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A discussion on the article of Elizabeth Engels is presented. The author reflects that Engels presented an experiential perspective in the way of communicating in an intercultural group of individuals having different languages. She argues that the challenged of speaking in a foreign language presents not only linguistic challenge, but emotional challenge as well. She concludes that Engel's paper provides a starter for many papers about intercultural group experiences and intercultural enrichment for cross-cultural language understanding.

Purpose: This paper aims to explore the key factors affecting knowledge transfer within cross-cultural teams in international construction projects from three levels: individual factors, team factors and knowledge characteristics. It also provides a comprehensive framework to examine how trust, cultural distance, team identification, knowledge tacitness and complexity and members' transfer willingness impact knowledge transfer effectiveness within cross-cultural teams. Design/methodology/approach: A conceptual model and 16 hypotheses were put forward through the literature review and pilot investigation. This study used structural equation modeling to examine how factors affect the effectiveness of knowledge transfer within cross-cultural teams based on the questionnaire data of samples from Chinese international construction projects. Findings: The findings show that affect-based trust and team identification positively affect the willingness to contribute knowledge. Conversely, knowledge tacitness, knowledge complexity and cultural distance negatively influence contribute willingness. Moreover, affect-based trust, cognition-based trust and team identity positively affect receive willingness, while cultural distance negatively impacts receive willingness. Additionally, affect-based and cognition-based trust, knowledge tacitness and complexity affect transfer effectiveness through the full mediation of transfer willingness, while cultural distance and team identity affect transfer effectiveness through the partial mediation of transfer willingness. Research limitations/implications: On the one hand, this research provides a holistic framework for factors affecting knowledge transfer within cross-cultural teams from three levels: individual factors, team factors and knowledge characteristics. On the other hand, the paper gives other researchers in international project management the enlightenment of focusing on members' cultural structure and the cross-cultural training of the team. Practical implications: This study offers the direction for cross-cultural team managers to formulate helpful approaches for knowledge transfer and assist corporate leaders in taking integral control measures to enhance knowledge transfer effectiveness within the team. Originality/value: This study provides other researchers with a comprehensive understanding of the key factors affecting knowledge transfer within cross-cultural teams in international construction projects and insight for further research on project management and knowledge management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Effective educational methods are critical for successfully training future supply chain talent. The paper proposes a fuzzy multi-criteria decision-making model to evaluate and select the best educational method for tomorrow's supply chain leaders integrating skill development priorities in an uncertain environment. Design/methodology/approach: The Grounded theory scheme is used to identify SC leaders' skillsets criteria and educational method alternatives. Fuzzy step-wise weight assessment ratio analysis sets the priority and determines the weight of 17 criteria. Eight decision-makers evaluate 13 alternatives using fuzzy linguistic terms. Fuzzy technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution ranks and shows the most effective educational method. Sensitivity analysis presents the applicability of this study. Findings: Its implementation in a university-industry collaboration case in Brazil, Mentored learning from industry experts is the best educational method. The skill development priorities are data analytics ability, end-to-end supply chain vision and problem-solving. Technical skills are the most important criteria that influence the selection of the optimal option and educational methods related to learning from others rank in the top teaching pool, including multidisciplinary cross-cultural training. Originality/value: This paper is among the first to evaluate educational methods with skill development priorities integration for supply chain students using fuzzy SWARA–fuzzy TOPSIS. It provides actionable insights: a decision-making procedure for educational method selection, a broad skills profile for supply chain professional success and educational methods that professors can bring to in classroom/virtual environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The increasing globalization of business has led to increasing demand for executives who can function in cultural milieus different from their own. This demand has been exacerbated by the fact that globalization has not led to cultural homogenization and hence, for good or bad, executives are not able to universally apply the home country's conceptualizations of rights, responsibilities and duties and must operate within the constraints of host country's cultural environments. Hence, business scholars and global executives increasingly need to reflect on the conceptualization of rights, responsibilities and duties; understand the historical context which has led to different conceptualizations across geographies and appreciate and harness these differences for improving business effectiveness. This paper helps in this endeavor by explaining the differences and similarities that exists between the Indian and Western cultures regarding the concepts of roles, responsibilities and duties. This exposition will help multinational organizations improve their internal practices and employee training methods. Design/methodology/approach: This study attempts to trace the differences and similarities in the conceptualization of rights, duties and responsibilities between the Western tradition and the Indic tradition by literature review. The Indic tradition refers to the broad cultural paradigm that shapes the thinking of the people of Indian subcontinent. The prominent sources of the Indic tradition include Hinduism and Buddhism. India was a British colony for two hundred years and is home to one of world's largest English-speaking population. There are more Muslims in the Indian subcontinent than in the Middle East (Grim and Karim, 2011). Hence, the Indic tradition has also been substantially influenced by the Western and Islamic traditions. Findings: The paper argues that Westerners and Indians have different conceptualization of rights, duties and responsibilities and their relative importance. Broadly speaking, Indian ethos focuses on context-specific responsibilities while the Western attitude focuses on universal rights. These differing conceptualizations have been shaped by the cultural history of the two regions and are manifested in the decision-making styles, levels of individual autonomy and views on the ethicality of actions. There is a need to train expatriate Western and Indian managers on these issues to enable smooth functioning. Research limitations/implications: The cross-cultural literature has tended to lump together all non-Western civilizations under the category of East thereby ignoring significant differences between them. The Far-East countries of China, Korea, Taiwan and Japan have been highly influenced by the Confucian ethics. India-specific social systems like the caste system, division of human life span into stages with specific responsibilities, enduring worship of nature and Western influence through colonization have been absent in these countries or much less marked. The paper aims to bring forward the distinguishing features in Indian thought that contributes to its distinctive attitude toward rights, responsibilities and duties; contrast it with the Western views on rights and duties and identify the relevance of the discussion to the business context. Practical implications: The cross-cultural training needs to emphasize both conflict resolution and behavioral aspects. For example, the conflict resolution process in Western countries can be more algorithmic with conflicts being rationally determined by consistent application as well-defined rules (as nature of duties is more universal in Western tradition). On the other hand, conflict resolution practices in India need to be contextual and may require appeals to higher ideals (as nature of duties is more contextual and idealistic in Eastern tradition). Social implications: The differences in attitudes regarding rights, responsibility and duties between the West and India suggest the need for cross-cultural training of managers and contextual conflict resolution techniques. The need is exacerbated by the increase in the number of multinational corporations (MNCs). Earlier, most MNCs were headquartered in the West and hence cross-cultural training was primarily geared to help Western expatriates fit into the host country culture (Nam et al., 2014). The growth of Asian MNCs has increased the need of cross-cultural training for Asian expatriates (Nam et al., 2014). Originality/value: The training processes can be customized to supplement cultural strengths and promote behaviors that are culturally inhibited. Employees in India can be trained to emphasize the value of assertiveness in communication, the need to articulate one's personal success and appreciate the rigid nature of rules in Western contexts. Similarly, Westerners can be trained to emphasize the importance of context in business interactions, the need to forge personal relations for business success and the importance of paternalistic behavior in securing employees commitment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the importance of cross-cultural skills needed by Vietnamese SMEs (current and potential) exporters across Hanoi, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC). The findings suggest that training needs vary by regions, stage of SME development and cultural context of the region. The study has both theoretical and practical implications. The paper suggests that prior to designing and implementing training, the identification process must involve systematic conceptualization of key export stimuli and be informed by best practice and empirical knowledge. The study endeavours to develop a conceptual framework and propositions for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regardless of the geographical separation, from historical-cultural perspectives, Vietnam and Korea had very early exchanges, especially in culture, as both countries mutually absorbed the influence of Chinese civilization. Being influenced by Chinese civilization and bound by tributary relations with Chinese monarchies, Vietnam and Joseon had many mutual understandings in historical and cultural spheres. Besides, the contacts between Vietnamese and Joseon envoys in China were an essential opportunity promoting the cultural exchange and understanding between the two countries. This paper introduces results of research on the contacts--the composition of repartee poems and prose using the same rhyme sequence between Vietnamese and Joseon envoys in China. It can thereby partly explain the cultural closeness and similarities of the two countries and simultaneously set the stages for intensive cooperations between Vietnam and Korea in various fields, including culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate the cross-cultural training (CCT) provided to European expatriate executives in New Zealand, and consequently add to the knowledge for human resource management in the Australasian region. Design/methodology/approach: The present qualitative research study is based on open-ended and in-depth interviews with 30 European expatriate executives who had been residing in New Zealand for the past year or more. Findings: The results indicate that at least some CCT was provided to all interviewees; however, the training content seemed to be strongly centered around professional work, with little focus on the culture of the host country. Moreover, there was no follow-up to the pre-departure CCT and very few expatriates in the sample received any training in New Zealand. Similarly, the family is considered a fundamental factor for the success of expatriates; however, in the sample, neither spouses nor children received any training before or after their arrival in New Zealand. Research limitations/implications: The research is limited by the sample small size. The study's inconclusive highlights the need for further research to explore the influences of local residents, colleagues and neighbors on expatriates' adjustment. Similarly, further studies are also required to ascertain the effectiveness of CCT in helping support expatriates' performance and adjustment in New Zealand. Practical implications: The present study suggests that opportunities do exist for multinational companies (MNCs) to better prepare their expatriates for assignments by integrating more effectively issues related to cultural awareness into their CCT. Specifically, experimental CCT methods that emphasize the host country's culture are most valuable. The CCT technique should be tailored to the cultural distance between the host nation and expatriates' country of origin and to the nature of their assignment. Originality/value: Given the existence of many MNCs in New Zealand, it is surprising that the issue of CCT in this context has received little research attention. The current study endeavors to address this gap. This paper hopes that the findings may also be useful for consultants and human resource managers in MNCs who are involved in preparing expatriates for foreign assignments in Australasia, especially New Zealand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the goals and ethos of the journal "Language and Intercultural Communication," as it enters its 5th year of publication. When Language and Intercultural Communication was launched, edited by Mike Kelly and the author himself, the very first editorial invited readers on a voyage. Needless to say, the evolution of the journal has taken place against a restless backdrop--world events have stimulated intellectual engagement with a sense of heightened urgency; the changing identity of the university in the 21st century and the shifting place of languages in education has continued to produce debates; a perception of the complexity of the field has been sharpened; and gaps in scholarship increasingly clarified. This has certainly drawn the journal into broader debates with colleagues from beyond language teaching who have brought their insights to a complex field. One of the paper in the present issue of the journal explores how language has been instrumental in negotiating new identities for Spanish American/Chicano writers.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has added gaming disorder to ICD-11 as a clinical condition associated with distress or interference with personal functioning. This inclusion leads to clinical and public health benefits, such as harmonising terminology, offering clinical landmarks and improving monitoring capabilities and data comparability. Training health professionals to identify and manage gaming disorder is a key challenge for countries. In the present paper we compiled opinions from different countries around the globe on their state of preparedness and needs to tackle this issue. The global views on the topic feed arguments for developing an evidence-based and cross-cultural training tool for gaming disorder management by health professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global leadership has been identified as a critical success factor for large multinational corporations. While there is much writing on the topic, most seems to be either general advice (i.e., being open minded and respectful of other cultures) or very specific information about a particular country based on a limited case study (do not show the soles of your shoes when seated as a guest in an Arab country). Both kinds of information are certainly useful, but limited from both theoretical and practical viewpoints on how to lead in a foreign country. In this paper, findings from the Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior Effectiveness (GLOBE) research program are used to provide a sound basis for conceptualizing worldwide leadership differences. We use a hypothetical case of an American executive in charge of four similar teams in Brazil, France, Egypt, and China to discuss cultural implications for the American executive. Using the hypothetical case involving five different countries allows us to provide in-depth action oriented and context specific advice, congruent with GLOBE findings, for effectively interacting with employees from different cultures. We end the paper with a discussion of the challenges facing global executives and how corporations can develop useful global leadership capabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cultural differences between health professionals and Indigenous peoples contribute to health inequalities, and effective cross-cultural communication and person-centred healthcare are critical remedial elements. Community pharmacists can play a significant role by reducing medication-related problems through medication reviews, yet barriers to access include cultural and linguistic challenges. The Indigenous Medication Review Service (IMeRSe) aimed to address these barriers via a culturally responsive intervention. The aim of this paper is to present the cross-cultural training framework developed as a component of this intervention and the feasibility evaluation of the first stage of the training framework. Methods: A training framework was developed, emphasising pharmacists' skills and confidence in effective cross-cultural communication and relationship-building with Indigenous Australians (Please note that the use of the term 'Indigenous' in this manuscript includes all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and acknowledges their rich traditions and heterogenous cultures) across three stages: (1) online and workshop-based, covering Indigenous history and health, cross-cultural communication and a holistic, strengths-based approach to intervention delivery; (2) orientation to local Aboriginal Health Services, community and cultural protocols; and (3) ongoing mentoring. The feasibility evaluation of the first stage included the following: self-reported levels of cultural capability, cultural confidence and skills, motivators and barriers to working with Indigenous Australians, assessed pre- and post-training. Participants completed self-administered questionnaires including a 22-item validated Cultural Capability Measurement Tool. Paired t tests assessed change in mean scores of Likert scale data. Results: Stage 1 development resulted in an 8.5-h standardised cross-cultural training programme tested with 39 pharmacists working across urban and rural/remote Australia. Thirty-six pharmacists completed the feasibility evaluation (75.7% female, all non-Indigenous, 75.7% never attended prior cross-cultural training). Participants reported overall acceptability with training; the majority perceived it added value to their practice. Improved cultural capability post-training was reflected in increased scores for 21/22 items, nine reaching statistical significance. There were significant improvements for all 26 confidence and skills statements, and selected motivational and barrier statements, particularly participants role in improving Indigenous health outcomes and cross-cultural communication. Conclusions: This study provides preliminary evidence that the training programme was feasible to deliver and prepared pharmacists to deliver a culturally responsive medication review intervention. The online knowledge-based modules and face-to-face workshops provide a standardised framework for larger-scale implementation of the intervention training. Trial registration: Australia and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12618000188235.Prospectively registered 22 January 2018. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - This paper aims to examine the "darker side" of what it means to engage in an international academic career. Extending beyond well-documented themes relating to the difficulties of cross-cultural adjustment and unfulfilled expectations/opportunities for promotion, this paper seeks to introduce "transience and risk" as two important dimensions of this very specific career choice. The paper draws especially on the contemporary "new" careers literature, including conceptions of career exploration as a framework to understand the research findings. Design/methodology/approach - The paper employs a qualitative methodology, drawing on semi-structured interviews conducted in situ with 30 expatriate academics in four different countries. Findings - Transience and risk were identified as two important dimensions of the "darker side" of pursuing an international academic career. However, these two dimensions also had further positive aspects, thus signalling the complex and often contradictory nature of this specific career form. Research limitations/implications - Introduces a more cautionary note to the contemporary literature on international careers and career exploration more generally. Practical implications - Careers that evolve across international boundaries require support that extends beyond cross-cultural training. Originality/value - The paper contends that in as much as an international academic career offers a broad range of opportunities for fulfilment it also presents significant challenges that should be acknowledged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past five years or so, Anglo-American hegemony in human geography has been widely debated. This debate has highlighted the obstacles put in the way of the building of a more international geographical discipline. In this paper, we reflect on the possibilities and also the limitations of Europe as a context for the experimentation with a more cross-national discipline. In doing so, we notice on the one hand the increasing attention towards the Europeanisation of human geography, particularly at an institutional level, but on the other hand we also notice the lack of some basic forms and tools of communication and exchange that might facilitate the mobilisation of scholars around the ‘European project’. The paper tries to offer a contribution to this issue by discussing the ways in which a European journal of human geography might be conceived and also concretely organised. In this respect the paper takes into account issues of language, access to scientific knowledge and recognition of cultural and academic diversities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on the use of Milton Bennett's Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity (DMIS) to analyze logs that were submitted by mental health service providers who participated in an intensive training program on intercultural competency. Program participants wrote eight monthly reflective logs about cultural experiences that occurred between training sessions. The categories of intercultural sensitivity described in the DMIS were used as the basis for coding log entries. The findings over the 10-month training period show that the development of intercultural sensitivity is, for the most part, a non-linear process in which one makes intermittent reversions to earlier levels and moves forward in spurts. After offering examples of non-linear and linear patterns in the logs, the paper discusses possible explanations for the findings and the challenges of coding according to the Bennett Model. Implications for intercultural competency education and training programs and their evaluation are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The editorial reflects on the universality of various methodologies used in human-computer interaction research. Commenting on various papers published in the current issue, the author discusses the ideal interface system design strategy to provide cross-cultural interface, application of robotics in assisting the disable people, dynamics of computing science research and others.

The discrepancy between the spiritual beliefs and practices of the general population and the willingness of social workers to address them can limit effective practice. A critical factor inhibiting the use of spirituality is the inaccurate impression that various religious beliefs conflict with the philosophy and values of social work. This paper proposes a cross-cultural model that can be used to increase the comfort of social workers in integrating the spiritual dimension of clients' lives in practice. The paper then applies the model to the assessment of clients who hold a belief within each of four faith traditions, Buddhism, Islam, catholicism, and Protestant Christianity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has been collaborating since 2010 with the Singapore Ministry of Education to help develop the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD). One element of this collaboration, the Global Leadership Program (GLP), aims to provide SUTD students with the opportunity to interact with the MIT community and experience MIT's academic culture. During GLP students participate in a program designed to develop leadership ability while also increasing their understanding of engineering science and design thinking. This paper introduces a curriculum combining the pedagogies of design-based learning and wilderness education that was implemented in the summer of 2014 to holistically address the development of these three competencies. Through design-based learning activities, both for and in a natural environment, students were encouraged to develop competencies in engineering science and engineering design while exploring the diverse attributes essential for success as an engineer. This paper examines the results of a retrospective post-then-pre survey administered to the participants upon completion of the program to explore the effects of the program on the development of professional engineering competencies. We find a statistically significant increase in items associated with Individual Leadership Skill, Group Leadership Skill and the role of Society and the Economy. These results are triangulated with student exit interviews and instructor observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intercultural Communication is marked in literary discourse in numerous ways. Diasporic literary discourse representing intercultural communication uses pragma-cultural markers such as food and music as tools of intercultural communication. This paper attempts to examine intercultural communication foregrounding these pragma-cultural markers as represented in Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni's Queen of Dreams within the framework provided by Relevance Theory (:249). This paper foregrounds the manner in which writers like Divakaruni deploy pragma-cultural markers to express multiple linguistic and cultural perspectives in their literary narratives, thereby portraying an amalgamation of America and India and facilitating intercultural communication which is a dialectical process, as on the one hand the 'America' that is in the hearts, minds, and words of these writers shapes their expressions and on the other, their growing presence in terms of their literary output is changing the definition of American art and culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Academic mobility and accompanying migration have become increasingly evident as manifestations of globalization and internationalization of education worldwide. This paper aims to provide some insights into intercultural communication in academia by comparing experiences of students and academics who partake in academic mobility or/and academic migration. It seeks to reflect on how differences in cultural patterns impact on the integrational experiences and outcomes of academic learning and everyday interactions. Two contrasting cultural patterns of collectivism and individualism are explored, as they are displayed in intercultural interactions among migrants and hosting societies. To expose this contrast effectively, this paper focuses on the Russian-speaking mobile academics and compares their intercultural experiences in academia of two countries--Italy and Australia. In-depth interviews were conducted with twenty-two academic migrants or/and mobile academics on their experiences, views and perceptions of intercultural integration in two diverse settings. This paper explores diverse aspects of intercultural dialogue and compares perceptions of intercultural integration and feelings of wellbeing. It analyses evolving empirical manifestations of cosmopolitanism in everyday intercultural interactions and argues that postmodern cosmopolitan milieu facilitates intercultural integration and enables knowledge transfer and creation of shared cultural meanings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the Persian cultural pragmatic schema of sharmandegi ''being ashamed,'' which underlies the enactment of several speech acts in Persian. These include expressing gratitude, offering goods and services, requesting goods and services, apology, refusal, and accepting offers. For instance, the schema encourages Persian speakers to use the expression sharmandam ''I am ashamed'' when inviting guests to the dinner table, suggesting that their food is not worthy of the guests. In this instance, this is a linguistic strategy to achieve positive politeness for the speaker. The paper presents some naturally occurring data from intercultural contexts where a Persian speaker has enacted the same schema communicating with Australian English speaking interlocutors. Elicited interpretations of the use of the expression of sharmandegi (such as ''I am ashamed I didn't call you'' or ''I'm sorry the food is not good'') from a number of Australian English speakers reveal the potential for misunderstanding on the part of non-Persian speakers in intercultural communication with Persian speakers who use this schema when speaking English. In general, this study further reveals the potential of cultural schema theory for studies of intercultural pragmatics and contributes to the body of research on intercultural communication involving speakers of Persian. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Having the flexibility to pursue an international career is increasingly common in many professions. Based on two qualitative studies of international academics, this paper focuses on academia. Commencing with a discussion about the different dimensions of flexibility in academia it focuses specifically on geographic flexibility, understood as the ability to pursue a career across international boundaries. Drawing on conceptions of an international community of scholars operating in a science context and specific national and institutional contexts the paper explores the experiences of international academics. It also considers the ‘modes of engagement’ they use to navigate the demands of those contexts. The findings suggest that while academia as a profession may be characterized by geographic flexibility a certain tension exists between academia and the national and institutional contexts within which academics must operate. It is noted that it is internationally mobile academics who are currently paying the price of those tensions and offers a cautionary note to those who are contemplating such a career move. It also suggests that academics can adopt certain ‘modes of engagement’ in order to maintain, transform or subvert those institutional challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a course on communication and popular culture for junior and senior college students which provides students with the opportunity to explore the dynamic world of popular culture and how communication plays a significant role in the development of culture. Various elements of popular culture will also be discussed such as consumerism, music, fashion, leisure, electronic media and many more. The course aims for students to understand what is popular culture and its role in the society, recognize how popular culture is used to communicate social, political struggles and many others.

In this paper, the author explores the relevance of indigenous training from a cross-cultural perspective. We start by examining the broader context of traditional Western psychology and its relevance in a multicultural society. A brief description of the indigenous paradigm is followed by a discussion of differences between Western and indigenous psychology, and a proposal of cultural eclecticism as a potential frame for their integration. Next, we discuss the South African context in relation to comparative-cultural aspects of medical and psychological services. The author's clinical experience informs her increased awareness of culturally inadequate service at the state hospital, developing curiosity about African indigenous healing, and subsequent encounters and collaboration with African traditional healers. Ultimately, the author develops culturally sensitive training that explores cultural biases and generates cross-cultural knowledge and competence. In conclusion, the author advocates that in the area of globalisation and multicultural societies, psychological training and clinical practice, should include dialogue and facilitate collaboration between Western and indigenous knowledge, hopefully leading to a more holistic and culturally inclusive service to a population of different backgrounds. Such collaboration and integration of Western and indigenous knowledge may be a source of professional stimulation as well as a benefit to health-care consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Australian Aboriginal children typically receive communication assessment services from Standard Australian English (SAE) speaking non-Aboriginal speech-language pathologists (SLPs). Educational assessments, including intelligence testing, are also primarily conducted by non-Aboriginal educational professionals. While the current paper will show that non-Indigenous SLPs can conduct valid communication assessments with Indigenous children, it will also be shown that educational assessments do not always benefit the child being assessed, and may sometimes do harm to Aboriginal children. Many of the issues surrounding the assessment of Australian Aboriginal children by non-Aboriginal SLPs are similar to those encountered in other countries where Indigenous populations represent a minority. Very little research has been conducted within Australia to examine this issue. This paper presents overviews of case studies from a longitudinal research project designed to examine the topic of cross-cultural speech-language pathology assessment with Indigenous children, making specific reference to the situation in Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces the new notion of 'multicultural capital', drawing on economic theory and sociology to illuminate empirical data from middle schools. This paper identifies five types of capital (physical capital, human capital, natural capital, social capital, and cultural capital) from the literature. Further, the authors integrate these five types of capital with notions of "culturally problematic" and "interculturally proactive" schools (Hickling Hudson, 2003) to assist the assessment of multicultural assets of schools. This qualitative, exploratory study reports three major findings. First, each school has its own unique multicultural capital and this influences whether a school can be described as "culturally problematic" or the degree to which it is "interculturally proactive". Second, principals and teachers play an important role in the conceptualisation of a school's multiculturalism. Third, analysis indicates that the multicultural capital of each school influences the pedagogic choices made thereby affecting how the school enacts what we see as a form of multicultural education. Finally, the article acknowledges the study's major limitation, which is the small size of the sample and its urban nature. Therefore further research is recommended to continue the discussion on multicultural capital initiated here. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - To explain why cross-cultural negotiations simulations are an excellent, active, and dramatic means of training employees to be culturally adaptable and literate. Design/methodology/approach - Through a discussion of how drama plays an important role in creating learning that lasts, and by comparing passive, traditional classroom training with active, hands-on, experiential learning. The paper discusses the high value cross-cultural simulations in training employees to be culturally adaptable and literate. Findings - Provides an explanation of how and why the dramatic elements of international business can and should be incorporated into cross-cultural simulations and how those elements can dramatically enhance learning. Research limitations/implications - It is not a detailed step-by-step discussion of how each of the author's simulations has been researched and written. It does, however, discuss the overall role that drama plays in creating and designing simulations that work well. Practical implications - In creating educational material for the workplace and the classroom, these methods of adding drama to training materials, such as simulations, should enable trainers to realize that opportunities for creating learning that lasts are abundant and easily available. Originality/value - This paper addresses a unique way of making simulations provide experiential context to training events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores acculturative experiences and perceptions of Southeast Asian refugees residing in the Midwestern US through analysis of oral history narratives of Southeast Asian refugees representing the countries and/or cultures of Burma, Laos, the Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam. Through this paper, I seek to add to the sparse research base on Southeast Asians residing in the US, to shed light on the experiences of young refugees' attempts to negotiate identities in the host society, and to inform educators and others who work with refugee populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Training designs are critical to the success of intercultural training programs. A common typology for classifying intercultural training designs distinguishes among the following dimensions: experiential discovery versus didactic expository and culture-specific venus culture-general training. The purpose of this paper is to assess different intercultural training designs referring to this typology. First, a concept of intercultural competence is developed. Based on this concept experiential training designs are favored as they allow to train the cognitive, affective and behavioral component of intercultural competencies. In the second part of the paper an empirical study in the USA and Germany is conducted in order to assess whether the degree of intercultural competencies differs between the two nations. As no considerable differences can be identified the benefit of culture-general training is discussed. Significant skills to be focused on in intercultural training are described and specific measures for pre-assessment devices in intercultural training are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to address a long-standing gap in current research on intercultural service encounters, by exploring the direct and indirect roles of four personal cultural orientations (PCOs) [independence, interdependence (INT), risk aversion (RSK) and ambiguity intolerance (AMB)].Design/methodology/approach A 2 × 2 between-subjects experimental design with customers in two countries (Australia and China) using scenarios to manipulate service outcome (failure or success) and photos of foreigners as customer or employee to prime perceived cultural distance (PCD).Findings Customers with higher (vs lower) independence perceive greater interaction comfort, service quality and satisfaction (SAT) and are affected to a lesser extent by PCD and service outcome, but those with higher (vs lower) RSK or AMB perceive lower interaction comfort, service quality and SAT and are affected more strongly by PCD and service outcome.Research limitations/implications The authors used an “experimental” design with “imaginary” service scenarios to collect data in “two” countries using “four” PCOs for greater control in this paper, but all of these choices may restrict the generalizability of the findings.Practical implications Service managers need to look beyond visible cultural differences, such as ethnicity, nationality and language, and focus more on the invisible cultural differences in customs, values and norms, as reflected by the four PCOs in this paper.Originality/value The authors extend prior research on intercultural service encounters by exploring the moderating effects of PCOs on the influence of service outcome and PCD on interaction comfort, service quality and SAT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to address the decreasing role of professional associations in governing the work of entrepreneurial, knowledge-intensive professions such as management consulting. It presents the example of an alternative path to traditional professional regulation. This organic professionalization path is introduced through the concept of dispersed institutional entrepreneurship. Design/methodology/approach – The paper builds on an in-depth qualitative investigation of professionals in the intercultural industry combining physical and digital ethnography in a multi-modal investigation. Findings – The findings illustrate how an ideological divide within the professional community prevents an emergence of the traditional, association-led professionalization path. Instead, the investigated community follows an organic, bottom-up route, with competing individual entrepreneurs developing converging strategies and products. This process is labelled dispersed institutional entrepreneurship. Research limitations/implications – The findings indicate that current views on professionalization need to reconsider admission criteria and the professionalization paths that are generally assumed. Further research could focus on investigating organic professionalization paths among other professional groups. Originality/value – With an in-depth qualitative investigation of an aspiring professional community this paper contributes to an ongoing discussion on the process of professionalization. The findings show that independent agents’ efforts could be at the centre of the process. They can prevent the professional association from leading the professionalization project while enabling the organic development of synergies across the community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Expatriate experience is not only a disconnected occasion for cross-cultural anxiety and adjustment but also an important event in the process of self-development and learning. Following this view and arguing for a discursive approach, the paper focuses on ways in which expatriates themselves tell and interpret their development and movement across expatriate career cycle. Meaning systems connecting expatriate job with previous and following work experiences in career stories of Finnish engineers and managers were identified using a combination of narrative and discourse analysis. No evidence was found of an autonomous expatriate discourse but, in contrast, expatriate career cycle was narrated using available organizational repertoires of development and career. Describing and discussing the meaning-making properties of three identified discourses - bureaucratic, occupational and enterprising - the paper emphasizes the organizational environment of expatriate experience while acknowledging the limits of these contemporary career vocabularies in addressing individual learning and change in cross-cultural settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper maintains an interdisciplinary/cross-cultural orientation in organizing new "general semiotics". In any case the traditional philosophy-centered foundation of general semiotics should be avoided to meet with the genuine spirit of modern semiotic movement. Philosophy is part of theoretical sources of semiotic theorization rather than the basis of the latter. The same thing can be said about other important disciplines such as language, philosophy, cognitive science, general linguistics, etc. The semiotic way of thinking requests a new typology of rationality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through an international case study, this paper illustrates how a conversation method was used effectively to address a cross-cultural ethics problem. The method included as moments in one continuous process three different dimensions of postmodernism--Gadamer re-construction, Derrida deconstruction, and Rorty neopragmatism. In addition to including different dimensions of postmodernism, the method combines effective mutual learning and effective action. Strengths and limitations of the approach are discussed. The article demonstrates how it can be beneficial to build bridges between and within the postmodernism and organization ethics literatures. Also, the article demonstrates how postmodernism can be positively ethical and not necessarily aethical or nihilistic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose A dynamic global economy has increased the need for cross-cultural flexibility and cultural intelligence (CQ). While a large literature has examined various means to increase CQ in student and expatriate populations, its importance for teachers in cross-cultural settings has been largely unexamined. This paper aims to use the experiences of a group of professors in an MBA programme in Iran to investigate the effect of their activity on their cross-cultural skills.Design/methodology/approach Using structured interviews and content analysis, the authors draw on the experiences of business faculty from a Canadian business school who helped deliver an MBA programme in Iran to investigate how their experiences in a country new to them were reflected in the components of CQ.Findings Using an established model of CQ, the authors find contributions to all three facets, knowledge, mindfulness and behaviour, indicating that such exchanges can be regarded as important for students and teachers alike in an international educational context.Originality/value With more and more teaching extending across cultural boundaries in both domestic and international settings, the capacity of instructors to read, interpret and react to the attitudes, beliefs and behaviours of their students is an important factor in the success of these programs. To this point, at least within the business education literature, the influence of such encounters on the instructors involved has been neglected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Expatriate management is a popular theme in the field of international human resource management in light of the fact that expatriates play a crucial role in a MNC’s global operations. The purpose of this paper is to explore how MNCs select, train, deploy and support expatriate managers during and after their international assignment in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).Design/methodology/approach This qualitative study is based on in-depth interviews with 22 Western expatriate managers who are presently based in the UAE. However, in order the ensure a diverse sample among the participants with regards to their age, professional experience, gender and nationality, purposeful sampling was utilized while selecting the participants.Findings The results of the present study cast light on many shortcomings of the overall expatriation process as they are implemented by MNCs in the UAE. Accordingly, there is a pressing need for MNCs in the UAE to develop strategic expatriation processes, involving the following critical factors: the selection of the right person for the right job; specific and relevant pre-departure and post-arrival cross-cultural training (CCT); practical support for the expatriate employees and their trailing spouses in the host country; and lastly, a clear repatriation strategy to mark a successful conclusion of foreign assignments in the UAE.Research limitations/implications It is acknowledged that the results of this purely qualitative study, based on a relatively small sample size, cannot claim to represent the management theories, practices and realities of all the Western MNCs in the UAE. Moreover, these findings narrate the views and perceptions of this particular cohort of expatriate executives with relation to their selection, pre-departure CCT, adjustment in the UAE and the support and repatriation policies utilized by their companies for doing business in the UAE.Practical implications This study points to the fact that technical skills are mostly considered to be the predominant selection criteria for the expatriate selections in the MNCs. Other abilities, such as language skills and relational and perceptual adjustability are considered to be less important and do not feature overtly in the selection criteria for expatriate positions. The results demonstrate that distinctive features of adjustability, which include expatriates’ willingness to communicate, their social orientation, dynamic anxiety resistance and openness ability are all critical to the adjustment in the host country and should be given more emphasis.Originality/value Regardless of the presence of numerous MNCs in the UAE, it is indeed surprising to see that the topic of the expatriation management process in MNCs in the UAE has received little research attention. The objective of this study is to address this deficiency. Additionally, it is hoped that these findings may also be valuable to MNCs and consultants who are preparing expatriates for international assignments, especially in the Middle East and in particular in the UAE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Businesses have recognized the importance of corporate social responsibility (CSR) for overall fulfillment of strategic prerequisites. Long‐term success for any business enterprise is not possible without giving due attention to CSR. This paper aims to ascertain the unfamiliar communication links that can influence realization of CSR. It also discusses the possible mediating effects of two basic communication modes on CSR when used through social media. It is of further interest for future researchers due to the study of the moderator cross‐cultural management, which can strengthen the relationship between usage of social media and CSR realization. By exploring the utilization of social media for communication of CSR, this report is an important step towards empirical research to produce a concrete theory based on the methodology, tests and measures prescribed herein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Magis: Revista Internacional de Investigación en Educación is the property of Pontificia Universidad Javeriana and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper investigates the effects of national culture on firm risk-taking, using a comprehensive dataset covering 50,000 firms in 400 industries in 51 countries. Risk-taking is found to be higher for domestic firms in countries with low uncertainty aversion, low tolerance for hierarchical relationships, and high individualism. Domestic firms in such countries tend to take substantially more risk in industries which are more informationally opaque (e.g., finance, mining, oil refinery, IT). Risk-taking by foreign firms is best explained by the cultural norms of their country of origin. These results hold even after controlling for legal constraints, insurance safety nets, and economic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transformational leadership has been defined as a process by which leaders and followers raise one another to higher levels of morality and motivation (Burns, 1978). This paper examines the concepts of transformational leadership and intercultural communication competence. A deeper insight is required in order to understand the effectiveness of transformational leadership in various cultural contexts (Migliore, 2011). It has been shown that national culture orientation and intercultural communication competence tend to impact both the leadership framework and transformational leadership dimensions. Further, various aspects of effective leadership and the choice of communication strategies diverge for different cultural contexts. This paper is based on Matveev and Lvina's (2007) work and reviews various intercultural studies of leadership that expound culturally-oriented leadership models. While universal and particularistic leadership components are present, it has been shown that the leadership styles involving charismatic components contribute the most to the perception of what effective leadership style constitutes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this paper is to take a further step in bridging the gap between theory and practice in the intercultural field by building a model that could be employed in the assessment of the intercultural communication competence. In order to accomplish this, I will focus on the description of the dimensions and variables describing the interrelated concepts of intercultural communication and intercultural competence underpinning the concept of intercultural communication competence (ICC). In addition, I will discuss the importance of adding to the list of competences described by the Common European Framework of Reference the meta-linguistic competence, as one of the variables describing the ICC concept. Furthermore, based on this, as well as on a brief overview of the existing models used to assess the ICC, I will propose a working model for its development and assessment in contexts like the drafting and use of curricula addressing the intercultural field and the competences it requires, or the development of a model for institutionalizing the individual and group lessons tested and acquired in the intercultural field [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – Hofstede's theory may be problematic from both a methodological/theoretical and practical view when applied to the 80 per cent of the globe we term developing. It is necessary to break out of an epistemic paradigm and a "view from nowhere" in order to focus on multiple layers of cultural interfaces within power dynamics that influence the nature of hybrid organizations and individual cultural identity. The purpose of this paper therefore is to develop a theory of cross-cultural interfaces. Design/methodology/approach – Cross-cultural values theory provides a blunt instrument in Africa, does not take into account global dependencies and is not able to analyse local perceptions of reality within a context of these dependencies. A theory of cultural interfaces is developed that incorporates an Aristotelian phronetic approach to social science. Findings – This moves away from the universals of analytical rationality towards practical value-rationality that considers culture from a context-dependent viewpoint, provides a synthesis for cultural-institutional approaches, and engages researchers beyond merely looking at differences in cultures and the consequences, and towards what should be done about issues that arise. Originality/value – By providing an example of how cultural interfaces may be researched, and discussing the associated conceptual issues, it is hoped that this paper will help to move forward the debate about cross-cultural management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Japan critical views of the dominance of English are only infrequently voiced, and the use of English is promoted for the benefits associated with it. This paper discusses the issues of language and power in intercultural communication on the basis of a case study on the Ship for World Youth, an intensive 'international exchange' programme in which English is used uncritically as the language of intercultural communication. The paper examines the role of English as a gatekeeping device in social interaction on the ship, and highlights Japanese participants' 'investment' in the programme and their identity.[image omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to: summarize the major research that has been conducted regarding cross-cultural issues in China; show the current practices on cross-cultural management in Chinese organizations; and then identify future research needs on cross-cultural management in China. Design/methodology/approach – Meta-analysis was carried out to summarize research of cross-cultural management in China. Findings – Empirical studies on cross-cultural management in China have been conducted since the 1990s, and numerous empirical studies have been done in the past two decades across different level of constructs and practices (individual, group and organization). Among all the intercultural research concerning China, there are mainly two common types: the first type focuses on foreign managers and employees, center on their adjustment and performance in Chinese culture; and the second type of study examines Chinese who work with these foreigners in the multinational management setting. Furthermore, in recent years, emphases have been shifted from examining the effects of culture on single variables to examining the relationships among same and different level of variables. Research limitations/implications – Systematic conceptual model development and assessment of important topics are in great need. Although there is an increasing amount of comparative studies being done in China, very few studies have been conducted to study Chinese firms that are doing business abroad, which represents one of the most critical problems in the field of cross-cultural management research in China. Most studies focus on cultural value identification and practical issues in Western global companies, which is concerned with comparison between Eastern and Western culture. Research should be conducted to study cultural differences among eastern countries, for example, countries in Asia. Practical implications – Future cross-culture management practices in China should follow several basic principles: be applicable, that is, build unique organizational culture that is embedded in the host country; be practical, since there is no well-developed multinational culture in China, new culture should be concerned with both sides; be systematic, cross-culture management practices should have supporting system; be equal, no single culture is better than another; cultural penetration, two different cultures have mutual impact; merit-based appointment and promotion, use local personnel, not just talents from the home country. In Chinese settings, the most common cross-cultural management interventions include: cross-cultural training, cross-cultural communication system and unified organizational culture. Originality/value – This paper comprehensively reviews the research and practices on cross-cultural management in China; identifies topics that have been studied in individual, group and organizational level. Implications on cross-cultural selection, training are provided based research evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a report of a cross-cultural student team project that was conceived and executed in response to the calls for developing comprehensive, realistic, and relevant teaching tools in marketing classrooms. This project's objectives were to promote cross-cultural understanding of ecological sustainability, facilitate technology-mediated collaboration among international student teams, introduce students to qualitative research, and motivate them to apply theoretical knowledge to creating marketing communications campaigns. This paper may help marketing educators to incorporate complex and creative assignments into marketing curriculum and to prepare more aware and better marketing specialists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Transformations in Business & Economics is the property of Vilnius University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)