Q&A Hero

Q: A major challenge in developing a diverse workforce is: a. getting culturally diverse employees to work together smoothly. b. increasing the voluntary turnover rate a little. c. reducing turnover among the minority group members hired. d. finding minority group members to promote.

Q: A key characteristic of an organization with leadership diversity is that: a. there is a heterogeneous group of leaders. b. diversity is confined to ethnicity. c. considerable job rotation takes place among company leaders. d. diversity is limited to sex.

Q: A problem in hiring for personorganization fit is that: a. the corporate culture might be weakened. b. candidates whose values fit the organization might be excluded. c. it might inadvertently discriminate against protected classes of workers. d. group characteristics may receive too little attention.

Q: Members of an employee affinity group: a. always segregate themselves from the workforce. b. affiliate on the basis of a group characteristic such as race. c. stay in touch globally through the company intranet. d. conduct audits of diversity within the company.

Q: Todd, an American strategy specialist, visits his company's Italian affiliate. He is introduced to Annette, a native Italian and the human resources director of the Italian affiliate. Todd should probably: a. give Annette an American-style bear hug. b. kiss Annette rather firmly on the forehead. c. lightly kiss Annette on the lips. d. lightly kiss Annette on both cheeks.

Q: People are considered to have good cultural intelligence when they can: a. readily interpret the meaning of a smile from a foreigner. b. use their ATM card to withdraw money in a foreign country. c. ask "Where is the post office" in three different languages. d. name all seven continents in less than one minute.

Q: The major purpose of diversity training is to: a. conform to affirmative action legislation. b. get people to express their hidden prejudices. c. bring about workplace harmony. d. break down status barriers between managers and employees.

Q: The clearest commitment to valuing diversity occurs when: a. the organization holds a celebration valuing diversity. b. valuing diversity is incorporated into organizational strategy. c. a minority group member is appointed as diversity coordinator. d. an organization develops a diverse base of customers or clients.

Q: A key initiative for retaining minority group members and assisting in their advancement is: a. employee network groups. b. diversity training. c. outdoor training. d. mentoring.

Q: A useful guideline in motivating workers from different cultures is to: a. offer financial rewards in their own currency. b. figure out which rewards have high valence for them. c. recognize that relatively few workers have higher-level needs. d. recognize that relatively few workers have lower-level needs.

Q: A major challenge in providing leadership to cross-cultural teams is that team members may: a. in most part be looking for a transfer to the United States. b. not be willing to work in different time zones. c. refuse to cooperate with a foreigner. d. have different attitudes toward hierarchy and authority.

Q: A study found that when executives on overseas assignments had low emotional intelligence, they often: a. were highly successful. b. failed in their assignments. c. demanded a permanent assignment. d. demanded to return to a home-based assignment quickly.

Q: Which of the following is not one of the criteria for generating superior global corporate performance from a leadership perspective? a. Patriotism and dogmatism b. Profitability and productivity c. Commitment and morale d. Adaptability and innovation

Q: According to research, two success factors for international management positions are: a. being high on power distance and uncertainty avoidance. b. being multilingual and having foreign-born parents. c. sensitivity to cultural differences and being culturally adventurous. d. ethnocentrism and patriotism.

Q: It is recommended that global leaders must: a. tap into a deep, universal layer of human motivation. b. recognize that universal needs rarely exist across cultures. c. emphasize extrinsic (external) motivation for most workers. d. recognize that people will work for a cause but die for money.

Q: To attain the highest level of cultural intelligence, it is important that _____. a. a person's head, body, and heart work together smoothly b. a person follows a convergent learning style with broad cultural interests c. managers be brusque and aggressive with subordinates d. companies focus on diversity only when hiring people for entry-level positions

Q: Which of the following is not one of the three components of cultural intelligence? a. Cognitive CQ b. Financial CQ c. Physical CQ d. Emotional/motivational CQ

Q: To motivate diverse people to actually buy products, a company's sales representatives should be: a. multicultural. b. inflexible. c. laid back. d. ethnocentric.

Q: Major account executive Katrina is visiting another country, and soon discovers that her customers will not talk about business until the group has dined together for several hours. Katrina would show cultural sensitivity by: a. attempting to conduct business as soon as the main meal is completed. b. explaining that her company discourages wasting time. c. explaining with tact that the group is wasting time and money. d. trying to understand the dining tradition.

Q: In contrast to his or her southern counterpart, the stereotypical northern U.S. manager is likely to be: a. laid back and interested in relationship building. b. brusque and impatient for results. c. concerned about gender differences. d. concerned about conducting business ethically.

Q: When faced with conflict, a Malaysian manager is likely to: a. give in readily to the other side. b. ignore the situation. c. be diplomatic in finding a solution. d. look for ways to intensify the conflict.

Q: A study of about 457 German managers indicated that they had a pronounced cultural value related to: a. compassion for average-performing workers. b. a belief in low technology. c. a weak performance orientation. d. a strong performance orientation.

Q: The typical behavior of French managers in major French corporations illustrates how: a. cultural values influence leadership style. b. control systems vary across cultures. c. leadership styles have become quite similar across cultures. d. the consensus style of management is popular in Europe.

Q: Workers with a high power-distance value tend to accept the idea that: a. people from different cultures also have power. b. they may not achieve power until the distant future. c. people have unequal power throughout the firm. d. power comes through hard work.

Q: Hospital administrator Amanda has an urgent time orientation. She is likely to: a. be laid back and casual about time. b. value time as a scare resource. c. invite her staff to participate in many retreats. d. enjoy sitting through presentations of substantial length.

Q: Call center manager Charlie has a strong performance orientation value. Therefore, he is likely to: a. be quite confrontational when a customer is unrealistic. b. treat male and female workers at the call center differently. c. encourage high standards of excellence at the call center. d. set high work standards for himself and low standards for others.

Q: A marketing advantage for a company having a multicultural work force is that: a. programs can be readily developed to reach a targeted ethnic or racial group. b. company employees are more likely to buy its products. c. the company will receive a seal of approval from the United Nations. d. the price of company stock is likely to rise.

Q: In terms of diversity, business performance is most likely to be enhanced when: a. the organization provides consumer products or services. b. the organization provides industrial products or services. c. the organizations culture supports diversity. d. at least 20 percent of the employees are from a protected group.

Q: A term developed to replace diversity (with respect to organizations) is: a. exclusion. b. inclusion. c. affirmative action. d. workforce blending.

Q: Realizing the advantages of a diverse workforce in an organization, Michael, the CEO of a food processing firm, announces a workforce expansion policy that will concentrate on recruiting people from diverse backgrounds. Michael calls on his senior HR manager to ask for suggestions on the recruitment policy. If you were the senior HR manager, what would you suggest to make the recruitment policy workable?

Q: Noah is a senior manager at a multinational durable products manufacturing company. He has recently been assigned the task of visiting the companys subsidiaries in other countries to assess their performance and improve business ties. Noah is a little nervous about this assignment since he has never been to another country on a business agenda and has very little exposure to foreign cultures. If you were Noahs boss, what advice would you provide him?

Q: Clifford Inc., a global media firm, has been experiencing a steady reduction in its global market share. It is found that the companys management and administrative positions are occupied by members of the majority community, which is may be hindering the creative growth of the company. If you were a senior advisor to the top management of the company, what would you suggest to bring about a positive improvement in the firm?

Q: Oscar, an extrovert, enjoys meeting new people and traveling to remote areas. He quits his job as an investment banker to find a new and exciting job that will also give him a high level of work satisfaction. Oscar has now got a job in a nonprofit organization that requires him to travel to a number of underdeveloped countries and localities to provide his services. The given scenario is an example of: a. effective leadership diversity. b. uncertainty avoidance. c. a good personorganization fit. d. cultural intelligence.

Q: Mauricia Corp., a biotechnology firm, has initiated a program that encourages employees to form groups, on the basis of a particular characteristic such as race, sex, ethnicity, etc. Mauricia Corp's initiative is based on the belief that such programs would help team members to discover their true potential and climb the corporate ladder. Which of the following is a likely disadvantage of such a set up? a. It could result in a reduction in productivity. b. It could lead to divisiveness. c. It may widen power distance. d. It may heighten the sense of individualism.

Q: ChocoTruck Inc., a manufacturer of cocoa-based products, has retail outlets across the country. The companys top executive positions and managerial positions are held by people belonging to several ethnic minority and majority communities. Gender equality is also emphasized in the process of recruitment. ChocoTruck Inc. practices: a. leadership diversity. b. power distance. c. work orientation. d. elitist management policies.

Q: William, the CEO of a business empire that has a presence in eight different industries in twenty countries, possesses the expertise to persuade and convince people of other countries to accept his business ideas. William can be considered as a leader who: a. accepts societal hierarchy. b. maintains power distance. c. possesses global leadership skills. d. emphasizes time orientation.

Q: Alexander, a PR professional at a multinational company, is on an official trip to a foreign country to establish business relations with the companies there. The host nation is known to highly value conservative traditions and customs. Alexander understands that the inhabitants of the host nation prefer others not to enter their personal space, and hence he maintains a considerable personal distance from the representatives of the host nation during the business meetings. Alexander later realizes that he has placed himself in an isolated position in an effort to value the host nations tradition. In the context of cultural intelligence, Alexander is likely to have a high level of which of the following components? a. Motivational CQ b. Power distance c. Assertiveness d. In-group collectivism

Q: Scarlett is an advertising executive whose projects are spread across various countries. She has the ability to influence her counterparts in other countries through her patience, adaptability, sensitivity to other ethnic communities, and willingness to acquire knowledge about local customs and traditions. Which of the following terms best describes Scarlett?​ a. ​Time-oriented leader b. ​Cross-cultural leader c. ​Assertive leader d. ​Power distant leader

Q: Benjamin Corp., a farmer-owned dairy cooperative company, procures milk from a number of farmers in the locality and distributes packaged products to retailers across the state. The cooperative company has been successful over the years due to its emphasis on values such as loyalty, pride, and cohesiveness. In which of the following dimensions is the company likely to score the highest? a. Assertiveness b. Power distance c. Gender egalitarianism d. In-group collectivism

Q: Samuel, the CEO of a pulp and paper company, has been successful in expanding his companys distribution centers from five to thirty countries in two years. This has been largely attributed to his ability to connect with and motivate employees from various backgrounds and ethnicities competently. Samuel is: a. a leader who has a high degree of uncertainty avoidance. b. a power distant leader. c. an effective multicultural leader. d. an aggressive, inconsiderate leader.

Q: Owen Corp., a company operating in the retail industry, has an implicit policy of recruiting candidates from the majority community. Its rival firm, which encourages job applications from diverse backgrounds, has been registering a higher profit consistently. In the context of the implicit recruitment policy at Owen Corp., which of the following is more likely to contribute to such a pattern in profitability? a. It could have shrunk its supply of potential candidates. b. It may have contributed to a large amount of foreign fund flow leading to decreasing profit levels. c. It could have possibly resulted in an increasing power distance within the organization. d. It may have contributed to a large pool of overqualified professionals performing less challenging jobs.

Q: A market research firm works on a variety of projects sourced from across the country. It has a deliberate policy of employing research team members from a variety of cultural minorities such as Asians, Africans, Hispanics, and Native Americans. This policy of the firm is likely to: a. expand power distance. b. enhance team performance. c. result in the creation of standard processes for data analysis. d. reduce the degree of time orientation.

Q: An example of the cross-cultural challenges faced by international workers is to know when and with whom facial cheek kissing as a greeting is appropriate. a. True b. False

Q: Many people are concerned that diversity training tends to reinforce stereotypes about groups. a. True b. False

Q: Tolerance for ambiguity is an asset for overseas executives because guidelines on how to behave in most cross-cultural situations are not clear cut. a. True b. False

Q: A study demonstrated that high emotional intelligence contributed to executive failure on overseas assignments because the executives were too concerned about feelings. a. True b. False

Q: A key aspect of cultural intelligence is to be able to interpret someone else's unfamiliar and ambiguous gestures the same way as his or her compatriots would. a. True b. False

Q: Generational differences, such as those between the young and old, represent another cultural difference managers must take into account in leading groups. a. True b. False

Q: A key principle in conducting business with people from another culture is to be firm and unyielding to avoid being taken advantage of. a. True b. False

Q: Being multilingual is more important than being multicultural in persuading a person from another culture to purchase your product or service. a. True b. False

Q: The stereotype of the leadership style of the manager in the southern U.S. is that he or she is laid back and interested in relationship building. a. True b. False

Q: The typical Malaysian manager is likely to lack compassion for workers and at the same time be highly participative. a. True b. False

Q: A strong performance orientation is a strong cultural value of French German middle managers. a. True b. False

Q: Morton, an employee in a multicultural firm, comes from a country with high uncertainty avoidance. Thus, Morton would appreciate it if his manager explained rules and procedures clearly to him. a. True b. False

Q: Desmond Inc., a high-end automobile company, aims to develop the firm into one that consistently endeavors to create new knowledge and innovations. To gain more insights into this strategy, the CEO approaches the regional marketing head of the company to ask for his advice. If you were the marketing head, what advice would you provide to the CEO?

Q: Derek, the CEO of Kellen Inc., approaches his management consultant to ask for his suggestions on how to improve his leadership skills to sustain and improve organizational performance. If you were the management consultant and believed that Derek was capable of implementing a servant leadership style, what would you suggest he do?

Q: Bradley Inc., a cell phone manufacturing company, has been experiencing a downward trend in its sales and profit in recent times. The CEO of Bradley approaches its marketing advisor to suggest ideas and ways to regain market share and sales. If you were the marketing advisor, what would you suggest to improve the companys prospects?

Q: Jett Inc., an automobile manufacturer, has decided to create an electric vehicle that, while not as efficient as its market competitors, can be sold a much reduced price. What strategy is Jett implementing? a. Focus strategy b. Imitation strategy c. Differentiation strategy d. Green strategy.

Q: ​Which of the following is a key characteristic of servant leadership? a. ​Focus on niche groups b. ​High power distance c. ​Hierarchical boundaries d. ​Caring for people

Q: ​Which of the following is a contributing factor to team learning? a. ​Brand leadership b. ​Cost leadership c. ​Personal mastery of the job d. ​Exploitative innovation

Q: ​Which of the following is true of the cost-leadership strategy? a. ​Competitors can easily enter the field. b. ​Profits can be maintained at a constant level in the long-run. c. ​Brand loyalty becomes more intense. d. ​Advertisement costs will decrease.

Q: Arthur is the CEO of an export company. Over the years, the company has been highly successful at delivering consistent results. Several analysts attribute this to Arthurs leadership style, which allows his subordinates to take up leadership roles and deliver efficient results. Which of the following best describes Arthurs leadership style? a. Servant leadership b. Cost leadership c. Brand leadership d. Transactional leadership

Q: Felix Inc., a real estate company, wants to increase efficiency at work and improve customer experience. In pursuit of this goal, it creates an online portal that could store relevant information on various aspects in a systematic manner. Users can easily access required information. Which of the following captures the above mentioned scenario?​ a. ​Knowledge hierarchy b. ​Knowledge dissemination c. ​Knowledge creation d. ​Knowledge application

Q: Caiden Inc., a leader in the apparel industry, wants to infuse change and add variety to its existing collection. The company makes extensive use of social media to receive feedback, suggestions, and ideas from existing and potential customers. This is an example of:​ a. ​knowledge hierarchy. b. ​knowledge application. c. ​knowledge dissemination. d. ​knowledge creation.

Q: In the past several years, Dawson Inc., a consumer durables company, has been focusing only on a particular region due to its forecasted potential for the durables industry. Due to recessionary conditions in the region, the sales of Dawsons products have been hit hard, resulting in severe losses. Which of the following strategies could prevent such a scenario? a. Brand leadership b. First-mover strategy c. Global diversification d. Niche strategy

Q: Lorenzo Inc., a pharmaceutical company, has decided to purchase two major biotechnology research firms in order expand its operations and enhance its market presence. This is an example of:​ a. ​growth through acquisition. b. ​product diversification. c. ​a strategic alliance. d. ​a first-mover strategy.

Q: Amber Corp. and Kyler Corp., two major technology firms, have decided to operate together in specific areas such as distribution and marketing for better utilization of the expertise available in both firms. This can be referred to as: a. an imitation. b. a strategic alliance. c. a differentiation strategy. d. a cost-leadership strategy.

Q: ​Simon Corp., a global financial services firm, has entered a region whose per capita income is very high. To make its financial products more attractive, it introduces new schemes that specifically cater to high income groups. This is an example of: a. ​a strategic alliance. b. ​a cost-leadership strategy. c. ​a focus strategy. d. ​an acquisition strategy.

Q: Maddox Corp., a smartphone manufacturer, in the initial years of its entry into the market, adopted a deliberate strategy of quickly capturing a sizeable portion of the market share by lowering the selling price of its smartphones. Which business strategy has the company adopted in the given example? a. ​First-mover strategy b. Imitation strategy c. ​Focus strategy d. Cost-leadership strategy

Q: Daisy Inc. enjoys a monopoly in the procurement and distribution of coffee beans. The company undertakes a strategic analysis of its market position. A local daily newspaper has published a report stating that a global coffee beans producer is entering the region to set up retail stores in order to increase its efficiency in distribution. Daisy Inc. is most likely to include this fact under which of the following components of a SWOT analysis? a. External opportunities b. External threats c. Internal strengths d. Internal weaknesses

Q: Weston Corp., a dairy processing company, is located close to the local dairy farms from where it procures its daily inputs. In the context of SWOT analysis, under which of the following components can this fact be included in the company's strategic planning analysis? a. External opportunities b. External threats c. Internal strengths d. Internal weaknesses

Q: Peter and his teammates engage in action learning when they: a. learn at a fast pace. b. bring company-relevant cases into the classroom. c. use the Internet as a primary source of learning. d. learn while attacking a significant organizational problem.

Q: A major leadership initiative for enhancing a learning organization is to: a. establish supervisory training programs. b. get workers to focus almost entirely on their own work. c. create a vision to be shared mostly by the top-management team. d. create a strategic intent to learn.

Q: A major responsibility of a chief knowledge officer is to: a. systematically collect information. b. encourage workers to track down coworkers who have the information they need. c. develop and deliver classroom-based training. d. develop and deliver online training.

Q: To achieve best results, advanced technology for knowledge management should be: a. centralized in a department headed by the chief knowledge officer. b. combined with an organizational culture that values knowledge management. c. installed on every computer in a company. d. installed first in staff departments and then in line departments.

Q: A key part of knowledge management in organizations is: a. selecting intelligent people for key positions. b. spying on what competitors are doing. c. conducting training programs. d. sharing information systematically.

Q: The most frequent activity in knowledge management is: a. knowledge development. b. knowledge application. c. knowledge dissemination. d. knowledge creation.

Q: Which one of the following is NOT one of the three components of knowledge management? a. Knowledge creation b. Knowledge hoarding c. Knowledge dissemination d. Knowledge application

Q: A powerful strategy for gaining competitive advantage is to: a. hire talented, well-motivated people throughout the firm. b. develop the talents among the least talented employees. c. hire the occasional candidate with a poor employment history to be socially responsible. d. promote employees on the basis of seniority to encourage company loyalty.

Q: A company engages in the brand-leadership strategy when it: a. imitates leading brands. b. diversifies into several successful brands. c. develops the reputation of its brand name. d. develops products that other companies do not offer.