Deck 3: Understanding the Role of Culture

Question 1

Which of the following is a typical value in U.S. culture?

A) Employment is for a lifetime.
B) Success occurs because of luck.
C) Commitments should be honored.
D) Schedules are relative to other priorities.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

The culture of ________ in the Netherlands was incorporated into business policy when KLM Royal Dutch Airlines revised its travel-benefits policy for families of employees.

A) financial performance
B) cost control
C) human relations development
D) social responsiveness

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Which of the following terms refers to the expectations, norms, and holds held in common by employees of a specific company or institution?

A) cultural variable
B) societal culture
C) organizational culture
D) organizational system

Answer 3

C

Question 4

________ is an awareness and an honest caring about another individual's culture.

A) Cultural accommodation
B) Cultural empathy
C) Cultural sympathy
D) Cultural savvy

Question 5

Which of the following best describes a self-reference criterion?

A) unconsciously referring to our own cultural values
B) analyzing our culture more than we analyze other cultures
C) referring to other cultures in order to understand our own culture
D) looking to expert opinions about culture before forming our own opinions

Question 6

What is the most likely reason that over half of the Saudi workforce consists of foreigners?

A) high wage rates and low taxes for expatriates at Saudi-based MNEs
B) negative attitudes among Saudi Arabians regarding hard work
C) Saudi Arabia's tight restrictions on male and female workers
D) lack of Saudi government support for university training

Question 7

Which of the following is NOT categorized as a sociocultural variable?

A) religion
B) economics
C) education
D) language

Question 8

Which of the following terms refers to the shared values, understandings, assumptions, and goals that over time are passed on and imposed by members of a group or society?

A) environment
B) workforce
C) economy
D) culture

Question 9

The first step toward cultural sensitivity is for an international manager to ________.

A) work and travel in a foreign culture
B) interact with people from other cultures
C) understand his or her own culture
D) learn to speak another language

Question 10

International firms like Starbucks and McDonald's most likely modify their business practices in Saudi Arabia because of ________.

A) prevalent religious customs and beliefs
B) poor international business relationships
C) low demand for American products
D) tight restrictions on foreign trade

Question 11

Global managers that exhibit cultural intelligence and cultural sensitivity are most likely able to ________.

A) negotiate effectively in expatriate assignments
B) request bonuses for overseas job assignments
C) implement technological changes quickly
D) conduct efficient performance appraisals

Question 12

What is the primary reason that high-end department stores operate in Saudi Arabia given the country's dress restrictions?

A) Dress restrictions only apply to certain regions of Saudi Arabia.
B) Women wear designer clothes for public functions when abayas are not required.
C) Wealthy men and women in Saudi Arabia are interested in the latest fashion trends.
D) Saudi Arabia draws travelers from Europe who want the latest designer clothes at low prices.

Question 13

The policy changes made by Royal Dutch Airlines serve as an illustration of ________.

A) individual leadership making significant improvements
B) ineffective cultural training leading to corporate losses
C) labor unions pressing corporations for cultural changes
D) organizational culture responding to national cultural values

Question 14

Research indicates that the primary reason for failed expatriate assignments is ________.

A) creeping incrementalism
B) cross-cultural differences
C) moral universalism
D) economic barriers

Question 15

Convergence occurs when ________.

A) management styles evolve into entirely different styles over time
B) management styles become more similar to one another
C) managers agree to disagree on how to manage
D) employees and managers share similar values

Question 16

All of the following statements about women in Saudi Arabia are true EXCEPT that they are ________.

A) allowed to earn a college degree
B) restricted from owning businesses
C) allowed to buy designer clothing
D) restricted from driving cars

Question 17

Research has found that all of the following are true EXCEPT that ________.

A) cross-cultural differences are the main cause of failed business negotiations and interactions
B) U.S. firms lose over $2 billion per year because of failed expatriate assignments
C) cross-cultural training is ineffective in enhancing adjustment and performance
D) U.S. firms do little to incorporate cross-cultural training into their ongoing training programs

Question 18

Which of the following terms refers to having a working knowledge of the cultural variables affecting management decisions?

A) multicultural sensitivity
B) cultural accommodation
C) multicultural transfer
D) cultural intelligence

Question 19

Women in Saudi Arabia are permitted to work alongside men as ________.

A) lawyers
B) architects
C) engineers
D) doctors

Question 20

Which of the following terms refers to the expectation that "foreigners" should automatically fall into host-country patterns of behavior?

A) geocentrism
B) nationalism
C) parochialism
D) ethnocentrism

Question 21

According to the GLOBE project, managers in which of the following countries are highly future-oriented but not assertive?

A) Italy
B) Argentina
C) Switzerland
D) United States

Question 22

According to Harris and Moran, kinship systems refer to the influence of ________.

A) workplace relations
B) religious activities
C) family relationships
D) informal groups

Question 23

All of the following are value dimensions proposed by Hofstede EXCEPT ________.

A) uncertainty avoidance
B) assertiveness
C) power distance
D) individualism

Question 24

stereotyping should most likely be avoided by international managers because ________.

A) current variables of culture are grossly inaccurate
B) many cultures have diverse subcultures
C) many countries outlaw the practice
D) national culture is nonexistent

Question 25

Which subsystem is most likely to underlie both moral and economic norms?

A) kinship
B) political
C) religious
D) education

Question 26

Which of the following terms refers to the belief that the management techniques used in one's own country are best no matter where or under what conditions they are applied?

A) geocentrism
B) nationalism
C) parochialism
D) ethnocentrism

Question 27

An autocratic style of management would be most effective in which of the following?

A) low power distance countries
B) high power distance countries
C) low economic risk countries
D) high performance countries

Question 28

An international manager can best develop an understanding of a particular culture by ________.

A) creating a cultural profile for that country or region in which the firm does business
B) assuming that American cultural styles and practices can be successfully transplanted
C) using stereotypes to develop cross-cultural understanding in a business setting
D) hiring locals rather than expatriates for management positions in overseas subsidiaries

Question 29

Which of the following terms refers to a person or group's ideas and convictions about what is important, good or bad, right or wrong?

A) laws
B) values
C) rules
D) procedures

Question 30

Research by Harris and Moran identified eight categories that form the ________ in every society.

A) subsystems
B) stereotypes
C) subcultures
D) nationalities

Question 31

Med-Tex is a large pharmaceutical firm based in Texas. Med-Tex has three manufacturing facilities in the U.S., and the firm wants to join other American pharmaceutical firms by expanding overseas. The firm's executives are evaluating locations across the world for the most suitable place to build the latest Med-Tex manufacturing facility. Which of the following best supports the argument that Med-Tex should build a new facility in Ireland?

A) Expanding into a similar culture reduces risks associated with different attitudes, values and communication styles.
B) Med-Tex's main competitor received government incentives for building a new manufacturing facility in the U.K.
C) Collectivist societies like Ireland encourage the individual achievement necessary for scientific advancements in pharmaceuticals.
D) Particularistic cultures apply rules and systems objectively, which is important within the Med-Tex organizational culture.

Question 32

Which of the following groups has collected data on the cultural values, business practices, and leadership attributes of thousands of international managers?

A) GLOBE
B) WTO
C) EU
D) UN

Question 33

Managers from Taiwan, New Zealand, and Hong Kong tend to take initiative and have a sense of urgency and the confidence to get things done. According to the GLOBE project, such managers score high on the dimension of ________.

A) humane orientation
B) future orientation
C) performance orientation
D) assertiveness

Question 34

The GLOBE project identified nine ________ that differentiate one society from another and have significant managerial implications.

A) subsystems
B) stereotypes
C) value judgments
D) cultural dimensions

Question 35

Which of the following terms refers to assuming that every member of a society or subculture has the same characteristics or traits, without regard to individual differences?

A) diversifying
B) posturing
C) stereotyping
D) subsidizing

Question 36

According to the GLOBE project, which of the following dimension refers to how much people in a society are expected to be tough, confrontational, and competitive versus modest and tender?

A) individualism
B) assertiveness
C) power distance
D) performance orientation

Question 37

Workplaces in high power distance cultures will most likely be characterized by ________.

A) flexible schedules
B) autocratic leadership
C) loosely defined chains of command
D) informality between customers and workers

Question 38

According to contingency management, international managers need to ________.

A) transfer home-country business practices to the local environment
B) adapt their management styles to the local setting and people
C) determine the extent to which locals will accept unequal power
D) provide training to locals before transferring new technology

Question 39

The main contribution of Harris and Moran's eight categories is to show how ________.

A) subsystems in a society affect an individual's behavior
B) stereotyping can be a useful tool for learning about cultures
C) subcultures are beginning to converge with broader cultures
D) global managers should adapt to subordinates from other cultures

Question 40

People from Singapore and Denmark attach a high level of importance to behaviors such as long-term planning. According to the GLOBE project, such societies have a ________.

A) performance orientation
B) assertiveness orientation
C) humane orientation
D) future orientation

Question 41

Which of the following best explains the view of time held by most Arabs?

A) Deadlines and firm commitments are crucial to Arabs.
B) Arabs view time as a valuable and limited resource.
C) Arabs believe important decisions cannot be rushed.
D) Unscheduled or lengthy meetings offend Arabs.

Question 42

According to Hofstede, all of the following are characteristic of organizations in countries with low masculinity EXCEPT ________.

A) few job conflicts
B) limited amount of job stress
C) more social loafing at work
D) more women in top executive jobs

Question 43

Jane greatly values achievements and success. In contrast, Fred values harmony. Based on Hofstede's cultural dimensions, Jane is likely to come from a(n) ________ culture, while Fred is likely to come from a(n) ________ culture.

A) high power distance; low power distance
B) high risk loving; low risk loving
C) individualistic; collectivist
D) collectivist; individualistic

Question 44

According to Trompenaars, the ________ dimension focuses on the emotional orientation of relationships.

A) universalism versus particularism
B) neutral versus affective
C) specific versus diffuse
D) achievement versus ascription

Question 45

If you are born and raised in an achievement society, your source of status will most likely be based upon your ________.

A) father's occupation
B) age
C) level of education
D) gender

Question 46

According to Trompenaars's value dimensions, the particularistic obligation is best described as the ________.

A) application of rules and systems
B) open expression of emotions
C) obligation towards relationships
D) opportunity to achieve status

Question 47

According to Hofstede's value dimensions, ________ is the extent to which subordinates accept a hierarchical system in a company.

A) uncertainty avoidance
B) power distance
C) individualism
D) masculinity

Question 48

Which of the following is most likely a true statement regarding the Mexican business culture?

A) Work is a sacred duty for both men and women.
B) Group harmony at work is essential to success.
C) Workers are primarily focused on the future.
D) Leisure time is more important than work.

Question 49

Societies such as Malaysia, Mexico, and the Philippines that accept strong hierarchical boss-subordinate relationships tend to score high on Hofstede's ________ dimension.

A) uncertainty avoidance
B) collectivism
C) masculinity
D) power distance

Question 50

Managers from Italy and Mexico would most likely express their emotions openly during a business situation, while managers from England and Japan would most likely consider such behavior unprofessional. Which of Trompenaars' value dimensions addresses this difference in behavior and attitude?

A) universalism versus particularism
B) neutral versus affective
C) specific versus diffuse
D) achievement versus ascription

Question 51

According to Trompenaars's value dimensions, which of the following best describes the universalistic approach?

A) applying rules and systems
B) expressing emotions openly
C) placing emphasis on relationships
D) separating work and private life

Question 52

Managers in ________ cultures separate their work and private lives, and they tend to be open and direct when communicating with co-workers.

A) diffuse-oriented
B) specific-oriented
C) universal-oriented
D) particular-oriented

Question 53

Assertiveness, materialism, and a lack of concern for others are considered ________ values by Hofstede.

A) masculine
B) power distance
C) individualistic
D) collectivist

Question 54

According to Hofstede's value dimensions, ________ refers to the tendency of people to look after themselves and their immediate family only and to neglect the needs of society.

A) power distance
B) uncertainty avoidance
C) individualism
D) masculinity

Question 55

Which of the following is NOT a value dimension in Trompenaars' system?

A) universalism vs. particularism
B) neutral vs. affective
C) specific vs. diffuse
D) intrinsic vs. extrinsic

Question 56

According to Hofstede, countries such as Japan, Portugal, and Greece have strict laws and procedures to which their people adhere closely because they have ________, while countries like Denmark, Great Britain, and U.S. tolerate protests because they have ________.

A) high power distance; high uncertainty avoidance
B) high masculinity; low individualism
C) high uncertainty avoidance; low uncertainty avoidance
D) high individualism; low individualism

Question 57

Jane passes on insider information to Jill, her friend. According to Trompenaars, Jane likely comes from a(n) ________ society.

A) particularistic
B) universalistic
C) achievement
D) ascription

Question 58

According to Hofstede's research, there is a strong relationship among ________, wealth, and a political system with balanced power.

A) low individualism
B) high individualism
C) low uncertainty avoidance
D) high power distance

Question 59

Which of the Hofstede variables would be most closely responsible for the existence of formal rules and procedures within a given culture?

A) individualism
B) uncertainty avoidance
C) masculinity
D) femininity

Question 60

Which of Trompenaars' value dimensions addresses the source of power and status in society?

A) universalism versus particularism
B) neutral versus affective
C) specific versus diffuse
D) achievement versus ascription

Question 61

According to research, which of the following is characteristic of most Germans?

A) need for extensive personal space during conversations
B) establishment of informal, personal work relationships
C) willingness to question and debate managerial authority
D) desire for flexible work procedures, rules, and processes

Question 62

Many people in traditional, non-Western societies believe that change is caused by ________.

A) destiny
B) technology
C) international firms
D) the actions of individuals

Question 63

Explain the theory of convergence.

Question 64

The use of guanxi among small family businesses in China is best described as a ________.

A) family hierarchy that determines who receives profits
B) competitive management style based on Confucian values
C) network of relationships centered on mutual obligations and favors
D) combination of modern and traditional methods for managing employees

Question 65

What are some of the restrictions placed on women in Saudi Arabia? To what extent are women involved in economic and other activities in Saudi Arabia?

Question 66

According to research, Koreans are best described as ________.

A) driven to individual success
B) confrontational and strict
C) friendly and hard working
D) critical of poor performance

Question 67

Different cultural attitudes about nature and material goods would most likely require a global manager located in Korea to reconsider which of the following?

A) schedules
B) incentive systems
C) communication methods
D) applicant screening procedures

Question 68

Sweden barring airlines from transmitting passenger information most likely illustrates the ________.

A) dependence on the Internet by Swedish citizens
B) lax enforcement of privacy rights in Sweden
C) importance of the Internet to international business
D) impact of culture on Internet usage

Question 69

How can national culture affect the business and management practices of a firm? Provide a specific example to illustrate your answer.

Question 70

Which of the following primarily determines how the Internet is used in different countries?

A) local connection speeds
B) availability of personal computer parlors
C) local attitudes about information privacy
D) extent of intercultural communication systems

Question 71

Both Japanese culture and the basis of working relationships can most likely be explained by the principle of was, which refers to ________.

A) faith and honor
B) peace and harmony
C) femininity
D) loyalty

Question 72

Which of the following is NOT a typical characteristic of Arab culture?

A) open admission of mistakes
B) indirect communication style
C) emphasis on hospitality
D) respect for others' self-image

Question 73

ACE is a large computer firm based in Virginia. ACE has five manufacturing facilities in the U.S. and is in the process of building a new facility in Brazil. ACE executives are considering which American managers should be sent to Brazil to run the new facility. Henry Phillips is the top candidate for the position in Brazil. Which of the following best supports the argument that Henry would be the most suitable manager for the ACE facility in Brazil?

A) Henry calls daily department meetings to gather subordinates' feedback.
B) Henry tends to develop friendly, trusting relationships with his subordinates.
C) Henry maintains a professional distance from his subordinates by only discussing work issues.
D) Henry communicates in a blunt manner when providing feedback or direction to his subordinates.

Question 74

According to the research of Harris and Moran, which of the following is NOT a characteristic of most Americans?

A) submissive
B) generous
C) informal
D) efficient

Question 75

What is the difference between parochialism and ethnocentrism?

Question 76

How does cultural sensitivity relate to international management? How can international managers gain cultural sensitivity?

Question 77

Which of the following does NOT characterize the traditional Japanese business environment?

A) strong working relationships
B) strong seniority systems
C) weak middle management
D) homogeneous value system

Question 78

Which of the following best describes the Japanese culture as it relates to international business functions?

A) Working hard, persevering, and being patient are virtuous.
B) Spending time with family is more important than work.
C) Efforts should focus on the present rather than the future.
D) Individual success and achievement shows respect for self.

Question 79

The European view of information privacy most likely stems from its ________.

A) acceptance of U.S. business practices
B) European Union requirements
C) culture and history
D) competitive origins

Question 80

Which of the following is a change that has been indicated by recent studies of the Japanese corporate culture?

A) increased need for consensus and groupthink in the workplace
B) more reliance on peaceful and harmonious work relationships
C) increased emphasis on personal responsibility and competition
D) greater effort towards establishing power distance relationships