Comments and Discussions : Hideko SAKURAI (櫻井秀子)

The business environment has been changing as it becomes easier to interact acrossboundaries with globalisation. One of the key elements of globalisation is the culturaldiversity resulting from the cross-cultural and ethnic interactions between individuals.This constant growing globalisation challenges small and medium-sized enterprises(SMEs) to interact with different cultural backgrounds in their foreign markets and withtheir local staff. This cultural diversity can bring both positive and negative outcomes toSMEs depending on how they approach these challenges.The purpose of our research is to discover the contribution of cultural diversity in theinternationalisation process of a Swedish SME, named CodeMill and to understand howthis contribution is ensured by this particular SME. Our research focuses on two specificcriteria of cultural diversity, which are expressed as (1) the individual's internationalexperience as an employee and (2) the SME's social network abroad. Our studyprovides them with practical contributions presented in a final framework, whichexplains how to take advantage of cultural diversity to enhance the positive outcomes ofit and strengthen their internationalisation process.A qualitative case study was conducted with CodeMill, a locally based InformationTechnology (IT). They fulfilled the principal requirements in terms of employees andyearly turnover in order to be categorised as an SME. Conducting seven semi -structured interviews in total, with people from different hierarchical levels and spheresenabled us to gain insights on how matters relating to cultural diversity are handled inCodeMill. Secondary Data served to confirm information we received from theinterviews and functioned as an additional source of information.The study proposes a framework that has been revised from the analysis of ourempirical findings. This framework is positioned within the field of Cultural DiversityManagement in an internationalisation context. The gathered findings implicate that thelevel of informational diversity, which needs to be used with a high synergy level,determines the importance of the contribution of cultural diversity. This can be ensuredvia three key elements: leadership, research & measurement, and follow-up. Thecompany’s Entrepreneurial Orientation (EO), especially included the three investigateddimensions of innovativeness, proactiveness and risk-taking proved to be applied inCodeMill. They were considered to have a positive influence on the internationalisationprocess of the company. CodeMill enhances its internationalisation process thanks to sixcompetitive advantages ensuing from its level of cultural diversity. However its socialnetwork hinders the opportunities to enter new markets. We found proof that CodeMillbenefits strongly from connections at an organisational level (e.g. partner companies,international customers); whilst an individual’s international experience, gathered fromliving abroad or just having personal international contacts, did not significantlycontribute to the firm’s internationalisation.

Pirmajame darbo skyriuje pateikti teoriniai pagrindimai apie multikultūrines klases ir ugdymą jose. Plačiau aptarta multikultūrinio ugdymo samprata, ugdymo tikslai ir uždaviniai. Apžvelgtos pagrindinės (edukologinės ir psichologinės) nuostatos reikalingos dirbant multikultūrinės klasės aplinkoje. Atskleista kultūros ir globalizacijos daroma įtaka ugdymo procesui, mokytojo pasirengimas bei gebėjimas dirbti tarpkultūriškai mišriose klasėse. Praktinėje darbo dalyje aprašytas atliktas tyrimas ir gauti rezultatai. Tyrimo tikslas – išsiaiškinti mokytojų turimas žinias, patirtį bei gebėjimus apie multikultūrinį ugdymą bei darbą multikultūrinės klasės aplinkoje. Anketinės apklausos duomenys, kurioje dalyvavo 40 respondentų (mokytojų), atskleidė tai, jog svarbu tinkamai susipažinti bei panaudoti edukologines ir psichologines nuostatas ugdymo procese. Respondentai daugiausiai akcentavo mokinių kultūrinių skirtumų supratimą, pakantumą bei bendras vertybes išsaugant kultūrinę įvairovę. / The first part of my bachelor thesis overviews some theories of multicultural classes and educationing in them. In the paper work there are analyzed the conception, objectives, tasks and principles of multicultural education. Reviewed the main (educational and psychological) provisions as required for a multicultural working-class environment. My work reveals culture and globalization affects in the educational process. There are analyzed the teachers preparation and the ability to work intercultural in multicultural classes. The second part (practical) of the work describes the results of research. The main aim of research – to find out teacher‘s knowledge, experience, skills of multicultural education and working abilities at multicultural classroom. The survey of questionnaire, which was attended by 40 respondents (teachers), revealed that the important thing was to properly access and use educational and psychological provisions in educational process. Respondents emphasized the cultural diversity, understanding of student’s cultural differences and tolerance.

<p>This dissertation investigates colonial and postcolonial practices of cultural representations in Namibia. The state sponsored Annual National Culture Festival in Namibia was studied with a specific focus on the Kavango Region in northeastern Namibia. I was particularly interested in how cultural representations are produced by the nation-state and local people in a post-colonial African context of nation-building and national reconciliation, by bringing visions of cosmopolitanism and modernity into critical dialogue with its colonial past. During the apartheid era, the South African administration encouraged the inhabitants of its &bdquo / Native Homelands‟ to engage in &bdquo / cultural‟ activities aimed at preserving their traditional cultures and fostering a sense of distinct cultural identity among each of Namibia‟s officially recognized &bdquo / ethnic groups‟. This policy was in line with the logic of South African colonial apartheid rule of Namibia, which relied upon the&nbsp / emphasis of ethnic differences, in order to support the idea that the territory was inhabited by a collection of &bdquo / tribes‟ requiring a central white government to oversee their development. The colonial administration resorted to concepts of &bdquo / tradition‟ and &bdquo / cultural heritage‟ in order to construct Africans as members of distinct, bounded communities (&bdquo / tribes‟) attached to specific&nbsp / localities or &bdquo / homelands‟. My central argument is that since Namibian independence in 1990, the postcolonial nation-state has placed emphasis on cultural pride in new ways, and on&nbsp / identifying characteristics of &bdquo / Namibian-ness‟. This has led to the institution of cultural festivals, which have since 1995 held all over the country with an expressed emphasis on the notion of &bdquo / Unity in&nbsp / Diversity‟. These cultural festivals are largely performances and cultural competitions that range from lang-arm dance, and &bdquo / traditional‟ dances, displays of &bdquo / traditional‟ foodstuffs and dramatized representations. The ethnographic study shows that while the performers represent diversity through dance and other forms of cultural exhibition, the importance of belonging to the nation and a&nbsp / larger constituency is simultaneously highlighted. However, as the study demonstrates, the festivals are also spaces where local populations engage in negotiations with the nation-state and contest regional forms of belonging. The study shows how a practice which was considered to be a &bdquo / colonial representation‟ of the &bdquo / other‟ has been reinvented with new meanings in postcolonial Namibia. The study demonstrates through an analysis of cultural representations such as song, dances and drama that the festival creates a space in which &bdquo / social interaction‟ takes place between participants, spectators and officials who organize the event as social capital of associational life.</p>

This paper deals with Swedish B2B firms marketing activities in the culturally diverse Indian market, and what adaptations are made to meet the cultural diversity of India. The perception of cultural diversity in India is investigated from a Swedish B2B perspective. The findings were retrieved from three face to face interviews with equal number of respondents and firms; Roxtec, Norden Machinery and Gunnebo, three swedish B2B firms all established in India. The literature review is divided in two categories; Marketing and Culture, the former containing theory on relationship marketing and adaptation vs standardization when designing a marketing strategy, and the latter models of national culture as well as models on multicultural countries, with the models applied on India. The dimensions of culture that we found were most relevant in this paper were Power Distance and Perception of Time. The literature review is concluded with a conceptual framework containing our main concepts. The results from this study suggest that it is the managing of relationships with customers that are the most important part of marketing in India. It was also found that while India is characterized as a multicultural country, the way business is conducted and relationships managed are similar all over this vast country, leading us to suggest that a mutual Indian business culture exists.

As the technology develops, the communication infrastructure continues to innovate and increase competitiveness. For companies in a country such as Brazil, communicating virtually may be very beneficial in order to become more efficient, as well as more global. Due to today’s technological development and globalization, virtual teamwork has increased. For virtual teamwork to be successful, the importance of virtual leadership needs to be addressed by the organizations. Thus, the purpose of this study is to investigate leadership in a virtual context with focus on its effect on teamwork in culturally diverse teams. Furthermore, due to its emerging market and economic relevance, this study will examine virtual leaders of multinational companies in Brazil. From our dialogues we found that there is a lack of technological infrastructure, education, and positive attitude for virtual communication and virtual leadership within multinational companies in Brazil. Brazil as a country, as well as companies in Brazil, needs to provide opportunities and possibilities for excellent virtual communication and leadership. For instance, facetual communication and attication are important concepts on the way for companies of becoming virtualized.

This thesis examines changes which have occurred since the late 1980s and early 1990s with respect to the representation of cultural diversity on Australian popular drama programming. The thesis finds that a significant number of actors of diverse cultural and linguistic background have negotiated the television industry employment process to obtain acting roles in a lead capacity. The majority of these actors are from the second generation of immigrants, who increasingly make up a significant component of Australia's multicultural population. The way in which these actors are portrayed on-screen has also shifted from one of a 'performed' ethnicity, to an 'everyday' portrayal. The thesis develops an analysis which connects the development and broad political support for multicultural policy as expressed in the National Agenda for a Multicultural Australia to the changes in both employment and representation practices in popular television programming in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The thesis addresses multicultural debates by arguing for a mainstreaming position. The thesis makes detailed comparison of cultural diversity and television in the jurisdictions of the United States, the United Kingdom and New Zealand to support the broad argument that cultural diversity policy measures produce observable outcomes in television programming.

The aim of this study is to investigate how a multicultural society can be reflected in the religious education. This essay will compare how teachers in grade 3 reflects about their religious education in relation to the society’s cultural diversity and it will also analyze how the teachers’ pupils think about religion. I have used the following questions: Do the teachers believe that the cultural diversity affects their religious education and if so, how and in what way? How do the teachers describe teaching religion in relation to the multicultural society? What are the pupils’ perceptions of religion in a context of cultural diversity? The investigation is based on qualitative semi-structured interviews with four different teachers and a questionnaire study with 62 pupils that generates both quantitative and qualitative data. The theoretical approach of the study is grounded on different definitions of religion and on a theory called frame factor theory which was produced by Urban Dahllöf. The result of the study shows that the teachers believe that it is important to adapt their religious education to the cultural diversity. When comparing the teachers’ descriptions about their religious education it shows that all of the teachers describe factors that can influence their teaching of religion in a multicultural society. The questionnaire study shows similarities and differences in the way pupils think about religion but the most common thing is that most of the pupils associate God with religion.

[pt] A Comunidade de Itambi, localizada no Município de Itaboraí, na Região Metropolitana do Rio de Janeiro, será des-re-territorializada dos mangues da APA de Guapimirim para um Conjunto Habitacional, ao mesmo tempo em que o Complexo Petroquímico do Estado do Rio de Janeiro se instala no município. As contradições entre o modelo de desenvolvimento socioespacial via COMPERJ com as potencialidades locais são nítidas, divergindo das concepções de desenvolvimento(s) e sustentabilidade(s) defendidas nessa pesquisa, as quais são entendidas de acordo com as perspectivas particulares dos territórios, que emanam cultura e história específicas e, portanto, outras racionalidades ligadas a ideia de qualidade de vida. Os gestores envolvidos nessa política de desenvolvimento baseiam-se em uma concepção parcial da produtividade, entendida como capacidade dos investimentos de aumentar a renda financeira em curto prazo, mesmo que diminuam a produtividade de energia, capital natural e desmantelem as diversidades culturais. Defende-se dessa forma que as potencialidades específicas locais devam ser potencializadas com a participação da Comunidade de Itambi nos processos decisórios nos projetos de desenvolvimento do território em que esses estão inseridos. Procura-se fortalecer então a luta da Comunidade de Itambi e de outras populações do Brasil por mais direitos e liberdades. Esse trabalho tenta contribuir dessa forma com a luta pela efetiva justiça social, para a diminuição das desigualdades, e para o reconhecimento da diversidade territorial. / [en] The Community of Itambi, located in the municipality of Itaboraí, Metropolitan Region of Rio de Janeiro, will be de-re-territorialized the mangroves of the Environmental Protection Area of Guapimirim for a Housing, while the Petrochemical Complex of Rio de Janeiro (COMPERJ) is installed in the municipality. The contradictions between the model of social and spatial development via COMPERJ with local potential are sharp, diverging from the conceptions of development (s) and sustainability (s) defended in this research, which are construed in accordance with the particular perspectives of the territories that emanate history and culture specific and, therefore, other rationales linked the idea of quality of life. The managers involved in policy development based on a concept of partial productivity, understood as the ability of investments to increase the financial income in the short term, even if they reduce the productivity of energy, natural capital and dismantle the cultural diversities. It is argued that how the specific potential sites to be leveraged with the involvement of the Community of Itambi in decision making in development projects in the territory in which they are inserted. It seeks to strengthen the fight then the Community of Itambi and other peoples in Brazil for more rights and freedoms. This paper attempts to contribute so effectively to the fight for social justice, to reduce inequalities, and the recognition of territorial diversity.

Submitted by Maria Carolina de Souza (mcarols@ufba.br) on 2017-05-25T13:30:58Z No. of bitstreams: 1 MariaCarolina_UFBA-COMPONDO2_0.pdf: 4064870 bytes, checksum: 1326b3042d4353e8fe933bffdad2f477 (MD5) / Rejected by Maria Auxiliadora da Silva Lopes (silopes@ufba.br), reason: Boa tarde! Os campos devem ser preenchidos somente com a letra inicial maiúscula, exceto nomes próprios, etc. Os campos de autor, orientador, membros da banca devem ser preenchidos com o nome por completo. Favor, seguir as orientações acima dos campos. Saudações, Maria Auxiliadora UFBA/Faced Biblioteca Anísio Teixeira on 2017-05-25T18:31:14Z (GMT) / Submitted by Maria Carolina de Souza (mcarols@ufba.br) on 2017-05-26T13:45:57Z No. of bitstreams: 1 MariaCarolina_UFBA-COMPONDO2_0.pdf: 4064870 bytes, checksum: 1326b3042d4353e8fe933bffdad2f477 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Maria Auxiliadora da Silva Lopes (silopes@ufba.br) on 2017-05-26T19:44:23Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 MariaCarolina_UFBA-COMPONDO2_0.pdf: 4064870 bytes, checksum: 1326b3042d4353e8fe933bffdad2f477 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-05-26T19:44:23Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 MariaCarolina_UFBA-COMPONDO2_0.pdf: 4064870 bytes, checksum: 1326b3042d4353e8fe933bffdad2f477 (MD5) / A presente investigação consiste na continuação da pesquisa realizada durante o mestrado em Ciência da Informação, quando foi proposta uma metodologia para a produção do conhecimento, em rede colaborativa, para educação a distância, denominada COMPONDO. Nesta tese, parte-se do pressuposto de que o acolhimento da diversidade cultural é essencial para a produção colaborativa do conhecimento em EaD, na perspectiva da Difusão do conhecimento; e que os professores, considerando esta crença, precisam estar em contínua formação. Sendo assim, a pesquisa tem como principal objetivo: Propor a noção do etnoformador, ressignificando o papel dos formadores de cursos EaD, incorporando à COMPONDO, ações formativas orientadas e configuradas pela emergência da diversidade cultural. Para isto, adota-se a abordagem multirreferencial e o pensamento complexo como eixo epistemológico; a multirreferencialidade também como eixo metodológico; a investigação sobre o currículo, na perspectiva multirreferencial e complexa; a formação de professores para EaD; a interação cultural, comunidades e redes de aprendizagem, e; os dispositivos tecnológicos, disponíveis na Web 2.0, como eixos teóricos. Diante dessas escolhas a pesquisa é elaborada com a finalidade de: potencializar analiticamente as noções de comunidade, redes de aprendizagem e aprendizagem situada para verificar a possibilidade de serem adotados na COMPONDO 2.0, considerando o processo metodológico de produção do conhecimento característico dessa nova versão; verificar, a partir da pesquisa nos meios formativos da EaD, a possibilidade de se trabalhar com o conceito mediador de etnoformador, ressignificando o papel dos formadores de cursos EaD, e; investigar dispositivos tecnológicos disponíveis na Web 2.0 que podem ser adotadas na COMPONDO 2.0, considerando o problema desta pesquisa. / ABSTRACT This work is the extension of research conducted during the Masters in Information Science, where a methodology for the production of knowledge, collaborative network for distance education, called COMPOSING was proposed. In this thesis, the assumption that acceptance of cultural diversity is essential for collaborative knowledge production in distance education, in view of the diffusion of knowledge; and that teachers therefore need to be in continuous training. Thus, the research aims to propose the notion of ethno former redefines the role of trainers for distance learning courses (EaD), incorporating the COMPOSING, targeted training and configured activities, by the emergence of cultural diversity. In this purpose, a multifaceted approach and complex thinking as epistemological axis were adopted; multireferentiality also as a methodological axis; research on curriculum under complex and multifaceted perspective; teacher training for distance education (EaD); cultural interaction, community and learning networks; and seek the technology available in the Web 2.0 devices as theoretical axes . Facing these choices the research is developed, in order to: enhance analytically the notions of community, learning network, and situated learning to verify the possibility of being adopted in COMPOSING 2.0, considering the methodological process of production of knowledge characteristic of this new version ; verify from the research in the formative means of distance education (EaD), the possibility of working with the mediator concept of ethno former, redefining the role of course distance education trainers; and investigate technological devices available in Web 2.0 that can be adopted in COMPOSING 2.0, taking into account the purpose of this research .