Navigating the Global Environment: Skill$-$Building Exercise

Exercise Overview

Interpersonal skills reflect the manager's ability to communicate with, understand, and motivate individuals and groups. Managers in international organizations must understand how cultural manners and norms affect communication with people in different areas of the world. This exercise will help you evaluate your current level of cultural awareness ind develop insights into areas where you can improve.

Exercise Background

As firms become increasingly globalized, they look for managers with international experience or skills. Yet many American college graduates do not have strong skills in foreign languages, global history, or international cultures.

Use your knowledge of international cultures to answer the following questions.

In which of the following countries would smiling in public be considered suspicious?

China

Indonesia

Japan

India