<p>  </p> <p>Food system STEM projects have the capacity to motivate high school students in urban schools. This study explored food as a context to engage students because everyone interacts with food on a daily basis and has had cultural experiences related to food. An integrated STEM approach in combination with a systems thinking approach challenged students to make transdisciplinary connections, view problems from different perspectives, analyze complex relationships, and develop 21st-century and career skills (Hilimire et al., 2014; Nanayakkara et al., 2017). The purpose of this study was to describe and explain the relevance students perceive in Ag+STEM content by measuring high school students' self-efficacy, intrinsic value, attainment value, cost value, and utility value after participating in a food system STEM project. The study was informed by Eccles and Wigfield’s (2020) Situated Expectancy Value Theory. The convenience sample of this study was comprised of high school students from metropolitan area schools. High school students completed a food system STEM project with a food system context. Quantitative data was collected using the developed Food System Motivation questionnaire. Data were collected through a retrospective pre-test and a post-test. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data including means and standard deviations. Relationships were explored by calculating correlations.</p> <p>There were four conclusions from this study. First, high school students were somewhat interested, felt it was important to do well, and agreed there were costs regarding participation in the food system STEM project. Second, high school students reported higher personal and local utility value motivation after completing the food system STEM project. Third, high school students were somewhat self-efficacious in completing the project tasks and completing the project tasks informed by their cultural identity and experiences. Fourth, intrinsic value and attainment value motivation (independent variables) were related to personal and local utility value motivation and project and cultural self-efficacy motivation (dependent variables). Implications for practice and recommendations for future research were discussed.</p>

Выпускная квалификационная работа “Анализ компетенции системного мышления в компании GUDSR, Екатеринбург, Российская Федерация” в форме магистерской диссертации выполнена на 107 листах (формат А4, шрифт Times New Roman, размер шрифта 14, интервал между строками 2), без вложений. Количество таблиц – 12 (без учета вложений). Количество рисунков – 22 (без учета вложений). Ключевые термины: Профессиональные компетенции, управление компетенциями, модель компетенций, оценка потребностей в обучении, развитие компетенций, системное мышление. Выпускная квалификационная работа состоит из реферата, Введения, 5 глав, рекомендаций по предложениям, заключения, библиографии и приложения. В теоретической части представлено определение компетенции системного мышления, компетентностная модель, оценка эффективности и развитие компетенций. В практической части описываются общие характеристики исследуемой компании, анализ сотрудников, методология и инструменты исследования, и его результаты. На основе этих результатов было выдвинуто несколько предложений по развитию компетенции системного мышления и программа, как повысить уровень компетенции системного мышления в компании GUDSR. / Final qualifying work “Analysis of the Systems thinking competency at the GUDSR company, in Yekaterinburg, Russian Federation” in the form of Master thesis is performed on 107 sheets (A4 format, font Times New Roman, font size 14, 2 line spacing), excluding attachments. Number of tables – 12 (excluding attachments). The number of figures – 22 (excluding attachments). Key terms: Job competencies, competency management, competency model, training needs assessment, competency development, Systems thinking. Final qualifying work consists in Abstract, Introduction, 5 chapters, proposal recommendations, conclusion, bibliography and appendix. In the theoretical part it presents the definition of Systems thinking competency, competence model, performance evaluation and competence development. The practical part describes the general characteristics of the investigated company, the analysis of employees, methodology and instruments of research and its results. Based on these results, there were several proposals of Systems thinking competency development and the program how to arise the level of Systems thinking competency in the GUDSR company.

No description available.

Syftet med denna magisteruppsats har varit att utforska hur Covid-19 pandemin har påverkat ledarskapet och organisationens riktning.    Covid-19 pandemin har påverkar olika delar av ledarskapet. Resultaten visar tydligt att chefer känner sig överbelastade eftersom de måste hantera många administrativa uppgifter och alternerande möten. På grund av brist på tid och balans mellan arbete och privatliv har förmågan att ha en helhetssyn, tolka och ta in perspektiv utifrån och in och inifrån och ut varit en utmaning för ledarna. Resultatet indikerar även på behovet av tydliga kommunikationskanaler mellan ledarna, de anställda och deras kunder om vilka åtgärder som krävs för att anpassa sig till den nya situationen som pandemin har medfört.   Under pandemin har organisationerna tvingats att vidta snabba åtgärder baserat på föreskrifterna och begränsningarna från Folkhälsomyndigheten och regeringen. Etablerade digitala kanaler har använts men nya digitala kanaler har behövts identifieras för att skapa interaktion och relationer inom organisationen samt med kunderna.   Den snabba omvandlingen till den digitala världen har påverkat organisationens riktning att tänka annorlunda, vara mer flexibel och anpassningsbar till nya oväntade förändringar, såsom pandemin. Organisationerna har använt nyckelindikatorer för att identifiera och få en tydlig bild av hur pandemin har påverkat organisationens riktning internt och externt gentemot sina kunder. Denna nya digitala omvandling har också tvingat kunderna att gå in på nya digitala plattformar och interagera online med organisationerna. Den nya digitala medvetenheten från kunderna har framkallat nya digitala krav och tjänster som i sin tur har resulterat i behov av nya digitala självservice tjänster och en högre och starkare digital kompetens från organisationens kundtjänst.   En bidragande diskussion till organisationerna och samhället är att hänvisa till begreppet lönsamhet som en värdeskapande effekt som är hållbar över tid, kopplad till tre element: ledarskap, organisationens riktning och kundbehov. / The purpose of this thesis has been to explore how the Covid-19 pandemic has affected the leadership and the direction of the organization.   The Covid-19 pandemic has affected various parts of the leadership. The results clearly indicate that managers feel overloaded since they have to handle a lot of administrative tasks and alternating meetings. Due to lack of time and balance between work and private life, the ability to have a holistic view, interpret and take in perspectives from outside-in and inside-out has been a challenge for the leaders. The results also indicated the need for clear communication between the leaders and the employees and their customers about what actions are required in order to adapt to the new situation that the pandemic has imposed.   During the pandemic the organizations were forced to take fast action based on the regulations and restrictions from the Public Health Agency and the government. Established digital channels were used but new digital channels had to be identified to create interaction and relations within the organization and with the customers.  The fast transformation to the digital world has affected the direction of the organization to think differently and be more flexible and adaptable to new unexpected changes, such as the pandemic. The organizations have used key indicators to identify and get a clear picture of how the pandemic has affected the direction of the organization internally and externally towards its customers. This new digital transformational shift has also forced the customers to enter new digital platforms and interact online with the organizations. The new digital awareness from the customers has induced new digital requirements and services which in turn have resulted in the need for new digital self-services and a higher and stronger digital competence from the organizations customer service.   A contributing discussion to the organizations and to the society is to refer to the concept of profitability as a value-creating effect sustainable over time, connected by three elements: leadership, direction of the organization and customer need. / <p>2021-06-06</p>

The quest for excellence in institutions is nothing new. Most of the twentieth century saw management sciences grappling with the question how to improve the productivity and general health of institutions through sound management principles and practice. In recent research, proponents of Total Quality Management have identified it as an essential strategy of successful institutions in a highly competitive and rapidly changing business environment. The overall aim of this study is the development of a framework for the implementation of Total Quality Management in the South African Air Force. As a first prerequisite, a theoretical and conceptual analysis is undertaken of Total Quality Management as it is discussed in a vast volume of published literature. In the process, Total Quality Management philosophy and principles are described within the context of organisational theory, mainly based on so-called quality guru prescriptions. The variety of definitions of Total Quality Management is studied to find an appropriate definition for this study. The primary and supportive Total Quality Management dimensions are identified in the available literature, and integrated into a framework, which is called the "Total Quality Management telescopic framework" for the purposes of the study. This framework is formulated for use in the development of an appropriate methodology to implement Total Quality Management in South African Air Force Bases. As a basis for the understanding of the empirical part of the thesis, the context and nature of the SA Air Force are also discussed, followed by the self-assessment methods already in use in the institution. The Total Quality Management telescopic framework is meant to provide a mechanism for the adoption of a systematic and ordered approach to the implementation of Total Quality Management in SA Air Force Bases. To achieve this objective, a structured questionnaire survey is undertaken to establish the nature and extent of Total Quality Management as an internal organisational arrangement for personnel in SA Air Force Bases. The framework developed from the study of the available literature is used as a basis for the survey research, which attempts to determine the main hypothesis of the study: "The attitude of personnel of the South African Air Force Bases towards the primary and supporting dimensions of the framework for the implementation of Total Quality Management is positive." With the aid of computerised reliability analysis (Alpha Cronbach) for the test, the above hypothesis is proven to be true on a statistical basis. The attitude of personnel at SA Air Force Bases towards the nature and scope of Total Quality Management is that it enables them to perform their daily tasks better, and that they accept the Total Quality Management effort positively, in spite of specific deficiencies, which the study has brought to light. With these deficiencies as a guide, recommendations are made for their elimination. The research undertaken during the course of writing the thesis has led to the deduction that the greater the extent to which Total Quality Management principles is applied, the greater the improvement in work performance among personnel. / Public Administration / DADMIN (PUBLIC ADMIN)

Quality assurance has been a vexed and troubled journey for private providers in South Africa in a complex and burdensome educational environment. It is well recognised that private providers are significant role-players in the provision of education and training in South Africa and the stated intention is to create a more enabling regulatory framework The focus of this thesis is on the private providers at the post-school level. The quality assurance regime was examined and contextualised to analyse what is required, and to determine how the private provider is impacted by the regulatory requirements for the establishment and operation of a private tuition provider in South Africa. The experience of private providers, CEOs of professional bodies, ETQA managers and ETD practitioners was investigated using a mixed methods research approach. The conclusion is a call for a far more streamlined system with a centralised oversight body, greater stakeholder consultation, less political interference and a deeper appreciation for the contribution that private providers make to the education of learners in South Africa. / Educational Leadership and Management / D. Ed. (Education Management)

The story of phosphorus began with the search for the philosopher’s stone, and centuries later the critical role of phosphorus in soil fertility and crop growth was highlighted. Eventually, phosphorus was implicated in the global environmental challenge of eutrophication. Now, we are on the brink of yet another emerging chapter in the story: global phosphorus scarcity linked to food security. Through a transdisciplinary and systemic inquiry, this thesis has analyzed, reconceptualized and synthesized the physical and institutional dimensions of global phosphorus scarcity in the context of food security, leading to a new framing, ‘phosphorus security’ to guide future work towards a more sustainable and food secure pathway. In a world which will be home to nine billion people by the middle of this century, producing enough food and other vital resources is likely to be a substantial challenge for humanity. Phosphorus, together with nitrogen and potassium, is an essential plant nutrient. It is applied to agricultural soils in fertilizers to maintain high crop yields. Phosphorus has no substitute in food production. Therefore, securing the long-term availability and accessibility of phosphorus is crucial to global food security. However the major source of phosphorus today, phosphate rock, is a non-renewable resource and high quality reserves are becoming increasingly scarce. This thesis estimates peak phosphorus to occur before 2035, after which demand will exceed supply. Phosphorus scarcity is defined by more than just physical scarcity of phosphate rock and this thesis develops five important dimensions. For example, there is a scarcity of management of phosphorus throughout the entire food production and consumption system: the global phosphorus flows analysis found that only 20% of phosphorus in phosphate rock mined for food production actually reaches the food consumed by the global population due to substantial inefficiencies and losses from mine to field to fork. There is also an economic scarcity, where for example, while all the world’s farmers need access to sufficient fertilizers, only those with sufficient purchasing power can access fertilizer markets. Institutional scarcity, such as the lack of governance structures at the international level that explicitly aim to ensure long-term availability of and access to global phosphorus resources for food production that has led to ineffective and fragmented governance of phosphorus, including a lack of: overall coordination, monitoring and feedback, clear roles and responsibilities, long-term planning and equitable distribution. Finally, geopolitical scarcity arising from 90% of the world’s remaining high-grade phosphate rock reserves being controlled by just five countries (a majority of which are subject to geopolitical tensions) can limit the availability of phosphorus on the market and raises serious ethical questions. The long-term future scenarios presented in this thesis indicate that meeting future global food demand will likely require a substantial reduction in the global demand for phosphorus through not only improved efficient use of phosphorus in agriculture, but also through changing diets and increasing efficiency in the food chain. The unavoidable demand for phosphorus could then be met through a high recovery and reuse rate of all sources of phosphorus (crop residues, food waste, manure, excreta) and other sources including some phosphate rock. A ‘hard-landing’ situation could involve further fertilizer price spikes, increased waste and pollution (including eutrophication), increased energy consumption associated with the production and trade of phosphorus fertilizers, reduced farmer access to phosphorus, reduced global crop yields and increased food insecurity. A preferred ‘soft landing’ situation will however require substantial changes to physical and institutional infrastructure, including improved governance structures at the global, national and other levels, such as new policies, partnerships and roles to bring together the food, fertilizer, agriculture, sanitation and waste sectors for a coordinated response. Finally, this thesis proposes a new global goal – phosphorus security – to be integrated in the dominant research discourses and policy debates on global food security and global environmental change. Among other criteria, phosphorus security requires that phosphorus use is decoupled from environmental degradation and that farmers’ access to phosphorus is secured.

<p>Многе студије посвећене настави и&nbsp;<br />учењу органске хемије истичу<br />чињеницу да ученици средњошколског<br />узраста показују значајне тешкоће<br />током савладавања концепата из овог<br />домена. На основу тога, циљ овог<br />истраживања био је да се помогне<br />ученицима у превазилажењу тих<br />тешкоћа, применом системичких<br />задатака (СЗ) као инструкционог<br />метода.<br />У истраживању су учествовали<br />ученици III разреда гиманзије &bdquo;Јован<br />Јовановић Змај&rdquo;&nbsp; из Новог&nbsp; Сада, а<br />истраживање је спроведено током<br />школске 2012/13. године. За потребе<br />истраживања конструисани су тестови<br />знања који су садржали два основна<br />типа задатака: конвенционалне,<br />линеарне задатке (ЛЗ) и системичке<br />задатке (СЗ).&nbsp; Поред тестова знања<br />примењена је и седмостепена<br />Ликертова скала за&nbsp; самопроцену<br />уложеног менталног напора.<br />Резултати истраживања су показали да<br />ученици&nbsp; обучавани системичким<br />приступом&nbsp; (експериментална група),<br />остварују&nbsp; боља&nbsp; постигнућа на<br />финалном тесту знања (како у ЛЗ, тако<br />и у СЗ) од ученика контролне групе,<br />који су обучавани применом<br />традиционалног приступа.&nbsp; Виша<br />постигнућа&nbsp; ученика експерименталне<br />групе праћена су&nbsp; нижим&nbsp; нивоима<br />уложеног менталног напора, у односу<br />на ученике контролне групе.<br />Испитана веза&nbsp; између постигнућа и<br />менталног напора&nbsp; резултовала је<br />високом релативном ефикасношћу за<br />инструкциони метод заснован на<br />примени СЗ, и ниском релативном<br />ефикасношћу за традиционални<br />приступ. При томе је установљено да је<br />инструкциони метод примењен у<br />експерименталној групи више погодан<br />за испитанике женског пола, него за<br />испитанике мушког пола.&nbsp; Са друге<br />стране, традиционална настава је била<br />једнако неповољна за испитанике оба<br />пола.<br />Надаље, након примене експлораторне<br />факторске анализе, СЗ су<br />окарактерисани као&nbsp; валидни и<br />релијабилни&nbsp; алати за процену<br />ученичког смисленог разумевања.<br />Поред СЗ, конвенционални есејски<br />задаци, као и задаци допуњавања са<br />више од два захтева такође су се<br />показали ефикасним за процену<br />ученичког смисленог разумевања.<br />На крају&nbsp; овог&nbsp; истраживања,&nbsp; СЗ су<br />окарактерисани као алати који<br />ефикасно процењују нивое ученичког<br />системског мишљења. У овом делу<br />истраживања је потврђено да су управо<br />испитаници женског пола у оквиру<br />експерименталне групе достигли<br />највиши&nbsp; очекивани&nbsp; ниво системског<br />мишљења&nbsp; &ndash;&nbsp; ниво комплексног<br />повезивања концепата у домену<br />органске хемије.</p> / <p>Mnoge studije posvećene nastavi i&nbsp;<br />učenju organske hemije ističu<br />činjenicu da učenici srednjoškolskog<br />uzrasta pokazuju značajne teškoće<br />tokom savladavanja koncepata iz ovog<br />domena. Na osnovu toga, cilj ovog<br />istraživanja bio je da se pomogne<br />učenicima u prevazilaženju tih<br />teškoća, primenom sistemičkih<br />zadataka (SZ) kao instrukcionog<br />metoda.<br />U istraživanju su učestvovali<br />učenici III razreda gimanzije &bdquo;Jovan<br />Jovanović Zmaj&rdquo;&nbsp; iz Novog&nbsp; Sada, a<br />istraživanje je sprovedeno tokom<br />školske 2012/13. godine. Za potrebe<br />istraživanja konstruisani su testovi<br />znanja koji su sadržali dva osnovna<br />tipa zadataka: konvencionalne,<br />linearne zadatke (LZ) i sistemičke<br />zadatke (SZ).&nbsp; Pored testova znanja<br />primenjena je i sedmostepena<br />Likertova skala za&nbsp; samoprocenu<br />uloženog mentalnog napora.<br />Rezultati istraživanja su pokazali da<br />učenici&nbsp; obučavani sistemičkim<br />pristupom&nbsp; (eksperimentalna grupa),<br />ostvaruju&nbsp; bolja&nbsp; postignuća na<br />finalnom testu znanja (kako u LZ, tako<br />i u SZ) od učenika kontrolne grupe,<br />koji su obučavani primenom<br />tradicionalnog pristupa.&nbsp; Viša<br />postignuća&nbsp; učenika eksperimentalne<br />grupe praćena su&nbsp; nižim&nbsp; nivoima<br />uloženog mentalnog napora, u odnosu<br />na učenike kontrolne grupe.<br />Ispitana veza&nbsp; između postignuća i<br />mentalnog napora&nbsp; rezultovala je<br />visokom relativnom efikasnošću za<br />instrukcioni metod zasnovan na<br />primeni SZ, i niskom relativnom<br />efikasnošću za tradicionalni<br />pristup. Pri tome je ustanovljeno da je<br />instrukcioni metod primenjen u<br />eksperimentalnoj grupi više pogodan<br />za ispitanike ženskog pola, nego za<br />ispitanike muškog pola.&nbsp; Sa druge<br />strane, tradicionalna nastava je bila<br />jednako nepovoljna za ispitanike oba<br />pola.<br />Nadalje, nakon primene eksploratorne<br />faktorske analize, SZ su<br />okarakterisani kao&nbsp; validni i<br />relijabilni&nbsp; alati za procenu<br />učeničkog smislenog razumevanja.<br />Pored SZ, konvencionalni esejski<br />zadaci, kao i zadaci dopunjavanja sa<br />više od dva zahteva takođe su se<br />pokazali efikasnim za procenu<br />učeničkog smislenog razumevanja.<br />Na kraju&nbsp; ovog&nbsp; istraživanja,&nbsp; SZ su<br />okarakterisani kao alati koji<br />efikasno procenjuju nivoe učeničkog<br />sistemskog mišljenja. U ovom delu<br />istraživanja je potvrđeno da su upravo<br />ispitanici ženskog pola u okviru<br />eksperimentalne grupe dostigli<br />najviši&nbsp; očekivani&nbsp; nivo sistemskog<br />mišljenja&nbsp; &ndash;&nbsp; nivo kompleksnog<br />povezivanja koncepata u domenu<br />organske hemije.</p> / <p>Many studies dedicated to the teaching and<br />learning of organic chemistry courses have<br />emphasized that high school students have<br />shown significant difficulties in mastering the<br />concepts of this discipline. Therefore, the aim<br />of our study was to help students to overcome<br />these difficulties by applying systemic<br />questions (SQs) as the instructional method.<br />Тhis study included third grade students from<br />one high school (&bdquo;Jovan Jovanović Zmaj&rdquo;) in<br />Novi Sad, Serbia. The experiment was<br />conducted during the 2012/13. school year.<br />For the purpose of this research, knowledge<br />tests with conventional, linear questions (LQs)<br />and systemic questions (SQs) were<br />constructed. In addition to knowledge tests, the<br />seven-point Likert scale for measuring of<br />mental effort was applied.<br />This work shows that students from the group<br />exposed to the new teaching method<br />(application of SQs) achieved higher scores on<br />final testing than students from the control<br />group,&nbsp; who were taught by the traditional<br />method, when students&rsquo; achievements in LQs<br />and in SQs, were studied. These results were<br />followed by observation of lower levels of<br />mental effort by students from the<br />experimental&nbsp; group, and higher levels of<br />mental effort&nbsp; in the control group, invested<br />during solving both types of questions.<br />This correlation between achievement and<br />mental effort resulted in high instructional<br />efficiency for the applied method in the<br />experimental group, and low instructional<br />efficiency for&nbsp; the traditional teaching and<br />learning method applied in the control group.<br />In addition it was found that the application of<br />SQs was more suited to female students than<br />for male students in experimental group, while<br />traditional method was less effective for both<br />genders in control group.<br />Furthermore, after conducting an exploratory<br />factor analysis on the obtained data, SQs were<br />characterized as valid and reliable tools for<br />assessing students&rsquo; meaningful understanding.<br />Apart from&nbsp; this, essay questions and<br />completion type of questions with three or<br />more requests were found to be useful in<br />assessing students&rsquo; meaningful understanding.<br />At the end of this study, SQs were<br />characterized as effective tools for assessing<br />different levels of students&rsquo; systems thinking.<br />These results emphasized the fact that female<br />students from experimental group reached the<br />highest expacted level of systems thinking &ndash;<br />level of complex connection of concepts from<br />organic chemistry domain.</p>

[pt] A tese investiga os princípios da pesquisa experimental para a criação de objetos em harmonia com o meio ambiente físico e social. A base para este estudo é a pesquisa realizada no Laboratório de Investigação em Livre Desenho (LILD) da PUC-Rio. Defendemos a tese de que a metodologia experimental para a pesquisa dessas técnicas se beneficia tanto de elementos da cultural material pré-industrial, quanto de técnicas informatizadas e do conhecimento universitário moderno. A partir do encontro desses diferentes saberes, a pesquisa experimental pode enriquecer seus parâmetros e ter maior potencial para a geração de objetos em harmonia com o meio ambiente físico e social. A tese conta com o resultado da pesquisa em dois campos - uma aldeia indígena na Amazônia e o laboratório CPI (Construction Process Investigation), da Universidade do Havaí. Também é feita a descrição de oficinas realizadas para o compartilhamento de técnicas desenvolvidas no laboratório. A partir dos elementos, apresentamos um debate acerca da pesquisa e do desenvolvimento de objetos em harmonia com o meio ambiente físico e social e concluímos que o encontro entre os conhecimentos da cultura material de sociedades pré-industriais e da pesquisa acadêmica ligada à indústria potencializa a metodologia da pesquisa de técnicas em harmonia com o meio ambiente físico e social. / [en] This thesis investigates the principles of the experimental research for the creation of objects that are in harmony with the physical and social environments. The base for this study is the research done in the Laboratório de Investigação em Livre Desenho (LILD). We defend the idea that the experimental methodology in this kind of research is enrichened both by elements of pre-industrial material culture and by modern academic knowledge. With these different knowledges, experimental research can enrich its parameters and have greater potential to create objects in harmony with the physical and social environments. Thus, the thesis has the result of two fiel researches - and indigenous village in the Amazon and the CPI (Construction Process Innovation) lab of the University of Hawaii. There is also a description of workshops that have been done to share the techniques developed in the laboratory. Based on these elements, we present a discussion about the experimental research and about the development of objects in harmony with the physical and social environments, and we come to the conclusion that the integration of elements of pre-industrial societies and of academic research related to the industry favors to the development of the methodology for research of techniques in harmony with the physical and social environments.

<p>In today’s world, exposure to other cultures has become a symbol of increasing globalization processes. Many people leave their home area to embark on a voyage of discovery and learning that affects their original cultural identity.</p><p>This study explores the life experience of independent transcultural sojourners, i.e. people who freely decide to relocate to different cultural contexts after their formative years. The inquiry covers three major themes of their intercultural experience: Multicultural identity, processes of intercultural adaptation, and change and transformation ensuing from multiple intercultural relocations. The aim of this study is to show the effects of multiple intercultural experiences on the identity of transcultural sojourners, and how they dealt with relevant emerging processes of intercultural adaptation.</p><p>Following a format suggested by Seidman (1996), five respondents were asked to recount and reflect on their transcultural experience in three separate, asynchronous interviews that covered three dimensions of their intercultural experience: past, present, and reflections. The ensuing text comprised about 16,000 words and was analyzed using both a narrative and a thematic approach using a mixed typology of categories and sub-themes made up of indigenous typology stemming from relevant scholarly literature and researcher-constructed typology suggested by the researcher and the respondents.</p><p>The analysis indicates that personal factors like mindfulness, motivation, resourcefulness, and intercultural awareness strongly influence processes of Intercultural communication competence and Multicultural identity development. Contextual factors are also relevant, as they include issues of avowed and ascribed identity. The analysis also shows no specific, generalizable link between the presence of intercultural stimuli in the original cultural milieus and the decision to relocate across cultural boundaries. Furthermore, it points to a strong relation between Piagetian constructivist learning theories and the development of ICC competence. The study also indicates that independent transcultural sojourners are in a position to negotiate the level of their integration and marginality, which in turn affects the spectrum of their Intercultural communication competence.</p><p>Finally, this study indicates the limited applicability of traditional functionalist approaches to understanding and conceptualizing processes of intercultural adaptation and multicultural identity building. It also suggests the need for a shift towards a dialogical perspective informed by systems-thinking and Chaos theory.</p> / The author would like to acknowledge the inspiration and passion for intercultural issues provided over the years by the Intercultural Insights on-line community.Seattle, summer 2010.