They hurt the productivity of remaining employees.

E.	They require no explanation by the employers.

65.

Which of the following is NOT true of using technology for negative messages?

A.	The role of social media for the communication of negative messages is diminishing.

B.	Handling communication on social media is a delicate operation for any company.

C.	An ill-conceived response to a posting can easily go viral.

D.	Getting into a verbal brawl on a public forum does no good for a business.

E.	It is far better to work out a customer-problem off-line.

Short Answer Questions

66.	With the help of an example, illustrate two primary purposes of a negative message.

67.	List the steps for organizing a message conveying bad news to superiors?

68.

David Mason is a sales manager at a telecom company and recently reviewed the sales report of one of the company's outlets. He is disappointed to see the low sale of mobile connections and now needs to convey the message to his subordinates. What kind of an organization should he follow while conveying his message?

69.	List the factors which influence an audience's reaction to bad news.

70.	How can you best express refusals in a message? Explain.

71.	List several reasons why giving the audience an alternative is a good idea.

72.	Insta Bank. cannot increase the credit amount for Mr. Davis's credit card, because of his poor credit history with the bank. While explaining this to Mr. Davis in an e-mail, what should the bank manager, Yolande, consider?

73.	List the phrases which you should avoid in negative messages? Why?

74.	What are some key guidelines to follow while writing a claim?

75.	Explain why are social media not effective channels to solve customer complaints?

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Created Date:

Aug 21, 2025

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Chapter 10 Delivering Negative Messages

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