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This study used Hofstede's cultural dimensions theory to examine Generation Z investors' socially responsible investment perceptions, utilizing data collected from Taiwan and the United States. Generation Z is the most global and socially empowered generation in history, and whether social responsibility appeals to Generation Z warrants investigation. Of 412 questionnaires collected in the United States, 380 were usable, and of 475 collected in Taiwan, 439 were usable. This study exained four variables, namely nationality, gender, work experience, and share ownership; these variables affected how the participants in this study understood and accepted the concept of socially responsible investment. These results provide interesting insight into Generation Z's pro-social attitudes, Perceived consumer effectiveness and trust. This paper suggests implications for cross-cultural study theory and practice, as well as future research directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on the American personality tests in cross-cultural research. In a large number of cross-cultural studies, paper-and-pencil personality tests originally developed in the United States have been translated and administered within some other culture. Translations developed solely in this manner and not further evaluated may not be usable for making valid cross-cultural comparisons. It is the purpose of this paper to discuss certain problems associated with the translation of personality tests for use in cross-cultural research, and with the interpretation of cross-cultural findings obtained through the use of such translations. Personality tests most appropriately and widely used in cross-cultural research are those that measure particular constructs. The items in such tests represent samplings from a universe of items that help define the constructs, and test results are interpreted in terms of the constructs rather than the specific items that happen to be used. Thus, before a translation is undertaken there should be good reason to believe that the construct, as measured by the items in the American instrument, is meaningful within the second culture.

This paper details results of a study examining administrative case data from 2010-2015 from abortion funds serving the USA and the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man. Driven by the available data, the researchers compared organisational characteristics, patient characteristics, procedural costs, patient resources and the ratio between patient resources and procedural costs. Independent t-tests were conducted to assess whether differences in characteristics, costs or resources were significant. The number of patients serviced by abortion funds across the two datasets increased yearly from 2010-2015. While patients in the USA had more resources, on average, to contribute to their abortion procedure, Irish, Northern Irish and Manx patients had the resources to pay for a greater percentage of their costs, on average, which was mainly attributable to the differences in gestational age of those helped by the different abortion funds. Patients across all nations were similar in terms of their marital status, average age and number of existing children. Patients across these countries face expensive procedures and a lack of resources that are bridged in part by abortion fund assistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the ways to develop a curriculum and pedagogy to teach Asian cultures and histories to US students - and by implication to students in the West - from critical postcolonial perspectives. In particular, by examining studies of Japan as an example, it identifies and discusses several key issues, including application of the concept of Orientalism, (commonsensical) binary oppositions that lurk in cross-cultural studies and understandings, and cultural essentialisms and nationalisms that emerge in (de-colonised and modernising) Asian nations. The paper argues that postcolonial perspectives can offer us a set of useful theoretical tools to counteract the hegemonic ways of teaching and studying about Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diverse groups of newcomer immigrant students enter high schools in the United States each year. When their numbers are small, their unique journeys to integration in school and in the receiving country remain often invisible. Focusing on six newcomer-underrepresented students, this paper examines elements of their complex pathways to social integration in one urban high school. Attention is provided to the barriers that they face and the ways in which they counteract those. The distinctive characteristics of their engagement in cross-cultural encounters are examined in relation to intercultural capital formations. In the discussion, suggestions are offered for the creation of responsive practices in schools that serve underrepresented newcomer students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on analysing college women’s narratives to discover their interpretations of thin ideals and dieting experiences and to compare cultural differences between the USA and Korea. Narrative analysis revealed that US women and Korean women have a different understanding of thin ideals. Both groups experienced social comparisons, social pressure to be thin, and emotional distress regarding appearance. Similarly, they revealed their emotional fluctuations associated with changes in weight. However, there were cultural differences in both groups’ ultimate goals for weight control. Consequently, this study suggests that feelings towards weight control have culturally grounded implications. Future directions are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper presents selected data from the author's 2004-10 research project into the visual connections between nineteenth-century Amish and Welsh quilts, and associated relationships between nineteenth-century Amish and Welsh quilts and communities in the United States of America. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research studies have primarily examined the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) in one country or in developed and western countries. This paper attempts to answer two questions of particular significance that remain only partially answered in the information systems literature. The first question asks: do TAM relationships hold good for a group of countries of diverse national cultures? The second question investigates: can national culture explain differences in TAM relationships across countries? To answer the above two questions, a structural equation modeling approach was applied using computer-related data collected from college students in the USA and two countries of non-Western cultures: Chile, and the United Arab Emirates. The research findings imply that for the group of three countries, all relationships among the components of an extended TAM that incorporates individual computer knowledge as an external variable were supported. In addition, national culture moderates four of the TAM relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is concerned with maturities, genders, spaces, and bodies as historicizable co-constructs, pluralized rubrics and gradients that emerge and function as interdependent ideas. This view allows reflection on nuances between children, boys, men, boyhood, and masculinities as anchors for geographic inquiry. Diverse contexts are reviewed with an eye on mutual if mutable reciprocities between ideas of gender and maturity, and between gender/maturity and locality. The body of boys importantly figures in, and is figured by, these reciprocal significations which is explored in anthropological descriptions of 'male transition', and in contemporary historical observations in the West, and 'America' more specifically. A rigorous and cross-cultural intersectional focus is required to anchor children's geographies not just to 'childhood' as a site of entitlement, but more inclusively to local and interpenetrated ideas of becoming, belonging, and embodiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For much of the nineteenth century, American journalism fascinated writers in British periodicals. This interest is particularly important because the era marked the emergence of the press as the chief medium of public communication in Britain. Articles ranged from effusive tributes to stinging condemnations, from narrow profiles of journalists to sweeping evaluations of journalism. Among the authors who penned these columns were British reporters and editors, former ones who were pursuing other careers, and even the occasional expatriate American. This study, based on a survey of thirty-nine reviews and magazines that cut across political, religious, and class lines, explores the ideas of these analysts. Although their perceptions differed, three themes appear in their commentary. Two are comparative, stressing the similarities between American and British journalism and the cross-cultural exchanges that common experiences fostered. The third motif deals with the differences in journalistic development in the two societies. Irrespective of these unifying threads, it is clear from the evidence that no dominant British vision of the American press surfaced in the century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to address HIV infection among college students, a comprehensive measure is needed that can be used with samples from culturally diverse populations. Therefore, this paper assessed the reliability and validity of an HIV/AIDS questionnaire that measures fours dimensions of HIV/AIDS awareness-factual knowledge, prejudice, personal risk, and misconceptions about HIV transmission, and will enable cross-cultural research. The International AIDS Questionnaire-Chinese Version (IIQ-C) was developed and validated by Davis, Tang, Chan, and Noel (1999) for use with Chinese populations. In this study, the validity and reliability of the International AIDS Questionnaire-English Version (IQA-E) was assessed on a sample of English-speaking college students from the United States (N = 200) and Australia (N = 74). The results of the CFA supported the four-factor model, and the normative data show patterns similar to previous research. The total IAQ-E had a high internal consistency (Cronhach's alpha = 0.88). The Cronbach's alphas for the sub-scales were 0.87 (myths), 0.81 (attitudes), 0.66 (personal risk), and 0.40 (facts). A 2-week test-retest reliability study on a sub-sample of 32 students revealed a Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient of 0.882 (p < 0.001). This instrument provides a valid and reliable comprehensive measure of HIV/AIDS for use with English-speaking samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early retirement pensions for particular occupations free national policy to establish the social security early retirement age at a later age that is more appropriate for the population as a whole. This paper focuses on early retirement pensions in the United States and the Russian Federation. While comparing early retirement pensions generally, the paper provides a more detailed discussion of the pensions for musicians. While this is an unconventional group to choose for the study of pensions, study of their pensions yields insights into the principles underlying retirement age policy in the two countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chief objective of this paper is to develop suggestions as to how to learn from best practices in HRM across national borders. The analysis is based on survey data gathered from 232 HRM managers from American, Japanese and German top 500 companies. The managers provide information on how the HRM model of their respective country is characterized and from which of the other two country models they seek inspiration. The concrete attributes of the models considered worth adopting are described in detail and future developments with regards to convergence of the HRM models explored. The empirical data suggest that HR managers from all three countries expect a partial convergence towards a hybrid model. Curiously, the model that comes closest to this hybrid - the German one - is also the one that rates lowest as a source of inspiration. An argument is made that in order to better understand learning from best practice and resulting convergence tendencies, research should seek more insights regarding the knowledge of managers about foreign management models, their perceptions of these models, and how these perceptions are generated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the extent to which students in the introductory HRM course in US institutions are likely to be exposed to information on international and cross-cultural aspects of HRM. Two methods are used: (1) an analysis of international content in fifteen popular introductory HRM textbooks and (2) a survey of professors teaching introductory HRM. The vast majority of responding instructors said their classes got some exposure to international issues in HRM, and most introductory texts included some relevant content. Critiques of international boxed features and dedicated IHRM chapters are provided, and suggestions for improving the quality and depth of IHRM content in introductory textbooks are made. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes a two-week cross-cultural immersion experience in the United States for preservice teachers attending a small liberal arts college in the Southeast. This immersion occurs early in their teacher training and is designed to positively affect preservice teachers' attitudes toward Latino students who do not speak English well. As a result of this short, local cross-cultural immersion, preservice teachers enhanced their knowledge, skills, and dispositions about immigration, matching their prior knowledge, culture, preconceptions, misconceptions, and feelings of isolation, with ESOL (English for Speakers & Other Languages) methods and curriculum. Through description and qualitative analyses, this study shows that an immersion of this type, along with an infused multicultural teacher preparation program, can help future teachers address issues of diversity and social justice in their classrooms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary. Recently, research has begun to investigate the reasons for differences in homeownership rates between Asians and Whites. This paper extends this research by examining the heterogeneity that exists across Asian groups in the US. We find that there are important differences across geographical area, across time and across groups in the importance of various factors that influence the likelihood of owning a home. After controlling for household mobility and other socioeconomic characteristics, we find that most Asian groups have home-ownership rates similar to those of Whites, but that Chinese households have home-ownership rates 20 percentage points higher than their household characteristics would predict. In part, this may be due to differences in support unmeasured in the data, but future research is needed to fully understand the source of this differential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper represents some of the first findings from a cross-cultural analysis of student high-school cultures in two countries. The analysis presented here is part of PhD dissertation research being conducted for the University of Amsterdam. We take a close look at the differences and similarities between two schools in seemingly divergent contexts: a high school consisting of mostly African-American students in the Bronx, New York, and a so-called "zwarte" (black) school in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Despite contextual differences, we find that there are many similarities in the types of subcultures that are prevalent at both schools, and the consequences that these subcultures have for social variables such as identity formation, peer group influence, academic expectations, exclusion and acceptance variables, attitudes towards the school, etc. Both allow insight into emerging "Black Atlantic" youth cultural patterns, and the consequences these have for the educational institutions in society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inequality estimates derived from household consumption expenditure surveys (Susenas) suggest that economic inequality in Indonesia was comparatively moderate during the rapid economic transition in the Suharto era (1966-1998). Yet the expenditure distribution concept and problems of underreporting and selection bias constrain meaningful international inequality comparisons. This paper reassesses Indonesian inequality from a comparative perspective employing various alternative data sources and indicators. A comparison with Brazil, Mexico and the US reveals that Indonesian inequality levels are generally closer to Latin American levels than to US levels. Except for large short-term fluctuations, we did not find an overall increasing or decreasing inequality tendency between 1966 and 1998. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aims to conduct a cross cultural study of Mainland Chinese and the United States (U.S.) seniors' personality traits and identify how they affect motivation, preferences, sociodemographic, and travel-related characteristics. Using samples of 496 Mainland Chinese and 532 U.S. senior responses, this research determined that three personality traits (psychocentric, midcentric, and allocentric) described U.S. senior participants and two personality traits (psychocentric and midcentric) described Mainland Chinese senior participants. Using a series of analytical tools including one-way ANOVA, regression, independent sample t-test, and chi-square tests, differences between senior tourists' personality traits and other variables were determined across U.S. and Mainland Chinese senior samples and across the measurement constructs. Practical implications are discussed and recommendations for future research are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individual differences among humans are apparent in many environments and situations. Educators should be concerned about whether such differences are systematic to such an extent that they significantly affect the effectiveness of various pedagogical methods and training approaches. This paper investigates one type of individual difference — learning style — which may vary across cultures and which may be relevant for both accounting education and audit practice. Learning style is defined as an individual orientation to learning, utilizing four basic modes of learning to various degrees. Learning style measures were obtained from Norwegian and United States accounting students with varying experience levels. The learning styles for the US students were compared to data obtained in prior research and were found to be generally consistent with these studies. The Norwegian sample was compared to both the current United States results and prior research and was found to be significantly different from the US learning style preferences. Implications of these differences for both education and practice are explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In view of the increasing numbers of Hispanics in this country, American health care professionals need to be aware of cultural differences between themselves and their Hispanic patients, especially where health practices are concerned This paper deals with some of the health-related traditions, values, and beliefs held by various groups of Hispanic extraction in this country A number of culture-specific disease entities and treatment modes are discussed, with special reference to patient behaviors and attitudes Implications for health care delivery to Hispanic individuals and families are outlined, and suggestions for service providers are put forth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research findings: This study examined cross-cultural differences in the structure of preschoolers' narratives, cross-cultural differences in maternal elaboration during reminiscing and the links between the two. We report evidence from middle-class, monolingual samples from Costa Rica and the United States. Results revealed that U.S. children provided more coherently sequenced narratives than Costa Rican children. We also found that Costa Rican and U.S. mothers emphasized different aspects of elaboration while reminiscing with their children. Costa Rican mothers produced significantly more open-ended questions; whereas U.S. mothers provided more pieces of new information. No relationship was found between maternal elaboration style and children's ability to provide coherently sequenced narratives across samples. Practice or policy: Findings are discussed in light of their implications for distinct cultural models of narrative development. They highlight cross-cultural differences in narrative sequencing development that are important for educators to understand in order to provide appropriate scaffolds as children accomplish milestones toward later literacy acquisition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is a cross-cultural examination of interactivity on U.S., U.K., Japanese, and South Korean corporate Web sites. Each Web site was content-analyzed for use of various interactivity functions. Using cultural difference criteria of high versus low context, power distance, and individualism-collectivism, this study compares three dimensions of interactivity on the Web sites of each country's top 50 advertisers. Twenty-five interactivity functions/indicators, classified into three interactivity dimensions, were used in the final data analysis to test three research hypotheses, Our findings indicate that Western Web sites tend to emphasize consumer-message (HI) and consumer-marketer interactivity (H2), whereas Eastern Web sites highlight consumer-consumer interactivity (H3). Implications of the findings and suggestions for future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using celebrities to promote products is a popular advertising technique around the world. However, little is known about how the implementation of celebrity endorsement varies according to dominant cultural values. This study content-analyzed television commercials featuring celebrities from two diametrically different countries--the United States and Korea--in terms of two fundamental cultural dimensions: (1) low versus high context, and (2) individualism versus collectivism. Findings of this study suggest that the strategic use and creative executions of celebrity endorsement mirror the respective prevalent cultural orientations in the two countries, although some similarities do exist. Extensive discussion and suggestions for future research are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using subjects from Korea and the United States, this study reports the results of an experiment designed to discover links between national culture, self-construals, and the effectiveness of comparative advertising. First, the effect of national culture on comparative advertising effectiveness was investigated. Then, using self-construals as individual-level variables in a path model, the study investigated their mediating effects on the influence of national culture on the effectiveness of comparative advertising. Results indicated not only that national culture influences the effectiveness of comparative advertising, but also that self-construals have mediating effects on attitudes toward the advertisement (Aad) for both indirect comparative advertising and noncomparative advertising. Thus, the study goes beyond the post hoc explanations that so many studies have used to link differences in the effectiveness of advertising to cultural variability, and thereby contributes to theory on the mediating effects of self-construals. The findings also have implications for advertising managerial practices and public policy on the regulation of advertising. But perhaps the main contribution of the study is a research design using self-construals to demonstrate how individual-level variables can mediate the influence of national culture on advertising effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patterns of cross-cultural differences in ethical perceptions can be explained by Hofstede's typology of cultural dimensions. To test hypothesized differences, we conducted a survey of practitioners at Korean advertising agencies and compared their responses with results from previous surveys in the U.S. Evaluations of ethical issues in hypothetical scenarios that are consistent with the two cultures' relative levels of musculinity/femininity and individualism/collectivism. Agency practitioners in the two countries also vary in the ethical problems they face in their daily work. Differing perceptions that the problems are a concern of top management, or are a hindrance to performance and relations with coworkers, are consistent with relative levels of power distance, long-term orientation and individualism/collectivism. The findings illustrate the influence of cultural dimensions on ethical perceptions and practices in the advertising industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study develops a cross-cultural content analysis framework to examine underlying cultural dimensions: individualism/collectivism, time orientation, relationship with nature, and contextuality. Most cross-cultural content analyses have inferred that differences in execution have been due to assumed cultural differences in the societies examined (often based on the work of Hofstede [1980]); the development of the structure proposed here will allow the direct investigation of those cultural issues. Television commercials from the U.S. and Korea were selected as being representative of North American and East Asian commercials. Both countries are present-time oriented, and while individualism and collectivism are prevalent in both cultures, individualism is more dominant in the U.S. Korean commercials stress oneness-with-nature slightly more than U.S. commercials, and U.S. commercials use more direct approaches. Directions for refinement and future research are identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using content analysis, the author examined sex role stereotyping in television commercials aimed at children in the United States and Australia. The goals of the study were to: (1) provide current data on level and content of gender stereotyping, (2) compare levels of stereotyping in two countries, and (3) assess stereotyping of self-presentational behaviors. Results are consistent with those of previous research in that boys were depicted as being more knowledgeable, active, aggressive, and instrumental than girls. Nonverbal behaviors involving dominance and control were associated more with boys than girls. Country-related differences in ratios of boys to girls in the commercials and demonstrations of licensed withdrawal, function ranking, and utilitarian contact were observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of music and lyrics in commercials run in the United States is compared with their use in commercials run in the Dominican Republic (D.R.). The authors briefly review present theoretical perspectives on the role of music in advertising and address the need to conceptualize music as a culturally situated variable. They discuss the structure of Dominican TV media and examine the influence of U.S. media culture in the D.R., then develop a set of propositions about cross-cultural differences in the extensiveness of music and lyrics in commercials, the style of music used, and the product meanings conveyed in lyrics. The propositions are tested in a content analysis of commercials. The findings support the propositions and indicate a need for sociological and interpretive approaches to the study of the role of music in advertising. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examining the cross-national applicability of advertising measures is becoming increasingly important, especially in rapidly changing countries such as Russia. Therefore, our study's purpose is first to demonstrate recommended procedures for testing the cross-national equivalence of advertising belief and attitude measures. Then, we conduct an initial cross-national comparison of beliefs and attitudes toward advertising in general between student samples from both the U.S. (n = 148) and from Russia (n = 64). Results indicate that, while Russian respondents felt advertising is more essential, U.S. respondents felt advertising resulted in greater negative social effects. Also, U.S. respondents were more favorable toward the institution of advertising (its purpose and effects), with no differences for the instrument of advertising (its methods and practices). Russian respondents' attitudes toward advertising in general were more favorable than those of U.S. respondents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the process of how consumer perception of benefits from apparel brand leads to brand loyalty and compares the process between US and India. The proposed research framework posits that consumers' perception of utilitarian and hedonic benefits from a brand increase loyalty toward the brand via the mediating role of brand trust and brand affect. Analyses of the hypotheses collectively revealed that consumers' hedonic benefit perceptions of apparel brand, rather than their utilitarian benefit perceptions, influenced the enhancement of brand trust and brand affect. Further, brand affect, rather than brand trust, influenced and mediated the development of brand loyalty of apparel brand. This study also found country moderating effects on three paths, suggesting that hedonic benefit of a brand and brand affect plays a greater role for US consumers than for Indian consumers. Academic and managerial implications were discussed based on findings. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This study explores the intersection of culture, new media, and social context—an essential component of intercultural new media studies—by investigating the social uses of smartphones, tablets, and laptops in university classrooms in Denmark and the US. American and Danish university students differed significantly in (1) frequency of new media use, (2) preferred classroom policies regulating use, (3) perceived impact of use on learning, attention, and student participation, and (4) preferred instructor strategies for handling distracting uses. Danes and Americans also differed significantly in authority values that are linked to students' new media use in the classroom. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This study applied and extended face-negotiation theory in a cross-cultural comparison of face, facework, and conflict management styles between Ecuador and the United States (US). Participants included students from the United States and Ecuador. Participants completed a questionnaire that measured face, facework, and conflict style preference in one of two recalled conflict situations that varied in relational closeness (i.e., intimate, nonintimate). Results reveal that Ecuadorian and U.S. students did not differ in their self-face, other-face, and mutual-face concerns. Ecuadorian and U.S. students differed significantly in their preference for facework and conflict style preferences across the two conflict situations, however. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The purpose of this cross-cultural study was to describe and compare US and Turkish children's observational knowledge of the day and night cycle and to identify similarities predicted by framework theory. Fifty-six (27 US and 29 Turkish) young children (ages 48–60 months) participated in the study. Semi-structured interviews were individually conducted, digitally recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using the constant comparative method. The results demonstrate that preschoolers from the two cultures are able to make comparable informal observations of the sky, and their observational knowledge includes many similarities, with one exception, as predicted by framework theory. US children were more likely to perform better than the Turkish children on the question about the time of observation for the moon. Although science concepts and skills are better represented in US early childhood education programs than the Turkish program, the results suggest that this advantage did not translate into performance differences between US and Turkish children. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article reports on the development and construct validation of the Identity Horizons Scales, an instrument based on the identity horizons model. Participants were postsecondary students aged 18–24 years from Japan (N = 505) and the United States (N = 546). Following exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis, a three-factor scale had adequate configural, metric, and partial scalar invariance. Evidence for construct validity was also found. Cross-cultural validity assessments suggest that the new measure can be used in both cultural contexts, and for men and women in both contexts, but that the Japanese configuration of identity horizons is more nuanced than the U.S. pattern. Implications, limitations, and future directions for research using the Identity Horizons Scales in different cultural settings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research exploring urban youths’ value orientations toward the human–nature relationship was conducted with 59 students from a school in Minneapolis, Minnesota (USA) and 51 students from a school in Guangzhou, Guangdong (China). Quantitative findings suggest that the majority of participants in both groups shared a similar value orientation, harmony with nature. Qualitative findings, however, suggest youth had somewhat different value orientations toward the human–nature relationship (interdependence most frequently for the Guangzhou school participants and stewardship for the Minneapolis school participants). Similarities and differences between the groups are discussed, and implications for environmental education are explored. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background:Despite the large body of literature regarding student misconceptions, there has been relatively little cross-cultural research to directly compare the prevalence of common scientific misconceptions amongst students from different cultural backgrounds. Whilst previous research does suggest the international nature of many misconceptions, there is little evidence as to whether the prevalence of such common misconceptions varies from culture to culture. Purpose:To undertake a preliminary examination of the prevalence and reasons for some previously studied scientific misconceptions amongst English and Chinese undergraduate students so as to ascertain whether there is any evidence of cultural difference. Such a finding could help to identify teaching approaches in either country that are more effective in reducing the prevalence of common student misconceptions. Sample:The study involved a convenience sample of 40 undergraduate students – 20 English and 20 Chinese drawn equally from two universities in the North of England – whose formal science education ended at ages 16 and 15 respectively. Design and methods:The study employed semi-structured interview schedule containing eight questions. Results:Whilst similar misconceptions existed amongst both English and Chinese undergraduates, their prevalence was significantly higher amongst the English students (Overall mean score for scientifically correct answers amongst Chinese students was 27.7% higher, p < .01, r = .64). Often when English and Chinese undergraduates had similar misconceptions, they tended to explain these by drawing upon very similar erroneous analogies and these appear to be only nominally culturally independent in that they are based on globally shared everyday experiences. Conclusion:Differences in the prevalence of misconceptions amongst English and Chinese undergraduates appear to arise from differences in the way in which specific areas of physics are taught in both countries. It might be possible to reduce the prevalence of misconceptions in both countries if a better understanding could be developed of how, and why, undergraduates use certain erroneous analogies, and why some teaching approaches seem more effective in reducing the prevalence of misconceptions than others. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This study compares and contrasts perceptions of entrepreneurship success factors in Estonia and the USA. The 115-item E-World survey is used to highlight differences of implicit beliefs about behaviors and characteristics of successful entrepreneurs between the USA, a country with a long history of entrepreneurial development, and Estonia, a small economy where entrepreneurship has played an important role in the transition from a command to a market economy. Cultural differences and the institutional context emerge as key models in interpreting the social obligations of entrepreneurs, thus linking future orientation and communication, and entrepreneurs’ perceptions of entrepreneurial risks and challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This study examined the relationships among social media use for information, self-status seeking and socializing, body image, self-esteem, and psychological well-being, and some cultural effects moderating these relationships. Americans (n = 502) and Koreans (n = 518) completed an online survey. The main findings showed that (a) social media use for information about body image is negatively related to body satisfaction in the United States and Korea, while social media use for self-status seeking regarding body image is positively related to body satisfaction only in Korea; and (b) body satisfaction has direct and indirect positive effects on psychological well-being manifested in similar ways in the United States and Korea. Implications and future research directions are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Substantial disparities in TIV utilization rates among ALS patients have been observed, with rates in Japan far exceeding rates in the United States. Our objective was to elicit national preferences and their determinants. We predicted more Japanese than American patients would desire TIV, as would sicker patients, those already using non-invasive interventions, and those with more positive mood and outlook. Patients were enrolled in five U.S. states and six Japanese regions. Eligible patients completed surveys during clinic visits (U.S.) or at home (Japan). Survey responses were in multiple-choice format and took about 15 min to complete. One hundred and fifty-six Americans and 66 Japanese patients participated. Contrary to expectations, Japanese patients were more likely to oppose TIV, as were those on 24-h NIV and patients who knew someone using TIV. Most Japanese and American patients with advanced respiratory impairment were undecided or opposed to TIV, while nearly 20% in both countries were in favor. Finally, patients who favored TIV or who were undecided had more energy, greater wish to live, and more sense of control over ALS management. In conclusion, factors other than patient preferences, such as neurologist preferences, caregiver attitudes and perhaps lack of advance planning, may influence probability of TIV utilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the extent of influence of culture on implicit theories of creativity among laypeople from the United States and Singapore, as well as the ethnic groups in Singapore. Adaptive and innovative styles of creativity were examined, as well as their own conceptions of creativity. Laypersons from the United States and Singapore were asked to rate the creativity level for the descriptors of theadaptorandinnovatorexplicit theory of creativity. The laypersons were also asked to give words they believed associated with creativity. Data indicated that there was an implicit belief that high creativity was associated with the innovative style of creativity. Further, the words that were associated with creativity seemed to have aninnovatorbias. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research proposes a model for cross-national analyses of intention to use multiple mobile entertainment services using a modified technology acceptance model and the theory of planned behavior. Antecedents of intention to use were examined through a survey of young adult mobile users in Japan and the United States. Our model, based on a modified technology acceptance model-theory of planned behavior framework, fits generally well for cross-national analyses of entertainment services. For the services that were included, all except one path in the estimated models for Japan and the United States were statistically significant. The results indicate that paths originating from perceived value can differ, possibly due to practical considerations such as pricing and regulations. Our results have useful implications for the adoption of global marketing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Topic sensitivity has not been widely studied, especially at the cross-cultural level of analysis, despite its potential effect on data quality and quantity across multiple data collection modes. Internet surveys are fast becoming the preferred mode for survey delivery as they afford researchers convenient use of design options such as "forced answering" (FA) that can virtually eliminate item nonresponse error. This study examines the impact of topic sensitivity on the use of FA and the "prefer not to answer" (PNA) response option on completion rates for Internet-based surveys in two different cultures/countries-the United States and Hong Kong. The findings generally support prior research concerning the lack of effects of FA, regardless of whether a PNA response option is employed. However, the results also reveal that topic sensitivity can vary widely across cultures/countries, which suggests that topic sensitivity should be regarded as a cultural emic in cross-cultural research studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors examined the relationship between team satisfaction and students’ performance in group projects in two universities, one from the United States and one from Qatar. The results showed that there is a significant positive correlation between team satisfaction and group performance only for the American students. Demographic factors such as gender, employment, course level, course subject, and group gender were partially significant in influencing students’ responses. American students performed better than Qatari students, but they were less satisfied with their team members. These differences may be attributed to the cultural dissimilarities between the American and the Qatari students; thus, students’ cultural backgrounds should be considered when forming groups. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A cross-cultural study (China-Korea-America) investigates customer response as a function of relationship type and long-term orientation (resulting from national culture) when experiencing service failure. An experiment is conducted with written scenarios describing service experience and subsequent service failure; 90 people representing three different nationalities are tested. The results demonstrate that both relationship type and long-term orientation impact consumer reaction towards service failure. This is a significant result for service providers who function on the global market place. When creating service recovery, consideration should be given to relationship type and cultural orientation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following a sociocultural perspective, this study investigates how students who have grown up using the SI (Système International d'Unités) (metric) or US customary (USC) systems of units for everyday use differ in their knowledge of scale and measurement. Student groups were similar in terms of socioeconomic status, curriculum, native language transparency of number word structure, type of school, and makeup by gender and grade level, while varying by native system of measurement. Their performance on several tasks was compared using binary logistic regression, ordinal logistic regression, and analysis of variance, with gender and grade level as covariates. Participants included 17 USC-native and 89 SI-native students in a school in Mexico, and 31 USC-native students in a school in the Midwestern USA. SI-native students performed at a significantly higher level estimating the length of a metre and a conceptual task (coordinating relative size and absolute size). No statistically significant differences were found on tasks involving factual knowledge about objects or units, scale construction, or estimation of other units. USC-native students in the US school performed at a higher level on smallest known object. These findings suggest that the more transparent SI system better supports conceptual thinking about scale and measurement than the idiosyncratic USC system. Greater emphasis on the SI system and more complete adoption of the SI system for everyday life may improve understanding among US students. Advancing sociocultural theory, systems of units were found to mediate learner's understanding of scale and measurement, much as number words mediate counting and problem solving. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The aim of the study was to determine if Chinese school principals use influence actions differently from US principals. The concepts framing this study are leader influence actions, societal and local culture. The analysis was conducted with data from two independent studies conducted in each country using the strategic leadership questionnaire (SLQTM). The data suggest that (1) managing and transforming actions are universal, (2) relationship influence actions (bonding, bridging and bartering) are culturally sensitive and (3) societal values are less important than local values in determining which influence actions principals employ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How does economic inequality affect societies' average levels of student achievement, and how might the answer to this question inform our understanding of U.S. students' achievement in cross-national perspective? Analyses of country-level data (N = 97) from three recent international studies reveal that while more affluent countries exhibit higher average achievement than less affluent countries, moreunequalcountries haveloweraverage achievement than less unequal countries—even net of affluence and other factors. This helps explain why U.S. students score relatively low compared to their counterparts in other developed nations. I discuss the implications of these findings for understanding the role of stratification in societies generally and for raising achievement in the U.S. specifically. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In the past 20 years a body of research in behavioral and experimental economics has challenged classical economic theory. Yet, this body of research seems relatively unknown in business education. One behavioral test with implications for international business education has been the use of ultimatum games, which has more recently expanded to cross-cultural studies. Yet, virtually no cross-cultural studies have been conducted for subjects in Middle Eastern countries. One of the central findings from ultimatum game research and other variations is that individuals place a high value on fairness in transactions, a fundamentally ethical concept. This article reports a preliminary study of Kuwaiti and U.S. business students. Results are consistent with previous studies, showing Kuwaiti subjects to be in line with subjects from developed economies. Discussion includes the implications for management and business educators. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The aim of the current study is to conduct a simultaneous cross-cultural assessment of modern and old-fashioned prejudice towards gay men and lesbian women. Data collected in the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States were compared to assess whether any notable differences in prejudice occurred and whether specific predictors of homonegativity (i.e. age of participants, gender, level of self-reported religiosity, level of education and contact with either a gay man or a lesbian woman) demonstrate the same predictive utility across all samples. The findings obtained by the current study highlight specific discrepancies in the prevalence of old-fashioned and modern homonegativity and suggest that the demographic variables assessed failed to account for comparable levels of variance across all samples. Implications of these findings, limitations of the current study and directions for future research are explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]