Subject: International business

topic: Differences in Culture 

MCQ questions

1. Folkways include __________________the most visible manifestations of culture and are the outward expression of deeper values

1. rituals and symbols
2. religion
3. norms
4. culture

2. The mobility that can often been shown by American managers is not universal, and this is not the case in countries and cultures where ___________________

1. Christianity is not the dominant religion
2. the value of group identification is very strong
3. the social structure emphasizes individualism
4. corporate cultures are significantly different from national cultures

3. A _______________ is a form of social stratification in which the position of an individual can change his or her position in society through achievement and/or luck

1. caste system
2. culturally mobile
3. class system
4. group-centered social system

4. Max Weber coined the term “Protestant work ethic” to explain why some Protestant Northern European countries were wealthier than some Catholic Southern European countries from the 16th century forward. Weber’s assertions unfairly characterized highly motivated ascetic practitioners of _______________ in the world today as not having any entrepreneurial focus or work ethic because their faith was quite unlike his brand of Christianity

1. Buddhism
2. Confucianism
3. Hinduism
4. Brahmanism

5. The nature of ____________ structures the way we perceive the world and can direct the attention of a society’s members to certain features of the world rather than others

1. Culture
2. Mores
3. Language
4. Folkways

6. One important aspect of education from an international business perspective is its role as a(n) ______________________

1. determinant of national competitive advantage
2. motivating force behind social mobility
3. indicator of individualism
4. manifestation of the role of language in a culture

7. Hofstede’s four original cultural dimensions are:

1. Power distance, uncertainty avoidance, religious beliefs, and unspoken languages.
2. Individualism versus collectivism, class mobility, masculinity versus femininity, and Confucian dynamism
3. Class consciousness, social mobility, ethical systems, and education levels.
4. Masculinity versus femininity, uncertainty avoidance, power distance, and individualism versus collectivism

8. As a result of critics of Hofstede’s work on a number of different points, managers should:

1. apply the findings only to Western European countries and countries closely related to them
2. use his findings as a starting point to explore how cultures differ and the implications for management practices
3. validate the findings in individual workplaces before extending the basic ideas
4. use the ideas and practices wholeheartedly, as the critics have themselves been proven wrong

9. Ethnocentrism:

1. is also known as the “ugly American” phenomenon because individuals in other countries are not affected by it
2. is a belief in that one’s own ethic group is superior.
3. is a concern for anthropologists and only rarely is of concern to international businesses?
4. increases the more an individual learns about how other cultures work

10. The connections between culture and competitive advantage are important because:

1. culture is more important than economic, political and legal systems in explaining differing economic growth among nations
2. good manners and appreciation of cultural events are among the most important factors in international competition
3. where to locate facilities and develop markets may be profoundly affected by cultural factors and considerations
4. the internet has accelerated changes in culture, which will lead to reduced competition in countries with high internet usage

Discussion Questions

1. Elaborate on the caste system supported by Hinduism (8 marks)