International Management Chapter 10 – Flashcards

Felix Johnson is a senior HR manager in a global conglomerate. He believes that an important factor contributing to international competitiveness is the ability of an organization to maximize its global human resources in the long run. With which of the following is Felix most likely to agree? A) Outsourcing is the most logical method of achieving economies of scale and maximizing benefits. B) Extensive training programs are unlikely to help organizations improve the quality of their workers. C) The promotion of women in international management is unlikely to positively impact an organization's competitiveness in the global business arena. D) Maximizing long-term retention through career management increases the odds in favor of global competitiveness.

Neil Grahams is a strategic HR advisor in an American MNC. He believes that in today's globalized economy, both the knowledge and management resources as well as the skilled and unskilled employee resources, central to the success of an organization, are dispersed around the world. According to him, an organization can significantly improve global competitiveness by maximizing its global human resources in the long run. With which of the following is Neil most likely to agree? A) that maximizing long-term retention adversely affects the ability of an organization to maximize its global human resources in the long run B) that IHR managers must develop effective global management teams to improve global competitiveness C) that women have little or no role to play in international management D) that the use of international cadre through career management is unlikely to improve global competitiveness

Effective human resource management of a company's global cadre ends with ________. A) allocation of an overseas assignment to the executive B) successful repatriation of the executive into company headquarters C) preparing the executive for cultural differences D) providing foreign-language training to the executive

In the context of the study conducted by Lazarova and Caligiuri, which of the following refers to a top-five ranked practice for successful repatriation? A) providing foreign-language training B) assistance on tax payments C) preparing the expatriate to adjust in the host country D) career planning sessions

In the context of the study conducted by Lazarova and Caligiuri, which of the following refers to the most important HRM practice for successful repatriation? A) continuous communication with the home office B) financial and tax assistance C) agreement about position upon repatriation D) visible signs that the company values international experience

The management of the reentry phase of the career cycle, if not handled adequately, ________. A) can lead to culture shock B) can lead to the negation of the long-term benefits of that executive's international experience C) is most likely to nullify the monetary benefits associated with the executive's international experience D) is most likely to decrease general apathy toward overseas assignments

Jade International is a highly diversified global firm with headquarters in New Jersey. It manufactures a variety of products ranging from home security systems to automotive components. Jade's 100,000 employees work at facilities located in more than 60 countries around the world. Jade frequently sends American managers overseas to manage the firm's foreign facilities. The HR department is considering the idea of redesigning Jade's expatriate support services program. Which of the following, if true, best supports Jade's decision to provide assistance to trailing spouses in finding jobs overseas? A) Jade puts great emphasis on promoting the role of women in global management. B) The majority of Jade's expatriate managers have long-term international experience. C) Jade has lost a significant chunk of its global cadre in the recent past owing to its failure to offer feasible options to address the dual-career couples dilemma. D) Female managers at Jade have reported discriminatory treatment while on overseas assignments.

Which of the following is a recommendation by Tung for a successful repatriation program? A) offering support for dealing with family issues on early returns from assignment B) assigning additional professional responsibilities to the expatriate C) establishing a special organizational unit for the purposes of career planning and continuing guidance for the expatriate D) allowing the expatriate to choose alternate career paths

________ is one of the informal means that firms often use to help the trailing spouse find a position at the same location. A) Intercompany networking B) Organizational shuffling C) Predeparture training D) Global management

As women continue to move up the corporate ladder, the accompanying spouse is often male--estimated at more than ________ percent. A) 85 B) 5 C) 25 D) 50

Which of the following is the primary benefit for a firm that carefully manages its expatriates' careers? A) creating global opportunities for junior managers B) retaining managers with global experience and skills C) maintaining close connections with national subsidiaries D) recruiting fresh college graduates for global management positions

Lauryn, an American national, was sent to Japan on an assignment. According to her, it was during this time that she learned to understand situations from the viewpoint of local employees and business people. As an expatriate, which of the following skills did Lauryn attain? A) multiple perspectives B) ability to work with others C) tolerance for ambiguity D) technical skills

________ is optimized when career opportunities provided by the organization are congruent with repatriate career goals and aspirations. A) Team management B) Organizational efficiency C) Productivity D) Knowledge transfer

Which of the following is/are particularly important in joint ventures for the purposes of strategic planning, implementation, and production? A) ethnocentric hiring strategy B) dual-career couples C) multicultural teams D) rigid repatriation policies

The members of ________ interact through computer-mediated communication systems and are linked together across time, space, and organizational boundaries. A) virtual teams B) primary groups C) local teams D) cliques

Which of the following refers to a language- and communication-related issue that poses a challenge to many virtual global teams? A) lack of face-to-face meetings to establish trust or for cross-interaction processes such as brainstorming B) variable skill levels and willingness to interact through virtual media C) lack of visibility of nonverbal cues D) variations in attitudes and expectations toward time

________ operate(s) outside the formal structure, focusing on innovation and improvement. A) Strategic teams B) Primary groups C) Parallel global virtual teams D) The top management

According to a survey of Alcoa's virtual team members, successful team leaders ________. A) have the ability to convey goals and resolve conflicts B) are more likely to use autocratic power C) are more likely to discourage innovation D) have limited international experience

________ is the ability to build teams and resolve conflicts. A) External alignment B) External vision C) Task facilitation D) Interpersonal facilitation

________ is the ability to convey goals and train team members to use the collaborative technology effectively. A) External alignment B) Resource acquisition C) Task facilitation D) Interpersonal facilitation

The ability to mesh the team's activities with the organization's goals is called ________. A) task facilitation B) interpersonal facilitation C) resource acquisition D) external alignment

According to the Joshi study, the most critical conflicts related to transnational teams are between ________. A) subsidiaries B) expatriates C) headquarters and subsidiaries D) headquarters and expatriates

Overall, more managerial opportunities are available for ________ women than for women in most other countries. A) Russian B) Chinese C) Arabian D) American

The process through which managers and workers determine their workplace relationships is known as ________. A) assimilation B) labor relations C) collective bargaining D) international human resources management

Which of the following is the most likely reason for falling union membership in industrialized countries? A) a decrease in the proportion of white-collar and service workers as proportionate to manufacturing workers B) rising proportion of temporary and part-time workers C) the declining popularity of unions among the older generations D) a reduced number of firms offshoring white-collar jobs