Exam 8: Information, Decisions, and Solutions

Discuss Information Management within the context of business communication. Explain what IM is,why it matters to organizations,and its spread in developing world.

Explain the meanings of verifiability,trustworthiness,accuracy and credibility as applied to business information.

Americans groupthink is preferable to conflict.

Discuss why information is gathered by organizations and how information is defined differently in different cultures,and then explain what implications this has for foreign businesses.

Informal information sources are not very reliable.

Collaborating is a conflict management mode that is encouraged in individualist cultures.

High-context cultures

The best way to handle conflict in any culture is to talk it out frankly and openly.

In results cultures like the United States,conflict is not usually viewed as having the potential to damage relationships.

Which of the following was NOT a key decision made by Brittanica that was critical to keeping its information business going?

Discuss the statement "Information is power." Choose two different cultures and use specific examples.

Informal,subjective information does not come from the grapevine.

A problem is a problem,defined the same way no matter what the culture.

Information management in companies today requires technology to capture and store information.

The mode of managing conflict that high-context cultures tend to prefer more than low-context cultures is

People in ends-oriented cultures make decisions:

Possible modes for managing conflict include competing,collaborating,compromising,avoiding,and accommodating.Define and explain each one,showing how each is related to cultural dimensions and characteristics from a specific individualist culture such as Australia and a specific collectivist culture such as Mexico.

Eight conflict communication styles have been proposed that correspond to the five conflict management modes identified in question 9,and add another three. Discuss the five modes and the communication styles for each one,plus the additional three communication approaches. Give examples from specific cultures. (The communication styles are dominating,neglecting (passive-aggressive behavior),integrating,emotion-expressing,third-party helping,bargaining,avoiding,obliging.)

Obliging communication is typical in the mode of conflict management termed avoiding.

Compare how individuals and organizations make decisions based on ends or based on means. Explain the cultural priorities (the impact of culture on the organizations)involved in decision making.Use examples from specific cultures.