Why is it inappropriate to use the indirect approach in a message ...

[tth]

Why is it inappropriate to use the indirect approach in a message that has to do with an employee's safety?
 
  A) The audience may mistake the message for a routine communication and decide not to read it.
  B) It is most important to maintain the company's positive image and retain the customer's goodwill.
  C) This approach will not be sufficient to soften the blow of the bad news.
  D) This approach puts the audience's welfare ahead of the company's best interests.
  E) It fails to adequately prepare the audience for the bad news that will follow.

Question 2

You need to write a letter to a customer denying a claim, as the customer is responsible for the problem that she is asking you to fix. In this situation, ________.
 
  A) the direct approach is best to buffer the bad news
  B) the direct approach is preferred so that you get right to the point without introductory pleasantries
  C) the indirect approach alleviates the need to phrase the bad news tactfully
  D) the indirect approach can provide introductory information so it can be understood by the reader
  E) you should always take responsibility for the claim even if you are not to blame in order to maintain the customer's goodwill

[Jbrasil]

Answer to Question 1

Answer: A
Explanation: A) It is inappropriate to use the indirect approach in a safety message as the audience may mistake the message for a routine communication and decide not to read it. Although the audience will be surprised and potentially upset with the bad news, the audiences health is too important not to grab their attention by using the direct approach.

Answer to Question 2

Answer: D
Explanation: D) Such a message is likely to surprise and upset the reader, so it is important to provide the reader the introductory information necessary, to understand why you are not responsible.