This research aimed to explore how heads of departments at LNU manage cultural differences in their teams. The study addressed the main research question and two sub-questions to uncover effective strategies for navigating cultural disparities in team settings. An exploratory design was employed, utilizing qualitative methods such as interviews and content analysis. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a limited number of participants from diverse departments at LNU. Thematic analysis was used to identify key themes and findings. Several significant themes emerged from the analysis. The first theme highlighted the importance of recognizing and addressing cultural differences within teams through open dialogue, communication, building trust, and fostering inclusivity. The second theme emphasized the significance of cultivating cultural intelligence and competency as cross-cultural leaders, including the development of cultural competency and adapting communication styles to accommodate diverse team members. The third theme focused on effective communication, emphasizing the need to overcome language barriers and establish open channels for promoting understanding and inclusivity. The fourth theme highlighted the value of embracing cultural diversity, viewing it as an asset, and leveraging unique perspectives and strengths within teams. The fifth and final theme emphasized the continuous learning and development of cultural competency and cultural intelligence to effectively manage cultural disparities. This study contributes to our understanding of how heads of departments at LNU manage cultural differences in their teams. The findings underscore the importance of recognizing cultural differences, cultivating cultural intelligence, promoting effective communication, embracing cultural diversity, and fostering continuous learning and development. These strategies enhance the capacity of organizations to navigate cultural disparities and foster inclusivity in multicultural environments. The study was conducted within an academic setting, limiting generalizability to other organizations. The research relied on a limited number of interviews due to time constraints and non-responsiveness of some participants, therefore the complexity of the issue may not have been fully captured. This study fills a gap in the literature by exploring the strategies employed by heads of departments to manage cultural differences. It provides practical implications for organizations operating in multicultural environments and enhances our understanding of effective cross-cultural leadership.

The purpose of the degree project is to find out how the after-school teachers in multicultural suburban areas include all students in the after-school center activities, regardless of their cultural differences and different class backgrounds. More specifically, the purpose is to find out how the leisure time teachers’ work with differentiation.The study is based on two research questions which are, how do the after-school teachers describe the work of differentiation between children in multicultural suburban areas? And what dilemmas and challenges do the after-school teachers describe that they encounter in the work of differentiation between children in multicultural suburban areas? This study is based on a qualitative method where one has chosen to interview trained after-school teachers.The results show that after-school teachers have knowledge and understanding of what the concept of differentiation means and what role it has for the work in their activities. The four after-school center teachers are concerned that differentiation may be misinterpreted depending on the context in question, therefore all teachers believe that differentiation should take place with regard to all students' differences and conditions. The participating after-school teachers are also in agreement that differentiation exists in the school and should only be taken in necessary situations that require adaptation for the learning to develop and help the student achieve the goals of the education.

No description available.

付記する学位プログラム名: グローバル生存学大学院連携プログラム / 京都大学 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(社会健康医学) / 甲第23823号 / 社医博第123号 / 新制||社医||12(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院医学研究科社会健康医学系専攻 / (主査)教授 川上 浩司, 教授 木村 剛, 教授 山本 洋介 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Public Health / Kyoto University / DFAM

No description available.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-07-29T15:05:33Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 dissertacao Pablo.pdf: 7283315 bytes, checksum: 0998ffc87cbb8b188779565777c14f62 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-04-28 / This study explores and discusses how students from the teacher training program of the Visual Arts School of the Federal University of Goiás relate to the idea of cultural difference taking as reference the video clip Birdman, from Coca-cola. The study articulates three focus: 1) what students understand as cultural difference the phenomenon and the social actors with whom they identify this theme; 2) what values cultural difference has for their lives and for society; 3) what motivates them to discuss - or not - questions about cultural difference based on publicity images and how they would do it. The research promotes a discussion crossing the student s point of views, my own positions and the points of view of various authors (from cultural studies and visual culture education) building an analyses about repertoires, interests, conflicts and ambiguities that orientate such positionings. These focus were achieved through the choice of a qualitative approach guided by the expectation to work deeply the subjects perceptions and interpretations. The methodological procedures chosen to gather the data were individual and focal open interviews. Six students of the program participated on the investigation: two attending the fourth semester of the program, two attending the sixth and two attending the eighth. Using an advertising VT to discuss and analyze cultural difference, this study pretends to contribute for a critical visual culture education. / Esta dissertação explora e discute como alunos da Licenciatura em Arte Visuais da Faculdade de Artes Visuais da Universidade Federal de Goiás (FAV/UFG) se relacionam com a ideia de diferença cultural a partir do VT publicitário Birdman, da Coca-cola. O objetivo da pesquisa se articula através dos seguintes focos: 1) o que entendem por diferença cultural - quais os fenômenos e/ou atores sociais com os quais identificam este tema; 2) que valor(es) entendem que a diferença cultural tem para suas vidas e para a sociedade; 3) que motivos os levam a discutir ou não questões de diferença cultural a partir de imagens de publicidade e como fariam isso. Mais do que coletar informações dos colaboradores, a pesquisa promove uma discussão que entrecruza minhas posições sobre o tema e os pontos de vista de autores (dos estudos culturais e da educação da cultura visual) construindo uma reflexão acerca dos repertórios, interesses, conflitos e ambiguidades que pautam tais posicionamentos. Para que tais intenções fossem concretizadas, foram necessárias algumas decisões metodológicas. A escolha da abordagem qualitativa é consequência desta intenção de trabalhar com percepções e interpretações dos colaboradores e pensá-las em profundidade. Os procedimentos escolhidos para coleta de dados foram entrevistas, tanto individual quanto em grupo. Seis alunos participaram da pesquisa, sendo dois do quarto período, dois do sexto e dois do oitavo. Utilizando uma imagem publicitária para discutir o tema diferença cultural, esta dissertação almeja contribuir com a educação da cultura visual.

Characteristics of national cultures have frequently been claimed to influence service quality perception and customer satisfaction. This inquiry investigates this claim by analysing a multinational company’s call centre servicing two markets across national borders. Hypotheses are derived which relate the cultural and customer characteristics of age, gender and socio-economic status to customer satisfaction and perceived service quality within each country.Using multiple regression and CHAID models as well as Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests, the hypotheses are tested by analysing call centre service feedback data on 245 customers in the South African and 201 customers in the British market. Empirical support for the effect of national culture on perceived service quality and customer satisfaction is found.Empirical proof that females report higher levels of satisfaction than males is found while the importance customers place on service quality constructs are proven to vary by age and gender. A call centre management model integrating culture and customer characteristics, which provides a richer perspective of the mechanics of value creation, is suggested. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

No description available.

This study examined the orientations to cultural difference of sojourner educators in the Foundation Program at Qatar University to determine if orientations were correlated with select demographic and experiential variables, including gender, age, time overseas, education level, formative region, ethnic minority status, job position, length of time in Qatar, intercultural marriage, default language, formal teacher training, and overseas development organization experience. This study used a sequential mixed-method design. Perceived and Developmental Orientations were measured using the Intercultural Development Inventory© (V.3), which produced a measure of each respondent’s orientation to cultural difference. Focus group interviews were conducted to engage participants in explaining and interpreting the findings. Five focus groups of three to six participants each were conducted. Most of the teachers were found to operate from within the transitional orientation of Minimization, although individual scores ranged from Denial to Adaptation. On average, the educators were found to overestimate their orientations by 31 points. A positive correlation between orientation and formative region was found, with participants from North America showing the highest orientation. Statistically significant differences emerged for orientations when comparing Middle East and North African (MENA) and North American formative regions. Formative region was found to account for 4.8% of the variance in orientation and is a significant fit of the data. Focus groups participants speculated that (a) core differences regarding multiculturalism in MENA and North American cultures help explain the results, (b) aspects of the workplace culture and both the broader MENA and local Qatari culture encourage a sense of exclusion, and (c) external events further complicate cross-cultural relations. The study findings add to the literature by providing baseline orientation data on sojourner educators in post-secondary education in the GCC region, and by confirming some of the findings of similar studies. The study provides practitioners with suggestions for staffing and professional development. Future research should focus on the measurement of orientations in broader samples of educators, changes in orientation over time in Qatar and other cultural contexts, differences in orientation among short-term vs. long-term expatriates, the impact of employment systems and societal structures on orientations in sojourner educators, the impact of educator orientation to cultural difference on student achievement, and the design of effective cross-cultural professional development for educators.

This thesis analyzes the Canadian Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB)’s treatment of culture in recent family sponsorship decisions. Drawing upon theories of cultural difference, identity construction, and Critical Race Theory, it examines IRB decision-makers’ assessments of cultural factors and their influence on the evaluation of parties’ credibility. This thesis argues that appellants and applicants before the Immigration Appeal Division often had to demonstrate that their family class relationships were “performed” in accordance with the norms of their culture. Many IRB Members relied on essentialist conceptions of culture, and thus generated problematic images of both cultural minorities and Canadian society. Further, the identity of parties was often constructed in terms of defined categories such as ethnic background, religion, marital status, age, and disability. In conclusion, this thesis offers reflections on how issues of cultural identity can be more fairly and sensitively addressed by administrative tribunals such as the IRB.