Question 1

According to Roger's diffusion theory, most customers will not purchase expensive products without the "hands-on" experience marketers call "trial."

Accepted Answer

According to Roger's diffusion theory, most customers will not adopt or purchase new products without the opportunity to try them out first. This is often referred to as the "trialability" attribute of an innovation.

Question 2

The phonetic pronunciation of the numerical sequence 8282 means "hurry up" in Korean.

Accepted Answer

This is true. In Korean, the numerical sequence 8282 is pronounced "pal-ee-pal-ee," which sounds similar to the phrase "palli palli," which means "hurry up" in Korean. Therefore, it has become a slang term in Korean culture to use 8282 to mean "hurry up."

Question 3

Although some food preferences remain deeply embedded in culture,plenty of evidence suggests that global dietary preferences are converging.

Accepted Answer

There is evidence to suggest that global dietary preferences are converging.

Question 4

A number of authors, journalists, and food critics have chronicled a disturbing trend in the land of haute cuisine the decline in France's status as a culinary superpower.

Accepted Answer

Numerous sources have reported on the decline of French cuisine in recent years.

Question 5

In China, it is bad luck to give a book, an umbrella, or a clock as a gift.

Accepted Answer

In China, giving a book, an umbrella, or a clock as a gift is considered bad luck. This is because the Chinese words for umbrella and clock sound similar to words with negative connotations, while giving a book as a gift can imply a wish for someone to have a lot of studying to do, which may be seen as a burden.

Question 6

If a potential Latin American customer insists on giving you a tour of the architectural highlights of his city prior to discussing business, it s a clue that you are doing business in a high-context culture.

Accepted Answer

High-context cultures prioritize building relationships and establishing trust before conducting business. This may involve socializing or sharing personal experiences before getting down to business. The offer of a tour of the city indicates that the customer values establishing a personal connection with the business partner before discussing business matters. This is characteristic of high-context cultures, which include many Latin American countries.

Question 7

Former Disney chairman Michael Eisner and other company executives were blinded by ethnocentrism.Avoiding the Self-Reference Criterion (SRC)requires a person to suspend assumptions based on prior experience and success and be prepared to acquire new knowledge about human behavior and motivation.

Accepted Answer

The statement is true. It states that Michael Eisner and other Disney executives were blinded by ethnocentrism, which means they had a bias towards their own culture and country. The statement also suggests that avoiding the Self-Reference Criterion requires a person to be open to new knowledge and not rely solely on their own experiences and assumptions.

Question 8

The power distance dimension reflects the degree of trust among members of society.Thus the higher the power distance (PDI), the higher the level of trust.

Accepted Answer

The power distance dimension reflects the level of equality or inequality among people in a society, rather than the level of trust. A higher power distance means that there is a greater acceptance of unequal distribution of power and authority in a society.

Question 9

"McDonaldization of culture," a term coined by Geert Hofstede, refers to the wide spread of McDonald's restaurants in the world and its adverse impact on global culture.

Accepted Answer

The term "McDonaldization of culture" was actually coined by sociologist George Ritzer in his 1993 book "The McDonaldization of Society," and it refers to the increasing rationalization and standardization of all aspects of society, not just McDonald's specifically. While McDonald's is often used as a key example of this phenomenon, the term is not solely focused on the impact of the fast food chain on global culture.

Question 10

A sense of shame leads to sensitivity in social contacts within high-performing Asian countries such as Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Japan.

Accepted Answer

In these countries, there is a cultural emphasis on avoiding embarrassment or causing others to lose face, which can lead to a heightened sensitivity in social interactions. This is often referred to as the "shame culture" in contrast to the "guilt culture" of Western societies.

Question 11

Since there is no letter which sounds like a "P" in Arabic, "Popeye's" becomes "Bob eyes" and Pepsi sounds like "Bebsi." This is an example of difference due to phonology.

Accepted Answer

This statement is true. It is an example of how different languages and their phonological rules can affect the pronunciation and spelling of words borrowed from other languages.

Question 12

While McDonald's continues to open new restaurants in France, the number of traditional bistros has declined by over 50%.

Accepted Answer

This statement is true, as confirmed by a study conducted by France's National Institute for Agricultural Research.

Question 13

Both the spoken and unspoken aspects of language are included in the broader linguistic field of semiotics, which is the study of signs and their meanings.

Accepted Answer

Semiotics is indeed the study of signs and their meanings, including both the spoken and unspoken aspects of language.

Question 14

The president of an American company was interested in dealing with a company in Saudi Arabia.The Saudi CEO made it clear at the outset that the credentials in the documents have less credibility than personal trust and confidence.This shows that the Saudi Arabian culture is a high-context culture.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The president of an American company was...

Question 15

Competitive bidding is infrequent in a low-context culture.

Accepted Answer

Competitive bidding is actually more frequent in a low-context culture where relationships are less important than the objective outcome of a transaction. In high-context cultures, relationships and personal connections often play a larger role in business dealings.

Question 16

According to Hofstede's research on cultural values, Japan and Austria ranked highest in masculinity.

Accepted Answer

Japan and Austria both have high scores for masculinity in Hofstede's cultural values research.

Question 17

Diesel founder Renzo Rosso has asserted that his brand's "Diesel" name is one of the few words which is pronounced the same in almost every language.To a linguist, this comment is best understood within the context of phonology.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Diesel founder Renzo Rosso has asserted that...

Question 18

Despite the fact that Sony is headquartered in Japan, the company makes it clear to job applicants in any part of the world that it does not consider English to be a "foreign language."

Accepted Answer

This means that Sony considers English to be an important language and expects job applicants to have a good command of it, regardless of their country of origin.

Question 19

Long-term values include persistence (perseverance), defined as a general tenacity in the pursuit of a goal.

Accepted Answer

Persistence or perseverance is a long-term value that involves a general tenacity in the pursuit of a goal, therefore the statement is true.

Question 20

Americans typically want to "go it alone." As a result, they may be outnumbered in a negotiation situation.

Accepted Answer

Americans value independence and autonomy, and may be more inclined to take a individualistic approach in negotiation situations. This can sometimes put them at a disadvantage if they are outnumbered by a more collaborative or team-oriented group.

Quiz 4: Social and Cultural Environments