Deck 7: Communicating Across Cultures

Question 1

Researched cultural stereotypes can serve as useful basic models to help you adapt your behavior to interacting with other cultures.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

People in the United States tend to be monochronic, meaning they view time in a relaxed way.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

If you plan to do business abroad, you should focus your research solely on the people of the culture you are about to visit.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Ethnocentrism is sensitivity to the different dimensions of cultural difference.

Question 5

Because they spend a lot of time explaining background information, people from high-context cultures often seem evasive and indecisive to people from low-context cultures.

Question 6

There can be many subcultures within one culture.

Question 7

Cross-cultural business communication skills are only necessary for employees of companies that do business internationally.

Question 8

Edwardo and his co-workers often show up and start meetings fifteen or even thirty minutes later than scheduled, indicating that they are probably members of a polychronic culture.

Question 9

A word in one language may or may nothave a corresponding word in another language.

Question 10

Geography, history, and religion all play major roles in influencing culture.

Question 11

Back translating involves translating a sentence beginning with the last word and ending with the first word in order to ensure a literal translation.

Question 12

Two-word verbs combine a verb with a second element to create a different meaning than the two words would have on their own.

Question 13

Hand gestures vary in meaning from culture to culture.

Question 14

Which of the following statements about good cross-cultural communication skills is not true?

A) They eliminate the chance that there will be culture-related misunderstanding.
B) They make it possible for your company to hire a wider variety of good people.
C) They increase your ability to understand the needs of customers from other countries.
D) They can help you persuasively explain to foreign customers how your company can meet their needs.
E) They can help you be a more effective employee.

Question 15

Our dominant culture has little impact on who we are and how we think.

Question 16

The measure of how people view relationships between superiors and subordinates is referred to as culture context.

Question 17

When communicating with a nonnative English speaker, it is best to err on the side of simplicity to increase the likelihood of clear communication.

Question 18

Colloquialisms add color and an additional level of meaning to messages, so they should be used frequently when communicating with nonnative English speakers to help them better understand your message.

Question 19

In low-context cultures, individualism is highly valued.

Question 20

Some nonverbal communication movements, such as eye contact, are the same in every culture.

Question 21

The way that Calista and the other people from her native city collectively understand and interpret the world is referred to as their

A) norm.
B) culture.
C) belief.
D) ethos.
E) language.

Question 22

Wei is giving a sales presentation in which she describes her company's product and how it will meet the needs of the people she is talking to. She does not explicitly state everything she wants the audience to know. Rather, she relies on body language, tone of voice, and eye movements to give cues that her audience members can use to understand her full message. Wei most likely belongs to a(n) ______ culture.

A) high-context
B) power distance
C) low-context
D) polychronic
E) individualistic

Question 23

Background information is explicitly stated in a ______ culture, but is largely implied in a(n) ______ culture.

A) monochronic; polychronic
B) feminine; masculine
C) low-context; high-context
D) low power distance; high power distance
E) collectivistic; individualistic

Question 24

The tendency to see only the features of your own culture as "normal" is called

A) ethnocentrism.
B) the power distance.
C) individualism.
D) low-context culturalism.
E) collectivism.

Question 25

Langdon always makes it to appointments on time and feels that meeting deadlines is an important part of his job. Langdon most likely belongs to a(n) ______ culture.

A) collectivist
B) individualist
C) polychronic
D) monochronic
E) short-term oriented

Question 26

A culture that sees time as something that must be planned to be used as efficiently as possible is

A) monochronic.
B) polychronic.
C) collectivistic.
D) individualistic.
E) short-term oriented.

Question 27

Melissa wants her company to adopt more environmentally friendly practices, so she has created a presentation to give to the board of directors. She begins her presentation by explaining some background information on these practices, such as why they are important for the environment and the company's image. Melissa then moves on to discussing exactly what measures she feels her company should adopt, and why she feels they are the best options. Given this information, Melissa is most likely from a(n) ______ culture.

A) high-context
B) polychronic
C) low-context
D) intimate
E) short-term oriented

Question 28

A culture where people tend to express themselves directly and explicitly is a(n) ______ culture.

A) low-context
B) high-context
C) indulgent
D) low-restraint
E) polychronic

Question 29

Rosita has a meeting scheduled for 2:00 p.m. today, but she already knows she won't be there until at least 2:15. However, this doesn't bother her. In her mind, she'll get there when she get's there. Furthermore, she knows that the client she's meeting with will also show up late. No one will feel impatient or rushed just because they are not starting on time. Rosita and her client most likely belong to a ______ culture.

A) polychronic
B) monochronic
C) long-term oriented
D) short-term oriented
E) collectivist

Question 30

Which of the following statements about social hierarchy is true?

A) Social classes exist in all cultures, but have little impact on how intimately people are addressed.
B) People from cultures that stress equality are likely to be offended by questions about class status.
C) People from cultures with strict social classes are quick to use first names.
D) A person from a culture that stresses equality is most likely to ask questions determining a person's class status.
E) Class status has little to no impact on how people address each other.

Question 31

A culture with strong group orientation and coherent, stable traditions that make it possible for shared assumptions to stand in for explicitly stated background information is a ______ culture.

A) low-context
B) short-term oriented
C) long-term oriented
D) power distance
E) high-context

Question 32

Which of the following statements about factors that affect culture is true?

A) The climate of a country can impact the habits and values of that country's culture.
B) A country with changing borders tends to be more insular than a country with fixed borders, such as those created by mountains or oceans.
C) Religion no longer has much bearing on a country's culture.
D) Business people from different cultures almost never share the same goals.
E) While countries that have undergone relatively recent changes in leadership are affected by their history, more peaceful countries are not.

Question 33

When meeting with clients, Rachelle avoids spending time chatting about things like what they did last weekend or what movie they saw most recently. Instead, she focuses on getting down to business so that the meeting ends on time and she can move on to her next task for the day. Rachelle most likely belong to a(n) ______ culture.

A) long-term oriented
B) polychronic
C) monochronic
D) short-term oriented
E) indulgent

Question 34

Barron and Gyeong want to convince Amaro that his tools supply store should buy their company's brand of ratchets. When they all meet, instead of beginning their sales pitch, Barran asks Amaro if he caught the local soccer team's most recent match. This leads to a discussion of the team's season and then to talk about Gyeong's son, who plays soccer for the nearby university. Eventually, after they have each talked about their families, Barron and Gyeong bring the conversation around to their product. This meeting would most likely happen in a ______ culture.

A) masculine
B) monochronic
C) polychronic
D) restraint
E) feminine

Question 35

Which of the following statements about space and culture is true?

A) Attitudes toward space tend to be the same in all cultures.
B) People from cultures that view space as belonging to everyone tend to stand in line and wait their turn.
C) In some cultures, keeping two feet of distance from the person with whom you are speaking is considered impolite.
D) Cultures that place emphasis on personal space tend to be polychronic cultures.
E) People from cultures that view space as belonging to individuals tend to stand closer together than people from cultures that see space as belonging to all.

Question 36

Geert Hofsted refers to the way people view relationships between superiors and subordinates as

A) restraint.
B) uncertainty avoidance.
C) power distance.
D) collectivism.
E) individualism.

Question 37

Danny is an American whose company has sent him to handle a business deal in Japan. While he is there, Danny's host offers him unfamiliar foods, refuses to make prolonged eye contact, and bows frequently. Danny thinks the food and frequent bowing are weird and that refusing to make eye contact is rude. In his mind, the way things are done in the United States is the "right" way. What tendency is Danny exhibiting?

A) racism
B) individualism
C) ethnocentrism
D) collectivism
E) culturalism

Question 38

Which type of culture thinks extensive planning is unwise and views being on time to an event as being fairly unimportant?

A) monochronic
B) polychronic
C) uncertainty avoidant
D) indulgent
E) feminine

Question 39

Which of the following statements about culture is true?

A) A person always represents the culture of his or her national origin.
B) Our dominant culture affects how we communicate, but not how we think.
C) The differences between national cultures are strong and unchanging.
D) It is impossible to communicate with people unless you understand their cultural roots.
E) Cultures change as people, ideas, and things move across borders.

Question 40

Which of the following statements about body movements is true?

A) The meanings of body movements are generally the same around the world.
B) Some body movements have clear meanings that are a crucial part of communication, while others do not.
C) If a movement has meaning in one culture, it has meaning in another culture, even if the meaning is slightly different.
D) A movement that is respectful in one culture will be respectful in another culture.
E) Even though the meanings of body movements vary by culture, eye contact is the same around the world.

Question 41

Jean Luc and Oscar own a small manufacturing company in Louisiana, and they are meeting with two executives of a Mexican retail chain in the hopes of convincing them to carry their products. Jean Luc begins the pitch, and after a couple of minutes, Oscar jumps in to say, "Jean Luc really hit the nail on the head when he said these products offer better value than what you're currently carrying." The Mexican executives both speak English, but they look at each other in confusion. What mistake did Oscar make?

A) He used a colloquialism.
B) He used jargon.
C) He used a two-word verb.
D) He spoke with too much familiarity.
E) He exhibited high-context culture traits while dealing with a low-context culture.

Question 42

Colette is a business executive from France, and Franz is a business executive from Germany. Colette does not speak German, nor does Franz speak French. Which language are they most likely to conduct business in?

A) French
B) German
C) Spanish
D) English
E) Greek

Question 43

Cultures that exhibit a high power distance

A) make decisions by consensus.
B) expect employees to do as their superiors direct.
C) tend to spread out authority so that no one person is too powerful.
D) leave employees to make their own decisions on a case-by-case basis.
E) encourage people to voice their opinions, no matter what role they inhabit.

Question 44

Carly and Trent own a small graphic design company together. They can make decisions for the company by themselves, but they often ask for input from other employees and believe that decisions made by consensus tend to be better for the company as a whole. Carly and Trent's company has a(n) ______ culture.

A) low-context
B) high power distance
C) low power distance
D) high-context
E) individualistic

Question 45

Which of the following is true of two-word verbs?

A) They should never be used when speaking to nonnative speakers.
B) Nonnative speakers may not understand many of them.
C) Two-word verbs are covered extensively in language textbooks.
D) Nonnative English speakers are rarely confused by two-word verbs.
E) The use of two-word verbs is generally unavoidable as they lack suitable substitutions.

Question 46

Which of the following statements about back translating is true?

A) It involves one translator translating a message into a new language. The translated message is then reviewed by a second translator for accuracy.
B) It requires three translators.
C) If the translations are good, the second translation will match the original message.
D) It only works with Latinate languages.
E) It is the only way to translate idioms and colloquialisms accurately.

Question 47

Elisa grew up speaking Spanish, but learned to speak English as an adult, and she now works as a translator for a U.S. company that has frequent business interactions with South American businesses. Elisa's translating skills are good, and the company typically relies on her alone to do their translating. However, they are currently involved in negotiating an extremely important contract and need the wording in Spanish to be exactly right, so they hire George, a freelance translator and native English speaker to help. Elisa translates the English message into Spanish, and George translates the Spanish message back into English. They then compare the original message with George's translation to make sure they match. What process have Elisa and George completed?

A) first-language translation
B) back translation
C) equivalency translation
D) high-context translation
E) low-context translation

Question 48

Two-word verbs consist of

A) an adjective and a verb combined to create an adverb.
B) a noun and a modified verb combined to create a compound verb.
C) a verb and a second element that, when combined, creates a new meaning.
D) two verbs that are joined by a hyphen for clarity.
E) a verb combined with a prefix or a suffix to create a different verb.

Question 49

Check in does not mean the same thing as the words check and in do on their own. Check in is an example of

A) a two-word verb.
B) an equivalency term.
C) an idiom.
D) a colloquialism.
E) jargon.

Question 50

Marina's boss has absolute authority in her office. He makes the decisions, and Marina is expected to simply do as he says. Marina most likely lives in a ______ culture.

A) high-context
B) high power distance
C) low power distance
D) low context
E) collectivistic

Question 51

Which of the following statements about workplace values is true?

A) Canadian culture views the employee-employer relationship like a family and expects it to last for a lifetime.
B) All cultures believe that if you put hard work before pleasure, success will follow.
C) Cultures that place emphasis on interpersonal relationships rather than planning, as is the case in Spain, tend to be more relaxed in business.
D) American culture focuses on networking and interpersonal relationships rather than maximizing production or planning.
E) Cultures that have high power distance also tend to expect workers to be free to move from job to job.

Question 52

Which of the following statements about the expression of emotions is true?

A) Some Middle Eastern cultures express sorrow with loud wailing.
B) Laughter is always viewed as a spontaneous display of pleasure.
C) Asian cultures tend to prefer strong public displays of affection.
D) The expression of emotion is frowned upon in business situations.
E) Westerners frown on public displays of affection.

Question 53

Which of the followings statements about language and international business is true?

A) When executives have no common language, they are likely to use English.
B) English is the primary business language of the Americas, while German is the primary business language of Europe.
C) English is so prevalent in international business that an executive from Cuba and an executive from Peru would use it to communicate with each other.
D) Because English is the main language of international business, non-native English speakers have no problems understanding it.
E) English is only used to conduct business when a Canadian, American, or English company is involved.

Question 54

In cultures that have low power distance

A) great emphasis is placed on the authority of superiors.
B) employees look to their boss to make even minor decisions.
C) authority is shared between many people.
D) may be hesitant to offer comments during online conversations.
E) no one is permitted to have any authority at all.

Question 55

Tamiko and her friends all have social media accounts that they use to talk to each other. However, they rarely add people that they don't know very well to their friends lists, and they almost never comment on posts made by companies or celebrities because they don't want to overstep their authority. Tamiko and her friends are likely members of a

A) culture with a high power distance.
B) culture with a low power distance.
C) high-context culture.
D) low-context culture.
E) culture that views space as belonging to the individual.

Question 56

Which of the following statements about colloquialisms is true?

A) Unfamiliar colloquialisms can cause problems even for native English speakers.
B) Colloquialisms are generally easy for international communicators to understand.
C) Colloquialisms are almost never defined on ESL websites.
D) In the United States, colloquial expressions are rarely used.
E) It is impossible to replace colloquialisms with plain language.

Question 57

Which of the following is an example of a two-word verb?

A) international communication
B) close tightly
C) calm down
D) crawl under
E) negotiate quickly

Question 58

Which procedure involves two translators, one with first-language skills in one language, and one with first-language skills in another, translating a message from one language to another and then back to the first language so that the original message can be compared with the second translation?

A) back translating
B) literal translating
C) cultural translating
D) high-context translating
E) power distance translating

Question 59

The Protestant work ethic is the belief that

A) planning work in advance is folly because all outcomes belong to God.
B) true work involves one's hands, not one's mind.
C) pleasure should be taken when and where it can be found.
D) if hard work is put ahead of pleasure, success will follow.
E) emphasis should be placed on respecting tradition and saving face in social situations.

Question 60

Which of the following statements about language is true?

A) Words in languages other than English typically only have one meaning.
B) All languages contain equivalent language components, such as verbs and conjunctions.
C) A word in one language may have no corresponding word in another.
D) Precise translation is typically an easy matter.
E) Words like yes mean the same thing in every culture.

Question 61

Briefly explain the difference between monochronic and polychronic cultures.

Question 62

List at least five ways you might conduct research on the culture of another country.

Question 63

Which of the following should you not do when preparing to communicate with people from another culture?

A) research the culture
B) think about yourself and your company
C) be open to change
D) assume stereotypes are accurate representations of individuals
E) adapt your English to your audience

Question 64

Provide examples of two different situations where international business communications would most likely be conducted in English.

Question 65

What should you do to adapt your English when speaking with nonnative English speakers?

Question 66

Create a brief scenario describing the operations of a business in a low power distance culture.

Question 67

Which of the following statements about adapting in international business is true?

A) Adapting to the practices of international partners is always feasible.
B) Adapting to the practices of international partners is always ethical.
C) Buying information and influence are widely accepted and ethical practices.
D) When you have to choose between making a deal and behaving ethically, you should always make the deal.
E) When faced with an ethical decision, your company will likely tell you to choose the ethical path.

Question 68

Give an example of how the meaning of body movements or positions often mean different things in different cultures.

Question 69

Identify and give a brief example of three major factors that influence a country's culture.

Question 70

Describe the back translating process.

Question 71

Which of the following statements about stereotypes is true?

A) They are not based on real life observations.
B) They are perpetuated by generalizations about cultures.
C) They have no use in the modern world.
D) They are flexible and constantly changing.
E) They help us better get to know individuals.

Question 72

When speaking with an unfamiliar audience made up of nonnative English speakers, you should

A) talk clearly and use simple words and sentence structure.
B) be sure to include plenty of slang to make your language colorful.
C) talk exactly as you would to a native English speaker so as not to make the nonnative speakers feel singled out.
D) use simple yes/no questions to make it easy for them to answer.
E) avoid trying to confirm understanding so that you do not embarrass them.

Question 73

Briefly explain why it is important to have cross-cultural business communication skills.

Question 74

Describe the difference between low-context cultures and high-context cultures.

Question 75

Which of the following is an example of a stereotype?

A) Zoe must like spicy food because she is Cuban.
B) Lillian Stark is English, and she prefers that people whom she does not know well call her Ms. Stark.
C) Akiko is Japanese and bows when greeting someone.
D) Roberto, a Brazilian, is often late to meetings and likes to chat before getting down to business.
E) James, an American, dislikes even moderate public displays of affection.