First exam

Question 1

Intangibility

Answer 1

Products that cannot be seen, tasted, felt, heard, or smelled before they are purchased. We do not know the quality of the product until after we have experienced it.

Question 2

Inseparability

Answer 2

Inseparability means both the employee and the customer are often part of the product.

Question 3

Variability

Answer 3

Services are highly variable: services are produced and consumed simultaneously, which limits quality control.

Question 4

Perishability

Answer 4

Services cannot be stored

Question 5

Three pillars of sustainability

Answer 5

Economical, Social and Environmental

Question 6

5 P of sustainability

Answer 6

1. People
2. Planet
3. Profit
4. Peace
5. Partnership

Question 7

Stakeholder

Answer 7

A stakeholder is any group or individual who can affect or is affected by the achievement of the organization’s objectives

Question 8

Macro environment

Answer 8

Macroenvironment consists of the larger societal forces that affect the microenvironment (demographic, economic, natural, technological, political, and cultural forces).

Question 9

Microenvironment

Answer 9

Microenvironment consists of the actors close to the company that affect its ability to serve its customers (the company, suppliers, marketing intermediaries, customer markets, competitors, and publics).

Question 10

Country risk

Answer 10

Exposure to potential loss or adverse effects on company operations and profitability caused by developments in a country’s political and/or legal environments.

Question 11

Dimensions of country’s risk

Answer 11

1. currency
2. commercial
3. cross-cultural
4. political risk

Question 12

Individualism vs Collectivism (political system)

Answer 12

Individualism → an individual should have freedom in his own economic and political pursuits. It implies a democratic political system and free-market economies

Collectivism → primacy of collective goals over individual goals.

Question 13

Democracy vs totalitarianism

Answer 13

Democracy → political system in which government is by the people, exercised either directly or through elected representatives. Most modern democratic states practice representative democracy where citizens periodically elect individuals to represent them.

Totalitarianism → is a form of government in which one person or political party exercises absolute control over all spheres of human life and prohibits opposing political parties

Question 14

Country risk produced by political systems

Answer 14

1. Government takeover of corporate assets
2. Embargoes and sanctions
3. Boycott against firms and nations

Question 15

Government takeover of corporate assets

Answer 15

Confiscation → seizure of corporate assets without compensation

Expropriation → asset seizure with compensation

Nationalization → takeover of an entire industry, with or without compensation

Question 16

Embargoes and sanctions

Answer 16

Embargoes → completely stopping, they are bans on exports or imports that forbid trade in specific goods with specific countries.

Sanctions → are bans on international trade, usually undertaken by a country, or a group of countries, against another judged to have jeopardized peace and security.

Question 17

Boycotts

Answer 17

Voluntary refusal to engage in commercial dealings with a nation or a company.

Question 18

Market economy

Answer 18

All productive activities are privately owned and production is determined by the interaction of supply and demand. The government encourages free and fair competition between private producers

Question 19

Command economy

Answer 19

Government plans the goods and services that a country produces, the quantity that is produced, and the prices at which they are sold. All businesses are state-owned, and governments allocate resources for “the good of society”.

Question 20

Mixed economy

Answer 20

Certain sectors of the economy are left to private ownership and free market mechanisms while other sectors have significant state ownership and government planning. Governments tend to own firms that are considered important to national security.

Question 21

Common law

Answer 21

It’s based on legal precedents, tradition, and past practices, set by courts via interpretation of statutes, legislation, and past rulings. Common law is relatively flexible.

Question 22

Civil law

Answer 22

Based on an all-inclusive system of laws that have been clearly written by legislative bodies. Laws are not strongly subject to interpretation by courts. Civil law is mainly legislative and based on laws passed by national and state legislatures.

Question 23

Trademark

Answer 23

Trademarks protect words, names, symbols, sounds, or colors that distinguish goods™ and services. It protects everything that makes your brand recognizable

Question 24

Patent

Answer 24

Form of protection that provides a person or legal entity with exclusive rights for making, using, or selling a concept or invention and excludes others from doing the same for its duration.
Its utility is 20 years.

Question 25

Copyright

Answer 25

Give ownership to “original works of authorship,” such as literary works, paintings, and video games.

Question 26

Market attractiveness: benefits

Answer 26

Are a function of the market’s size, the purchasing power of its consumers, and their likely future wealth

Question 27

Market attractiveness: cost

Answer 27

Are a function of its
- political system
- economic level
- legal system

Question 28

Market attractiveness: risk

Answer 28

Are a function of:
- political risk → the likelihood that political forces will cause drastic changes in a country’s business environment
- economic risk → the likelihood that economic mismanagement will cause drastic changes in a country’s business environment
- legal risk → the likelihood that a trading partner will opportunistically break a contract or expropriate property rights

Question 29

Proxemics (perceptions of space)

Answer 29

Personal space → it is characterized by an invisible zone with distinct boundaries. When an intruder enters this zone, people may feel uncomfortable.

High touch vs low touch

Question 30

Perception of time

Answer 30

Monochronic → a rigid orientation to time in which the individual is focused on schedules, and punctuality. Time is linear. These are task-oriented countries.

Polychronic → a flexible, non-linear orientation to time, in which the individual takes a long-term perspective. Time is elastic, long delays are tolerated before taking action, and punctuality is relatively unimportant. These are relationships oriented countries.

Question 31

High and low-context cultures

Answer 31

Low context → the communication is direct, clear, efficient, and logical. Expertise and performance are valued. Agreements are done in a legal way (contracts). Negotiations are as efficient as possible. They are usually monochronic.

High context → based on nonverbal or indirect communication. It’s necessary to establish social trust first. Personal relations and goodwill are valued. Agreements emphasize trust. Negotiations are slow and ritualistic because you need to establish trust. They are face-saving cultures.

Question 32

Evaluating

Answer 32

Direct negative feedback → negative feedback is clear and straight said. Negative feedback stands alone, not accompanied by a positive one. Absolute descriptions are often used. Criticism may be given to an individual in front of a group, and must not be taken personally

Indirect negative → negative feedback to a collogue is provided softly, subtly, and diplomatically. Positive messages wrap up negative ones. Qualifying descriptors are often used when criticizing. Criticism is given only in private.

Question 33

Leading

Answer 33

Egalitarian → the ideal distance between a boss and a subordinate is low. The best boss is a facilitator among equals. Organizational structures are flat. Communication often skips hierarchical lines

Hierarchical → the ideal distance is high. The best boss is a string director who leads from the front. Status is important. Organizational structures are multilayered and fixed. Communication follows set hierarchical lines

Question 34

Deciding

Answer 34

Consensual → decisions are made in groups through unanimous agreement

Top-down → decisions are made by individuals (usually the boss)

Question 35

Trusting

Answer 35

Task-based → trust is built through business-related activities, work relationships are consistent, and people are reliable. Work relationships are built and dropped easily

Relationship-based → trust is built through personal connection (sharing emails, evening drinks, visits at the coffee machine) and work relationships build up slowly over the long term. People share personal time.

Question 36

Disagreeing

Answer 36

Confrontational → disagreement and debate are positive for the team or organization, open confrontation is appropriate and will not negatively impact the relationships

Avoids Confrontation → disagreement and debate are negative for the team. Open confrontation will break group harmony.

Question 37

Scheduling

Answer 37

Linear-time → monochronic perception of time. The project’s steps are followed in a sequential fashion. One thing at a time is done with no interruptions. Emphasis is on promptness and good organization over flexibility.

Flexible-time → polychronic. The project’s steps are approached in a fluid manner. Many things are dealt with at once and interruptions are accepted. The focus is on adaptability, and flexibility is valued over the organization.

Question 38

Hofstede cultural dimensions

Answer 38

1. Power distance
2. Individualism
3. Masculinity
4. Indulgence
5. Uncertainty avoidance
6. Long-term orientation