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跨文化商务沟通Chapter1TheNatureofInterculturalCommunicationQuestions1.Theunitedstateshaslongbeencalledameltingpot.whatdoesthistermmean?Thetermmeltingpotmeansasocioculturalassimilationofpeopleofdifferingbackgroundsandnationalities;thetermimplieslosingyourethnicdifferencesandformingonelargesociety.2.Whatdoesitmeanforafirmtobeglobal?Whenafirmisreferredtoasbeingglobal,itmeansthatthecorporationisproducingandmarketingproductsinnumerouspartsoftheworld.3.Giveexamplesofhowproductshavebeenglobalized.Foranexampleofhowproductshavebeenglobalizedbuthavemaintainedthestatusquooftheareatowhichtheywereintroduced,studentsshouldbeinstructedtoconsultsuchreferencesasAxtell'sbooksandAdvertisingAge,whichcoversnewmarketingventuresofcorporations.AcomparisonshouldbemadebetweenhowtheproductselectedismarketedintheU.S.andinaforeigncountry.4.Explainthedifferencesbetweennorms,roles,rules,andnetworks.Normsareculturallyingrainedprinciplesofcorrectandincorrectbehaviorsthat,ifbroken,carryaformofovertorcovertpenalty.Rulesareformedtoclarifycloudyareasofnorms.Aroleincludesthebehavioralexpectationsofapositionwithinacultureandisaffectedbynormsandrules.Networksareformedwithpersonaltiesandinvolveanexchangeofassistance.5.DefinedasubcultureandgiveexamplesofU.S.subcultures.Subculturesaregroupsofpeoplepossessingcharacteristictraitsthatsetthemapartanddistinguishthemfromotherswithinalargersociety.ExamplesofsubculturesintheU.S.includeseniorcitizens,babyboomers,LatinAmericans,Catholics,tradeassociations,andself-helpgroups.6.Whatisculturalsynergy?Culturalsynergytakesplacewiththemergingoftwoculturestoformastrongeroverridingculture.Corporateculturesareanexampleofasynergyofdiversecultures.7.Distinguishbetweeninterculturalcommunicationandintraculturalcommunication.Interculturalcommunicationiscommunicationbetweenpersonsofdifferentcultures;intraculturalcommunicationiscommunicationbetweenmembersofthesameculture.8.Identifythedimensionsofculture.ThethreemaindimensionsofcultureasidentifiedbyBordenarelanguages,physical,andpsychological.Thelanguagedimensionisusedtocommunicatewiththosewithvaluesandbeliefslikeours.Thephysicaldimensiondealswiththephysicalrealityofourenvironment;itismeasuredobjectively.Thepsychologicaldimensionismeasuredsubjectively.9.Identifytypeofbarrierstocommunication.Barrierstocommunicationincludephysical,cultural,perceptual,motivational,experiential,emotional,linguistic,nonverbal,andcompetition.10.Arebusinessculturesnecessarilyalignedtonationalcultures?Toshowwhetherbusinessculturesarealignedtonationalculturestheanswershouldincludeinformationonhowparticularbusinesseseithermirrorthenationalculture,developtheirownuniqueculture,oraresomeplaceinbetween.Theanswershouldshowanunderstandingofthedifferencebetweenethnocentric,polycentric,regiocentric,andgeocentricmanagementorientations.Case1Inareceptionforapoliticalcandidate,theexplanationoftheculturalphenomenonwouldincludethefollowing.Peopletendtobreakintogroupswithwhichtheyfeelcomfortablewherecommunicationbarrierswillbeminimal.Thegroupdisplaysalackofsocioculturalassimilation.Thegroupshavenothadtocometogetherandthereforedonothaveculturalsynergy.Thegroupsarepracticingethnocentrismandfeeltheirculturalbackgroundiscorrectand,therefore,theyhaveapreferenceforpeoplewhobelieveastheydo.Thegroups,becausetheyareethnicallydivided,formsubcultureswithinthemacrocultureofthepoliticalparty.Case2Anexplanationoftheglobalizationoftheautomotiveindustryshouldincludethefollowingfactors.Asfirmsglobalize,itbecomesverydifficulttosayifacarisU.S.,German,Japanese,Mexican,orsomethingelsebecauseitismadeliterallywithpartsandlaborfromallovertheworld.TheJapanesedidtheirmarketinghomeworkandfoundoutwhattheU.S.marketwantedandgaveittothem.AsJapanisaverysmallcountryandyoumustproveyouhaveaplacetoparkacarinthelargercitiesbeforeyoucanpurchaseacar,theJapaneseobviouslyneedvehicleswhichareverydifferentfromthelargeautomobilesmostoftheU.S.manufacturersmake.AlsotheJapaneseareassemblingmanyoftheirautomobilesintheU.S.thataredestinedfortheU.S.markettherebyprovidingU.S.citizenswithjobs.ItmaybefairtoaskhowmanyU.S.carsareassembledinJapangivingJapaneseworkersjobs.Asfirmsglobalizeanotherpointisthattheyareraisingthestandardoflivinginthosecountrieswheretheydomanufacturing,whichwillinturnallowthosecountriestopurchasemoreofourgoodsandservicesinthelongrun.Case3IntheU.S.weexpectotherstohonortheirobligationstous.ThereforewhentheShahwasill,itwascorrectfortheU.S.toofferhimmedicalassistance.TheChristianreligionisbasedonanumberofcommandments,oneofwhichis揕ovethyneighborasthyself.擳heU.S.feelsitistheirresponsibilitytohelpanyoneinneedanywhereintheworld,butparticularlyfriends.TheIranianmindsetisbasedintheIslamicreligionwhichhasaverystrictcodeofaneyeforaneye,etcetera.TheIslamicIraniansfeltthattheShahhadsoldthemouttotheU.S.economicconcerns,andthereforefelttheShahshouldpayforhiswrongdoings.TheyalsofeltthatifthemedicalfacilitiesweregoodenoughfortherestofIrantheyshouldbegoodenoughfortheShah.BoththeU.S.andIransawtheirpositionsascorrectbasedontheirreligiousphilosophies,andneitherlookedatthesitua