Global companies face the challenge of offering their products or services to a wider audience. While the Internet has made it easier to distribute information globally, information design for different cultures is still very difficult. Cultural models can be used to identify differences between cultures that may have an effect on how people make decisions. Geert Hofstede (1980, 1997) has defined a cultural model with five dimensions. One of these dimensions, individualism vs. collectivism has been shown to affect the type of information people prefer when viewing printed advertisements. A study was conducted to determine if the individualism vs. collectivism dimension affects the type of information Anglo-American and Hispanic-American people prefer for purchasing tasks in a computer-based environment. The findings of this study suggest that there is no difference between the cultures on preference for information. Nonetheless, there are cultural aspects that have to be considered when designing interfaces for a Hispanic audience as opposed to an Anglo-American audience. Based in these cultural aspects, design guidelines were developed. These aspects are the basis of the design guidelines provided in this paper. / Master of Science

The issues of sustainable development began to attract researchers in the second half of the twentieth century. Since then, interest in this topic has only increased. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development introduced by the United Nations in 2015 confirmed that sustainable changes require efforts from people, consumers and companies, politicians, economists, and researchers. In particular, special attention is paid to sustainable consumer behaviour. The level of consumption consciousness directly affects the entire chain, from the production of goods to their disposal. In this regard, in recent years, a large number of studies have been conducted on the topic of sustainable consumer behaviour. However, in 2019 the coronavirus pandemic changed the world. The majority of global population was forced to stay at home because of lockdowns, which is why digitalization received a great impetus for development. By influencing daily activities, it has also significantly changed our consumer habits. Thus, in this thesis, the coronavirus pandemic’s effect on sustainable consumer behaviour is being studied. In particular, attention is paid to cultural differences.

Loneliness is a widespread public health concern. Loneliness may be less frequent but have more severe consequences for cardiovascular disease (CVD) in a collectivist (e.g., Japanese) versus individualist (e.g., United States [U.S.]) culture but little is known about cross-cultural associations of loneliness. This study determined if loneliness would be higher in the U.S. and in persons lower in collectivism. We also studied if loneliness would be positively associated with CVD indicators and if these associations would be stronger in (1) Japan than the U.S. and (2) individuals higher in collectivism. U.S. (n = 529) and Japanese (n = 292) adults from the Midlife in the United States Series, aged 36 to 78, completed psychosocial questionnaires, provided blood samples, and underwent a physical exam. Logistic regression and path analyses using structural equation modeling determined individual differences in loneliness, whether loneliness predicted CVD indicators (e.g., metabolic dysregulation, inflammation, blood pressure, and sleep dysfunction), and whether nationality and collectivism moderated these associations. Japanese adults reported less loneliness compared to the U.S. Unexpectedly, loneliness did not predict any CVD indicators. For U.S. adults with low interdependence, loneliness was associated with elevated metabolic dysregulation. For Japanese adults, loneliness was associated with decreased metabolic dysregulation. We decided to test additional models that included gender as a moderator of the association between loneliness and CVD indicators. Complex associations between gender, nationality, interdependence, and loneliness were found. Clinicians should consider addressing metabolic dysregulation and sleep in lonely patients, especially males and U.S. females. Future work could investigate how loneliness is appraised by Japanese men and U.S. women, and how loneliness affects the health behaviors and eating patterns of these groups.

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Mate selection has garnered much attention in the existing literature. However, most mate selection research has reviewed mate selection preferences and criteria individually. In this study, the researcher attempted to illustrate mate selection as an interactive process in which individuals are affected by external influences, and their mate selection criteria are influenced by their self-appraisals and their perceptions of others' mate selection criteria. Two studies were conducted. Study 1 was based on social exchange theory, sexual strategies theory, and social context frameworks, and used multiple-group structural equation modeling to describe the relationships among gender, receptivity to external influences on mate selection, self-perceived relative mate selection position, and relative mate selection demand, between Chinese and American never-married heterosexual adults. The results indicated that the model fit the data well. Self-perceived relative mate selection position and relative mate selection demand were negatively correlated. Women had a higher relative mate selection demand than men did. Self-perceived relative mate selection position fully mediated the effect of receptivity to external influences on relative mate selection, though the indirect effect was not significant. Path values did not differ between Chinese participants and American participants. Study 2 confirmed that the model fit the data well and replicated all significant correlations among latent variables found in Study 1. Additionally, Study 2 found that receptivity to external influences and self-perceived relative mate selection position were positively correlated, and that receptivity to external influences had a negative indirect effect on relative mate selection demand, fully mediated by relative mate selection position. Lastly, the researcher discussed findings, implications, strengths, limitations, and future directions of the present study. / Ph. D.

No / Businesses today need employees who can operate on a global stage, whether as international managers, technical specialists, expatriates or 'parachutists' who make occasional troubleshooting trips abroad. Yet cultural misunderstandings in the workplace can complicate even the simplest tasks. Something that sounds like a 'Yes' to a foreigner may actually be a polite way of saying 'No'. Fully updated and expanded for this second edition, Management Worldwide is essential for managers, students of management and organizations who want to know how managers operate and business is conducted in different societies. It is essential reading in a global economy where cultural differences can still mean make or break.

In 2002 the number of reported nonfatal injury and illness cases in the construction industry involving days away from work was over 98,000 for European-Americans (non Hispanic) and 26,000 for Hispanics. Disproportionate to the number of injury and illness cases, the construction industry is comprised of 68% European-Americans, 7% African-Americans and 23% Hispanics (BLS, 2004a). Based on the expected increase in employment of construction laborers and the increase in the number of injuries and fatalities among specific ethnic groups, a need exists to study disparities across cultural groups to determine the basis for injury and fatality differences between these ethnic groups. The purpose of this research was to contribute to the literature, an effective method for predicting the risk judgments of laborers employed by small construction firms. Predicting the risk judgments of laborers will assist in developing training programs to address these risk factors, which ultimately will reduce injury and fatality rates. Thirty-six construction laborers , 18 European-American and 18 Hispanic, were recruited for the research. Both ethnic groups were divided into two groups; the control and experimental groups. The control groups viewed a generic concrete construction video and the experimental groups viewed a People-Based Safety video. Each of the participants completed a demographic form, questionnaires, and the narrative simulations (pre-test). Following the narrative simulations the participants rated the narrative simulations, watched a video designated by group, and completed the narrative simulations (post-test). The narrative simulations were used to assess their ability to make risk judgments based on the information presented in the video. The questionnaires completed measured various individual differences, and were administered to detect confounding factors that may not be directly attributed to ethnicity. These questionnaires included: Phinney's (1992) Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure, Leonard, Hill, and Karners' (1989) Risk Perception Scale, Janicak's (1996) Accident Locus of Control Scale, Rooney and Osipow's (1992) Self-efficacy Measure, and Zohar's (1980) Safety Climate Measure. Participant prior exposure to incidents as well as experience in the construction industry was also included. These measures were used to determine if differences in risk perception, locus of control, experience, acculturation, incident exposure, education, self-efficacy, and safety climate had an influence on the ability to make safe risk judgments. Information on topics construction laborers would like included in safety training as well as the preferred method of training was obtained through the use of focus groups. Eleven participants from the experimental group were recruited for the focus groups; 5 European Americans and 6 Hispanics. One focus group was conducted for each ethnic group. Six hypotheses were tested in this study: (1) there would be no difference in the risk judgments of European-American and Hispanic construction workers when given a choice of language, (2) more experienced construction workers would have more difficulty making safe judgments, (3) construction workers who have had more experience with safety related critical incidents in the workplace would have more difficulty making safe judgments, (4) construction workers who have lower levels of risk perception would have more difficulty making safe judgments, (5) construction workers who have an internal locus of control would have more difficulty making safe judgments than those who have an external locus of control, and (6) high acculturation participants would score higher on the narrative simulations than low acculturation participants following the video intervention. The first and fourth hypotheses were supported by the research. There were no significant differences found between the risk judgments of European-American and Hispanic construction workers, and risk perception was positively correlated to risk judgments. The remaining hypotheses were not supported by the research. The major findings of the research are (1) there were no differences in the risk judgments of European-American and Hispanic construction laborers, (2) risk perception and safety climate were significant predictors of construction laborer risk judgments, and (3) the risk judgments of participants were significantly higher for individuals viewing a People-based Safety intervention. There are several advantages of having this information. First, the lack of differences between the two ethnic groups, demonstrates that both groups are able to make safe risk judgments when given the appropriate information in the correct form and language. Secondly, regression analysis using independent variables risk perception and safety climate, may be used to predict narrative simulation risk judgments. The positive relationship between risk perception and safety climate on safe risk judgments should encourage employers and trainers to increase employees' awareness of hazards on the job and increase employees' perception of the company safety climate. Hazards should be identified in addition to their consequences. Trainers should aim to increase workers' perception of risk by relying on past negative outcomes that have a personal nature even if they are infrequent events. Third, experience was positively correlated to participants' confidence in their risk judgments on the narrative simulations. Trainers should not exclude the more experienced employees during training. Continuous training will allow more experienced employees to re-familiarize themselves with old hazards and become aware of new hazards. It is just as important for more experienced employees to be updated on risks because they are more confident in how they react to hazardous situations. It is in the best interest of the company for the confident employees to be confident in safe risk judgments. / Master of Science

No / Adapting board games for international markets and considering cultural differences, language barriers, and preferences is part of internationalizing board games. This book chapter aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the internationalization of board games from the perspectives of players, designers, and business firms. The first part of this book chapter discusses the role of board games in international markets, considering cultural differences, language barriers, and preferences with more focus on historical evolution. The second section discusses the internationalization of board games from players’ perspectives. The third section discusses the internationalization of board games from the perspectives of designers. The fourth section discusses the internationalization of board games from the perspective of business firms. The final section discusses the managerial implications for future game-designing firms to create board games catering to the international markets.

As German organisations expand their businesses into China, the potential risks associated with a lack of fit in management styles among International Joint Venture (IJV) partner-firms have become increasingly obvious to academic researchers, human resource professionals and partner-firm managers themselves. The general consensus among researchers and practitioners is that cultural differences in management styles are a major deterrent to the success of IJVs. Limited research has been undertaken to specifically examine and identify how partner-firm managers can overcome this barrier in Sino-German IJVs.