IntB Chapter 4 Differences in Culture

How has social media affected group life?

It has emphasized the idea of an extended social group.

What are three principles of social stratification? (Check all that apply.)

It is generally universal. It carries over to the next generation. It involves beliefs as well as inequality,

Adherents of Islam are called

Muslims.

Buddhism has all the same basic beliefs as Hinduism except for which two of the following?

advocacy in extreme ascetic behavior. support for the caste system.

Class ______ is an awareness of one's social or economic rank in society.

consciousness

Hofstede studied how ______ relates to values in the workplace.

culture

Hindus believe in ______, the behaviors and responsibilities governing individual conduct.

dharma

According to Hofstede, if the ties between people are loose, it is most likely a sign of a(n) ______ society.

individualistic

Western society values _______ over ______.

individuals; groups

One reason for the rise of Islamic fundamentalism is the

influence of Western ideas and culture.

All societies are divided on a hierarchical basis into social categories called social _____.

strata

The basic social organization of a society is called its social _____.

structure

The Koran characterizes the practice of charging interest as

unjust

A group's consideration and acceptance of what is good and right represents their

values.

For poor Muslims, modern ideology has not offered substantial economic improvement, yet it threatens their traditional

values.

Which statement BEST reflects the implications of cultural differences for business?

A company may need to vary management processes by country as a result of local cultural differences.

The majority of Christians live in Europe and the Americas. However, Christianity is rapidly growing in ______.

Africa

The religion where followers try to achieve nirvana or spiritual enlightenment is _____.

Buddhism

What ethical system was the official ethical system of China until the communist revolution and emphasizes taking the right actions to attain salvation?

Confucianism

Loyalty, honesty in dealing with others, and reciprocal obligations are the building blocks of

Confucianism.

______ is important because managers need to have a deep understanding of the prevailing culture in those areas in which they do business.

Cross-cultural literacy

______ is judging another's culture solely by the values and standards of one's own culture.

Ethnocentrism

The religion where followers believe in reincarnation and karma is

Hinduism

Which two phrases reflect the economic implications of Islam? (Check all that apply.)

Hold property as trustees, rather than as owners (per Western definition of ownership) Cannot earn profit through exploitation of others

As the guiding principle of Islam, the ______ actually promotes free enterprise and supports earning legitimate profits through commercial efforts.

Koran

______ join the political entity of a state to the cultural entity of a nation.

Nation-states

What are three examples of the "hidden curriculum" of schools? (Check all that apply.)

Obedience to authority Respect for others Dealing with competition

What are three of the determinants of culture? (Check all that apply.)

Political philosophy Social structure Economic philosophy

What are the four dimensions originally identified by Hofstede?

Power distance Uncertainty avoidance Masculinity vs femininity Individualism vs collectivism

What are the three values central to the Confucian system of ethics that may have led to economic success in some Asian countries? (Check all that apply.)

Reciprocal obligations Loyalty Honesty in dealing with others

______ is/are something that one believes in that is concerned with the sacred and follows with some measure of devotion.

Religion

The two major Christian organizations are

Roman Catholic Orthodox Church

True or False: While religion can influence the values and norms of society, the values and norms of society can also impact religion.

True

True or false: Economic advancement and globalization may be important factors in societal change.

True

True or false: Education provides a competitive economic advantage through the creation of a pool of skilled and educated workers.

True

______ is the Hofstede dimension that measures a society's tolerance for ambiguity and uncertainty.

Uncertainty avoidance

As countries get richer, we often see a shift ______ traditional values (such as staying married and obeying one's parents) and ______ secular rational values (including abortion and divorce).

away from; toward

The most rigid form of social stratification is the _____ system.

caste

The economic principles of Islam prohibit a bank from _____.

charging interest

The system is a less rigid form of social stratification than the caste system.

class

In the past, there has been a mutual lack of respect between upper management and working-class employees at British companies. This lack of respect was the result of the perception that those in upper management were a "step above" the employees. This perception was a reflection of _____.

class consciousness

Understanding how cultural differences across and within nations affect the way business is practiced is known as ______ literacy.

cross-cultural

Energy Resources Ltd. does business in 50 countries around the world. The company stresses to all employees the importance of understanding the prevailing culture in the countries that they are doing business in. In other words, the company is aware of the importance of

cross-cultural literacy.

A system of values and norms that are shared among a group of people and that when taken together constitute a design for living is called .

culture

When a company with branches in Japan and the United States changes its performance appraisal system to reflect the fact that American managers are more individualistic as compared to their more group-oriented Japanese counterparts, the company is recognizing the need to vary company processes and practices based on how ______ affects work-related values.

culture

The system of values and norms that are shared among a group of people and when considered as a whole represent a design for living is called

culture.

Geoff believes that the way his US-based company does business is superior to the way his French affiliate office conducts business. Geoff's attitude is an example of _____.

ethnocentrism

Monica asked her manager if appropriate dress for the meeting was business casual or traditional business. Monica is inquiring about the ______ associated with the meeting.

folkway

The routine conventions of living, thinking and acting in a group are called ______.

folkways

Stephen usually eats lunch with three of his co-workers and on the weekends he gets together with his college friends. The people Stephen interacts with represent two types of _____.

groups

According to Hofstede, societies with stiff codes of behavior, rules, and laws score on the uncertainty avoidance index. (Choose high or low.)

high

The Hofstede dimension that is focused on the degree to which people in a society are integrated into groups is

individualism versus collectivism.

A caste system is a type of social structure that divides people on the basis of _____.

inherited social status

There _____ a strict one-to-one relationship between one culture and a nation-state.

is not

Alex considers himself a "true French Canadian" and agrees with political activists who think there should be a separation from English speaking citizens who are dominating certain provinces. What seems to be the cause of this division in Canada?

language

Kate's grandmother was born in Belgium and she says she is Flemish. Anne's grandmother was also born in Belgium and she says she is French. In some areas of Belgium, all signs are in French and are not possible to read unless you know the French language. The same is true for other areas with all signs in Flemish. What is creating the divide between these two cultures?

language

Cross-cultural _____ is necessary for a business to understand the cultural differences that exist between companies involved in international business.

literacy

In some cultures, people are more willing to work hard to achieve material wealth and may have to wait years before feeling they have succeeded. This is a reflection of which dimension identified by Hofstede?

long-term versus short-term orientation

Which of Hofstede's dimensions focuses on delaying gratification of material needs?

long-term versus short-term orientation

Confucianism values harmonious relationships, which are based on moral and ethical conduct and ______.

loyalty to others

In a culture, sex roles are sharply differentiated. (masculine or feminine?)

masculine

The Hofstede dimension that looks at the relationship between gender and work roles is

masculinity versus femininity.

Social _____ refers to how difficult or easy it is for an individual to move out of the social strata into which they are born.

mobility

Islam is a ______ religion, believing in one true God.

monotheistic

Unspoken language is another way to describe ______ communication.

nonverbal

What is the focus of Hofstede's power distance dimension?

people are not equal in physical capabilities

In the ______ dimension identified by Hofstede, the degree of power and wealth is not balanced within a country.

power distance

The set of shared beliefs followed by Catholics and those of the Jewish faith represent their individual _____.

religions

Nigel was born into a poor, working-class family in England. He is resigned to the fact that his life will be much like his fathers as he has no way to earn a degree and change his status. Nigel believes that a lack of _____ determines his fate.

social mobility

A class system is characterized by the fact that a person can move from one ______ to another.

social strata

What are two examples of nonverbal communication?

standing an appropriate distance from a colleague during a conversation giving a thumbs up sign to indicate you agree with a statement

In Westernized societies, freedom to choose is considered everyone's right. The idea of what is good and right is an example of a(n) _____.

value