Question 1

___ cultures are those in which much communication takes place through nonverbal and situational cues in addition to the written or spoken word.

Accepted Answer

In high-context cultures, much communication is conveyed through nonverbal and situational cues, such as body language, tone of voice, and the context in which the message is delivered, in addition to the written or spoken word. This contrasts with low-context cultures, in which communication is primarily conveyed through the explicit meaning of words and less emphasis is placed on nonverbal cues. Middle-context and the other options are not commonly used terms to describe cultural communication styles.

Question 2

One of the new employees at Colleen's firm is from Asia. She looks lost most of the time and is not interacting well with others in the office. Which of the following terms best describes her situation?

Accepted Answer

The situation described in the question best fits the definition of culture shock, which refers to the disorientation and anxiety that occur when people encounter a culture that is different from their own. The new employee's struggles to adjust to the new workplace culture suggest that she may be experiencing culture shock. Ethnocentrism, self-concordance, proxemics, and ethical dilemmas are not relevant to this particular scenario.

Question 3

Veronica has been recruited as a human resource manager in a firm based in China. She soon realizes that the work culture at her new office is entirely different from that of her previous firm, which was based in the U.S. In her new office, she could not question an order passed by a higher authority. What kind of a culture is Veronica facing in her new office?

Accepted Answer

Veronica is facing a high-power-distance culture where there is a significant power distance between those in positions of authority and those who are not. In such cultures, subordinates are expected to respect and follow orders without question, and there is a strong emphasis on hierarchy and social status. This is in contrast to low-power-distance cultures where there is a more egalitarian approach and subordinates are encouraged to speak up and challenge authority if necessary.

Question 4

Most businesspeople in the United States schedule meetings with specific people and focus on a specific agenda for an allotted time. This is characteristic of a(n) ___ culture.

Accepted Answer

The characteristics described in the statement, such as scheduling meetings with specific people and focusing on a specific agenda for an allotted time, are typical of a monochronic culture. In monochronic cultures, time is viewed as a valuable commodity and is managed carefully. Meetings and appointments are expected to start and end on time, and punctuality is highly valued. The opposite of a monochronic culture is a polychronic culture, where time is viewed as more fluid and flexible, and people tend to focus on multiple tasks at once rather than on strict schedules.

Question 5

In ___ cultures, time is used to accomplish many different things at once.

Accepted Answer

Polychronic cultures view time as flexible and fluid, allowing for multiple tasks to be accomplished simultaneously. This is in contrast to monochronic cultures, which view time as linear and sequential, with one task being completed before moving on to the next. Ethnocentric, low-context, and high-context refer to different cultural communication styles, and are not directly related to the use of time.

Question 6

In a ___ culture, people guide their behaviour according to expectations set by prevailing social norms.

Accepted Answer

A tight culture is characterized by strong social norms and a low tolerance for deviation from those norms. In these cultures, behavior is guided by strict rules and customs, and individuals are expected to conform to group expectations.

Question 7

Juan went to Japan on a company assignment. He often got confused because his hosts did not articulate their expectations and goals clearly. He would ask a lot of questions and would find himself talking a lot. Later, he learnt that he had to consider their gestures to get the complete picture. Which of the following terms best describes the culture of Juan's hosts?

Accepted Answer

The situation describes a high-context culture, where communication is often indirect and rely heavily on nonverbal cues and context to convey meaning. Juan had to learn to read his hosts' gestures to understand their expectations and goals clearer.

Question 8

Dom visited one of the Middle East countries to discuss strategic alliance with a client. He noticed that his hosts wouldn't mind doing a lot of other things simultaneously during the meeting. Dom was baffled by the amount of interruptions that took place while interacting with his client. Which of the following terms best describes the culture of Dom's client?

Accepted Answer

Dom's client exhibits a polychronic culture, which values the completion of multiple tasks simultaneously and accepts interruptions as a natural part of communication. Polychronic cultures contrast with monochronic cultures, which prioritize completing one task at a time and expect interruptions to be minimized.

Question 9

Which of the following is one of the focuses of cultural tightness-looseness?

Accepted Answer

One of the focuses of cultural tightness-looseness is the tolerance that exists for any deviations from norms. Cultural tightness refers to cultures with strong norms and a low tolerance for deviant behavior, while cultural looseness refers to cultures with weak norms and a high tolerance for deviant behavior.

Question 10

Monochronic cultures focus on ___.

Accepted Answer

Monochronic cultures are those that value and prioritize time. They tend to view time as a limited commodity and adhere to schedules and deadlines.

Question 11

Oskar Gassner, a German businessman, decided to meet one of his clients in the latter's office in Abu Dhabi. He was frustrated to find that after an initial warm greeting, his client continued to deal with the continuous stream of visitors flowing in and out of his office. Gassner concluded that he was not being given the dedicated attention he deserved. This is because Gassner closely identifies his working style with the ___ cultural values.

Accepted Answer

Gassner's frustration at not being given dedicated attention suggests that he values a monochronic (linear, time-sensitive) working style, in which appointments are strictly adhered to and interruptions are minimized. In contrast, a polychronic (multi-tasking, flexible) working style would be more accepting of the continuous flow of visitors in the client's office. High-context and low-context cultural values relate more to communication style and how much is left unsaid in a conversation, rather than a preference for a particular working style. Xenocentric is not a relevant term in this context.

Question 12

Which of the following is true about proxemics?

Accepted Answer

Proxemics is the study of the use of space in communication, including the distance between people, the way space is used, and the effects of space on communication. It is not primarily concerned with time, gestures, or verbal communication, nor is it focused on comparative analysis of cultural traits.

Question 13

___ is the study of how people use space to communicate.

Accepted Answer

Proxemics deals with how individuals use space to communicate and includes the study of personal space, territoriality, and spatial arrangements in different cultures. Kinesics is the study of body movements (including gestures and facial expressions) to communicate meaning, while vocalics is the study of how we use our voices (such as tone, pitch, and speed) to communicate. Chronemics deals with the role of time in communication.

Question 14

In ___ cultures, people tend to do one thing at a time.

Accepted Answer

Monochronic cultures view time as a finite resource that should be used efficiently, and therefore tend to emphasize doing one thing at a time. This is in contrast to polychronic cultures, which tend to view time as more fluid and prioritize relationships and social interactions over tasks.

Question 15

Proxemics relates to which of the following aspects of the silent language of culture?

Accepted Answer

Proxemics refers to the study of space orientation in communication and how people use space to convey messages. Therefore, it relates to the spatial aspect of the silent language of culture.

Question 16

Which of the following describes cultural tightness-looseness?

Accepted Answer

Cultural tightness-looseness refers to the strength of social norms and the degree of tolerance for deviations within a culture. Tight cultures have strong social norms and low tolerance for deviance, while loose cultures have weaker social norms and higher tolerance for deviance.

Question 17

In ___, time is used to accomplish many different things at once.

Accepted Answer

Polychronic cultures refer to cultures where time is viewed as fluid and flexible, where people value relationships and social interactions more than strict adherence to schedules. In these cultures, it is common for people to work on multiple tasks at once, or to prioritize social interactions over punctuality.

Question 18

Which of the following is true about members of polychronic cultures?

Accepted Answer

Members of polychronic cultures are flexible in their views of time and tend to see time as fluid and constantly changing. They are comfortable with interruptions and often place a higher value on personal relationships and social interactions over rigid adherence to schedules.

Question 19

Todd was send to North Korea on a project by his company. He is accompanied by his wife, Sarah. While Todd makes an effort to understand and adapt to the culture and ways of the Koreans, Sarah feels out of place. What does Todd's behaviour reflect?

Accepted Answer

Todd's behavior reflects cultural intelligence, as he is making an effort to understand and adapt to the culture of North Korea. In contrast, Sarah feels out of place, which could be indicative of culture shock or a lack of cultural intelligence. Ethnocentrism, monochronic cultural identity, and low-context cultural ideals do not seem to be applicable in this scenario.

Question 20

Ray is currently writing his doctoral thesis, which is a comparative study on the use and treatment of physical space in communication between people across cultures. His thesis is a study on ___.

Accepted Answer

Ray's thesis is focused on the use and treatment of physical space, which falls under the category of proxemics – the study of how people use and perceive space in communication.

Quiz 5: Global Management and Cultural Diversity