50) Organizing work differently to improve productivity will likely fail ________.
A) if the work force has a low tolerance for authoritarianism
B) if workers participate in planning the improvement
C) unless changes are compatible to competitor’s practices
D) if changes interfere with strongly held value systems
51) When a company wishes to introduce change in a foreign country, its likelihood of success can most
likely be improved by ________.
A) introducing many changes simultaneously
B) gaining the support of local opinion leaders
C) agreeing to make some home-country changes in return
D) employing expatriate managers to supervise local workers
52) If an MNE convinced a popular priest that its vitamin-enriched soft drink would benefit parishioners’
health, the MNE would be using ________ to help bring about change.
A) participation
B) reward sharing
C) an opinion leader
D) materialistic motivation
53) U.S. companies monopolize much of the international entertainment media, which largely portrays
U.S. products and lifestyles as glamorous and appealing. This situation would most likely be used as an
example of ________.
A) the stronger work ethic typical of developed countries
B) the spread of high-context cultures
C) cultural fragmentation
D) cultural imperialism
54) The fact that an English word such as blue-jeans has entered the Spanish language, while a Spanish
word such as macho has come into American English illustrates that ________.
A) cultural diffusion is a two-way process
B) cultural trends come from emerging nations
C) existing national borders are shifting
D) material cultures are becoming universal
55) American hamburgers, Japanese sushi, Italian pizza, Mexican tacos, and Middle Eastern pita bread
are now commonly found in most countries. This best supports the argument that ________.
A) although visible expressions of culture are becoming homogenized, basic differences in societal
values remain strong
B) globalization fulfills lower order needs in Maslow’s hierarchy
C) cultural imperialism is increasingly widespread
D) cultural hybridization is occurring
56) In the opening case on the Java Lounge in Saudi Arabia, Saudi businessmen engaged in chit-chat
while drinking coffee at a café during the conduct of business. Which of the following was the most
likely reason for their behavior?
A) They are fatalistic, believing that the business outcome was predetermined.
B) Their religious convictions kept them from discussing business over alcoholic drinks.
C) They come from a polychronic culture that prefers to multitask.
D) They come from a high-context culture in which small talk and seemingly unrelated information is
important to decision making.
57) In the opening case on the Java Lounge in Saudi Arabia, people in the port city of Jeddah were less
culturally conservative than people in the interior of the country. The most likely reason for this is that
________.
A) people in the port cities have more contact with foreigners
B) the coastal area has to trade with countries using different religious holidays
C) the coastal area has a culture with a higher uncertainty avoidance
D) the coastal area is secular, whereas the interior of Saudi Arabia has a state religion
58) Assume a firm plans to expand internationally. If its managers wish to avoid pitfalls caused by
differences in “silent language,” they should consider differences in ________.
A) normal proximity during conversations
B) degree of detail expected in written contract
C) the meaning of slang words during presentations
D) importance of adherence to schedules
59) Assume a U.S. firm plans to expand into either Mexico, Germany, or Japan. Its executives are
traveling to each country to meet with local businesspeople in the decision-making process. Which of
the following would be LEAST beneficial when the executives make a presentation?
A) requesting a translator with technical vocabulary knowledge
B) simplifying vocabulary and terminology for the audience
C) conducting back translations for written work
D) avoiding repetition to prevent boredom
60) The specific learned norms based on attitudes, values, and beliefs of a group of people are known as
ethnology.
61) Many firms gain a global competitive advantage by fostering cultural diversity.
62) Most cultural variables are universal.
63) The lack of cultural guidebooks and research specifically for international managers poses a
significant problem for global firms.
64) Similarity among people is both a cause and effect of national boundaries.
65) Cultures do not transcend national boundaries.
66) The identity of a nation is typically promoted through symbols, monuments, and museums.
67) Most people’s basic values are acquired during childhood and are not readily changed later in life.
68) Cultural change may come by choice or imposition.
69) Creolization refers to the mixing of cultural elements that occurs during cultural diffusion.
70) English-speaking peoples account for a larger portion of global output than people who speak any
other language.
71) National origin is an acquired group membership.
72) Although countries are similar in terms of having a mandatory retirement age, they differ in what
that age is.
73) There is a strong correlation between the intensity of religious belief and attributes that lead to
economic growth, such as obeying laws and thriftiness.
74) In a country with a high masculinity score, people have a tendency to feel sympathy towards
individuals who are unemployed or homeless.
75) Preference for a consultative management style is prevalent in a society with low power distance.
76) In collectivist cultures based on kinship, security and social needs are met more effectively in the
workplace than at home.
77) In societies where trust is high, there tends to be a lower cost of doing business.
78) Where future orientation is high, people are more willing to delay gratification by investing.
79) A culture in which people prefer to handle tasks sequentially is a polychronic culture.
80) A culture with a preference for a problem-solving style that first settles principles is a pragmatic
culture.
81) When dealing in business with people from another county, it is good to use slang and tell jokes to
put everyone at ease.
82) When a company does business in another country whose official language is the same as the
company’s home country, employees can assume that although some spellings are different that words
will mean the same thing.
83) A firm that begins operating in a culturally similar foreign country will most likely face few
necessary cultural adjustments.
84) A potential problem of polycentrism is failure to introduce innovative superiority.
85) Ethnocentric firms typically use the same business practices in all cultures and markets.
86) A widely successful strategy for introducing change into a foreign country is to introduce many
changes simultaneously.
87) According to experts, stakeholder participation in decision making is effective only in countries with
an educated population.
88) Change agents intentionally cause or accelerate social and cultural change.
89) Geocentrism is the preferred approach to international business practices for most global firms.
90) What are the advantages and disadvantages of using a nation as a point of reference for a culture?
91) In a short essay, describe the various affiliations upon which a person’s status can be based and
discuss how social stratification affects such business functions as marketing and employment practices.
92) Describe the four major theories discussed in your text that explain why motivation differs from one
country to another.
93) What are the characteristics of individualist and collectivist cultures?
94) What is the difference between a low-context culture and a high-context culture? How do these
differences affect communication in international business dealings?
95) What is the difference between a monochronic and polychronic culture? How do such cultural
differences affect business practices for international firms?
96) What factors influence cultural stability and cultural change? What factors influence how much
cultural adjustment organizations must make in foreign countries?
97) What is culture shock? How can an international employer help prevent culture shock and improve
the success of expatriates?
98) What is the difference between a polycentric, ethnocentric, and geocentric approach to international
management? What key factors should a firm consider before adopting one of these approaches?