Handelshøyskolen BI Institutt for interkulturell kommunikasjon og språk Skriftlig eksamen i: SPÅ 96561 Intercultural Communication in English Studium: Høyskolekandidatstudiet Grunnfag i markedsføring og internasjonalisering Eksamensdato: 30.11.98, kl. 09.00-14.00 Tillatte hjelpemidler: Engelsk-engelsk ordbok Antall sider: Antall vedlegg: 2 0 Innføringsark: Linjer Part 1 (counts 20%) Cases Answer ONE of the following questions: Either 1) You are the Managing Director of Long-range Sporting Goods. You are planning to penetrate the Norwegian market and are looking for a distributor for your golf equipment. The American Chamber of Commerce has given you the names of several interesting companies in Norway You have decided to write a letter to the company that you find the most suitable (XYZ Distributors) in order to set up a meeting. In your letter inform XYZ Distributors about your plans and outline some of the central issues you would like to discuss with them. Address the letter to: Jørn Jonson, Managing Director, XYZ Distributors, Smørsoppsvn. 38, 0253 Oslo, Norway. Or 2) You are the head of the negotiation team of the Primary Sheet Metal Workers Union. Write a report to the workers at Midland Heating and Cooling giving details from your recent negotiation on wages and working conditions with the management at the company. 1 Recommend whether or not your members should accept the terms offered by the management. Part 2 (counts 40%) Intercultural Communication Answer ONE of the following questions: Either 1) Write an essay in which you compare and contrast the British and American business cultures. Or 2) Mole claims that leadership styles vary considerably between different business cultures. How? Write an essay in which you give examples of differences between the Norwegian leadership style and that of at least one other business culture. Consider as many aspects of leadership as possible. Part 3 (counts 40%) US/UK Society/Economy Answer ONE of the following questions: Either 1) Write an essay in which you discuss whether the United States is best described as a society marked by division or equality? Or 2) Write an essay in which you present and analyse what you see as the major strengths of either the American or the British economies. 2 New 2-vektallseksam Part 1 (counts 50%) Intercultural Communication Answer ONE of the following questions: Either 1) You work in the Norwegian branch of an international software company. You have been asked by your manager to write a letter to an American associate (Susan Hopkins) who has recently heard that she will be spending the next two years working in your company in Norway. In your letter outline differences (and similarities) between the American and Norwegian working environments in order to help her adapt quickly to Norwegian conditions. Focus on areas that you feel are of central importance. Address your letter to, Ms. Susan Hopkins, Project Manager, Software Inc., 1725 Broad St., Wyoming, USA. Or 2) You work in the Human Resources department of a Norwegian engineering company that is doing an increasing amount of its business abroad. Your manager (Hans Hansen) has asked you to help him decide the training needs for the company’s personnel in time for the 1999 budget. You feel that it is essential for the staff at your company to learn more about cultural differences in order to do a better job in the international business environment. Write a report for your manager in which you outline the importance of arranging courses providing intercultural training. Because the working language of the company is English, you will write the report in that language. Try to make your report as specific as possible. 3 Part 2 (counts 50%) US/UK Society/Economy Answer ONE of the following questions: Either 1) Write an essay in which you discuss whether the United States is best described as a society marked by division or equality? Or 2) Write an essay in which you present and analyse what you see as the major strengths of either the American or the British economies. 4