scholarly journals Cultural intelligence and leadership style in the education sector

2017 ◽  
Vol 31 (6) ◽  
pp. 718-735 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ali Aldhaheri
Keyword(s):  
Leadership Style ◽  
Cultural Context ◽  
Cultural Intelligence ◽  
School Leaders ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Education Sector ◽  
Abu Dhabi ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact

Purpose Schools in UAE are multicultural in nature. In this context, cultural intelligence (CQ) is a tool, which can increase an individual’s ability to interact with people outside his/her culture. The purpose of this paper is to explore the perceptions of the school leaders regarding the key influences of cultural intelligence on their ability to adapt their leadership style in the Abu Dhabi Education Sector. Design/methodology/approach An extensive review of the literature was carried out to acknowledge the cultural intelligence and leadership style adaptability concepts. This research has adopted a qualitative method of inquiry. Data for the study have been collected from three focus groups with 14 schools leaders in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. Findings This pilot study reveals that cultural intelligence has some influence on the school leaders’ ability to adapt their leadership style within a diverse work environment. This influence is complex in nature and multiple factors have been identified. Research limitations/implications The main limitations of this study are associated with the small sample size. Regarding the implications, while this study was conducted in a UAE cultural context, it can be extended to other Gulf countries. Future research should prompt educational leaders, administrators, students, and research academics to further consider the impact of cultural intelligence on leadership style. Practical implications This study contributes towards cultural intelligence literature. Schools should provide cultural training to managers before appointing them to leadership positions, which helps in understanding the culture which they are going to operate in, and effectively manage their drives, workforce, students, and the community. Originality/value The paper highlights six core factors that influence the ability of school leaders to adapt their leadership style in culturally diverse environments. These preliminary factors need to be examined further to validate the dimensions of leadership adaptability in various contexts.

Assessing the cultural intelligence and task performance equation

2015 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 236-258 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeevan Jyoti ◽  
Sumeet Kour
Keyword(s):  
Task Performance ◽  
Cultural Context ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Cultural Intelligence ◽  
Cultural Adjustment ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact ◽  
And Task

Purpose – Organizations in India are multicultural in nature. In this context, cultural intelligence is a tool, which can increase an individual’s ability to interact with people outside his/her culture. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the impact of cultural intelligence on task performance as well as to investigate the mediating role of cultural adjustment between the two. Design/methodology/approach – Extensive review of literature was done to acknowledge the cultural intelligence and task performance concept. Data for the study has been collected from the 225 managers working in nationalized banks in Jammu province (J&K, India). Data collected has been validated using confirmatory factor analysis and hypotheses have been tested through structural equation modeling. Findings – The study reveals that cultural intelligence significantly contributes toward task performance. The findings further reveal full mediation of cultural adjustment between cultural intelligence and task performance. Research limitations/implications – The study has been conducted in Indian cultural context, which can be extended to other Asian countries. Further, more outcomes of cultural intelligence can be taken into consideration in future for better understanding of the concept. Practical implications – The study contributes toward cultural intelligence theory. Organization should provide cultural training to the managers before sending them to out of home state assignment, which helps to understand the culture of that state and effectively interact with people belonging to that place. Originality/value – The paper empirically identifies the relationship between cultural intelligence and task performance in Indian context. Further, this relationship has been explored by using cultural adjustment as a mediator between the two. The model developed can be used for future research keeping it as a base.

Optimism, overconfidence and entrepreneurial activity

2008 ◽  
Vol 46 (7) ◽  
pp. 986-1001 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rose Trevelyan
Keyword(s):  
Regulatory Focus ◽  
Development Process ◽  
Analytical Techniques ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
New Venture ◽  
Entrepreneurial Activity ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Right ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThis paper aims to explore the question of confidence in entrepreneurship, and the impact confidence has on key tasks in the venture development process.Design/methodology/approachPropositions about the relationship between key elements of confidence (optimism and overconfidence) are made in order to unpack the confidence construct. Simple tests of these propositions are conducted using a small sample of Australian entrepreneurs. Further propositions are made about the impact of optimism and overconfidence on activity across different phases of the new venture development process.FindingsTwo elements of confidence, optimism and overconfidence, are distinct in their association with each other and with a third individual difference (regulatory focus). The dual and sometimes opposing impacts of optimism and overconfidence on new venture activity are explored. Optimism and overconfidence are both beneficial when deciding to become an entrepreneur, but overconfidence is harmful when making decisions in response to setbacks.Research limitations/implicationsConclusions are limited by the sample size and simple analytical techniques. Rather, the impact of the paper is in the implications of the independence of optimism and overconfidence. Future research can explore and test the propositions made about when each is harmful and when beneficial.Practical implicationsFor entrepreneurs, it is important to be aware of your optimism and overconfidence in different situations. When optimism is beneficial, use it, but when overconfidence is harmful, mitigate against it by asking the right questions and working with others to check assumptions and strategies.Originality/valueThis paper distinguishes between two individual differences, optimism and overconfidence, that are typically thought to be interdependent and beneficial for entrepreneurs.

Transitional leadership to resolve conflict, facilitate change and restore wellbeing

2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 1053-1072
Author(s):  
Tim J. Pratt ◽  
Roy K. Smollan ◽  
Edwina Pio
Keyword(s):  
Small Sample Size ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Unique Contribution ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Non Profit ◽  
Transitional Leadership ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Christian Denomination

Purpose This paper aims to explore the experiences of church ministers who played the role of transitional leaders in congregational situations involving conflict. Design/methodology/approach Grounded theory was chosen as a suitable approach to investigate phenomena that occasionally penetrate religious publications and even less frequently scholarly management journals. Accordingly, in-depth interviews were conducted with six church ministers who had been transitional leaders in one Christian denomination in New Zealand. Findings Participants indicated that the drivers of transitional ministry were conflict, dysfunction and loss of direction; the goals were to heal the damage caused by conflict and restore functionality and well-being; the process, underpinned by a leadership philosophy of affirmation, trust-building, engagement and communication, involved working with church members to instil hope, establish operational structures, identify and resolve dysfunction, envision a future and ultimately recruit a permanent minister. Research limitations/implications The limitations of a small sample size in one Christian denomination could be addressed by using wider samples in other contexts. It is suggested that insights into transitional leadership after conflict will be of interest to researchers as well as practitioners in other religious organizations, the wider non-profit sector and the private sector. Future research into the impact of transitional leadership, against a background of conflict and organizational change, will add to this empirical foundation. Originality/value The model of transitional ministry is a unique contribution to religious literature and practice. It also offers insight into how other types of organization could deal with the exit of its permanent leader, in circumstances of conflict, and manage the transition phase of a temporary replacement, so that the organization returns to a state of well-being with a renewed sense of purpose.

Do age, work experience and gender affect individuals’ propensity to trust others? An exploratory study in the United Arab Emirates

2018 ◽  
Vol 38 (3/4) ◽  
pp. 210-223 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachid Zeffane
Keyword(s):  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Work Experience ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Trust Formation ◽  
Propensity To Trust ◽  
And Gender ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of age, work experience and gender on individuals’ propensity (inclination or readiness) to trust others. Design/methodology/approach The authors gathered literature arguments and developed a basic theoretical model explored through an empirical study. The study uses a sample of 324 retail business owners/operators in the United Arab Emirates. The authors developed and tested three main hypotheses. Findings Age has a significant positive impact on the propensity to trust. Work experience has a similar effect, but to a lesser degree. Females are generally less predisposed to trust. However, the impact of age on trust was significant for both males and females. Research limitations/implications This study focuses on a small sample of individuals in a single country. A larger multi-context study would be beneficial in verifying the above findings. Also, the concept of trust used in this study is general and focuses mainly on general likelihood/aspirations to trust others. Future research could examine the relationship of age to different aspects of trust and in different circumstances. Practical implications The findings of this study have several practical benefits. They draw the attention of human resource management practitioners and policy makers to the importance of age, work experience and gender in shaping trust relationships in both societal and business contexts. Originality/value The impact of age (and aging) work and society in general is a growing concern. Despite the number of studies examining trust and the process of trust formation, the relationships between age, gender and trust have been largely overlooked in previous research. This study attempts to address this gap and provides useful evidence likely to inspire further/future research on this issue.

The meaning of international experience for the development of cultural intelligence

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 390-407 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dana L. Ott ◽  
Marina Iskhakova
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Intelligence ◽  
Research Evidence ◽  
International Experience ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Business Research ◽  
Learning And Development ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Body Of Knowledge ◽  
International Business Research ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This paper aims to contribute to international business research by critically analyzing and evaluating the use of the “international experience” (IE) construct within the specific context of developing cultural intelligence (CQ). Design/methodology/approach Based on 30 studies selected through a systematic literature review, the IE construct is critically analyzed and evaluated with respect to the terminology, definitions, conceptualizations and measurements used. Findings Findings indicate that the existing body of knowledge on the construct of IE is fragmented, uses inconsistent terminology, does not uniformly rely on any underlying conceptual frameworks and uses a variety of measures for investigating IE. Additionally, scholars have largely relied on quantitative measures of IE to explain the development of CQ, despite theoretical arguments specifying conditions and circumstances that must occur for learning and development to take place. Research limitations/implications To move forward with using the IE construct, the authors emphasize the critical need for scholars to pay greater attention to and explicate how they define, conceptualize and measure it. Based on the identified issues, recommendations to improve future research are provided. Originality/value Although IE is frequently assumed to influence the development of CQ, contrary to conventional wisdom and some theoretical arguments, research evidence has demonstrated that the impact of IE on CQ is suggestive rather than conclusive. To understand why this may be the case, the use of the IE construct within previous research is critically analyzed and evaluated.

Blended learning in accounting: a New Zealand case

2014 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 224-244 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sidney Weil ◽  
Tracy-Anne De Silva ◽  
Maurice Ward
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Blended Learning ◽  
Student Participation ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Learning Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Online Activities ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – This paper aims to describe the implementation of a blended learning approach in a Stage 2 management accounting course at a university in New Zealand. The paper reports on student participation and engagement in the course and reflects on students’ learning experiences. The blended learning approach was implemented in response to low student attendance and poor preparation for face-to-face tutorial sessions, along with demand from students to be able to access learning resources off-campus. Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected from formal course evaluations, the learning management system and a student focus group, with particular emphasis on three of the online activities introduced – lessons, quizzes and chat rooms. Findings – The study finds that while learners value online activities, they are nevertheless still unwilling to forgo the opportunities which face-to-face contact with both peers and faculty members present. This finding provides support for the continuation of a blended learning approach in the course, as well as its implementation in others. Research limitations/implications – This paper has several limitations. These include the small sample size and the absence of reflection on the process and outcome(s) of implementation of the blended learning course by the responsible academic. Furthermore, the paper also did not consider the impact of blended learning on students’ soft, or generic, skills. These are topics for future research. Practical implications – The findings highlight the importance of offering not only a mixture of online activities, but also a blend of face-to-face and online activities. Originality/value – This study focuses on student participation and engagement in a blended learning accounting course.

Do school leaders in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi predominantly practice a transformational, transactional, or laissez-faire style of leadership?

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ali Aldhaheri
Keyword(s):  
Transformational Leadership ◽  
Leadership Styles ◽  
Leadership Style ◽  
Private Schools ◽  
School Leaders ◽  
Full Range ◽  
Abu Dhabi ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Laissez Faire

Purpose The purpose of this study is to understand the predominant leadership style of school leaders in Abu Dhabi. The leadership style deployed by a school leader affects the performance of the school and its pupils. Methods for identifying the leadership style of school leaders in the UAE have varied, and it is difficult to conclude what the predominant leadership style is. Some studies have sought only to identify a specific leadership style, whilst others have focussed on a particular school type. Changes and improvements cannot be made without an understanding of the baseline leadership style. Design/methodology/approach The 36-item multifactor leadership questionnaire (MLQ)5x questionnaire (Bass and Avolio, 2004) is used to quantitatively understand the full range of school leaders’ leadership styles, with 167 respondents from across both public and private schools. Findings School leaders predominantly exhibited transformational leadership, practising transactional leadership less frequently and rarely using laissez-faire leadership. This is a positive finding for schools in the UAE; transformational leadership has been shown to result in improved subordinate and organisational performance. Differences between school leaders in public and private schools were tested and are discussed. Dimension reduction techniques were used to assess the structure of the 36-item MLQ5x but did not provide results that met minimum requirements for acceptability. Possible reasons for this are discussed. Originality/value To the best of the author’s knowledge, this paper is the first to fully explore and baseline an understanding of the predominant leadership style amongst school leaders in the UAE, identifying the full range of leadership styles – transformation, transactional and laissez-faire – in both public and private schools.

Are school leaders culturally intelligent? Validation of the cultural intelligence (CQ) scale in the UAE

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ali Al Dhaheri
Keyword(s):  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Private School ◽  
Culturally Diverse ◽  
Cultural Intelligence ◽  
School Leaders ◽  
Abu Dhabi ◽  
Response Scale ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Strongly Agree

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to report results of testing and validation of the cultural intelligence (CQ) Scale in a new location, the culturally diverse United Arab Emirates (UAE) and in a new sector: public and private school leaders. Design/methodology/approach This study surveys 167 school leaders from public and private schools in the UAE using the 20-item version of the CQ Scale, which uses a seven-point Likert response scale of strongly agree to strongly disagree. An examination of the dimensionality of the 20 items was conducted using both principal components analysis and confirmatory factor analysis. Demographics were also gathered. Findings Results from testing and validation of the scale indicated a high level of CQ among school leaders in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. An examination of the dimensionality of the 20 items showed them to fall into the same structure of four sub-components as conceptually conceived: knowledge, strategy, motivation and behaviour. The mean scores for the four components of CQ in this study indicate high CQ amongst Abu Dhabi school leaders, although the knowledge dimension measured slightly lower. The results confirm previous research that found CQ to be higher in culturally diverse settings, which, according to socio-demographic details gathered in the study applies to the UAE. Originality/value This is the first known study to test the Cultural Intelligence Scale in UAE schools. It answers the call from the CQ Scale developers to validate the scale in diverse contexts.

scholarly journals Using PLS-SEM to analyze challenges hindering success of green building projects in Vietnam

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Quangdung Tran
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Green Building ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Building Projects ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Dominant Component ◽  
Construction Organizations ◽  
General Contractors ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThe green building (GB) market in Vietnam is growing quite slowly. Project stakeholders are facing very much undefined difficulty to gain success of GB projects. This study focused on investigation of the critical challenges the general contractors are facing in executing GB projects in Vietnam.Design/methodology/approachThe study conducted a literature review and three in-depth interviews to define 31 potential challenges hindering success of GB projects. Data was collected from 163 respondents through the questionnaire survey and was analyzed by the mean ranking technique, EFA and PLS-SEM.FindingsThe result found general contractors in Vietnam are facing the four components of challenges, namely “Planning activities-related challenges”, “Organizational activities-related challenges”, “Onsite management and control activities-related challenges” and “Green supply chain-related challenges”; and all of them have statistically significant effects on success of GB projects in Vietnam. Furthermore, the most dominant component was related to the non-readiness of external GB supply chain.Research limitations/implicationsThis present study has several notable limitations that may be addressed by future research. First, the data was collected from the quite small sample; and sampling is not randomly conducted. The findings may be tested by a larger dataset from a nationwide population. Also, the generalization of the findings may be limited because the data was only collected under the viewpoint of general contractors within the specific context of Vietnam; future studies should extend to developers and/or project managers, etc.Practical implicationsThe findings suggest for practical measures to enhance success of GB projects in Vietnam, including (1) completing the system of legal regulations and technical codes, standards, guidelines on GB, (2) providing incentive policies to promote the R&D activities on GB and (3) providing educational programs to improve the awareness and capacity on GB in domestic construction organizations, especially medium and small subcontractors.Originality/valueIn order to fill the gap of the existing literature, this study seeks to gain a better understanding on critical challenges hindering success of green building projects under the view point of general contractors with reference to the context of Vietnam – a developing economy. This study first identified potential challenges, then evaluated the impact of the key components of challenges on success of GB projects.

Supporting carers during assessment and treatment unit admissions

2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 116-127 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neil James
Keyword(s):  
Intellectual Disability ◽  
Effective Communication ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Practical Significance ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Treatment Unit ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Assessment And Treatment ◽  
Facilitators And Barriers ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – Currently there is no research that explores professionals’ perspectives in supporting carers of a person with an intellectual disability during their relatives admission to a specialist in-patient setting. The purpose of this paper is to report the findings from the second stage of a study that explored the experiences of family carers whose relative was admitted to a specialist National Health Service assessment and treatment unit (ATU) in Wales, UK (James, 2016). Design/methodology/approach – Aim: to obtain the views of professionals in relation to what they consider are the barriers and facilitators to addressing some of the experiences discussed by carers. Methods: nine professionals working in intellectual disability-specific services participated in four semi-structured interviews and one focus group (n=5) and the data were analysed using a descriptive thematic analysis process. Findings – Three major themes were developed to represent what professionals identified as a number of individual, organisational and practical facilitators and barriers to the provision of support to carers at this time. Professionals recognised the important role they have in developing relationships with carers during the admission. Key to this relationship is effective communication, collaboration, involvement and the need to be consistently open and honest. Research limitations/implications – The small sample size could be said to be a weakness and unrepresentative and practice of other professionals. However, what professionals reported had similarities to the findings from other related research. Importantly, the findings have a practical significance in that they can be used to raise awareness and be used to inform the development of future research and practice. The sample could also be criticised for not having representation from a wider range of professionals from across the multi-disciplinary team. However, a strength of the sample is that it did have representation from three different professional disciplines with different roles and responsibilities. Practical implications – Currently there is very limited research exploring the experiences of professionals in respect of supporting carers during the admission of a relative to a specialist in-patient setting. Professionals demonstrated an understanding of the impact that the additional needs and admission of their relative to an ATU could have on carers. Accordingly, they were able to recognise the important role that they, and other professionals, play in developing relationships as part of providing support to them during this time. Key to these relationships was effective communication and in particular the need to be consistently open and honest. Social implications – The findings from this study illustrate a gap between the rhetoric of policy, legislation and carer strategies, and practice of valuing and respecting the role that carers. Of particular concern is that some of the relationships that carers have had with professionals have threatened rather than positively endorsed and augmented their role and identity. These engagements with professionals therefore have had a profound effect on the way in which they have understood their value as a carer and their own sense of self. Significantly, the actions and behaviours of professionals play a key role in shaping carers views of themselves and their identity. Originality/value – Currently there is no research that has explored the views of professionals in respect of support and relationships with carers at this time. The synthesis of findings from stage one of this study with professionals’ perspectives of resulted in the identification of similarities and differences in experiences as well as facilitators and barriers to support provision. In so doing, it has given clear application of the studies findings to practice. This study therefore provides an original contribution to the understanding of this area of carer experience, from the perspectives of professionals and adds to the wider literature exploring the family carer experience.

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