Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the best answer to each of the following questions from 22 to 29.
Bicultural individuals live within two or more cultures and develop the ability to adapt their attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors to different settings. They often merge cultural values and combine them in daily life. Research shows that biculturals have many advantages, such as wider social networks, stronger awareness of cultural differences, and the ability to act as links between communities. More recently, studies also suggest that bicultural people display greater creativity and achieve higher levels of professional success.
Carmit Tadmor, Adam Galinsky, and William Maddox conducted several studies to test how biculturalism relates to creativity and innovation. In one study, MBA students in Europe who had lived abroad were asked to think of creative uses for a brick. The bicultural students offered more ideas, showed more flexibility, and suggested more original solutions. A second study in the United States investigated how many businesses or new products students had created. Once again, biculturals produced more innovative results than others.
A third study examined Israeli professionals working in the United States, particularly in Silicon Valley. These individuals had lived there for an average of eight years. The results showed that biculturals were promoted more quickly and enjoyed stronger reputations among colleagues. Their adaptability and ability to use different perspectives helped them succeed at work more effectively than non-biculturals.
Researchers explained these advantages through a process called integrative complexity. This is the capacity to consider competing perspectives and then combine them into new, coherent ideas. Biculturals often show this skill naturally, which allows them to manage uncertainty, search for solutions, and create fresh connections. However, the studies also suggest that non-biculturals can develop this ability, for example through debate, where one must argue for different sides of an issue.
(Adapted from Harvard Business Review)