Search results
1 – 10 of over 20000Using the case of a cross-cultural setting, the purpose of this paper is to compare perceptions of students towards face-to-face learning and blended learning. A social…
Abstract
Purpose
Using the case of a cross-cultural setting, the purpose of this paper is to compare perceptions of students towards face-to-face learning and blended learning. A social constructivist perspective is used which implies that cultural data are in fact social constructs made on the basis of the participants’ own cultural thought patterns and the concepts and categories to which they are socialised within learning organisations. This paper aims to discuss these issues.
Design/methodology/approach
Perceptual evidence forms the primary qualitative and quantitative data for this study. The paper uses social constructivist approach with empirical data in developing the notion that cross-cultural management is a process whereby people, through social interactions, acquire participative competence for working in cross-cultural settings.
Findings
Perceptual data emerging from this study point out that considering the learning objectives of a cross-cultural context are paramount when engaging in cross-cultural management curriculum and teaching design. Such social contexts, while complex and challenging, is often a perfect opportunity where cross-cultural competence can be developed.
Originality/value
The value of the study lies in the original insights it offers into student experiences and the challenges to adopt a “one size fits all” strategy in a cross-cultural setting.
Details
Keywords
Van Thac Dang and Ying-Chyi Chou
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of extrinsic motivation, workplace learning, employer trust and self-efficacy on foreign laborers’ cross-cultural…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of extrinsic motivation, workplace learning, employer trust and self-efficacy on foreign laborers’ cross-cultural adjustment.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper uses structural equation modeling to analyze the data from a sample of 258 Vietnamese laborers in Taiwan.
Findings
The results show a significantly positive impact of extrinsic motivation, workplace learning, employer trust and self-efficacy on cross-cultural adjustment.
Originality/value
The findings of this study provide important implications for academic researchers and organizations concerning management and development of successful foreign laborers. From a theoretical aspect, this study shows new evidence on the impacts of extrinsic motivation, workplace learning, employer trust and self-efficacy on foreign laborer cross-cultural adjustment. In addition, this study enriches theories in the field of self-determination motivation, workplace learning, trust and self-efficacy literature. From a practical aspect, this study provides implications for business managers to make better policies in training and managing foreign laborers.
Details
Keywords
Higher education is influenced, to an increasing extent, by changing student demographics. This requires educators to design and deliver learning systems which will enhance…
Abstract
Purpose
Higher education is influenced, to an increasing extent, by changing student demographics. This requires educators to design and deliver learning systems which will enhance students’ learning experience with innovative, real world and engaging resources. The authors predict that transformations in the learning systems will increase as higher learning institutions seek to add educational value. The authors maintain that current pedagogies in cross‐cultural education are insufficiently adapted to student learning‐style needs. This problem is particularly noticeable in one cross‐cultural setting. This study aims to explore games, as an alternate pedagogy, to enhance learning systems.
Design/methodology/approach
Students’ feedback formed the primary qualitative data for this study. The paper develops a conceptual model which provides an organised framework to manage intercultural differences, using games. The Mapping, Bridging, Integrating (MBI) model creates an opportunity for students to appreciate differences and understand the model's implications for their careers in international management.
Findings
Participants’ responses to the games were overwhelmingly positive. Participants’ responses indicated games as a preferred method for developing the intercultural competence, team work, decision making and self awareness skills essential for business and entrepreneurship.
Practical implications
There is a growing need to consider and align the relationship between education, the increasing cultural diversity in student populations, and the learning and teaching styles of a changing student population in order to enhance the extent of expected knowledge transfer.
Originality/value
In this study, the authors adopted a qualitative approach to trialling the use of games in a cross‐cultural context with the view to reducing international cross‐cultural barriers and developing skills in intercultural competence, self awareness, collaborative working and decision making. This study shows the need for alternative, more integrative models of education comprising elements of complexity that fit with an increasingly complex world.
Details
Keywords
Sylvia van de Bunt‐Kokhuis and David Weir
The purpose of this paper is to highlight how future teaching in business schools will probably take place in an online (here called 24/7) classroom, where culturally diverse…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to highlight how future teaching in business schools will probably take place in an online (here called 24/7) classroom, where culturally diverse e‐learners around the globe meet. Technologies such as iPhone, iPad and a variety of social media, to mention but a few, give management learners of any age easy 24/7 access to information. Depending on the quality of the materials and the competences and cross‐cultural sensibilities of the teachers and trainers, this information may support the progress of e‐learning in business schools. At the same time, easy online access to knowledge and educational structures is not, in practice, equally available yet across cultures, and this will be documented with comparative cases from the Arab world and African learning communities.
Design/methodology/approach
This article contributes to multicultural education by identifying various barriers in the online management classroom. It combines theories from educational and cross‐cultural leadership studies, as well as e‐learning studies.
Findings
The outcomes of this analysis show how technical, language and cross‐cultural barriers still hinder particular adult learners to benefit from the “24/7 business school”. It is concluded that by understanding and serving a wide range of culturally diverse e‐learners in business schools, the stewardship role of the business school teacher is key.
Originality/value
The interplay between technical, language and cultural barriers in the online business school is rarely reflected upon. It is the intention of the authors to trigger a broad discussion process by focusing on culturally diverse management learners and by connecting with innovative educational insights across histories and cultures.
Details
Keywords
Christina Heidemann and Mikael Søndergaard
The main purpose of this paper is to test the effects of a classical intercultural simulation on participants' ability to modify their behavior in response to collectivistic and…
Abstract
Purpose
The main purpose of this paper is to test the effects of a classical intercultural simulation on participants' ability to modify their behavior in response to collectivistic and individualistic contexts. Moreover, the paper aims to examine moderating effects based on experiential learning and social identity theory.
Design/methodology/approach
The learning effects are evaluated through two separate quasi-experimental studies with 152 master students in business economics at a Danish university and 190 bachelor students in international business at a German university.
Findings
The analysis shows that intercultural simulations with artificial cultures significantly improve participants' ability to modify their behavior depending on cultural context. Participants who identify with an artificial culture that differs radically from their own take greater advantage of the simulation. The overall duration of international experience moderates participants' learning with a U-shaped effect. Culture-specific experience strengthens the positive effect of the simulation. The comparison of the two conducted studies indicates that previous cognitive teaching enhances learning.
Practical implications
The findings demonstrate the effectiveness of intercultural simulations that guide participants through all phases of the experiential learning cycle. Moreover, they underline the importance of assessing participants' cultural backgrounds before the assignment of training groups.
Originality/value
Prior research on intercultural simulations is often based on qualitative methods and mostly limited to affective outcomes, such as motivation and enjoyment of intercultural interactions. By contrast, this paper quantitatively tests to what extent intercultural simulations improve participants' ability to modify behavior depending on culture.
Details
Keywords
Yunxia Zhu, Tyler G. Okimoto, Amanda Roan and Henry Xu
To connect students with the real world of management practice, the purpose of this paper is to extend and operationalize the situated cultural learning approach (SiCuLA) through…
Abstract
Purpose
To connect students with the real world of management practice, the purpose of this paper is to extend and operationalize the situated cultural learning approach (SiCuLA) through five learning processes occurring within communities of practice. These include integration of cultural contexts, authentic activities, reflections, facilitation, and the construction of a collaborative learning community.
Design/methodology/approach
To investigate the complex processes and principles of cultural learning, a multi-method approach is applied to an extensive comparative study of default and intervened cases within three management classes. Evidence is drawn from multiple sources of qualitative data including class observations, meeting minutes, focus groups, and group interviews with students and instructors.
Findings
Results indicated that in default cases, little explicit attention was given to a situated perspective of culture, or to the rich sources of cultural knowledge available among members of the classroom community. In contrast, following the intervention cases where SiCuLA was applied, there was strong evidence that much more attention was given to enhancing student contextual knowledge. Nonetheless, there were some challenges in applying these processes within the classroom context.
Originality/value
This is the first study to extend and operationalize SiCuLA in a classroom setting. More importantly, the evidence forms the empirical basis for deriving theoretical principles for cross-cultural management (CCM) education and training. It contributes to studying cultural contexts as sources of knowledge for learning through active co-participation. It also contributes to positive CCM learning with an emphasis on human agency that encourages students to take more responsibility and ownership of their cultural learning.
Details
Keywords
Investigates cross‐cultural differences between European managementlearners in a French grande école using empiricalresearch with five national groups. Tests a proposition…
Abstract
Investigates cross‐cultural differences between European management learners in a French grande école using empirical research with five national groups. Tests a proposition that cross‐cultural differences exist within each of Kolb′s learning cycle stages, rather than between them. Finds support for this. Provides tentative learning “profiles” and makes suggestions for future questionnaire scale development.
Details
Keywords
Jennifer Feitosa, Christine Kreutzer, Angela Kramperth, William S. Kramer and Eduardo Salas
The purpose of this paper is to first, synthesize employee characteristics that have been shown to help expatriate adjustment into best practices that can aid in expatriate…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to first, synthesize employee characteristics that have been shown to help expatriate adjustment into best practices that can aid in expatriate selection. Second, the authors aim to identify training design variables that can be implemented to not only increase learning and expatriate adjustment, but also to maximize the benefits of employee characteristics. Finally, the authors point out environmental factors that are often overlooked, but yet important influencing forces of expatriate adjustment.
Design/methodology/approach
PsychINFO was searched using variations of the following terms: expatriate selection and expatriate training. For the selection criteria, the authors selected articles in which cross-cultural adjustment, expatriate performance, or learning was the dependent variable. Reference sections of these articles were then cross-referenced for additional support. Authors then double-coded every article independently to record variables, study methodology, and research results.
Findings
The authors have identified cultural intelligence, learning orientation, technical KSAO's, and language skills to be the most significant antecedents of expatriate adjustment. Furthermore, the authors have found environmental factors (i.e. organizational, family, and interpersonal support) to play a crucial role in the adjustment process. The authors have also identified training factors (i.e. content, process, and elements) to be crucial, and the authors propose how these design variables further facilitate learning and adjustment.
Originality/value
This manuscript contributes to the extant expatriate adjustment literature by providing a new, integrative framework. While the individual variables explored within the paper have been examined in past research, this manuscript is the first to offer a framework which integrates them to shape future research.
Details
Keywords
Elin Kubberød and Inger Beate Pettersen
Building on entrepreneurial learning research, the purpose of this paper is to argue that the students participating in foreign entrepreneurial education programmes can have…
Abstract
Purpose
Building on entrepreneurial learning research, the purpose of this paper is to argue that the students participating in foreign entrepreneurial education programmes can have realistic entrepreneurial learning experiences. This research addresses two specific questions: how situated ambiguity induced by a foreign culture may contribute to contextual entrepreneurial learning in education, and whether ambiguity induced by cross-cultural situated experience can stimulate critical reflection and important learning outcomes in entrepreneurship and increase entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE).
Design/methodology/approach
The authors adopted a phenomenological perspective in the research, and used focus group interviews and the critical incident technique to investigate Norwegian master’s students’ experiences of entrepreneurial learning in a long-term practice in an American startup.
Findings
The empirical findings reveal that the students perceived the foreign cultural learning setting as imbued with ambiguity and uncertainty. However, as the students enhanced their understanding of the culture and entrepreneurial milieu through observations and co-participating, they managed to adapt and develop new strategies and methods to cope with the new environment. Eventually, the students became more entrepreneurial and developed their ESE.
Practical implications
The research demonstrates how educators can design educational programmes that approach real entrepreneurial learning contexts. Nevertheless, the research also displays several ethical dilemmas that educators need to address.
Originality/value
The study delineates a new concept for educational designs called situated ambiguity, which reinforces the essence of situated entrepreneurial learning with cross-cultural learning. This concept offers a promising avenue for educators to approach real entrepreneurial learning in both theory and practice.
Details
Keywords
The purpose of the study is to test four hypotheses regarding correlations between extrinsic motivation, self-efficacy, employer trust and workplace learning which were…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of the study is to test four hypotheses regarding correlations between extrinsic motivation, self-efficacy, employer trust and workplace learning which were hypothesized to relate to cross-cultural adaptation, which is significant in workers’ effectiveness in foreign contexts.
Design/methodology/approach
A questionnaire based study of Vietnamese lower skilled workers in Taiwan.
Findings
Each of the four factors had significant positive correlations with cross-cultural adjustment. The sample consisted of lower skilled workers in manufacturing and.
Practical implications
The current study provides evidence for the importance of extrinsic motivation, workplace learning, self-efficacy and employer trust in cross-cultural adjustment for lower skilled workers.
Originality/value
Low skilled workers adjustment to new cultures has rarely been discussed in previous literature.
Details