Test Bank for Introducing Intercultural Communication 4th Edition by Liu
ISBN: 9781529778755
Lecturer Resources
Liu et al., Introducing Intercultural Communication: Global Cultures and Contexts, 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2023
Answers to MCQ and short answer questions for instructors
Chapter 1: Intercultural communication in a global community
1. Which of the following statements best describes the idea of ‘global village’ that Marshall McLuhan originally referred to?
a. It refers to the way in which housing becoming more alike across the world.
b. It refers to the way in which communication technology was bringing remote areas of the world together.
c. It refers to the way in which the Internet allowed borderless communications.
d. It refers to the way in which societies were becoming increasingly culturally diverse.
Ans: B
2. Which of the following is one of the main reasons for multinational corporations to move their operations overseas?
a. Cheaper labour costs.
b. Less competition.
c. Less distance to travel to work.
d. Better climate.
Ans: A
3. Which of the following is NOT a consequence of the flow of migrant workers?
a. Increased ethnic competition.
b. Conflict in expectations at work.
Lecturer Resources
Liu et al., Introducing Intercultural Communication: Global Cultures and Contexts, 4e SAGE Publishing, 2023
c. Higher level of trust between workers of different ethnic backgrounds.
d. Challenge created for the political, cultural and social life of the host society.
Ans: C
4. Some countries tightened entry restrictions for immigrants to control diversity. This is an illustration of the concern over the threat of ethnic culture on:
a. The mainstream cultural values.
b. The distribution of political power structure.
c. Employment opportunities.
d. All of these.
Ans: D
5. Communicating with unfamiliar cultures does not simply mean finding a translator to facilitate discussions in a foreign language. To understand the significance of a message from someone, you do NOT need to:
a. Understand the linguistic system of the language the other person speaks.
b. Understand the values that weigh heavily in that person’s view of the world.
c. Understand what to expect when someone engages in particular communication behaviour.
d. None of these.
Ans: A
6. Cross-cultural adjustment is a two-way process. Which of the following statements is true about this process?
a Both the immigrant group and the host nationals undergo psychological and sociological adjustment.
b. Only migrants undergo cross-cultural adjustment in the host country.
c. The attitude of ethnic communities has a strong influence on the migrants’ cross-cultural adjustment.
Lecturer Resources
Liu et al., Introducing Intercultural Communication: Global Cultures and Contexts, 4e SAGE Publishing, 2023
d. Only the host nationals undergo cross-cultural adjustment because of the presence of migrants in their country.
Ans: A
7. Ethnic businesses, such as restaurants, take-away shops, grocery stores, have become a symbol of cultural diversity. Which of the following is NOT identified as a reason for migrants to set up ethnic businesses?
a. Freedom to be their own boss.
b. Dreams of financial security.
c. To be independent from their relatives.
d. To have autonomy in their choice of work.
Ans: C
8. Multiculturalism is a complex concept. What does multiculturalism refer to at the descriptive level?
a. People’s tolerance of diversity.
b. People’s acceptance of equal societal participation.
c. Presence of symbols of cultural diversity.
d. Both B and C.
Ans: C
9. Which of the following best describes virtual engagement theory?
a. Virtual engagement is the enactment of information among young people only.
b. Virtual engagement is the social enactment of communication technology.
c. Virtual engagement does not occur in conjunction with other types of offline engagement.
d. Virtual engagement applies to young people but not to older people.
Ans: B
Lecturer Resources
Liu et al., Introducing Intercultural Communication: Global Cultures and Contexts, 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2023
10. Which of the following is NOT one of the three different diversity perspectives on workforces, identified by Ely and Thomas?
a. Integration and learning perspective.
b. Access and legitimacy.
c. Discrimination and fairness.
d. Personality and behaviour.
Ans: D
11. Which of the following statements is a key difference between Malay and North American employees, as identified by the text?
a. Malay employees value individuality whereas American employees emphasize interdependence.
b. Malay employees value family harmony whereas American employees emphasize harmony.
c. Malay employees value respect for seniority whereas American employees emphasize personal achievements.
d. Malay employees value task orientation whereas American employees emphasize relationship orientation.
Ans: C
12. Which of the following is NOT true regarding the necessity of intercultural communication?
a. Reinforcing differences between cultures.
b. Promoting understanding between different groups.
c. Managing diversity in the workplace.
d. Facilitating cross-cultural adjustment of both host nationals and migrants.
Ans: A
Lecturer Resources
Liu et al., Introducing Intercultural Communication: Global Cultures and Contexts, 4e SAGE Publishing, 2023
Short answer questions
1. What is the definition of virtual engagement theory?
In her theoretical model, Chewning (2018) defines virtual engagement as the social enactment of information and communication technology in a relational context where users connect with social information and resource networks for the purpose of instigating change, co-creating relationships and contributing to a particular goal. While virtual engagement can occur in conjunction with other types of offline engagement such as participating in social activities, the interaction between user and technology is what makes it virtual engagement. Key components of virtual engagement in Chewning’s model are categorized into personal, technological and contextual dimensions. The personal dimension contains individual goals, motivations and capabilities. The technological dimension, also called technological attributes, consists of network ties, communication content and interaction process. The contextual dimension is at both individual and social levels. The process of virtual engagement involves interaction between the user and technology, and this interaction is always situated in a context.
2. How does the Internet revolution impact business operations? Answer this question by drawing upon evidence from the textbook.
The Internet revolution, particularly since around 1990, means that a very high proportion of work-related communication takes place via email, instant messaging, Skype, video conferencing, mobile phones and social media. For example, work-related activities such as selection interviewing, service encounters, decision-making meetings and business negotiations are routinely conducted through mediated, rather than face-toface, communication. The pervasive reliance on the Internet for work communication, along with the increasingly diverse ethnic composition of the workforce, makes businesses realize the importance of intercultural understanding in workplaces where people from different ethnic backgrounds work side by side.
Lecturer Resources
Liu et al., Introducing Intercultural Communication: Global Cultures and Contexts, 4e SAGE Publishing, 2023
3. How is the term ‘cultural home’ defined? Why is it not necessarily related to the geographic location?
The concept of cultural home refers to an individual’s sense of belonging to an ethnic, racial or geographic community with shared traditions and practices (Vivero & Jenkins, 1999). A cultural home provides its members with emotional attachments to a cultural group as well as communicates a sense of identity and belonging to its members who share a common history and culture, and even similar physical features. Although a cultural home is often related closely to a geographical location, a stable location is not always an essential defining feature of a cultural home. For example, nomadic people move geographically all the time and their cultural home travels with them. They own no territory but each community sustains a cultural identity through their language, strong traditions, rituals, dresses, social structure and way of communication; all of these characteristics distinguish them from other cultural groups. Thus, the boundaries of cultural home can be symbolic.
4. How is Guanxi defined and practised in business exchanges involving Chinese partners? What cultural values underpin the practice of Guanxi?
The concept of guanxi is defined as good relationship or connection with business partners; it is particularly reflected in business negotiations with Chinese partners. The Chinese culture views human relationships as long-term, and consequently places great emphasis on cultivating a good relationship with their business partners prior to any business transaction. Non-economic factors such as acceptance, face-giving, complementary social reciprocity, and trust may play a bigger role in influencing decision-making.
5. Read the case study. Could you provide an example to show how cultural context influences people’s behavioural responses to government measures during the pandemic?
Lecturer Resources
Liu et al., Introducing Intercultural Communication: Global Cultures and Contexts, 4e SAGE Publishing, 2023
Note: Examples are provided in the case study. Students may provide an example based on their own experience from their own culture or country.
Teaching guide for Liu et al.: Introducing Intercultural Communication: Global Cultures and Contexts, 4e
CHAPTER 1 INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION IN A GLOBAL COMMUNITY
Learning Objectives
At the end of this chapter, you should be able to:
• Understand the origin of the study of intercultural communication.
• Identify contributors to cultural diversity in different contexts.
• Recognize challenges for virtual intercultural communication.
• Appreciate intercultural communication knowledge and skills as integral to life in a global community.
Overview
This chapter highlights the necessity of equipping ourselves with knowledge and skills in intercultural communication, so that we can live harmoniously and function effectively as citizens of this global community. Various contributors to cultural diversity in our global community are identified, such as immigration, cross-border business, international education and technology-enabled virtual
© Shuang Liu, Zala Volčič and Cindy Gallois
communication. The chapter paves the ground for us to appreciate the necessity of developing intercultural knowledge and skills, so that we can confidently and competently address the many challenges we face living in the global community.
Contributors to Cultural Diversity
Advances in communication technology
Communication technology is a key contributor to cultural diversity. With emails, social media, smartphones, the Internet, and subsequent conduits like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, we can contact people and exchange information anywhere and any time and the choices of media available to us to make these connections continue to multiply. We gather news, share stories, comments on others’ posts, make purchases, sell products, advocate political views, provide support to others, participate in conferences and organize meetings, all online. Communication technology has also changed the rules of participation and relationships with others in practically all areas of our lives.
Critical thinking questions for students
In what ways has the ‘global village’ concept expanded beyond McLuhan’s original idea? What ideas and phenomena does it now encompass?
International migration and refugees
A growing concentration of international migrants is living, working or studying in countries such as the USA, the Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Australia. Asians and Latin Americans living outside of their home regions form the largest global diaspora group. In addition, global business transactions often take place across time zones and national borders. It also means that we are able to buy and use products that originate from many different parts of the world as part of our everyday transactions. Cultural diversity in the economic and business realms provides opportunities but, again, challenges as well. For example, an ethnically diverse workforce can experience difficulties due to differing cultural attitudes, values and work practices.
© Shuang Liu, Zala Volčič and Cindy Gallois
Critical thinking questions for students
What do you see as some of the advantages and disadvantages of a culturally diverse workplace for (a) the business itself and (b) the employees?
Challenges from Cultural Diversity
All over the world, nations are trying to come to terms with the growing diversity of their populations. In the wake of attempting to fully maximize the benefits of cultural diversity, there has also been an accompanying awareness of some potential threats to our cultural uniqueness. Globally, host nationals have expressed concerns over the threat ethnic cultures might pose on the mainstream cultural values, the political and economic power structure and the distribution of employment opportunities. Many countries have implemented laws to restrict immigration. Ethnic groups, on the other hand, have long been forming associations to maintain their ethnic cultural heritage and promote the survival of their languages within the mainstream institutions. The challenge we face is how to reap the benefits of cultural diversity and reduce intercultural tensions.
Critical thinking questions for students
To what extent should migrants maintain their ethnic cultural traditions and practices without posing a threat to the unity of the mainstream host culture? To what extent should they adapt to their new society?
Necessity of Intercultural Communication
As citizens of the global community, we face the task of promoting intercultural understanding. Multiculturalism is much more than just a matter of recognizing and celebrating cultural diversity; it involves equal societal participation for people from different cultural backgrounds. The key to building understanding between cultural groups is effective intercultural communication.
Building intercultural understanding
© Shuang Liu, Zala Volčič and Cindy Gallois
Because our cultural beliefs and norms are largely acquired unconsciously, we can sometimes assume that our own culture is the ‘right’ and ‘normal’ one and see other cultures as inferior. This is known as ethnocentrism, which can often lead to prejudices, stereotypes and discrimination. There is much to be gained by embracing cultural diversity and the key to reaping the associated benefits is to acquire intercultural knowledge and develop intercultural skills, through which we can gain a deeper understanding of the differences and commonalities between cultures.
Promoting intercultural cooperation in the workplace
Problem-solving ability, global leadership and intercultural communication skills have been highlighted as three essential competencies for the twenty-first century workplace, which will continue to become increasingly culturally diverse. Effective management of such workplaces requires a conscious effort to maximize the potential benefits of cultural differences and address the potential problems. Effective intercultural communication requires more than a translator; it also requires awareness of the interactive and communicative strategies of different cultures.
Facilitating cross-cultural adjustment
Cross-cultural adjustment has to be understood as a manifestation of broader social trends that are not confined to the experience of immigrants; but rather, as extending in many other kinds of associations and networks as well as into cultural life at large. The arrival of immigrants as new settlers brings various changes to the host cultural environment. It is not only the immigrant group but also the host nationals who undergo psychological and sociological adjustment because of the presence of culturally distinctive ‘others’. Hence, cross-cultural adjustment is not a process unique to only immigrants; host nationals also have to experience cultural adjustment as their society is joined by culturally diverseeople.
Intercultural knowledge reduces anxiety and uncertainty, making the communication process smoother and more successful. Intercultural knowledge and intercultural communication skills, however, do not come naturally; they have to be acquired through conscious learning.
Critical thinking questions for students
Do you feel some level of apprehension or anxiety when you communicate with people outside your own cultural group? What do you think might have contributed to your confidence in or apprehension of intercultural interaction?
© Shuang Liu, Zala Volčič and Cindy Gallois
Summary
• Transmission of cultures across geographic borders occurred long before the study of intercultural communication was formalized as a field.
• Advances in communication technologies, the global economy, business and international migration are major contributors to cultural diversity in our societies.
• Virtual intercultural communication is an integral part of life in the global community, creating opportunities to connect anywhere and anytime, but creating challenges as well.
• While the geographic borders that used to separate people from people and country from country are receding, issues arising from cultural diversity and multiculturalism, such as protecting the uniqueness of the mainstream culture, remain.
• Intercultural communication equips us with the necessary knowledge and skills to interact with culturally diverse people effectively and appropriately.
© Shuang Liu, Zala Volčič and Cindy Gallois