Essentials of Business Communication 11th Edition by Mary Ellen Guffey Solution manual

 
1.8 Nonverbal Communication: How Do You Come Across? (L.O. 3)
Answers will vary. Ask students to review the aspects of nonverbal behavior discussed in this chapter and to focus on specific cues. Remind the class to look for aspects of professionalism, such as a straight but not rigid posture, and steady yet not staring eye contact. Students might observe slouching, playing with pens and pencils, or nervous gestures such as tugging at necklaces and ears, or running fingers through hair.
 
 
1.9 Nonverbal Communication: Reading Body Language (L.O. 3)  These
body movements do not necessarily mean the same thing when used by different individuals. Remember that to a certain degree nonverbal communication can be culture or subculture specific, and context always plays a major role in the interpretation of this type of communication. Students may have other interpretations, but these body movements can be construed to mean the following:
a.     Whistling, wringing hands: nervous or fearful
b.     Bowed posture, twiddling thumbs: bored
c.     Steepled hands, sprawling sitting position: contemplative or relaxed
d.     Rubbing hand through hair: frustrated or nervous
e.     Open hands, unbuttoned coat: relaxed
f.      Wringing hands, tugging ears: upset or nervous
 
1.10 Nonverbal Communication: How Best to Signal I Messed Up (L.O. 3) This is a good exercise for teams. Suggest that team members take turns demonstrating each of the nonverbal messages. They should then discuss how effective each would be. Of course, some would be quite dangerous if they require taking your hands off the steering wheel. Be sure to discuss with students the difficulty of cultural implications. Although a gesture might be effective in one country, it might not work in another.
 
1.11 Nonverbal Communication: Signals Sent by Casual Attire (L.O. 3) This activity can be expanded into a research paper topic. A variation on this activity relies on student experiences. Instead of conducting interviews in the community, they can conduct a forum among students who work, asking them to comment on casual-dress policies in the jobs they have had.
 
1.12 Nonverbal Communication: Gestures From Around the World (L.O. 3, 4) Students should be able to find a number of gestures and their meanings discussed at various websites. Here is one example: “The fingertip kiss, in which the tips of the thumb and fingers are kissed and quickly moved forward away from the face, is a sign of affection and may be used as a greeting in Sicily and Portugal. The fingertip kiss is not used often in Italy and the British Isles, but it is common in France, Germany, Greece, and Spain to signify praise.” [See Martin, J., & Chaney, L. 2006. Global business etiquette. Westport, CT: Praeger, p. 53.]
 
1.13 Intercultural Communication: Watching Those Pesky Idioms (L.O. 4)            
a.  thinking out of the box        having creative, unconventional ideas
b.  bottleneck                    a slowdown or congestion
c.  connect the dots          being able to see a relationship between discrete features
d.  hell on wheels                    an extremely difficult person
e.  drop the ball                handle things badly, make a mistake
f.  get your act together           get more organized
g. stay the course                    pursue a goal regardless of obstacles
h. in the limelight               at the center of attention
i.  low on the totem pole          the last person in a chain of command, least important
 
1.14 Intercultural Communication: Probing Cultural Stereotypes (L.O. 4, 5) This activity drives home the limiting nature of stereotypes, even positive ones. Very few of us are comfortable representing our entire culture, although others may perceive and designate us as “ambassadors” of our countries of origin. Students may find some stereotypes flattering, but most will recognize that they are ambivalent at best. Few Jewish students, for example, would enjoy being called good with money because it’s an old anti-Semitic prejudice couched in positive language. Likewise, being seen as a Latin lover is a mixed blessing, and not all Asian students are studious and nerdy. Students should also recognize that we may be amused by positive and even negative stereotypes leveled at others, but we may react with less humor once the barbs of prejudice are pointed at us.