SGQ 8

future orientation

the degree to which a culture chooses future rather than immediate results

Volkswagen Group China, which was a joint venture established in 1984 as the Shanghai Volkswagen Automotive Co., had to adapt from German cultural aspects in terms of management and operations to a Chinese cultural approach. As Germany tends to have a low power distance culture and China would be considered to have a high power distance culture, what was the MOST likely adaptation that Volkswagen had to take into consideration when they opened a manufacturing facility in China with local employees?

Correct Answer: Recognize that little consultation is expected between managers and subordinates in China.

In the context of social stratification, which of the following is a difference between U.S. culture and Japanese culture?

Correct Answer: U.S. culture values accomplishment and achievement regardless of age, whereas Japanese culture values the wisdom and experience of age.

CQ

Cultural intelligence is measured by a person's cultural intelligence quotient (CQ).43 A person with high CQ can differentiate features of a behavior that relate to culture, features that are universal, and features that are specific to an individual.

Which of the following is a difference between customs and social mores?

Unlike customs, social mores are deeply, morally significant.

Which of the following is a difference in risk-taking behavior between high uncertainty avoidance and low uncertainty avoidance cultures?

Unlike low uncertainty avoidance, high uncertainty avoidance suggests that employees are more risk averse. High uncertainty avoidance suggests that employees are more risk averse. They prefer to avoid the unknown by following established rules and regulations—even when those rules are perceived to be ineffective. Managers in cultures with high uncertainty avoidance are often more successful when they provide detailed instructions and clear guidelines. On the other hand, employees in cultures with low uncertainty avoidance typically are less loyal to their current employers because they are willing to face the uncertainty of unemployment in an attempt to find more favorable work conditions. Consumers also display their degree of uncertainty avoidance in their willingness to adopt new products early. Those with high uncertainty avoidance are less likely to try products that have not been proven safe, effective, or desirable by the majority of the market.

Shyam, a manager in a company, prefers using straightforward and concise messages to convey information to his subordinates. He does not believe in providing much background information and believes that direct communication gives him more control over a situation and allows him to take responsibility for his actions. In this scenario, Shyam most likely belongs to a:

high-assertion and low-context culture.

Which of the follwing best describes high-context culture?

A culture that uses mroe implicit messaging and contextual elements to convey information

In the context of cultural customs, which of the following is a difference between the United States and many Latin and African countries? a. Unlike the United States, full-time work in many Latin and African countries consists of 40 hours a week. b. There is great respect for older employees in the United States, while many Latin and African countries value accomplishment and achievement regardless of age. c. A manager from the United States is likely to cut a meeting short due to another appointment, while many from Latin and African countries might choose to be late to an appointment to continue an important conversation. d. The United States accepts large differences in the distribution of authority, while many Latin and African countries have low power distance.

A manager from the United States is likely to cut a meeting short due to another appointment, while many from Latin and African countries might choose to be late to an appointment to continue an important conversation.

Which of the following might appear in a Cultural Profile regarding the way Arabs view time? a. Arabs view time as a valuable and limited resource. b. Arabs honor deadlines by all means. c. Deadlines and firm commitments are crucial to Arabs. d. Arabs believe important decisions cannot be rushed.

Arabs believe important decisions cannot be rushed.

_____ is the native language of the largest number of people, while _____ is the language spoken most widely in the world.

Chinese, followed by Hindi and english, English

Which of the following behaviors BEST reflects that social stratification is very low in the Netherlands, especially across professions?

Correct Answer: Dutch students often refer to their professor by their first name.

Which of the following is a workplace difference which might be found between low-assertiveness and highly assertive cultures?

Low-assertion cultures place greater value on teamwork and relationships than on results. Their communication tends to be more indirect and vague in order to avoid placing blame and causing confrontation

Which of the following is a difference between low-context cultures and high-context cultures?

Low-context cultures rely on the words themselves to convey messages, whereas high-context cultures use more implicit messaging.

OECD

OECD - The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development is an intergovernmental economic organization with 37 member countries, founded in the early 1960's to stimulate economic progress and world trade. [It is a great source for national level economic and development data]

saving face

Other forms of motivation include fame or honor, stability and security, avoiding disdain or saving face, providing for family, and meeting other personal needs and goals

uncertainty avoidance

a business-related aspect of culture that measures how persons deal with an unknown future

individualism

a concept that gives preference to individual freedoms, liberties, and rights

assertiveness

a measure of how competitive and aggressive a culture is

A norm is

a social rule that governs people's interactions in a culture

religion

a system of shared beliefs and rituals expressing the way adherents interpret their place in the universe

Which of the following best defines religion?

a system of shared beliefs, values, and rituals, expressing the way adherents understand their relationship with a Supreme Being and their purpose in life.

Stereotype

approximation or generalization of a national or cultural character

ascribed/ascription

ascribed characteristics an individual is born with

Austria and Germany value competition and have a "can-do" attitude. Therefore, according to the GLOBE project, Austria and Germany are most likely to be ________ societies.

assertive

.___ Which of the following religions is NOT monotheistic?

buddism

culture

culture a society's unique set of values and norms that govern how people live and interact with each other

high-context culture

cultures that rely on implicit messages and contextual elements to convey information

acquired/achievement

characteristics an individual takes on through experience

low-context culture

cultures that rely on the direct means of conveying messages with little background information

customs

customs socially approved standards of behavior that are not morally significant

masculinity

degree of separation of traditional "masculine" values and roles from traditionally "feminine" ones

wthnocentrism

describes the attitude of those who operate from the assumption that thier ways of doing things are best-not matter where or under what conditions they are applied

According to Trompenaars's value dimensions, if you are born and raised in an achievement society, your source of status will most likely be based upon your ________. a. age b. father's job c. education level d. gender

education level

ethnocentrism

evaluation of other cultures according to preconceptions originating in the standards and customs of one's own culture.

Japanese people rarely use the word "no", instead relying on circuitous responses, alternative reasoning, and follow-up questions to convey a negative response. This is an example of which cultural dimension?

high-context

A difference between Islam and Christianity affecting business decisions is that:

in Islam, there is a prohibition on paying or receiving interest.

protestant work-ethic

led to a culture of rugged individualism and selfsufficiency in the United States, often called the Protestant work ethic.

Which of the following is true of countries with low masculinity? a. more women in high-level jobs b. increase in work-related stress c. lack of concern for others d. more job conflicts

more women in high-level jobs

universalistic

objective, broad application of rules instead of consideration for individual circumstances

affective

opens displays of emotion are acceptable, even in business

In the context of the three steps of managing cultural differences in the workplace, the first step involves:

recognition: Recognizing cultural differences begins with assessing your factual knowledge about the other culture. In Section 8.2, we covered several different cultural dimensions and the ways they influence business. Recognizing what to expect when working with people from different cultures can be the first step in helping you to respond and react correctly. It can help you avoid offending your business partners and understand why a deal you've been trying to structure may be taking so long.

respect

s esteem for the worth of a culture.

ethical system/ethics

sets of moral principles or values that guide and shape behavior

social mores

social mores strict norms that control moral and ethical behavior in a culture

particularistic

sunjective, higher obligation on relationships

neutral

suppression of emotions in business situations; 'hard to read' in negotiations

materialism

the ability to buy and own property and merchandise.

collectivism

the belief that people should prioritize the good of society above the advancement of the individual

stereotyping

treating an individual not as an individual

Which aspect of culture is most important to understand well about regional consumers when introducing a new product?

uncertainty avoidance

Which of the following organizations is most likely to have low power distance? a. Finox Inc., where managers ask the opinions of and take feedback from their team members b. Giraw Inc., where managers foresee the needs of their team members and fulfill those needs c. Pilred Inc., which has a top-down leadership where managers make important decisions without consulting their team members d. Hillos Inc., which has a hierarchical structure where employees refrain from interacting openly with their managers

Finox Inc., where managers ask the opinions of and take feedback from their team members

___ Which of the following is a working environment difference likely to be found between high power distance and low power distance?

Higher power distance means little consultation is likely to occur between managers and subordinates. Either the managers will act with unlimited authority (exercising autocratic, top-down leadership), or they will manage by anticipating and supplying the needs of those under them, as a parent does for a child (using paternalistic leadership). On the other hand, low power distance results in a more collaborative environment. Managers are open to and may solicit the ideas and opinions of their subordinates, who usually feel they are on a more equal footing with their manager. Yet, while low power distance may increase collaboration, it may also increase inefficiency

Which of the following is a difference in employee motivation between individualistic cultures and collectivist cultures? a. Unlike employees in individualistic cultures, employees in collectivist cultures want money rather than benefits as compensation. b. In collectivist cultures, job security is a principal motivator, whereas in individualistic cultures, the opportunity to overcome challenges and grow is often a main motivator for employees. c. Unlike employees in individualistic cultures, employees in collectivist cultures take more responsibility for their life independent of the organization. d. In collectivist cultures, employees are more likely to look outside the organization for training and to satisfy personal needs such as friendship, whereas in individualistic cultures, employees are more likely to rely on the organization for training and socialization.

In collectivist cultures, job security is a principal motivator, whereas in individualistic cultures, the opportunity to overcome challenges and grow is often a main motivator for employees.

not-invented here

The NIH syndrome is a process in which a person or group resists accepting new ideas from culturally different persons or groups inside or outside the organization

n American manager complains to his boss about one of his employees, who is Chinese. "She never chimes in during meetings or tells me what she thinks of the direction we are taking the division when asked." This manager likely misunderstands the Correct Answer:

high power distance in China

Managers from Italy and Mexico would most likely express their emotions openly during a business situation, while managers from England and Japan would most likely consider such behavior unprofessional. Which of the following Trompenaars's value dimensions explains this difference in behavior and attitude?

neutral versus affective

power distance

the degree to which subordinates in an organization accept that power is distributed unequally

Anita is an Indian who works for a multinational firm in Germany. Georgina, a German native and Anita's supervisor, never accepts the ideas proposed by Anita and is always condescending of them. Georgina is unwilling to accept the ideas of another culture and apply new knowledge during the process of idea generation. In this scenario, Georgina most likely suffers from _____. a. discrimination b. ethnocentrism bias c. low self-esteem d. the not-invented-here syndrome

the not invented here syndrome