Class 2 (Culture)

Question 1

what is cultural collision?

Answer 1

But, “cultural collision” can occur when a company
implements practices that are less effective or when
employees encounter distress because of difficulty in
accepting or adjusting to foreign behaviors

Question 2

what are 2 problem areas that can hinder managers’ cultural awareness?

Answer 2

– Subconscious reactions to circumstances

– The assumption that all societal subgroups are similar

Question 3

why can country-by-country analysis be difficult?

Answer 3

– subcultures exist within nations

– similarities link groups from different countries

Question 4

why is the nation a useful definition of society?

Answer 4

similarity among people is a cause and an effect of
national boundaries
– laws apply primarily along national lines
– language and values are shared within borders
– rites and symbols are shared along national lines

Question 5

social ranking is determined by:

Answer 5

– an individual’s achievements and qualifications

– an individual’s affiliation with, or membership in, certain groups

Question 6

group affiliations can be:

Answer 6

– Ascribed group memberships
• based on gender, family, age, caste, and ethnic, racial, or national origin
– Acquired group memberships
• based on religion, political affiliation, professional association

Question 7

what kind of relationship preferences could differ by culture?

Answer 7

power distance and individualism vs collectivism

Question 8

describe power distance

Answer 8

– high power distance implies little superior-subordinate interaction
• autocratic or paternalistic management style
– low power distance implies consultative style

Question 9

describe individualism vs collectivism

Answer 9

– high individualism – welcome challenges

– high collectivism – prefer safe work environment

Question 10

what kind of risk-taking behavior could differ across cultures?

Answer 10

• trust
• uncertainty avoidance
• future orientation (delaying gratification)
• fatalism (attitudes of self-determination)

Question 11

how do cultures handle info in different ways?

Answer 11

– Perception of cues
– Obtaining information
• low context versus high context cultures
– Information processing
– Monochronic versus polychronic cultures
– Idealism versus pragmatism

Question 12

what are some examples of silent language?

Answer 12

Silent language
• Distance
• Time and punctuality
• Body language
• Prestige

Question 13

what are the three company and management orientations?

Answer 13

1. polycentrism
2. ethnocentrism
3. geocentrism

Question 14

polycentrism

Answer 14

business units abroad should act like local companies

Question 15

ethnocentrism

Answer 15

• home culture is considered superior to local culture

* overlook national differences

Question 16

geocentrism

Answer 16

• integrate home and host practices

Question 17

what is distance?

Answer 17

degree of difference between 2 or more countries/regions

Question 18

what are a few common shortcomings when it comes to cross-cultural attitudes and practices?

Answer 18

1. comparing countries by what people say can be risky. responses might be coloured bu the very culture you’re trying to understand
2. researchers who focus on national differences in terms of averages may overlook specific variations within countires and believe in unrealistic stereotypes
3. because cultures evolve, research might be outdated

Question 19

when international business people compare nations, they must be careful to examine ___ ___

Answer 19

relevant groups (ex. rural vs urban dwellers, young vs old)

Question 20

change can occur in 2 ways:

Answer 20

1. choice: may occur as reaction to social and economic situations that present people with new alternatives (ex rural people accept factory jobs)
2. imposition: involves imposing certain elements from an alien culture, such as forced change in laws by an occupying country that over time becomes part of subject culture

Question 21

what is another term for change by imposition?

Answer 21

cultural imperialism

Question 22

contact among countries brings change, known as ___ ___

Answer 22

cultural diffusion

Question 23

when change results in mixing cultural elements, we have ___

Answer 23

creolization

Question 24

describe colours as silent language

Answer 24

• must be consistent with customer’s frame of reference

- invoke distinct connotations in different countries

Question 25

describe distance as silent language

Answer 25

• distance people maintain during convos

- how close you stand to each other, how much you touch

Question 26

describe time and punctuality as silent language

Answer 26

-valuing time as a scarce commodity (English, German, Scandinavian) –> schedules

vs valuing time as an event and choosing to take however long it takes

Question 27

describe body language as silent language

Answer 27

very few gestures have universal meanings

Question 28

describe prestige as silent language

Answer 28

-person’s status