On Culture

Question 1

What does Hofstede’s framework help us understand?

Answer 1

Cultural dimensions and their effect on business and communication.

Question 2

What is monochronic time orientation?

Answer 2

Sequential, punctual, valuing time like money (e.g., U.S., Germany).

Question 3

What is high-context communication?

Answer 3

Indirect, nuanced, relies on non-verbal cues (e.g. Japan, China)

Question 4

What is attribution error?

Answer 4

Misjudging why people behave a certain way, often assuming out-group behavior is due to personality, not context.

Question 5

How did the company respond to the “Classic Burger” problem?

Answer 5

They introduced a wrapper that allowed women to eat the burger while covering their mouth.

Question 6

What are non-verbal communication examples?

Answer 6

Eye contact, gestures, smiling, proximity, silence.

Question 7

Why is culture important in international business?

Answer 7

Business is conducted between people—understanding different cultures is crucial for communication, management, and negotiation.

Question 8

How can proximity cause discomfort across cultures?

Answer 8

Too close can be invasive; too far can seem cold or disrespectful.

Question 9

What can affect the meaning of the word “Yes” in a global context?

Answer 9

Cultural background – in some places, “Yes” may not mean agreement

Question 10

How is smiling interpreted in different cultures?

Answer 10

U.S.: happiness; Japan: hiding emotion; China: lack of control.

Question 11

What are traits of high uncertainty avoidance cultures?

Answer 11

Risk aversion, resistance to change, rule-oriented, slow to innovate

Question 12

What is personal space in cross-cultural context?

Answer 12

Culturally defined appropriate physical distance in social/business settings.

Question 13

What is the impact of high uncertainty avoidance on innovation?

Answer 13

Slower innovation, preference for known methods and rules.

Question 14

What does Hofstede mean by “culture as a collective programming of the mind”?

Answer 14

Culture shapes thought patterns, values, and behavior specific to a group.

Question 15

What is collectivism?

Answer 15

Emphasizes group loyalty, trust, and relationships

Question 16

Why do stereotypes matter in business?

Answer 16

They influence expectations and can lead to misjudgments.

Question 17

What’s an example of a misunderstanding due to indirect feedback?

Answer 17

A British manager saying “think about it” might actually mean “do it immediately”.

Question 18

What are examples of intercultural failures?

Answer 18

Miscommunication
Misjudging behavior
Ethnocentrism
Inability to build trust or transfer knowledge

Question 19

What are some examples of intercultural failures?

Answer 19

Miscommunication, misunderstandings, discomfort with different behaviors.

Question 20

What is a high-context culture’s communication style?

Answer 20

Indirect, non-verbal, implicit, emphasizes harmony and face-saving.

Question 21

What is stereotyping?

Answer 21

Oversimplified and fixed ideas about a group of people, which influence attitudes and expectations.

Question 22

Why does collectivism matter in business?

Answer 22

Personal relationships and group belonging are essential for doing business.

Question 23

What are Hofstede’s 6 cultural dimensions?

Answer 23

Power Distance, Uncertainty Avoidance, Social Orientation, Communication Context, Time Orientation, Personal Space.

Question 24

What does culture influence in business?

Answer 24

Behavior,Negotiation styles,Communication, Risk preferences, Product preferences, Decision-making, Management styles

Question 25

How does culture influence consumer preferences?

Answer 25

Determines taste, product appeal, and acceptable risk in purchases.

Question 26

What is culture?

Answer 26

Culture is the social behavior, norms, beliefs, laws, customs, arts, and habits of a group of people or A collective programming of the mind that influences thinking patterns and societal institutions.

Question 27

What makes “cross-cultural management” challenging?

Answer 27

Differences in values, expectations, and communication styles.

Question 28

What is individualism?

Answer 28

Values personal freedom and self-reliance

Question 29

What is uncertainty avoidance?

Answer 29

Comfort level with ambiguity and unknown situations, how uncomfortable people are with uncertainty and ambiguity

Question 30

How is eye contact interpreted differently across cultures?

Answer 30

Friendly in the U.S., aggressive in Africa, rude in Japan.

Question 31

Why does silence mean different things in different cultures?

Answer 31

In some (e.g. Japan), silence = respect; in others, it means discomfort or lack of communication.

Question 32

What is selective perception?

Answer 32

Filtering information based on what one’s culture deems important and cultural influences shape what we notice and ignore

Question 33

What does silence mean in Japanese culture?

Answer 33

It can indicate thoughtfulness, truthfulness, or respect.

Question 34

What is one common cause of job dissatisfaction?

Answer 34

Difficulties in dealing with other people.

Question 35

What is the prerequisite for conducting business successfully across cultures?

Answer 35

Understanding and ability to deal with people.

Question 36

What are examples of non-verbal cues that vary across cultures?

Answer 36

Eye contact: Friendly in U.S., aggressive in some Asian cultures Smiling: Happiness in U.S., masking discomfort in Japan Proximity: Close in Latin cultures, distant in Northern Europe

Question 37

What is social categorization?

Answer 37

Sorting people into groups based on limited information.

Question 38

Why does feedback style vary across cultures?

Answer 38

Different norms about politeness, directness, and saving face.

Question 39

What does culture influence in communication and decision-making?

Answer 39

How people behave, interpret, communicate, and negotiate.

Question 40

What is the Cultural Iceberg?

Answer 40

A metaphor showing that visible behaviors (language, dress) are only a small part of culture—most lies beneath the surface (values, beliefs, norms), just the surface; deeper values and assumptions lie beneat

Question 41

What are high power distance traits?

Answer 41

Deference to authority, centralized decision-making, limited employee input, respect for hierarchy, limited questioning of authority

Question 42

How does collectivism impact job acquisition?

Answer 42

Emphasis on connections and networks over individual merit.

Question 43

What are some cultural factors in leadership expectations?

Answer 43

Authority respect, direct vs. indirect communication, feedback delivery.

Question 44

What is polychronic time orientation?

Answer 44

Flexible time, multitasking, relational (e.g., Latin America, Middle East).

Question 45

What was the “Classic Burger” issue in Japan about?

Answer 45

Cultural norms around small mouths and modesty made women hesitant to eat large burgers in public.

Question 46

What is low-context communication?

Answer 46

Direct, explicit, literal (e.g. US, Germany)

Question 47

What is social orientation?

Answer 47

Preference for individualism vs. collectivism.

Question 48

What are verbal communication differences across cultures?

Answer 48

Direct vs. indirect speech, formality, silence interpretation.

Question 49

What is communication context?

Answer 49

The degree to which communication is explicit (low-context) or implicit (high-context).

Question 50

What is “cruise control” in cultural behavior?

Answer 50

Acting unconsciously according to cultural norms.

Question 51

How does culture impact business?

Answer 51

It influences behavior, communication, negotiation, decision-making, and consumer preferences.

Question 52

What is personal space?

Answer 52

The culturally accepted physical distance in social/business contexts.

Question 53

What is time orientation?

Answer 53

How cultures view time—monochronic (linear/punctual) vs. polychronic (flexible/relationship-based).

Question 54

What is a low-context culture’s communication style?

Answer 54

Direct, explicit, clear meaning in words themselves.

Question 55

What is social categorization?

Answer 55

Grouping people into categories, often with limited information.

Question 56

What is power distance?

Answer 56

Degree to which people or a society accept unequal distribution of power.

Question 57

Traits of collectivist cultures?

Answer 57

Group loyalty, relationship-based business, emphasis on harmony.

Question 58

Why is cultural understanding important in international negotiation?

Answer 58

Cultural norms influence negotiation style, expectations, and interpretation.

Question 59

What are common challenges in cross-cultural communication?

Answer 59

Misinterpretation of messages, verbal/non-verbal differences, feedback styles.

Question 60

What is ethnocentrism?

Answer 60

Judging another culture using standards from one’s own culture.