“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"
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
| Dave | office manager |
High-context culture
| Puro | asking to go another place |
Individualism
| Todd | travel to India alone |
Collectivism
| Indians | holy festival |
Low power distance
| Todd | saying no |
High power distance
| Aisha | take place Todd when he late |
Uncertainty tolerance
| Antiji | asking Todd question |
Uncertainty avoidance
| Todd | auntie Js house |
Task orientation
| Todd | India office |
Social orientation
| Puro | giving Todd healthy food |
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?
2. When a friendly traveler helps him get on the train, what does he tell him to do?
How could this advice apply to what an exchange student has to do?
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?
9. During his first conversation with Aunti Ji he makes two big mistakes. What are
they?
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?
12. What is ethnocentric about his statement "You need to learn about America"?
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"?
16. He calls home several times. Why? What stage of culture shock might provoke
calls home?
Indians are more attached and close to their families than Americans. They consider the family an important and number one priority in their lives and that explains why they live with their families even if they get older and what their parents mean to them. While in America people mostly move out in a very young age and get caught up in their busy lives away from their parents and they’re family and only gather when there’s an event such as weddings, Christmas and thanksgiving.
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?
First by calling his mother and planning to visit her, then the way he made his tea, and he drank it with his right hand, the small touch he added to the dollar plate he has and finally his mobile ringtone which was an Indian tune
strange new place. What happens at the airport?
He struggled trying to walk through the huge crowed at the airport, which was an abnormal scene for him. Then he got annoyed by all the taxi drivers around him, who were fighting over him
2. When a friendly traveler helps him get on the train, what does he tell him to do?
How could this advice apply to what an exchange student has to do?
He advised him to jump into 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?
solved for him? How might this be a cultural solution?
The young kid offered him his seat and then sat in his lap, because of the high population in india people are used to such a solution such as sharing seats, standing and squeezing in the train cabins.
4. As any exchange student, he has a lot of experiences trying new food. His first
encounter is with an iced drink. What happens?
4. As any exchange student, he has a lot of experiences trying new food. His first
encounter is with an iced drink. What happens?
He got stomach ache, and got sick because of the polluted water used in the iced drink
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?
“Bombay is terrible, but here it’s very clean”
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?
“Bombay is terrible, but here it’s very 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?
“That means like a nice guy”
7. Todd wants to check in to a hotel. But Puro insists he come to a boarding house.
What is the reason he gives Todd?
7. Todd wants to check in to a hotel. But Puro insists he come to a boarding house.
What is the reason he gives Todd?
That he will feel lonely if he stays by himself in the hotel.
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 does your father do, are you married, what’s your salary, do you have a girlfriend? Why did you break up?
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 does your father do, are you married, what’s your salary, do you have a girlfriend? Why did you break up?
9. During his first conversation with Aunti Ji he makes two big mistakes. What are
they?
He ate with his left hand which considered not clean in india and he placed the same hand he ate with back in the food
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 poured the tea for him and even put sugar just the way they do.
11. How does Todd figure out why one does not eat food with the left hand?
11. How does Todd figure out why one does not eat food with the left hand?
The owner of the boardinghouse explained to him by sign language why Indians think left hand isn’t clean to eat with
12. What is ethnocentric about his statement "You need to learn about America"?
13. Why do they disagree on how a "native" speaks English?
Because of the way Americans pronounce some words with an American accent not proper English, they think it’s a matter of different accents which doesn’t mean their English is wrong in India at the end it is a matter of correct English
He was shocked and didn’t understand why Aysha said that. High-context culture
He was shocked and didn’t understand why Aysha said that. High-context culture
14. What doesn't Todd understand about the Indians' response to the "cattle brand"?
He was talking about it in an insensitive way without knowing how sensitive and holy cows are in India
15. What is Todd's reaction to "You need to learn about India"? What stage of culture
shock might it represent?
15. What is Todd's reaction to "You need to learn about India"? What stage of culture
shock might it represent?
He was shocked and didn’t understand why Aysha said that. High-context culture
16. He calls home several times. Why? What stage of culture shock might provoke
calls home?
Because he is homesick.
17. What mistakes in language usage are represented in the recording of the call about
"a rubber"?
17. What mistakes in language usage are represented in the recording of the call about
"a rubber"?
Rubber means eraser in English – British accent, as it doesn’t mean the same in the American English
18. Why is he so eager to go to McDonnells?
18. Why is he so eager to go to McDonnells?
Because heve been having troubles with food since he arrived plus he’s homesick and craving for a meal that reminds him of home
19. Todd doesn't understand bargaining. How does the Indian respond to this?
19. Todd doesn't understand bargaining. How does the Indian respond to this?
He thought that Todd is barging and started barging back immediately without even paying attention to whats Todd’s actually saying as it’s a very common habit in india
20. What does I.N.D.I.A. stand for? How might this be an example of the "Inbound
Syndrome"?
20. What does I.N.D.I.A. stand for? How might this be an example of the "Inbound
Syndrome"?
I’ll Never Do It Again,
21. What advice does his fellow American have for him?
21. What advice does his fellow American have for him?
That once he gives in and stops resisting he will do much better.
22. When Todd develops the incentive system, he has begun to adapt to India. How
has he adapted?
22. When Todd develops the incentive system, he has begun to adapt to India. How
has he adapted?
Once he saw improvement from the team he apologized to them and admit that he should learn more about India. He also asked for suggestions and opinions on how to create a better environment from them to work
23. When he looks at the cow in the office the second time, why is his reaction so
different?
23. When he looks at the cow in the office the second time, why is his reaction so
different?
Because he started to adjust and fit in which was shown in his second look, it was friendlier and more receptive that his first look and reaction when he just arrived to india
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.
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?
Very well, that showed us how open he became to new things from a different culture and class than what he’s used to
27. In what ways does he show he has adapted? How does he know he is successful?
28. When the call center floods and they are shut down, Todd finds an "Indian"
solution. What is it?
27. In what ways does he show he has adapted? How does he know he is successful?
28. When the call center floods and they are shut down, Todd finds an "Indian"
solution. What is it?
He asked the poor indian man from over the wall for his help with replacing the wires as he saw in his place how they all surviving on a public source of electricity by extending wires from it. And that’s an indian way as the economy is very bad and people try to survive in many ways in that was one of them
29. When Todd's boss comes to India, he eventually explains why – Todd has to
leave. How is his reaction similar to that of an exchange student?
30. When Todd comes home, there are several signs that his Indian experience has
influenced him. Name three ways he has become more "Indian".
29. When Todd's boss comes to India, he eventually explains why – Todd has to
leave. How is his reaction similar to that of an exchange student?
30. When Todd comes home, there are several signs that his Indian experience has
influenced him. Name three ways he has become more "Indian".
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