Question 1

Which of the following is a possible downside of emphasizing the primacy of group identification over individualism?
A)It encourages managerial mobility between companies.
B)It leads to a lack of dynamism and entrepreneurship.
C)It hampers team building and cooperation.
D)It raises the costs of doing business due to its adverse impact on managerial stability.
E)It leads to the lack of company-specific skills and a network of contacts among managers.

Accepted Answer

The primacy of the group is not always beneficial. For instance, some argue that Japanese society, where the group is the primary unit of social organization, is characterized by a lack of dynamism and entrepreneurship.

Question 2

Which of the following is a dimension of social structure that is particularly important when explaining differences between cultures?
A)The average income of the people who belong to a particular culture
B)The dominant race and the gender in the society
C)The extent to which work is viewed as more important than family
D)The degree to which the society is stratified into classes or castes
E)The degree to which a society supports multiple subcultures

Accepted Answer

Although social structure consists of many different aspects, two dimensions that are particularly important when explaining differences between cultures are (1) the degree to which the basic unit of social organization is the individual, as opposed to the group and (2) the degree to which a society is stratified into classes or castes.

Question 3

Which of the following is most likely to be the result of high degrees of class consciousness in societies?
A)High levels of social mobility
B)Healthy relationship between management and labor classes
C)Low levels of industrial disruption
D)Increase in the costs of production
E)Greater opportunities for businesses to establish competitive advantage

Accepted Answer

An antagonistic relationship between management and labor classes, and the resulting lack of cooperation and high level of industrial disruption, tends to raise the costs of production in countries characterized by significant class divisions. In turn, this can make it more difficult for companies based in such countries to establish a competitive advantage in the global economy.

Question 4

Which of the following statements is true about social stratification?
A)The most rigid system of social stratification is a class system.
B)Individuals are born into a particular social stratum.
C)It is not possible for people to move between social strata.
D)Britain is an example of a society where the caste system is predominant even today.
E)Individuals born into a stratum toward the bottom of the social hierarchy tend to have better life chances.

Accepted Answer

Individuals are born into a particular stratum. They become a member of the social category to which their parents belong.

Question 5

Which of the following statements is true of mores?
A)Mores are actions of little moral significance.
B)Violation of mores is generally not a serious matter.
C)Social conventions regarding eating with the correct utensils is a good example of mores.
D)Mores do not differ among cultures.
E)Certain mores have been enacted into law.

Accepted Answer

In many societies, certain mores have been enacted into law. Thus, all advanced societies have laws against theft, incest, and cannibalism.

Question 6

One of the downsides to the emphasis on individualism is that it:
A)is difficult to build teams within an organization to perform collective tasks.
B)does not support entrepreneurship and innovation.
C)discourages managerial mobility.
D)fails to foster general managerial skills required to find solutions to current problems.
E)discourages competition among employees within a company.

Accepted Answer

The emphasis on individualism makes it difficult to build teams within an organization to perform collective tasks. If individuals are always competing with each other on the basis of individual performance, it may be difficult for them to cooperate.

Question 7

If a society emphasizes the group as the primary unit of social organization, it is most likely to:
A)encourage competition between the members of the group.
B)expose managers to different ways of doing business.
C)foster dynamism and entrepreneurship.
D)discourage employees from moving from company to company.
E)fail to facilitate self-managing work teams.

Accepted Answer

The primacy of the value of group identification discourages managers and workers from moving from company to company.

Question 8

The United Republic emphasizes individual performance and achievements in every sphere of society. Which of the following statements is true about the society of this country?
A)The country suffers from a low degree of dynamism and innovation.
B)The country has a low degree of managerial mobility.
C)There is a low degree of entrepreneurial activity in the country.
D)The employees in this country will lack loyalty and commitment to a company.
E)Managers in such a country have highly developed company-specific skills but they lack general skills.

Accepted Answer

Individualism also finds expression in a high degree of managerial mobility between companies, and this is not always a good thing. The lack of loyalty and commitment to an individual company, and the tendency to move on for a better offer, can result in managers who have good general skills but lack the knowledge, experience, and network of interpersonal contacts that come from years of working within the same company.

Question 9

A difference in the attitudes of people toward time in different cultures is an example of which of the following in individual cultures?
A)Folkways
B)Religious doctrines
C)Mores
D)Laws
E)Social structures

Accepted Answer

Folkways are the routine conventions of everyday life. A good example of folkways concerns attitudes toward time in different countries.

Question 10

In the country of Burnada, the citizens are restricted from moving out of the strata they are born into. Also, individuals are allowed to engage only in the occupation associated with their particular strata. The system of social stratification being practiced in Burnada can be identified as a:
A)cluster system.
B)caste system.
C)merit-based system.
D)class system.
E)bureaucracy-based system.

Accepted Answer

A caste system is a closed system of stratification in which social position is determined by the family into which a person is born, and change in that position is usually not possible during an individual's lifetime. Often a caste position carries with it a specific occupation.

Question 11

Which of the following statements is true about the class system in the United States when compared to the British class system?
A)The class system in the United States is more pronounced than in Britain.
B)In the United States, upward social mobility cannot normally be achieved in one generation.
C)Class membership in the United States is mainly determined by an individual's background and schooling.
D)In American society, the extreme emphasis on individualism increases the impact of class background on business operations.
E)Successful individuals from humble origins are highly respected in American society.

Accepted Answer

Successful individuals from humble origins are highly respected in American society. In contrast, in British society, while an individual from a working-class background may have established an income level that was consistent with membership in the upper-middle class, he or she may not have been accepted as such by others of that class due to accent and background.

Question 12

When compared to American society, Japanese society lacks:
A)commitment to lifetime employment.
B)emphasis on group memberships.
C)self-managing work teams.
D)close cooperation between individuals.
E)dynamism and entrepreneurship.

Accepted Answer

Just as U.S. society is characterized by a great deal of dynamism and entrepreneurship, reflecting the primacy of values associated with individualism, some argue that Japanese society is characterized by a corresponding lack of dynamism and entrepreneurship.

Question 13

Which of the following is a closed system of stratification in which social position is determined by the family into which a person is born, and change in that position is usually not possible during an individual's lifetime?
A)Caste
B)Merit
C)Class
D)Economic
E)Bureaucratic

Accepted Answer

A caste system is a closed system of stratification in which social position is determined by the family into which a person is born, and change in that position is usually not possible during an individual's lifetime.

Question 14

Mountland Republic follows a system of social stratification that allows for flexibility in terms of social mobility. In this system of open stratification the status of a person is solely determined by his or her own socioeconomic achievements. Mountland Republic is most likely to be following what type of system of social stratification?
A)Caste
B)Class
C)Religious
D)Grade
E)Bureaucratic

Accepted Answer

A class system is a less rigid form of social stratification in which social mobility is possible. It is a form of open stratification in which the position a person has by birth can be changed through his or her own achievements or luck.

Question 15

Which of the following statements is true about the business implications of Japanese society?
A)The determination of social status of an individual is independent of the standing of the group to which he or she belongs.
B)It is difficult to find self-managing work teams within Japanese organizations.
C)It is more successful at pioneering radically new products and new ways of doing business than the United States.
D)There is a low degree of movement from company to company among managers and workers.
E)The managers and workers lack company-specific knowledge, experience, and a network of interpersonal business contacts.

Accepted Answer

The primacy of the value of group identification also discourages managers and workers from moving from company to company. Lifetime employment in a particular company was long the norm in certain sectors of the Japanese economy.

Question 16

Which of the following statements is true about most Western societies?
A)In Western societies social groups, rather than individuals, are the basic building blocks of social organization.
B)The value systems of many Western societies emphasize individual achievement.
C)In Western societies, the social standing of individuals is merely a function of who they work for.
D)The emphasis on individuals in Western societies has led to a low level of entrepreneurial activity.
E)It is easier to build and manage teams within organizations in Western societies.

Accepted Answer

The value systems of many Western societies, for example, emphasize individual achievement. The social standing of individuals is not so much a function of who they work for as of their individual performance in whatever work setting they choose.

Question 17

Which of the following is an implication of high degree of managerial mobility in societies that emphasize individualism?
A)Reduced costs of doing business
B)Increased managerial loyalty and commitment to an individual company
C)Lack of company-specific experience, knowledge, and a network of contacts among managers
D)Lack of exposure among employees to different ways of doing business
E)Inability to apply good practices and techniques developed in one firm to other firms

Accepted Answer

The lack of loyalty and commitment to an individual company, and the tendency to move on for a better offer, can result in managers who have good general skills but lack the knowledge, experience, and network of interpersonal contacts that come from years of working within the same company.

Question 18

Which of the following refers to a condition where people tend to perceive themselves in terms of their class background, and this shapes their relationships with members of other classes?
A)Social mobility
B)Class consciousness
C)Cross-culture literacy
D)Social awareness
E)Class representativeness

Accepted Answer

Class consciousness refers to a condition where people tend to perceive themselves in terms of their class background, and this shapes their relationships with members of other classes.

Question 19

In the context of social structure, American society is characterized by a low degree of:
A)social stratification.
B)mobility between strata.
C)entrepreneurial activity.
D)managerial mobility.
E)dynamism and innovation.

Accepted Answer

Some societies are characterized by a relatively high degree of social stratification and relatively low mobility between strata (e.g., Indian); other societies are characterized by a low degree of social stratification and high mobility between strata (e.g., American).

Question 20

In the Republic of Cedia, people are extremely conscious about their social backgrounds. This in turn regulates their relationships with members of other classes. As a result of the heightened class consciousness:
A)the mobility between the social classes of the Cedian society will increase.
B)the level of industrial disruption and industrial disputes will be low.
C)most of the population will perceive itself to be middle class.
D)an antagonistic relationship will exist between management and labor classes.
E)successful individuals, irrespective of their origins, will be highly respected.

Accepted Answer

Class consciousness has been played out in Cedian society. Mutual antagonism and lack of respect makes it difficult to achieve cooperation between management and labor in companies and results in a relatively high level of industrial disputes.

Quiz 4: Differences in Culture

Which of the following is a possible downside of emphasizing the primacy of group identification over individualism?

Which of the following is a dimension of social structure that is particularly important when explaining differences between cultures?

Which of the following is most likely to be the result of high degrees of class consciousness in societies?

Which of the following statements is true about social stratification?

Which of the following statements is true of mores?

One of the downsides to the emphasis on individualism is that it:

If a society emphasizes the group as the primary unit of social organization, it is most likely to:

The United Republic emphasizes individual performance and achievements in every sphere of society. Which of the following statements is true about the society of this country?

A difference in the attitudes of people toward time in different cultures is an example of which of the following in individual cultures?

In the country of Burnada, the citizens are restricted from moving out of the strata they are born into. Also, individuals are allowed to engage only in the occupation associated with their particular strata. The system of social stratification being practiced in Burnada can be identified as a:

Which of the following statements is true about the class system in the United States when compared to the British class system?

When compared to American society, Japanese society lacks:

Which of the following is a closed system of stratification in which social position is determined by the family into which a person is born, and change in that position is usually not possible during an individual's lifetime?

Which of the following statements is true about the business implications of Japanese society?

Which of the following statements is true about most Western societies?

Which of the following is an implication of high degree of managerial mobility in societies that emphasize individualism?

Which of the following refers to a condition where people tend to perceive themselves in terms of their class background, and this shapes their relationships with members of other classes?

In the context of social structure, American society is characterized by a low degree of:

In the Republic of Cedia, people are extremely conscious about their social backgrounds. This in turn regulates their relationships with members of other classes. As a result of the heightened class consciousness: