Reading TEXT:

Cultural Expectations and Leadership

            
1- Gabriela worked for a multinational company as a successful project manager in
Brazil and was transferred to manage a team in Sweden. She was excited about her
new role but soon realised that managing her new team would be a challenge.
2- Despite their friendliness, Gabriela didn’t feel respected as a leader. Her new staff
would question her proposals openly in meetings, and when she gave them
instructions on how to carry out a task, they would often go about it in their own way without checking with her. When
she announced her decisions on the project, they would continue giving their opinions as if it was still up for discussion.
After weeks of frustration, Gabriela emailed her Swedish manager about the issues she was facing with her team. Her
manager simply asked her if she felt her team was still performing, and what she thought would help her better
collaborate with her team members. Gabriela found her manager vague and didn’t feel as if he was managing the
situation satisfactorily.
3- What Gabriela was experiencing was a cultural clash in expectations. She was used to a more hierarchical framework
where the team leader and manager took control and gave specific instructions on how things were to be done. This
more directive management style worked well for her and her team in Brazil but did not transfer well to her new team in
Sweden, who were more used to a flatter hierarchy where decision making was more democratic. When Gabriela took
the issue to her Swedish manager, rather than stepping in with directions about what to do, her manager took on the role
of coach and focused on getting her to come up with her own solutions instead.
4- Dutch social psychologist Geert Hofstede uses the concept of ‘power distance’ to describe how power is distributed
and how hierarchy is perceived in different cultures. In her previous work environment, Gabriela was used to a high
power distance culture where power and authority are respected and everyone has their rightful place. In such a culture,
leaders make the big decisions and are not often challenged. Her Swedish team, however, were used to working in a low
power distance culture where subordinates often work together with their bosses to find solutions and make decisions.
Here, leaders act as coaches or mentors who encourage independent thought and expect to be challenged.
5- When Gabriela became aware of the cultural differences between her and her team, she took the initiative to have an
open conversation with them about their feelings about her leadership. Pleased to be asked for their thoughts, Gabriela’s
team openly expressed that they were not used to being told what to do. They enjoyed having more room for initiative
and creative freedom. When she told her team exactly what she needed them to do, they felt that she didn’t trust them
to do their job well. They realised that Gabriela was taking it personally when they tried to challenge or make changes to
her decisions, and were able to explain that it was how they’d always worked.
6- With a better understanding of the underlying reasons behind each other’s behaviour, Gabriela and her team were
able to adapt their way of working. Gabriela was then able to make adjustments to her management style so as to better
fit the expectations of her team and more effectively motivate her team to achieve their goals.

Management Across Cultures: Challenges and Strategies

- abridged-
 MID-SEMESTER
ENGLISH Test N°1
2019

Name= ___________________ Number= ___ STIC_L1_ …

I – READING COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS:

 1/ Are the fallowing statements True or False? Circle the right answer.

a- Gabriela’s management style worked well with her team in Brazil but not with her team in T/F
Sweden.
b- Her team questioned her proposals and her decisions because they didn’t trust or respect her. T/F
c- She was satisfied with her Swedish manager’s way of dealing with her problem T/F
d- She found it helpful to talk openly with her team about the differences in their expectations. T/F
e- She faced a problem with her Swedish team because her management style was old- T/F
fashioned and wrong for the modern world.
f- The author believes that people from high power distance cultures and low power distance T/F
cultures should never work together.

2/ With reference to the text, write the sentence numbers in the correct group.
1. The manager gives the team detailed instructions on what to do.
2. The manager makes the big decisions.
3. Team members do not usually challenge the manager.
4. The manager acts as a guide but encourages input from the team.
5. The manager gives specific advice to help solve problems.
6. The manager involves the team in making decisions together.
7. The manager has a lot of control over what happens.
8. Team members can take the initiative to do things their way.
9. The manager encourages the team to find their own solutions.
10. Team members can often challenge the manager.
Expectations in a high power distance Expectations in a low power distance
culture culture

1 + … + …+ …+ … … + … + … + … + 10

3/ Find words in the text that nearly mean:

a- producing and selling goods in several different countries (P.1) = _____________

b- unclear, not specific or definite (P.2)=________________
c- based on the idea that everyone is equal and should be involved in making decisions (P.3)= ___________
d- people who have a less important position in an organization (P.4)= _____________
4/ What do the underlined words in the text refer to?
a- “them” refers to ______________________________
b- “he” refers to _______________________________

II- LANGUAGE:
1- Circle the right alternative.
Many teachers say their students should learn a foreign language. Learning a second language is not the
same (as / like / such) learning a first language. It takes (enough / little / a long) time to learn any language. It
is said that Chinese is the world´s (harder / hardest / hardly) language to master. English is quite difficult
because of all the exceptions (who / which / what) have to be learnt. You can learn the basic structures of a
language quite quickly, but only if you (want / will to / are willing to) make an effort. (Plenty / A lot of/ Lots)
people aren´t used to studying grammar in their own language. Many adult students wish they had started
their language studies earlier. In some countries students have to spend much time working ( on / at / in)
their own. There aren´t any easy ways of learning a foreign language in your own country. Some people try
to improve their English by listening to the BBC World Service. ( Live / Life / Living) with a foreign family can be
also a good way to learn a language. Some people think it´s time we all learnt a single international language.

2- Circle the right alternative.

1- ___ women have equal employment rights to men, there still exists a glass ceiling, in many countries,
which can prevent them from reaching the upper levels of a company.
a- However
b- Although
c- Despite

2- Would you be surprised if it ___ next July?

a- snows
b- will snow
c. snowed
3- Sorry! I can’t join you this afternoon. I have ____ work to do.
a- a lot of
b- a little
c- little

3- Fill in the blanks with 8 words from the list given below.

fulfilling then beliefs than reject launched trend read broaden The
co-
founder of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, has ______________ what could be the world's largest ever book club. Zuckerberg
announced last week that his New Year's resolution was to read a book every other week. He _______________ invited his 30
million followers to join him in his literary pursuit. He created his own Facebook page called A Year of Books, on which he will
announce what his latest _______________ is and ask people to discuss the book with him. He explained the rationale for his
initiative in a post, saying: "I'm excited for my reading challenge. I've found reading books very intellectually ______________.
Books allow you to fully explore a topic and immerse yourself in a deeper way _______________ most media today."
Zuckerberg has already selected his first book, 'The End of Power' by Moises Naim. He explained: "It's a book that explores
how the world is shifting to give individual people more power that was traditionally only held by large governments,
militaries and other organizations. The _____________ towards giving people more power is one I believe in deeply, and I'm
looking forward to reading this book and exploring this in more detail." Zuckerberg takes on a challenge every year as a way
to _____________ his perspectives and learn more about the world, different cultures, ____________, histories and
technologies. A previous task was to learn to speak Mandarin, which he has managed to do.

4/ Write the number names in words.

- 236, 461, 218: (BrE) ____________________________________________________ ____________
- 2/3: (BrE) ____________________________________________________________________________________
 5/ Rewrite the sentences given bellow using what is given.
a. There was a sudden decrease in sales.
 Sales _____________________________________________________
b. They have booked the leisure centre for a children’s party on Saturday.
 The leisure centre ____________________________________________

ANSWERS
Task 1
1. True
2. False
3. False
4. True
5. False
6. False

Task 2

Expectations in a high power distance Expectations in a low power distance

culture culture

1. The manager gives the team detailed 4. The manager acts as a guide but

instructions on what to do. encourages input from the team.

2. The manager makes the big decisions. 6. The manager involves the team in making

3. Team members do not usually challenge decisions together.

the manager. 8. Team members can take the initiative to do

5. The manager gives specific advice to help things their way.

solve problems. 9. The manager encourages the team to find

7. The manager has a lot of control over what their own solutions.

happens. 10. Team members can often challenge the

manager.

3/ Find words in the text that nearly mean:

a- producing and selling goods in several different

countries (P.1) = _multinational _______
b- unclear, not specific or definite (P.2)=________ vague
________
c- based on the idea that everyone is equal and should
be involved in making decisions (P.3)= __ democratic _____
d- people who have a less important position in an
organization (P.4)= _______ subordinates ______

LANGUAGE

1- Circle the right alternative.

The co-founder of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, has launched what could be the world's largest ever book club.
Zuckerberg announced last week that his New Year's resolution was to read a book every other week. He then invited his
30 million followers to join him in his literary pursuit. He created his own Facebook page called A Year of Books, on which
he will announce what his latest read is and ask people to discuss the book with him. He explained the rationale for his
 initiative in a post, saying: "I'm excited for my reading challenge. I've found reading books very intellectually fulfilling.
Books allow you to fully explore a topic and immerse yourself in a deeper way than most media today."
Zuckerberg has already selected his first book, 'The End of Power' by Moises Naim. He explained: "It's a book that
explores how the world is shifting to give individual people more power that was traditionally only held by large
governments, militaries and other organizations. The trend towards giving people more power is one I believe in deeply,
and I'm looking forward to reading this book and exploring this in more detail." Zuckerberg takes on a challenge every
year as a way to broaden his perspectives and learn more about the world, different cultures, beliefs, histories and
technologies. A previous task was to learn to speak Mandarin, which he has managed to do.

2- Circle the right alternative.

1- ___ women have equal employment rights to men, there still exists a glass ceiling, in many countries,
which can prevent them from reaching the upper levels of a company.
a- However
b- Although
c- Despite
2- Would you be surprised if it ___ next July?
a- snows
b- will snow
c. snowed

3- Sorry! I can’t join you this afternoon. I have ____ work to do.
a- a lot of
b- a little
c- little

3- Fill in the blanks with 8 words from the list given below.
Many teachers say their students should learn a foreign language. Learning a second language is not the
same (as / like / such) learning a first language. It takes (enough / little / a long) time to learn any language. It
is said that Chinese is the world´s (harder / hardest / hardly) language to master. English is quite difficult
because of all the exceptions (who / which / what) have to be learnt. You can learn the basic structures of a
language quite quickly, but only if you (are wanting / will to / are willing to) make an effort. (Plenty / A lot of/
Lots) people aren´t used to studying grammar in their own language. Many adult students wish they had
started their language studies earlier. In some countries students have to spend much time working (on / at /
in) their own. There aren´t any easy ways of learning a foreign language in your own country. Some people
try to improve their English by listening to the BBC World Service. (Live / Life / Living) with a foreign
family can be a good way to learn a language. Some people think it´s time we all learnt a single international
language.
4/ Write the number names in words.

- 236, 461, 218: two hundred and thirty-six million, four hundred and sixty-one thousand, two hundred and
eighteen
- 2/3: two thirds

5/ Rewrite the sentences given bellow using what is given.

a. There was a sudden decrease in sales.
 Sales _decreased suddenly._______________________
b. They have booked the leisure centre for a children’s party on Saturday.
 The leisure centre ____has been booked for a children’s party on Sunday.____________