Chapter 4 - Business Communications
The most family-focused organizational cultures are often found in
Asia.
ethnocentrism
Belief in the superiority of one's nation or ethnic group. It is the belief that your own culture is superior—that it provides better approaches for solving work problems or dealing with work relationships and contains a better knowledge base to conceptualize work.
Which of the following countries has the most collectivist culture?
China
For business recruiters, which three of the following countries are generally considered the most valuable for a study-abroad experience?
China India Brazil
Worldwide, ______ is the language of business.
English
Which of the following countries is best described as high in individualism, high in future orientation, low in humane orientation, and high in uncertainty avoidance?
Germany
Which of the following countries have high-trust cultures?
Germany China
Which of the following are typical outcomes of becoming friends with an international student?
Helping the international student feel at home in your country Understanding the process of living in an unfamiliar culture Gaining knowledge of another culture
Which of the following statements are true about the use of English in international business?
Many professionals in global companies speak only limited English. Different forms of English are spoken in various English-speaking countries.
Baby Boomers
People born between 1946 and 1964; in general, they greatly value loyalty, financial security, stability, and a positive work ethic.
True or false: A rise in individualism can be linked to an increase in economic growth.
True
What traits of study-abroad programs do business recruiters value most?
a duration of one semester or longer the inclusion of language study a strategic location
One consideration when moving to a new country for work is the time needed to
adjust to the culture.
Which of the following can facilitate communication when working with those with limited ability in the global language of business?
being patient as others express themselves speaking slowly and clearly using interpreters when needed
A learner mind-set helps
build cross-cultural relationships. facilitate the process for making decisions.
Stereotypes can be productive for those working across cultures when they are which of the following?
flexible mostly positive a starting point
In cross-cultural working relationships, ethnocentrism is also known as the ______ mind-set.
judger
The best way to gain knowledge about another culture is through
living in it.
Cultural diversity in the workplace means that
many cultural groups are present.
Cultural dimensions are long-standing sets of
norms and values.
Because cultures perceive time differently, there are different
paces of life. definitions of timeliness. expectations about pace.
Viewing people from other cultures through the ______ of their country, as defined by the news media coverage, regularly leads to unfair negative stereotyping.
politics
Negative stereotypes about people from other cultures often come from
popular culture.
What are characteristics on which cultural intelligence is built?
respect recognition
What are three highly useful methods for learning about another culture?
studying the business culture of the country forming friendships with people who live in the culture watching films, television, and other videos about the culture
The identities of collectivists are typically based on which of the following?
their family their friends select groups
Uncertainty avoidance describes the way people handle
unexpected events.
One way to gain insight into another culture's visual and auditory cues is by
watching videos.
Although members of other cultures may have limited proficiency in the global business language, their ability to communicate in it usually improves
with time.
co-culture
A culture that exists within the larger culture of a country or society, such as subgroups defined by age, race, or ethnicity, occupation, sexual orientation, physical disability, religion, avocation, and so on. a culture that exists within a larger cultural context groups that are impacted by a variety of smaller specific cultures that intersect in our lives combines elements of each culture
Which of the following are characteristics of cultures considered to be high performance?
Deadlines are emphasized. Feedback is regarded as a means to betterment. Results are valued over relationships.
Regionally, the rates of individualism and collectivism in the United States vary, with the ______ being the most collectivist.
Deep South
True or false: Women generally play powerful roles in professional decision making in low gender-egalitarianism cultures.
False
Which one of the following traits is the most helpful in learning about a new culture?
Inquisitive
Junko and Miguel are from different cultures and work for the same company. Both are considered excellent, productive employees. However, although Junko arrives at work on time every day and never misses a deadline, Miguel does not always arrive to the office on time, and he views deadlines as suggestions. Which of the following is a likely explanation for this?
Junko is from a fast-paced culture, and Miguel is from a slow-paced one.
Which of the following are characteristics of egalitarian organizations?
Leaders adopt an open management style. Everyone is encouraged to offer an opinion.
Which of the following countries have low-trust cultures?
Mexico Brazil
Projected cognitive similarity can occur when people project their own cultural norms and values to explain behaviors they observe in others. Which of the following statements about projected cognitive similarity are true?
Projected cognitive similarity can be counterproductive and dysfunctional.
uncertainty avoidance (UA)
The value dimension referring to how much uncertainty a society or culture is willing to accept. refers to how cultures socialize members to feel in uncertain, novel, surprising, or extraordinary situations.
True or false: Business professionals who are culturally intelligent believe other cultures can possess different yet valid approaches to business-management practices.
True
True or false: Future orientation can be defined as a readiness to forego current desires in order to achieve future goals and desires.
True
True or false: When moving to or working with a new culture, time should be set aside for making an adjustment.
True
cultural intelligence (CQ)
a measure of how well a person can adapt and manage effectively in culturally diverse settings
collectivism
a mind-set that prioritizes interdependence more highly than independence, emphasizing group goals over individual goals, and valuing obligation more than choice
One type of stereotype that can emerge when interacting with members of other cultures, projected cognitive similarity, is defined as the tendency to
assume others have the same norms and values as your own cultural group.
egalitarian
believing in the social and economic equality of all people cultures in which people tend to distribute and share power evenly, minimize status differences, and minimize special privileges and opportunities for people just because they have higher authority.
Hierarchical
cultures in which people expect power differences, follow leaders without questioning them, and feel comfortable with leaders receiving special privileges and opportunities. Power tends to be concentrated at the top.
cultural dimensions
fairly permanent and enduring sets of related norms and values Classified as (1) individualism and collectivism, (2) egalitarianism and hierarchy, (3) performance orientation, (4) future orientation, (5) assertiveness, (6) humane orientation, (7) uncertainty avoidance, and (8) gender egalitarianism. By understanding these eight dimensions, you can get a good sense of the underlying motivations and goals that impact acceptable behaviors within a culture.
The outgroup homogeneity effect results in people making little effort to ______ of other cultural groups.
gain knowledge
Comprehension of the differences and similarities of various cultures is a sign of ______ intelligence.
high cultural
The ability to negotiate a mutually advantageous outcome with people from other cultures is a characteristic of a business professional with
high cultural intelligence.
Individualism and collectivism is a dimension that generally focuses on which of the following cultural characteristics?
interdependence independence
gender egalitarianism
the degree to which a collective minimizes gender inequality the culture promotes gender equality and minimizes role differences between men and women deals with the division of roles between men and women in society.
humane orientation (HO)
the degree to which an organization or society encourages and rewards individuals for being fair, altruistic, friendly, generous, caring, and kind
future orientation (FO)
the degree to which cultures are willing to sacrifice current wants to achieve future needs
culture
the enduring behaviors, ideas, attitudes, values, and traditions shared by a group of people and transmitted from one generation to the next. the integrated, accepted pattern of human behavior, including thought, speech, beliefs, actions, and artifacts.
performance orientation (PO)
the extent to which a community encourages and rewards innovation, high standards, and performance improvement
diversity
(n.) difference, variety; a condition of having many different types of forms. the presence of many cultural groups in the workplace.
Florence is planning to celebrate finishing her second year of college by taking an extended trip to Brazil over the summer. What method would offer the most direct experience of Brazilian culture in preparing for her trip before she goes?
Befriending an international student from Brazil
Which of the following statements are true about business tasks when working with persons from other cultures?
It can involve dealing with different conceptions of time. It generally takes longer to comprehend each other. It sometimes requires having patience.
Which of the following statements are true about cultural diversity in business?
It results in better decision making. It has moral value. It is a means to achieving better performance.
Collectivism includes which of the following characteristics?
It values group over individual goals. It emphasizes obligation over choice. It emphasizes interdependence over independence.
Which of the following statements about individualism are true?
It values independence more than interdependence. It values individual over group goals. It rates individual choice higher than obligation.
neurodiversity
The idea that people have diverse brain structures, with each person having neurological strengths and weaknesses that should be appreciated, in much the same way diverse cultures and ethnicities are welcomed. Refers to people with conditions such as being on the autism spectrum or having attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Present-oriented organizations and businesses can be described by which of the following statements?
They address events and situations as they occur.
Individualists will exit friendships and relationships for which of the following reasons?
They have become inconvenient. They are not beneficial. They lack mutual satisfaction.
Which of the following are characteristics of business people with high cultural intelligence who are working with members of other cultures?
They have the ability to develop global marketing plans. They can establish objectives.
Which of the following are characteristics of members of a collectivist society?
They see themselves as interdependent. They give up their own ambitions for group goals. They follow group decisions.
Which of the following are valued in communication within cultures considered to be low performance?
Time is perceived in a relaxed fashion. Feedback is viewed negatively. Goals are discussed without measurement mechanisms.
What does an understanding of the eight cultural dimensions allow a person to get a good sense of?
acceptable behaviors gender norms basic motivations
Women often are influential in ______ decision making in low gender-egalitarianism cultures with distinct gender roles.
family
People from other cultures regularly create stereotypes of Americans that are influenced by which of the following?
films music news stories
Companies in cultures with low humane orientation focus primarily on which of the following?
financial profits
In general, people in other countries have a ______ view of Americans.
mixed
Which of the following common cultural traits is the most highly valued by the majority of businesses around the world?
performance orientation
Rightly or wrongly, people rely on ______ to better understand the unfamiliar because they offer a generalized starting point for comprehending the values and actions of others.
stereotypes
Which two of the following countries have cultures that are considered to be highly assertive?
the United States Germany
assertiveness
the level of confrontation and directness that is considered appropriate and productive
individualism
the moral stance, political philosophy, ideology, or social outlook that emphasizes the moral worth of the individual. a mind-set that prioritizes independence more highly than interdependence, emphasizing individual goals over group goals, and valuing choice more than obligation.
Outgroup homogeneity effect is defined as the belief that all members of other groups are
the same.
projected cognitive similarity
the tendency to assume others have the same norms and values as your own cultural group
outgroup homogeneity effect
the tendency to view outgroup members as less varied than ingroup members. the tendency to think members of other groups are all the same. Psychologically, this approach minimizes the mental effort needed to get to know people of other groups. Practically speaking, it is counterproductive to developing effective working relationships with members of other cultures.
When working with people from different cultures it's often necessary to adjust your conceptions of ______ in order to minimize frustrations and conflict.
time
Which of the following describe how members of highly assertive cultures see people who are from less assertive cultures?
unenthusiastic dishonest
Within individualist and collectivist cultures, there is ______ in values and behaviors.
variety
When establishing trust and credibility in cross-cultural business relationships, which of the following guidelines are key to success?
Be attentive to how credibility is earned in other cultures. Understand that it can take more time to establish your credibility when working across cultures. Establishing trust should be a goal from the beginning of the relationship.
Take an Interest in a Culture and Routinely Learn about It You can routinely learn about cultures of interest in some of the following ways: -Watch films, television, documentaries, news, and other video of the culture. It's increasingly easy to access video of other cultures. This allows you to observe many aspects of the culture in context with visual and auditory cues. -Follow the business culture of a country. Many websites contain global business news sections with both text and videos. For example, consider the following: Bloomberg Businessweek, CNBC, Time, Foreign Exchange, and CIBERweb. -Take courses and attend events related to particular cultures. Your university offers numerous opportunities, including taking courses about international and intercultural topics and attending symposia that feature international speakers. -Make friends with people who live in other cultures and communicate online. You might try to make friends abroad and communicate frequently via email, chat, and online calls. One of the most common means of communicating internationally is via online call services such as Zoom, Hangouts, or Skype.
Entertainment News Broadcasts Online Newspapers Learning Languages Meeting People
Which one of the following is the highest in performance orientation?
Hong Kong
Which of the following are benefits of living in another culture?
It allows you to immerse yourself in a different way of life. It enables you to observe firsthand how interpersonal communication is conducted.
Which of the following are advantages of knowing a second language while working in business?
It can facilitate communication. It can create goodwill. It provides cultural insight.
Which of the following statements are true about cultural intelligence?
It can grow over time with experience and focused work. It is an assessment of adaptability to working with people from different cultures.
According to scholars who study intercultural communication, ______ is the cultural dimension with the greatest impact.
individualism and collectivism
Which of the eight culture dimensions evolves the most quickly?
individualism and collectivism
An in-depth understanding of other cultures' attitudes comes from seeking
knowledge.