Deck 3: Intercultural Communication

Question 1

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

Answer 1

False

Question 2

Social media are not effective intercultural communication tools because they only reinforce cultural differences.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

One of your colleagues admires silence and considers it a key to success.Your colleague is most likely American.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

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

Question 5

The number of foreign-born persons in the United States is decreasing.

Question 6

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

Question 7

Brooke,who works for a U.S.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 8

New amazing forms of transportation are among the important factors increasing globalization.

Question 9

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

Question 10

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

Question 11

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

Question 12

When discussing cultures,we should avoid making any generalizations.

Question 13

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

Question 14

Nonverbal behavior,such as using the "thumbs up" hand gesture,is universal,conveying the same meaning in all cultures.

Question 15

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

Question 16

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

Question 17

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

Question 18

Time is a dimension that is perceived the same across cultures.

Question 19

Business communicators in low-context cultures,such as the United States and Germany,assume that messages must be explicit;communicators relyexclusively on the written or spoken word.

Question 20

The term "global village" most closely refers to small communities in underdeveloped countries.

Question 21

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 Matthew takes his wife to dinner.
D)At every department meeting,the manager sits at the head of the conference table.

Question 22

One benefit of workplace diversity is less government regulatory action.

Question 23

When Americans conduct business abroad,they should always adopt the ethical standards of the foreign country as a sign of respect.

Question 24

Adjusting your writing style and tone for intercultural written communication does not apply to numbers,which are cited the same throughout the world.

Question 25

Globally,ethical codes of conduct are becoming more sophisticated and accessible.

Question 26

Chip was hired as a sales rep for a multinational company and will be selling computer products around the world.He should learn and use the metric system.

Question 27

Which of the following is the most accurate statement about the globalization of markets?

A)Although market borders are blurring,it is still easy to determine the nationality of companies.
B)Many U.S.companies with famous brands are now controlled by global enterprises.
C)Doing business beyond borders is common only for U.S.companies.
D)Because many companies are multinational,cultural differences are not as important.

Question 28

Select the most accurate statement about 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 behavior learned from your family and society are conditioned from early childhood.

Question 29

Select the least accurate statement about culture.

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 30

Intercultural communication,team building,and conflict resolution are skills that can be learned in diversity training programs.

Question 31

Learning more about the powerful effect that culture has on behavior will ________.

A)be possible only if you travel outside of your own country.
B)help you reduce friction and misunderstanding in your dealings with people from other cultures.
C)​help you become a better writer.
D)​allow you to put an International Experience section on your resume.

Question 32

Most Facebook users live in the United States and Canada.

Question 33

Diversity positively impacts work teams,but consumers are not impacted by an organization's diversity.

Question 34

U.S.businesses and those of other countries are seeking to expand around the world for many reasons,including the passage offavorable trade agreements,growing numbers of middle-class consumers in emerging nations,and ________.

A)​increasing sales growth in their home countries
B)advances in transportation
C)limited communication technologies
D)growing domestic markets

Question 35

Which of the following statements about the middle class in emerging economies is accurate?

A)By 2030,two-thirds of the world's middle class will reside in the United States.
B)Estimates suggest that 20 percent of world growth over the next few years will come from emerging markets.
C)Many countries such as China and India have become more suspicious of foreign investment and free trade. 
D)Once known only for cheap labor,many countries with emerging economies are now seen as promising markets.

Question 36

Communicators in high-context cultures

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

Question 37

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

Question 38

Closely studying your own culture is one way to better understand and accept the values and behaviors of other cultures.

Question 39

Persons from many cultures are moving to countries promising to fulfill their dreams.For generations the two most popular destinations have been

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

Question 40

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 41

Jing-Ying places great value on the posture,voice inflection,gestures,and facial expressions of employees within the workplace.She is most likely part of a(n)____ culture.

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

Question 42

An example of a country with a high-context culture is

A)Germany.
B)Japan.
C)Scandinavia.
D)U.S.

Question 43

By tradition,businesspeople in the United States typically place a high value on

A)group membership.
B)individual action and personal responsibility.
C)being able to avoid saying "no."
D)relying on context and feelings when making decisions.

Question 44

Julia was born and raised in the United States.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.Julia's misconception is the result of ________.

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

Question 45

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 46

Which of the following statements about time orientation across cultures is most accurate?

A)North Americans generally correlate time with productivity,efficiency,and money.
B)South Americans generally see keeping people waiting as rude and unprofessional.
C)Asians generally are punctual and rush decisions to be more productive.
D)Most cultures generally perceive time as limited in the workplace and therefore are punctual.

Question 47

Communicators in low-context cultures

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

Question 48

Steven is an analytical,action-oriented person and places great value on business messages that are objective,professional,and efficient.He is most likely part of a(n)____ culture.

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

Question 49

By tradition,Asian businesspeople typically place a high value on

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

Question 50

The belief that one's own race is superior is known as ________.

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

Question 51

An oversimplified behavioral pattern applied uncritically to groups of people is called a(n)

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

Question 52

A businessperson from the United States 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)All of these choices

Question 53

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.Emile is displaying

A)discrimination.
B)ethnocentrism.
C)prejudice.
D)illegal behavior.

Question 54

Which of the following statements about power distance is mostaccurate?

A)The Power Distance Index measures how people in different societies relate to more powerful individuals.
B)In Asian cultures people are more relaxed about social status and the appearance of power.
C)​Perceptions of power are individual and generally not culture driven.
D)In high-power-distance cultures,subordinates see themselves as equal to their supervisors.

Question 55

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 56

During business negotiations,which group of individuals ismost likely to place more emphasis on the surrounding context than on the actual words?

A)Germans
B)Americans
C)Canadians
D)Japanese

Question 57

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

A)Mexico
B)United States
C)Saudi Arabia
D)Japan

Question 58

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

A)Begin to think of herself as a product of her culture.
B)Understand that her culture is just one among many.
C)Be ready to adapt as her environment changes.
D)Brianna should do all of these.

Question 59

An example of a country that has a low-context culture is

A)the United States.
B)Saudi Arabia.
C)China.
D)Japan.

Question 60

Mental representations based on general characteristics and open to new definitions when describing cultures are called ________.

A)stereotypes
B)prejudices
C)prototypes
D)ethnocentrism

Question 61

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

A)Use jargon to introduce the client to U.S.culture.
B)Use longer sentences and paragraphs to make her letter look more formal.
C)Use words that have several meanings.
D)Observe the receiver's title and rank.

Question 62

Which of the following would be the best sentence to include in an e-mail message going 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 63

Which of the following U.S.laws is a tool in the domestic anticorruption battle,forbidding off-the-book bribes?

A)Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
B)Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977
C)USA Patriot Act of 2001
D)Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996

Question 64

Which of the following statements about intercultural ethics is most accurate?

A)Very few companies that are active in global markets have codes of ethics.
B)The United States is the least corruptible country worldwide.
C)Many companies require their employees to take ethics training programs.
D)Because we now live in a global economy,ethics is not an issue when doing business globally.

Question 65

Which of the following statements about tolerance is mostaccurate?

A)To improve tolerance,one must practice empathy.
B)If a nonnative speaker is struggling to express an idea in English,Americans should help by finishing the sentence for the speaker.
C)In Asian cultures,people deliberately avoid silence because it can show disrespect.
D)To show empathy,one must work to become fluent in other languages.

Question 66

Which of the following is advisedfor citing numbers when writing to businesspeople in other cultures?

A)Write all numbers in word form.
B)Use figures to express the month of the year.
C)Convert dollar figures into local currency.
D)Minimize references to numbers to avoid confusion.

Question 67

Examples of intercultural competence include using objective terms to describe cultural attire,following their lead when interacting with businesspeople in other cultures,and ________.

A)frequently telling coworkers from other cultures that you are working hard to understand them
B)minimizing face-to-face conversations with people from other cultures to avoid saying the wrong thing
C)using head nods,eye contact,facial expressions,and physical proximity supportively
D)informing people when you do and do not approve of their customs

Question 68

According to some intercultural experts,the most important attitude in achieving intercultural competence is ________.

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

Question 69

Which of the following U.S.laws prohibits payments to foreign officials for the purpose of obtaining or retaining business?

A)Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
B)Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977
C)USA Patriot Act of 2001
D)Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996

Question 70

Which of the following is the mostaccurate statement about social networking among cultures?

A)Social networking tends to make introverts more extroverted.
B)In real life and online,we instinctively tend to gravitate toward people who seem similar to us.
C)The majority of networking experts agree that social media offer limited intercultural engagement.
D)Online environments make social presence and interpersonal contact easier for all people.

Question 71

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

A)Assume that his colleagues will speak English well because it is so widely used around the world.
B)Learn how to speak Vietnamese fluently.
C)Assume that a yes,a nod,or a smile indicates comprehension.
D)Listen without interrupting.

Question 72

What is the best advice for an American businessperson who is traveling to Sweden on business?

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 73

Which of the following statements about saving face is most accurate?

A)Members of low-context cultures are indirect and go to great lengths to avoid giving offense by saying no.
B)People in low-context cultures are extremely concerned with saving face.
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 74

Zachary works with employees from a variety of cultural backgrounds and wants to be tolerant of their beliefs.Zachary should practice ________.

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

Question 75

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.In continuing the conversation,Meaghan should

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

Question 76

The term "highly clean" to describe a country refers to

A)its pollution standard index
B)perceptions of corruption as seen by businesspeople,risk analysts,and the general public
C)its aesthetic ranking in terms of beauty
D)its law enforcement policies

Question 77

Gayle will be traveling to Thailand on business and wants to demonstrate intercultural competence while there.What is the best advice you can give her?

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.

Question 78

Many of the world's industrialized countries have formally agreed to a new global treaty that bans the practice of bribery of foreign government officials.What organization promoted this treaty?

A)Central Intelligence Agency
B)World Trade Organization
C)Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
D)Ministry of Industry and Trade

Question 79

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?

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 80

Leonard will be traveling on business to a country where he knows bribes are a normal part of business.Which of the following is the best advice for Leonard?

A)Because the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 applies only to U.S.companies,Leonard can legally pay bribes to international companies to obtain business.
B)Leonard should offer nonmonetary benefits,such as additional customer service,in lieu of paying bribes.
C)Paying bribes is just a normal cost of doing business,and Leonard will be able to include the bribes he pays on his expense report.
D)So that Leonard's company can remain competitive globally,Leonard should pay any bribe requested.