Exam 5: The Cultural Environment of Global Business

Scenario - Reardon Enterprises Reardon Enterprises was founded in 1985 by Jonas and Samuel Reardon.  Initially this company was based solely in Santa Fe, New Mexico and sold products only in the U.S. market.  Now, this organization has grown to become fifth in the fine glassware industry in the world.  It proudly claims the distinction of having 14 manufacturing facilities located on foreign soil.  It currently provides its delicate and refined glass products to 24 foreign marketplaces around the world. Samuel continues to work in the field and feels his expertise in foreign relations is a large part of the reason the company has known such global success.  While Jonas contends the factories and workers located on foreign soil should not be treated differently from those in Santa Fe, Samuel contends it is important to know how the other countries operate.  Even with the differences in business philosophies and beliefs between the two owners, Reardon Enterprises remains a multi-billion dollar operation with a glistening future ahead of it. Jonas has decided that Samuel makes a valid point when he states the importance of knowing the culture of the foreign country in which they wish to conduct business.  Jonas has decided to learn as much as he can about the culture of Japan in order to be better prepared for the company's business endeavor there.  Which of the following would not be a valued source of information about foreign cultures?  

When doing business in _____, it is important to understand that potential customers want to develop a personal relationship before doing business with foreign executives. Dinner exchanges and lunch meetings provide a good time for executives to get to know one another better. Dinners most often occur in the late evening, at 9 or 10pm.

In Arab countries, it is crucial for a visitor to

Scenario - The Sandman Group The Sandman Group is a multinational pharmaceutical business, which provides needed medications to a variety of foreign markets around the globe.  It has recently acquired a new customer that is based in Saudi Arabia.  This area of the world is new to the company.  Sandman plans to send ten representatives and managers to the Saudi region to better serve this new client's needs.  The company feels confident in its products and its people and believes strongly they will be able to accommodate the needs of this client.The Sandman Group realizes the business must be able to adjust to the vastly different Saudi culture quickly in order to retain this new client.  Which of the following best describes what the Sandman Group needs to accomplish?

Hofstede's masculine vs. feminine dimension is the extent to which a society values traditionally masculine attributes (assertiveness, competition)or traditionally feminine ones (modesty, caring for others).

According to Hofstede, the United States is considered a(n)