International Management Final Exam
Firms frequently use groups because, in theory, people working together as a group can accomplish more than they can working individually. It is important to understand group dynamics especially in multi-cultural settings. Of the following, which is NOT a characteristic of a mature team?
team members share a common background and skill set
You want to expand your dessert business by selling your trademark chocolates to other countries in the European Union. A French department store cancels a large order stating that the butter fat content of your truffles is too low according to established French standards. The department store cannot refuse to sell your product for that reason because of ________.
the concept of mutual recognition
As the head of an individual firm, what feature would be the LEAST beneficial should your country become a member of a regional economic bloc?
the effect of economic integration on specific sectors within the national economy
Differences in distribution practices also affect __________________
the final price the end customer pays
Two conditions must be met if a firm is to successfully practice market pricing. Of the following, which describes one of those conditions?
the firm must face different demand or cost conditions in the countries in which it sells its products
Of the following, which represents the most common organization design for a company's rapidly expanding international business?
the firm would form an international division
Which of the following is FALSE regarding the fourth P of the international marketing mix, known as place, when applied to an international firm?
the transportation mode chosen does not involve a trade-off between time and money
Marvel Comics attempted to introduce the "new" Spider-Man in India. They changed his alter-ego's name to Pavitr Prabhakar, gave him his powers from a yogi instead of a spider, and changed his costume to a loincloth. Why did they do this?
to increase sales
Because productivity can be low when moving facilities to areas where traditionally low-cost labor can found, a critical element for an international business that wants to take full advantage of locating production abroad is _______________________.
training
You are working in a foreign branch of a large corporation and need to gain some insights into different strategies based on local practices. Which of the following strategies would be best for this practice?
transnational strategy
Successful firms continually monitor major markets to exploit opportunities as they become available especially in those markets ______________________.
undergoing technological or regulatory changes
Which of the following countries uses the International Trade Administration (ITA) to investigate complaints of unfair trade practices?
united states
The U.S. and Canada are friendly trade nations that do not want to damage their relations. They both import and export each other's products in large volume and recognize that the potential for problems exists. What could they put in place to help with this?
voluntary export restraint
Which of the following BEST describes the difference between a multinational corporation and a multinational organization?
A multinational organization is an organization that has involvement in multiple countries and may be for-profit or not-for-profit; a multinational corporation is a for-profit organization that has involvement in multiple countries.
Which of the following statements is TRUE of a common market?
It establishes external trade policies toward nonmembers, eliminates internal trade barriers, and eliminates the controls on the free movement of labor, capital, and technology internal trade barriers among members.
The firms in which country pioneered just-in-time inventory management techniques?
Japan
Which is NOT one of the elements of the model developed by Pankaj Ghemawat, of IESE Business School in Barcelona, as a useful framework for understanding the operating challenges facing international businesses because of national differences?
Labor Distance
Melanie works in the United States selling computer hardware to a company in Germany. This is known as which of the following?
Merchandise Export
Which of these major trading blocs has the strictest policy concerning rules of origin on manufactured goods?
North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)
When using an ethnocentric staffing model, you would primarily use ________ to staff higher-level foreign positions.
PCNs
A functional arrangement in which the partners agree to undertake joint research to develop new products or services is known as a (n) ________.
R&D alliance
Which of the following describes an acceptable exemption to the most favored nation (MFN) principle?
The United States lowers tariffs on electronic parts manufactured in Mexico and Canada to increase trade among NAFTA members
What factor could account for Canada and the United States having modest economic gains, while Mexico's gains have been dramatic?
The previous bilateral trading relationship between Canada and the United States.
In 1930 the United States raised tariffs on imported goods in an effort to protect domestic industries. Which of the following was NOT a result of this economic policy?
a competitive trading environment benefiting efficient producers
While the benefits for European business in creating a common market are substantial, the European Union still faces many future challenges as illustrated by the demise of the constitution drafted at the 2002 European Convention. Which of the following best summarizes the MOST fundamental challenge of the EU's future success and effectiveness?
a governance structure that is adequate for effective decision making within the growing EU membership
Advantages such as synergy and competitive advantage combine with other advantages to make strategic alliances successful. The primary idea is that these advantages enable the collaborating firms to _____________.
achieve more and to compete more effectively than if they attempted to enter a new market or industry alone
An international corporation is in favor of a level playing field in foreign trade policy. Which of the following would be a preference?
advocating for limited foreign competition
Raja has a great ability to get along well with others. He is gentle, cooperative, understanding, and good-natured in his dealings with others. Which personality trait is Raja exhibiting?
agreeableness
The sale of goods by a firm in one country to an affiliated firm in another country is known as ________.
an intra-corporate transfer
You work in a large agricultural firm that ships grain overseas to foreign markets. They take the grain and make quality baked goods that they send back to you for sale in lieu of payment. Which type of system is this?
buy-back
Tanya is a manager that is known as someone who has the ability to inspire and motivate those she supervises. Which of the following leadership behaviors is she exhibiting?
charismatic/value-based leadership
All of the following are common situational factors that affect appropriate leadership behavior EXCEPT ________.
compensation
Which of the following is important because it can help lower marketing costs and create a unified marketing effort?
coordination
Which of the following is a form of differential compensation allowance paid to expatriate managers to offset expenses in their assigned country?
cost-of-living adjustment
Which method of trade payment occurs when a firm accepts something other than money for goods or services?
countertrade
Which of the following is an ad valorem tariff on an imported good that is imposed by the importing country to counter the impact of foreign subsidies?
coutervailing duty (CVD)
Which of the following is NOT considered an advantage of franchising for the franchisor?
creates dependence on the franchisee
Which of the following help shape a firm's scope of internationalization, level of centralization, and staffing philosophy?
determine the skills and abilities its international managers need
A core competency is a(n) ________.
distinctive strength or advantage that is central to a firms operations
When host country customers prefer to deal with a local factory, which form of foreign market entry is preferred?
either acquisition or greenfield strategy
A country whose recent growth or prospects for future growth exceed that of traditional markets is known as which of the following?
emerging market
You are an operations manager looking for some new ways to improve productivity. You have improved operations and spent more money on research and development of new products. Which area should you look at next?
employee involvement
Which of the following is FALSE about the German business structure?
established operating procedures are often ignored
A manager in a company met with his senior leaders about sales. They had to decide between a takeover and some other creative action to increase their sales base and weighted the pros and cons of each. Which step in the process was this?
evaluating alternatives
Which of the following terms describes a policy for national governments that actively intervene to ensure that domestic firms' exports receive an equitable share of foreign markets?
fair trade
A marketing strategy that involves marketing managers concentrating their efforts on particular segments of the consumer market or on particular areas or regions within a market is referred to as ________.
focus strategy
Which of the following is a type of international investment that involves the purchase of foreign financial assets for a purpose other than control
foreign portfolio investment
Which of the following would represent an advantage in tariffs?
foreign trade zone
Tesco is an international firm that has branches in five different foreign markets. They use the same strategies in each market and do not vary from one market to the next. Decision-making power and policy construction are all done at the firm's headquarters. Which of the following types of control is in effect?
generic organizational control
Which of the following organization designs organizes the firm's activities around specific areas or regions of the world?
global area design
The ability to meet the specific needs of each customer segment and track how well the firm's products or services are doing among those segments is known as which of the following?
global customer approach
Which organizational design is useful when the various customer groups targeted by a firm are so diverse as to require totally distinct marketing approaches?
global customer design
Need-based models of motivation are likely to vary across cultures. Which of the following cultures would be less likely to work toward a reward of personal satisfaction and more likely to be motivated by money?
goal behavior
Damien believes he is a worthwhile and deserving individual. Damien seeks higher job status, is confident in his ability to achieve higher levels of performance, and derives greater intrinsic satisfaction from his accomplishments. Damien is displaying which of the following personality attributes?
high self-esteem
You are managing a new plant in a foreign country and have a mixture of workers from three different cultures you must place into teams. The work you will have to do will be complex, and have some ambiguity based on your knowledge. Which of the following teams would make the most sense?
homogenous
You are interested in improving employee productivity in your corporation. You want to ensure that the organization is well trained and motivated. Which of the following strategies are you focusing on?
human resources
Which of the following is a disadvantage of implementing standardized international marketing?
ignores local legal differences
International trade and investment declined throughout the 1930s as a result of _______________
increased tariffs and quotas
What should a firm consider in order to determine the level of competition in a foreign market?
individual and collective strengths and weaknesses of all firms competing in the target market
Barbara believes if she works hard she will succeed. She believes her behavior has a real effect upon what happens to her. Barbara exhibits which of the following personality traits?
internal locus of control
When Denzel's firm authorizes a firm in a second country to use its patents, the firm is engaging in ________________________.
international licensing
Jamal's company sells the rights to use its logo to a foreign company. This is an example of which of the following?
international licensing
Which of the following describes a primary difference between international licensing and international franchising?
international licensing involves only intellectual property such as patents, trademarks, brand names, and copyrights; international franchising involves operating systems as well.
In the United Kingdom, service exports and imports such as banking, travel, and accounting activities are known as ________ trade.
invisible
Which of the following does proper organization design NOT accomplish?
it creates a permanent organizational structure that should never be altered
Of the following, which is NOT a key reason a strategic alliance may fail?
lack of investment commitments
The informational, political, and cultural disadvantages that foreign firms face when trying to compete against local firms in the host country market is referred to as ________.
liability of foreignness
Which area of international operations management is concerned with modes of transportation and methods of inventory control?
logistics
Which of the following is an agreement whereby one firm provides managerial assistance, technical expertise, or specialized services to a second firm for some agreed-upon time in return for monetary compensation?
management contract
Which of the following BEST describes the difference between merchandise import and service import?
merchandise import involves purchasing tangible items, service import involves purchasing intangible items
As the financial officer for an international firm, you need to keep a certain balance on foreign currency. You see that the yen is expected to rise again in the future as more plants resume production, so you keep a larger supply of the yen on hand than you normally would in anticipation of this. What strategy are you using?
minimizing foreign exchange risk
A major international corporation has steadily bought up all of a certain resource so they control it. Because they have done this, they are the only corporation manufacturing and marketing the finished product. Which of the following is occurring?
monopoly profit
MNCs commonly use which method of transfer pricing?
non-market transfer pricing
Which of the following industries uses the U.S. dollar as its main currency for transactions?
oil
You are trying to produce a solid budget for the next five years and are worried about some new projects that are just starting. You want to calculate how long it will take to break even from these projects. What are you looking at?
payback period
Which of the following is the second step in international strategy formulation?
performing a SWOT analysis
Which of the following is FALSE regarding public relations?
public relations touts the specific advantages of an individual product or service
_______________________ may be imposed by a country to trade in the form of numerical limits on the amount of a good it will export
quantitative barriers
Which of the following is NOT an issue that is more complicated when the transaction involves a buyer and a seller from two different countries?
reaching agreement on price, quantity, and delivery date
Singapore uses a tiered tax system based on engine displacement, which hurts the sales of large motorcycles. Taiwan's transportation ministry has been slow to issue regulations that would allow motorcycles with engines larger than 500cc to travel on its highways throughout the day, while Thailand has an outright ban of motorcycles on its highways. This is an example of what type of non-quantitative NTB?
regulatory controls
You own a series of upscale boutiques that sells make-up and hair products. You have just expanded to include body lotions and foot creams. Which of the following concepts is in effect?
related diversification
Non-joint venture strategic alliances are __________________ because of their narrow mission and lack of a formal organizational structure
relatively less stable than joint ventures
Which of the four basic components of strategy development needs to answer the question "Where are we going to conduct business?"
scope of operations
Your firm makes complicated copy machinery that customers normally have to be trained to use effectively. In response to this, you offer consultation and training to help them learn the different features. Which service characteristic are you taking care of?
services are tied to the purchase of other products
Which type of arrangement requires a high level of coordination and near-perfect agreement between the participating partners?
shared management agreement
Which of the following is NOT one of the potential disadvantages of strategic alliances?
shared risk
Which of the following terms is used to describe the major objectives the firm wants to accomplish?
strategic goals
You are working on expanding your corporation and need to set up the framework for achieving the goals. Which of the following would you work on?
strategic planning
Your firm pays a large amount in taxes in some of the foreign countries you deal with. You decided to do something about this by opening a small subsidiary in the Cayman Islands and using it to conduct monetary transactions. What would the Cayman Islands be used as in this case?
tax haven