Question 1

Incubator culture is characterized by a strong emphasis on the hierarchy and orientation to the person.

Accepted Answer

Incubator culture is characterized by a strong emphasis on creativity, innovation, and individual freedom, rather than hierarchy and orientation to the person.

Question 2

Regardless of the external environment or their national culture, managers and employees must understand and follow their organization's culture to be successful.

Accepted Answer

Understanding and following the organization's culture is crucial for success as it influences the behavior, decision making, and performance of everyone in the organization. The organization's culture reflects its values, norms, beliefs, and practices, which shape the way people interact, communicate, and work together towards common goals. Ignoring or violating the organization's culture can result in conflicts, misunderstandings, and poor performance, which can affect the organization's reputation, profitability, and sustainability. Therefore, managers and employees must embrace and embody the organization's culture, which requires a combination of awareness, alignment, and adaptation to its unique context and challenges.

Question 3

A disadvantage of diversity is that it often leads to groupthink, which is social conformity and pressures on individual members of a group to conform and reach consensus.

Accepted Answer

A disadvantage of lack of diversity is groupthink. Diversity, on the other hand, can help avoid groupthink by bringing different perspectives and ideas to the table.

Question 4

As the diversity of a group increases, the likelihood of all members perceiving things in the same way increases sharply.

Accepted Answer

The statement is actually the opposite of what is true. As the diversity of a group increases, the likelihood of all members perceiving things in the same way decreases.

Question 5

An example of a token group is a group of three American, three German, three British and three Japanese managers who are looking into oil exploration opportunities in Russia.

Accepted Answer

Token groups, in which all members but one have the same background. An example would be a group of Japanese retailers and a British attorney who are looking into the benefits and shortcomings of setting up operations in Bermuda.

Question 6

Hofstede's research found that the national cultural values of employees have an insignificant impact on their organizational performance and these values are easily changed by the organization.

Accepted Answer

Hofstede's research actually found that national cultural values do have a significant impact on employee behavior and that these values are difficult to change by the organization.

Question 7

Guided missile organizational cultures generally are made up of cooperative project teams.

Accepted Answer

Guided missile organizational cultures rely on collaborative and interdisciplinary project teams to develop and implement new technologies.

Question 8

A bicultural group is a group in which two or more members represent each of two distinct cultures, such as four Mexicans and four Canadians who have formed a team to investigate the possibility of investing in a venture.

Accepted Answer

A bicultural group is a group in which two or more members represent each of two distinct cultures.

Question 9

Organizational culture is a pattern of shared basic assumptions that are developed by a group as it learns to cope with problems of external adaptation and internal integration; and it is taught to new members as the correct way to perceive, think and feel in relation to these problems.

Accepted Answer

This statement defines the definition of organizational culture accurately.

Question 10

As firms began exporting to foreign clients, they became what Alder called "international corporations".

Accepted Answer

Alder indeed used the term "international corporations" to describe firms that began exporting to foreign clients.

Question 11

Organizational culture is complex and cannot be defined as a set of norms regulating the behavior of the employees of a firm.

Accepted Answer

In its most basic form, organizational culture can be defined as the shared values and beliefs that enable members to understand their roles in and the norms of the organization.

Question 12

One main benefit of diversity is the generation of more and better ideas.

Accepted Answer

When people from different backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives work together, they bring their unique experiences and knowledge to the table, resulting in a wider range of ideas and solutions. This can lead to more creative and innovative approaches to problem-solving, ultimately benefiting businesses, communities, and society as a whole.

Question 13

Organizational cultures of MNCs are shaped by a number of factors, including the cultural preferences of the leaders and employees.

Accepted Answer

Organizational cultures are shaped by various factors, including the cultural background and preferences of the leaders and employees. Other factors may include the nature of the industry, company values and mission, and national culture.

Question 14

Under this Eiffel Tower culture, jobs are well defined, employees know what they are supposed to do and everything is coordinated from the top.

Accepted Answer

The statement suggests a hierarchical and centralized structure commonly found in the Eiffel Tower culture, where job roles and responsibilities are well-defined, and decision-making is concentrated at the top.

Question 15

It has been found that when cultural comparisons were made between different subsidiaries of an MNC, nearly identical cultures typically existed within each one.

Accepted Answer

This statement is false. Cultural comparisons between different subsidiaries of an MNC often reveal significant differences in culture due to variations in local customs, values, and practices.

Question 16

Andre Laurent's research found that cultural differences actually are more pronounced among foreign employees working within the same multinational organization than among personnel working for firms in their native lands.

Accepted Answer

According to Andre Laurent's research, cultural differences are more pronounced among foreign employees working within the same multinational organization than among personnel working for firms in their native lands.

Question 17

In the entry stage of group development, the focus is typically on decision making and implementation.

Accepted Answer

In the entry stage of group development, the focus is typically on orientation and familiarization, as well as establishing goals and guidelines for communication and decision making within the group.

Question 18

Multiculturally diverse teams have a great deal of potential to be either very effective or very ineffective.

Accepted Answer

Multiculturally diverse teams can bring together different perspectives, knowledge, and experiences that can lead to innovative solutions and improved decision-making. However, if communication barriers, cultural misunderstandings, and stereotyping are not addressed, they can also be very ineffective. Therefore, the effectiveness of a multiculturally diverse team depends on how well the team members can navigate and manage these challenges.

Question 19

Among international firms, which focus on exporting and producing abroad, cultural diversity has a relatively weak impact on their external relationships with potential buyers and foreign employees.

Accepted Answer

Cultural diversity has a strong impact on international firms' external relationships with potential buyers and foreign employees since understanding and respecting different cultures can lead to better communication and business success.

Question 20

An example of a token group would be a group of male German bankers who are forecasting the economic outlook for a foreign investment.

Accepted Answer