scholarly journals THE ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE IN THE HOST COUNTRY’S LANGUAGE: A UNIVERSAL SKILL REQUIREMENT FOR ENHANCING CONFIDENCE AMONG EXPATRIATE ACADEMICS

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (43) ◽  
pp. 137-155
Author(s):  
Irma Wani Othman ◽  
Wardatul Akmam Din ◽  
Noraini Said ◽  
Ameiruel Azwan Ab Aziz
Keyword(s):  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Public Universities ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Self Identity ◽  
Self Confidence ◽  
Skill Requirement ◽  
Expatriate Management ◽  
External Stimuli

This paper highlights the association of language use skills with self-confidence as a contributing factor to the determination of expatriate self-adaptability in a foreign cultural environment. The objective of this study was to examine whether the skills of using the local language of the host country are considered as a universal skill requirement for improvisation and self-skills among expatriate academics in Malaysian Public Universities. Utilisation of qualitative methods of semi-structured interviews on 35 lecturers with international staff status in four Malaysian Public Universities which were subsequently processed by inductive analysis for dominant and subdominant thematic classifications. The findings prove that the informants utilised language proficiency as a backup to recognise their ability to respond to external stimuli, thus producing positive value to themselves. The proactive process is done by trying to find answers to change and self-transformation while in a foreign country. Studies linking the elements of confidence and self-identity skills among expatriates are often highlighted, but the approach taken is to put the advantage to be utilised on the part of the organisation and not expatriates as the subject of the study. Therefore, the results of this study fulfil the search for answers regarding their identity as an expatriate, including exploring foreign cultures, releasing the culture of the country of origin, developing a network of contacts and assessing their potential and ability to deal with the challenges of life abroad. The direction of future research refers to the addition of value in the expatriate management literature by making basic concepts of interaction such as language proficiency as an element capable of increasing self-confidence and sketching the career development of self-initiated expatriates.

scholarly journals LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY AS A UNIVERSAL SKILL IN THE IMPRESSION OF EXPATRIATE ACADEMIC CONFIDENCE AND SELF-ESTEEM AT PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES MALAYSIA

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (10) ◽  
pp. 91-106
Author(s):  
Irma Wani Othman
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Identity ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Public Universities ◽  
Home Country ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Local Language ◽  
Academic Confidence ◽  
Self Confidence ◽  
The Relationship

The fundamental discussion in this paper focuses and explores the elements of identity associated with local language mastery among individuals who are self-initiated expatriates. As a result, they are taking proactive initiatives to put themselves in a good position in the organization for career enhancement in the home country. The discussion in this paper is therefore aimed at exploring the relationship between the elements of language skills in the transformation of identity and confidence among expatriate academics in Malaysian public universities. In other words, the situation refers to the expatriate academic proactive attitude of trying to replace the country's cultural identity and values such as releasing the native language and mastering the local language to improve communication skills in the future. The study utilises qualitative methods that included semi-structured interviews of 30 international staff status lecturers at Malaysian public universities. The findings of this study prove that self-confidence plays a role in developing one's thoughts and actions in communicating and interacting with social and phenomenological structures that bind one to another. Thus, in the context of this study, self-confidence is seen as more personal and dynamic. In line with the discussion of this paper, the expatriate's interpretation of the improvisation of confidence and self-esteem and helps the researcher better understand the expatriate's actions in interpreting the self-confidence gained from the experiment.

scholarly journals The Impact of Language and Skills Training on Immigrants's Lives

2009 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 01 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ping Wong ◽  
Patricia Duff ◽  
Margaret Early
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Training Program ◽  
Job Search ◽  
Skills Training ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Assessment Tests ◽  
Self Confidence ◽  
Employment Barriers ◽  
The Impact

This study is a qualitative exploration of the experiences of immigrants who completed a health care aide training program that combined occupational skills and ESL training. The focus was the employment barriers and personal benefits associated with program completion. Data were collected through structured interviews with nine participants, eight of whom were women, which were then transcribed and analyzed for central themes. The interview data were supplemented with document data consisting of information from application forms and intake assessment tests. The findings revealed that participation in the training program had a major impact on the employment, identities, and settlement of program participants. The skills and language training improved the employment prospects of the individuals, although many had to overcome such employment barriers as the need to work on call, conflicts between domestic responsibilities and work outside the home, and transportation limitations. Many participants also spoke of the importance of learning job-search skills and the personal significance of having an occupational identity. Finally, successful completion of the program increased the self-confidence and autonomy of the individuals, which in turn aided their settlement and integration into Canadian society. The article concludes with recommendations for future research in this area, as well as pedagogical interventions to assist participants with their ongoing language learning, job aspirations, and settlement.

scholarly journals In the eye of a quiet storm: A critical incident study on the quarantine experience during the coronavirus pandemic

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. e0247121
Author(s):  
Ilaria Durosini ◽  
Stefano Triberti ◽  
Lucrezia Savioni ◽  
Gabriella Pravettoni
Keyword(s):  
Critical Incident ◽  
Social Contact ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Critical Events ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Positive Events ◽  
Everyday Activities ◽  
Italian Government ◽  
External Stimuli

Objective In 2020, the COVID-19 appeared in Italy with an exponential transmission capacity and serious consequences for the whole population. To counter the spread of the virus, the Italian government has adopted an extensive lockdown, forcing citizens to stay at home and avoid social contact. The COVID-19 quarantine represents a unique phenomenon in the recent centuries, and its long-term consequences on people’s lives and mental health are still to be understood. This study aimed to explore significant experiences of people who did not contract the virus, yet experienced the quarantine as a potentially stressful condition. Methods Italians who did not contract the COVID-19 were invited to participate in semi-structured interviews employing the Critical Incident Technique. Interviews were designed to capture the significant experiences related to the lockdown period in Italy. Participants were asked to describe the most significant (1) negative and (2) positive critical events that they personally experienced during the ongoing quarantine. Such events were meant to provide information on their experience of the quarantine as a whole. The audio-taped interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed following Critical Incident Technique’s indications. Results Twenty two participants described a total of 43 critical events, including 22 negative episodes and 21 positive events experienced during the COVID-19 quarantine. Three categories emerged from the negative episodes and four categories emerged from the positive events described by the participants. Relevant themes both positive and negative concerned mostly relationships (with partners, family, and friends), and the alteration of everyday activities, Also a specific “sensation of emergency” that the participants felt during the pandemic emerged, as an emotionally-charged response to quarantine-related external stimuli. Conclusions To our knowledge this is the first in-depth qualitative study investigating the significant negative and positive events that people experienced during the COVID-19 quarantine. Future research could employ analogous event recollection methods but focus on other populations (e.g., fragile subjects or on other national contests), in order to extend the information on the quarantine experience and its possible long-lasting effects.

scholarly journals Social Interactions In Non-Monetary Accommodation Sharing: Host’s Motivation and Value Co-Creation

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Undhan Sevisari
Keyword(s):  
Group Discussion ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Tourism Industry ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Strong Impact ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Collaborative Consumption ◽  
Self Identity ◽  
Personal Connections ◽  
The Individual

<p>Accommodation sharing, as collaborative consumption platforms, fosters memorable tourism experiences by allowing individuals to have direct interactions with hosts and local communities. Airbnb and CouchSurfing exemplify two of the most popular accommodation-sharing platforms, representing the distinction between monetary and non-monetary platforms. While Airbnb as a monetary accommodation sharing platform has gained much attention in the academic literature, little is known regarding CouchSurfing and its non-monetary model. Current research postulates that by the absence of financial involvement, CouchSurfing offers more intimacy and experience in the host-guest relationship. Meanwhile, shifts in tourist behaviour have determined the direction of value co-creation in the tourism industry. Together with tourism providers and other social actors, tourists are engaged in active participation and interaction to create value jointly and for all participants.  Motivated by the extant literature on accommodation sharing and value co-creation, this research contributes to the conceptualisation of value co-creation in non-monetary accommodation sharing through the perspective of the host. Taking CouchSurfing as the context, this research answers several questions: 1) what is the motivation of Indonesian CouchSurfing members to host? 2) Through what practices is value co-created between host and guest in CouchSurfing? 3) What resources are needed to co-create value in the context? 4) What value emerges from hosting in CouchSurfing?  Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 participants from Bandung, Yogyakarta, and Bali. In addition to the individual interviews, a focus group discussion with 6 participants was held in Yogyakarta. Findings from this research highlight the intrinsic, personal and emotion-based nature of hosts’ motivations to participate in Couchsurfing, including the establishment of personal connections and friendships, an opportunity to behave in altruistic ways, and the increase of knowledge through other people’s lives and experiences. To fulfil these motivations to the best possible extent, guest selection strategies were put into place by hosts, based on prior experience. The co-creational social practices then closely aligned to those motivations and are regulated by hosts’ management strategies. This ensured a positive experience, resulting in a variety of value outcomes including new knowledge, positive self-identity as well as professional opportunities.  Findings of this research also highlight the unique nature of co-creational experiences in non-monetary accommodation sharing and the unusually strong impact of motivations on all components of the value co-creation process. This research concludes with suggestions for future research and both theoretical and practical implications for harnessing intimacy and authenticity in the tourism industry.</p>

Psychedelic therapy for smoking cessation: Qualitative analysis of participant accounts

2018 ◽  
Vol 32 (7) ◽  
pp. 756-769 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tehseen Noorani ◽  
Albert Garcia-Romeu ◽  
Thomas C Swift ◽  
Roland R Griffiths ◽  
Matthew W Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Smoking Cessation ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Addiction Treatment ◽  
Therapeutic Process ◽  
Drug Effects ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Self Identity ◽  
Potential Efficacy ◽  
Study Team

Background: Recent pilot trials suggest feasibility and potential efficacy of psychedelic-facilitated addiction treatment interventions. Fifteen participants completed a psilocybin-facilitated smoking cessation pilot study between 2009 and 2015. Aims: The aims of this study were as follows: (1) to identify perceived mechanisms of change leading to smoking cessation in the pilot study; (2) to identify key themes in participant experiences and long-term outcomes to better understand the therapeutic process. Methods: Participants were invited to a retrospective follow-up interview an average of 30 months after initial psilocybin sessions. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 of the 15 participants. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Results: Participants reported gaining vivid insights into self-identity and reasons for smoking from their psilocybin sessions. Experiences of interconnectedness, awe, and curiosity persisted beyond the duration of acute drug effects. Participants emphasised that the content of psilocybin experiences overshadowed any short-term withdrawal symptoms. Preparatory counselling, strong rapport with the study team, and a sense of momentum once engaged in the study treatment were perceived as vital additional factors in achieving abstinence. In addition, participants reported a range of persisting positive changes beyond smoking cessation, including increased aesthetic appreciation, altruism, and pro-social behaviour. Conclusions: The findings highlight the value of qualitative research in the psychopharmacological investigation of psychedelics. They describe perceived connections between drug- and non-drug factors, and provide suggestions for future research trial design and clinical applications.

scholarly journals Dental Students’ Perceptions of ESP Material and its Impact on Their Language Proficiency: A Case Study of a Saudi Arabian University

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Uzma M Hashmi ◽  
Hussam Rajab ◽  
Asrar Ehsan Sindi
Keyword(s):  
Language Proficiency ◽  
English Language ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Saudi Arabian ◽  
Dental Students ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Main Research ◽  
Classroom Activities ◽  
The Impact

The paper aims to explore the dental English for Specific Purposes (ESP) students’ perceptions of the ESP material and its influence on their English proficiency in the dentistry department of a Saudi Arabian university. The study adopts a qualitative technique of semi-structured interviews to elicit the views of 12 purposively chosen participants. The process of a thematic analysis of the qualitative data led to the emergence of three overarching themes that aimed to answer the main research question which is how the dental students in the Saudi context perceive the ESP materials and the impact these materials have on their language proficiency. The key findings indicate that the ESP learners in the dentistry department have a very positive attitude towards learning the English language in general and ESP in particular. Their awareness of their linguistic needs makes it a significant study in the field of ESP in Saudi Arabia. The results also suggest that the coursebook contents and material are outdated and inappropriate for the ESP learners in the Saudi English as a Foreign Language (EFL) context. The findings illustrate that the ESP teachers need to use the English language in classrooms and introduce learner-centred interactive activities to encourage students to participate in classroom activities. In light of the findings, the study outlines the implications and gives directions for future research.

scholarly journals Social Interactions In Non-Monetary Accommodation Sharing: Host’s Motivation and Value Co-Creation

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Undhan Sevisari
Keyword(s):  
Group Discussion ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Tourism Industry ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Strong Impact ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Collaborative Consumption ◽  
Self Identity ◽  
Personal Connections ◽  
The Individual

<p>Accommodation sharing, as collaborative consumption platforms, fosters memorable tourism experiences by allowing individuals to have direct interactions with hosts and local communities. Airbnb and CouchSurfing exemplify two of the most popular accommodation-sharing platforms, representing the distinction between monetary and non-monetary platforms. While Airbnb as a monetary accommodation sharing platform has gained much attention in the academic literature, little is known regarding CouchSurfing and its non-monetary model. Current research postulates that by the absence of financial involvement, CouchSurfing offers more intimacy and experience in the host-guest relationship. Meanwhile, shifts in tourist behaviour have determined the direction of value co-creation in the tourism industry. Together with tourism providers and other social actors, tourists are engaged in active participation and interaction to create value jointly and for all participants.  Motivated by the extant literature on accommodation sharing and value co-creation, this research contributes to the conceptualisation of value co-creation in non-monetary accommodation sharing through the perspective of the host. Taking CouchSurfing as the context, this research answers several questions: 1) what is the motivation of Indonesian CouchSurfing members to host? 2) Through what practices is value co-created between host and guest in CouchSurfing? 3) What resources are needed to co-create value in the context? 4) What value emerges from hosting in CouchSurfing?  Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 participants from Bandung, Yogyakarta, and Bali. In addition to the individual interviews, a focus group discussion with 6 participants was held in Yogyakarta. Findings from this research highlight the intrinsic, personal and emotion-based nature of hosts’ motivations to participate in Couchsurfing, including the establishment of personal connections and friendships, an opportunity to behave in altruistic ways, and the increase of knowledge through other people’s lives and experiences. To fulfil these motivations to the best possible extent, guest selection strategies were put into place by hosts, based on prior experience. The co-creational social practices then closely aligned to those motivations and are regulated by hosts’ management strategies. This ensured a positive experience, resulting in a variety of value outcomes including new knowledge, positive self-identity as well as professional opportunities.  Findings of this research also highlight the unique nature of co-creational experiences in non-monetary accommodation sharing and the unusually strong impact of motivations on all components of the value co-creation process. This research concludes with suggestions for future research and both theoretical and practical implications for harnessing intimacy and authenticity in the tourism industry.</p>

Chinese Graduate Students at a Canadian University

2021 ◽  
pp. 120-136
Author(s):  
Wei Yang ◽  
Xiaoli Jing
Keyword(s):  
Graduate Students ◽  
Coping Strategies ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
English Language ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Academic Challenges ◽  
External Resources ◽  
Chinese Graduate Students ◽  
Internationalization Of Education

With the growing trend of globalization and internationalization of education, an increasing number of Chinese students choose to pursue higher education in Canada. In order to explore Chinese international students' academic challenges and coping strategies in Canadian universities, the authors conducted semi-structured interviews with 16 students studying graduate programs in one Canadian university. The findings reveal that Chinese graduate students encounter a number of academic challenges due to their limited English language proficiency, and the different educational norms and practices between China and Canada. By employing the theory of student agency as the theoretical framework, the study finds that Chinese graduate students possess the agency to cope with their academic challenges. The coping strategies can be grouped into two categories: the first category is to rely on students' personal improvement and the second category is to resort to external resources. The chapter concludes with implications for future research.

scholarly journals Grieving the Living: The Social Death of Former Jehovah’s Witnesses

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heather J. Ransom ◽  
Rebecca L. Monk ◽  
Derek Heim
Keyword(s):  
Future Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Jehovah’S Witnesses ◽  
Self Identity ◽  
Social Death ◽  
Jehovah's Witnesses ◽  
The Social ◽  
Future Research Directions ◽  
Threats To Self ◽  
Social Identity Approach

AbstractAddressing a relative lack of research investigating the experiences of individuals who have left the Jehovah’s Witnesses (JW), this research utilizes a social identity approach to examine qualitatively, the process of transitioning towards post-JW life, experiences of ostracism and perceived threats to self-identity. Semi-structured interviews were carried out in the homes of six former JWs, and transcripts were analysed using interpretive phenomenological analysis. Narratives suggest that experiences of ostracism following religious exit can be associated with diminished mental health, while having a sense of agency and establishing new (online) social connections may help mitigate adverse consequences. Implications and future research directions are discussed.

scholarly journals Remembering Postpartum Depression in Later Life: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Walker Ladd
Keyword(s):  
Postpartum Depression ◽  
Lived Experience ◽  
Personal Growth ◽  
Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Phenomenological Analysis ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Research Reporting ◽  
Self Confidence

Postpartum depression (PPD) occurs in as many as 1 in 7 women (Gavin et al., 2005). PPD remains underdiagnosed and largely untreated, contributing to high societal costs and increased maternal mortality. Despite the wealth of research reporting the adverse effects of PPD on childbearing women and their offspring, little is known about how women who have experienced PPD describe or interpret the meaning of the experience in later life. I conducted semi-structured interviews with a purposive sample of 10 women self-identifying as having had PPD a minimum of 13 years in the past. Using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) I identified three themes: (a) what PPD was like, (b) PPD changed me, and (c) I am grateful for PPD. Women reported that PPD was like falling down a black hole, perceiving themselves as bad mothers. Women identified PPD as having changed them in positive ways, including new self-confidence, increased compassion, and a passion to help others impacted by PPD. Women described PPD as facilitating meaningful personal growth for which they were grateful. Understanding how women reflect on PPD in later life provides new insight into the lived experience beyond the postpartum period and highlighting the need for future research women’s experience of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders over their life span.

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