scholarly journals Promoting appreciation of cultural diversity and inclusion with the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program

2015 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen Block ◽  
Lisa Gibbs ◽  
Susie Macfarlane ◽  
Mardie Townsend
Keyword(s):  
Multicultural Education ◽  
Cultural Diversity ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Culturally Diverse ◽  
Evaluation Study ◽  
Children And Families ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Kitchen Garden ◽  
Diversity And Inclusion ◽  
Diverse Groups

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present emergent findings from an evaluation of the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden (SAKG) Program showing that the program promoted appreciation of cultural diversity and inclusion of culturally diverse groups. Design/methodology/approach – The findings reported here are from the qualitative component of a mixed-method, nonrandomized, pre- and post-comparison evaluation study. Focus groups and interviews were held with school principals, teachers, program specialist staff, parents, volunteers and children at the program schools. Findings – In a culturally diverse school, the program enhanced the school’s capacity to engage and include children and families from migrant backgrounds. In less diverse settings, the program provided opportunities for schools to teach children about cultural diversity. Research limitations/implications – Assessing the program’s impact on multicultural education was not a specific objective of this study, rather these findings emerged as an unanticipated outcome during interviews and focus groups that explored participants’ views on important changes to schools associated with the program. Thus, the quantitative component of the evaluation did not assess the extent of this program impact and further research is recommended. Practical implications – The program may have particular value in culturally diverse schools, providing benefits in terms of engagement of children and families and potentially, in the longer term, associated improvements in learning outcomes. Social implications – These findings suggest that the program can help to promote social equity and inclusion for culturally diverse groups. Originality/value – This paper highlights critical equity implications associated with school-based programs’ capacity to include culturally and linguistically diverse groups.

scholarly journals Facilitating culturally diverse groups with visual templates in collaborative systems

2017 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 78-98 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sabrina Bresciani ◽  
Alice Comi
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Diversity ◽  
Culturally Diverse ◽  
Structuration Theory ◽  
Collaborative Systems ◽  
Adaptive Structuration Theory ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Collaborative System ◽  
Diverse Groups

Purpose The use of visual templates has proven instrumental in supporting group meetings. The purpose of this paper is to explore whether visual templates enable culturally diverse groups to achieve greater task precision in face-to-face meetings. Design/methodology/approach Building on Adaptive Structuration Theory, it is argued that visual templates provide structuration for face-to-face meetings, even more so when they are embedded in computer-supported collaborative systems. In particular, it is hypothesized that the higher the degree of structuration imposed by visual templates, the higher the degree of task precision will be. It is also hypothesized that this relationship is positively moderated by group cultural diversity: higher cultural diversity will further sustain the positive effects of visual templates that provide higher structuration. Findings Results of an experiment with 229 managers from 49 countries confirm that facilitating groups with visual templates embedded in a computer-supported collaborative system significantly increases task precision at high levels of cultural diversity. Research limitations/implications This study contributes to Positive Organizational Scholarship (POS) by investigating the use of visual templates as a contingency factor that increases performance – specifically task precision – of co-located, culturally diverse groups. Practical implications Results indicate that visual templates embedded in a computer-supported collaborative system are an effective method for increasing task precision in face-to-face meetings of culturally diverse groups. Originality/value Theories from information systems and visualization are integrated into cross-cultural management with a view to sustaining the effectiveness of culturally diverse groups. The study sample is characterized by highly culturally diverse groups interacting in face-to-face meetings.

scholarly journals Cultural diversity drives innovation: empowering teams for success

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 323-343
Author(s):  
Graham Jones ◽  
Bernardita Chirino Chace ◽  
Justin Wright
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Diversity ◽  
Cultural Awareness ◽  
Assessment Tools ◽  
Thinking Styles ◽  
Team Science ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Team Diversity ◽  
Diversity And Inclusion ◽  
Innovation Teams ◽  
Science Of Team Science

Purpose Though there is broad agreement on the beneficial impact of diversity in management and leadership roles, much of the innovative capacity of an organization is realized at the unit level in working teams. Recent research points to cultural diversity having an especially significant impact on innovation team performance. The reports also highlight the need for the optimal team operating principles to derive maximum benefit. To prepare such innovation teams for success, it is valuable to understand the dynamics of team diversity at the project level and the underlying barriers and opportunities presented. Design/methodology/approach This paper reviews the literature and case studies on cultural inputs to ideation and innovation, assessing team diversity through readily available instruments and the deployment of the science of team science (SciTS) principles in innovation teams. Findings The key learnings include the importance of establishing communication standards, SciTS principles, team assessment of thinking styles and the utility of cultural awareness instruments. Practical implications Diversity provides a creative advantage for innovation teams. However, team dynamics play an important role in maximizing these advantages, and cross-cultural competence of team members is required. Deployment of appropriate assessment tools and team methodologies enhances the likelihood of successful outcomes including in remote team settings. Originality/value Literature from diverse functional areas is summarized including the science of team science, organizational management, diversity and inclusion methodologies and ethnocultural dynamics. It provides pointers for the optimal formation and operating principles with highly culturally diverse teams.

scholarly journals Dramatising Cultural Diversity: Youth Theatre as a Performance of Local Memory and Identity in a Multiethnic Environment

2021 ◽  
Vol 69 (3) ◽  
pp. 381-398
Author(s):  
Anton Popov ◽  
Matej Karásek
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Diversity ◽  
Culturally Diverse ◽  
Social Issues ◽  
The Other ◽  
Urban Centre ◽  
National History ◽  
Cultural Discourses ◽  
Avant Garde ◽  
Diversity And Inclusion ◽  
Youth Theatre

Abstract This article presents a comparative analysis of two ethnographic case studies conducted in local theatres in the Slovak town of Komárno and the British city of Coventry. These two locations are very different – one is a small town on the Slovak-Hungarian border and the other an urban centre in the Midlands region of Britain – and yet they are both characterised by the multiethnic and culturally diverse composition of their populations. The two youth theatres in question are also distinct in their genres: one bases its performances on folklore traditions, whereas the other is an avant-garde physical theatre. At the same time, the productions of both groups manifest a deep involvement in the representation of cultural heritage and the current social issues in their respective locations. Drawing on anthropological conceptualisations of theatre as a form of ritualised performance (see Turner, 1969, 1982; Schechner, 1985, 1993), this paper explores the processes and contexts of the enactment of past conflict and/or violence presented by the two theatrical groups in order to engage with traumatic events in local (and national) history. These processes, which embrace the values of cultural diversity and inclusion, are important for the construction of community identities. The liminality of ritualised performance enables actors and audiences to cross social (including ethnicity and class) and temporal boundaries. They reproduce memories of past violence to make sense of present tensions, such as growing nationalism and xenophobia, and to project their vision of the communal future. This often results in the contestation of the very meaning of place, community and belonging. Furthermore, the article demonstrates that such artistic interpretations of the local past and heritage are instrumental in shaping the identities of the participating youth. The comparison of the two cases also reveals noticeable differences between cosmopolitan and ethno-cultural discourses, which are prevalent in imagining the place, history and heritage of Coventry and Komárno respectively.

scholarly journals Beliefs of Two Culturally Diverse Groups of Teachers About Intercultural Bilingual Education

2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 63-77
Author(s):  
Fabián Benavides-Jimenez ◽  
Yenny Lisbeth Mora-Acosta
Keyword(s):  
Focus Groups ◽  
Bilingual Education ◽  
Culturally Diverse ◽  
The Other ◽  
Bilingual Teachers ◽  
Educational Model ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Intercultural Bilingual Education ◽  
Diverse Groups

This article provides an overview of the ideas that two groups of bilingual teachers from different contexts, one indigenous and the other Western, have about the concepts of education, bilingualism, and interculturality. Their opinions were gathered through focus groups, semi-structured interviews, and videos, and reviewed under light of what the theoreticians have pointed out regarding the three mentioned concepts. One important outcome was the enrichment of perspectives of both groups of participants, and a remarkable conclusion that refers to the similar perceptions both groups have regarding the concept of education. Further research should address how each community perceives its own educational model and how it can be complemented with the views of the other.

A cultural diversity management framework for enhancing the performance of architectural design firms in Egypt

2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ayman Ahmed Ezzat Othman ◽  
Nadine Ibrahim Fouda
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Cultural Diversity ◽  
Organizational Performance ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Culturally Diverse ◽  
Diversity Management ◽  
Survey Questionnaire ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Diverse Workforce ◽  
Design Firms

PurposeThis paper aims to develop a cultural diversity management (CDM) framework to enhance the performance of architecture design firms (ADFs) in Egypt.Design/methodology/approachA research methodology consisting of literature review, case studies and survey questionnaire was designed to achieve the abovementioned aim. First, literature review was used to investigate the concepts of globalization, international construction, diversity, diversity management (DM) and organizational performance. Second, four case studies were presented and analyzed. The first two cases explored the role of CDM towards enhancing the performance of ADFs, while the last two cases showed initiatives carried out by NGOs to integrate architects of color into their communities through training programs that enhanced their skills and uplifted their societies. Third, a survey questionnaire was carried out with a representative sample of ADFs in Egypt to investigate their perception and application of DM towards enhancing organizational performance. Based on the results of the above, the research developed a framework to enhance the performance of ADFs through managing culturally diverse workforces.FindingsLiterature review showed that diversity is not limited to race and gender; however, it includes other types such as disability, socioeconomic status, thinking style, culture, personality, life experience, religious and spiritual beliefs. Despite the benefits that diversity brings to ADFs such as stimulating creativity and increasing productivity, poor management of diverse workforce leads to dysfunctional conflicts, frustration and confusion. Results of case studies showed that ADFs that adopt a CDM approach succeeded in enhancing their performance. In addition, training initiatives carried out by NGOs succeeded to integrate architects of color into their communities and uplifting their societies. Results of data analysis identified the barriers to integrating diverse workforce in ADFs. These barriers include “Poor communication and spirit of collaboration between diverse workforce”, “Resistance to change”, “Lack of maintaining wage equity and promotion between different workforces based on gender”, “Poor organization culture” and “Lack of Senior Management involvement”. This necessitated taking action towards developing a framework to overcome these barriers to manage diverse workforces towards enhancing the performance of ADFs in Egypt.Research limitations/implicationsBecause of the conceptual nature of the proposed framework, it has to be tested and validated to ensure its capability to overcome the barriers of managing culturally diverse workforces as an approach for enhancing the performance of ADFs in Egypt.Practical implicationsThis research presents a practical solution to enhance the performance of ADFs in Egypt through managing cultural workforce diversity.Originality/valueThe research identified and analyzed the barriers that obstruct the integration of diverse workforces in ADFs. The research tackled a topic that received scant attention in construction literature with particular emphasis on Egypt. In addition, this paper proposed a CDM framework to enhance the performance of ADFs in Egypt, which represents a synthesis that is novel and creative in thought and adds value to the body of knowledge.

The light in their eyes: creating a multicultural education course for doctoral-level students

2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 85-100
Author(s):  
Clarisse Halpern ◽  
Hasan Aydin
Keyword(s):  
Multicultural Education ◽  
Student Teachers ◽  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Culturally Diverse ◽  
Online Discussions ◽  
Public Institution ◽  
Diverse Students ◽  
Culturally Diverse Students ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Doctoral Level

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate the perceptions of graduate students about the need for a multicultural education course at doctoral level in a mid-sized higher education public institution in Southwest Florida. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative case study method was applied with multiple sources of data collected, including semi-structured interviews, observations and students’ written papers, online discussions and assignments that aimed to prepare educators to teach culturally diverse students and challenge their own perceptions about culture, race and other multicultural education-related topics. Findings The findings indicate that, even though the multicultural education course promoted an eye-opening transformational experience for students through their interactions and learning from each other, the students still need further training in multicultural education because of their limited culturally responsive teaching skills. Research limitations/implications Limitations of the study are that both the researchers were deeply involved with the material and the class, as the class professor and one of the students, which might have affected the authors’ perception about the students’ journey in learning about multicultural education. The researchers’ dual-role (as researchers and course professor and graduate assistant) might have influenced the participants’ responses, as they knew they were part of a research project. Thus, the participants’ spontaneity in sharing their opinions and beliefs about multicultural education may have been hampered, perhaps responding what the researchers expected rather than with their authentic perspectives on the topics. Practical implications The implications of this study to teachers, educators and practitioners are that it invites the readers to reflect on their academic preparedness to work with culturally diverse students. For policymakers, the study indicates the need for creating standards that aim to examine in-service graduate student teachers about their self-efficacy, readiness and dispositions to work with culturally diverse students. Originality/value Because of the limited publications on doctoral students learning multicultural education, the authors’ study offers an important insight into the transformational experience of doctoral students learning multicultural education and the implications for improving graduate courses in multicultural education.

An account of the 2014 Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Conference held at Technische Universitat Munchen, Munich

2015 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 256-261
Author(s):  
Anita Maharaj
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Diversity ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Hotel Industry ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Diverse Workforce ◽  
Diversity And Inclusion ◽  
The World ◽  
Diversity Research

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report on the 2014 Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Conference held at Technische Universitat Munchen, Munich. Design/methodology/approach – The report is based on delegate observations, notes and audience reactions to papers presented on research conducted. Findings – The papers presented new boundaries on diversity research. This included research on the importance of cultural diversity in the outcomes in the hotel industry by being led by foreign managers in Cyprus; how skilled Romanians construct and understand their identities as skilled professionals and members of stigmatised European migrants and how a diverse workforce experiences power utilising a Foucauladian understanding of power. Originality/value – This report integrates a number of themes from diversity research across the world, highlighting progress and the suggested direction for future diversity research.

Teacher education and multicultural courses in North Carolina

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 155-168 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Andrew Williams III ◽  
Tehia Starker Glass
Keyword(s):  
North Carolina ◽  
Multicultural Education ◽  
Students Of Color ◽  
Teacher Candidates ◽  
New Teachers ◽  
Culturally Diverse ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The North ◽  
Diverse Learning ◽  
Education Courses

Purpose Teacher effectiveness in diverse school environments depends highly on the multicultural education courses provided by Educator Preparation Programs (EPP). Research measuring new teachers’ (i.e. teachers having 0-3 years of teaching experience) effectiveness as a result of EPPs’ multicultural education courses is limited. The purpose of this study was to examine if any association occurred between the number of multicultural courses offered to pre-service teacher candidates by EPPs and their graduates rating of effectiveness, as it pertains to creating a culturally diverse classroom environment. Design/methodology/approach Using data from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) and public EPPs course catalogs for North Carolina, this descriptive study investigates multicultural education course offerings and recent teacher graduate data for North Carolina for 2015, as it pertains to creating culturally diverse learning environments for students of color. Findings The results indicate that multiple EPPs in North Carolina are not providing multicultural courses for their pre-service teachers, and that novice teachers in North Carolina are lacking the ability to produce diverse learning environments for students of color at a high capacity as defined by the North Carolina Teacher Effectiveness definition. Research limitations/implications Data were retrieved from 2015. In the current year, EPPs could have boosted their offerings of multicultural courses since that time. Social implications It is anticipated that the lack course offerings by EPPs will directly reflect new teachers’ ability to create respectful learning environment for students of color, suggesting that EPPs may be counterproductive towards teacher candidates’ understanding of race in the classroom. Originality/value This study’s originality exists in its ability to begin to connect new teachers’ productivity with regards for promoting diversity or multiculturalism and the multicultural courses offered by EPPs.

Making better foreign friendships: the effects of increased cultural diversity in alliance portfolios and portfolio configuration decisions on firm performance

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ning Li ◽  
William Hoggan Murphy
Keyword(s):  
Firm Performance ◽  
Cultural Diversity ◽  
Culturally Diverse ◽  
Generalized Method Of Moments ◽  
Partner Choice ◽  
Moderating Effects ◽  
Alliance Portfolio ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Data Limitations ◽  
Marketing Alliances

Purpose This paper aims to examine the effect of increases in alliance portfolio cultural diversity (IAPCD) on a firm’s performance and how portfolio configuration characteristics moderate this effect, aiming to enable managers to make better partner choice and portfolio configuration decisions to improve performance. Design/methodology/approach The sample includes 2,326 focal firms from 93 countries that formed 7,616 alliances between the years 1992 and 2006. This study uses generalized method of moments estimation to examine the effects of portfolio changes on next year’s firm sales performance. Findings Results reveal an inverted-U relationship between IAPCD and firm performance. Data limitations led to examining moderating effects only on the upslope portion of the inverted-U, indicating that an increasing percentage of joint ventures in a firm’s alliance portfolio strengthens IAPCD’s contribution to performance. Further, increased numbers of marketing alliances or research and development alliances and increased percentage of horizontal alliances in an alliance portfolio have a negative moderating effect. Research limitations/implications The sample mostly covers large companies. The data indicate that nearly all firms are on the upslope of an inverted-U IAPCD–to–performance relationship, allowing testing of moderating effects pre-inflection point only. Practical implications Firms can leverage the additions of culturally diverse partners toward improved performance through astute configuration decisions in alliance portfolio composition. Originality/value This paper uses the knowledge-based view to contribute to the alliance portfolio literature. This study asserts that capacity constraints affect firms’ ability to realize performance gains when taking on culturally diverse partners, an effect moderated by portfolio configurations. This paper tests hypothesis with longitudinal data.

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