In training programs designed to help immigrant women adapt to Canada, drop-out rates are frequently high and attendance is often low. Investigating some reasons behind this observation was the motivation for this thesis. A literature review revealed that curricula used in existing programs are often developed from experts' understanding of immigrants' needs; research on immigrant women's curricular needs as perceived by themselves is virtually nonexistent. An objective of this thesis was to address this knowledge gap. This study inquired into what curricular needs immigrant women have, how these needs differ, and what relationship exists between the women's backgrounds and their curricular needs. A questionnaire was developed and validated by an expert panel, and then administered to graduates from an orientational training program. Post-survey interviews were conducted. Data were analyzed using frequency distribution, cluster analysis, multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), factor analysis, and linear discriminant analysis. It was found that the program, although well received, did not reflect the curricular needs perceived by the immigrant women themselves. Life skills instruction was unwanted by many students while English and computer lessons were in demand. A desire to regain higherquality jobs partially explained the women's curricular needs. / Education, Faculty of / Curriculum and Pedagogy (EDCP), Department of / Graduate

M.A. (Information Science) / The potential formative value of children's literature has repeatedly been proven by research. A child's perception of society is shaped early and the beneficial contribution of literature in bringing about a framework of awareness and understanding about society, cannot be denied. South African society is pre-eminently multicultural - a fact which is reflected in the rich diversity of ethnic groups, cultures, languages and creeds. A given political policy compelled the different ethnic groups in South Africa to live in separate areas, under divergent circumstances. This resulted in a deeply divided South African society in which alienation, distrust and conflict still prevail. However, fundamental changes are occurring in political, socio-economic and educational spheres. Amidst all of these changes, the South African child has to establish and enhance a cultural identity of its own. Secondly, a broadened South African identity must be attained. There is doubt whether the children of South Africa are equipped to cope with this new phase into which South African society is entering. The value of multicultural children's literature and.its potential to bring about understanding and acceptance with regard to the rich cultural diversity in South African society, offers a field of research which up to now has not been explored in South Africa...

This research presents practitioners' insights on the concepts, theories, models, assessments tools, and other training practices that are currently considered when creating a two-day predeparture intercultural training (ICT) specifically for Americans departing for at least a one-year international assignment. This study reports data gathered by using a web-based survey that was completed by 25 practitioners from the intercultural communication field who provide predeparture ICT. The current literature in the field of ICT is presented as well as a sample outline of a two-day predeparture ICT program based on the results of this study and the literature. The outline indicates the primary content elements, one possible sequencing of such a program, as well as descriptions of how the elements are delivered and what tools are used to support the delivery. The motivation for this study was to provide a bridge between theory and practice in the field of ICT as there is an abundance of literature regarding the theory of the field, but very little has been written about how practitioners are employing the theories in their work.

The number of senior missionaries serving missions for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has increased in recent years. Many of these volunteers travel overseas and are therefore immersed in a different culture. Some of them adjust successfully and others do not. The purpose of this research was to assess senior missionaries' perceptions of the type of preparation they made and training they received before departure, the expectations they had of their assignment, the people and way of life in the islands, and the accuracy of those expectations, the challenges they faced, the factors that they felt helped them adjust to these challenges, the advice they would give to future senior missionaries, and the recommendations if any they would give to improve their training. Participants consisted of 37 senior missionaries currently serving on the islands of Samoa, Tonga, New Zealand, and Kiribati. The instrument used in this study was a questionnaire containing both quantitative and qualitative questions. Analysis of the quantitative data showed that subjects identified their previous experience living in the country and conversations with other Americans who had been to the country as the most helpful way to prepare for their assignment. The subjects felt that the most helpful aspect of the formal training was training that focused on their specific area of responsibility. The subjects reported having some challenges with the climate, the people, and the language barriers they encountered. Factors that were identified as being very helpful to participants in adjusting to the challenges included spiritual factors (such as prayer and scripture study), building good relationships with the local people and other missionary couples, maintaining contact with home, maintaining a positive attitude, striving to be tolerant, support from non-native supervisors, and staying active/busy. Analysis of the qualitative data showed that the participants felt that learning some of the host language, and learning more about the host culture prior to departure would be particularly beneficial. They also indicated that although training was provided prior to departure, the training needed to be more specific to their individual assignments, and it needed to involve some language and cultural training. In addition, it was also apparent that regardless of whether or not the missionaries had had previous experience living overseas, most of the subjects had a good idea what they where undertaking before they left home.

This study outlines and evaluates a twelve week sociodrama programme aimed at creating cross-cultural awareness amongst adolescents. Three experimental groups and two control groups were involved in this process. Sociodrama is an experiential method of group work that utilises member strengths and experiences to create "shared" or "collective" dramas or enactments. Individual therapy is not involved. The process is "member-driven", with the director acting in an egalitarian manner as facilitator. Once the warm-up and enactments have occured, group members discuss the learning and exchange ideas about the process. This includes three methods of "learning" - behavioural, cognitive and affective. This study confirms that sociodrama is an effective method of creating crosscultural awareness amongst adolescents. / Social Work / M.A. (Mental Health)

It is now well recognised that an effective service recovery program is an essential part of firms??? service quality programs and critical to generating customer satisfaction and loyalty. A number of studies have investigated the impact of service recovery efforts (compensation, speed of response, etc.) on post-recovery satisfaction, mostly in Western countries. However, despite the importance of global markets, very few have examined how Eastern consumers react to service recovery efforts. Furthermore, none have examined the impact of cultural value orientation (cultural values measured at the individual level) in implementing effective service recovery programs. This is one of the few studies that have attempted to avoid the ecological fallacy, i.e., assume all consumers within a country are culturally homogeneous. Based on Justice Theory, this research conducted in Thailand, employed an experimental design to investigate how customer evaluations of service recovery efforts are influenced by interplay of the consumer???s cultural value orientation and service recovery attributes (apology, compensation, cognitive control, recovery initiation, and formality). The results reveal that cultural values of power distance, uncertainty avoidance and collectivism do indeed interact with a firm???s recovery tactics to influence perceptions of justice. In other words, the impact of a firm???s tactics is culturally dependent, and consumer expectations and perceptions of service recovery efforts vary, depending on customers??? cultural value orientation. Finally, all three forms of justice (distributive, procedural, interactional) along with disconfirmation of expectations, positively impact on overall service recovery satisfaction. Unlike previous studies, we found evidence to indicate that there is a temporal sequence associated with the three justice dimensions i.e., interactional and procedural justice precede and thus impact perception of distributive (outcome) justice. The results have implication for marketing theory as well as managerial action.

Bibliography: leaves 160-178

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2006. / Title from first page of PDF file. Includes bibliographical references (p. 93-99).

Thesis (PhD) - Faculty of Higher Education, Lilydale, Swinburne University of Technology, 2009. / Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy, Faculty of Higher Education, Lilydale, Swinburne University of Technology - 2009. Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (p. ??-??)

Thesis (D. Min.)--Trinity International University, 2003. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 174-179).