Interculturality at a US university: International faculty’s experiences with intercultural communication

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maja Stojanović ◽  
Petra Alaine Robinson
Keyword(s):  
Intercultural Communication ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Cultural Backgrounds ◽  
International Faculty ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Cultural Aspects ◽  
Southern Us ◽  
First Languages ◽  
Us University

Purpose This paper aims to present the experiences, beliefs and perceptions of international faculty at a Research 1 institution in the Southern US regarding the perceived differences between their and their students’ and colleagues’ cultures and first languages. Design/methodology/approach Face-to-face interviews were conducted with four international faculty from Europe and Asia who held appointments at a Research 1 institution in the Southern US. The interviews focused on the participants’ communication experiences with students and colleagues from diverse cultural backgrounds. Findings The findings have implications for academic and professional development and support as they show that understanding cultural aspects of language and communication can be challenging for individuals who may not be aware of possible cultural differences. Originality/value This study is unique because it presents stories of faculty from different backgrounds, who were born on different continents and who learned English at different ages but are all working in a linguistically homogeneous context. Also, the originality of the study comes from examining the intercultural communication between the participating faculty and their students, as well as their colleagues.

Organizational memory: a qualitative research study on a multi-cultural organization

Kybernetes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Cem Sen ◽  
Korhan Arun ◽  
Olcay Okun
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Research ◽  
Organizational Memory ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Cultural Backgrounds ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Cultural Aspects ◽  
Cultural Organizations ◽  
Socially Constructed ◽  
Individual Memory

PurposeThis paper articulates a multi-contextual and dynamic system for memory research in relation to multi-cultural organizations (MCOs) by a qualitative research method.Design/methodology/approachFace-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted with representatives of 30 national officers in North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to illuminate how the construction of organizational memory (OM) can then be compared and contrasted across different cultures.FindingsThe findings show that OM still mostly resides in individuals with the social transfer. However, even if, cultural aspects define what should be stored, time and purpose, the static memory of individuals becomes dynamic OM that is represented and interpreted in an organization's practices, policies and learning.Originality/valueThe primary contribution is to attempt to dissolve the seeming assumption of dialectical metaphoric perspectives of OM between different but related sub-communities of practice and outcomes. Consequently, socially constructed and individual memory models are necessary to integrate different metaphors according to the multi-context theory, which extends the understanding of the diversity between the cultural backgrounds of individuals and groups.

Is this mine? Psychological ownership and the social media follower

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Caroline S.L. Tan
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Psychological Ownership ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
The Social ◽  
Social Currency ◽  
Different Levels

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine psychological ownership (PO) experienced by followers of social media influencers toward both influencer and the product. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected using face-to-face semi-structured interviews that were conducted with 30 respondents and analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings The study demonstrated that the PO experienced by the follower changes under different conditions resulting from perceived value, social currency and follower activity. Social currency plays a vital role in determining the target of PO, often affecting the narrative by the follower. Originality/value To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first paper to examine the transference of PO between product and influencer as experienced by the follower. It provides an understanding on PO that is experienced in different levels of intensity and changes depending on the motive of the follower; hence, transference of PO occurs and it is not a static.

The usage of ILLiad and Get It Now at a US medium-sized academic library over a three-year period

2016 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 81-87 ◽  
Author(s):  
Megan Jaskowiak ◽  
Todd Spires
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Academic Library ◽  
Faculty Members ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Document Delivery ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Inflation Rates ◽  
Delivery Options ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Us University

Purpose As medium-sized academic libraries’ budgets continue to shrink or cannot compete with inflation rates, document delivery options like ILLiad and unmediated Get It Now can play a prominent role in providing content lost due to the inevitable cancellation of serial subscriptions. This paper aims to evaluate the impact of using these two options in a US university. Design/methodology/approach This paper examines the usage of these two services for the three fiscal years following the implementation of Get It Now at Bradley University. Findings Questions addressed are as follows. How have they been used over the three-year time period? Which user status group has been using them, undergraduates, graduate students or faculty members? Which departments on campus have been using them the most? Originality/value This study is the first to look at the usage of Get It Now and ILLiad together over multiple years.

Offering undeclared workers financial help during Covid19 pandemic can bring them out of shadows into the declared economy

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Financial Assistance ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Paid Work ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Undeclared Work

Purpose The authors wanted to examine why undeclared workers had not received financial assistance in Europe during the pandemic and find the best way to help them and bring them out of the shadows. Design/methodology/approach To identify those whose paid work is entirely undeclared, a Eurobarometer survey of undeclared work in Europe is reported conducted in September 2019, just prior to the pandemic, and involving 27,565 face-to-face interviews in 28 European countries. Findings The paid work of one in every 132 citizens in Europe comprises wholly of undeclared work and one in 28 work at least some of the time in the undeclared economy. These workers have received no support, but they are more likely to be financially vulnerable. A high percentage of undeclared workers are widowed, divorced and living in households with multiple persons. Originality/value The authors argue that short-term support for these individuals could not only help them to survive the pandemic financially, but also transform undeclared work into declared work with long-term benefits for individuals and the wider economy.

Commentary on “De-fusing and re-fusing face-to-face encounters involving autistic persons in Hong Kong”

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Karl Nunkoosing
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Hong Kong ◽  
Learning Disability ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Social Role ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Seminal Work

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide a commentary on Alex Cockain’s article “De-fusing and re-fusing face-to-face encounters involving autistic persons in Hong Kong”. Design/methodology/approach The commentary considers the issues raised in Cockain’s article primarily from a focus on Goffman’s concept of “stigma”. Cognitive, emotional and behavioural components of stigma are examined and its wider relevance considered. Findings There has been less research on the stigma of learning disability than on that of mental health, despite a very early study of learning disability (Edgerton, 1967) using the concept only four years after the publication of Goffman’s (1963) seminal work. A number of points of relevance of stigma are identified including to social role valorisation, visible and invisible stigmas, the concept of “passing”, microaggression, disablism and labelling. Originality/value The commentary illustrates the relevance of the concept of stigma to other aspects of learning disability and disability scholarship.

Efficiency analysis of viticulture systems in the Portuguese Douro region

2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 573-591
Author(s):  
Micael Queiroga dos Santos ◽  
Xosé A. Rodríguez ◽  
Ana Marta-Costa
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Efficiency Analysis ◽  
Data Envelopment ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Bootstrap Techniques ◽  
Specific Input ◽  
Low Efficiency ◽  
Output Information

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to estimate and analyse the technical efficiency (TE) component of productivity for a sample of winegrowers from the Douro Demarcated Region in Portugal. Design/methodology/approach The data were collected through face-to-face surveys and includes a sample of 110 farmers’ vineyards with specific input-output information and other data about production systems during the year of 2017. The authors use a two-stage data envelopment analysis using bootstrap techniques to obtain TE scores in the farmers’ vineyards and to examine the determinants of its efficiency. Findings The results show that some farmers’ vineyards have a low efficiency level and that there are essential determinants of the production system, which can influence its efficiency. This suggests considerable opportunities for improvement of wine grape productivity through better use of available resources considering the state of technology. Originality/value This work has overcome the lack of data in the farmers’ vineyards, the lack of efficiency studies in the region and also allowed to evaluate the production systems and to assess their impact on efficiency.

The necessity of teaching Intercultural Communication in higher education

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 506-516 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bassmah B. AlTaher
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Intercultural Communication ◽  
Survey Method ◽  
Cultural Backgrounds ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cross Cultural Communication ◽  
Intercultural Communications ◽  
Intercultural Skills ◽  
Great Confidence ◽  
Private And Public

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze how Intercultural Communication is a necessary course for students to learn how to communicate in a healthy, tolerant and respectful manner when pursuing higher education, for miscommunication can result from ethnocentric behavior when dealing with people from various cultural backgrounds. Design/methodology/approach A survey method of research was adopted and questionnaires were administered to two sets of students: those who have taken Intercultural Communications and those who have not. A total of 192 valid responses from students were received from the School of Basic Sciences and Humanities, German Jordanian University. The first survey falls under the nominal analysis of a dichotomous questionnaire, and the results were measured with Cronbach’s α to test the reliability of the its consistency. The second questionnaire’s items were uni-dimensional, and so the Guttman chart was used to conduct students’ comprehension of global communication. Findings The results of this study have shown that the first questionnaire has a strong consistency (0.86); students have successfully understood the dynamics of cross-cultural communication, and used that knowledge to aid and prepare them for future careers. As for students who have not taken IC, they have answered the second questionnaire with great confidence in the first category of personal expectations, but fluctuated in their answers when answering the category of self-development and cultural appreciation. ZPD1 and ZPD2 have proven that students need their teacher to learn new knowledge and insights which they can gain from an IC course. Research limitations/implications Apart from the valuable contributions of the study, this study is performed at one public university, and the students, despite their diverse cultural backgrounds and majors, restrict the findings of this research from generalizing the results. Hence, future studies in this area are deeply encouraged, especially when comparing between private and public universities, and how IC is interrelated to other courses in the humanities; moreover, IC as an academic course can bridge the gap between student–teacher relationships. Originality/value The scarcity of a diverse course that teaches intercultural skills in communication has become a growing necessity in this day and age, especially in the Middle East and particularly in Jordan. Due to globalization and informatization, Jordanian students are constantly exposed to cultural and religious differences, and to have them engage in a healthy, well-respected conversation is the core aim of this paper, for tolerance and understanding are constantly on high demand. Students learn these skills in IC, and this course reflects how essential a course like this can play a great role in a student’s development.

Anatomy of successful tourism shopping districts

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 831-846
Author(s):  
Bob Mckercher
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Local Stakeholders ◽  
English Speaking ◽  
Operational Issues ◽  
Retail Shopping ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyse the factors that make tourist shopping districts successful. Design/methodology/approach In total, 12 sets of face-to-face interviews were conducted in 7 cities on 4 continents in September and October, 2019. In total, 21 individuals participated in the interviews. Interviews were conducted in Bangkok Thailand, Singapore, Melbourne and Brisbane Australia, Ottawa Canada, New York USA (three sets of interviews) and London England (four sets of interviews). Findings The literature focusses on operational issues, while respondents highlighted higher order issues relating primarily to organisational structure, governance and funding. Research limitations/implications The study focusses primarily on English speaking jurisdictions, with the exception of Bangkok. As such, the results may not be generalisable to non-English speaking economies. Practical implications Insights into factors influencing the success of tourism retail shopping districts are highlighted, especially the role of governance and creativity. Social implications The paper indicates that local stakeholders also play a key role in the success of such districts. Originality/value This is the first comprehensive, global study of the factors that make tourism shopping districts successful.

Status of EDRMS implementation in the public sector in Namibia and Zimbabwe

2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 252-264 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cathrine Tambudzai Nengomasha ◽  
Alfred Chikomba
Keyword(s):  
Best Practices ◽  
Public Service ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Records Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
The Public ◽  
Units Of Analysis ◽  
Study Population

Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate the adoption and use of electronic document and records management system (EDRMS) in the public service in Namibia and Zimbabwe with the aim of establishing barriers and enablers, and best practices which each country could adopt from the other. Design/methodology/approach This multi-case study was informed by an interpretivist paradigm. Qualitative in nature, the study applied face-to-face interviews as the data collection method, supplemented by documents analysis. The study population was Namibia and Zimbabwe’s public sectors with units of analysis, being the governments’ ministries, offices and agencies which have implemented EDRMS. Findings The paper provides the state of EDRMS implementation in Namibia and Zimbabwe. It establishes how the two countries have implemented EDRMS and factors that have contributed to the success/failure of the implementation in both countries. Originality/value The paper is a response to the need for further research studies on the implementation of EDRMS in various countries.

scholarly journals An exploration of the techniques, outputs and outcomes of circulation management at exhibitions

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 311-335
Author(s):  
Sabine Elisabeth Töppig ◽  
Miguel Moital
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Large Range ◽  
Management Model ◽  
Card Sorting ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
Management Techniques ◽  
Specific Activities ◽  
Circulation Dynamics

PurposeTo establish how and why exhibition managers manage circulation, this study explores the techniques (specific activities used to influence circulation), outputs (tangible enhancements in the performance of the exhibition resulting from changes in circulation dynamics) and outcomes (benefits of those enhancements to exhibitors, attendees and the exhibition organiser) of circulation management.Design/methodology/approachIn face-to-face interviews, 10 exhibition managers were asked how and why they manage attendee circulation, which also involved a card-sorting exercise to elicit tacit circulation management knowledge. Four different experienced exhibitions managers from three continents were asked to validate the findings.FindingsFour types of techniques were identified: magnet, layout, curiosity and playfulness and guiding techniques, with these implemented to achieve five outputs: greater footfall, better exposure to exhibits, enhanced navigation, greater buzz and managing congestion levels. The results further show that circulation was managed to achieve a variety of organiser-, exhibitor- and attendee-related outcomes. The study uncovered a large range of factors influencing the employment of circulation management techniques. Conflicts in outputs resulting from several techniques are highlighted, requiring the exhibition manager to establish which outputs and resulting outcomes take priority over others.Originality/valueThis exploratory study is the first study to propose a circulation management model for the exhibition context, equipping exhibition managers with knowledge to strategically manage attendee circulation.

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