Final answer:
The action described is most likely a stock dividend, which distributes additional shares to shareholders and dilutes the share value but increases the number of shares they own.
Step-by-step explanation:
When the Kennesaw Manufacturing Corp. board of directors passed a resolution approving payment to shareholders in the form of the corporation's shares, which results in a decrease in value per share and an increase in the number of shares outstanding, this action is most likely a stock dividend.
A stock dividend is when a company pays a dividend in the form of additional shares rather than in cash, increasing the number of shares owned by each shareholder. This is different from a cash dividend, where shareholders receive a direct payment in cash, a stock split, which also increases the number of shares but is typically done to reduce the market price of individual shares, or a stock repurchase, where the company buys back its own shares, reducing the number of outstanding shares and usually increasing the share value.