Deck 3: Intercultural Communication

Question 1

Which of the following statements about the middle class in emerging economies is NOT correct?

A)Two thirds of the world's middle class is predicted to be in Asia by 2030.
B)Estimates suggest that 70 percent of world growth over the next few years will come from already developed countries.
C)Many countries such as China and India have become less suspicious of foreign investment and free trade, thus fostering vigorous globalization.
D)Once known only for cheap labour, many countries with emerging economies are now seen as promising markets.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Which statement about context is NOT accurate?

A)Context is probably the most important cultural dimension and also the most difficult to define.
B)Context refers to the stimuli, environment, or ambience surrounding an event.
C)The cultural anthropologist Edward T. Hall developed the concept of context.
D)No one has attempted to classify countries according to context.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Which of the following is an example of a country with a high-context culture?

A)Germany
B)Japan
C)Sweden
D)Switzerland

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Which of the following best describes communicators in high-context cultures?

A)They are more likely to be intuitive and contemplative.
B)They assume that listeners know very little and must be told practically everything.
C)They tend to be logical, analytical, and action oriented.
D)They pay attention to only the spoken or written words.

Question 5

Which of the following best describes communicators in low-context cultures?

A)They often imply conclusions rather than directly state them.
B)They tend to be logical, analytical, and action-oriented.
C)They tend to be intuitive and contemplative.
D)They emphasize interpersonal relationships, nonverbal expression, physical setting, and social setting.

Question 6

On which of the following do Asians traditionally place a high value?

A)group decision making
B)individual achievements
C)direct verbal interaction
D)initiative and self-assertion

Question 7

Which of the following is an invisible sign of culture?

A)An attorney wears a conservative suit to court.
B)Christopher believes that adults need to be responsible for their actions.
C)On their anniversary, Vaughn takes his wife to dinner.
D)At every department meeting, the manager sits at the head of the conference table.

Question 8

Which of the statements about culture is NOT accurate?

A)Culture is the basis for how we tell the world who we are and what we believe.
B)Culture can be both visible and invisible.
C)The rules in any culture are inherently logical.
D)Because cultural norms are so deep-seated, they almost never change.

Question 9

Jing-Ying places great value on the posture, voice inflection, gestures, and facial expressions of employees within the workplace. Which culture is she most likely a part of?

A)low-context
B)linear logic
C)high-context
D)analytical

Question 10

Which of the following best describes culture?

A)Culture is a subject that is usually taught in high school.
B)Cultural attitudes are not learned until adulthood.
C)Culture is not something we can be taught; it's something we possess at birth.
D)Cultural rules of behaviour are learned from your family and society and are conditioned from early childhood.

Question 11

Steven is an analytical, action-oriented person who places great value on business messages that are objective, professional, and efficient. Which culture is he most likely a part of?

A)low-context
B)spiral logic
C)high-context
D)intuitive

Question 12

Which of the following trade agreements expands free trade among Canada, the United States, and Mexico?

A)General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)
B)World Trade Organization (WTO)
C)European Free Trade Association (EFTA)
D)North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)

Question 13

North American businesses and those of other countries are seeking to expand around the world for many reasons. Which of the following is NOT one of those reasons?

A)passage of favourable trade agreements
B)advances in transportation and communication technologies
C)an increase in the number of underdeveloped countries
D)maturing domestic markets

Question 14

What will learning more about the powerful effect that culture has on behaviour do for you?

A)It will guarantee that you will be profitable in your overseas ventures.
B)It will help you reduce friction and misunderstanding in your dealings with people from other cultures.
C)It will teach you that you can be successful even though you do not adapt to other cultures.
D)It will guarantee success against foreign competition.

Question 15

On which of the following do Canadians typically place a high value?

A)group membership
B)individual action and personal responsibility
C)the avoidance of saying no
D)reliance on context and feelings when making decisions

Question 16

Which statement best describes trends in globalization of markets?

A)Although market borders are blurring, it is still easy to determine the nationality of companies.
B)Unable to increase markets at home, companies are looking to expand their markets to other places in the world.
C)Doing business beyond borders is still extremely rare.
D)Because the North America dominates the world economy, Canadian companies have no need to adapt to other cultures.

Question 17

People from many cultures are moving to countries that have the promise to fulfill their dreams. Which countries have been the most popular destinations?

A)the United States and Japan
B)the United States and Canada
C)France and Great Britain
D)Italy and France

Question 18

Which of the following is an example of a country that has a low-context culture?

A)Canada
B)Saudi Arabia
C)China
D)Kenya

Question 19

Which of the following is the most important to acknowledge in order to accept behaviour that differs from our own cultural behaviour?

A)Cultural context is easy to define.
B)Cultures are inherently logical.
C)Culture never changes.
D)Attitudes of cultures are inherent.

Question 20

Which of the following describes how new information and communication technologies (ICT) are used to promote globalization?

A)Advancements in communication have made markets and jobs less accessible.
B)High-speed and relatively low-cost communications have made geographical location extremely relevant for many activities and services.
C)ICTs permit instantaneous oral and written communication across time zones and continents.
D)Communication technologies have little or no impact on globalization.

Question 21

What is the belief that one's own race is superior known as?

A)prototyping
B)stereotyping
C)ethnocentrism
D)prejudice

Question 22

Brianna would like to become more culturally competent. What should she do?

A)She should begin to think of herself as a product of another culture.
B)She should understand that her culture is the superior culture.
C)She should be reluctant to adapt to environmental changes.
D)She should be tolerant and open-minded about other cultures.

Question 23

According to some intercultural experts, which of the following is the most important attitude in achieving intercultural competence?

A)descriptiveness
B)supportiveness
C)nonjudgmentalism
D)ethnocentrism

Question 24

Which of the following statements does NOT demonstrate open-mindedness?

A)In order to improve tolerance, practise empathy.
B)If a non-native speaker is struggling to express an idea in English, help by finishing the sentence for the speaker.
C)In Asian cultures, periods of silence for reflection and contemplation are deliberate.
D)In order to exhibit tolerance, be patient.

Question 25

Reiko was raised to believe that North Americans only look out for themselves. She feels resentful that her employer is sending her to Toronto to conduct a business negotiation. Which of the following preconceptions has she applied to the entire North American culture?

A)tolerance
B)prejudice
C)stereotype
D)prototype

Question 26

Emile was born in Paris and has lived his entire life in France. He is proud of his country and believes that the French are superior to all other cultures. What is Emile displaying?

A)discrimination
B)ethnocentrism
C)prejudice
D)illegal behaviour

Question 27

Which of the following is an oversimplified behavioural pattern applied uncritically to groups of people?

A)stereotype
B)prejudice
C)prototype
D)ethnocentrism

Question 28

Businesspeople from which country are most likely to be uncomfortable with silence and impatient with delays?

A)Mexico
B)Canada
C)Saudi Arabia
D)Japan

Question 29

Which statement does NOT describe nonverbal communication in intercultural environment?

A)You can learn all of the nuances of nonverbal behaviour in other cultures.
B)In Western cultures people perceive silence as nonverbal communication.
C)Gestures can have very different nonverbal meanings in different cultures.
D)Although nonverbal communication between cultures is ambiguous, it conveys meaning.

Question 30

A businessperson from Canada was introduced to the president of a company in another country, and the businessperson immediately began treating the president as his equal. The president might be particularly offended if he is from which country?

A)Japan
B)United States
C)Canada
D)Germany

Question 31

During business negotiations, which group of individuals is most likely to place more emphasis on the literal meaning of words rather than figurative language?

A)Brazilians
B)North Americans
C)Argentinians
D)Japanese

Question 32

Zachary works with employees from a variety of cultural backgrounds and wants to be tolerant of their beliefs. What should Zachary practise?

A)prototyping
B)sympathy
C)empathy
D)ethnocentrism

Question 33

Julia was born and raised in Canada. Because she has been taught that it is best to be direct when speaking in the workplace, Julia expects her Vietnamese coworkers to share her belief. What is Julia's misconception the result of?

A)tolerance
B)stereotyping
C)ethnocentrism
D)prototyping

Question 34

Which statement correctly describes time orientation?

A)North Americans generally see time as an unlimited and never-ending resource to be enjoyed.
B)South Americans generally correlate time with productivity, efficiency, and money.
C)Asians are generally punctual but often take a long time to reach decisions.
D)Most cultures generally view time as a precious commodity that should be preserved.

Question 35

What is the difference between a prototype and a stereotype?

A)A prototype is the same as a stereotype.
B)A prototype has a more negative connotations than a stereotype.
C)A prototype can develop into a prejudice, whereas a stereotype cannot.
D)A prototype is not fixed and rigid like a stereotype.

Question 36

Dale recently completed diversity training. Which of the following was he most likely taught during the training?

A)If you work hard enough at it, you can talk about cultures without using mental categories, representations, and generalizations to describe groups.
B)Unfounded generalizations about people and cultures can lead to bias and prejudice.
C)Today the word stereotype has a positive meaning.
D)Because they are fixed and rigid, stereotypes are always entirely false.

Question 37

Businesspeople from which country are most likely to speak using extravagant or poetic figures of speech?

A)Canada
B)United States
C)Brazil
D)Germany

Question 38

Which statement does NOT describe power distance?

A)The Power Distance Index measures how people in different societies relate to more powerful individuals.
B)In low power distance cultures, subordinates defer to the superiority of their supervisors and do not offer suggestions or opinions.
C)The concept of power distance was first introduced by social psychologist Geert Hofstede.
D)In high power distance countries, subordinates expect formal hierarchies and embrace relatively authoritarian, paternalistic power relationships.

Question 39

Which of the following statements best describes saving face?

A)Members of low-context cultures very concerned with saving face in social interactions.
B)People in high-context cultures are not sensitive about saving face in social interactions.
C)Face refers to the image a person holds in his or her social network.
D)In business transactions around the world, economic factors are the primary motivators of people.

Question 40

Which of the following is a generalization that is NOT fixed and rigid when it is used to describe cultures?

A)stereotype
B)prejudice
C)prototype
D)ethnocentrism

Question 41

Emma runs a small business and wants to improve communication among her increasingly diverse staff. Which of the following should she do?

A)She should consider having employees take part in diversity awareness training.
B)She should encourage employees to think alike so that conflicts can be avoided.
C)She should expect conformity from her employees.
D)She should assume everyone is like her or wants to be like her.

Question 42

What is the best advice for a Canadian businessperson who is traveling to Sweden on business and wants to improve oral intercultural communication?

A)Wait until you finish a complete explanation, no matter how long it is, before requesting feedback.
B)Be wary of smiling because it can be misinterpreted in some cultures.
C)Follow up oral negotiations and agreements in writing.
D)If your Swedish colleague is having trouble finishing a sentence, show consideration by finishing it for him or her.

Question 43

Only developed countries have a unique culture and shared background.

Question 44

In conversation with a Korean businessperson who speaks English fairly well, Meaghan discovers that much of what she has just said was not understood by the Korean. As she continues the conversation, what should Meaghan do?

A)She should speak more slowly and loudly.
B)She should discontinue the conversation until an interpreter can be found.
C)She should keep a stern, unsmiling face to show she's serious about the conversation.
D)She should accept blame for the misunderstanding and use simpler language.

Question 45

Learning more about the powerful effect that culture has on behaviour will help you reduce friction and misunderstanding in your dealings with people from other cultures.

Question 46

New transportation advancements along with improved logistics technology are important factors in the increase in globalization.

Question 47

Because it is based on strong tradition and deep-seated beliefs, a country's culture rarely changes.

Question 48

What is the best advice you can give to Gayle, who will be travelling to China on business and wants to demonstrate intercultural competence while there?

A)Provide judgmental feedback rather than descriptive feedback.
B)Take the lead when interacting with businesspeople from other cultures.
C)Show supportiveness with head nods, eye contact, facial expressions, and physical proximity.
D)Use gestures often and freely to attempt to communicate nonverbally with businesspeople.

Question 49

Which of the following is the correct wording to use when writing an e-mail message to someone from another culture?

A)Are you available for a videoconference on 3/5?
B)Please get back to me ASAP to set up our meeting.
C)This agreement between our two companies should be a slam dunk.
D)We look forward to meeting with you next month.

Question 50

Caroline is writing a business letter to a German client. What should she do as she prepares the letter?

A)She should use the same writing style and tone typically used in her organization.
B)She should use longer sentences and paragraphs to make her letter look more formal.
C)She should add humour to her letter to make her client feel comfortable.
D)She should use correct grammar and conventional punctuation.

Question 51

Business communicators in low-context cultures, such as Canada and Germany, assume that messages must be explicit, and listeners rely exclusively on the written or spoken word.

Question 52

Amaya was just hired by a company with an extremely diverse workforce. She wants to fit in immediately. What should she do?

A)Rely on stereotypes to learn about individuals from different cultures.
B)Concentrate on shared experiences, mutual goals, and similar values.
C)Try to conform immediately because everyone else has probably conformed already.
D)Assume that all individuals share the same holidays and lifestyles.

Question 53

What is the best advice for citing numbers when writing letters to businesspeople in other cultures?

A)Use figures for numbers instead of spelling them out.
B)Use numbers to express the month of the year.
C)Do not convert dollar figures to local currency because the values change every day.
D)Spell out all figures.

Question 54

Tamika's family always celebrates Christmas with decorated tree and stockings hung on the fireplace. These holiday decorations are visible symbols of Tamika's cultural background.

Question 55

You are writing a letter to a potential customer in Italy. Which of the following should you include in your letter?

A)clichés such as the buck stops here because the Italians appreciate North American sayings
B)abbreviations such as DBA to make your letter as concise as possible
C)weights and measures written using Italy's measurement standards
D)slang such as this is a really hot idea to sound more approachable

Question 56

Jake is working for a global consulting firm and will be writing letters to intercultural audiences around the world. What is the best advice you can give him to improve his written communication?

A)Always use a direct approach to make your letters as clear as possible.
B)Use your own format and style so that all your letters are consistent.
C)Send letters to lower-ranking employees to avoid offending higher-ranking employees.
D)Replace two-word verbs such as put off with clear single words such as delay.

Question 57

Jackson will be attending a professional conference in Vietnam. What should he do to try to enhance oral communication with his colleagues?

A)He should assume that his colleagues will speak some English because it is so widely used around the world.
B)He should learn how to speak Vietnamese fluently.
C)He should assume that a yes, a nod, or a smile indicates comprehension.
D)He should listen without interrupting.

Question 58

The rules, values, and attitudes of culture are inherent; that is, we are born with them.

Question 59

The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) promotes open trade globally.

Question 60

Various identity groups bring a distinct advantage to businesses. Which of the following statements best reflects this advantage?

A)A diverse staff tends to have difficulties reading trends and responding to customers in local and world markets.
B)Diverse teams made up of diverse members are better equipped than homogeneous teams to create products that diverse consumers want.
C)A diverse workforce often leads to lower productivity and worse employee morale.
D)Diverse teams often find it more difficult than homogeneous teams to solve problems.

Question 61

Ildiko is a low-context communicator. She is likely to value membership in organizations, groups, and teams.

Question 62

In low power distance countries, subordinates expect formal hierarchies and embrace relatively authoritarian, paternalistic power relationships.

Question 63

When you face a challenge while communicating orally with someone from another culture, using gestures is the best alternative, because gestures mean the same in every culture.

Question 64

When discussing cultures, we should avoid making any generalizations.

Question 65

Brooke, who works for a Canadian company, has just been assigned to manage the company's division in Vietnam. She should emphasize team-based projects and group decision making with her new employees.

Question 66

Companies that set aside time and resources to cultivate and capitalize on diversity will suffer fewer discrimination lawsuits, fewer union clashes, and less government regulatory action.

Question 67

Members of high-context cultures are more likely to be logical, analytical, and action oriented.

Question 68

Improving one's tolerance of other cultures means being empathetic, nonjudgmental, and willing to seek common ground.

Question 69

Customers prefer to deal with companies with diverse employees who respect customers' values and reflect the diverse makeup of these customers.

Question 70

Descriptive feedback is more effective than judgmental feedback.

Question 71

Verbal skills in another culture are more difficult to master than nonverbal skills.

Question 72

____________________ refers to the stimuli, environment, or ambiance surrounding an event. It is probably the most important cultural dimension and is also the most difficult to define.

Question 73

The North American Free ____________________ Agreement has expanded trade among Canada, the United States, and Mexico.

Question 74

A stereotype, which is an oversimplified behavioural pattern applied uncritically to groups, is always false.

Question 75

Saving face is the primary motivational factor in low-context cultures.

Question 76

Ethnocentrism, which involves the belief that one's own race is superior to others, is a natural attitude inherent in all cultures.

Question 77

____________________ may be defined as the complex system of values, traits, morals, and customs shared by a society.

Question 78

The same letter, date, and number formats are used throughout the world.

Question 79

Yung is a high-context communicator. He is likely to use spiral logic when thinking and making decisions.

Question 80

Prototypes are rigid, generalized beliefs about another culture.