Peralta Associates
people skills for a global economy

Multicultural Workforce Quiz

For each of the following scenarios, there is one best answer. To view answers using JavaScript, you must have a recent version of Internet Explorer or Netscape (4.0 or above) and have Javascript enabled in your browser. Otherwise, you can view the complete set of answers by visiting our answer page.

Question #1

You are on the phone with your Brazilian supplier. In the middle of discussions on pricing and distribution he interrupts to greet each of his colleagues as they pass by his office. What is going on?

1. He is disorganized and "flakey" and you don't have time for this.
2. He is slightly rude and you don't know if you should say anything.
3. He is maintaining his relationships with his colleagues at the same time as doing business with you.
4. He is merely "multitasking" in a way that is culturally acceptable in Brazil.

Answer

Question #2

You are making a presentation to a group of Malaysian investors. You are very excited about your new product and tell them that you will "beat the competition hands down." You pound your fist on the podium to emphasize your point. They seem embarrassed and uncomfortable. What went wrong?

1. The Malaysians interpreted your gesture as overly aggressive.
2. The Malaysians interpreted your gesture as a vulgarity.
3. The Malaysians misunderstood your "hands down" expression to mean something sexual.
4. The Malaysians thought you were being boastful, which is rude in their country.

Answer

Question #3

You are on technical assignment in Saudi Arabia. The site manager stands very near when you are both looking at a computer screen and you are becoming uncomfortable. How should you interpret this situation?

1. The manager is obviously "coming on" to you.
2. The manager is feeling very comfortable with you and you should take it as a compliment.
3. The manager is trying to get close to you to curry your favor so that you will speak favorably of the Saudi operation at headquarters.
4. The manager is merely observing the customary amount of "personal space" between colleagues in his country.

Answer

Question #4

You are an expatriate manager, on assignment in Hong Kong for six months. Lately, you have been feeling irritable and have been short with your family and colleagues. You even snapped at your assistant for a small error. What is wrong with you?

1. You are obviously under a great deal of stress and gradually losing your mind.
2. You are not fit for an overseas assignment and should only accept domestic assignments.
3. You just don't like Hong Kong and would do better assigned somewhere else.
4. You are experiencing the normal strain of adjustment to a different cultural environment.

Answer

Question #5

You set up a video conference in the US for Mexican business associates on October 31. The technicians are having a Halloween party and come in costume. The Mexicans are in formal business attire and are clearly displeased. What is the problem?

1. The Mexicans are upset by the macabre nature of the costumes, which they consider an affront to their religion.
2. The Mexicans are offended by the disrespect shown to a serious business setting by the frivolity and informality of the costumes.
3. The Mexicans were hurt that they were not included in the festivities as honored guests.
4. The Mexicans thought the technicians were not showing them the proper respect as befitting their status as managers.

Answer

Question #6

You have just given detailed instructions to your best programmer, who is from China. She replies in the affirmative when you ask if she understands. Later, you find out that she did not follow the instructions you gave her. What could have happened?

1. Her English language skills are still weak and she thought she understood your directions.
2. She disagreed with your way of doing things and decided to ignore your directions.
3. She didn't want to make you "lose face" by admitting she did not understand your directions completely.
4. Her reply in the affirmative was merely a polite gesture and did not mean anything.

Answer

Question #7

You are hosting a lunch for a delegation from Japan at a fancy steakhouse. Your senior vice president makes opening remarks at the luncheon and stops his remarks periodically to encourage everyone to eat. No one in the delegation begins to eat and you are getting worried. What is happening?

1. The Japanese are probably unfamiliar with Western food and are uncertain about which utensils to use.
2. The Japanese consider it rude to eat while someone is talking.
3. The Japanese are waiting for the Senior Vice President, the most senior member of your group, to begin eating so that they can begin.
4. The Japanese are obviously displeased with the speech and are showing their displeasure by not participating in the luncheon.

Answer

Question #8

You are managing a multicultural team and an Indian team member, who has just joined the company, insists that she should be paid more than her initial offer. You have told her that you do not make salary decisions but she persists in telling you until you become annoyed. Why is she acting this way?

1. She assumes since you are her boss that you have power over her conditions of employment,including salary.
2. She is experiencing pressure from her family to ask for a higher salary since they helped put her through school.
3. Since you work together, she considers you a member of her "in-group" and assumes you will advocate for her with human resources as a favor
4. Her pride is at stake since she is convinced that she is "better" than her co-workers and therefore deserves more money.

Answer

Question #9

Your new boss is from the Philippines. She sits down with you for a briefing on your project and spends an hour asking you about your family, your interests and hobbies, your upbringing, etc. You are starting to wonder what any of this personal inquiry has to do with the business at hand. What is she doing?

1. She is trying to find out information about you to gain advantage over you.
2. She is going through a process of building a personal relationship with you on which she can build a business relationship.
3. She thinks of herself as a mother figure and wants to protect and nurture you.
4. She does not know enough about your project to ask good questions and is covering up her ignorance by talking about personal matters.

Answer

Question #10

You are supervising a crew from several countries in Central America. During lunch they eat together, tell jokes, and laugh. Although you speak Spanish, many of their words and expressions are unfamiliar to you and you begin to suspect they are making fun of you. What should your reaction be?

1. You should be angry, since they obviously are talking about you in a disrespectful manner.
2. You should be hurt, since the crew probably does not like you and wants to exclude you from their "group."
3. You should take it as a sign that they respect you, since they feel uncomfortable joking with you, their boss.
4. You should not feel upset, it is normal for them to feel comfortable using the vernacular they all know and it is normal for you to feel excluded because you do not understand them.

Answer

Note: It is not our intention to generalize or stereotype any cultural group mentioned in the quiz scenarios. We recognize that individuals and situations vary greatly within and across cultures, particularly in the diverse environment of the United States.

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