Cultural Issues Research Articles

Ethics in international HRD: examining conversational AI and HR chatbots

PurposeThe integration of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies like conversational AI and HR chatbots in international human resource development (HRD) presents both productivity benefits and ethical challenges. This study aims to examine the ethical dimensions of AI-driven HR chatbots, emphasizing the need for fairness, autonomy and nondiscrimination. It discusses inherent biases in AI systems and addresses linguistic, cultural and accessibility issues. The paper advocates for a comprehensive risk assessment approach to guide ethical integration, proposing a “risk management by design” framework. By embracing ethical principles and robust risk management strategies, organizations can navigate AI-driven HR technologies while upholding fairness and equity in global workforce management.Design/methodology/approachSystematic literature review.FindingsThe paper advocates for a comprehensive risk assessment approach to guide ethical integration, proposing a “risk management by design” framework.Practical implicationsBy embracing ethical principles and robust risk management strategies, organizations can navigate AI-driven HR technologies while upholding fairness and equity in global workforce management.Originality/valueThis study explores the intricate ethical landscape surrounding AI-driven HR chatbots, spotlighting the imperatives of fairness, autonomy, and nondiscrimination. Uncovering biases inherent in AI systems, it addresses linguistic, cultural, and accessibility concerns. Proposing a pioneering “risk management by design” framework, the study advocates for a holistic approach to ethical integration, ensuring organizations navigate the complexities of AI-driven HR technologies while prioritizing fairness and equity in global workforce management.

Community displacement challenges in educational tourism

ABSTRACT This study investigates issues relating to community displacement of the indigenous residents of Famagusta resulting in an increased rate of relocation to the suburbs due to the sudden growth of educational tourism; thus, the main objective of the current study is to obtain perspectives of learners on primary motives. An in-depth interview of 28 Cypriots in Famagusta, through purposive sampling was used to gather data for the current research. Findings reveal that the increase in educational tourism in Famagusta caused the indigenous Cypriots to move into suburban neighbourhoods. Factors including urbanization issues, social issues, economic issues, cultural issues, and environmental issues were revealed to be the most challenging issues resulting in community displacement.

Walking together in friendship: Learning about cultural safety in mainstream mental health services through Aboriginal Participatory Action Research.

Culturally safe service provision is essential to improving social and emotional wellbeing among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, and to eliminating health inequities. Cultural safety is about ensuring that all people have a safe and healing journey through services, regardless of their cultural background. In this project, we aim to (1) understand how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples conceptualise cultural safety, and (2) co-design a qualitative interview for the next phase of this project, where we plan to learn about experiences of cultural safety within mental health services. We conducted six focus groups (in one metro and two regional areas, Western Australia). Following an Aboriginal Participatory Action Research methodology, we yarned with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mental health service users, carers, community members, mental health professionals and Cultural Healers about cultural safety. Participants described a culturally safe service as one where Aboriginal cultural knowledges, life experiences, issues and protocols are understood and acknowledged, and reported that mainstream mental health services are not currently culturally safe. Participants emphasised the importance of building trust, rapport, reciprocity and following appropriate relational processes when designing a qualitative interview for the next phase. A lack of cultural safety in mental health services is likely to contribute to the disparity in outcomes between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous Australians. Embedding cultural safety into research design allows for authentic community engagement and facilitates knowledge sharing around ways to improve cultural safety in mental health services.

Recommendations for optimising pilot and feasibility work in surgery

BackgroundSurgical trials are recognised as inherently challenging. Pilot and feasibility studies (PAFS) are increasingly acknowledged as a key method to optimise the design and conduct of randomised trials but remain limited in surgery. We used a mixed methods approach to develop recommendations for how surgical PAFS could be optimised.MethodsThe findings from a quantitative analysis of funded surgical PAFS over a 10-year period and in-depth qualitative interviews with surgeons, methodologists and funders were triangulated and synthesised with available methodological guidance on PAFS.ResultsThe synthesis informed the development of an explanatory model describing root causes and compounding challenges that contribute to how and why surgical PAFS is not currently optimised. The four root causes identified include issues relating to (i) understanding the full scope of PAFS; (ii) design and conduct of PAFS; (iii) reporting of PAFS; and (iv) lack of appreciation of the value of PAFS by all stakeholder groups. Compounding challenges relate to both cultural issues and access to and interpretation of available methodological PAFS guidance. The study findings and explanatory model were used to inform the development of a practical guidance tool for surgeons and study teams to improve research practice.ConclusionsOptimisation of PAFS in surgery requires a cultural shift in research practice amongst funders, academic institutions, regulatory bodies and journal editors, as well as amongst surgeons. Our ‘Top Tips’ guidance tool offers an accessible framework for surgeons designing PAFS. Adoption and utilisation of these recommendations will optimise surgical PAFS, facilitating successful and efficient future surgical trials.

‘Almost nothing is firmly established’: A History of Heredity and Genetics in Mental Health Science

Background For more than a century, scientists have tried to find the key to causation of mental ill health in heredity and genetics. The difficulty of finding clear and actionable answers in our genes has not stopped them looking. This history offers important context to understanding mental health science today. Methods This article explores the main themes in research on genetics and inheritance in psychiatry from the second half of the nineteenth century to the present day, to address the question: what is the history of genetics as a causative explanation in mental health science? We take a critical historical approach to the literature, interrogating primary and secondary material for the light it brings to the research question, while considering the social and historical context. Results We begin with the statistics gathered in asylums and used to ‘prove’ the importance of heredity in mental ill health. We then move through early twentieth century Mendelian models of mental inheritance, the eugenics movement, the influence of social psychiatry, new classifications and techniques of the postwar era, the Human Genome Project and Genome Wide Association Studies (GWAS) and epigenetics. Setting these themes in historical context shows that this research was often popular because of wider social, political and cultural issues, which impacted the views of scientists just as they did those of policymakers, journalists and the general public. Conclusions We argue that attempting to unpick this complex history is essential to the modern ethics of mental health and genetics, as well as helping to focus our efforts to better understand causation in mental ill-health.

Overview of Brazilian Higher Education: The Perspective of the Civil Engineering Program

This scientific article proposes an enhanced analysis of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Brazil, focusing on Public HEIs (Federal, State, and Municipal) and Private HEIs (Community-based, Confessional, Philanthropic, and for-profit). The adopted approach stems from a meticulous historical analysis of face-to-face Civil Engineering courses, considering the various intermediary regions in Brazil. The study is based on data from the National Higher Education Assessment System (SINAES), the Higher Education Census, as well as demographic and territorial data provided by IBGE, and information from CONFEA. The theoretical framework of this article is grounded in the essential concepts of Brazilian Higher Education, Higher Education Institutions, the National Higher Education Assessment System, Civil Engineering Courses, and the Civil Construction Industry. A relevant factor incorporated into this analysis is the impact of territory, encompassing not only physical and environmental characteristics but also cultural and infrastructural issues.

Restaurants and Culinary Sustainability: A Cultural and Aesthetic Issue. The Case of Restaurant Mini-Mal in Bogotá

This article reflects on the role of restaurants in promoting environmental and cultural sustainability. The case study presented here focuses on the history of Mini-Mal, a Bogotá restaurant that is a precursor of the so-called new Colombian cuisine, a movement driven by chefs who seek to use a wide and diverse range of local ingredients and techniques in their cuisine, combining tradition and innovation. The article, based on interviews with Eduardo Martínez, founding partner and executive chef of the restaurant, and a review of press and documents, discusses the concept of culinary sustainability that Mini-Mal has subscribed to and helped build, emphasizing the importance of its cultural and aesthetic proposal.

A mixed‐methods approach to identify elements of culturally‐attuned teacher−student relationship interventions

AbstractWe employed a mixed‐methods design to identify intervention elements that may improve relational inclusion in classrooms through equity‐framed and culturally‐attuned teacher−student relationship interventions. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected from 29 (26 female) school mental health professionals and 19 parents (mostly mothers) of racially, ethnically, and culturally diverse students. Using a convergent mixed‐methods design, we first analyzed the individual data points and then integrated the quantitative and qualitative data in the interpretation and discussion of the results. Our findings showed that, for school mental health professionals, the quantitative data largely complemented the qualitative results, which represented four themes: School−family partnerships, critical consciousness, educator preparation, and transformational social‐emotional learning. Parents of minoritized students identified unique elements, including microaggressions, color evasion, recognition of bias, storytelling, and systemic change as important for the development of culturally‐attuned interventions. The two groups had parallel and contrasting recommendations about elements that may contribute to improved classroom relational inclusion for minoritized students. Results illustrate how merging professional and parent perspectives could contribute to the development of teacher−student relationship interventions that appropriately address issues of equity and culture in ways that are meaningful to end users and other stakeholders.

The Story of Fai‘ota: Resolving an Ancient Conflict in Malaita, Solomon Islands

ABSTRACT The people of Malaita in Solomon Islands identify with their ancestors through genealogical histories that shape relationships among families and clans. In 2020, John Omani, one of the authors of this article, was involved in a reconciliation between two clans whose ancestors had quarrelled 17 generations ago. He reviews this history, documented by co-author Ben Burt, and they examine the issues of ancestral culture and Christianity underlying the relationship between the clans and the ancestors, who they still respect but no longer pray to. The reconciliation ceremony shows how Malaitans have maintained ancestral values of conflict resolution over a century of colonial change.

E-commerce growth in Pakistan: A critical review in light of Abhijeet Banerjee’s poverty alleviation theory

This review paper looks at how e-commerce has shown up as a vital means of stimulating productivity and growth in the current digital age, penetrating the markets of most of the world deep without any signs of letting up. Moreover, it also looks at e-commerce growth and its usage in Pakistan in the recent times, its potentiality, and draws a comparison with China’s successful usage of e-commerce to boost productivity and alleviate poverty, allowing rural areas also to reap the benefits the internet provides. Can Pakistan also somehow use e-commerce to do the same and lift out the millions struck in destitution, somehow fixing the economy in the process? Plagued by structural, geographical, educational, lingual, technological, and cultural issues, this paper also does a parallel analysis with Abhijeet Bannerjee’s Poverty Alleviation Theory in hopes of rooting out the shortcomings Pakistan faces. This is done with the intention of identifying what can be done to rectify these glaring issues using an approach that’s palatable to the Pakistani population.

Drug utilization by the population as an indicator of health protection culture in the region

The relevance of the research is determined by the total dependence of the level of health of the population on the availability of medicines. The problem of consumer culture is among the problems of drug circulation, because the health of the nation directly depends on it. The state-economic program for providing the population with necessary products from the pharmaceutical industry is also related to the issues of health maintenance culture. The purpose of the research is to determine the population’s attitude towards the consumption of medicines as an indicator of health conservation. The study is based on the use of a questionnaire survey method. The main questions were the peculiarities of the respondents’ attitude towards taking medications, the question of medical prescription of drugs, the importance of drug prices for the population, the influence of advertising on drug consumption, etc. According to the survey results, it has been proven that the quality of life of the vast majority of people directly depends on the use of drugs. The culture of the population regarding the consumption of drugs is quite high, as evidenced by the information about studying theinstructions before taking the drug by the majority of respondents, a reasonable attitude towards advertising drugs in the media, and an optimal level of trust in the quality of pharmacy products. An important issue in the culture of health conservation remains the provision of people with chronic diseases with drugs for daily use, which should not be completely dependent on imports from other countries, as well as a pricing policy that allows patients to purchase the necessary medicine. Maintaining a high level of culture of drug consumption should be ensured by the state, which implements a reasonable social policy and effective control over meeting people's needs for resources to maintain the health of the nation.

Trends in Sexually Transmitted Infection Cases in HIV Populations in Indonesia: Need Firm Roadmaps and Actions

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) remain a public health problem and extend to social, economic, and cultural issues. HIV cases in the Southeast Asia region account for 10% of the total global HIV burden. In Indonesia, there are five provinces with the highest number of HIV cases as of December 2021, including DKI Jakarta (73,442), East Java (68,112), West Java (49,435), Central Java (42,012), and Papua (40,277). In Indonesia in 2021, the number of people living with HIV (ODHIV) reported was 36,902 and in 2022 up to the third quarter (July - September 2022) there were 34,213 people. New HIV infections in Indonesia continue to decline, in line with the global decline in new HIV infections. However, this decline has not been as large as expected.

INFORMATION MANAGEMENT OF MASS COMMUNICATION

Natela Beridze E-mail: nat.beridze.1983@bsu.edu.ge Doctor of Social Sciences in Mass Communication, Professor St. Tbel of the Patriarchate of Georgia School named after Abuserisdze University Batumi Georgia https://orcid.org/0009-0003-5439-0550 Edward Mikeladze E-mail: edu-777@bsu.edu.ge Academic Doctor of Economics, Professor St. Tbel of the Patriarchate of Georgia Abuserisdze Educational University Batumi Georgia https://orcid.org/0009-0001-5746-3351 Abstract: Information management in modern Georgian mass media is a completely new research and innovation. In this article, for research purposes, we talk about the functions of information media, and as a recommendation, the ways and methods of manipulating people through information communications are discussed. Peer technologies are also considered significantly for research. As we know, the media is mostly engaged in covering such issues as: education, health care, poverty, current events in the world. However, we should also not forget that the media plays a major role in fostering national self-awareness. The media is the main informant, a kind of transfer for the society on social, economic, political and cultural issues both inside and outside the country. "Communication affects culture, although it contributes to social and economic development. It mobilizes society and demands the appropriate attention from them." (Wilmer Shrem) The main function of information media management is the development of an organizational structure that facilitates the provision of correct information to the public. Media has a great influence on society, especially this influence is observed on human psychology. If for a long time the society thought it unbelievable to achieve various goals through the media, today it can be considered a normal occurrence. This was caused by the development of technology and the entry into the field of mass communication of the economy. The media can both lower people's worldview and its decline, informational regression. Thus, information management is the process of functional management of information. Its essence lies in the fact that a clear result is obtained by coordinating information, which is possible through top managers. Keywords: information management, PR technologies, advertising, manipulation, media economy, electronic technology. JEL classification: Q1; 01; 03

Couple Relationship Education Through mHealth: A Two-Year Follow-Up Quasi-Experimental Study

Little is known about the effectiveness of couple relationship education through mHealth in Muslim populations. We compared an intervention group (n = 127) of newlywed women who received online education with a non-intervention group (n = 135), in Iran. The curriculum was focused on raising awareness about communication and conflict resolution in marital life. Educational messages were sent twice a week over two years. The two groups did not differ in the divorce rate and marital quality ratings. The findings may suggest that marriage education programs need to be tailored to address deep cultural issues such as sacrifice and forgiveness.

Khlebnikov in China

The question of how Velimir Khlebnikov’s work was perceived in China is among the little studied ones. We have a definite idea of the forms the Chinese theme took in Khlebnikov’s philosophical and aesthetic consciousness as a part of the general orientalist views of the Russian futurist poet. At the same time, the problem of the actual Chinese development of V. Khlebnikov’s artistic heritage (the dialogue among cultures presupposes their two-way connection, interlacement of assessments and judgments) remains open. Thus, the article highlights the most relevant literary and translation aspects of V. Khlebnikov’s reception by the Chinese.These two aspects of research are traditionally closely related, regardless of national culture issues. The measure and depth of literary interest in foreign-language poetry is determined by the volume of translated texts; in a similar degree, the stability and quality of translation corresponds to the literary vector of the foreign word perception. For the Russian research into Far Eastern literature, this state of affairs is quite axiomatic (since without a preliminary theoretical and historical-literary, as well as hermeneutic analyses, it is impossible to truly understand the poetics of ancient Chinese or medieval Japanese lyrical poetry; all other approaches will be considered amateurish with good reason, which, however, does not exclude the presence of a special, “naïve” charm of these translations from Chinese or Japanese, taken in isolation from the original). The above thesis is also applicable to the Chinese research into Russian literature (Chinese studies of Russian literature), which has been intensively developing in recent years.The article traces the stages in scientific and philological studies of V. Khlebnikov’s work in China, explains the reasons for Chinese interest in the Silver Age in general and the work of the author of the “Khadzhi Tarkhan” in particular, analyzes the strategies of individual translations of Khlebnikov’s poems into Chinese, taking into account the increased complexity in the transmission of “zaum'” by means of the linguistic system so strikingly different in its internal structure and writing system from Russian.

The Lived Experience of Postpartum Intergenerational Conflict of Vietnamese American Women with their Vietnamese Immigrant Parents: It's A Generational Thing!

US-born Vietnamese women who are in their childbearing years are more likely to identify with "western" perspectives when compared to their immigrant mothers who were born in Vietnam. Still, a gap in knowledge exists of their intergenerational differences. The purpose of this study was to explore and better understand Vietnamese American women's experiences of postpartum intergenerational conflict. van Manen's methodological approach (1997) was used. The purposive sample included 11 US-born Vietnamese women who experienced postpartum intergenerational conflict with their parents. Data were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using thematic analysis. The researcher transcended the themes through music. Songs and lyrics were arranged for guitar to bring the phenomenon to life. Four themes were identified: (1) "It's a Generational Thing!" (Một điều thế hệ): Leaning both ways; (2) "To rebel or not" (Nổi loạn hay không): Weighing the evidence of postpartum cultural practices; (3) "Stand My Ground" (Giữ vững lập trường của tôi): Keeping my newborn safe and healthy; and (4) "See Me" (Nhìn con): My mental health overshadowed by my mother's thoughts. This study revealed that the intergenerational conflict was influenced by the family's understanding over the division of infant care tasks, disagreements over cultural practices, and generational differences such as age, consistent with previous research. Tailored interventions for Vietnamese American women should consider the family as a whole. Nurses can assess proactively in prenatal care if there are cultural issues such as family hierarchy, gender, and history influencing one's choices or maternal autonomy.

"A different country, a different language, a different culture…" Educational experiences of international nursing students studying in Turkey: A qualitative study

AimThis study was aimed at investigating the educational experiences of international nursing students in Turkey. BackgroundNursing education has now gained an international dimension, which creates an environment where students from different cultures come together. In Turkey, nursing education is expanding internationally due to the increasing number of international students. DesignA descriptive- phenomenological qualitative study. MethodsThe study data were collected from nursing students who came to Turkey from 17 different countries between April 2023 and July 2023 to study at a nursing faculty in Turkey using a semi-structured interview form. Of these students, 27 constituted the study sample. The data collected were analyzed using the content analysis. The COREQ checklist was used in reporting the study. ResultsFour themes emerged: a) challenges, b) gains, c) support needs and d) recommendations. Among challenges reported by the participating students were language barriers, cultural adjustment issues and lack of social support. As for the gains of being a foreign student, they stated that they experienced intercultural interaction and improved their language skills, independence and self-confidence. In the study, the need for language support, provision of psychological assistance and cultural adaptation support for these students and the importance of practical recommendations such as mentoring programs and orientation trainings to improve their educational experience were emphasized. ConclusionIn conclusion, in this study, the importance of targeted strategies in nursing education in areas such as language support, psychological assistance and cultural adaptation was emphasized, which helps international students to have a successful educational experience. It was also concluded that mentoring programs and orientation trainings could enrich the educational processes of students by facilitating their adaptation to their new environment. This study is notable in the literature in that students from 17 diverse countries share the same program and the same prerequisites.

Valuing and Honoring Diversity: Autoethnography in Classrooms to Promote Multicultural Education

The authors in this article suggest the use of autoethnographic activities in classrooms to value and honor diversity in schools to promote multicultural education. Students can share their stories and experiences with their own voice. Autoethnography is the qualitative methodology that connects personal experiences to make meaning of social and cultural issues. Through the authors’ own accounts of their experience as a student, they share the importance for educators to build relationships with their students. This can be done by demonstrating vulnerability, showing care for the students, and including their stories in the classroom. Suggestions of how autoethnographic activities can be utilized in classrooms are offered.

Integrating GIS and BIM with MCDM for infrastructure planning: a comprehensive framework

PurposePresent study aimed to integrate Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Building Information Modeling (BIM) in conjunction with multicriteria decision-making (MCDM) to enhance infrastructure investment planning.Design/methodology/approachThis analysis combines GIS databases with BIM simulations for a novel highway project. Around 150 potential alternatives were simulated, narrowed to 25 more effective routes and 3 options underwent in-depth analysis using PROMETHEE method for decision-making, based on environmental, cost and safety criteria, allowing for comprehensive cross-perspective comparisons.FindingsA comprehensive framework proposed was validated through a case study. Demonstrating its adaptability with customizable parameters. It aids decision-making, cost estimation, environmental impact analysis and outcome prediction. Considering these critical factors, this study holds the potential to advance new techniques for assessment and planning railways, power lines, gas and water.Research limitations/implicationsThe study acknowledges limitations in GIS data quality, particularly in underdeveloped areas or regions with limited technology access. It also overlooks other pertinent variables, like social, economic, political and cultural issues. Thus, conclusions from these simulations may not entirely represent reality or diverse potential scenarios.Practical implicationsThe proposed method automates decision-making, reducing subjectivity, aids in selecting effective alternatives and considers environmental criteria to mitigate negative impacts. Additionally, it minimizes costs and risks while demonstrating adaptability for assessing diverse infrastructures.Originality/valueBy integrating GIS and BIM data to support a MCDM workflow, this study proposes to fill the existing research gap in decision-making prioritization and mitigate subjective biases.

Sleep satisfaction, and its correlates with stress, health and happiness in university students: cultural and gender issues

IntroductionSleep plays an important role in preserving mental health. University students’ learning activity, habits and cultural background may negatively affect the duration and quality of sleep.ObjectivesTo determine the correlations of sleep satisfaction with the level of stress, health and happiness in university students of different gender and cultural backgroundsMethodsWe have surveyed 134 university students (77 domestic students and 57 foreign students). The numbers of male and female students were the same (67 students).To determine the levels of stress, health, happiness, and sleep quality satisfaction, we used a self-rating questionnaire (Nikolaev, 2023).ResultsThe general indicator of sleep satisfaction with all the respondents made up 6.22±2.4 points. We have not revealed any valid statistic differences between the satisfaction levels of males and females, domestic and foreign students (p>.05). The males have shown a higher level of stress than females (р=.0004). The higher level of health assessment was revealed by foreign students as compared with domestic students (р=.0137), and by males in comparison with females (р=.0.0054). We did not determine any cultural and gender differences in other parameters. (p>.05). According to the final correlation analysis, all the respondents showed that their level of sleep satisfaction was positively correlated with the level of health (r=.40) and happiness (r=.37), but negatively with the level of stress (r=-.23). Similar interrelations were seen in the male group (r=.40; r=.36; r=-.28). Females revealed correlations of their sleep satisfaction with health (r=.38) and happiness (r=.38), but there was no evidence of correlation with the level of stress (p>.05).ConclusionsUniversity health development programs aimed at improving their students’ sleep quality, which take into account the complex of cultural and gender issues, may help enhance the students’ health potential.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared