FALSE
Political/legal forces and the level of technology are two of the uncontrollable aspects of the foreign environment along with economic forces, competitive forces, structure of distribution, geography and infrastructure, and cultural forces.
AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty Level: 1 Easy
Learning Objective: 01-03 The scope of the international marketing task
Topic: The International Marketing Task
20.In a broad sense, the uncontrollable elements of the foreign business environment constitute the culture.
TRUE
In a broad sense, the uncontrollable elements constitute the culture; the difficulty facing the marketer in adjusting to the culture lies in recognizing its impact.
AACSB: Reflective Thinking
Blooms: Understand
Difficulty Level: 1 Easy
Learning Objective: 01-03 The scope of the international marketing task
Topic: Environmental Adaptation Needed
21.In dealing with unfamiliar markets, marketers must be aware of the frames of reference they are using in making their decisions.
TRUE
In dealing with unfamiliar markets, marketers must be aware of the frames of reference they are using in making their decisions or evaluating the potential of a market, because judgments are derived from experience that is the result of acculturation in the home country.
AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty Level: 2 Medium
Learning Objective: 01-03 The scope of the international marketing task
Topic: Environmental Adaptation Needed
22.John refuses to buy Japanese products because he sees this as a way of selling out to a nation known for its aggressive behavior. John is using a self-reference criterion to make his decision.
TRUE
The SRC is an unconscious reference to one’s own cultural values, experiences, and knowledge as a basis for decisions. Closely connected is ethnocentrism, that is, the notion that people in one’s own company, culture, or country know best how to do things.
AACSB: Reflective Thinking
Blooms: Apply
Difficulty Level: 2 Medium
Learning Objective: 01-04 The importance of the self-reference criterion (SRC) in international marketing
Topic: The Self-Reference Criterion and Ethnocentrism: Major Obstacles
23.The self-reference criterion is closely related to ethnocentrism.
TRUE
The self-reference criterion is an unconscious reference to one’s own cultural values, experiences, and knowledge as a basis for decisions. Closely connected is ethnocentrism, that is, the notion that people in one’s own company, culture, or country know best how to do things.
AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty Level: 1 Easy
Learning Objective: 01-04 The importance of the self-reference criterion (SRC) in international marketing
Topic: The Self-Reference Criterion and Ethnocentrism: Major Obstacles
24.Sam Watkins just ate cookies and, therefore, feels justified in refusing food offered by his Middle Eastern host. In this instance, Sam’s self-reference criterion has just saved him from making a cultural blunder.
FALSE
When faced with a problem in another culture, our tendency is to react instinctively and refer to our SRC for a solution. Our reaction, however, is based on meanings, values, symbols, and behavior relevant to our own culture and usually different from those of the foreign culture. Such decisions are often not good ones.
AACSB: Reflective Thinking
Blooms: Apply
Difficulty Level: 2 Medium
Learning Objective: 01-04 The importance of the self-reference criterion (SRC) in international marketing
Topic: The Self-Reference Criterion and Ethnocentrism: Major Obstacles
25.To avoid errors in business decisions, it is necessary to conduct a cross-cultural analysis that emphasizes the need for ethnocentrism.
FALSE
To avoid errors in business decisions, the knowledgeable marketer will conduct a cross-cultural analysis that isolates the SRC influences and maintain vigilance regarding ethnocentrism.
AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Understand
Difficulty Level: 2 Medium
Learning Objective: 01-04 The importance of the self-reference criterion (SRC) in international marketing
Topic: The Self-Reference Criterion and Ethnocentrism: Major Obstacles
26.Understanding one’s own culture normally requires no additional study.
FALSE
Understanding one’s own culture may require additional study, because much of the cultural influence on market behavior remains at a subconscious level and is not clearly defined.