Question 1

Which one of Hofstede's cultural dimensions focused on how a society deals with the fact that people are unequal in physical and intellectual capabilities?

Accepted Answer

Hofstede's power distance dimension focused on how a society deals with the fact that people are unequal in physical and intellectual capabilities.

Question 2

Which of the following countries scores high on the individualism scale and low on the power distance scale?

Accepted Answer

Western nations such as the United States,Canada,and Britain score high on the individualism scale and low on the power distance scale.At the other extreme are a group of Latin American and Asian countries that emphasize collectivism over individualism and score high on the power distance scale.

Question 3

Members of _____ cultures placed a premium on job security,career patterns,retirement benefits,and they also had a strong need for rules and regulations.

Accepted Answer

Hofstede's uncertainty avoidance dimension measured the extent to which different cultures socialized their members into accepting ambiguous situations and tolerating uncertainty.Members of high uncertainty avoidance cultures placed a premium on job security,career patterns,retirement benefits,and so on.They also had a strong need for rules and regulations

Question 4

Making a circle with the thumb and the forefinger is a friendly gesture in the United States,but it is a vulgar sexual invitation in Greece and Turkey.Similarly,while most Americans and Europeans use the thumbs-up gesture to indicate that "it's all right," in Greece the gesture is obscene.These instances reflect that:

Accepted Answer

We all communicate with each other by a host of nonverbal cues.Many nonverbal cues,however,are culturally bound.A failure to understand the nonverbal cues of another culture can lead to a communication failure.

Question 5

Sunbeam Corporation used the English words for its "Mist-Stick" mist-producing hair curling iron when it entered the German market,only to discover after an expensive advertising campaign that "mist" means excrement in German.This blunder could have been avoided if:

Accepted Answer

International businesses that do not understand the local language can make major blunders through improper translation.

Question 6

Which of the following is a criticism of Hofstede's four cultural dimensions?

Accepted Answer

Hofstede's research has been criticized on a number of points,including that certain social classes (such as unskilled manual workers)were excluded from Hofstede's sample.

Question 7

When schools emphasize respect for others,obedience to authority,honesty,neatness,being on time,and so on,they are:

Accepted Answer

Cultural norms are also taught indirectly at school.Respect for others,obedience to authority,honesty,neatness,being on time,and so on,are all part of the hidden curriculum of schools.

Question 8

In societies where _____ was emphasized,the ties between individuals were tight and everyone was supposed to look after the interests of his or her group.

Accepted Answer

Hofstede's individualism versus collectivism dimension focused on the relationship between the individual and his or her fellows.In societies where collectivism was emphasized,the ties between individuals were tight.In such societies,people were born into collectives,such as extended families,and everyone was supposed to look after the interests of his or her collective.

Question 9

Chinese is the mother tongue of the largest number of people,but English is the most widely spoken language in the world.This indicates that:

Accepted Answer

Chinese is the mother tongue of the largest number of people.However,the most widely spoken language in the world is English.That is,many people speak English as a second language.

Question 10

Recent trends in international business strongly indicate that when Japanese and German businesspeople conduct business together,the language in which they will communicate is almost certain to be _____.

Accepted Answer

English is increasingly becoming the language of international business.

Question 11

Personal space,which is the comfortable amount of distance between you and someone you are talking with,is an aspect of:

Accepted Answer

One of the aspects of nonverbal communication is personal space,which is the comfortable amount of distance between you and someone you are talking with.The concept of personal space can vary between cultures.

Question 12

The recent trend to outsource information technology jobs to India and Japan's post-war economic success,both indicate how education:

Accepted Answer

From an international business perspective,one important aspect of education is its role as a determinant of national competitive advantage.The availability of a pool of skilled and educated workers seems to be a major determinant of the likely economic success of a country.

Question 13

If a country has a deep-rooted culture of men and women sharing work equally and where men and women are paid equally for the same work,it can be called a _____ culture.

Accepted Answer

Hofstede's masculinity versus femininity dimension looked at the relationship between gender and work roles.In feminine cultures,sex roles were less sharply distinguished,and little differentiation was made between men and women in the same job.

Question 14

The most widely spoken language in the world is:

Accepted Answer

Chinese is the mother tongue of the largest number of people,followed by English and Hindi,which is spoken in India.However,the most widely spoken language in the world is English,followed by French,Spanish,and Chinese.

Question 15

The raising of eyebrows in surprise,a frown of disapproval,and an approving thumbs-up are all examples of:

Accepted Answer

Nonverbal cues or communication like raised eyebrows,a smile,and so on constitute unspoken language that conveys information.

Question 16

The standard stereotype of Japan as a country with clearly demarcated roles for men and women and where individuals typically stay with the same employer throughout their working lives,proves the country as having _____ and _____.

Accepted Answer

In masculine cultures,sex roles were sharply differentiated and traditional "masculine values," such as achievement and the effective exercise of power,determined cultural ideals.Members of high uncertainty avoidance cultures placed a premium on job security,career patterns,retirement benefits,and so on.

Question 17

Which of the following countries stands out as having both low uncertainty avoidance and low masculinity?

Accepted Answer

Sweden and Denmark stand out as countries that have both low uncertainty avoidance and low masculinity,or a high emphasis on feminine values.

Question 18

The general education level of a country is a factor determining all of the following EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

Not only is a good education system a determinant of national competitive advantage,but it is also an important factor guiding the location choices of international businesses.The general education level of a country is also a good index of the kind of products that might sell in a country and of the type of promotional material that should be used.

Question 19

If the cultures of the United States and France result in different work-related values,an international business with operations in both countries should:

Accepted Answer

Of considerable importance for an international business with operations in different countries is how a society's culture affects the values found in the workplace.Management process and practices may need to vary according to culturally determined work-related values.

Question 20

A good education system is a determinant of national competitive advantage and:

Accepted Answer

Not only is a good education system a determinant of national competitive advantage,but it is also an important factor guiding the location choices of international businesses.

Quiz 3: Differences in Culture