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ETHICS IN DATA COLLECTION 259

native languages, but in some cases they actually become offensive. Here are
some examples:

1. GM took a step back when it tried to market the NOVA in Central and South
America. In Spanish, “No va” means “it doesn’t go.”
2. Pepsi’s “Come Alive With the Pepsi Generation,” when translated into Chi-
nese, means “Pepsi brings Your Ancestors From the Grave.”
3. Frank Perdue’s chicken slogan, “It takes a strong man to make a tender
chicken” translates in Spanish to, “It takes an aroused man to make a chicken
affectionate.”
4. When American Airlines wanted to advertise its new leather first-class seats to
Mexico, its “Fly in Leather” campaign would have literally translated to “Fly
Naked” in Spanish.
5. The “Got Milk?” in Spanish would translate to “Are you lactating?”

Issues in Data Collection
At least three issues are important for cross-cultural data collection—response
equivalence, timing of data collection, and the status of the individual collecting
the data. Response equivalence is ensured by adopting uniform data collection
procedures in the different cultures. Identical methods of introducing the study,
the researcher, task instructions, and closing remarks, in personally administered
questionnaires, would provide equivalence in motivation, goal orientation, and
response attitudes. Timing of data collected across cultures is also critical for
cross-cultural comparison. Data collection should be completed within accept-
able time frames in the different countries—say within 3 to 4 months. If too much
time elapses in collecting data in the different countries, much might change dur-
ing the time interval in either country or all the countries.
As pointed out as early as 1969 by Mitchell, in interview surveys, the egalitar-
ian oriented interviewing style used in the West may not be appropriate in soci-
eties that have well-defined status and authority structures. Also, when a
foreigner comes to collect data, the responses might be biased for fear of por-
traying the country to a “foreigner” in an “adverse light” (Sekaran, 1983). The
researcher has to be sensitive to these cultural nuances while engaging in cross-
cultural research. It is worthwhile collaborating with a local researcher while
developing and administering the research instrument, particularly when the lan-
guage and customs of the respondents are different from those of the researcher.

MANAGERIAL ADVANTAGE

As a manager, you will perhaps engage consultants to do research and may not
be collecting data yourself through interviews, questionnaires, or observation.
However, during those instances, when you will perforce have to obtain work-
related information through interviews with clients, employees, or others, you
will know how to phrase unbiased questions to elicit the right types of useful