Deck 15: Global Issues in Organization Development

Question 1

Which reason as to why the applicability of OD and practicing OD in a global environment relates to much research having an ethnocentric view, which is of little value to global organizations that require collaboration across cultures and boundaries?

A) Culture-bound theory and practice
B) Evaluation is difficult
C) Variation in meaning
D) Hidden assumptions about monolithic practices and values

Answer 1

A

Question 2

______ is defined as the extent to which the less powerful members of institutions and organizations within a country expect and accept that power is distributed unequally.

A) Power distance
B) Uncertainty avoidance
C) Individualism-Collectivism
D) Masculinity-Femininity

Answer 2

A

Question 3

______ societies are those in which people from birth onward are integrated into strong, cohesive in-groups, which throughout people's lifetime continue to protect them in exchange for unquestioning loyalty.

A) Powerful
B) Uncertain
C) Individualist
D) Collectivist

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Which reason as to why the applicability of OD and practicing OD in a global environment discusses broad conclusions about culture at the general level not necessarily aligning with the individual level?

A) Culture-bound theory and practice
B) Cultural generalizations and the prediction of behavior
C) Variation in meaning
D) Culture variation and change

Question 5

Cultures low in ______ are more compatible with organization development, with more decentralized, flatter, and collaborative organizations.

A) power distance
B) uncertainty avoidance
C) indulgence
D) restraint

Question 6

______ defines emotional gender roles.

A) Short-term-Long-term
B) Uncertainty avoidance
C) Individualism-Collectivism
D) Masculinity-Femininity

Question 7

Organization development is less compatible with cultures high in ______ because of more structured, more bureaucratic organizations, and more task oriented, less flexible managers.

A) power distance
B) uncertainty avoidance
C) indulgence
D) restraint

Question 8

______ societies are defined as those in which the ties between individuals are loose; everyone is expected to look after himself or herself and his or her immediate family.

A) Powerful
B) Uncertain
C) Individualist
D) Collectivist

Question 9

Cultures low in ______ are more compatible as indicated by more collaboration, rejection of Theory X, and greater gender equity.

A) power distance
B) uncertainty avoidance
C) masculinity
D) femininity

Question 10

______ describes the degree to which a culture emphasizes the future or the past and present.

A) Short-term-Long-term
B) Uncertainty avoidance
C) Individualism-Collectivism
D) Indulgence-Restraint

Question 11

Which reason as to why the applicability of OD and practicing OD in a global environment is essentially associated with confusion or lack of consistency in terminology and application?

A) Culture-bound theory and practice
B) Cultural generalizations and the prediction of behavior
C) Variation in meaning
D) Hidden assumptions about monolithic practices and values

Question 12

Which assumption or generalization about how OD interventions are practiced in global environments sees both OD and national culture as having shared values?

A) unity of practice
B) inherent value
C) unity of values
D) universal values

Question 13

Organization development is less compatible with cultures high in ______ because of more centralized, more hierarchical, and control-oriented organizations.

A) power distance
B) uncertainty avoidance
C) indulgence
D) restraint

Question 14

Which reason as to why the applicability of OD and practicing OD in a global environment is actually the same as assessing it in a single culture?

A) Culture-bound theory and practice
B) Evaluation is difficult
C) Variation in meaning
D) Hidden assumptions about monolithic practices and values

Question 15

______ is defined as the extent to which the members of a culture feel threatened by ambiguous or unknown situations.

A) Power distance
B) Uncertainty avoidance
C) Individualism-Collectivism
D) Masculinity-Femininity

Question 16

Which assumption or generalization about how OD interventions are practiced in global environments sees OD values as universal and unchanging?

A) unity of practice
B) inherent value
C) unity of values
D) universal values

Question 17

______ refers to a tendency to allow relatively free gratification of basic and natural human desires related to enjoying life and having fun versus a conviction that such gratification needs to be curbed and regulated by strict social norms.

A) Short-term-Long-term
B) Uncertainty avoidance
C) Individualism-Collectivism
D) Indulgence-Restraint

Question 18

Which assumption or generalization about how OD interventions are practiced in global environments assumes that all OD interventions are practiced in the same way?

A) unity of practice
B) inherent value
C) unity of values
D) universal values

Question 19

Which assumption or generalization about how OD interventions are practiced in global environments assumes that underlying values of different OD interventions all reflect equivalent core values?

A) unity of practice
B) inherent value
C) unity of values
D) universal values

Question 20

Cultures changing over time and the presence of subcultures are relevant to which reason of applicability of OD and practicing OD in a global environment?

A) Culture-bound theory and practice
B) Cultural generalizations and the prediction of behavior
C) Variation in meaning
D) Culture variation and change

Question 21

It was no surprise that TQM has been popular in ______, because it is known to implement many quality initiatives, particularly since many electronics products made here depend on high quality.

A) India
B) Hong Kong
C) Taiwan
D) Latin America

Question 22

Which country is known to have a very low uncertain avoidance index?

A) Russia
B) Japan
C) South Korea
D) Jamaica

Question 23

Learning what other practitioners have done and if they found success is something to consider within which piece of helpful advice to those choosing to proceed with global OD?

A) Conduct a « cultural diagnosis »
B) Consider stability
C) Consider what interventions might work
D) Consider the match between culture and intervention

Question 24

Values of harmony, face, conformity, and ordered relationships in ______ imply that large-scale change is risky.

A) China
B) Hong Kong
C) Japan
D) Taiwan

Question 25

The sociotechnical systems perspective in OD began in the ______, so frequently OD has a tendency to focus on task with an attention on behavior as a means to achieve the task.

A) India
B) Africa
C) Latin America
D) United Kingdom

Question 26

Which country is known to place more value on long-term orientation?

A) South Korea
B) Denmark
C) Mexico
D) United States

Question 27

Organization development is less compatible in high ______ environments because of less collaboration, less acceptance of Theory Y, and less gender equity.

A) power distance
B) uncertainty avoidance
C) masculinity
D) femininity

Question 28

Which country is known to have a more individualistic value?

A) South Korea
B) China
C) Iran
D) United States

Question 29

The degree of fit relates to which piece of helpful advice to those choosing to proceed with global OD?

A) Conduct a « cultural diagnosis »
B) Adapt as necessary
C) Consider what interventions might work
D) Consider the match between culture and intervention

Question 30

Questions such as « How is organization development perceived in the host nation? How am I to be percevied, by the client, as an OD consultant? » are questions to be asked based on which piece of helpful advice to those choosing to proceed with global OD?

A) Conduct a « cultural diagnosis »
B) Consider stability
C) Consider what interventions might work
D) Consider the match between culture and intervention

Question 31

What most seem to agree is that the success of an OD intervention in any cultural environment requires a degree of cultural « ______ » between the intervention and the country's values.

A) match
B) fit
C) leadership
D) organization

Question 32

The power distance and bureaucratic designs of most organizations in ______ would challenge the ability of an OD consultant to form the necessary partnership relationship needed to be successful with both clients and organizational members.

A) India
B) Africa
C) Latin America
D) United Kingdom

Question 33

OD practice has grown tremendously in ______, which is known for cultural values that are largely supportive of organizational renewal and change; the culture is one of high context where work relationships are personalized rather than contractual.

A) India
B) Hong Kong
C) Taiwan
D) Latin America

Question 34

Which country is known to place more value on masculinity?

A) Denmark
B) Iran
C) Japan
D) Great Britain

Question 35

A question such as, « Are there differences in organizational culture that might be more important than national culture? » should be asked based on which piece of helpful advice to those choosing to proceed with global OD?

A) Conduct a « cultural diagnosis »
B) Consider stability
C) Consider what interventions might work
D) Consider the match between culture and intervention

Question 36

Which country is known to have a very high power distance index?

A) Mexico
B) United States
C) Great Britain
D) Denmark

Question 37

In ______, team-building activities that begin with task work is appropriate; confrontation meetings and other interventions that encourage public statements of negativity would not be accepted.

A) China
B) Hong Kong
C) Taiwan
D) Latin America

Question 38

Which country is known to place more value on restraint?

A) Mexico
B) Denmark
C) United States
D) India

Question 39

In the African culture, ______ are an integral part; they are guidelines for individual, family, village, and community behavior, build on repeated real life experiences and observations over long periods of time.

A) rules
B) proverbs
C) regulations
D) policies

Question 40

Process modifications may be necessary, and this relates to which piece of helpful advice to those choosing to proceed with global OD?

A) Conduct a « cultural diagnosis »
B) Adapt as necessary
C) Consider what interventions might work
D) Consider the match between culture and intervention

Question 41

Discuss the challenges of understanding the applicability of OD and practicing OD are especially challenging in a global environment.

Question 42

What happens when multiple national cultures are involved when OD programs are to be implemented?

Question 43

In organizations reflecting short-term orientation values, the present financial success is most important.

Question 44

Compare and contrast OD and U.S. values on Hofstede's Dimensions.

Question 45

The African culture embodies the proverb, "Ubuntu ungamutu mgabunye abuantu: You do not live for yourself; you live for others."

Question 46

It is easy to conclusively say which interventions are universally applicable across cultures.

Question 47

In cultures with a more feminine bias, process-oriented interventions are more accepted.

Question 48

In indulgent cultures, moral discipline is important and there is less importance placed on time with friends or leisure activities.

Question 49

In countries with a low power distance, there will be more hierarchy in organizations.

Question 50

Strong uncertainty-avoiding countries appreciate laws, policies, and regulations that dictate standards of behavior and control employee rights.

Question 51

In collectivist societies, family members may commonly work together or follow in one another's path.

Question 52

What is your opinion on whether increasing globalization is creating a single global monoculture?

Question 53

What is some useful advice on how to proceed with a global OD intervention?

Question 54

Management in collectivist cultures is management of the person, whose skills and abilities are rewarded if performance is high, regardless of the individual's family background or memberships.

Question 55

OD practitioners are likely to be working with clients or teams from multiple countries and cultures in both face-to-face and virtual environments.