Intercultural Training Programs Research Articles

INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION COMPETENCE OF HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS CARING FOR PATIENTS FROM DIVERSE CULTURES

This research aims to examine the intercultural communication competence of healthcare professionals providing care and treatment to patients from different cultures. It evaluates the impact of intercultural communication on the quality and effectiveness of healthcare services. Method: The research was conducted with the participation of 280 healthcare professionals working at Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University Hospital. Data were collected using the Intercultural Sensitivity, Intercultural Effectiveness, and Intercultural Awareness scales. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 25.0, and non-parametric tests were used for data that did not follow a normal distribution. Findings: Of the participants, 67.8% were female, 74.7% were under 25 years old, and 81.6% were single. In terms of education, 36.8% had an associate degree, and 44.8% had a bachelor's degree. The effects of demographic variables such as gender, marital status, and work department on intercultural competence were examined. Women scored higher than men in the Identity Protection sub-dimension, while married individuals scored lower than singles in the Cultural Communication Awareness sub-dimension. Paramedics had higher intercultural effectiveness scores compared to nurses. Discussion: The duration of experience significantly affected the Comfort in Communication sub-dimension. Higher education levels were associated with increased intercultural sensitivity and effectiveness scores. Those who received intercultural patient care training had higher scores, and those willing to work with patients from different cultures had higher intercultural sensitivity and effectiveness scores. Conclusion: These findings emphasize the importance of intercultural training and development programs to improve the quality of healthcare services. Enhancing healthcare professionals' intercultural communication skills is crucial for increasing patient satisfaction and the effectiveness of healthcare services.

Evaluating the Challenges and Prospects of Cross-Cultural Communication in Promoting Free Trade Zones in Nigeria

Free Trade Zones (FTZs) in Nigeria attract a diverse array of workers, businesses, and management teams from various cultural backgrounds. Effective communication within these environments is crucial for facilitating idea exchange, building trust, and maintaining relationships. With the expansion of global trade, the significance of cross-cultural communication in ensuring successful business interactions is paramount. However, the convergence of diverse cultural, linguistic, and business practices in Nigeria presents challenges that impede the optimal functioning of FTZs. This study delineates the challenges and prospects of cross-cultural communication in promoting investment in Nigerian FTZs. Using a qualitative approach, it employs in-depth interviews and document analysis to comprehensively explore these issues. Engaging stakeholders from different cultural backgrounds, the study identifies key communication challenges, including language barriers, stereotypes, ethnocentrism, and non-verbal communication differences. Despite these obstacles, implementing intercultural training programs and digital communication tools can enhance business interactions. This research contributes to international business, intercultural communication, and economic development discourse, offering insights for policymakers, business practitioners, and academics.

An approach to intercultural training deemphasizing cross-cultural differences

PurposeThis paper aims to present an approach to intercultural training (IT) in which course participants are informed about various approaches to differences between peoples. Pitfalls in communication are identified that are due to overgeneralization of incidental observations of behavior and to psychological mechanisms such as stereotyping, ethnocentrism and attribution. Effects of poor command of a second language and paralinguistic factors are also included.Design/methodology/approachIntercultural communication training or IT programs often over-generalize incidental observations and make attributions about broad differences between “us” and “others”. An approach to IT is described that challenges the way in which notions about “culture” and “cultures” tend to be used.FindingsA training module based on the principles mentioned is described that was originally developed for military officers preparing for international peace-keeping and peace-building missions and later has been administered in various settings and countries.Research limitations/implicationsAn exit questionnaire and postmission interviews have suggested positive effects of the training, but more systematic evaluation research is needed.Practical implicationsCross-cultural communication (3C) training is mostly about how other people differ from “us”. Better understanding may be gained with an approach that emphasizes how much humans everywhere are alike and that perceived differences can also be in the eye of the beholder.Social implicationsMutual understanding is critical to positive interaction. The approach to 3C training taken here explains how much humans everywhere are alike and puts manifest differences into perspective.Originality/valueThe training module builds on available knowledge, notably from cross-cultural psychology. Except for a questionnaire to demonstrate ethnocentrism, there is hardly new information. However, the approach arranges available knowledge in a way that is rather novel for the field of 3C training.

Comparative Study of International Practices in Developing Sociocultural Competence

This article presents a comparative study on international practices in developing sociocultural competence and explores their potential application in the context of Uzbekistan. Sociocultural competence is crucial for effective intercultural understanding and communication in a globalized world. Drawing from a range of global practices, including educational initiatives, intercultural training programs, policies, and community engagement efforts, this study identifies effective strategies for enhancing sociocultural competence. The analysis highlights the importance of integrating sociocultural competence into educational curricula, providing experiential learning opportunities, delivering intercultural communication training, and promoting community engagement. The findings underscore the significance of multicultural policies and inclusive education. Recommendations are presented for educators, policymakers, intercultural trainers, and individuals engaged in cross-cultural interactions in Uzbekistan to foster sociocultural competence. By applying successful strategies from international practices and tailoring them to the Uzbekistan’s context, the article provides guidance to cultivate a culturally inclusive society that values diversity and promotes intercultural understanding and effective communication.

Exploring the dynamics of neuroticism: A comprehensive analysis of two different workplace settings

This research delves into the multifaceted dimensions of neuroticism, a fundamental trait in personality psychology, and its implications in the workplace. Grounded in psychological theories and the Big Five personality traits model, the study aims to unravel the nuances of neuroticism, exploring its historical evolution from a concept of pathological anxiety to a contemporary understanding as a normal personality trait. Motivated by firsthand observations of disparate approaches to neuroticism in the automotive industry across Romania and the United Kingdom, the study investigates the cultural and individual factors influencing these variations. The workplace, as a dynamic and culturally diverse arena, serves as a crucial backdrop for understanding how neuroticism manifests and its potential impact on employee well-being and organizational dynamics. The research unfolds against the backdrop of globalization, emphasizing the need to examine cultural differences in the manifestation of neuroticism. Drawing on insights from the automotive industry, the study explores the implications of neuroticism on team dynamics, organizational culture, and overall workplace productivity. The significance of the study lies in its potential to inform organizational policies, management strategies, and intercultural training programs aimed at optimizing workplace environments. By uncovering the cultural dimensions of neuroticism, the research seeks to contribute nuanced insights that can guide the development of targeted interventions for creating healthier and more productive work environments for employees across different cultural backgrounds. In conclusion, this study offers a comprehensive exploration of neuroticism, weaving together psychological theories, workplace dynamics, and cultural considerations. By shedding light on the interplay between neuroticism and cultural diversity, the research aims to provide valuable insights for both academic research and practical applications in organizational settings.

Interacting With Competence: A Validation Study of the Self-Efficacy in Intercultural Communication Scale-Short Form.

Self-efficacy encompasses the professional and personal language goals of learners as their progress depends upon a strong motivation to put practical language skills to use when the real world requires it. Intercultural communication and effectiveness are of interest to the professional and personal language goals of learners as their progress depends upon a strong motivation to put practical language skills to use when the real world requires it. Studying or working abroad and engaging in intercultural training are two such contexts that bind research in learner characteristics between applied linguistics and positive psychology as they provide a substrate of concrete interactions, transformative experiences characterized by opportunities for changes in self-concept, negotiations with values and authenticity, and forms of interpersonal development underwritten by intercultural communication as an ability. A tool to capture this domain-specific intercultural communication was previously developed with sojourner educational professionals for use among English speaking populations. However, the original study lacked confirmatory analyses of internal and external validity that would clarify model identification and applicability for research that deals with intercultural communication competence across populations with diverse sample characteristics. A total of 876 teachers (M age = 37.48, SD = 10.81) and 266 university students (M age = 19.48, SD = 0.74) in Japan responded to items from the SEIC instrument. Acceptable model fit was supported for the eight-item short form. Metric invariance was observed for individuals from a sample of sojourning English language teachers similar to the original validation and a nationwide survey of Japanese teachers of English, offering indications of cross-cultural validity. Degrees of equivalence were also found for the Japanese items as extending fitness for use to students from two universities in Japan. Concurrent validity was supported for SEIC measured by the scale with intercultural effectiveness competencies and speaking and listening self-efficacy constructs used in classroom contexts. Together, this study offers a tool of valid indicators for researchers and practitioners who aim to observe self-efficacy in positive education, intercultural training, or international programs that intersect with language learning and intercultural communication.

Interculturality in the formation of health students: A Colombian experience

Objective: The purpose of this study was the evaluation of an inter-cultural competence training program among first and sixth semester medical
 students at a university in Colombia.
 Materials and methods: This study utilized a quasi-experimental research design to evaluate an intercultural training program among 100 first and
 sixth semester medical students. Data were collected using the Intercultural Competency Scale and were analyzed using Wilcoxon Signal Range Test
 for related samples in SPSS version 21.
 Results: Significant differences were found in the areas of developing cultural sensitivity as well as developing understanding and respect for
 differences and diversity among first and six semester students in the experimental group
 Conclusions: Findings suggest a strong need to incorporate intercultural training into the educational experience of medical students.

Building Campus Communities Inclusive of International Students: A Framework for Program Development

This chapter provides readers with a practical, how‐to approach and framework for developing inclusive, intercultural training programs for student affairs professionals on college campuses in the United States.

Approaches for Developing Intercultural Competence: An Extended Learning Model With Implications From Cultural Neuroscience

In today’s workplace, organizations invest widely in intercultural training programs to develop leaders’ and employees’ abilities to function effectively overseas or in a culturally diverse work environment. However, these training programs are often perceived as ineffective or are even occasionally suspected of increasing the biases between groups from varied backgrounds. Faced with such results, the emerging field of cultural neuroscience has provided a biological perspective to explain the contradictions between training goals and outcomes. This article first discusses the prevailing training approaches and reviews recent studies in cultural neuroscience to explore neural reasons for certain cultural behaviors. It then identifies three implications from this review and presents an extended experiential learning model. Finally it provides three suggestions for intercultural training design.

Judy Mitoma: Dancing on the Rim of the Pacific

Judy Mitoma developed expertise in Javanese dance through study in dance ethnology at UCLA, then established the UCLA World Arts and Cultures Department, which widened beyond a Euro-American focus. She became a major producer of Asia-Pacific performance in Los Angeles, developed the intercultural training program Asia Pacific Performance Exchange, and continues to use performance to teach cultural literacy and understanding.

An Effective Design for Intercultural Training Programs: Boosting Participants’ Program Learning Outcomes

An Effective Design for Intercultural Training Programs: Boosting Participants’ Program Learning Outcomes

Overseas Intercultural Training Program: Student English Proficiency, Course Design, and Learning Outcome

Overseas Intercultural Training Program: Student English Proficiency, Course Design, and Learning Outcome

‘Intercultural Training’ in exchange situations for experts and management: a critical reflection

In this paper, developments in the area of ‘intercultural communication’ are described to shed light on the pitfalls that the author has discovered in her analysis of some of the more popular intercultural training programs, through practical applications of communication training programs and through her own personal experiences in exchange situations. Recommendations are given for the creation of more appropriate intercultural training programs.

Navigating the Cultural Breach

The article comments on the article by Chris Earley and Randall Peterson in which they challenge traditional intercultural training programs, extend the concept of cultural intelligence (CQ), and explore its implications for educating the global manager. The article began by critiquing the customary and conventional approach to international management training. The problem, not uncommon in training venues, is the one-stop shopping philosophy that treats all participants identically, overemphasizes informational components, assumes uniform behavior from cultural actors, and overrelies an analogical reasoning. Then Earley and Peterson is continued by building on work on social and emotional intelligence to advance the concept of CQ. The strength of their examination of CQ is integrating metacognitive-cognitive, motivational, and behavioral dimensions along the lines of Sternberg's triarchic model. CQ is not offered as an innate, static determinant of one's ability to navigate complex cultural situations. R...

The racialization of affirmative action in organizational discourses: A case study of symbolic racism in post-apartheid South Africa

The present article provides an analysis of a critical area in which “race”, racism and racialization continue to manifest themselves and evolve in post-apartheid South Africa, namely, the world of work. It presents a case study of symbolic racism, by critically analyzing the organizational discourses produced by 33 employees in a training workshop developed and adapted to address issues of “racialised” conflict, and promote intercultural sensitivity and cooperation in a state-owned South African company undergoing structural affirmative action transformation. The findings point to the central function that “race” continues to occupy, both as a cognitive and emotional lens through which to process information about self and other in relation to affirmative action. They suggest that while South Africans have changed their language on “race”, their assumptions about “racial asymmetry” persist in more subtle and implicit forms. The implications of these findings with regard to the design, implementation and evaluation of intercultural training programs aimed at de-racialising subjective, social and institutional realities are discussed.

A blended e‐learning approach to intercultural training

As employees become more globally and technically savvy, it is inevitable that e‐learning finds its way into the practice of intercultural training. After a decade of providing customized face‐to‐face intercultural training, Cendant Mobility’s intercultural experts are responding to the changing profile of the global workforce. Together with their e‐learning partner, Mentergy, they embarked upon a journey toward developing a blended learning solution that is designed to unlock the potential of e‐learning, while maintaining their commitment to genuinely impactful skill‐based intercultural training. The focus of this article is on challenges and lessons learned which include: maintaining cultural appropriateness; technological accessibility; training trainers for this new modality; and attaining user acceptance for a global rollout of a blended e‐learning intercultural training program.

The experience of experiential intercultural training exercises: The role of a sense of presence and other states

Experiential exercises have consistently played an important role in intercultural training. The goal of this study was to examine the experiences of participants in selected exercises and compare them with those in real intercultural encounters. An Experience Questionnaire was administered to 231 students participating in one of five training activities: Three experiential exercises, an immersion activity, or viewing training videos. The results indicate that the experiences associated with the experiential exercises were in important ways different from those in intercultural encounters. The implications of the findings for intercultural training programs are discussed

Interculturalizing the Technical or Business Communications Course

Technical or business communications courses need to be interculturalized to prepare students for effective productivity and humanity in the new global workplace. This article defines and exemplifies problems of ethnocentrism, language barriers, and cultural differences. To assist informed educators in preparing new pedagogies for meeting these challenges, strategies include out-of-class and in-class sensitizing activities, and lectures to expand knowledge of basic cultural traditions, such as those of the East and the West. Traditional assignments including letters, resumes, memos, research feasibility projects, oral reports, and visual aid usage are shown to be easily modified for an intercultural audience or with intercultural content. Resources include up-to-date intercultural books, journals, videos, newsletters, training programs, and databases. The scale of interculturalizing depends on the creativity of the educator, and the partnership within the institution and with business.

Training For Intercultural Practice in Architecture and Planning

Training is the first issue facing potential practitioners of architecture and planning abroad. Unfortunately, while intercultural training programs are currently offered to people involved in the international marketing of products, little similar training is currently available in the realm of professional services. Such professional services account yearly for billions of dollars of work done abroad—that is, outside the U.S.A. In the case of building construction, for example, the value of services performed in foreign areas is more than ten times the value of product sales in the same markets.

An experiential approach to instruction in intercultural communication

Traditional intercultural training programs are denned and discussed in terms of their goals and objectives. Four basic models of intercultural training are presented and assessed for their value in the classroom. The writers emphasize the value of the experiential model for classroom instruction.