Bribery Transactions Case Study

The case scenario submitted by the student was:
Tom is a chief executive officer at Jones International, Inc. Recently, Tom has overheard rumors about employees participating in bribery transactions to secure clients. Tom has not received direct or official notification about the claims of bribery. How should Tom respond to the rumors and why?

The solution details how Tom should initiate a workplace investigation, to determine if these claims are factual. In 300 words, including a reference, there is a detailed plan in how workplace rumors should be addressed. Rumors should not be dismissed as "gossip" when the claims are serious, such as bribery. At a minimum, there should be inquiries made to determine if the rumors are true or false.