2017 Flashcards
How can government laws and regulations result in economic risk? A. They can make businesses less safe. B. They can reduce a business’s profits. C. They can protect consumers. D. They can result in environmental problems.
B They can reduce a business’s profits. Although government regulations are designed to protect the economy, the environment, and the consumer, they can sometimes result in economic risk. Laws or regulations that require businesses to pay for environmental clean-ups or special licenses can reduce a business’s profits. And, if a government agency recalls a product, it can cost a company a huge amount of money. Government laws and regulations are typically designed to make businesses safer, to protect customers, and to protect the environment. SOURCE: BL:001 SOURCE: Farese, L.S., Kimbrell, G., & Woloszyk, C.A. (2009). Marketing essentials (3rd ed.) [p. 719]. Woodland Hills, CA: Glencoe/McGraw-Hill.
Which of the following is an important factor that affects the legal procedure: A. Larceny B. Freedom C. Misdemeanor D. Jurisdiction
D Jurisdiction. Jurisdiction involves whether a specific court has the authority to hear a case. Not all courts are able to hear all types of cases. For example, depending on the business dispute, a legal procedure might take place in a state court or a federal court. Also, a court in one state might, or might not, have jurisdiction over a business that is incorporated in another state. Freedom is not a factor that affects the legal procedure. Misdemeanor and larceny are types of crimes. SOURCE: BL:070 SOURCE: Cornell University Law School. (2016). Jurisdiction. Retrieved September 15, 2016, from https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/jurisdiction
A primary responsibility of administrative law is to A. establish congressional/parliamentary committees. B. enforce agency regulations. C. interpret constitutional laws. D. overturn lower courts’ decisions.
B Enforce agency regulations. Administrative law deals with the rules and regulations that have been established by governmental agencies. Government and independent agencies have the authority to enact and enforce regulations for various administrative functions, including aviation, taxation, and commerce. The legislative branch of government establishes congressional/parliamentary committees. The judicial branch of government interprets constitutional law and in some instances may overturn a lower court’s judicial decision. SOURCE: BL:074 SOURCE: Beatty, J.F., & Samuelson, S.S. (2008). Essentials of business law (3rd ed.) [pp. 88-90]. Mason, OH: Thomson/South-Western.
The Tafoya Company has discovered that the Bremen Company illegally used Tafoya’s trademark. To pursue a legal case for financial compensation, what should Tafoya’s legal counsel do first? A. Conduct an examination of discovery to interview all parties involved in the illegal use of the Tafoya trademark. B. File a formal complaint to the court alleging the Bremen Company’s illegal use of the Tafoya trademark. C. Issue a summons requiring the Bremen Company to respond to allegations of misusing the trademark. D. Request that a pretrial conference date be set to clarify all the legal issues that will be discussed during the trial.
B File a formal complaint to the court alleging the Bremen Company’s illegal use of the Tafoya trademark. The first step in a legal case is filing a formal complaint. All other processes occur after the complaint has been filed. A pretrial cannot be established until the case has been created through the filing of a complaint, a response from the defense, and the completion of the discovery process, including interrogatories and examinations. SOURCE: BL:160 SOURCE: SmallBiz.ca. (2016, September 19). The litigation process—step by step. Retrieved September 19, 2016, from http://www.smallbiz.ca/2009/04/08/the-litigation-process-step-bystep/
Which of the following statements about the impact of law on business is accurate: A. Businesses are governed by law at the local, national, and international levels. B. Businesses are not governed by criminal law because it only applies to individuals. C. Businesses should focus on corporate laws enacted and enforced by their local government. D. Businesses should focus on ethical rather than legal issues required by national law.
A Businesses are governed by law at the local, national and international levels. Businesses have to be aware of many laws that affect the individuals they conduct business with as well as the communities they conduct business in. Businesses do have to concern themselves with criminal law; they can be held accountable for criminal acts committed by employees while conducting business. Corporate laws are just one type of law that businesses need to be concerned with; there are many others. Companies should concern themselves with ethical behavior as well as legal issues. SOURCE: BL:161 SOURCE: Samuelson, B. (2012). Essentials of business law (3rd ed.) [pp. 9-13]. Mason, OH: Thomson Higher Education.
Shawn is preparing for an interview with a local company. He knows that he should ask relevant questions about the job at the end of the interview. Which of the following will help him prepare these questions: A. Conducting research about the company prior to the interview B. Relying on the interviewer to generate the questions C. Asking his friends what questions they think he should ask D. Finding background information about the interviewer’s high school and asking him/her about that to form a personal relationship
A Conducting research about the company prior to the interview. From the research, Shawn can write a few questions that directly relate to the company or its industry. Even though additional questions may come up during the interview, it is always best to be prepared with relevant questions based on research. It is important that Shawn confirms that the questions are relevant by researching them himself instead of taking his friends’ (or anyone else’s) advice. Questions about the interviewer’s personal life are not relevant to the job interview. SOURCE: CO:058 SOURCE: Zhang, L. (2016). The ultimate guide to researching a company pre-interview. Retrieved September 15, 2016, from https://www.themuse.com/advice/the-ultimate-guide-toresearching-a-company-preinterview
Edith wants to organize the information in her persuasive paper in a clear, logical way that’s easy for readers to understand. She starts by stating the dilemma at hand and then explains the answer that she believes will solve the dilemma. Which method of organizing information is Edith using? A. Alphabetical B. Problem/Solution C. Deductive D. Chronological
B Problem/Solution. The problem/solution method of organizing information first states the problem and then explains the solution. Alphabetical order arranges facts in the order of the alphabet. Deductive order begins with the recommendation or conclusion and follows with facts or examples to support it. Chronological order organizes information into a sequence of dates. SOURCE: CO:086 SOURCE: Organizing information. (n.d.). Retrieved September 15, 2016 from http://courses.washington.edu/css301/zander/Notes/organizeinfo.doc
The part of a business letter that follows the inside address is the A. body. B. signature line. C. dateline. D. salutation.
D Salutation. The salutation is the greeting that follows the inside address (e.g., Dear Mr. Robinson). The dateline precedes the inside address. The body is the message. It comes between the salutation and the complimentary close. The signature lines of a letter give the writer’s name and title. SOURCE: CO:133 SOURCE: Northern Michigan University. (2016). Parts of a business letter. Retrieved September 15, 2016, from https://www.nmu.edu/writingcenter/parts-business-letter
Why is it important for businesses to include logical evidence in a persuasive letter? A. To force the recipient to respond B. To present interesting information C. To explain the idea in strong language D. To make the message more convincing
D To make the message more convincing. Messages usually are more persuasive if they are supported by logical evidence. Logical evidence is based on fact rather than on opinion. If businesses are writing persuasive messages to encourage customers to do something, such as buy a product, they should include logical evidence to make the message more convincing. Logical evidence is factual, however, it may not be interesting. Strong language may offend the recipient rather than help to explain the idea. Logical evidence is intended to be persuasive. It does not force the recipient to respond. SOURCE: CO:031 SOURCE: Bovée, C.L., & Thill, J.V. (2008). Business communication today (9th ed.) [pp. 302-303]. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.
When analytical reports contain information that readers might disagree with, writers should back their conclusions with A. enthusiastic statements. B. technical statistics. C. personal opinions. D. logical arguments.
D Logical arguments. An analytical report is a document that explains and evaluates an issue, opportunity, or problem. When developing an analytical report that addresses a controversial issue or contains information that readers might disagree with, the writer should provide logical arguments that explain and support their conclusions. By providing logical arguments, the writer is more likely to persuade readers to accept the conclusions. Technical statistics may distract the reader. Personal opinions should not be expressed during an analytical report. Enthusiastic statements that do not provide logical arguments or supporting evidence are less likely to convince readers that the conclusions are reasonable. SOURCE: CO:185 SOURCE: Bovée, C.L., & Thill, J.V. (2008). Business communication today (9th ed.) [pp. 411-412]. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.
A message from the company president to all employees concerning a change in insurance coverage is a form of __________ communication. A. upward B. informal C. staff D. lateral
C Staff. Messages for all employees are considered staff communication. This is a form of downward communication in which information is presented to employees by management. Upward communication occurs when employees present information to management. Informal communication is the unofficial exchange of information among members of an organization. Lateral, or horizontal, communication involves the exchange of information between employees on the same level. SOURCE: CO:014 SOURCE: Bovée, C.L., & Thill, J.V. (2008). Business communication today (9th ed.) [p. 5]. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.
Every Friday, Odessa is supposed to remind employees to complete and sign their time sheets before going home for the weekend. What is the most appropriate channel for Odessa’s reminder to employees? A. Email B. Fax C. Phone D. Letter
A Email. The most appropriate communication channel for routine workplace messages such as Odessa’s reminder to employees is email. Since her message is likely to be the same each week, she can write the reminder once and then set up her email program to automatically send the message to each employee at the end of each week. Phoning each employee to remind him/her would be very time-consuming. Every employee probably does not have her/his own fax machine. Sending a letter to each employee every week via the postal service would be expensive. SOURCE: CO:092 SOURCE: Cherp, A. (2013, September 28). When and how to use email reminders. Retrieved September 15, 2016, from http://blog.macademic.org/2013/09/28/when-to-use-emailreminders/
Your friend Maureen is nervous about an upcoming staff meeting at her company. Since you have a lot of experience attending and participating in meetings, she asks you for advice. You tell her that she should be sure to A. think about what she will say while others are speaking. B. take the opportunity to bring up unrelated concerns she has. C. keep quiet if she disagrees with someone else’s point. D. listen and look interested when someone is speaking.
D Listen and look interested when someone is speaking. If Maureen wants to be a good participant in her company’s staff meeting, she should listen and look interested when someone is speaking. She should not use the meeting as a time to bring up unrelated concerns. If she doesn’t agree with someone’s ideas, she should speak up and respectfully disagree. She should listen while others are speaking, not think about how she will respond. SOURCE: CO:063 SOURCE: Mckenzie, I. (2012, February 28). 6 tips for effective participation in meetings. Retrieved September 15, 2016, from http://www.ismckenzie.com/6-tips-for-effective-participation-inmeetings/
Employees who always keep their commitments to customers are building positive relationships with those customers by being A. creative. B. assertive. C. dependable. D. sociable.
C Dependable. Employees who are dependable do what they say they will do and keep their commitments to customers. When employees offer to do something for customers, they must live up to the terms of the commitment in order to build positive relationships. Customers appreciate dependable employees and often return to a specific business because of them. Assertive employees stand up for their rights. Sociable employees are friendly. Creative employees develop unique ideas and solutions to problems. These are good characteristics for employees to have, but they do not involve keeping commitments. SOURCE: CR:003 SOURCE: Lister, J. (2016). Why is dependability important for a person to have in the workplace? Retrieved September 15, 2016, from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/dependabilityimportant-person-workplace-15463.html
Oliver is an American businessperson who will be traveling to Scotland to close an important business deal. Does Oliver need to alter his communication style to adapt to the Scottish culture? A. No. Scottish people speak English, so Oliver does not need to do anything special to prepare for the trip. B. Yes. Scottish people tend to dislike Americans for many reasons, so Oliver needs to make sure he is behaving appropriately. C. Yes. Oliver should do some research on Scottish culture so he doesn’t do or say something offensive. D. No. Western cultures tend to have similar cultural attitudes and practices, so Oliver does not need to research Scottish etiquette.
C Yes. Oliver should do some research on Scottish culture so he doesn’t do or say something offensive. The Western culture may share some similar beliefs and customs, but countries within the culture do vary in terms of time, space, language, dining habits, gestures, etc. Oliver should do some research to learn about how Scottish culture differs from his own. By doing so, he can adapt his verbal and nonverbal communication to reduce the risk of doing or saying something that may offend the Scottish businesspeople and jeopardize the deal. Scottish people speak English and/or Gaelic. The meanings of English words can vary among the English-speaking countries. Not all Scottish people dislike all Americans. SOURCE: CR:019 SOURCE: (2015, July 20). The importance of cross cultural awareness in business. Retrieved September 15, 2016, from http://blog.internationalstudent.com/2015/07/the-importance-ofcross-cultural-awareness-in-business/
How does solving difficult-customer situations benefit you personally? A. You will encounter difficult customers less frequently. B. You gain valuable communication skills. C. Your customers will be happier. D.Your boss will automatically give you a raise.
B You gain valuable communication skills. Solving difficult-customer situations benefits you personally because you gain valuable communication skills that you will use in many situations throughout your life. It doesn’t mean that you will encounter these situations less frequently. Making your customers happy is a good thing, but isn’t necessarily a personal benefit for you. You’ll be a more valuable employee, but that doesn’t necessarily mean your boss will automatically give you a raise. SOURCE: CR:009 SOURCE: CR LAP 9—Making Mad Glad (Handling Difficult Customers)
Which of the following situations involves finding another source of a limited natural resource: A. Conserving the oil that we use B. Searching for oil on the ocean floor C. Paying a higher price for oil D. Replacing oil with natural gas
B Searching for oil on the ocean floor. The ocean is another place we can look for oil besides land. Natural gas is an alternative resource. Conserving oil to prevent waste and paying a higher price for it are not ways of finding more oil. SOURCE: EC:003 SOURCE: EC LAP 14—Be Resourceful (Economic Resources)
What role does utility play in the implementation of the marketing concept? A. A payment method B. A satisfaction gauge C. A cost-saving tool D. A delivery process
B A satisfaction gauge. Both utility and the marketing concept consider the consumer’s point of view about a product. In the implementation of the marketing concept, utility functions as a gauge of the consumer’s satisfaction. Utility is used as a measurement tool—not as a payment method, a cost-saving tool, or a delivery process. SOURCE: EC:004 SOURCE: EC LAP 13—Use It (Economic Utility)
Which of the following actions describes proactive management: A. Encouraging individualism B. Making only long-term plans C. Planning in advance for change D. Avoiding risk
C Planning in advance for change. Proactive management is characterized by anticipating and planning in advance for change. Proactive managers make both short and long-term plans. They encourage teamwork over individualism. They take calculated risks. SOURCE: EC:107 SOURCE: EC LAP 25—Keep the Change (Adapting to Markets)
Which of the following is not one of the four main idealized market structures used in trade theory: A. Monopolistic competition B. Perfect competition C. Monopoly D. Perfect monopoly
D Perfect monopoly. Perfect monopoly is not a term used to refer to market structure. The four main idealized market structures used in trade theory are perfect competition, monopoly, oligopoly, and monopolistic competition. Perfect competition is an idealized market structure that includes large numbers of buyers and sellers. A monopoly is a market structure in which there is only one seller. An oligopoly is a market structure in which there are a number of small sellers. A monopolistic competition is a market structure in which there are many sellers producing differentiated products. SOURCE: EC:012 SOURCE: EC LAP 8—Ready, Set, Compete! (Competition)
Government provides protection to business owners’ property through the use of A. consumer-protection laws. B. minimum-wage laws. C. safety standards. D. zoning laws.
D Zoning laws. Government passes zoning laws to protect the value of business property by allowing only certain types of businesses to occupy an area. Minimum-wage laws, safety standards, and consumerprotection laws are all examples of areas of government involvement, but they are not related to protecting business property. SOURCE: EC:008 SOURCE: EC LAP 16—Regulate and Protect (Government and Business)
An individual with a higher income who pays a larger percentage of his/her income as taxes than an individual with a lower income is in a __________ tax system. A. flat B. regressive C. proportional D. progressive
D Progressive. In a progressive income tax system, those who have a higher income pay a larger percentage of their income to the government. In a regressive tax system, those who have a higher income pay a comparatively smaller percentage of their income as tax than those who have a smaller income. In a proportional tax system, all individuals of all incomes pay the same proportion of their incomes to the government. In a flat tax system, all individuals pay the same amount to the government regardless of their income. SOURCE: EC:072 SOURCE: EC LAP 27—Pay Your Share (Business Taxes)
Limited commodities can cause A. price stability. B. cost-push inflation. C. demand-pull inflation. D. hyperinflation.
B Cost-push inflation. Cost-push inflation occurs when limited commodities drive up the costs of creating products and, in turn, their prices. Price stability is a state in which prices don’t change rapidly and the value of money is stable; it is not caused by limited commodities. Demand-pull inflation happens when the money supply grows faster than the economy does. Inflation targeting is an effort by a government to hit a set inflation rate. SOURCE: EC:083 SOURCE: EC LAP 28—Up, Up, and Away (Inflation)
Some figures that are used to calculate the gross domestic product are A. transfers. B. forecasts. C. estimates. D. predictions.
C Estimates. While most figures used in GDP computations are reliable, there are some that have to be estimated. It is impossible to maintain 100% accuracy when dealing with the vast amounts of information relating to an economy. Government bases its economic forecasts, or predictions, on the GDP figures. Transfer payments are payments made by the government for which no goods or services are received in exchange, and they are not counted in GDP. SOURCE: EC:017 SOURCE: EC LAP 1—Measure Up? (Gross Domestic Product)