When developing a strategy for announcing company news, such as a leadership transition that is not covered by industry regulations, the reason why organizational leaders and employees are engaged FIRST is:

• A. to ensure they have the information needed to communicate with others.
• B. leaders need to feel important so they want to be notified first.
• C. so there is time to print new business cards.
• D. media tends to distort messages.

The latest market research for an organization has revealed a decline in market share, particularly with the female customer. The chief executive officer (CEO) has asked the head of communication for advice on whether a stronger focus on communication would help correct this decline. Which of the following responses provides sound strategic counsel to the CEO?

• A. "You will get better return on investment (ROI) by focusing on social media versus other marketing efforts."
• B. "Since 45% of women use a social bookmarking tool, we should bolster our allocation of resources to that social media tool."
• C. "Many factors contribute to shifts in market share, and it is impossible to determine whether our communication efforts play a role in the decline."
• D. "Once we understand why our female customers are disengaging with us, communication could play a stronger role in correcting this downturn."

After attending a local seminar about evolving communication practices, the communication manager is inspired to share some of the speaker's tips on his professional blog. When is it necessary to cite the speaker in the blog?

• A. It is not necessary to cite the speaker if rephrasing the speaker's information in one's own words.
• B. It is not necessary to cite the speaker because the blog and everything in it is the communication professional's intellectual property.
• C. When the speaker pays for mentioning her name on the blog.
• D. When sharing the speaker's ideas.

Media content analysis is a systematic procedure used for:

• A. understanding public opinion trends formed under media influence.
• B. selecting the best media channel.
• C. defining what media are talking about.
• D. defining the most popular media.

A company's communication manager has noticed an increasing volume of criticism on social media regarding the company's corporate social responsibility initiatives being self-serving and hypocritical. Which action should be taken by the communication manager when developing the MOST effective, long-term response to the criticism?

• A. Issue a continuous stream of press releases underscoring the benefits of the corporate social responsibility initiatives.
• B. Invite and sustain proactive dialogue with stakeholders in order to involve them in corporate social responsibility efforts.
• C. Aggressively push back against criticism.
• D. Demonstrate to stakeholders how their concerns are being addressed and employing multiple feedback methods.