Chapter 1

Which of the following is true of credibility? A. Its importance in the post-trust era has decreased. B. People gain credibility more easily than they lose it. C. It is an important basis for effective communication. D. Neither words nor actions can damage a reputation for credibility. E. It has no relationship to transparency and accountability.

_____ refers to the knowledge and skills needed to accomplish business tasks, approach business problems, and get a job done. A. transparency B. accountability C. power D. competence E. character

Which of the following is true of competence? A. A person's reputation for competence is influenced by his or her communication skills. B. Competence is best acquired by reading about the topic rather than through experience. C. Competence is an inherited trait and cannot be developed through experience. D. Competence is demonstrated by taking a passive role in business. E. Too much emphasis on results decreases the perception of a person's competence

One of the traits associated with competence is "a focus on action." This specifically implies A. establishing an atmosphere of trust and goodwill. B. seizing business opportunities when they present themselves. C. adhering to high moral and ethical standards. D. seeking a low-profile, passive role in your organization. E. being accountable to no one but yourself.

An "emphasis on results" is a trait associated with A. character. B. transparency. C. caring. D. ethics. E. competence.

In the business world, caring can be demonstrated by A. considering the needs of customers and employees. B. sharing relevant information with stakeholders. C. emphasizing the results of decisions and actions. D. focusing mainly on the tasks that need to be done. E. recognizing and acting on business opportunities.

A sense of caring is demonstrated by an employer who A. prioritizes the development of his or her employees' skills. B. encourages employees to work as individuals rather than as teams. C. communicates using me-oriented, not we-oriented, phrases. D. separates personal values from corporate values. E. establishes more hierarchical communication structures.

Jerry, the CEO of Turbo Inc., is a successful business leader with a reputation for caring. Which of the following statements would prove this? A. He prioritizes the development of his company over the well-being of his team. B. His communication style is me-oriented, not we-oriented. C. He strives to understand the interests and aspirations of his employees. D. His leadership style is result-oriented and not relationship-oriented. E. He believes he is accountable to nobody but himself.

A business leader can cultivate a sense of community by A. encouraging employees to work as individuals rather than as a team. B. developing new strategies to sell different products to different markets. C. having a communication style that is we-oriented, not me-oriented. D. refusing to give in to pressure by the stakeholders. E. prioritizing the development of his company at the expense of his employees.

_____ refers to a reputation for adhering to high moral and ethical values. A. competence B. character C. community D. transparency E. accountability

Which of the following statements accurately describes the role played by character in the establishment of credibility? A. Character has become less important in the post-trust era. B. Character-based traits are the least important determinants of trust in the workplace. C. A decrease in transparency positively influences character. D. Character is especially important in long-term, collaborative relationships. E. An increase in accountability adversely affects character.

The rules of conduct or moral principles that guide individual or group behavior are known as A. transparency. B. accountability. C. values. D. ethics. E. character.

What is the definition of business ethics? A. the skills needed to solve and overcome business problems B. the ability to seize business opportunities when they present themselves C. communication patterns that are me-oriented, not we-oriented D. the extent to which employees care for the needs of the company E. commonly held principles in the business community for acceptable behavior

The dominant business ethic in corporate communications is _____, which is "a principle that allows those affected by administrative decisions, business transactions, or charitable work to know not only the basic facts and figures but also the mechanisms and processes. It is the duty of civil servants, managers, and trustees to act visibly, predictably and understandably." A. expertise B. transparency C. caring D. competence E. hierarchy

Which action demonstrates that Joaquin acts with transparency? A. He shares his company's trade secrets with its competitors. B. He accepts gifts... and gratuities from clients C. He keeps conversations with stakeholders confidential. D. He shares all relevant information with stakeholders. E. He considers himself accountable only to himself.

How can a business leader create an environment of transparency? A. by acknowledging the concerns of employees B. by refusing to give in to stakeholder pressure C. by interpreting business values subjectively D. by establishing closed communication structures E. by hiding his or her mistakes from subordinates

Which of the following factors reduces the incidence of unethical behavior? A. opposing personal and corporate values B. a transparent atmosphere C. unaccountable business leaders D. a closed communication structure E. the subjective interpretation of business values

Corporate values are A. self-formulated values that individuals adhere to. B. personal values practiced only in the workplace. C. unwritten rules by which an industry works. D. laws imposed by the government on corporations. E. the stated and lived values of a company.

Personal values are A. the values that individuals prioritize and adhere to. B. the values that are practiced only in the workplace. C. unwritten rules by which an industry works. D. the stated and lived values of a company. E. guidelines that the government expects public companies to follow.

When personal values and corporate values are aligned, employees have more A. transparency. B. integrity. C. conflict. D. autonomy. E. confidence.

Which of the following is true of contemporary organizational culture? A. Most organizations are moving toward flatter communication structures. B. Companies no longer require employees to keep work-information confidential. C. Credibility is seldom a basis for effective communication in the business world. D. The communication structures implemented by most organizations are closed. E. Organizations that work in low-trust environments are the most successful.

The FAIR (Facts, Access, Impacts, Respect) test is intended to evaluate A. the contemporary relevance of your business's ethics. B. the financial state of your company. C. the relationship between stakeholders of different companies. D. the credibility of your business communication. E. the profits made by your company's investors.

In high-trust relationships A. communication is formal in nature. B. people view each other negatively. C. people are more willing to cooperate with each other. D. team members are more likely to miscommunicate. E. people prefer covering up mistakes rather than admitting them. them

In low-trust relationships, people tend to A. expend extra effort toward meeting team goals. B. regard the actions of other people negatively. C. communicate more efficiently. D. assume credibility easily. E. be more willing to cooperate with each other.

Laura wants to improve her employees' engagement. To do so, she should try to increase their A. skills and experience on the job. B. openness about their motives. C. accountability to team members. D. awareness of stakeholder interests. E. emotional engagement with their work.