QUESTIONS AND GUIDELINES FOR END-OF-TERM

ASSIGNMENT
Subject: GTVH 1 (CROSS-CULTURAL COMMUNICATION)
(Academic year 2021-2022)
Questions
Question 1 (5 marks): about the movie “Outsourced”

Suppose you are Todd. After coming back to your country, write an article about your experiences in the
new culture in India. You should analyze your culture shock and adaptation to the new life in India.
Based on your experiences, give some advice to someone who moves to work in India for some time (in
about 1000 words).

Question 2 (5 marks): understanding yourself and cross-cultural communication

In reference to exercises on individualism/collectivism and high/low context culture of Chapter 2,

describe your cultural tendency, analyze cultural values you hold and give examples of your behaviors
that are influenced by those values. Comment on the reliability and validity of these hypotheses (that is
to say, to what extent, are the values you hold consistent with Hofstede’s individualism/collectivism
hypothesis and Hall’s high/low context culture theory on Vietnamese cultural values? Why or why not
consistent?) In what way can this course of cross-cultural communication help you in communicating
with people from another culture (in about 1000 words).

Guidelines and checklist

Question 1 (5 marks): about the movie “Outsourced”

Analyze Todd’s experiences in the new culture in India and suggestions for someone moving to work
there (in about 1000 words)

Checklist and marking criteria

Main ideas Supporting ideas Criteria and marks

Cultural Todd’s conflict or  You must cite a definition of culture shock

conflict/shock: shock or conflict.

 Describe and analyze Todd’s culture shock

Definition/concept and symptoms

1.5 marks

Reasons for/causes Todd’s factors
of culture shock influencing his culture
shock.
 You should talk about Todd’s motivation
 Analyze Todd’s ethnocentrism
 Other factors such as personality,
relationships, knowledge of India

1.5 marks

Adaptation: Todd’s adaptation  You should discuss the theory of

adjustment process in a new culture.
Definition/concept
 Describe and analyze how Todd moved
from culture shock to adaptation to Indian
culture.

1.5 marks

Language and Correct grammar and You must express your ideas in proper academic
references spelling, diverse English, free from spelling and grammatical
structures and mistakes. You should also know how to cite
vocabulary, and knowledge taken from authors, and list references
references in APA style.

0.5 m

Examples from a student’s assignment: Below are examples of how to cite a definition and how to
describe Todd’s ethnocentric behavior.

Definition of ethnocentrism

Levine and Adelman (1982) conceptualize ethnocentrism as the only norm/standard............ This attitude
prevents us from accepting and properly understanding behaviors of people from other cultures.

Description and analysis of Todd’s ethnocentric attitudes or behavior

In the movie, Todd believed that his American way of running the department was the best, so at first
he tried to train the staff to strictly follow the US way..............................

References

Levine, D.R. & Adelman, M.B. (1982). Beyond Language. NJ: Prentice Hall Regents
Question 2 (5 marks): understanding yourself and cross-cultural communication

In reference to exercises on individualism/collectivism and high/low context culture of Chapter 2,

describe your cultural tendency, analyze cultural values you hold and give examples of your behaviors
that are influenced by those values. Comment on the reliability and validity of these hypotheses (that is
to say, to what extent, are the values you hold consistent with Hofstede’s individualism/collectivism
hypothesis and Hall’s high/low context culture theory on Vietnamese cultural values? Why or why not
consistent?) In what way can this course of cross-cultural communication help you in communicating
with people from another culture (in about 1000 words).

Checklist and marking criteria

Main ideas Supporting ideas Criteria and marks

Individualism Hofstede’s hypothesis:  You must discuss Hofstede’s hypothesis of

/collectivism cultural values individualism/collectivism

Your tendency  Describe your tendency in reference to the

exercise in Chapter 2
Your values and
examples of behaviors  Analyze your values and how they influence
your behaviors

1 mark

High/low context Hall’s hypothesis:  You must discuss Hall’s hypothesis of

culture Values high/low context culture

Your tendency  Describe your tendency in reference to the

exercise in Chapter 2 and Chapter 4
Your values and
examples of behaviors  Analyze your values and how they influence
your behaviors

1 mark

Reliability and Consistency of your  You must point out how

validity of the values and the consistent/inconsistent your values and the
hypotheses hypotheses hypotheses are.

reliability and validity  Explain the reasons for the

consistency/inconsistency

 Make comments on reliability and validity of

the hypotheses
 1 mark

How this course can Attitudes You should discuss how the course helps
help you
Knowledge  raise your awareness of cultural differences,
and cultural influences on communication,
Skills
 make what changes in your attitudes,

 develop what skills.

1.5 marks

Language and Correct grammar and You must express your ideas in proper academic
references spelling, diverse English, free from spelling and grammatical mistakes.
structures and You should also know how to cite knowledge taken
vocabulary, and from authors, and list references in APA style.
references
0.5 m

The end.