Chapter 15 MSM 6655

Although famed for their craftsmanship, the French are often accused of lacking an intense work ethic because

they avoid overtime

In the Kluckhohn-Strodtbeck Cross-Cultural Framework, the cultural issue that is measure din terms of good, evil or mixed is

nature of people

If the customs and social culture dimensions of the host country are not accommodated by the project manager on an international project, these projects will

often be unsuccessful

The environmental factor of infrastructure refers to a country or community's ability to ________required for a project

provide the services

On the project, managers can reduce the stress caused by culture shock by _______ it and modifying their behavior accordingly

recognizing

One way project managers can reduce stress caused by culture shock is to

redefine priorities by setting more realistic expectations

Identify the physiological responses of stress-related culture shock

Sleeplessness Headaches Fatigue

When working overseas in China, one caution is that the Chinese are often _______ in formulating a plan, and _______ in implementation

Slow; fast

What is both a possible positive and a possible negative of project managers given international assignments

Career opportunities

How might a project manager better understand the selection factors that led to a specific international location?

Develop a risk matrix at the project site level

Factors such as balance of payments, currency fluctuations, population growth, education level of the workforce, and market size are examples which of the following factors?

Economic

Which factors below are environmental factors that may affect how international projects are implemented?

Economic Security Legal/political

Communication difficulties because of different languages often become a major problem in carrying out simple tasks on international projects. Communication best fits into which environmental factor?

Culture

__________________is a system of shared norms, beliefs, values, and customs that bind people together, creating shared meaning and unique identify.

Culture

Identify the aspects of the environment facto of culture which can affect the success of international projects.

Customs Values

American project managers have earned a reputation abroad as good at solving technical problems, but not good at understanding

People

It typically takes ___________ before international project managers working in another country operate with moderate fluency

2-12 months

Useful guidelines for an Arab culture such as Saudi Arabia include which of the following?

A lot of what gets done is a result of going through administrative channels in the country Patience is critical to the success of business negotiations Connections are extremely important in conducting business

The degree to which local regulations favor local workers and suppliers is an example of the environmental factor termed

legal/political

The constraints imposed by national and local laws need to be identified and adhered to when managing international projects. What questions regarding the legal/political environment should the international project manager understand?

Are ecological laws restrictive? What is the stability of the government? How will labor laws affect workers? What is the level of corruption?

What minimal areas of knowledge should a project professional have about a culture, before being assigned to work in another country?

Family life Business protocols Holiday-national and religious

Guidelines and cautions for working with Americans on projects include which of the following?

Females have considerable opportunity for personal and professional growth, guaranteed by law Americans tend to be quite friendly and open when first meeting someone In the United States, gifts are rarely brought by visitors in a business situation

Rank the four stages of culture shock in the order in which they typically occur

Honeymoon Irritability and hostility Gradual adjustment Adaptation

Information-giving Affective approach Behavioral/experintial

Information giving uses a lecture type orientation Affective approach engenders cultural insights through emotional responses Behavioral/experiential utilizes realistic scenarios or simulations

When conducting business in France, one caution to consider relates to French managers, who see their work as ________

Intellectual exercise

The Hofstede framework for examining cultures includes which of the following dimensions?

Masculinity-feminity Power distance Individualism versus collectivism

Security as an environmental factor is not only about dealing with threats from working abroad. It also involves the capacity of a country's military and police forces to

Prevent and respond to attacks

What are the two important considerations for security precautions when personnel are sent abroad for project work?

Psychological costs Monetary costs

Two of the biggest adjustments Americans typically have to make working abroad are

Punctuality of people Adapting to the pace of life

Which of the following are cautions to remember when working in China?

Reciprocity is important in negotiations he chinse tend to be less animated than Americans Those in power and authority are obligated to assist the disadvantaged

Many organizations consider a number of characteristics to determine whether an individual is suitable for overseas work. Which of the following typically takes precedence?

Technical know-how

Which of the following are cautions to remember when working in China?

The Chinese tend to be less animated than Americans Those in a position of power and authority are obligated to assist the disadvantaged Reciprocity is important in negotiations

After ___________________, depending on the individual and assignment, most people come up from their culture shock "low" and begin living a more normal life in the foreign country

Three to Six months

Useful guidelines for working with Mexican on projects include which of the following?

Titles are extremely important and are always used when a person is introduced In meetings, persons with authority ratify what has been decided in informal, private discussions A long silence is often used to indicate displeasure or disagreement

What is the best explanation for Saudi Arabian expression, "Bukra Insha Allah"

Tomorrow, if God wills

People with a parochial perspective do not recognize that other people have different ways of living and working effectively.

True

Religion is an aspect of the cultural environmental factor

True

The natural psychological disorientation that most people suffer when they move into a different culture than their own is called culture shock

True

In dealing with the Chinese, you must realize they are a _______________ society in which people pride themselves on being a member of a group

collective

The French enjoy a reputation for productive work, as a result of the French tradition of

craftsmanship

In many societies, bribes are an accepted part of business. For Americans this constitutes a

culturally ethical dilemma

One of the major issues surrounding management of international projects is working in a

foreign culture

Construction projects in Southeast Asia having to accommodate the monsoon season when rainfall can be as high as 50 inches per month is an example of the environmental factor termed

geography