Question 1

Colgate discovered that in Spanish colgate is a verb form that means "go hang yourself." Whirlpool found that consumers in Italy, France, and Germany had trouble pronouncing the name. These are examples which show the importance of ________ in global marketing.

Accepted Answer

Phonology is the study of language sounds and how they are used in communication, while morphology is the study of word structure and formation. These two aspects are important in global marketing because they affect how consumers perceive and understand brand names and slogans. In the examples given, Colgate's name had negative connotations in Spanish due to its phonological similarity to a verb with a negative meaning, while Whirlpool faced pronunciation challenges in multiple languages due to differences in morphology across languages.

Question 2

Suppose you have a friend from India who is a lifelong vegetarian and who does not like McDonald's because the company sells hamburgers in many countries. Which of the following describes your friend?

Accepted Answer

Vegetarianism is a belief or value system based on the idea of not consuming meat, while the dislike for McDonald's is an attitude towards a specific entity. Therefore, "vegetarianism" represents a value, while "dislike McDonald's" represents an attitude.

Question 3

An intern from the United Kingdom was working in an American software company during summers. One day her boss gave her a memo asking her to post it, with the intention of having it put on the bulletin board. To her boss's surprise the letter was mailed by the intern since the word "post" means "mail" in British English. In communication terms this error can be attributed due to:

Accepted Answer

The error can be attributed to semantics, which refers to the meaning of words and how they are interpreted. In American English, "post" typically means to put up on a bulletin board, while in British English it can mean to mail something. This misunderstanding was due to a difference in the semantic interpretation of the word "post."

Question 4

The use of the color ________ dates back millennia as seen by artisans in ancient Egypt, China, and Mayan civilizations and is now associated with royalty and divinity.

Accepted Answer

The color blue dates back millennia and was used by ancient civilizations such as Egypt, China, and the Mayans. It was associated with royalty and divinity due to its rarity and expense. Blue dyes were often made from precious and hard-to-find materials such as lapis lazuli.

Question 5

When the Coca-Cola Company was developing its new Dasani bottled water brand, linguists helped guide the naming process. For example, the recurring "a" was chosen because it has a soothing sound. In linguistics, issues pertaining to letters and sounds are a matter of:

Accepted Answer

Phonology is the branch of linguistics that deals with the systematic organization of sounds in languages. In this case, the linguists were guiding the naming process based on the sound of the letters in the brand name, which falls under phonology.

Question 6

There is nothing inherently "good" or "bad" about any color of the spectrum and all associations and perceptions regarding color arise from culture. Which of the following statements is not true?

Accepted Answer

The answer of There is nothing inherently "good" or "bad"...

Question 7

Culture includes conscious and unconscious values, ideas, attitudes, and symbols that shape human behavior that are confined to a generation.

Accepted Answer

Culture is not confined to a single generation; it is passed down from one generation to the next and evolves over time, incorporating the values, ideas, attitudes, and symbols of multiple generations.

Question 8

As cultural differences become less relevant and disposable incomes become high, a trend towards greater consumption of the following type of foods is predicted.

Accepted Answer

American fast foods are often associated with convenience and affordability, which appeal to a broad audience as disposable incomes rise and cultural barriers diminish. This trend is observed globally, with American fast food chains expanding in many countries.

Question 9

While some food preferences remain deeply embedded in culture, there is plenty of evidence that global dietary preferences are converging. Examples of such a change can be predicted from the:

Accepted Answer

The growing number of McDonald's restaurants globally suggests that people around the world are increasingly accepting and even preferring fast food that has a more uniform taste and style. This trend reflects a convergence in global dietary preferences towards foods that are more widely available and easily accessible, rather than being deeply embedded in specific cultural traditions.

Question 10

Cultural influences are also quite apparent in food preparation and consumption patterns and habits. Domino's Pizza, the world's largest pizza-delivery company, pulled out of Italy because:

Accepted Answer

Italians perceived Domino's Pizza products to be "too American," which reflects a cultural influence in food consumption patterns and habits. Italians have a strong traditional and cultural attachment to their own authentic pizza, and Domino's Americanized version did not appeal to them.

Question 11

A vice-president of an American software company introduced himself to a group of Korean partners and added "you may just call me John." Although this verbal cue shows the underlying reality that Americans have a high value on informality and equality, it needs adaptation due to the reason that:

Accepted Answer

In Korean culture, hierarchical relationships are important and should be respected. Addressing someone by their first name, especially if they are of higher status, can be seen as disrespectful. Using titles and last names is more appropriate in this context.

Question 12

While marketers should be secure in their own convictions and traditions, ________ are required to appreciate the integrity and value of other ways of life and points of view.

Accepted Answer

To appreciate the integrity and value of other ways of life and points of view, an open mind and absence of prejudice are required. This means that marketers should not only be secure in their own convictions and traditions but also be willing to understand and respect other cultures and perspectives. None of the other choices directly address the need for open-mindedness and lack of prejudice.

Question 13

Anheuser-Busch and Miller Brewing both experienced market failures in the United Kingdom when they used the phrase "light beer" which was misinterpreted as:

Accepted Answer

The phrase "light beer" was misinterpreted as having reduced alcohol levels, causing both companies to struggle in the market in the UK.

Question 14

Historically, the lagoon in Venice provided Venetians with a safe haven from Germanic and Hun invaders.

Accepted Answer

The lagoon in Venice provided Venetians with protection from invaders, particularly Germanic and Hun warriors during the 5th century.

Question 15

Considering Hofstede's notion of culture as "the collective programming of the mind," then attitudes can be defined as:

Accepted Answer

Attitudes are learned tendencies to respond in a consistent way to a given object or entity, according to the definition provided. This aligns with Hofstede's definition of culture as the collective programming of the mind, as attitudes are a part of this collective programming.

Question 16

Linguists have divided the study of languages into four main areas. The system of word formation is referred to as:

Accepted Answer

The system of word formation, including prefixes, suffixes, and stems, is studied under the field of morphology in linguistics. Syntax involves the study of sentence structure and how words are ordered. Phonology deals with the study of sound systems and how they are organized in languages. Semantics focuses on the meaning of words and their relationships with each other. Semiotics is the study of signs and symbols and how they are used to communicate meaning.

Question 17

In China, Dell had to find a meaningful interpretation of "direct sales." A literal translation results in zhi xiao which is the Chinese term for "illegal pyramid marketing schemes." To counteract the negative connotation, Dell's sales representatives began using the phrase zhi xiao ding gou, which translates as:

Accepted Answer

The phrase zhi xiao ding gou translates as "direct orders" and is a more appropriate interpretation of "direct sales" in China. It avoids the negative connotation associated with "illegal pyramid marketing schemes."

Question 18

One reason cultural factors challenge global marketers is that many of these factors are hidden from view.

Accepted Answer

Cultural factors can include a wide range of beliefs, values, customs, and behaviors that may be deeply ingrained in a society but not immediately evident to outsiders. These factors can also vary greatly within a single country or region, making it difficult for global marketers to properly understand and address them in their campaigns.

Question 19

Giving business cards with the left hand in Malaysia, showing soles of shoes to a host in Saudi Arabia, and winking one eye in India are all considered impolite interpersonal communication due to the fact that:

Accepted Answer

Nonverbal cues are an important form of communication in many cultures and can contribute to misunderstandings or offense if not understood or respected. In these specific examples, the actions mentioned go against cultural norms and could be interpreted negatively, which highlights the importance of being aware of and respectful towards different cultural communication practices.

Question 20

When marketers refer to "fast-food culture", or "credit-card culture" they are referring to a cosmopolitan culture which is comprised of various segments of the population which are interconnected.

Accepted Answer

When marketers refer to fast-food or credit-card culture, they are acknowledging the influence that these ubiquitous features of modern life have on a broad range of people who are connected by shared experiences and consumer habits. This interconnectedness is a key characteristic of cosmopolitan culture.

Quiz 4: Social and Cultural Environments