The current study focuses on customer relationship management initiatives in different organizations and in different countries. A proposed CRM model was adopted and used to evaluate the CRM initiatives of the chosen organizations in both Saudi Arabia and the UK. The scope of this research was affected by the differing levels of cooperation received from the organizations which participated in the case studies, thereby resulting in differing sizes of the said case studies. The adopted CRM conceptual model was used to evaluate the level of CRM maturity in the organizations studied. This model is believed to be a significant contribution to the theory and field of CRM. This model could be used by organizations to evaluate their CRM initiatives and assess their CRM readiness and status. The proposed CRM model specifies the basic parameters of the CRM sequential stages and their essential supporting conditions. Another important contribution of the study is that it identifies and highlights the potential effects of the cultural disparities existing between Saudi Arabia and the UK on CRM initiatives yet to be undertaken in both countries. In depth open-ended questions were used to collect the data. The analysis of the data gathered went through two main stages. The first stage was to transcribe the data collected from all the organizations chosen and produce detailed write-ups for each case. In every case the write-ups were similarly structured to help the researcher in the second stage, the cross-case analysis. The cross-case analysis was based on the researcher’s proposed conceptual CRM model. The central research question for this study is: Why and how do CRM initiatives succeed or fail? In order to answer this question, the following research questions were formulated and answers were deduced from the findings and results of the qualitative analysis conducted: RQ1: What are the critical success factors of CRM initiatives? The answers received resulted in the emergence of some critical success factors, such as: 1. Senior Management Support 2. Business Plan and Vision 3. Making the Change in Small Steps 4. Inter Departmental Collaboration 5. Clear Ownership of Data 6. Training for End-users 7. End Users' Acceptance of Change 8. Degree of Analysis and Customer Segmentation 9. Degree of Alignment 10. Language Considerations 11. Internet Presence RQ2: What are the common difficulties when adopting a CRM initiative? The answers came up with the following common difficulties: 1. Resistance to Change 2. Human Errors in Feeding the System 3. Governmental Legislation 4. Cultural Barriers RQ3: What does CRM mean for different organizations? The answers exposed a common interesting finding that different organizations considered CRM to be different things. Some considered CRM to be branded CRM software, others as call-centers, yet others as loyalty programs and/or simple tools to manage and satisfy customers. This confirmed that CRM meant different things to different organizations. RQ4: Is CRM the right solution for every organization? The answers proved that if branded software from recognized vendors only was to be recognized as CRM, then this standard and rigid kind of CRM could not always be implemented by all organizations. On the other hand, if the managerial concepts behind CRM were to be taken into consideration, then CRM could indeed be implemented by every organization.

Chen Xiaohua Sylvia. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 35-43). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Chapter Chapter 1: --- Introduction --- p.6 / Conceptualizing Modesty as Self-Presentation Tactic --- p.7 / Modesty as Politeness Maxim --- p.7 / Modesty as Personality Trait --- p.9 / Modesty as Self-Presentation Tactic --- p.9 / Assessing Modesty with Behavioral Manifestations --- p.11 / Modesty Bias in Evaluative Ratings --- p.12 / Modesty Maxim in Linguistic Scenarios --- p.12 / The Modesty Facet in Personality Structure --- p.12 / Modesty Construct in Behavioral Manifestations --- p.13 / Predicting Modesty in Cultural Contexts --- p.13 / Modernity and Traditionality --- p.14 / Independence and Interdependence --- p.14 / From Self-Construals to Individuation --- p.15 / Self-Esteem and Self-Efficacy --- p.15 / Chapter Chapter 2: --- Method --- p.17 / Participants --- p.17 / Instruments --- p.17 / Procedure --- p.19 / Chapter Chapter 3: --- Results --- p.20 / Factor Analysis of Modesty Scale --- p.20 / Correlations of Modesty Measures with Other Variables --- p.20 / Gender and Cultural Differences --- p.21 / Predicting Modest Behavior --- p.22 / Predicting Individuated Behavior --- p.23 / Tables --- p.25 / Chapter Chapter 4: --- Discussion --- p.28 / Conceptualization of Modest Behavior --- p.28 / Composition of Modest Behavior --- p.29 / Interdependence in High-Context Communication --- p.29 / Individuation Is Not the Opposite of Modest Behavior --- p.30 / Gender Differences in Modesty --- p.32 / Cultural Differences in Modesty --- p.33 / Dispositional vs. Situational Measures of Modesty --- p.33 / References --- p.35 / Author Note --- p.44 / Appendix --- p.45

Since 1980, the number of people in the United States who speak a language other than English at home has increased by 140% (United States Census Bureau, 2010). Therefore a greater percentage of students now are multilingual. Throughout the world, multilingualism is considered the norm and monolingualism is the exception (Auer & Wei, 2008). In the United States, however, policies regarding instruction in schools are still influenced by monolingual ideology that carries expectations and assumptions of assimilation, loss of mother tongues, and defined hierarchical structures. As classroom populations become socially, ethnically, racially, and linguistically more diverse, it is increasingly important for teachers to have an understanding of how to address diversity in schools and for educators to understand how language use and the teachers' role in the classroom impacts learning. This paper explored the existing language beliefs and linguistic knowledge of preservice teachers as they prepare to enter linguistically and culturally diverse classrooms. The increasing prominence of cross-cultural interactions creates a necessity for teachers to develop intercultural competence. Employing a conceptual framework of intercultural communicative competence theory, this qualitative study investigated experiences and knowledge in linguistics that influence teacher speech acts. Research in fields of applied linguistics such as psycholinguistics, neurolinguistics, sociolinguistics, and educational linguistics revealed basic language knowledge that teachers need before they enter diverse classrooms including knowledge of language acquisition, phonology, syntax, semantics, pragmatics, culture, instruction language, and how the brain processes language. The literature from these fields was used to create an instrument that included a demographics questionnaire, beliefs survey, linguistic knowledge assessment, and interview questions. Twenty-three preservice teachers participated in the study to describe their language beliefs and knowledge. Many of the findings in this study reflected key-findings in the literature; however, this study also found several significant findings that extend existing research. The results revealed significant impacts of 1) individual experiences with culture and linguistic contact, 2) the language used in classrooms, specifically languages other than Standard English and the deep and surface structure of language, 3) linguistic knowledge, specifically phonology, 4) meta-cognitive behavior and reflection, and 5) differences between monolingual and multilingual preservice teachers. The data also indicated that the majority of preservice teachers were concerned about preparedness in teaching in diverse classrooms. Implications for teachers working in culturally and linguistically diverse classrooms and for teacher preparation programs are discussed.

No description available.

The Irrational Beliefs Inventory (IBI) was built to measure self-defeating beliefs as conceptualized in Rational-Emotive Behavior Therapy. The IBI has five factors: worrying, rigidity, problem avoidance, need for approval, and emotional irresponsibility. A three-phase cross-cultural study was conducted to translate and adapt the IBI from English to Icelandic, and a Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) approach was used for a test of factorial validity and cross-cultural invariance. In Phase 1, the IBI was translated from English to Icelandic, using a forward-translation and back-translation. Two forward-translators and two back-translators were recruited. In Phase 2, qualitative interview methods were used in both the U.S. and Iceland to gain insights into the meaning of the items on the IBI. In the U.S., 21 university students provided insights in a group discussion, and four students were individually interviewed in depth about individual items on the IBI. In Iceland, four university students were interviewed in depth about the meaning of individual items. Three Icelandic psychology professionals were recruited to evaluate the appropriateness of the IBI for the Icelandic culture. In Phase 3, a Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was conducted to check factorial validity and cross-cultural invariance of the IBI. The total sample size in Phase 3 was N=1547, all college students, with n=827 in the U.S. and n=720 in Iceland. Overall, the CFA did not support the fit of the IBI's original five-factor model, although the fit was slightly better in the Icelandic version. Fit indices conflicted; the chi-square and comparative fit index (CFI) showed poor fit, while the RMSEA and SRMR showed acceptable fit. Correlated error was found between 85 item pairs in the U.S. model, and between 68 item pairs in the Icelandic model. Modifications were attempted to the original model by including the correlated errors, and a multigroup CFA was conducted. Adding the correlated errors slightly improved the fit of both models, but only 11 out of the IBI's 50 items were found to have equivalent item factor loadings and intercepts between the countries. Results from the psychometric analysis and qualitative interviews indicated that the IBI needs to be rewritten if the measure is to be used for research in Iceland. The results were discussed in light of a recent analysis of REBT-based measurement instruments, and implications for cross-cultural research on highly abstract constructs such as irrationality were discussed.

No description available.

The influence of culture on the construal of the normal and abnormal self was compared for three race groups of students, namely, White, Black and Indian students. Furthermore, the effect of gender on the construal of the self for the three race groups were investigated. The subjects for the study were 102 first-year psychology students (mean age: 18.5). The test consisted of two sets of 10 psychological words. Each student completed one test by providing two synonyms for every stimulus word given. Using the Semantic Differential, the synonyms were rated by nine independent judges, against ten polar dimensions, relating to the concept of the self. Frequency scores were obtained for the number of times that a synonym was used by the subjects and cross-tabulation of these scores with race and gender were performed. Logit analysis, using 7 different models of interaction between synonym, race and gender were also performed. Using the Western vs. Non-western and the Individualism vs. Collectivism models of the self, results indicate that the White subjects fitted the Western and Individualistic models of the self. The Black and Indian subjects construed the self as being both individualistic and collectivistic and the self was seen as totally self-orientated. With the abnormal self, the Black and Indian students emphasised both the somatic and psychological complaints, while the White subjects emphasised only the psychological aspects. Regarding gender, the males in the study used mental words while the females used word depicting behaviour. Summarising, the results indicate that the White, Black and Indian subjects construe the self in a similar manner, indicating that the Black and Indian subjects are in the process of change or acculturation. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of Natal, 1997.

The purpose of this project was to examine potential differences in undergraduate student attachment styles based on their nationality (Taiwanese and U.S.), gender (female and male), and the duration of their dating relationships (no relationship, less than 1 year, more than 1 year but less than 2 years, more than 2 years but less than 3 years, and more than 3 years). A total of 2,580 students participated in this study. Of these students, 1,298 were recruited from a university in Taiwan, and 1,282 were obtained from a university in the U.S. Due to a lack of culturally-sensitive attachment theory and measures for the Asian population, in the current project, the author created a new scale based on the five Eastern cultural constructs identified by Wang and Song (2010) in order to gather data to better understand Taiwanese relational patterns. However, rather than confirming the five cultural constructs, a three-factor solution was found in this project. This solution better fit the data for Taiwanese students. The three-factors that were discovered were dialectical thinking and interdependent self-construal, filial piety, and yuan. In the study to test the hypotheses, it was found that among the three cultural constructs, dialectical thinking and interdependency and yuan seemed to be more relevant to the attachment styles of Taiwanese students than filial piety. For the U.S. students, however, responses to yuan were significantly correlated with responses to attachment styles. Regarding the comparison between Taiwanese and U.S. participants, Taiwanese respondents seemed to relate to a dialectical thinking pattern, interdependency, and yuan better than U.S. students, while U.S. respondents rated higher on filial piety than the Taiwanese participants. In addition, the longer individuals were involved in a dating relationship, the lower they scored on attachment avoidance. Even though females' overall scores on avoidance were higher than males, being in a relationship had greater salience for females than males. Strengths, limitations, and implications for research, theory, and practice are discussed. / Department of Counseling Psychology and Guidance Services

This research was inspired by a pressing question which formed the main aim of the current study--What factors contribute to the differential academic performance of adult learners in the formal setting in Malaysia? It is hoped that by addressing this question, insights obtained may be useful for the Malaysian policy makers in attempting to implement the government's initiative--Malaysia Vision 2020. The current literature informs that in order to achieve the desired goals, Malaysian adult learners, must now more than ever be conscious of the effect of learning values and approaches to learning. Hence, there is a need to develop a more holistic understanding of the interrelated dynamics between learning values and approaches to learning. The current study adopts a transdisciplinary, etic/emic approach, using two culturally sensitive questionnaires, Revised Study Process Questionnaires-2 Factors Malaysia (RSPQ- 2FM) and Learning Values Survey (LVS) on 858 Malay and Chinese adult learners in Malaysia. The study found the significant others can have substantial influence on the 'face value' for both Malay and Chinese adult learners generally, but was more pronounced for the Malay adult learners. This in turn may encourage Malay adult learners to submit to pressure from others in influencing how they perceive the importance of learning and motivation in learning. Because Malay adult learners are constantly driven by external factors to compete with other cultural groups in education or economic achievement, they may tend to avoid challenging tasks such as deeper approaches to learning in order to rapidly achieve their immediate learning goals. Engaging with deep approaches and meaningful learning are effortful and the pressure to save face may result in the likelihood of adopting surface approaches. This coupled with the finding that they do not appreciate the middle way principles as much as the Chinese adult learners suggest that they may be less flexible and/or pragmatic learners. The findings suggest that practice of middle way principles (such as 'Willing to compromise one's own values to suit the situation/issues when I learn') can indeed enhance certain positive learning approaches which implies that Malay adult learners may be disadvantaged in the learning settings due to their lack of appreciation of the middle way principles. It is also interesting to find that Malay adult learners appreciate time factor more than their Chinese counterparts when engaging with Deep Approaches to learning. In contrast, the middle way principle practiced as a way of life by the Chinese culture has made Chinese adult learners more malleable, resulting in a relatively less face conscious cultural group. Being less externally driven and less restrictive, Chinese adult learners are more likely to adopt deep approaches to enhance meaningful learning. In addition, the Chinese culturally ingrained learning approach, Understand and Memorization was found to be more likely to produce positive learning outcome. Unlike their Malay counterparts, Chinese adult learners view work experiences more essential in helping them to engage with Deep Approaches to learning. The above findings are novel and add to previous studies on approaches to learning by introducing the effect of learning values. While previous research has referred to cultural variable in learning, they have not sufficiently explored the effect of culture. Learning values is one significant cultural variable that is considered in the study. The findings underpin the different emphasis placed by the two cultural groups as they engage with professional development activities. It is hoped that by identifying values pertinent to learning in this competitive globalized economy, the study has provided insights for Malaysian policy makers to develop holistic future education plans to assist in achieving Malaysian Vision 2020. Insights gained can also support plans where Malay can be encouraged to become competent global leaders and workers, capable of competing in this knowledge economy.

CoordenaÃÃo de AperfeiÃoamento de Pessoal de NÃvel Superior / O objetivo principal desta pesquisa à analisar as relaÃÃes e o possÃvel gap entre atitude, intenÃÃo e comportamento de compra de produtos verdes entre universitÃrios da Ãrea de gestÃo do Brasil e do CanadÃ. Buscou-se, tambÃm, contribuir para a consolidaÃÃo do modelo proposto por Chan (2001) referente à atitude, inteÃÃo e comportamento de compra de produtos verdes, com o acrÃscimo de fatores situacionais como disponibilidade, preÃo e qualidade percebidos sugeridos por Dinato e Madruga (1999), Bonini e Oppenheim (2008) e DâSouza et al. (2007). O estudo à de natureza quantitativa e à descritiva quanto aos seus objetivos. Trata-se de uma pesquisa de campo com a utilizaÃÃo da tÃcnica de Modelagem em EquaÃÃes Estruturais. Os resultados confirmaram que existe uma relaÃÃo positiva entre a atitude e a intenÃÃo de compra de produtos verdes, assim como a hà uma relaÃÃo positiva entre intenÃÃo e comportamento de compra, apesar de menos expressiva. A influÃncia da disponibilidade, preÃo e qualidade percebidos entre intenÃÃo e comportamento de compra tambÃm foi comprovada. Quanto Ãs diferenÃas entre os grupos, percebeu-se que os estudantes canadenses costumam encontrar produtos verdes com maior facilidade, assim como estÃo mais dispostos a despender dinheiro e a abdicar de produtos melhores em prol do meio ambiente. Apesar das diferenÃas entre as amostras, o preÃo percebido à uma variÃvel preponderante durante a transiÃÃo entre intenÃÃo e comportamento de compra de produtos verdes, demonstrando tambÃm haver semelhanÃas gerais entre as duas culturas. Espera-se contribuir para a geraÃÃo de debates e discussÃes acerca das vantagens e desvantagens na adoÃÃo de produtos verdes, auxiliar educadores da Ãrea da AdministraÃÃo que buscam desenvolver os currÃculos dos estudantes que assumirÃo funÃÃes associadas à gestÃo, estimular o desenvolvimento de novas pesquisas na Ãrea, alÃm de auxiliar na elaboraÃÃo de estratÃgias na Ãrea de Marketing com base no comportamento de seus consumidores.