Question 1

Which of the following is most likely to happen when companies fail to use the knowledge, skills, and understanding that expatriate managers acquire in international assignments?

Accepted Answer

When companies fail to use the knowledge, skills, and understanding that expatriate managers acquire in international assignments, the expatriates often feel undervalued and unappreciated. As a result, they may take lower-level jobs upon return or leave the company.

Question 2

If you were concerned about maximizing your career benefits with a foreign assignment, which of the following questions would be the most important to ask?

Accepted Answer

Understanding how many executives have foreign-service experience can indicate the value the organization places on such assignments for career advancement.

Question 3

When comparing European countries such as Norway and Denmark with North America, which of the following trends is evident in terms of compensation systems?

Accepted Answer

European countries like Norway and Denmark typically offer higher wages and more comprehensive benefits compared to North America, reflecting their strong social welfare systems.

Question 4

IAM Inc. has operations in many countries. Recently, it used staff from four of these countries to work on a project. What type of team would this be?

Accepted Answer

A transnational team is a team made up of individuals from different countries who work on a project together. This type of team is commonly used by global organizations that have operations in multiple countries.

Question 5

In some countries, such as India, profit sharing is mandated by law. Thus, companies have to distribute some of their profits to the employees. Which of the following is the key reason for this requirement?

Accepted Answer

Mandating profit sharing is a way to ensure that some of the wealth generated by a company is distributed to its employees, rather than being entirely held by the owners and managers. This can help to reduce income inequality and spread the benefits of economic growth more broadly. It is not related to corruption, foreign investment mandates, or punishing companies for colonialism.

Question 6

Which of the following is the key purpose of repatriation?

Accepted Answer

The key purpose of repatriation is to help employees make the transition back home after completing their international assignment. This includes providing support and resources to ease the transition and ensure the employee's successful reintegration into the home organization. A is incorrect because training would occur prior to the international assignment, not after. C and D are both incorrect as they do not relate to the purpose of repatriation.

Question 7

Compared to North American managers, European managers-especially those in France, Germany, and Italy-tend use which of the following decision-making styles?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Compared to North American managers, European managers-especially...

Question 8

In collectivist societies such as Japan and Taiwan, which of the following is a key focus of the pay system?

Accepted Answer

In collectivist societies, the pay system focuses on internal equity and personal needs, as opposed to individual performance.

Question 9

Compared to Canadian managers, Japanese managers tend to use which of the following decision-making styles in the workplace?

Accepted Answer

Japanese managers tend to use a more participatory style in the workplace, in contrast to Canadian managers who tend to adopt a more decentralized or collaborative approach. This participatory style is rooted in the Japanese cultural value of harmony and consensus-building, which emphasizes group decision-making and collaboration. Japanese managers also prioritize relationships and trust-building with their subordinates, which further reinforces this participatory style of decision-making.

Question 10

According to cross-cultural studies, nations tend to cluster according to similarities in all of the following cultural dimensions EXCEPT which one?

Accepted Answer

Cross-cultural studies have found that nations tend to cluster according to similarities in work goals, values, and job attitudes. However, laws may differ between nations based on historical, political, and social factors, and therefore may not be a consistent cultural dimension across nations.

Question 11

Which of the following is associated with cultural conditioning?

Accepted Answer

Cultural conditioning refers to the ways in which individuals are socialized and taught to behave in certain ways based on their cultural background. It can have a significant impact on attitudes, behaviours, and reactions in the workplace, both for workers and their managers. The other options are incorrect: A is false because formal education and training can also be important forms of cultural conditioning; C is false because cultural conditioning is particularly important in international HRM given the diversity of cultures involved; and D is too narrow to fully capture the concept of cultural conditioning.

Question 12

Heineken recently organized a group of individuals with specialized skills representing each major region within Europe. This group an example of which of the following?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Heineken recently organized a group of individuals...

Question 13

If you were developing a performance appraisal system for individuals on international assignments, it would be best to base individuals' appraisals on information from which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Since international assignments involve a cross-cultural experience, it is important to gather feedback from both home- and host-country evaluations to have a comprehensive understanding of an individual's performance. This approach will provide a well-rounded and accurate assessment of the individual's effectiveness in adapting to the local culture and performing their job duties. Peer evaluations may also be useful as a supplemental source of feedback, but should not be the sole basis for performance appraisals on international assignments.

Question 14

Which of the following is NOT one of the attributes of successful global managers that Levi Strauss identified?

Accepted Answer

Levi Strauss did not identify "capability to manage a highly centralized organization" as one of the attributes of successful global managers.

Question 15

In designing compensation systems, what does the philosophy of "thinking globally and acting locally" mean?

Accepted Answer

"Thinking globally and acting locally" in designing compensation systems means that pay plans should be designed to support the overall strategic intent of the organization and also provide enough flexibility to customize certain policies to meet the needs of employees in specific locations. This approach ensures that the compensation system aligns with the organization's overall goals, while also taking into account local factors such as cost of living and employee expectations. Option A is too narrow and only focuses on expatriates, while option B only considers local issues. Option C is similar to option A but does not address the importance of global organizational issues in pay plan development.

Question 16

Which of the following is a recent trend in expatriate assignments?

Accepted Answer

Shorter, project-based assignments are a recent trend in expatriate assignments as companies seek to minimize costs and increase flexibility. These assignments typically range from 6 months to 2 years and are focused on specific projects or tasks.

Question 17

Individuals working internationally need to know as much as possible about all of the following host-country characteristics EXCEPT which one?

Accepted Answer

Popular fashion trends are not relevant to the success of international business endeavors and are not typically a significant consideration when working in a foreign country. The other options, social and business etiquette, political structure, and cultural values and priorities, are crucial aspects that individuals need to understand to effectively navigate and succeed in their international work.

Question 18

Which of the following is one of the most common problems that occur with performance appraisals of international assignees?

Accepted Answer

Criterion deficiency occurs when important aspects of an employee's performance are not measured, which is a common issue in appraising international assignees due to differences in cultural and business environments.

Question 19

Which of the following factors is NOT a reason why firms may want to use host-country nationals?

Accepted Answer

The mobility of host-country nationals is not a reason why firms may want to hire them, as mobility is not unique to this group of employees and could be applicable to employees of any nationality. The other factors listed (preference by host-country governments, cost-effectiveness, and cultural knowledge) are all advantages of using host-country nationals.

Question 20

Which of the following best describes transnational teams?

Accepted Answer

Transnational teams are teams that work across national borders and tend to focus on projects that involve multiple countries or regions. They are often comprised of individuals with diverse cultural backgrounds and skill sets.

Quiz 15: International Human Resources Management