Question 1

Ulf Christenson,who works for the World Bank,is sent to Tunisia to meet with members of the Tunisian Textile Exporters' Association.Ulf is surprised that the Tunisian textile exporters spend a considerable amount of time at the beginning of the meeting chatting,talking about where they grew up,where they went to school,and what people they know in common.This behavior indicates that Tunisian society is a(n)____ culture.

Accepted Answer

The fact that the Tunisian textile exporters spend time chatting about personal matters indicates that they come from a high-context culture, which places a strong emphasis on building personal relationships and finding common ground before entering into business discussions. This is often in contrast to low-context cultures, where business is conducted in a more direct and formal manner.

Question 2

In countries like Singapore,rules are disliked,but the rules that are employed are generally respected.Radically new ideas are embraced,and as a result,these societies are very innovative.This description reveals that countries like Singapore are ____ societies.

Accepted Answer

The given description suggests that Singaporean society is open to new ideas and innovative, which is a characteristic of societies with low uncertainty avoidance. This indicates that they are willing to take risks and try unconventional approaches. Collectivist, individualist, and feminine dimensions are not directly associated with the information provided.

Question 3

In the Netherlands,public welfare is a major concern,and modesty and nurturing behavior are valued.This description reveals that the Netherlands is a(n)____ society.

Accepted Answer

The statement emphasizes the value of nurturing behavior, which is a characteristic of a feminine society. This indicates that the Netherlands is a feminine society.

Question 4

In Denmark,students tend to prepare résumés that underplay their achievements.Interviewers know that they must ask probing questions to elicit an account of these achievements in the interview.In the United States,students tend to construct their résumés to broadcast all of their achievements.These descriptions reveal that Denmark is a ____ society and the United States is a(n)____ society.

Accepted Answer

The answer of In Denmark,students tend to prepare résumés that...

Question 5

In Italy,the United States,and Arab countries,speakers are allowed-and even expected-to express emotions.For example,if a speaker is upset or excited,he or she is socially allowed to speak louder and gesticulate.This is because these are ____ cultures.

Accepted Answer

The description given of the cultures suggests that they prioritize expressing emotions and allowing for emotional expression in communication. This is a hallmark of affective cultures.

Question 6

Cultures in which activities are addressed one at a time are known as ____________________ cultures.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Cultures in which activities are addressed one...

Question 7

____________________ is defined as the entire heritage transmitted by word,literature,or any other form.

Accepted Answer

The answer of ____________________ is defined as the entire heritage...

Question 8

____________________ is defined as the extent to which the less powerful members within a society accept that power is distributed unevenly.

Accepted Answer

The answer of ____________________ is defined as the extent to...

Question 9

In ____________________ cultures,people express their emotions openly,and upset or excited speakers are allowed to speak louder and gesticulate.

Accepted Answer

The answer of In ____________________ cultures,people express their emotions openly,and...

Question 10

____________________ cultures are ones in which communication is explicit,and words tend to keep their meaning in all situations.

Accepted Answer

The answer of ____________________ cultures are ones in which communication...

Question 11

Indonesia scores very high on the Hofstede measure of power distance.When an Indonesia boss encourages his employees to contradict him and express their own ideas this

Accepted Answer

Indonesia's high power distance means that there is a strong respect for authority figures and a reluctance to contradict them. Therefore, the fact that the boss is encouraging employees to express their own ideas is a cultural paradox, as it goes against the norm.

Question 12

The United States is an example of a(n)____________________-trust society.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The United States is an example of...

Question 13

In Scandinavian societies,communication is explicit and words tend to retain their meaning in all situations,but in Latin American societies,communication is more implicit.In Latin America,the meanings of words change depending on who is speaking to whom,where that person is speaking,and under what circumstances he or she is speaking.This description reveals that Scandinavian societies are ____ cultures,and Latin American societies are ____ cultures.

Accepted Answer

According to the description, Scandinavian societies have explicit communication where words retain their meaning in all situations. This is a characteristic of a low-context culture. Latin American societies, on the other hand, have implicit communication where the meaning of words changes depending on various factors. This is a characteristic of a high-context culture. Therefore, the best choices are D as it differentiates between low-context and high-context cultures.

Question 14

In Austria,ambition,competitiveness,and high earnings are valued.This description reveals that Austria is a ____ society.

Accepted Answer

The description of ambition, competitiveness, and high earnings being valued in Austria indicate that the society is masculine. Masculinity in this context refers to a society where achievement, assertiveness, and material rewards are prioritized over qualities like modesty, cooperation, and quality of life (which are the characteristics of a feminine society). Austria's values align more with the traditional view of masculinity in society.

Question 15

Ward Sayre is at a bar in Spain with his Spanish business partner.Suddenly,Mark Smith,Ward's old college friend,taps him on the shoulder.The two old friends chat for a couple of minutes about their college experiences at The University of Texas at Austin,home of the Texas Longhorns.As Mark begins to leave,Ward holds up his hand,displaying the hand gesture for the Texas Longhorns,and says "Hook 'Em." Ward's Spanish client is confused,and asks him "I thought he was your friend? How could you do that to him?" The hand gesture in Spain is a deep insult.This miscommunication is due to differences in the meaning of ____.

Accepted Answer

The miscommunication is due to differences in the meaning of body language. The hand gesture for the Texas Longhorns, which is a friendly symbol of support and pride among friends in the US, is considered a deep insult in Spain.

Question 16

When the Belgian company,Interbrew,acquired 50 percent of Korea's Oriental Brewing company,the Belgian managers insisted that the Korean staff speak their minds,even if it meant disagreeing with their Belgian bosses.The Korean staff,however,was used to a hierarchical relationship based on loyalty and unswerving loyalty to the boss.The Belgian managers and Korean staff were surprised by each other's actions.They were experiencing ____.

Accepted Answer

The scenario described is characteristic of culture shock, where individuals experience disorientation and confusion when encountering unfamiliar cultural practices and beliefs. The Belgian and Korean cultures have different approaches to communication and management, causing surprise and confusion for both parties.

Question 17

In the United States,all persons are addressed with the pronoun you.In Japan,a person will use a different pronoun with a superior,a colleague,or a subordinate.There are differences in ____ between the United States and Japan.

Accepted Answer

The sentence clearly mentions the use of different pronouns for addressing superiors, colleagues, and subordinates in Japan, indicating a difference in forms of address between the United States and Japan. Therefore, option D is the correct choice. Culture change, femininity, and temporal orientation are all broader concepts and are not specifically related to the use of forms of address in these two countries.

Question 18

The Hofstede measure associated with attitudes towards the future is ____________________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The Hofstede measure associated with attitudes towards...

Question 19

In many Asian cultures,the display of emotion is discouraged.This is because many Asian cultures are ____ cultures.

Accepted Answer

Neutral cultures prioritize self-control and emotional restraint over emotional expressiveness. In such cultures, people are expected to regulate their emotions in accordance with the situation, and the expression of strong emotions is generally discouraged or seen as inappropriate. Many Asian cultures, such as Japan, China, and Korea, are considered neutral cultures.

Question 20

When an American executive says yes in a negotiation,this usually means "Yes,I accept the terms." In American culture,communication is explicit and words tend to retain their meaning in all situations.This is because the United States is a ____ culture.

Accepted Answer

The best choice is D - low context. In low context cultures like the United States, communication tends to be explicit and words hold their meaning in all situations. This means that when an American executive says "yes" in a negotiation, they generally mean "yes, I accept the terms" without any hidden meanings or context-dependent interpretations.

Quiz 3: Cultural and Social Forces