Question 1

Power distance examines the extent to which societies tolerate risk or are risk averse.

Accepted Answer

Power distance refers to the degree to which inequalities in power and wealth are accepted and perpetuated within a society, not its tolerance for risk.

Question 2

Inwa means that groups at the top of the social pyramid exert a great deal of control over others at lower levels of the pyramid.

Accepted Answer

Inwa does not refer to social hierarchy or control; it is a historical city in Myanmar, also known as Ava, which was the capital of several Burmese kingdoms.

Question 3

Of the following, which is NOT a charcteristic of culture that is important for global companies to recognize?
A) Culture is learned, not inherited.
B) It is nearly impossible to change an entire country's culture.
C) It is the responsibility of the global firm to ascertain the level of importance of various aspects of culture in the foreign markets it serves.
D) Companies' operations, cheifly marketing and management, need to recognize and adjust to the cultural environment existing in the countries the global company serves.
E) Culture can be imposed from home country to host country.

Accepted Answer

Culture cannot be imposed from one country to another. It is a learned behavior of a particular group of people that evolves over time through socialization and experience. It is important for global companies to recognize this fact and adapt their strategies to the cultural environment of the countries they serve.

Question 4

The level of education must be such that high-tech products can be accepted because the market knows how to use them.

Accepted Answer

High-tech products require a certain level of education and understanding to be accepted and used effectively. Therefore, the level of education must be sufficient for the market to understand and use these products.

Question 5

In Kuwait, weekends are Monday and Tuesday, not Saturday and Sunday as they are in most Western nations.

Accepted Answer

In Kuwait, the weekend is on Friday and Saturday, aligning with many other Middle Eastern countries, not Monday and Tuesday.

Question 6

Mexican business executives who buy business-to-business products from U.S. suppliers indicate that "knowledge of the mexican culture" and "enthusiasm" were the most important cutural variables determining from which supplier they purchased. this example of which of the four charecteristics of culture which is important for global companies to recognize?
A) Culture is larned, not inherited.
B) It is nearly impossible to change an entire county's culture.
C) It is the responsibility of the global firm to ascertain the level of importance of various aspects of culture in the foreign markets it serves.
D) Companies' operations, chiefly marketing and management, need to recognize and adjust to the cultural environment existing in the countries the global company serves.
E) Culture is inherited, not learned.

Accepted Answer

Global firms must understand and prioritize cultural aspects in foreign markets to effectively engage and succeed.

Question 7

Research studies find that culture is not learned; rather it is inherited.

Accepted Answer

Culture is learned through socialization, enculturation, and acculturation. While some aspects of culture may be inherited, such as genetics, cultural values and beliefs are passed down through socialization within a specific cultural group.

Question 8

In ____ translation, a message is translated from English to another language, then someone skilled in that foreign language translates it back into English; this second translation can then be compared to the original English version.
A) vertical
B) horizontal
C) forward
D) backward
E) diagonal

Accepted Answer

The answer of In ____ translation, a message is translated...

Question 9

Mexican negotiators will frequently engage in long periods of silence, or may have peripheral discussions among one another while ignoring foreign business people in the room.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Mexican negotiators will frequently engage in long...

Question 10

Verbal and non-verbal communication are the two primary types of language.

Accepted Answer

Verbal communication involves the use of words and language to convey a message, whereas non-verbal communication involves the use of body language, facial expressions, and other forms of communication without using words.

Question 11

Which of the following statements about culture is NOT true?
A) It is a concept that is relaively easy to define.
B) There are many different components of culture.
C) Culture involves how a group of people behave, what they value and appreciate, and many other aspects.
D) There are four charecteristics of culture.
E) Culture is learned, not inherited.

Accepted Answer

Culture is a complex concept that is difficult to define precisely, as it encompasses a wide range of human behaviors, beliefs, values, and symbols.

Question 12

According to the GLOBE Project, the lowest level of instituional collectivism existed for the Anglo group.

Accepted Answer

The answer of According to the GLOBE Project, the lowest...

Question 13

______ communication refers to tone of voice, gestures, eye contact, body positions, facial grimaces, and other body language that accompanies verbal communication.
A) Verbal
B) Nonverbal
C) Informal
D) Formal
E) Backward

Accepted Answer

Nonverbal communication refers to all the physical signals we use to convey messages outside of spoken or written language. This can include body language, facial expressions, tone of voice, and more.

Question 14

Latin Americans are not as conscious about time as are North Americans.

Accepted Answer

In Latin American culture, punctuality may not be emphasized as much as in North American culture. Meetings and appointments may start later than the scheduled time, and being a little late is often considered acceptable.

Question 15

Guanxi refers to the relationship between subordinates and superiors. It denotes friendship among unequals involving unlimited exchanges of favors; thus, it is not based upon sentiment.

Accepted Answer

Guanxi is indeed a form of relationship between subordinates and superiors, but it is not based on sentiment, rather on exchanges of favors.

Question 16

Hofstede's masculine vs. feminine dimension is the extent to which a society values traditionally masculine attributes (assertiveness, competition)or traditionally feminine ones (modesty, caring for others).

Accepted Answer

This statement accurately describes Hofstede's dimension of masculinity versus femininity.

Question 17

In Arab countries, business executives will often digress from the primary purpose of the meeting, then eventually return to the topic initially discussed.

Accepted Answer

In Arab countries, it is common for business executives to engage in small talk and build personal relationships before getting to the main topic of the meeting. Therefore, it may appear that they are digressing, but it is actually a part of their business culture. Eventually, they will return to the topic initially discussed.

Question 18

The primary reason why language mistakes occur in global business is that organizations tend to use backward translation.

Accepted Answer

Language mistakes in global business often occur due to a lack of understanding of cultural nuances, idiomatic expressions, and the complexity of languages, rather than solely relying on backward translation.

Question 19

When doing business in Russia, it is not appropriate to look directly into the eyes of your Russian hosts.

Accepted Answer

Looking directly into the eyes of your Russian hosts is actually considered respectful in Russian culture. Avoiding eye contact may be seen as a sign of distrust or insincerity.

Question 20

The U.S. Department of Commerce Country Commercial Guide provides cultural information for 133 countries.

Accepted Answer

The U.S. Department of Commerce Country Commercial Guide does provide cultural information for 133 countries.

Quiz 5: The Cultural Environment