International Marketing, 18e (Cateora)
Chapter 4 Cultural Dynamics in Assessing Global Markets
1) Most markets are static and typically don’t change.
2) The manner in and amount which people consume, the priority of needs and wants they
attempt to satisfy, and the manner in which they satisfy them are functions of their culture.
3) Culture encompasses the sum total of knowledge, beliefs, art, morals, laws, and customs
acquired by members of a society.
4) As countries move from agricultural to industrial to services economies, birthrates increase.
5) According to traditional definitions, culture is transmitted from generation to generation.
6) According to James Day Hodgson, former U.S. ambassador to Japan, culture is like a “glass
ceiling” that can be seen through and easily understood and acquired.
7) Dutch management professor Geert Hofstede argues that culture provides a guide for humans
on how to think and behave.
8) Acculturation refers to the process of becoming an agent of change through innovation.
9) According to Jared Diamond innovations spread faster north to south than east to west.
10) According to Philip Parker, a marketing professor, there are strong correlations between the
climate of a region and the per capita GDP of countries in that region.
11) Much of American trade policy is based on cotton, which was the original source of the
Virginia colony’s economic survival in the 1600s.
12) Of the four approaches to governance found in the 20th century, colonialism was the only
approach that survived World War II.
13) The family is an example of a social institution.
14) Marketers with little or no understanding of a religion may readily offend deeply because the
influence of religion is often quite strong.
15) For most people, the first social institution outside of the home they are exposed to is a
government source.
16) Religion has a significant impact on the value systems of a society and the effect of value
systems on marketing.
17) According to the World Bank, no country with less than 50 percent literacy has succeeded
economically.
18) The four social institutions that most strongly influence values and culture are schools,
churches, families, and the media.
19) The Uncertainty Avoidance Index (UAI), one of the four dimensions of culture identified by
Geert Hofstede, focuses on assertiveness and achievement.
20) The Power Distance dimension of culture, identified by Geert Hofstede, refers to the
preference for behavior that promotes one’s self-interest.
21) The Power Distance Index, identified by Geert Hofstede, measures the tolerance for social
inequality among members of a culture.
22) A country that demonstrates low Uncertainty Avoidance Index scores tends to be distrustful
of new ideas or behaviors.
23) When a culture scores high in Individualism/Collectivism Index, individuals fail to identify
with groups.
24) People from cultures with high Power Distance Index scores are more likely to have a
general distrust of others.
25) Cultures with high Uncertainty Avoidance Index scores tend to have a low level of anxiety
and stress.
26) A high Power Distance Index score implies that the people who hold power in a country are
entitled to privileges.
27) When discussing the elements of culture, marriage ceremonies and funerals are good
examples of rituals.
28) The language we use is an example of a cultural symbol.
29) Linguistic difference refers to the geographical differences among trading nations.
30) A company that decides to deliberately try and change the aspects of a culture that are in
opposition to its marketing goals is practicing cultural congruence.
31) What is a characteristic of culture?
A) It is radical in nature and readily accepts change.
B) It is the same across all countries.
C) It is the human-made part of human environment.
D) It is static in nature.
E) It is insignificant in assessing new markets.
32) The adjective that best defines the market behavior of any country is
A) evolving.
B) proactive.
C) static.
D) constant.
E) fixed.
33) When marketers first introduced the personal digital assistant (PDA) to American
consumers, they acted as ________ because the cultural impact of the product became
widespread.
A) gatekeepers
B) conciliators
C) agents of socialization
D) agents of change
E) arbitrators
34) How have culture-based superstitions affected the birthrate in Japan?
A) The Japanese are not affected by cultural beliefs so there is no correlation with birthrates.
B) Superstitions have coincided with a decline in the birthrate in certain years.
C) Most Japanese women favor the idea of “one family/one child.”
D) While economic conditions affect birthrates in Japan, cultural beliefs do not.
E) Japan is mostly an agricultural society and culture implies that many children are beneficial.
35) What action is important for marketers to take in order to be effective in a foreign market?
A) learning to appreciate the intricacies of cultures different from their own
B) ensuring that the promotions for the product are indifferent to social beliefs
C) adhering to the prominent prejudices in one’s own society
D) creating product differentiation by being indifferent to the culture of the foreign market
E) making the product relate to one’s own religion
36) According to Dutch management professor Geert Hofstede, culture can be referred to as the
A) “software of the mind.”
B) “defining factor of life.”
C) “conflict of civilization versus the masses.”
D) “tool of the elite.”
E) “art’s triumph over banality.”
37) In order for culture to exist it must be
A) agreed upon by an entire nation.
B) transmitted from one generation to the next.
C) individualized and different for everyone.
D) seen as the answer to all issues.
E) used to create new rituals and norms.
38) James Day Hodgson, former U.S. ambassador to Japan, describes culture as a(n) ________,
which according to him is tough to get through, but effort and patience could often lead to
success.
A) glass ceiling
B) maze
C) intelligence test
D) thicket
E) perseverance test
39) According to Edward Hall’s comments on culture, which action could hurt companies and
careers in foreign markets?
A) adherence to the social norms of the foreign market
B) being agents of change in the new market
C) ignorance of cultural differences in the foreign market
D) strict following of the political rules of the foreign society
E) consideration of the economic system of the new market
40) The process of adjusting to a new culture is known as
A) diffusion.
B) culture transfer.
C) acculturation.
D) assimilation.
E) transference.
41) Young children learn about social institutions from their families and when they go to
school. This process of learning is called
A) anarchy.
B) socialization.
C) cultural apathy.
D) cognitive dissonance.
E) social rebellion.
42) Most traditional definitions of ________ center around the notion that it is the sum of the
values, rituals, symbols, beliefs, and thought processes that are learned, shared by a group of
people, and transmitted from generation to generation.
A) economy
B) sensitivity
C) population
D) demography
E) culture
43) Juanita grew up learning a great deal about culture from her school, the church, the media,
and her family. This is an example of
A) acculturation.
B) socialization.
C) naturalization.
D) emancipation.
E) classification.
44) Lisette is excited about her new home in Rome. She has been given the opportunity to learn
about a new culture, form new friendships, and capitalize on opportunities that were not
available in her previous workplace based in Atlanta. In this scenario, Lisette is going through
________ as she adjusts to living in Rome.
A) acculturation
B) classification
C) naturalization
D) emancipation
E) standardization
45) A desert nation would not rely on agricultural crops to boost its economy. This shows how
________ can affect social culture.
A) geography
B) religion
C) history
D) politics
E) technology
46) What is true about Professor Jared Diamond’s ideas regarding the influence of geography on
history and cultural values?
A) People in the plains are more likely to invade than those settled in higher altitudes.
B) Historically, societies in the north have been more developed than those in the south.
C) Civilizations near major rivers are more developed than those settled near major oceans.
D) Historically, innovations spread faster east to west than north to south.
E) Historically, invasions by warrior tribes have always happened from west to east.
47) The baby boom generation has affected consumption patterns around the world since it
started and continues to do so today. This is one example of how ________ can be reflected in
social institutions.
A) the political economy
B) history
C) technology
D) social institutions
E) geography
48) New cola alternatives (Mecca Cola, Muslim Up, Arab Cola, and ColaTurka) sprang up after
the military conflicts in the Middle East in 2003. This is an example that shows how
A) Coca-Cola played an important role in easing the cultural divide among the warring nations.
B) Coca-Cola catered to new markets through standardization.
C) specific events in history can influence consumer behavior.
D) businesses exploit cheap human labor during war times.
E) technology influences marketing practices.
49) Which technological innovation has had a great impact on the gender-based determination of
responsibilities and roles?
A) mobile phones
B) computers
C) aircrafts
D) optogenetics
E) birth control techniques
50) How has the use of birth control pills affected social institutions?
A) Educational institutions are finding it tougher to fill in seats.
B) Midwifery, as a profession, is becoming extinct.
C) More men and women are opposing the idea of “one-child family.”
D) Women and men are increasingly adhering to traditional gender roles.
E) Schools are forced to address issues like abstinence and condom distribution.