Homework 2, Interview GuideThis assignment helps you focus on.docx

Homework 2, Interview Guide:
This assignment helps you focus on an important course goal--
cultural values and how they may influence communication
expectations for a manager and leader. It serves as a cornerstone
to several course learning objectives.
The assignment has a series of DUE Dates.
See the LEO link for the schedule.
What are the reasons for different due dates?
SEE Section at the end of this guide.
Assignment Page Length:
Expect to write 5 or more pages.
Page length is NOT a requirement of the assignment, but
gathering, reporting, and analyzing information are.
Choosing Your Interviewee
Prepare yourself to do an interview of a colleague, whose early
life/childhood was spent in a very different location
. For instance, if you lived your early childhood in Nigeria,
then you might want to interview a colleague or friend from the
Caribbean or the USA--or somewhere else, but
do not interview
someone from Nigeria. If you were born in the US, then you

might ask a work or class mate from Nigeria, or the Caribbean
or a
place other than the USA
. If you are a part of a family that immigrated to the US,
interview someone who is
not
from the country of your family.
If you are in the military or with a contracting group, and have
a top security clearance, then email me to discuss your
interview plans.
Do not interview your boss or a direct report—the existing work
relationships make it difficult to complete the assignment.
Do not interview a very close friend because you are likely to
skip some ideas due to being familiar.
Consider choosing a classmate in this course.
You then can exchange interview information quickly.
Note:
Interviewing a classmate is not required.
Your choice of interviewee is important to being successful in
this assignment.
If you have questions about the differences between your
childhood location and the person you are thinking about
interviewing, then send me an email (
[email protected]
)
Do NOT complete your interview by email.

Use f2f, phone or an online chat.
(LEO has a personal chat option).
Adler’s book, Chapter 3 helps you think about exactly how to
gather information about culture from the person you are
interviewing.
Read carefully.
To make the questions more concise and easier to use, they are
adapted and listed here
.
Please use the questions below to make notes about comments
from the interview on the following topics:
Career Advancement, Family Background and Cultural
awareness.
Survey 1
Adapted from Adler (2008) pages 88-89.
Career Advancement:
1.
What type of education did your interviewee receive?
Public?

Private?
Were the schools led by a religious-based group?
In comparing education, how does your interviewee describe his
or her education to peers—others in the community in which
s/he grew up?
Was it similar?
Better?
2.
Does your interviewee have advanced degrees?
Describe.
3.
Why did your interviewee choose his or her profession?
Is this profession similar to what his or her father/mother had
for a career? Similar field?
Does your interviewee consider the profession to be one that
leads to success?
4.
What are the reasons your interviewee works?
Does s/he work to enjoy family life, rewards that earnings
bring—work to live?

Does s/he work to have a sense of self-worth, be seen as a
responsible member of society --live to work?
5.
What does your interviewee see as important to career
advancement?
Being loyal to current employment—careful attention to
directives from superiors?
Being innovative and proposing ideas?
Having special expertise?
6.
At work, does your interviewee work with people from different
backgrounds?
How does that diversity impact work?
Is diversity seen as a resource, or is diversity seen as something
not discussed?
RETURN to the questions above and make notes about how you
see your career advancement.
To revise the questions, use the word “you” instead of “your
interviewee”. An example of using the questions for your
answers:
“What type of education did you receive?

Public? Private? Were the schools led by a religious group?
How do you see your education in comparison to your peers?”
Answer all the questions for yourself that are a part of this
section.
Family Background:
1.
How large a family does your interviewee come from?
How many brothers and sisters does s/he have?
Is your interviewee the oldest?
The youngest?
2.
Is your interviewee married?
Whom did s/he marry?
Was it an arranged marriage?
Does the husband’s family influence decisions made by the
interviewee/spouse…such as where the interviewee lives today?

3.
Does your interviewee have children?
How many?
How does your interviewee describe being a parent of
children—very close, very important, etc.
What is the responsibility your interviewee believes s/he must
hold for being a loving parent?
4.
When describing family life, who is included?
Immediate family?
Extended family—aunts, uncles, cousins, siblings of other
marriages?
How often does the family gather?
Does the interviewee consider family to be very important?
In what ways?
Economic Indicators:
1.
What is the socio-economic status of the family?

Are they among the wealthiest?
The poorest?
Did the interviewee’s parents inherit family wealth or earn it?
How?
Is the family highly regarded by the community?
What are the reasons your interviewee believes this respect is
given to his/her family?
2.
What type of home does your interviewee live in today?
Is it similar in economic status to his/her parents?
see your family background and economic indicators. To revise
the questions, use the word “you” instead of “your interviewee”.
An example of using the questions for your answers:
“How large a family do you come from?
How many brothers and sisters do you have?”
Answer all the questions for yourself that are a part of this
section.

Cultural Background:
1.
Is your interviewee’s culture closely tied to a religious faith?
What faith?
How important is that religion to your interviewee?
2.
Does your interviewee speak more than one language?
What languages?
What’s the importance of speaking more than one language from
your interviewee’s view?
3.
What does your interviewee think about your culture?
What does s/he see as strengths of your culture?
4.
What annoys your interviewee about your country’s culture?

Is this a weakness?
5.
In what ways does your interviewee see your country as being
ahead of his or hers?
In what ways does s/he see his or her culture having advantages
over your country’s?
see aspects of culture that form a background of beliefs. Answer
all the questions for yourself that are a part of this section.
For questions #4 and #5, ask yourself how you see the
background culture of your interviewee.
Were there some assumptions you had about that culture?
SURVEY 2:
Values related to Society (Country) Culture:
Use of Hofstede-- Both Interviewee and You (Interviewer)
Complete.

You may want to give your interviewee a written copy of the
questions below.
You will find the country scores using this web link:
http://geert-hofstede.com/countries.html
Rate values 2x, indicating replies for both your interviewee
and
yourself.
Value categories are:
power distance, individualism-collectivism, masculinity,
uncertainty avoidance and pragmatism/future orientation.
Adapted from Northouse (2013) pages 415-420, and research
from Hofstede.
In determining ratings, read each question—ranking scale varies
to assist in clarifying operating cultural values.
Power Distance:
In my culture, direct reports/workers/staff are expected to:
obey superiors
1(rarely)

2
3
4
5 (consistently)
In my culture, power is concentrated or held at the top level of
society
1 (rarely)
2
3
4
5 (consistently by few people)
In my culture people believe they can question superiors about
assignments

1 (often)
2
3
4
5 (rarely)
In my culture people believe they can disagree with superiors
1 (often)
2
3
4
5 (rarely)
In my culture, power is shared easily throughout the society
1 (by many successful people)
2
3

4
5 (highly dependent on luck)
Total points and enter:
Interviewee’s score: _____
Your score:
______
_____ check here if Different by 3 or more points.
Research Hofstede website for country scores:
Hofstede Power distance score (interviewee’s country)_____
Hostede
Power Distance score (interviewer- your country)_____
INDIVIDUALISM-Collectivism

In my culture people believe that self-reliance is central to
achieving success.
1 (widely accepted)
2
3
4
5 (varies)
My culture is one that holds a concern for others as being a top
priority.
1 (widely believed)
2
3
4
5 (varies, depending on relationship)
In my culture children seek to follow the wisdom of their
parents and often have careers and adult lives that are similar.

1(most often)
2
3
4
5 (not so often, rarely)
My culture encourages group loyalty, even when individual
goals differ.
1(seldom)
2
3
4
5 (widely accepted practice for success)
The economic system of my culture reinforces individual action.
1
2
3
4

5 (widely adhered to)
Your score:
______
_____ check here if Different by 3 or more points.
The higher the score, the more likely are values to be
INDIVIDUALISTIC.
The lower the score, the more likely are values to be
COLLECTIVE.
Hofstede Individualism score (interviewee’s country)_____
Hostede
Individualism score (interviewer- your country)_____
Note:

If the Individualism score is below 50, then the country’s
culture will be more group-oriented, or collective.
MAS (Masculine, with attitudes supporting competition to
achieve success)
In my culture, people are assertive to assure achievement.
1(rarely)
2
3
4
5 (most of the time)
In my culture, managers succeed when they demonstrate
toughness.
1(rarely)
2
3
4

5 (most of the time)
In my culture it is ok to demonstrate compassion or tenderness.
1 (much of the time) 2
3
4
5 (rarely)
In my culture, positions of leadership are more easily gained by
men.
1(gender makes no difference)
2
3
4
5 (much of the time)
In my culture, people are rewarded for performance results.
1(performance is one of many variables) 23

4
5 (top priority)
Your score:
______
_____ check here if Different by 3 or more points
Hofstede MAS score (interviewee’s country)_____
Hostede
MAS score (interviewer- your country)_____
Note:
If the MAS score is above 50 then the culture holds priority for
competition and achievement.
If the score is below 50, then the country’s culture will be more
feminine or cooperative/compassionately oriented.

Uncertainty Avoidance
When the score is lower, the values for taking on unknown
actions or risks and being resilient are higher priorities.
When the avoidance score is higher, then there is more of a
need to have detailed plans and structure or management
guidance.
From my observations, being orderly and being consistent
should be emphasized.
1 (rarely) 2
3
4

5 (often; rules/guidelines are important)
From my observations, professionals should innovate and try
things out (experiment/ be an entrepreneur
1(most of the time)
2
3
4
5 (not very much)
In my society, there are expectations for spelling things
out/getting
work instructions so that staff know what to do.
1 (not very much)
2
3

4
5 (often)
Your score:
______
Hofstede Uncertainty Avoidance score (interviewee’s
country)_____
Hostede
Uncertainty Avoidance score (interviewer- your country)_____
Note:
If the Uncertainty score is below 50, then the country’s culture
will be more one that holds expectations for professionals
taking risk.

Pragmatism (or Future Orientation)
In my society, people are expected to give attention to
immediate problems and use tools (such as contracts/written
agreements or policies) to solve these problems
1(almost all the time)
2
3
4
5 (not likely)
In my society, people are expected to give priority to planning
for the future, so much so that written agreements are often
overlooked
1(not often)
2
3
4

5 (consistently)
In my society the way to think about the future is to use polls
and other information to identify current market expectations
(norms)
1(almost all the time)
2
3
4
5 (not likely)
Your score:
______

Hofstede Pragmatism score (interviewee’s country)_____
Hostede
Pragmatism score (interviewer- your country)_____
Note:
The Indulgence Dimension (Hofstede) is not surveyed.
In the interview, you may find your interviewee expressing an
attitude towards career and work that emphasizes spending time
on a life that uses work as a means to enjoying life and
spending time on entertainment, good food, socializing or travel
for self and/or family.
This attitude suggests more values towards indulgence.
If so, compare your attitudes towards indulgence of working to
have an income that allows for the “good life”.
Make notes.
ADD your survey responses as addenda (attachments) to your
assignment—very important!
Completing the Assignment:

Writing the Short-answer Essays
The assignment has two parts, with the 2
nd
part being optional.
Completing the 1
st
part (Short Answer Essays) helps you to earn up to 86 points
for the assignment.
Completing the 2
nd
part (a longer-form essay) adds up to 10 or more points to the
assignment score.
SEE last section for information about the scoring strategy.
Short Answer Essay answers:
Use good grammar and pay attention to sentence structure so
that your information is logical and clear.
When writing about a new topic within an answer, use a new
paragraph.
Short Answer Essay Questions:
1.
Using survey 1 data, write a summary description from your
interviewee for each of the following topics:

a)
Career Advancement
b)
Family life
c)
View of economic status (past, present)
(5 points)
2.
Using survey 1 data, write a summary description from your life
for each of the following topics:
a)
Career Advancement
b)
Family life
c)
View of economic status (past, present)
(5 points)

3.
Compare and contrast descriptive information about you and
your interviewee’s experiences.
What is similar about education/career, family life, or economic
status?
What is different about education/career, or economic status?
(7 points)
4.
Use answers to Survey 2 (attitudes towards cultural values,
based on Hofstede’s research).
Where applicable add background information about culture
from Survey 1.
Write a summary of your interviewee’s cultural values for the
following attitudes:
Power Distance
Individualism/Collectivism
MAS (masculinity (competitive) or feminine (cooperative)

Uncertainty avoidance
Pragmatism
(10 points)
5.
Compare and contrast your interviewee’s attitudes for the
cultural attitudes to his or her country of childhood.
What attitudes seem to align or are consistent with Hofstede’s
research?
What value attitudes seem to differ from Hofstede’s research?
(7 points)
6.
Use your answers to Survey 2 (attitudes towards cultural values,
based on Hofstede’s research).
Where applicable add background information about culture
from Survey 1.
Write a summary of your cultural values for the following
attitudes:

Power Distance
Individualism/Collectivism
MAS (masculinity (competitive) or feminine (cooperative)
Uncertainty avoidance
Pragmatism
(10 points)
7.
Compare and contrast your attitudes for the cultural values to
your country of childhood.
What attitudes seem to align or are consistent with Hofstede’s
research?
What value attitudes seem to differ from Hofstede’s research?
(7 points)
8.
If you had responsibility for managing work to be done by your
interviewee, what cultural values would you keep in mind?
Why?
(Write at least 2 paragraphs to explain your position). (7 points)

9.
Return to Adler text (chapter 3) describe a communication idea
that you would apply to assist you as a manager supervising the
interviewee.
How would you use the idea?
(Write at least 1 paragraph.
Make certain you list all of the sources used.
Use the APA reference list format.
Scoring Rubric for Part 1:
Content:
Answers contribute 63 points total.
See each answer.
Organization:
1.
Use complete sentences and correct grammar contribute up to
15 points.

2.
Writing answers so that there is one paragraph per topic within
an answer contributes 8 points.
Part 2 of the assignment (optional):
Longer-Form Essay
Success in graduate school depends on your skill for not only
learning important content and demonstrating that knowledge in
an assignment, but equally important is having additional
presentational skill for writing a longer-form document.
Future course work will require you to write coherent and
longer essays.
Part 2 of this assignment gives you the option and experience
for writing a longer-form paper.
Written presentation skills required to complete Part 2 add
competency for writing proposals, assessments, evaluations and
other reports professional managers are asked to do.
To complete Part 2:
1.
Use short essay answers.
Copy and paste the words you wrote into a longer-form draft.

Add ideas or text based on feedback to short-form answers.
2.
Insert headings or short titles to “signal” or indicate the section.
The heading is based on the theme or topic from each short
answer essay.
There will be several headings.
3.
Write/add a conclusion section.
The conclusion is a summary of the most important points.
4.
Write/add an introduction section.
The introduction should include a purpose statement.
5.
Review references used for short-answer essays.
Revise the references so that they appear as in-text cites.
6.
Add a reference list.
7.

Include a cover page.
Scoring Rubric for Part 2
(can add 10 or more points to the assignment.
Builds on Part 1)
1.
Evidence of content edit to add logic and organization (3
points)
2.
Demonstrates excellent academic format, with use of—
·
Headings for sections, to identify topics
·
Paragraphs with one idea and the first sentence identifying that
idea
·
An introduction section, including purpose statement
·
A conclusion that summarizes major topics
·

Correct in-text citations
·
Cover page with your name
·
Reference List
(7 points or more points)
Maximum points earned by successfully completing this
assignment (
Part 1 and Part 2
):
100

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