Deck 2: Cross-Cultural Business

Question 1

When going global with an Internet presence,it is highly beneficial for a business to localize its Web site.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Nations that invest in worker training are usually rewarded with productivity increases and rising incomes.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

Some subcultures exist across national borders.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Religion strongly affects the kinds of goods and services acceptable to Muslim consumers.

Question 5

Group-oriented cultures are typically found in Europe and North America.

Question 6

Hong Kong,South Korea,Singapore,and Taiwan have experienced rapid economic development despite their poor education systems.

Question 7

A nation's cultural boundaries do not always correspond to its political boundaries.

Question 8

Subcultures share the same language,lifestyle,values,and attitudes as the dominant culture.

Question 9

Status refers to the way a culture divides its population according to positions within its social structure.

Question 10

French is the most widely used "lingua franca" in international business.

Question 11

A culture's values tend to be rigid over time.

Question 12

In today's global business world,the use of a 12-hour clock (as opposed to the 24-hour clock)is universally appropriate.

Question 13

Japanese employees place value on group consensus.

Question 14

The cultural component of aesthetics deals with elements such as imagery,symbolism,and the arts.

Question 15

Democratic nations that value freedom of speech do not regulate economic sectors such as broadcasting.

Question 16

Literacy tests offer a reliable basis on which to compare one nation's education level to another's.

Question 17

The first step in analyzing a nation's potential for international business activity is to examine its customs.

Question 18

Black is the universal colour that symbolizes death and mourning.

Question 19

Material culture often displays uneven development across a nation's industries.

Question 20

Ethnocentricity improves the ability to manage new business practices abroad.

Question 21

A major drawback of geocentric staffing is that it is expensive.

Question 22

Culture shock is a psychological process characterized by homesickness,irritability,confusion,aggravation,and depression.

Question 23

The psychological process of readapting to one's home culture is called expatriation.

Question 24

When cultural understanding is a key job requirement,firms commonly hire local managers.

Question 25

In cultures with large power distance,prestige and rewards tend to be equally shared between superiors and rank-and-file employees.

Question 26

Polycentric staffing places managerial responsibility in the hands of people intimately familiar with the local business environment.

Question 27

Typically,the first step in the process of analyzing a nation's potential as a host for international business activity is to ________.

A)assess its overall business climate
B)analyze its religious environment
C)investigate its history of corruption
D)evaluate its legal system

Question 28

Which of the following is the best example of a case in which ethnocentricity undermines an international business project?

A)International investors avoid investing in an Indian company because they are unsure of India's commitment to free markets.
B)Production falls at a Canadian owned factory in Vietnam because workers react negatively to Canadian management techniques.
C)China relies on its natural resources and inexpensive factory labour to promote its country's economic development.
D)Korean managers of a manufacturing company are sent to East European plants to learn the work habits of local workers.

Question 29

Companies typically recruit locally for non-managerial positions.

Question 30

The first phase of human resource planning involves taking an inventory of a company's current human resources.

Question 31

The major drawback to polycentric staffing is the potential for losing control of the host-country operation.

Question 32

Cultures that score low on uncertainty avoidance tend to be more open to change and new ideas.

Question 33

Sensitivity training constitutes the most basic level of cultural training for managers on international assignments.

Question 34

A geocentric policy towards staffing is typically reserved for mid-level managers.

Question 35

In managerial cultural training programs,field experience involves visiting the culture,walking the streets of its cities and villages,and becoming absorbed by the culture for a short time.

Question 36

The belief that one's own ethnic group or culture is superior to that of others is referred to as ________.

A)cultural inheritance
B)cultural diffusion
C)cultural literacy
D)ethnocentricity

Question 37

An ethnocentric staffing strategy can facilitate the transfer of special know-how to branch operations.

Question 38

Which of the following terms is defined as the set of values,beliefs,rules,and institutions held by a specific group of people?

A)Customs
B)Rituals
C)Culture
D)Aesthetics

Question 39

In geocentric staffing,operations outside the home country are managed by the best-qualified individuals,regardless of nationality.

Question 40

The extent of a company's involvement in international business dealings helps determine the level of cultural knowledge required for its employees.

Question 41

Detailed knowledge about a culture that enables people to live and work within that culture is called ________.

A)cultural literacy
B)social mobility
C)cultural diffusion
D)cultural assimilation

Question 42

Which of the following terms is used to refer to the process of ranking people into social layers or classes?

A)Social status
B)Social stratification
C)Social group
D)Social mobility

Question 43

Which of the following is best defined as a group of people who share a unique way of life within a larger dominant culture?

A)Caste system
B)Subculture
C)Collective culture
D)Material culture

Question 44

An electronics manufacturer is designing a product to be marketed to consumers in Islamic countries.Which of the following colours should the company use most prominently in its packaging to make a favourable impression on buyers?

A)Green
B)White
C)Black
D)Orange

Question 45

Which of the following terms is used to refer to habits or ways of behaving in specific circumstances that are passed down through generations?

A)Customs
B)Attitudes
C)Values
D)Manners

Question 46

The wearing of turbans by Muslims in Asia is an example of which of the following?

A)Folk custom
B)Popular custom
C)Symbolic act
D)Ritual

Question 47

Which of the following terms is used to refer to the ideas,beliefs,and customs to which people are emotionally attached?

A)Aesthetics
B)Social structure
C)Manners
D)Values

Question 48

Which of the following refers to the process whereby cultural traits spread from one culture to another?

A)Cultural imperialism
B)Social mobility
C)Cultural diffusion
D)Cultural literacy

Question 49

Which of the following statements is true regarding attitudes?

A)They are quite rigid over time compared to values.
B)They are learned from role models.
C)They are similar from one country to the next because they form within a cultural context.
D)They are developed only toward the most important aspects of life.

Question 50

Which of the following statements regarding cultural change is NOT true?

A)Cultural change occurs as new traits are accepted and absorbed into a culture.
B)Cultural diffusion occurs quickly in almost every culture.
C)Globalization is increasing the pace of cultural diffusion.
D)Technological advances are increasing the pace of cultural diffusion.

Question 51

Which one of the following best supports the argument that ethnocentricity should be avoided in business relationships with other countries?

A)Managers often need time to learn the traits and work habits of other cultures.
B)Cultural literacy can only be gained through fluency in another country's language.
C)Managers from other cultures understand best how to motivate their own employees.
D)Western management principles have been proven to enhance business productivity.

Question 52

Which of the following terms is used to refer to a collection of two or more people who identify and interact with each another?

A)Class system
B)Social tier
C)Caste system
D)Social group

Question 53

Companies that wish to avoid the charge of cultural imperialism should do which of the following?

A)Be sensitive to how their activities and products affect people's traditional ways and habits.
B)Quickly launch new management practices to avoid prolonged resistance to change.
C)Implement new investment projects and management practices only during volatile times.
D)Maintain a standardized approach to strategy with policy decisions made at headquarters.

Question 54

Which of the following terms is used to refer to that which a culture considers to be in "good taste" in the arts?

A)Customs
B)Social structure
C)Manners
D)Aesthetics

Question 55

The United Kingdom and the United States value ________,whereas Japan and South Korea value ________.

A)the class system;the caste system
B)aesthetics;ethnocentricity
C)individual freedom;group consensus
D)hard work;leisure

Question 56

Which colour is primarily associated with funerals in Japan?

A)Black
B)White
C)Jade
D)Tan

Question 57

A critic argues that the French government is too restrictive regarding its limitations on English language usage in product packaging.Which of the following would most likely reflect the French government's response to the critic?

A)The limitations are designed to stop the diffusion of French traits across European borders.
B)The limitations will diminish over time as France earns more income through international trade.
C)The limitations are necessary to preserve unique elements of French national culture.
D)The limitations are focused primarily on British imports and do not affect US-made products.

Question 58

________ refers to the replacement of one culture's traditions,folk heroes,and artifacts with substitutes from another.

A)Cultural imperialism
B)Acculturation
C)Cultural attrition
D)Cultural immersion

Question 59

A group of senior managers decides to require members of their new Mexican office to take a course in business etiquette.Several employees speak out against the idea,arguing that the course is a waste of time.Which of the following would be the most effective response to the employees?

A)Businesspeople are likely to be understanding if a mistake is made by someone outside the culture.
B)Most business meetings are held on company property during work time,not during lunch.
C)It is important for business success to display culturally appropriate behaviour in social settings.
D)Non-native speakers may have difficulty understanding the nuances of negotiations in Spanish.

Question 60

Which of the following terms is used to refer to the positive or negative evaluations,feelings,and tendencies that individuals harbor toward objects or concepts?

A)Customs
B)Attitudes
C)Manners
D)Values

Question 61

According to Hofstede's framework,which of the following describes the degree of inequality between people in different occupations?

A)Power distance
B)Uncertainty avoidance
C)Individualism
D)Collectivism

Question 62

A ________ is a system of social stratification in which people are born into a social ranking,with no opportunity for social mobility.

A)moksha system
B)class system
C)caste system
D)genealogy system

Question 63

Scenario: CelinePurses.com
Celine Franklin,a young entrepreneur from Montreal,started her hand-crocheted purse business seven years ago.Celine's business has since thrived and employs 150 people.Most of Celine's business is within Canada with an occasional international order.But Celine now wants to make a concerted effort to grow international sales and is designing her Web site to attract more customers located abroad.Celine is meeting with Jason Rufus,a Web site designer,for help with the project.
Celine believes her success rests on her careful listening and responding to customers' needs.To ensure that her customers abroad can provide feedback easily,Celine should ________.

A)set a fixed time for customers to call,such as from 3 to 5 p.m. ,Eastern Standard Time
B)switch to the 12-hour clock commonly used outside North America
C)learn what prospective customers seek to accomplish on her Web site
D)ignore issues related to time since her customers will be familiar with the North American system

Question 64

The Kluckhohn-Strodtbeck framework compares cultures along all of the following dimensions EXCEPT ________.

A)Do people believe that their environment controls them,that they control their environment,or that they are part of nature?
B)Do people focus on past events,on the present,or on the future implications of their actions?
C)Do people embrace or avoid uncertainty and ambiguity?
D)Do people believe individuals or groups are responsible for each person's welfare?

Question 65

Which of the following terms is used to refer to all the technology used in a culture to manufacture goods and provide services?

A)Intellectual culture
B)Popular culture
C)Hofstede culture
D)Material culture

Question 66

Which of the following is the world's single largest religion?

A)Jewish
B)Christianity
C)Islamic
D)Confucianism

Question 67

All of the following are dimensions developed by Hofstede for examining cultures EXCEPT ________.

A)individualism versus collectivism
B)power distance
C)uncertainty avoidance
D)caste system versus class system

Question 68

A Chinese business establishes an office in Hong Kong.It conducts business locally with vendors and customers who live in Hong Kong.Which of the following would be most effective as the company's main business dialect?

A)Taiwanese
B)Guanxi
C)Mandarin
D)Cantonese

Question 69

A ________ is a system of social stratification in which personal ability and actions determine an individual's social status and mobility.

A)genealogy system
B)moksha system
C)caste system
D)class system

Question 70

A company that sells products designed for Buddhist and Confucian temples would be most likely to find customers in which of the following countries?

A)Philippines and Singapore
B)India and Indonesia
C)Thailand and Mongolia
D)Madagascar and Nepal

Question 71

Which of the following represent aspects of the physical environment that heavily influence a people's culture?

A)Topography and climate
B)Topography and communication
C)Climate and customs
D)Lifestyle and customs

Question 72

Which of the following would likely experience the LEAST amount of cultural diffusion?

A)Two subcultures located on a coast with navigable waterways.
B)Two subcultures separated by an impassable mountain range.
C)Neighboring cultures located adjacent to each other on a land mass.
D)Neighboring cultures located next to each other in a desert climate.

Question 73

The world's second largest religion is ________.

A)Judaism
B)Hinduism
C)Islam
D)Confucianism

Question 74

Which of the following countries would most likely be the slowest to implement cultural change,based on Hofstede's framework?

A)South Africa
B)Norway
C)Japan
D)Denmark

Question 75

Scenario: HR Experts,Inc.
You were just hired at HR Experts,Inc. ,a global human resources consulting company.On your first day at work,you are assigned to a trouble-shooting group comprised of individuals from different cultures.Your team members are Tom,Ketan,Yoshi,Hung Shin,and Nazam.During the course of the day working in the group,you try to put people's names and faces with their cultures and beliefs.
You overheard Ketan making a remark,"I do not want to come back in the next life as an insect.I want to do right and achieve moksha." Based on this comment,which religion does Ketan most likely practise?

A)Buddhism
B)Hinduism
C)Islam
D)Confucianism

Question 76

Which of the following terms is used to refer to the departure of highly educated people from one profession,geographic region,or nation to another?

A)Social mobility
B)Elite flight
C)Power vacuum
D)Brain drain

Question 77

A publisher based in Kazakhstan specializes in books for Islamic readers.The publisher is considering opening sales offices in Saudi Arabia and Ethiopia.Which country would be the better choice?

A)Saudi Arabia,because its population is predominantly Islamic.
B)Ethiopia,because its population is predominantly Islamic.
C)Saudi Arabia,because its population does not favour one religion.
D)Ethiopia,because it contains a mix of Islamic and Christian citizens.

Question 78

According to Hofstede's framework,which of the following is LEAST likely to be valued in a group-oriented culture?

A)Entrepreneurial risk taking
B)Shared responsibility
C)Collective goals
D)Maintaining harmony

Question 79

Nations governed by which religion segregate the sexes at certain activities and locations such as in school?

A)Confucianism
B)Hinduism
C)Buddhism
D)Islam

Question 80

Scenario: CelinePurses.com
Celine Franklin,a young entrepreneur from Montreal,started her hand-crocheted purse business seven years ago.Celine's business has since thrived and employs 150 people.Most of Celine's business is within Canada with an occasional international order.But Celine now wants to make a concerted effort to grow international sales and is designing her Web site to attract more customers located abroad.Celine is meeting with Jason Rufus,a Web site designer,for help with the project.
In choosing colours that comprise the background of the Web site,Celine should ________.

A)go for simplicity by using a black-and-white site throughout Asia
B)pick a pastel colour scheme for Japan
C)avoid pastel colours in Europe and choose primary colours instead
D)use the same colour scheme globally so as to not confuse customers