This qualitative study investigated Chinese ESL students’ use of host mass media and how such use enabled them to acquire host communication competence and acculturation from their perspective. It was grounded on Kim’s theory of communication and cross-cultural adaptation and the uses and gratifications theory, and employed a phenomenography approach. Nine participants at a university in Ontario were involved in this study. Data obtained from media use logs, think-aloud protocols, and follow-up interviews provided a fairly far-reaching and detailed description of the participants’ uses, reasoning, and effects of using host mass media. The analysis of data illustrated that these students used a variety of media as sources of information, language acquisition, culture learning, entertainment, and communication. Findings suggest that host mass media were the major influence on these students’ acquisition of host communication competence, perceptions of and acculturation to Canada. Their reliance on mass communication went into the later years of their acculturation process, and complemented their language and culture learning, which was somewhat limited through insufficient or reluctant participation in host interpersonal communication. Host communication competence was a primary factor that influenced their selection and use of host mass media, but it was not the only decisive factor relevant to their degree of acculturation. Individual characteristics, the social and cultural environment in Canada were also found to have significant impact on their acculturation process and outcomes. It is expected that the findings can assist colleges and universities in designing effective programs based on these students’ needs and characteristics, thus enabling them to achieve their academic and professional goals. / Thesis (Ph.D, Education) -- Queen's University, 2009-08-11 04:01:28.763

Intercultural Communication Competence (ICC) describes the ability to interact with people from different cultures effectively and appropriately. In the impact of globalization and information technology development, social media facilitates intercultural communication and open a new space for intercultural interactions. As the impact of social media on ICC is not often explored, this study would shed light on this unexplored domain and focus on Chinese people who currently live in Sweden by asking the question: How does social media influence the ICC of Chinese people living in Sweden? This study adopts a mixed method: it uses a survey questionnaire followed by individual interviews, collecting both quantitative and qualitative data. As a result, two factors stimulating ICC are identified. The role of social media on ICC when residence in the host country is confirmed, and two stages of ICC development associated with social media in the host country are explored. Last but not least, social media seems to influence the ICC of Chinese people living in Sweden in a positive way, however this positive impact is not independent of real social interaction with the host culture. / Interkulturell kommunikationskompetens (ICC) beskriver möjligheten att integagera med människor från olika kulturer på ett effektiv och lämplig sätt. Globalisering och utveckling av informationsteknologin har gjort att det underlättar sociala mediers interkulturell kommunikation och öppnar nya sätt för interkulturella interactioner. Eftersom konsekvenserna av sociala medier angående ICC undersöks sällan ska denna studie lyfta fram denna outforskade domän, focus ska ligga på personer med kinesikt härkomst som för närvarande bor i Sverige genom att ställa frågan: Hur påverkar sociala medier ICC för personer som bor I sverige av med kinesikt härkomst? Denna studie anammar en blandad metod: den använder en enkätundersökning följt av individuella intervjuer, samlar både kvantitativ och kvalitativ data. Som resultat identifieras två faktorer som stimulerar ICC. Sociala mediernas roll på ICC när bosättning i värdlandet bekräftas, och två steg i ICC-utvecklingen i samband med sociala medier i värdlandet utforskas. Sist men inte minst verkar sociala medier påverka den kinesiska befolkningens ICC på ett posetivt sätt, men denna positiva påverkan är beroende av verklig social interaktion med värdkulturen.

The power to communicate effectively and respectfully in the health care setting promotes job satisfaction, retention, and healthy relationships. Ineffective communication is one of the major causes of sentinel events, incivility, nurse turnover, and workplace hostility in the health care environment. This project examined a communication competence educational program on a spinal cord injury (SCI) nursing department and its potential to improve communication competence. The project question explored whether an educational series on incivility and creating healthy relationships would increase communication competence in nurses on the SCI unit. The project used the high reliability solutions for health care model communications improvement and creative health care management tools. The oppressed group behavior theory was used to inform this project by providing an understanding of why nursing staff may experience hostility toward one another and lack effective communication skills to promote a healthy working environment. The dauntless survey questionnaire was used pre and posteducational intervention, and the results were analyzed to assess the effects of using descriptive statistics. The educational intervention reached 81 SCI nursing staff members. Results showed a 13% increase in the staff feelings of confidence when speaking up to their peers and physicians, a 3% increase in knowing what to say when difficult situations arose, and an 11% increase in feeling competent regarding their communication skills. The findings of this project may promote social change by improving communication by the team leader, charge nurse, assistance manager, and nursing staff during shift change, walking rounds, and huddles.

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Titel: Har chefer slutat lyssna? – en studie om kommunikationstillfredsställelse och chefers aktiva lyssnande. Nivå: Examensarbete för kandidatexamen i företagsekonomi. Författare: Michel Barjakob, Mathias Johansson. Handledare: Kristina Mickelsson, Pär Vilhelmson. Datum: 2016 - januari Syfte: I denna studie vill vi söka en djupare förståelse för chefers aktiva lyssnande och hur det formar medarbetarnas kommunikationstillfredsställelse. Metod: Då studiens syfte är att skapa en djupare förståelse i chefers aktiva lyssnande så har vi utfört en kvalitativ forskning. Data har samlats in genom semistrukturerade intervjuer med tio anställda från en ledande elektronikkedja i Gävle. Materialet har analyserats genom tematisering och presenterats med resultaten. Resultat & slutsats: Studien visar att chefer bör ha en tillräckligt hög kommunikationskompetens för att veta när ett aktivt lyssnande ska tillämpas eller ej. Chefers kommunikationskompetens formar de anställdas kommunikations-tillfredsställelse samtidigt som det framkommit att chefer inte är medvetna om det aktiva lyssnandet i tillräcklig utsträckning. Förslag till vidare forskning: Studien har varit djupgående med sin kvalitativa forskning och ligger som grund till vårt förslag till vidare forskning. Deltagarna i denna studie har efterfrågat en uppföljning av det aktiva lyssnandet. Ett ytterligare förslag till vidare forskning är en undersökning efter det aktiva lyssnandets avspegling på företagsresultat. Uppsattsens bidrag: Bidraget till studiens målgrupp syftar till det tomrum som lokaliserats samt besvarats. En teoretisk modell har skapats med hjälp av tidigare forskning som kartlägger begrepp inom kommunikation och tillfredsställelse. Det praktiska bidraget syftar till chefer då kunskap inom aktivt lyssnande kan hjälpa chefer att kommunicera med sina medarbetare. Nyckelord: kommunikationskompetens, aktivt lyssnande, kommunikationstillfredsställelse, arbetstillfredsställelse, forma. / Title: Har chefer slutat lyssna? – en studie om kommunikationstillfredsställelse och chefers aktiva lyssnande. Level: Final assignment for Bachelor Degree in Business Administration. Author: Michel Barjakob, Mathias Johansson. Supervisor: Kristina Mickelsson, Pär Vilhelmson. Date: 2016 – january Aim: In this study we aim to create a deeper understanding in supervisors active listening and how it shapes employees communication satisfaction. Method: Due to the aim of the study, which is to create a deeper understanding in supervisors active listening, we have conducted a qualitative research. Data has been gathered through semi-structured interviews with ten employees from a leading electronic store and was conducted in Gävle.  Result & conclusions: The study show that supervisors must possess enough communication competence to know when active listening should be used. Supervisors communication competence shapes the employees communication satisfaction meanwhile most supervisors lack knowledge in active listening. Suggestions for future research: Our suggestions for future research are based on this study’s qualitative research. The participants have requested a follow-up of the active listening. A further recommendation for further research is to examine the impact active listening has on company results. Contribution of the thesis: The study contributes by filling the gap we found in our research area. A theoretical model was developed based on previous research, which helped find and localize communication and satisfaction and its components. The practical contribution is aimed towards supervisors hoping to receive knowledge in active listening to help them communicate with their co-workers. Key words: communication competence, active listening, communication satisfaction, job satisfaction, shape.

Darbo objektas – komunikacinės kompetencijos vertinimas. Darbo tikslas – įvertinti sporto klubo darbuotojų komunikacinę kompetenciją. Darbo problema – kokia komunikacine kompetencija pasiţymi sporto klubo darbuotojai? Darbo uţdaviniai : 1. Atskleisti komunikacijos svarbą darbuotojo profesinei veiklai. 2. Apibrėţti darbuotojų komunikacinės kompetencijos gebėjimus. 3. Nustatyti sporto klubo darbuotojų komunikacinės kompetencijos gebėjimus Darbo išvados ir svarbiausi rezultatai: Dauguma apklaustųjų turintys aukštąjį išsilavinimą mano, kad studijų metu įgytų gebėjimų pakanka ir kvalifikacijos nauda yra teigiama, nors ne visi dirba pagal įgytą specialybę. Darbuotojai pasitiki savimi, savo kompetencija ir asmeniniais gebėjimais. Nustatyta, kad reikalingiausios asmeninės kompetencijos yra šios: pasitikėjimas savimi, komunikavimo sugebėjimai, stabilumas, sugebėjimas prisiderinti ir lankstumas. Tiriant darbuotojų socialines kompetencijas nurodomos šios reikalingiausios savybės: sugebėjimas klausytis, atsakomybės jausmas, mokėjimas save pateikti, sugebėjimas įtikinti ir kontaktuoti. Profesinės kompetencijos svarba taip pat akivaizdi. Respondentai svarbiausią gebėjimą įvardijo informacijos pateikimą klientams bei gebėjimą juos konsultuoti. Taip pat tinkamai ir tiksliai įvertinti kliento problemas. Siekiant pagerinti kompetencijos lygį organizacijoje, reikėtų paskatinti vis tobulinti turimas kompetencijas. Kaip geriausius gebėjimus respondentai išskiria darbą kompiuteriu, gebėjimą... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The object of: assessment of communication competence. The aim of: To rate communicative competence of sports club employees. Research problem: What communication competence reveal employees of sports club? Objectives of the: 1. To reveal communcation importance of employee professional activity. 2. To define communication competence skills of employees. 3. To set communication competence skills of sports club employees. Conclusion of reasearch paper and the most important results: The majority of respondents with higher education think, that the skills acquired during studies is sufficient and qualified benefits are positive, although not all work in the profession. Employees trust them selves, their competence and pesonal skills. It was found that the most necessary competences are: self trust, communication skills, stability, ability and flexibility to adapt. Researching social competences of employees specified the most necessary features are: the ability to listen, a sense of responsibility, ability to present themselves, the ability to persuade and contact. Importance of professional competence is obvious too. Respondents as the most important ability identified information to client and the ability to advise. Also properly and accurate assesment of client problems. In oder to improve the level of competence in the organization should be encouraged to improve exsting comptences. As the best abilityes respondents exclude work with computer, listening others, achieve good... [to full text]

Purpose: Our purpose is to study how language proficiency and cross-cultural adaptation affect ethnically diverse teams in their cross-cultural communication competence. Methodology: The data was collected through six interviews of team members working in a product development project in a multinational company. The interviews were conducted in March of 2012. The data analysis followed an interpretative thematic analysis inspired by Boyatzis (1998). To analyze the data we have utilized some steps of the thematic analysis. With the analysis it was identified that ethnically diverse teams build language proficiency and cross-cultural adaptation. Findings: The findings from this research indicate that cross-cultural adaptation and language proficiency should be considered as important dimensions of cross-cultural communication competence within ethnically diverse teams. Language proficiency remains a challenge for many ethnically diverse teams and should be included in studies related to communication. Employees’ ability to adapt to the current environment and culture has an essential impact on team communication. Research limitations/implications: The research was done in a Multinational company based in Sweden within one team at Electrolux AB, therefore implications from our study may not be applicable to all ethnically diverse teams in Multinational companies globally.

Communication competence and medical communication competence served as the theoretical framework for this research that seeks to identify specific communication behaviors associated with what nurses say constitute a communicatively competent patient handoff at the nursing change of shift. Data collected from 286 nurses responding to an online modified Medical Communication Competence Scale posted at www.allnurses.com supported the hypotheses that information exchange (information giving, seeking and verifying) and socioemotional communication behaviors are rated more highly in the best patient handoffs than in the worst ones. Research questions found that the incoming nursing role rated behaviors associated with information verifying and socioemotional communication higher than did the outgoing nursing role, and that the worst handoffs were those in which the incoming nursing role gave the lowest ratings for information-giving behaviors. Additional insight into other communication-related characteristics associated with quality handoffs were provided as well, including location, tools/type and environment for the patient handoff at the nursing change of shift. These findings offer a foundation for future research into development of communication-based standardized patient handoff processes and training that ultimately may reduce patient care errors caused by communication failures during the patient handoff at the nursing change of shift.