Exercise 8 CGE H00283240

“Outsourced” - the movie study guide

You are going to watch and create a reflection on the film "Outsourced".

These questions will help you. If you miss watching the film in class, you may get a copy from the library and watch it at home. Here are some clips from "Outsourced"

http://www.outsourcedthemovie.com/Clips/ms_educlips.html

Cultural Dimensions in Outsourced

As you watch the film, answer the questions and write down any examples of different cultural dimensions. This will help you with your reflection.

Cultural Dimension	Character Todd, Puro, Aisha or other	Outsourced Scene or Circumstance
Low-context culture	todd	Airport
High-context culture	todd	Auntie house
Individualism	todd	Going to india
Collectivism	India people / puro	Street / washing clothes
Low power distance	Todd / aisha	Dave office
High power distance	puro	Todd office
Uncertainty tolerance	aisha	class
Uncertainty avoidance	Auntie Ji / Todd	Aunti Ji house / class
Task orientation	Todd	Learning people in class
Social orientation	Puro L Aunie Ji	Aunty Ji house

Reflection

Create a reflection about the movie Outsourced using the PowerPoint I give you. Show that you really understand the above cultural concepts.

1. As soon as Todd arrives, he experiences the discomfort of being disoriented in a
strange new place. What happens at the airport?  The guy who should take Todd didn’t take him because he wrote his name wrong.

2. When a friendly traveler helps him get on the train, what does he tell him to do?
To jump in the train

3. When he gets on the train, he cannot find an empty seat. How is this problem
solved for him? How might this be a cultural solution?
He sat in something

4. As any exchange student, he has a lot of experiences trying new food. His first
encounter is with an iced drink. What happens? They gave him ice cream

5. First encounters with a culture can be shocking – Todd sees crowded streets with
cows, noise, and a man urinating in the street. But how does his host describe the
city?  The host described the city as nice and clean

6. Even though the host Puro speaks English, Todd uses American slang a lot
without thinking. So as not to insult Puro, what does he say the meaning of
Schmuck is?  He said it refer to a nice guy

7. Todd wants to check in to a hotel. But Puro insists he comes to a boarding house.
What is the reason he gives Todd? Puro said if Todd check in a hotel he will be lonely

8. As soon as they meet, Aunti Ji starts asking very intimate questions that
Americans who have just met would never ask. What kind of things does she ask?
What is ypur good name , What is your salary , Are you married , Why did you break up with your girlfriend
9. During his first conversation with Aunti Ji he makes two big mistakes. What are
they?  He Ate with his left hand , He put his hand back in the food after he put it in the mouth

10. The Golden Rule says do unto others as you would have them do unto you. That
means his Indian hosts and friends are trying to make him comfortable the way
they would be comfortable. How does this apply when the servant is preparing
tea for Todd? She put extra sugar for him

11. How does Todd figure out why one does not eat food with the left hand?
From the guy who was behind them . he showed Todd that the left hand usually used for washing .

12. What is ethnocentric about his statement "You need to learn about America"?
It  means you should have the American accient

13. Why do they disagree on how a "native" speaks English?

14. What doesn't Todd understand about the Indians' response to the "cattle brand"?

15. What is Todd's reaction to "You need to learn about India"? What stage of culture
shock might it represent?

16. He calls home several times. Why? What stage of culture shock might provoke
calls home?

17. What mistakes in language usage are represented in the recording of the call about
"a rubber"?

18. Why is he so eager to go to McDonnells?

19. Todd doesn't understand bargaining. How does the Indian respond to this?

20. What does I.N.D.I.A. stand for?

21. What advise does his fellow American have for him?

22. When Todd develops the incentive system, he has begun to adapt to India. How
has he adapted?

23. When he looks at the cow in the office the second time, why is his reaction so
different?

24. Explain the difference between American and Indian cultures when Todd and
Puro discuss how often he visits his family and why he doesn't live with them.

25. What cultural values are involved in the exchange between Aunti Ji and Todd
about ironing his underwear?

26. How well does Todd handle himself when he is invited over the wall to an Indian
home for a meal?

27. In what ways does he show he has adapted?

28. When the call center floods and they are shut down, Todd finds an "Indian"
solution. What is it?

29. When Todd comes home, there are several signs that his Indian experience has
influenced him. Name three ways he has become more "Indian".


-Florida Study Guide