The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) formed public-private partnerships (PPPs) with local and international private companies during the construction of the Port of Miami Tunnel (POMT) project. These PPPs had employees from different cultural backgrounds who brought new cultures, ideas, innovation, and experiences to their PPPs. The limited PPP literature did indicate that different cultures should be properly integrated to avoid challenges and conflicts in the new organization. If not properly managed and integrated, cultural conflict can create communication problems, increased employee dissatisfaction, higher turnover, and poor employee performance. Using Risberg's communication theoretical foundation, the purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of PPP employees to see how their intercultural communication facilitated cultural integration. Data were generated through semi-structured, open-ended interviews with 11 employees of the PPPs formed with FDOT during the POMT project. Data were coded and analyzed using a thematic analaysis procedure. Findings were that cultural aspects like social interaction, comfort in interacting with people from different cultures, empathy, respect for others, knowledge about other cultures, open-mindedness, and managerial support helped in facilitating cultural integration in the respective PPPs. Positive social change implications may include the improvement of PPP efficiency and efficacy with: greater leadership awareness of the challenges and opportunities of diversity; new policies and management strategies that take advantage of different cultural contributions; and, policies that encourage cultural competency and sensitivity.

Russian Jews who left the Former Soviet Union (FSU) and its Successor States after 1989 are considered as one of the best qualified migrants group worldwide. In the preferred countries of destination (Israel, the United States and Germany) they are well-known for cultural self-assertion, strong social upward mobility and manifold forms of self organisation and empowerment. Using Suzanne Kellers sociological model of “Strategic Elites”, it easily becomes clear that a huge share of the Russian Jewish Immigrants in Germany and Israel are part of various elites due to their qualification and high positions in the FSU – first of all professional, cultural and intellectual elites (“Intelligentsija”). The study aimed to find out to what extent developments of cultural self-assertion, of local and transnational networking and of ethno-cultural empowerment are supported or even initiated by the immigrated (Russian Jewish) Elites. The empirical basis for this study have been 35 half-structured expert interviews with Russian Jews in both countries (Israel, Germany) – most of them scholars, artists, writers, journalists/publicists, teachers, engineers, social workers, students and politicians. The qualitative analysis of the interview material in Israel and Germany revealed that there are a lot of commonalities but also significant differences. It was obvious that almost all of the interview partners remained to be linked with Russian speaking networks and communities, irrespective of their success (or failure) in integration into the host societies. Many of them showed self-confidence with regard to the groups’ amazing professional resources (70% of the adults with academic degree), and the cultural, professional and political potential of the FSU immigrants was usually considered as equal to those of the host population(s). Thus, the immigrants’ interest in direct societal participation and social acceptance was accordingly high. Assimilation was no option. For the Russian Jewish “sense of community” in Israel and Germany, Russian Language, Arts and general Russian culture have remained of key importance. The Immigrants do not feel an insuperable contradiction when feeling “Russian” in cultural terms, “Jewish” in ethnical terms and “Israeli” / “German” in national terms – in that a typical case of additive identity shaping what is also significant for the Elites of these Immigrants. Tendencies of ethno-cultural self organisation – which do not necessarily hinder impressing individual careers in the new surroundings – are more noticeable in Israel. Thus, a part of the Russian Jewish Elites has responded to social exclusion, discrimination or blocking by local population (and by local elites) with intense efforts to build (Russian Jewish) Associations, Media, Educational Institutions and even Political Parties. All in all, the results of this study do very much contradict popular stereotypes of the Russian Jewish Immigrant as a pragmatic, passive “Homo Sovieticus”. Among the Interview Partners in this study, civil-societal commitment was not the exception but rather the rule. Traditional activities of the early, legendary Russian „Intelligentsija“ were marked by smooth transitions from arts, education and societal/political commitment. There seem to be certain continuities of this self-demand in some of the Russian Jewish groups in Israel. Though, nothing comparable could be drawn from the Interviews with the Immigrants in Germany. Thus, the myth and self-demand of Russian “Intelligentsija” is irrelevant for collective discourses among Russian Jews in Germany. / Russischsprachige Juden, die nach 1989 die Sowjetunion und ihre Nachfolgestaaten verlassen haben, zählen weltweit zu den bestqualifizierten Migranten. In ihren bevorzugten Zielländern (Israel, USA, Deutschland) zeichnen sie sich durch sichtbare Formen der kulturellen Selbstbehauptung, eine starke Aufstiegsmobilität und einen relativ hohen Grad der Selbstorganisation aus. Auf Grund des hohen Bildungsgrades und der dominierenden Berufsbilder konnte in Anlehnung an das Modell der „Strategic Elites“ von Suzanne Keller ein generell hoher Anteil an Eliten in der untersuchten Gruppe von Immigranten in Deutschland und Israel ausgemacht werden – v.a. professionelle, kulturelle und intellektuelle Eliten. Die Studie fragte danach, inwiefern Prozesse der kulturellen Selbstbehauptung, der lokalen und transnationalen Vernetzung und der ethno-kulturellen Selbstorganisation von den zugewanderten Eliten unterstützt oder sogar selbst befördert werden. Als empirische Grundlage dienten je 35 Experten-Interviews mit russisch-jüdischen Immigranten in beiden Ländern – dabei vorwiegend Wissenschaftler, Künstler, Schriftsteller, Publizisten/Journalisten, Lehrer, Ingenieure, Sozialarbeiter, Studenten und Politiker. Die qualitative Auswertung des Interviewmaterials in Deutschland und Israel ergab zahlreiche Gemeinsamkeiten, aber auch markante Unterschiede. Auffällig war, dass fast alle Interviewpartner mit russischsprachigen Netzwerken und Community-Strukturen gut verbunden blieben – unabhängig vom bisherigen Erfolg ihrer individuellen Integration. Fast durchweg waren sie sich ihrer überdurchschnittlichen beruflichen Kompetenzen (70% Akademiker) bewusst, die kulturellen, beruflichen und häufig auch politischen Ressourcen wurden mindestens als ebenbürtig zu jenen der Aufnahmegesellschaften betrachtet. Das Interesse an direkter gesellschaftlicher Partizipation und Akzeptanz war entsprechend hoch. Für das Zusammengehörigkeitsgefühl der Immigranten in Israel und Deutschland bilden russische Sprache, Kunst und (Alltags-) Kultur nach wie vor eine Schlüssel-Rolle. Dabei entsteht für die meisten Immigranten kein zwingender Widerspruch, sich "russisch" im kulturellen, "jüdisch" im ethnischen und "israelisch" / "deutsch" im nationalen Sinne zu fühlen - insofern ein klassischer Fall von additiver Identitätsbildung, der auch die zugewanderten Eliten charakterisiert. Assimilation in die Mehrheitsgesellschaft ist keine Option. Tendenzen ethno-kultureller Selbstorganisation, die erfolgreiche individuelle Integrationsverläufe im neuen Umfeld keineswegs ausschließen, zeigten sich am intensivsten in Israel. So reagiert ein Teil der russisch-jüdischen Eliten auf allgemeine Ausgrenzungserfahrungen und/oder Schließungsprozesse der lokalen Eliten bewusst mit der Bildung eigener Vereine, Medien, Bildungseinrichtungen und sogar politischer Parteien. Insgesamt widersprechen die Ergebnisse der Studie dem weitverbreiteten Stereotyp vom russisch-jüdischen Migranten als eines pragmatisch-passiven „Homo Sovieticus“. Zivilgesellschaftliches Engagement war bei den untersuchten Eliten eher der Regelfall. Zu den Traditionen der frühen, legendären russischen „Intelligentsija“ gehörten fließende Übergänge zwischen Kunst, Bildung und gesellschaftspolitischem Engagement. Dies setzt sich in Israel in einigen Gruppierungen der russisch-jüdischen Immigranten nahtlos fort. Dagegen machten die Experten-Interviews in Deutschland deutlich, dass ein vergleichbarer „Intelligentsija“-Effekt hier nicht zu erwarten ist - und daher für kollektive Orientierungsprozesse der russischen Juden irrelevant bleibt.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Since the King Abdullah Scholarship Program was initiated in 2006, more than 50,000 Saudi women are studying abroad. Each year hundreds of Saudi female students are returning every year from a study abroad experience from a western country. However, there is a lack of research examining their reentry experience and its effect on their re-adaptation and cultural integration. This study analyzes how the participants adapted the learned skills and communication style from the host culture to their home culture. Qualitative methods were used to explore the re-adaptation and cultural integration experience of the reentry experience. In-depth interviews were conducted with twelve returned Saudi female students. Grounded theory methodology was used to analyze the interviews, with Kim’s (2001) integrative theory of communication and cross-cultural adaptation (ITCCA) providing the theoretical framework for the analysis. This research provided an insight into the Saudi women experience, by examining their pre-entry characteristics, intercultural transformation, communication competence, and the formation of their intercultural personhood. Further, to help minimize the returners’ challenges and maximize their benefits. The reentry consolation program and reentry-training program that I proposed would help the returners understand the faced challenges to better adjust and grow in their home culture. Also, it will help the returners reflect in their professional lives and better understand their work environment to help enhance and integrate their skills to maximize their productivity.

This study is to investigate how acquiring firms within the Swedish construction industry work towards successful post-acquisition integration during the early stages of post-acquisition and which factors they consider when doing so. When researching the five cases, the study adopted a qualitative approach, using semi-structured interviews with five managers from acquiring firms to gather in-depth, first-hand data for thematic analysis. The empirical findings highlight the significance of corporate culture, organizational structure, and leadership structure in the integration process. Acquiring firms prioritize cultural compatibility, recognizing that differences can hinder successful integration. They also emphasize the positive impact of similar business models and the creation of new leadership groups combining resources and capabilities. Supportive leadership plays a crucial role in smoothening the integration process. To achieve a successful post-acquisition integration, firms in the Swedish construction industry focus on assessing corporate culture compatibility, restructuring leadership, and effective integration planning. They aim to integrate cultures, develop thorough integration plans, and ensure employee satisfaction and financial success. The studied cases challenges theories that emphasize organizational structure as the main obstacle in acquisitions, suggesting that cultural factors are more critical. Similarly, it contradicts theories highlighting directive leadership, emphasizing the importance of supportive leadership instead. The study contributes to the understanding of integrating human resources, cultural factors, and clear integration plans as essential elements for acquisition success.

Диссертация посвящена исследованию способов и стратегий успешной интеграции трансграничных мигрантов в культурную среду города на примере Екатеринбурга. Автор анализирует основные проблемы интеграции мигрантов в общество; дает характеристики основным стратегиям поведения мигрантов в процессе аккультурации; исследует основные причины проблемности интеграции мигрантов в культурную среду города, а также анализирует возможности интеграции трансграничных мигрантов в культурную среду города на примере Екатеринбурга. В работе представлен разработанный авторский образовательный проект курсов для мигрантов по проведению медиаторских экскурсий на выставках современного искусства «Место встречи», который может способствовать решению проблемы интеграции мигрантов в культурную среду города. / The dissertation is devoted to the study of methods and strategies for the successful integration of cross-border migrants into the cultural environment of the city on the example of Yekaterinburg. The author analyzes the main problems of integration of migrants into society; gives characteristics of the main strategies of behavior of migrants in the process of acculturation; explores the main reasons for the problematic integration of migrants into the cultural environment of the city, and also analyzes the possibilities of integration of cross-border migrants into the cultural environment of the city on the example of Yekaterinburg. The paper presents the author's developed educational project of courses for migrants on conducting mediation excursions at exhibitions of contemporary art "Meeting Place", which can contribute to solving the problem of integration of migrants into the cultural environment of the city.

El Proyecto Escuela Superior de Artes Escénicas se ubica en la ciudad de Trujillo, como solución a la demanda existente por espacios educativos que dicten música, teatro y danza a nivel profesional. Su emplazamiento se ubica en el Distrito Víctor Larco Herrera, cerca de entidades educativas superiores y medias; a su vez cuenta en su frente principal con un gran parque lineal sin uso; es por esta razón que el partido arquitectónico considera la relación espacial con el contexto público y áreas verdes, proporcionando a la ciudad una plaza como ingreso tanto a la edificación como al teatro propuesto, y consolidando este sector de la ciudad como un polo educativo cultural. / The School of Performing Arts Project is located in Trujillo city, as a solution to the existing demand for educational spaces that dictate music, theater and dance at a professional level. The project location is in the Víctor Larco Herrera District, close to upper and middle educational entities. At the same time, it has a large unused linear park on its main front; for that reason: the architectural program considers a connexion with the public context and green areas, providing the city with a place as an entrance to both the building and the proposed theater, and consolidating this sector as a cultural educational pole. / Tesis