Questions

Question 1

What are the different levels in culture?

Answer 1

Customs, artifacts, behaviour and norms

Question 2

What are the deeper levels of culture?

Answer 2

Values, assumptions and beliefs

Question 3

Who is Edward L. Bernays?

Answer 3

Cousin of Sigmund Freud
Father of PR
Affected global culture
‘Masses are irrational and can be controlled by (hidden) desires’
programmed by our surroundings.. be aware of culture and the evil side of it

Question 4

How can you become interculturally effective?

Answer 4

• connecting to people from other cultures?
• performing in an international work environment
• enjoying the intercultural experience

Question 5

What does ICC stand for and what does it mean?

Answer 5

Intercultural competence is the set of attitudes, skills, knowledge and behaviours which are required for appropriate and effective interaction and communication with people who are perceived to be from a different cultural background from oneself

Question 6

What are different competencies?

Answer 6

Affective competencies
Behavioural competencies
Cognitive competencies

Question 7

What does appropriate mean?

Answer 7

Appropriate means that the interactions do not violate the cultural norms and rules.

Question 8

What does effective mean?

Answer 8

Effective means that one is able to achieve one’s objectives in the interaction.

Question 9

What does globalisation lead to?

Answer 9

Leading to a more homogenous world versus cultural differences that ask for adjustments to local habits and preferences.

Question 10

What is culture-centrism?

Answer 10

The tendency to favor one’s own culture above others.

Question 11

What is culture relativism?

Answer 11

Each culture must be understood in it’s own way.

Question 12

What are the 6 dimensions of national culture explained by Hofstede?

Answer 12

1. Power distance
2. Individualism vs collectivism
3. Long-term orientation vs short-term normative
4. Masculinity vs feminity
5. Uncertainty avoidance
6. Indulgence vs restraint

Question 13

What is power distance?

Answer 13

The extent to which the less powerful members of institutions and organisations within a country expect and accept that power is distributed unequally.

Question 14

What is individualism?

Answer 14

The degree of interdependence a society maintains among its members. People’s slef-image ‘I’

Question 15

What is collectivism?

Question 16

What is a masculine culture?

Answer 16

Society will be driven by:
- achievement
- competition
- success
Success being defined by the winner in the field.
A value system that starts in school and continues throughout organisational life

Question 17

What is a feminine culture?

Answer 17

Dominant values in society are:
- Caring for others
- the quality of life
Standing out from the crowd is not admirable.

Question 18

What is uncertainty avoidance?

Answer 18

The extent to which the members of a culture feel threatened by ambiguous or unknown situations and have created beliefs and institutions that try to avoid these.
Low uncertainty avoidance: low need for structure and rules, risk-taking, emotions not shown, relaxed.
High uncertainty avoidance: need for structure and rules, security, showing emotions, stressfull

Question 19

What is indulgence?

Answer 19

The extent to which people try to control their desires and impulses.
Weak control= indulgence
Strong control= restraint

Question 20

What does GLOBE stand for and what does it mean?

Answer 20

Global Leadership & Organisations Behaviour Effectiveness
research inspired by Hofstede, McClalland and Kluckholn

Question 21

What are the 9 values from the values research from GLOBE?

Answer 21

1. Performance orientation
2. Uncertainty avoidance
3. In-group collectivism
4. Power distance
5. Gender egalitarianism
6. Humane orientation
7. Institutional collectivism
8. Future orientation
9. Assertiveness

Question 22

What is the Trompenaars 7D model?

Answer 22

1. Universalism vs particularism
2. individualism vs communitarianism
3. neutral vs emotional
4. specific vs diffuse
5. achievement vs ascriprion
6. sequential vs synchronic
7. internal vs external

Question 23

What are questions connected to the 7D model?

Answer 23

1. What is more important, rules or relationships?
2. Do we function in a group or as individuals?
3. Do we display our emotions?
4. How separate do we keep our work life from our private life?
5. Do we have to prove ourselves to receive status or is it given?
6. Do we do things one at a time or several things at once?
7. Do we control our environment or are we controlled by it?

Question 24

What is universalism?

Answer 24

universalistic people focus more on rules than on relationships, there is only one truth or reality.

Question 25

What is particularism?

Answer 25

Particularistic people focus on personal respect, there are several perspectives on reality depending on who perceives it.

Question 26

What does it mean when a society is focussed on achievement?

Answer 26

Reputation of people depends on their achievements. -Doing

Question 27

What does it mean when a society is focussed on ascription?

Answer 27

Reputation of people depends on their age, class, family, education, gender etc. -Being

Question 28

What is the Kluckholn & Strodtbeck value orientation method?

Answer 28

1. Human nature orientation (evil/mixed/good) 2. Man-nature orientation (subordinate/harmony/dominate) 3. Time orientation (past/present/future) 4. Activity orientation (being/becoming/doing) 5. Relational orientation (hierarchical/collateral/individualistic)

Question 29

Who is Edward T. Hall?

Answer 29

An anthropologist focusing on how cultures communicate in which way.

Question 30

What is a low-context culture?

Answer 30

- Relies on explicit (literal) communication - Emphasizes verbal communication over non-verbal - Separates job task from relationships - Emphasizes individual initiative and decision-making - Relies on facts and statistics - uses direct style in writing and speaking - prefers linear reasoning - adheres to the letter of the law

Question 31

What is a high-context culture?

Answer 31

- relies on implicit communication - emphasizes nonverbal over verbal communication - subordinates tasks to relationships - emphasizes collective initiative and decision-making - views the employee-employer relationship as humananistic - relies on intuition rather than facts and statistics - favors circular and indirect reasoning - Adheres to the spirit of law

Question 32

What is the Lewis model and what is it based on?

Answer 32

- world wide recognition - developed in the 1990s - visited 135 countries - worked in more than 20 countries - humans can be divided into three clear categories, based not on nationality or religion but behaviour - multi-active,linear-active, reactive

Question 33

What is a linear active culture?

Answer 33

Dislike manana behaviour and (over) loquacity. In business keen on punctual performance, good quality and reliable delivery dates, rationalism and science dominate their thinking more than religion.

Question 34

What is a multi-active culture?

Answer 34

Show less respect than linear-active people do for official announcements, rules or regulations. Limited respect for authority but accept their place in their own social or company hierarchy. In business they use charisma, rhetoric, manipulation and negotiated thruthy. They are diplomatic and tactful and often circumvent laws and officialdom to take 'short-cuts'

Question 35

What is a reactive culture?

Answer 35

listen before they leap. After listening they rather tend to ask another question, to be sure understand the intention and aspirations of the partner, rather introverted, avoid conflict, no small talk, little eye contact, and maintain a certain amount of inscrutability.

Question 36

What does linear time mean?

Answer 36

Schedules are important, focusing on the future, and measuring time in small units. Time is money.

Question 37

What does flexible time mean?

Answer 37

Emphasizes relationships, focus on the present, and a reluctance to measure time.

Question 38

What does cyclical time mean?

Answer 38

understanding connections, forging relationships, focus on the past. Ting (listen with eyes, ears and heart)

Question 39

What are the 8 dimensions of culture according to Erin Meyer?

Answer 39

1. Communication: high-context vs low-context 2. Evaluating: direct negative feedback vs indirect 3. Persuading: principles-first vs application-first 4. Leading: egalitarian vs hierarchical 5. Deciding: consensual vs top-down 6. Trusting: task-based vs relationship-based 7. Disagreeing: confrontational vs avoiding confrontation 8. Scheduling: linear-time vs flexible-time

Question 40

What does principles-first mean?

Answer 40

Individuals are trained to start with a statement, fact or opinion and later add concepts to back up or explain the conclusion as necessary. The preference is to begin a message or report with an executive summary or bullet points. Discussions are approached in a practical way, concrete manner. Theoretical or philosophical discussions are avoided in the business environment.

Question 41

What does application-first mean?

Answer 41

Individuals are trained to first develop the theory or complex concept before presenting a fact, statement or opinion. The preference is to strat with a message or report by building up a theoretical argument before moving on to a conclusion. The conceptual principles underlying each situation are valued.

Question 42

What is egalitarian?

Answer 42

The ideal distance between a boss and subordinate is low. The best boss is a facilitator among equals. Organizational structures are flat. Communication often skips hierarchical lines.

Question 43

What is hierarchical?

Answer 43

The ideal distance between a boss and a subordinate is high. The best boss is a strong director who leads from the front. Status is important. Organizational structures are multi-layered and fixed. Communication follows set hierarchical lines.

Question 44

What does task-based mean?

Answer 44

Trust is built through business-related activities. Work relationships are built and dropped easily, based on the practicality of the situation. You do good work consistently, you are reliable, i enjoy working with you, i trust you.

Question 45

What does relationship-based mean?

Answer 45

Trust is built through sharing meals, evening drinks and visits to the coffee machine. Work relationships build up slowly over the long term. I've seen who you are at a deep level. I've shared personal time with you, i know others well who trust you, i trust you.

Question 46

What does confrontational mean?

Answer 46

Disagreement and debate is positive for the team or organisation. Open confrontation is appropriate and will not negatively impact the relationship.

Question 47

What does avoiding confrontation mean?

Answer 47

Disagreement and debate are negative for the team or organization. Open confrontation is inappropriate and will break group harmony or negatively impact the relationship.