DECA Marketing Cluster Sample Exam #4 of 5

What are salespeople expected to be able to do in order to sell goods and services to customers?

Answer questions. (Professional salespeople are expected to be able to answer questions and provide further information in order to sell goods and services to customers. To do this successfully, they must be experts in the goods or services they sell and be able to develop long-term relationships with customers. Salespeople are not expected to develop brochures, although they may use them as a selling tool. Salespeople do not need to control expenses in order to sell. Arranging displays is the responsibility of the visual merchandising department.)

Employees who never take company supplies or equipment, such as pens or tools, for their own use help the business to:

Control expenses. (Employees can play a role in controlling business expense by not appropriating company property. The business should explain to employees that controlling expenses helps the business to increase its profits. External theft occurs when items are stolen by persons outside the company or shoplifted by customers.)

Beau is really stressed out because he agreed to take on three new clients that he really didn't have room for. Which time-management principle does he need to learn?

Don't bite off more than you can chew. (Beau needs to learn not to bite off more than he can chew. Taking on more clients than he can handle means he really won't give his best effort to any of them. Beau's problem isn't relating to focusing on goals, getting enough sleep, or dividing a large project into smaller parts.)

A business can protect its confidential computer information from unauthorized users by:

Encrypting computer files. (Encryption is the process of transforming information into a secret code so that only specified individuals can read it. By encrypting confidential computer files, the business protects the information from unauthorized access by internal and external sources. For optimal protection from computer viruses, businesses should conduct computer virus scans continuously rather than once a year. Activities such as classifying information and developing Internet message boards do not protect the information from unauthorized users.)

Which of the following would be done first in an environmental scan:

Identifying participants and responsibilities. (The first step in conducting an environmental scan is to identify participants and their responsibilities. Every employee should participate, although some employees may have more formal duties than others. After this step has been completed, businesses can move on to carrying out scanning activities, identifying and analyzing important trends and issues, and selecting trends and issues to act on.)

By reading trade journals, business professionals can learn about:

Industry trends. (Trends are the direction in which things are moving. Business people can keep up with the trends and changes that affect their professions and/or industries by reading trade journals. By keeping up with trends, business people can help their employers develop strategies to keep up with the dynamic marketplace. Trends and changes affect many types of business structures—corporations, partnerships, LLCs, sole-proprietorships, etc. Employees learn about internal policies by reading their employee handbooks or company newsletters rather than a trade journal. Employees can learn about the organization's sales performance by reviewing the company's internal sales reports.)

The difference between service providers' and manufacturers' operations activities is that service providers produce __________ outputs.

Intangible. (The difference between service providers' and manufacturers' operations activities is that service providers produce intangible outputs, rather than the tangible goods that manufacturers create. The outputs may or may not be expensive or useful.)

Why will it benefit you to learn as much as possible about a prospective employer before you go for a job interview?

It prepares you to ask good questions. (As a job applicant, you should find out as much as possible about the business before a job interview so that you are prepared to ask intelligent questions about the company. This does not ensure that you'll be considered for the available job, but it does indicate your interest in the company and the job. It does not necessarily indicate that you have done a lot of reading, since you may have obtained information about the company from other sources such as current employees or television news. It is not necessary for you to have something to discuss with the interviewer as the interviewer decides what will be discussed.)

Many business people are required to take continuing education classes to:

Maintain their professional certifications. (Many professions—accounting, finance, medical, and education—require certification to work in their fields. Because these fields are always changing, workers are required to update their knowledge and skills to maintain their certifications. Continuing education often involves taking classes and attending seminars and workshops. Professionals are not required to take continuing education classes to improve their standard of living, demonstrate their emotional intelligence, or supplement their existing income.)

As a result of ongoing product updates and changes, businesses must address ethical issues associated with:

Planned obsolescence. (Business ethics are the basic principles that govern a company's actions. Planned obsolescence occurs when a business releases a product and plans to discontinue it and replace it with an updated version of the item. This often occurs with technology-based products such as video games and computer software. When a business plans product updates on an annual basis, its customers are often required to purchase the new version in order to use the core product. This can be a financial burden on consumers and can present an ethical situation for the business. International markets, demographics, and taxation are not ethical issues that businesses often encounter when planning product updates and changes.)

Which of the following expenses should Charlene categorize as a fixed cost:

Rent. (Fixed costs are business expenses that do not change with changes in sales volume. Fixed costs include items such as salaries, rent, mortgage, and property taxes. Variable costs are business costs that change and include commission, delivery charges, and cost of goods sold.)

Which of the following do businesses often expect employees to make on their own:

Routine decisions. (Employees need to make routine decisions every day on the job. Businesses expect them to be capable of making many of these decisions on their own without asking a manager what to do. Businesses do not want to waste valuable time directing every action that employees take. They expect employees to make routine decisions that will allow them to work effectively, oftentimes with little supervision. Businesses do not expect employees to make policy changes, operating plans, or personnel choices.)

What type of information is it acceptable to leave out of a job application?

Salary requirements. (It is not necessary for applicants to specify their salary requirements on a job application. Applicants usually want to have the opportunity to discuss salary in person rather than run the risk of asking for too much or too little before obtaining an interview. Educational background, contact information, and professional experience are examples of the types of information that should be included in a job application.)

A retailer that overcharges customers for small items at the point of purchase may be engaging in the unethical practice of:

Scanner fraud. (Businesses occasionally make honest pricing mistakes. An employee may forget to key in the sale price of an item or key it incorrectly into the computer system. When this happens the customer is charged an incorrect amount for the item when it is scanned at the checkout counter. On the other hand, scanner fraud is a deliberate action that involves overcharging customers, usually for smaller goods, with the expectation the customer will not notice or fuss about it. This is unethical behavior because the business is acting in a deceptive, intentional way to pad the business's bottom line. Predatory pricing is the practice of pricing goods extremely low with the goal of driving the competition out of business. Retail price maintenance involves producers pressuring retailers to sell goods at the suggested retail price, which is unethical and, in some jurisdictions, an illegal practice. Price fixing is an illegal agreement in which businesses agree on prices of their goods or services, resulting in little choice for customers.)

Computers have given marketers the ability to calculate pricing functions such as break-even points and elasticity of demand by using __________ programs.

Spreadsheet. (Spreadsheet software programs are designed to calculate and analyze numerical data. Spreadsheets are very useful for business owners as they evaluate numerical data that relates to pricing issues. Presentation software is used to create visual aids that are commonly used in sales or other types of presentations. Word-processing programs are used to create written documents. Communication software programs (e.g., email) are used to facilitate the distribution of messages.)

The most important reason why workplace accidents which do not result in injuries should be reported to supervisors is because:

The next accident could result in an injury. (The fact that one accident does not result in an injury does not ensure that the next accident will have the same results. An accident that does not cause an injury should be reported to a supervisor so that the circumstances causing the accident can be corrected if possible. This may save someone else from injury. Government regulations vary from state to state and for different industries. Reporting a noninjurious accident does not prevent future liability.)

Which of the following is a purpose of the competitive bidding process:

To obtain lower prices from bidders. (By using a competitive bidding process, businesses can obtain lower prices from vendors, thereby decreasing their overall product costs. Competitive bidding occurs between businesses so that businesses obtain better services as well as better products/materials/components. The process should encourage as many vendors as possible to attempt to get a contract rather than limiting the number of vendors to pick from. Competition and product champions are not related to the competitive bidding process.)

Why is it important for hospitality and tourism businesses to be aware of, and react to, trends and changes in the marketplace?

To remain competitive. (The business world is constantly changing, and new trends come and go on a regular basis. Businesses need to pay attention to trends and adjust accordingly in order to remain competitive. Business as usual is not effective in today's fast-paced and changing environment. The businesses that adapt and keep up with new trends are the ones that remain successful. Experimenting with new types of advertising is usually more effective than merely increasing the amount of advertising. Businesses do not need to be aware of new trends in order to hire personnel or identify resources.)

Which of the following is a decision a company might make during the decline stage of the product life cycle:

Whether to change the product. (Whether to change the product is one of the choices that needs to be made during the decline stage. During this stage in the product life cycle, the producer also has to decide whether to sell or license the product, recommit to the product line, discount the product, or regionalize the product. Increasing awareness occurs during the introductory stage. Fending off the competition occurs during the maturity stage. The company does not need to decide the production schedule.)

What should an employee do when s/he accidentally spills coffee in the tile hallway?

Wipe it up immediately. (Spills may make the floor slippery and create a safety hazard. Others may not notice the spill, fall on the wet surface, and suffer injuries. All employees are responsible for helping to maintain a safe environment. They should not wait for the floor to dry, tell others about the spill, or leave it for the cleaning crew.)