Question 1

Local cultural differences can cause misperceptions when mannerisms and behavior by a seller are perceived by the buyer as being:

Accepted Answer

What may be considered polite or friendly behavior in one culture may be perceived as rude or aggressive in another. Thus, it is important for sellers to be aware of cultural differences and adjust their behavior accordingly to avoid misperceptions.

Question 2

The difference between a local hire salesperson and a third-country salesperson is:

Accepted Answer

The main difference between a local hire salesperson and a third-country salesperson is that a local hire salesperson comes from the country the company operates in, while a third-country salesperson comes from a different country entirely. This can affect their understanding of the local culture, language and customs, and their ability to build relationships with local clients.

Question 3

Managers who want to create a diverse sales force must promote a corporate culture of:

Accepted Answer

A culture of participation encourages employees from all backgrounds to share their perspectives and ideas, leading to a more diverse range of approaches and solutions. Insularity, neutrality, and risk-aversion can all hinder diversity efforts and stifle innovation, while formality can create barriers to communication and collaboration.

Question 4

An American sales manager who is used to tracking salesperson performance by individual goals met,who now manages a team of Japanese salespeople in Japan who sell as a team is likely to encounter problems:

Accepted Answer

The American sales manager is likely to encounter problems evaluating global sales personnel as their method of measuring success may be different from what the manager is accustomed to. In Japan, it is more common for sales to be a team effort rather than individual performance. The manager may need to adjust their evaluation methods to take this into account.

Question 5

Actions that are used primarily to communicate shifts in corporate culture are called:

Accepted Answer

Symbolic actions are primarily used to communicate shifts in corporate culture. These actions may include changes in leadership, rituals, or symbols to help communicate to employees the desired culture and values of the organization.

Question 6

Diversity initiatives are defined as actions undertaken with the specific purpose of:

Accepted Answer

The answer of Diversity initiatives are defined as actions undertaken...

Question 7

All of the following are examples of substantive actions toward corporate cultural change EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

Holding a kick-off banquet to promote the change may be a symbolic action or an event designed to generate excitement or enthusiasm about the cultural shift, but it does not necessarily represent a substantive action that will lead to lasting change. The other options listed involve concrete steps that support and reinforce the new cultural norms and values, such as removing employees who resist the change, re-evaluating policies and procedures to align with the new values, redesigning rewards to support the desired behaviors, or changing the physical layout of the workspace to encourage collaboration and other cultural traits.

Question 8

Differing cultural expectations between sellers and buyers from different countries increase the likelihood that actions and gestures that are perfectly acceptable to one party will be seen by the other as:

Accepted Answer

Cultural differences can lead to misunderstandings, and actions that may be acceptable in one culture can be viewed as unethical in another. Therefore, it is important to be aware of cultural differences when conducting business with individuals from different countries to avoid unintentionally causing offense or violating cultural norms.

Question 9

Salespeople who work together using a variety of styles and accept each others' cultural differences even when they don't share them are practicing:

Accepted Answer

The answer of Salespeople who work together using a variety...

Question 10

A company operating in a foreign country that needed to employee someone with extensive knowledge of the product as well as familiarity with company policies should hire:

Accepted Answer

An expatriate would be the best choice since they would possess both knowledge of the product and familiarity with company policies as they are an employee from the company's home country. Additionally, they would provide a cultural link between the home country and the foreign country they are operating in.

Question 11

All of the following are benefits of having a diverse sales force EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

Having a diverse sales force may actually increase tensions between departments if certain groups feel underrepresented or that their needs are not being met. It is important to create a culture of inclusion and respect to prevent this from happening. All of the other options presented are benefits of having a diverse sales force.

Question 12

Because of webconferencing software as well as software applications that allow companies to design and host their own lessons and classes online,companies are experiencing far fewer problems:

Accepted Answer

Webconferencing software and software applications for online training make it easier for companies to train their global sales personnel, as they can conduct virtual training sessions and host online classes. However, these tools do not directly address the issues of selecting, motivating, compensating, or evaluating global sales personnel.

Question 13

Some personal traits that are considered positive in the United States,such as looking the other person in the eye while answering a question during a job interview,are considered offensive in other countries.This is just one small example of the complications surrounding the process of:

Accepted Answer

Selecting global sales personnel involves understanding and respecting cultural differences, including communication styles and behaviors that are considered appropriate or offensive in different countries.

Question 14

Different levels of intrinsic and extrinsic reward orientation among workers from different countries causes difficulties:

Accepted Answer

Motivating global sales personnel can be challenging if they have different levels of intrinsic and extrinsic reward orientation. Some may be more motivated by internal factors such as personal satisfaction, while others are more motivated by external factors such as monetary rewards. Understanding these differences and finding ways to motivate all employees can improve overall performance.

Question 15

Of the five dimensions of national culture,which is the most likely to affect different attitudes about the usefulness of sales forecasts?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Of the five dimensions of national culture,which...

Question 16

A sales manager who wants his salespeople,who are from a variety of different cultures,to interact in the same informal style he does is displaying:

Accepted Answer

The sales manager is displaying ethnocentric behavior, which involves judging other cultures according to the standards and values of one's own culture. The manager assumes that his informal style is the norm and expects his salespeople, who come from different cultures, to conform to it. This can lead to misunderstandings and miscommunication, as different cultures may have different expectations for interaction styles.

Question 17

A sales manager who wants to change a corporate culture must be willing to:

Accepted Answer

The best choice is E, as a sales manager who wants to change a corporate culture must take visible action to change it. This involves implementing new policies, training programs, and communication strategies to create a more positive and productive work environment. Enforcing decisions that go against internal unity or living with entrophy may lead to further cultural problems, while going from a high-performing culture to a low-performing one or resigning are not effective solutions for changing the corporate culture.

Question 18

All of the following can cause major miscommunications and problems EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

Dipthongs are not a common cause of major miscommunications and problems in communication. Dipthongs are simply a combination of two vowel sounds in a single syllable. The other options, carelessness, words with multiple meanings, idioms, and slang, are all common causes of miscommunications and problems in communication.

Question 19

American expatriates often have to maintain residences in the United States as well as in the country in which they work.When they sell side by side with local workers,this fact alone gives sales managers problems when:

Accepted Answer

The fact that American expatriates often have to maintain residences in the United States as well as in the country in which they work creates unique challenges when it comes to compensating global sales personnel. Sales managers may need to create different compensation packages for American expatriates and local workers to account for differences in taxes, cost of living, and other factors. This can create issues with fairness and motivation among the sales team.

Question 20

A low-context culture is one in which:

Accepted Answer

In a low-context culture, communication is primarily based on the literal meaning of words rather than unspoken messages or contextual cues.

Quiz 15: Internal and External Cultural Forces