Communicating Across Cultures Verified Test Bank Chapter 7

Chapter 07

Communicating across Cultures

True / False Questions

1.	People from different cultures do things differently whereas all people within a single culture behave in similar ways. True False

2.	Business strategies that are highly successful in the United States may be ineffective in other cultures and countries. True False

3.	Companies may depend on international vendors, or operations for services such as call centers, data centers, and accounting centers. True False

4.	The costs undertaken by global companies for failing to adapt to local cultures can be high. True False

5.	Managers often need international experience for top-level jobs. True False

6.	Deep bicultural fluency and experiences in several countries are key qualities that head hunters look for while recruiting. True False

7.	While recruiting young employees, second-language proficiency and multicultural awareness are unimportant qualities, because mid-level positions do not require inter cultural interaction. True False

8.	Migrant workers benefit the economies of host countries rather than those of their home countries. True False

9.	Psychologists have shown that stereotyping is extremely useful in predicting how an individual from a different culture will think, act, and feel. True False

10.	Currently, organizations are seen to be working on reducing diversity in workforces to prevent low productivity and cultural biases. True False

11.	Research shows that organizations with low levels of diversity have the highest profits and the highest number of customers. True False

12.	Social relationships are uniform across cultures, and they do not affect business communication. True False

13.	Religion affects business communication. True False

14.	Nonverbal communication consists of selecting words and phrasing sentences. True False

15.	People use body language to signal qualities such as interest, respect, and agreement. True False

16.	Cultural preferences are important in written documents. True False

17.	When writing to international audiences, always use first names to appear friendly and cordial. True False

18.	Most North Americans think holistically rather than linearly. True False

19.	While communicating with an international audience, it is important to remember that people have their own personal characteristics. True False

20.	A successful intercultural communicator should not be willing to ask questions about preferences and behaviors. True False

Multiple Choice Questions

21.

Which of the following is an example of a global business?

A.	A franchise set up in a new area with external vendors in order to cater to the local tastes

B.	An industry that caters to local tastes and customs internally within the same small town

C.	A bank setup to serve the functions of a regional sector

D.	A small scale industry setting up a small business unit to promote indigenous products

E.	An accounting center set up locally to cater to the needs of people living in the suburbs

22.

Kingsley Inc., a clothing retail line in London, recently expanded its business to Scotland. After some basic market research, the management realized that a majority of the people in London preferred organic clothing. Keeping this in mind, it launched its store with clothes made from hemp and bamboo. This strategy turned out to be very successful, as it received a good response from buyers. Which of the following statements best explains Kingsley's strategy?

A.	It stereotyped groups in order to understand a group's culture better.

B.	It adapted its products to cater to the needs and tastes of the local market.

C.	It desensitized itself to the differences in preferences and tastes within the country.

D.	It realized that the differences in preferences and tastes were bad and inferior.

E.	It ignored the differences in preferences and tastes within the country.

23.

Which of the following is true of an international career experience?

A.	Multicultural awareness is sought exclusively for mid-level recruitments.

B.	Migrant workers benefit host countries instead of home countries.

C.	The importance of second-language proficiency is declining because of globalization.

D.	International experience is unimportant because employees prefer to work in their own countries.

E.	Executive head hunters look for people with international experience while recruiting.

24.

Japan is known to have a significant portion of the power structure dominated by men. In general in Japan, men are expected to be assertive, and there is a clear demarcation of roles between the sexes. According to Geert Hofstede's cultural dimensions, which of the following is most likely true of Japan?

A.	Japan has an individualistic culture.

B.	Japan has a masculine culture.

C.	The gender index in Japan is low.

D.	Japan has a collectivistic culture.

E.	The sex ratio in Japan is low.

25.

Which of the following is true of stereotyping?

A.	It suggests that differences between the people of a single culture make them inferior.

B.	It is very useful in understanding a culture.

C.	It provides valuable insights and information about a culture.

D.	It has very few consequences and doesn't affect communications.

E.	It makes well-intentioned efforts at communication seem offensive.

26.

Which of the following is required to understand cultural diversity?

A.	To ignore the practices in other cultures, because it makes one biased toward them

B.	To avoid asking questions about behavior patterns, because it may make one seem overly curious

C.	To realize that people from another culture may do things differently, but that does not make them inferior

D.	To understand that people within a culture are predictable and have identical patterns of behavior

E.	To stereotype groups of people in order to understand them and their characteristics better

27.

Nora is traveling to Brightlake for a business meeting where she has to give a presentation. She understands that it is crucial for her to know a little about the country's culture before she leaves for the meeting. On speaking with a colleague from the office in Brightlake, she gathers that the company has a low-context culture. Which of the following behaviors should Nora develop in a low-context culture?

A.	Nora should ensure that she projects most of the information, and she conveys points clearly to all participants.

B.	Nora should avoid giving importance to the context of a message at the presentation.

C.	Nora should put forward her points very politely instead of being confrontational with the members.

D.	Nora should give a lot of importance to building relationships with the members present at the meeting.

E.	Nora should be careful about what she says orally because oral statements are considered binding.

28.

Maria lives in a country where most of the information is inferred from social relationships and little is explicitly conveyed. A large portion of the power structure is dominated by women, and the culture emphasizes group goals over individual goals. According to anthropologist Edward Hall, which of the following types of cultures does this country reflect?

A.	Monochronic culture

B.	High-context culture

C.	Masculine culture

D.	Individualist culture

E.	Power-driven culture

29.

Which of the following is a typical communication strategy in low-context cultures?

A.	Allowing a lot of room for ambiguity and indirectness

B.	Relying very little on words and verbal communications

C.	Placing very little importance to building relationships

D.	Attaching very little importance to the written words

E.	Giving very little attention to detail

30.

Lindsay works for a media house in London. She will soon be relocated to a new branch of the company in Saudi Arabia. Her colleagues tell her that her new workplace has a high-context culture, unlike her current workplace. Which of the following behaviors should Lindsay develop in a high-context culture?

A.	Lindsay should be indirect when communicating with her colleagues and superiors.

B.	Lindsay should ensure that all communication is made through e-mails and written documents.

C.	Lindsay should avoid social interactions and building relationships.

D.	Lindsay should understand that oral conversations are unimportant and need not be taken seriously.

E.	Lindsay should give importance to details, because they are very important in such cultures.

31.

A country that has fewer rules and a greater tolerance for a variety of ideas and beliefs typically has a _____.

A.	lower uncertainty avoidance index

B.	higher power-distance index

C.	higher uncertainty avoidance index

D.	collectivistic culture

E.	highly masculine culture

32.

Lola a marketing professional, is joining a new organization in Estercliff. She has gathered from her friends in the city that there is a high level of equality at all social levels and work cultures are characterized by interdependence, shared initiatives, and managers being easily approachable. According to Geert Hofstede's cultural dimensions, which of the following do these characteristics indicate?

A.	An economy-driven culture

B.	A high uncertainty avoidance index

C.	A low power-distance index

D.	An individualist culture

E.	A feminist culture

33.

According to Geert Hofstede, which of the following is true of a culture with a low power-distance index?

A.	It is characterized by a centralized hierarchy.

B.	It is highly centralized according to power.

C.	It is characterized by equality at all social levels.

D.	It is extremely formal and rigid in nature.

E.	It is characterized by bureaucracy and authority.

34.

Naomi, the CEO of a clothing line, plans to launch a new line of out-of-the-box clothing in Wellmount. She has done considerable research about the country and knows that the public there is very open to new ideas and concepts and greets changes positively. According to Geert Hofstede's cultural dimensions, which of the following characteristics does Wellmount have?

A.	Masculine culture

B.	Collectivist culture

C.	High power distance index

D.	Low uncertainty avoidance index

E.	Individualist culture

35.

Which of the following is considered a typical social error in China?

A.	Shaking hands

B.	Making eye contact

C.	Omitting official titles

D.	Using humor in business affairs

E.	Referring to a caste system

36.

Which of the following is true of body language?

A.	It impacts cross-cultural communication.

B.	It is universal across all cultures.

C.	It has very mild consequences.

D.	It is exactly the same as sign language.

E.	It is a fully conscious and intentional act of communication.

37.

Which of the following is NOT a part of nonverbal communication?

A.	Personal space

Gesture

C.	Body language

Touch

E.	Documentation

38.

Which of the following is a typical example of nonverbal communication?

A.	Composing an e-mail to a customer about delivery details for a product

B.	Preparing a presentation for approval on a project

C.	Marketing a product by blogging about its features and benefits

D.	Negotiating with a client about quotations for a product through cold calls

E.	Making eye contact with a speaker to convey that one is listening

39.

Which of the following is true of personal space?

A.	Personal space refers to the distance people want between themselves and other people in ordinary interchanges.

B.	Personal space refers to the difference between one's thoughts and actions.

C.	Personal space refers to the distance between people in intimate interchanges.

D.	People within a culture always want the same amount of personal space.

E.	Personal space refers to formulating ideas in one's mind before implementing them.

40.

Agnese lives in the United States. Before scheduling a meeting with her colleague in India, she emphasizes that she has a particular view and attitude toward time. Considering the culture in the United States, which of the following is most likely to reflect Agnese's attitude toward time?

A.	She calculates time by what she calls an internal body clock.

B.	She measures time based on the season.

C.	She measures time based on her personal feeling that the time is right.

D.	She measures time by the calendar and the clock.

E.	She calculates time looking at the size and position of the moon.

41.

Jovina works as a marketing manager and needs to attend a meeting with Kiara, a colleague from the communications team. A day prior to the meeting, they decide that they should meet at 9 a.m. However, Kiara arrives at 9:45 a.m. and does not feel the need to apologize to Jovina. She feels that being 45 minutes late is the same as being 10 minutes late. Which of the following best describes Kiara's attitude toward time?

A.	Kiara measures time by the season.

B.	Kiara measures time by the sun.

C.	Kiara calculates time frames based on her internal body clock.

D.	Kiara measures time in five-minute blocks.

E.	Kiara calculates time in one hour blocks.

42.

Which of the following is true of a monochronic culture?

A.	It is extremely high-context regarding communication.

B.	It focuses a lot on social relationships.

C.	It is characterized by people who lay emphasis on multitasking.

D.	It is characterized by people who tend to want their time unstructured.

E.	It is characterized by people who focus on clock time and scheduling.

43.

Ursula works in Switzerland, where most companies have a culture that focuses on undertaking all tasks according to clock time and their work schedule. They also undertake one task at a time instead of multitasking. According to Edward Hall, which of the following cultures does Switzerland have?

A.	Monochronic

B.	Collectivist

C.	Polychronic

D.	Ethnocentric

E.	Xenocentric

44.

Which of the following best represents a polychronic culture?

A.	Employees follow strict work schedules according to clock time.

B.	Employees give importance to establishing bonds between colleagues.

C.	Employees undertake one task at a time and avoid multitasking.

D.	Employees maintain a rigid structure of undertaking activities.

E.	Employees divide time into small segments and assign tasks accordingly.

45.

Color, dress, and age may be considered as symbols of _____ communication.

written

spoken

oral

nonverbal

textual

46.

Which of the following is true of colors as a nonverbal symbol of communication?

A.	Korean Buddhists use red to announce birth.

B.	Black is the color of death in Japan.

C.	Brown is traditionally the color of happiness in Spain.

D.	White is the color of funerals in western cultures.

E.	Chinese tradition associates red with good fortune.

47.

Effective oral communication directed at an international audience primarily requires _____.

A.	monochronic practices

B.	cultural understanding

C.	impeccable grammar skills

D.	polychronic practices

E.	negotiating strategies

48.

Which of the following is true of oral communication in Japan?

A.	Subtlety is least important and directness is preferred.

B.	What is not said is just as important as what is said.

C.	Silence is uncommon and treated as rude.

D.	Most information is transmitted verbally.

E.	Nonverbal communication is avoided so as to prevent misunderstanding.

49.

Which of the following is true of the people of the United States when they make business introductions?

A.	They use informal language and typically include first names.

B.	The purpose of introduction is primarily to establish personal rapport.

C.	The image of an individual communicating is generally part of a rich culture.

D.	They generally stress the values of emotional support and hospitality.

E.	They generally stress the importance of building harmony.

50.

Which of the following is true of oral communication?

A.	The word "yes" should always be used in meetings because it avoids confusion.

B.	Compliments are interpreted universally across all cultures.

C.	Exaggerations should be best avoided because no culture accepts them positively.

D.	Learning the native language helps people get a glimpse into the culture of a country.

E.	All people within a single culture communicate in similar ways.

51.

Which of the following cultures sees exaggeration as a way to express positive thinking?

Spanish

German

British

American

French

52.

Which of the following is true of approaches to negative information?

A.	In Brazil, unpleasantness is usually suppressed.

B.	In Japan, bad news is often delivered in front of a group.

C.	In Saudi Arabia, saving face is hardly important.

D.	In Saudi Arabia, negative information is never delivered through intermediaries.

E.	In India, a negative response is most likely to be conveyed directly.

53.

In the _____ culture, negative information is generally conveyed through intermediaries.

Japanese

American

Arabian

German

Brazilian

54.

Regarding cultural preferences, the _____ culture generally has a reputation for appreciating technical data and scientific detail.

Arabian

American

German

Chinese

Japanese

55.

Which of the following is generally true of the prevailing culture of oral communication in Asian countries like Japan?

A.	Disagreements are generally communicated through emotional outbursts.

B.	Interruptions tend to be very common.

C.	Appreciation is generally considered as a motivational factor.

D.	Long periods of silence are typically very common.

E.	Communication is generally direct and informal.

56.

The opening line of a persuasive document begins and ends with personal greetings. The body talks about personal connections and focuses on future opportunities. This document is most likely to be from a country like _____.

Indonesia

B.	the United Arab Emirates

Japan

the U.S.

Germany

57.

Which of the following is a difference between the cultures of the United States and Spain?

A.	Interruptions are common in American conversations.

B.	Spaniards usually speak English much faster and more fluently than Americans.

C.	Disagreements are stated calmly and directly in the U.S., whereas they are often accompanied by emotional outbursts in Spain.

D.	Praises are a key motivational factor in the U.S., but they may be offensive in Spain.

E.	Brown-colored trucks are considered as symbols of good luck in Spain.

58.

Which of the following is a cultural contrast in oral communication between the United States and Japan?

A.	People in the United States tend to wait for an invitation to speak, while the Japanese tend to take the initiative to open a conversation.

B.	People in the United States tend to directly state disagreements, while the Japanese tend to communicate it through silence.

C.	People in the United States do not interrupt often, while the Japanese tend to interrupt a lot.

D.	Japanese focus on the mouth, so smiles are important, while Americans often focus on the eyes.

E.	People in the United States tend to speak softly, while the Japanese are typically loud and lively.

59.

During a business meeting, the chairperson said he highly appreciated the speaker's talk. However, the speaker took offence at this gesture. Given this scenario, we can conclude that the speaker was most likely a(n) _____.

American

Chinese

Japanese

D.	Indonesian

Indian

60.

The opening line of a persuasive document begins with an apology and closes with a note that appreciates the art of maintaining harmony. This document is most likely to be from a country like _____.

Germany

B.	the U.S.A.

C.	the United Arab Emirates

Japan

Oman

61.

An Arabian business firm receives an e-mail from its Japanese clients. As this is a part of writing to international audiences, which of the following should the firm expect in the e-mail sent by its clients?

A.	They use elaborate expressions.

B.	They are more direct in their writing.

C.	They use too many signatures.

D.	They remain modest in their writing and minimize their own standing.

E.	They stress on the importance of immediate action rather than waiting.

62.

Which of the following is generally true of written persuasive styles in Arab countries?

A.	They tend to use very short sentences.

B.	Their persuasion style is typically characterized by emphasis on an immediate gain.

C.	Their writing style is generally characterized by many signatures.

D.	They tend to offer thanks as opening lines.

E.	Their closing lines are usually for seeking specific requests.

63.

Which of the following guidelines should be adopted while writing to international audiences?

A.	Use contractions to summarize the information efficiently in a document.

B.	Use first names in all instances instead of titles or salutations.

C.	Write in the reader's language to show respect even if one is not fluent in it.

D.	Modify the response time based on the nature and culture of the audience.

E.	Avoid spelling out the month while writing a date by writing it in numbers.

64.

Which of the following opening lines conveys that the document is a persuasive document from the United States?

A.	We sincerely apologize on behalf of the organization.

B.	Could you please provide further details about your products?

C.	We would like to extend our warm wishes and regards to each one of you and welcome you heartily.

D.	We sincerely hope to continue in the same vein and establish a harmonious relationship.

E.	We are keen on building a future relationship and hope this one goes well.

65.

When writing to an international audience, which of the following is an example of good writing in business communication?

A.	We shall kick-off the meeting.

B.	We can already see the writing on the wall.

C.	We are in pole position to win the contract.

D.	Can you give me a ballpark figure on the total sales costs?

E.	We should sit down and begin the meeting.

Short Answer Questions

66.	The Perkins Store, a retail chain that sells lifestyle products, is launching its outlet in Ireland. The consumers in Ireland value the environment and are conscious buyers. Explain how the management of the store can adapt its products to the needs of its new audience.

67.

Sandra is currently pursuing her degree in public relations and mass communication. She does well in her subjects and often receives high grades. On completion of her studies, she intends to pursue an international career which will give her substantial exposure to international business settings. What can she do, in addition to studying, to help her gain more international career experience?

68.	Beatrice has recently joined a new company as a communications executive and has been informed by a colleague that the organization has a high-context culture. How would this piece of information help Beatrice in communicating better with her peers and superiors?

69.	How do values, beliefs, and practices affect our response to people and situations?

70.	How can body language be used to communicate feelings in an intercultural environment?

71.

Many people think that nonverbal communication is much easier to understand than oral or written communication. In reality, however, nonverbal cues can be misinterpreted as easily as verbal ones. Using specific examples, discuss the factors which are important in nonverbal communication, and how they can affect intercultural communication.

72.	Explain the differences between the two kinds of cultures as proposed by anthropologist Edward Hall.

73.

Palmer Industries has developed alliances with companies in Japan. The company anticipates that there will be extensive written communication between their, particularly via e-mail. In addition, face-to-face meetings will be conducted via video conferencing. Abigail Corinno, the Vice President for Palmer Industries, feels it would be a good idea to implement a communications program to make employees aware of the cultural differences. She asks the communications manager to compile a list of topics that should be included in the program. What major points should this list contain?

74.	Explain the reasons to learn the language of a country where you plan to work.

75.	What are some key points you need to know while writing to international audiences?

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Chapter 7 Communicating Across Cultures

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