AACSB: Ethical understanding and reasoning
Difficulty: Moderate
Classification: Application
Learning Outcome: Describe best practices in team and interpersonal communication
89) Which of the following is an example of an ethical dilemma?
A) deciding whether or not to inform employees that layoffs are coming as they work on finishing a big project
B) deciding whether or not to tell an employee that he needs to improve his performance
C) deciding whether or not to use the copy machine for personal papers
D) deciding whether or not to declare the costs of your vacation travel as a deductible business expense
E) deciding whether to use your corporate credit card to buy fuel for a personal trip
Answer: A
Explanation: A) An ethical dilemma involves choosing among alternatives that are not clear-cut. Perhaps two conflicting alternatives are both ethical and valid, or perhaps the alternatives lie somewhere in the gray area between clearly right and clearly wrong. Every company has responsibilities to multiple groups of people inside and outside the firm, and those various groups often have competing interests.
LO: 1.6: Define ethics, explain the difference between an ethical dilemma and an ethical lapse, and list six guidelines for making ethical communication choices.
AACSB: Ethical understanding and reasoning
Difficulty: Moderate
Classification: Critical Thinking
Learning Outcome: Describe best practices in team and interpersonal communication
90) Which of the following is an example of an ethical lapse?
A) putting unsigned suggestions in the company suggestion box
B) sharing confidential information with a new employer about your previous (competing) employer's major clients
C) telling your supervisor that another employee is stealing office supplies
D) providing incorrect data in a report, even though you did not know it was incorrect at the time
E) sharing a negative earnings report with your supervisor
Answer: B
Explanation: B) An ethical lapse is nothing more complicated than doing something that you know is wrong. It is referred to as a "lapse" because it is assumed that making an unethical choice is an isolated event, rather than a pattern of behavior.
LO: 1.6: Define ethics, explain the difference between an ethical dilemma and an ethical lapse, and list six guidelines for making ethical communication choices.
AACSB: Ethical understanding and reasoning
Difficulty: Moderate
Classification: Critical Thinking
Learning Outcome: Describe best practices in team and interpersonal communication
91) To help establish clear guidelines for ethical behavior, many companies provide employees a written
A) ethics audit.
B) ethical dilemma.
C) ethical lapse.
D) code of ethics.
E) ethics contract.
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Many companies have established an explicit ethics policy by using a written code of ethics to help employees determine what is acceptable. The other answers do not involve any guidelines that a company might provide its employees.
LO: 1.6: Define ethics, explain the difference between an ethical dilemma and an ethical lapse, and list six guidelines for making ethical communication choices.
AACSB: Ethical understanding and reasoning
Difficulty: Moderate
Classification: Application
Learning Outcome: Describe best practices in team and interpersonal communication
92) Attempting to promote products and services to customers who don't know they're being marketed to is known as ________ marketing.
A) viral
B) surprise
C) undercover
D) stealth
E) hidden
Answer: D
Explanation: D) A major issue in business communication transparency is stealth marketing, which involves attempting to promote products and services to customers who do not know they are being marketed to. This type of marketing falls under ethical and legal communication and is deceptive because it does not give the target or audience the opportunity to raise their instinctive defenses against the persuasive powers of marketing messages.
LO: 1.6: Define ethics, explain the difference between an ethical dilemma and an ethical lapse, and list six guidelines for making ethical communication choices.
AACSB: Ethical understanding and reasoning
Difficulty: Moderate
Classification: Conceptual
Learning Outcome: Describe best practices in team and interpersonal communication
93) Within the context of social media, the term ________ refers to a sense of openness, of giving all participants access to the information they need to understand the messages they are receiving.