At the End of an Especially Good Year, a Company

question 229

Short Answer

At the end of an especially good year, a company decides to give bonuses to its sales employees. Two salespersons are included: Tracy shows a better-than-average sales record, whereas Colin was only an average salesperson. Colin has a reputation for being a straight shooter who complies strictly with the company's ethical code. On the other hand, Tracy made some deals that, as coworkers confided to middle managers, were "on the edge" of dishonesty. When the company's ethics panel reviewed one such deal, it was found to have been compliant with the letter of the stated code. Nevertheless, the financial officer recommends that both employees be given the same bonus.
Which of the following, if true, most strongly supports the financial officer's position?
The employees had received and duly signed a statement agreeing to uphold the company's code of ethics.
The coworkers who reported the alleged shady deals had ethical incidents in their own personnel files.
The firm recently conducted a social audit, which revealed concern about the firm's tolerance of predatory practices by sales personnel and their impact on workplace morale.
The company's code gives very detailed definitions of what separates a responsible business transaction from one that includes dishonesty.
The strong sales performance of this department was a major factor in improving the firm's viability during an economic downturn.

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Definitions:

Prostate Cancer

A form of cancer that begins in the glandular tissue of the prostate, common among older men and potentially treatable when diagnosed early.

Urination

The process of excreting urine from the bladder through the urethra to the outside of the body.

Blood Pressure

The force that circulating blood exerts against the walls of the arteries.

Testicular Cancer

is a type of cancer that originates in the testicles (testes), the male reproductive glands located in the scrotum.