ACCA Applied Knowledge · Business and Technology · Communicating in business
An accountant sends an email to a client containing confidential financial information, but accidentally includes an unrelated third party in the recipient list. Which risk of email communication does this best illustrate?
This illustrates a breach of confidentiality through misdirected distribution. Emails can easily be sent to unintended recipients, exposing confidential client information. The other options are wrong because email keeps a record, allows attachments and is delivered quickly.
- ALack of a permanent record
- BInability to attach documents
- CBreach of confidentiality through misdirected distributionCorrect
- DSlow delivery speed
Explanation
Emails are easily copied and forwarded to the wrong people, so confidential information may be disclosed to unintended recipients. Email does create a permanent record, supports attachments and is fast, so the other options are not the risk described.
Did you get it right without looking?
One question tells you little. A timed set on Communicating in business shows your real accuracy, how long you take and where you lose marks.
More Communicating in business questions
- A director believes that staff who are quiet in meetings must be in agreement and so ignores their body language, which shows discomfort. Wh…
- A manager gives a team member verbal instructions for a task, then asks the team member to explain in their own words what they will do. Wha…
- Sofia, a manager, sends an email to all 400 employees to announce a sensitive restructuring that will affect 15 of them with redundancy. Whi…
- A manager must tell an employee that her role is being made redundant. Which method of communication is most appropriate to deliver this mes…
- A company's directors wish to announce a change in strategy to shareholders, employees and the press at the same time, while ensuring the me…
- Hana, a manager, sends a highly sensitive redundancy proposal to the whole department by email by pressing 'reply all' by mistake. Which wea…