Q&A Hero

Q: If a nonnative English speaker is making mistakes that could hurt his or her credibility, it would be helpful for you to offer advice on the appropriate words and phrases to use. A) True B) False

Q: For more effective intercultural communications make sure you and the listener agree on what has been said and decided. A) True B) False

Q: Jokes and references to popular Canadian entertainment usually rely on cultural issues that your audience will be aware of after living in Canada for one year. A) True B) False

Q: To be more effective in intercultural conversations, speak slowly and over enunciate your words. A) True B) False

Q: In general, when writing to someone in another country, Canadian businesspeople should be a bit more formal than they would be otherwise. A) True B) False

Q: Knowing what your communication partners expect can help you adapt to their particular style. A) True B) False

Q: Machine translation uses computerized intelligence (such as software on websites) to translate material from one language to another. A) True B) False

Q: Canadian and U.S. workers typically prefer an open and direct communication style. A) True B) False

Q: Materials most likely to need translation include maintenance manuals, warranties, and product labels. A) True B) False

Q: If you don't have the time or the opportunity to learn a new language, learning just a few common phrases is considered insulting in most cultures. A) True B) False

Q: Many companies recognize that they must be able to conduct business in languages other than English. A) True B) False

Q: When speaking to someone for whom English is a second language, you should avoid using slang and idioms. A) True B) False

Q: People from Canada and the United Kingdom rarely misunderstand each other because they speak the same language. A) True B) False

Q: To overcome ethnocentrism, you should ignore the differences between another person's culture and your own. A) True B) False

Q: Ethnocentric people fail to communicate with individuals as they really are. A) True B) False

Q: When ethnocentric people stereotype an entire group of people, they are usually justified in doing so. A) True B) False

Q: Ethnocentrism is the tendency to judge all other groups according to your own group's standards, behaviours, and customs. A) True B) False

Q: Differences in body language are a major source of misunderstanding in intercultural communication. A) True B) False

Q: In China, it is considered polite to pour tea for yourself and then offer the rest of the table some. A) True B) False

Q: Formal rules of social etiquette are explicit and well defined, but informal rules are learned through observation and imitation. A) True B) False

Q: In 1999, federal legislation was instituted that would make bribing foreign officials a criminal offence in Canada. A) True B) False

Q: Regardless of the country you're doing business in, a person suspected of a crime is considered innocent until proven guilty. A) True B) False

Q: From culture to culture, what people consider legal and ethical varies widely. A) True B) False

Q: Chinese and Japanese negotiators primarily focus on building relationships before entering into serious negotiations. A) True B) False

Q: Because Canada and Germany have such high-context cultures, they rely heavily on verbal communication and less on implied meaning. A) True B) False

Q: Cultural context is the pattern of physical cues, environmental stimuli, and implicit understanding that conveys meaning between members of the same culture. A) True B) False

Q: Cultural pluralism is a negative view of a culture's dualism. A) True B) False

Q: Some cultures are much more complex than other cultures. A) True B) False

Q: Culture is inborn. A) True B) False

Q: Japan is an example of a country with a homogeneous population. A) True B) False

Q: People's cultural background influences the way they prioritize what is important in life, helps define their attitude toward what is appropriate in any given situation, and establishes rules for their behaviour. A) True B) False

Q: A company's cultural diversity affects how its business messages are conceived, composed, delivered, received, and interpreted. A) True B) False

Q: Effective intercultural communication improves the contributions of employees in a diverse workforce. A) True B) False

Q: You belong to several cultures, but only ONE affects the way you communicate. A) True B) False

Q: Recent immigrantsthose who have arrived in Canada in the last 10 yearsaccount for 70 percent of labour market growth. A) True B) False

Q: Advanced technologies allow manufacturers to produce their goods in foreign locations that offer unfavourable corporate tax rates and high-cost labour. A) True B) False

Q: Intercultural communication is the process of sending and receiving messages within a specific culture. A) True B) False

Q: Discuss four strategies to use when planning an effective meeting.

Q: Describe at least three common types of teams companies often create.

Q: List at least three general categories of nonverbal communication.

Q: List at least three strategies for keeping one's mind from wandering while listening to a speaker.

Q: List at least three benefits of effective listening in business.

Q: Proper introductions are an important part of business etiquette. Describe the introduction you would use in each of the following cases: 1. Introducing yourself to a stranger 2. Introducing someone younger to someone older 3. Introducing a junior executive to a senior executive 4. Introducing a fellow executive to a client or customer

Q: Describe three types of listening: critical listening, content listening, and empathic listening.

Q: As the leader of a new task force, you notice that one of your team members remains silent during meetings. What should you do?

Q: Discuss two advantages as well as two disadvantages of online meetings compared to face-to-face meetings.

Q: Describe three dysfunctional team roles and how these roles do NOT aid the team in achieving project goals.

Q: Describe three functional team roles and discuss how these roles aid in achieving project goals.

Q: What are four potential disadvantages of working in teams?

Q: Briefly explain why the ability to work effectively in teams is so important in business.

Q: Describe the primary difference between a committee and a task force.

Q: When planning a meeting, the person holding the meeting prepares a(n) __________ of items to discuss.

Q: __________ is knowing how to behave properly in a given situation.

Q: When it comes to nonverbal communication, your __________ are especially effective for indicating attention and interest, regulating interaction, and establishing dominance.

Q: You are engaging in __________ when you tune out a speaker until you hear a word or phrase that gets your attention once more.

Q: In the __________ stage of listening, you apply critical thinking skills and separate fact from opinion.

Q: The goal of __________ listening is to understand the speaker's feelings.

Q: The goal of __________ listening is to evaluate the message at several levels.

Q: __________ contributors need to let go of traditional expectations of authorship, including individual recognition.

Q: In __________ writing, a team of writers works together to produce a single document.

Q: Teams need to learn how to resolve __________ over differences in ideas, power struggles, or basic differences in personalities.

Q: A lack __________ of is cited as the most common reason for the failure of teams.

Q: Group __________ are informal standards of conduct that members share and that guide member behaviour.

Q: __________ are the interactions and processes that take place in a meeting.

Q: Some group members have a(n) __________: private motives that affect the group's interaction.

Q: Group loyalty can lead members into__________, a willingness to set aside personal opinions and to go along with everyone else, even if everyone else is wrong.

Q: __________ management is a way of involving employees in the company's decision making.

Q: A(n) __________ is a unit of two or more people who work together to achieve a goal.

Q: Instant messaging and teleconferencing are ________________ A) the most complex forms of virtual meetings. B) are not classified as virtual meetings. C) the simplest forms of virtual meetings. D) are not used in business correspondence.

Q: Use of parliamentary procedure ________________ A) tends to slow meetings down. B) contributes to dissension among participants. C) aids in planning and running effective meetings. D) is only useful for highly formalized, important meetings with more than a dozen participants.

Q: When conducting a meeting, __________________________ A) if some people are too quiet, leave them alone; they probably have nothing to contribute. B) if some people dominate the conversation, let them do so, since they are probably the most knowledgeable attendees. C) try to simply act as an observer, and let the meeting "run itself." D) be sure to follow the agenda.

Q: A meeting agenda _______________ A) is a formality that most groups skip these days. B) should be circulated a in advance of the meeting to give participants time to prepare. C) should be general rather than specific so participants can add to topics to it during the meeting. D) is only a guideline, and deviations are common and expected.

Q: In an informational meeting, ______________ A) the participants share information and coordinate actions. B) the group rarely arrives at some kind of decision. C) brainstorming sessions are avoided. D) participants dress casually.

Q: One of the biggest mistakes in holding meetings is ______________ A) not having a specific goal. B) not inviting enough participants. C) circulating the agenda too far in advance. D) sticking too closely to the agenda.

Q: Touching behaviour ________________ A) is the least important form of nonverbal communication. B) is the great equalizer, putting people of different status on the same footing. C) should be completely avoided in all business situations. D) is governed by relatively strict customs that establish who can touch whom and when.

Q: If a person says one thing but sends a conflicting message nonverbally, _____________ A) people are more likely to believe the verbal message. B) people are more likely to believe the nonverbal message. C) people are more likely to just stop listening. D) People will think the speaker does not know what he/she is saying.

Q: Nonverbal differs from verbal communication in that it _____________________ A) rarely occurs spontaneously. B) lacks intent. C) often reveals information without your consent. D) doesn't provide a message.

Q: "Selective listening" refers to ___________________ A) a highly focused form of listening. B) when the listener's mind wanders until something relevant is said. C) a form of defensive listening. D) listening only long enough to get a word in edgewise.

Q: Poor listeners may create a barrier to listening by ___________ A) relating what they hear to their own experience. B) thinking of related questions. C) checking their watch or PDA. D) focusing on the message.

Q: The first step in the basic listening process is ______________ A) physically receiving the message. B) interpreting the message. C) evaluating the message. D) encoding the message.