Esta investigación estudia el proceso de construcción de la imagen de la minería en la región de Cajamarca a través de una nueva propuesta conceptual: la cosmovisión multicultural. Se enfoca en explorar cómo, a partir de la propuesta, los individuos perciben la realidad minera en su región sustentada en su cosmovisión multicultural. Se entrevistó a 5 catedráticos de la Universidad Nacional de Cajamarca quienes son líderes de opinión por ser docentes y han tenido experiencias fuera de Cajamarca, así como contacto con otras culturas de las cuales han asimilado diferentes elementos. Los resultados arrojan que la asimilación de elementos de otras culturas en la suya propia forma parte de su proceso de construcción de la imagen; siendo que este es influido notoriamente por su comprensión del entorno a partir de su cosmovisión multicultural. Esto se evidencia al describir, los entrevistados, la minería sustentando su percepción personal actual de ella a través de algunos vectores de pensamiento de la cosmovisión andina complementada por elementos provenientes de otras culturas. Por lo tanto, se comprobó que la cosmovisión multicultural tiene impacto en el proceso de construcción de la imagen. / This research studies how the image of mining in the Cajamarca region is constructed through a new conceptual proposal: the multicultural worldview. It focuses on exploring how, from the proposal, individuals perceive the mining reality in their region based on their multicultural worldview. 5 professors from the National University of Cajamarca were interviewed; they are opinion leaders because they are teachers and they have also had experiences outside Cajamarca, which implies contact with other cultures from which they have assimilated different elements. The results show that the assimilation of elements from other cultures to their own culture is part of their image construction process; This is notoriously influenced by their understanding of the environment from their multicultural worldview. This is evidenced by the personal description that respondents make about mining, supporting their current perception of it through some thought vectors of the Andean worldview complemented by elements from other cultures. Therefore, it was proven that multicultural worldview has an impact on the image construction process. / Trabajo de investigación

In our increasingly interconnected world, intercultural communication has gained paramount significance, particularly in contexts characterized by unprecedented cultural diversity, such as healthcare settings. The influx of newcomers from diverse cultural backgrounds necessitates effective intercultural communication, yet this challenge remains uncharted. Nonverbal behaviours, a key communication component, also remain understudied despite their significant cultural variation and influence on the perception of effective communication. Thus, healthcare professionals face the challenge of navigating intricate cultural norms and communication styles without evidence-based guidelines. This dissertation seeks to unravel the interplay between cultural intelligence and empathic communication through three papers exploring the communication recipient's perspective, nonverbal behaviours' role, and the communication senders' implications. The findings challenge the previous focus on empathy senders and highlight the role of empathy recipients. Nonverbal cues are recognized as pivotal in communication, and culture plays a significant role in interpreting these cues, influencing how empathy is conveyed across cultural boundaries. The dissertation's significance extends beyond healthcare, offering valuable insights for policymakers, international managers, and individuals engaged in intercultural interactions. Education on culturally specific nonverbal cues can enhance self-awareness and improve the capability to provide empathic services to clients from diverse cultural backgrounds. In conclusion, this dissertation is a substantial stride forward in understanding intercultural communication within healthcare, emphasizing the importance of empathy, cultural intelligence, and nonverbal communication. Recognizing cultural differences in nonverbal cues and fostering cultural competence is crucial for healthcare providers to improve patient experiences and their quality of care.

This study investigates the values that the print media place on human lives in an international context. This was conducted by examining the coverage of death in international news. Although the research literature shows a number of studies that examined the coverage of death, this particular study differs from previous studies because all such previous research has had either a narrow focus or shortcomings in their research methods. In this context, this study is a comprehensive evaluation of how newspapers cover death in foreign news. By focussing on quality newspapers in Germany and Australia, namely the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, the Süddeutsche, The Australian and the Sydney Morning Herald, the study identified the differences in the coverage of death in these newspapers. In particular the study examined whether these newspapers gave preference in any form to reports of death from countries that were culturally similar as opposed to countries that were culturally dissimilar countries. The study further examined and highlighted the basis on which journalists in Germany and Australia made news decisions about whether or not to cover foreign events that included death and what criteria informed their news decisions. By applying a cultural framework developed especially for the purpose of examining international news, the study found clear evidence that journalists primarily look for a cultural connection to their own country in making news judgments in regard to foreign news coverage. The framework used in this study was based on the following four cultural dimensions: world views, value systems, systems of social organisation and systems of symbolic representation. In this regard, an event in which a large number of people have died, but which is located in a country that does not have many links along these dimensions with the newspaper’s home country will not necessarily rate very highly. In contrast, an event involving a few dead people would rate highly if the event occurred in a country with which the newspaper’s home country has many links along the four dimensions. In this regard, issues such as news fatigue, also called compassion fatigue, can be overcome by a cultural connection to another country. Differences in how German and Australian quality newspapers treated stories about foreign death, both in the use of language and the use of photographs, were also examined in detail. In this regard, Australian newspapers were found to display relatively more tabloid characteristics than German newspapers, with clear differences in the language used when describing death. Differences in the use of graphic photographs were not as clear, though distinctions could still be made to a certain degree across national lines. In general, journalists’ approaches to how they treated death could also be traced back to some distinct cultural differences between Germany and Australia.

Institutions of higher education (HEIs) in the United States recruit numerous international graduate students, many of whom serve as teaching assistants. HEIs’ motivations for employing international teaching assistants (ITAs) include not only economic incentives but also humanistic aims of internationalization, for example, increasing cross-cultural cooperation. However, integrating ITAs into the institution, making them welcomed and respected members of the community, has proven difficult. In particular, problems in ITA-student communication have been reported for decades. I argue that the crux of these integration difficulties lies in how linguistic diversity is approached. Policymakers and researchers usually treat ITAs’ Englishes as the cause of communication difficulties, with the implication that ITAs should more closely conform to norms of ‘native’ English. I propose instead that the primary problem is not linguistic diversity itself but ideological perceptions of other Englishes and unproductive responses to the difficulties that arise in trying to communicate across linguistic difference. This study examined policies and perceptions related to ITA-student communication at one internationalizing university through document collection, interviews, and classroom observation. I found that, despite its strategic plan calling for preparing students to enter a globalizing world, the institution’s response to ITA-student communication difficulties targets only ITAs’ competencies, mainly by assessing and remediating their language proficiency. Discussions with students and observations of classroom interaction revealed that many students appeared to orient to communication with ITAs in ways that did not help promote successful communication or prepare them to communicate across linguistic difference in a globalizing world. I also found that available ideological stances and strategies for addressing linguistic difference made it difficult for ITAs to be simultaneously liked and respected as instructors. This study has implications for HEIs seeking to create internationally inclusive communities and prepare their students and other stakeholders for communication across linguistic difference. First, ITA preparation should be reframed so as not to stigmatize ITAs’ Englishes. It should also prepare ITAs to become active agents in socializing students into productive and respectful orientations to linguistic difference. Second, HEIs must more comprehensively seek to confront students’ deficit language ideologies and unproductive responses to communication difficulties.

Cultural competency is theorized as the sensitivity of practitioners from the dominant culture towards the diverse cultural backgrounds of their patients. Less attention is placed on how communication between providers and patients can enable patients to share their health care beliefs. An evidence review of the literature around the conceptualization of cultural competency in health care was performed, and interviews were conducted aiming to understand what immigrant patients perceive as culturally competent care and its effect on the relationship between them and their providers. Definitions of cultural competence varied, and no conclusive studies linking cultural competence to improved health outcomes were found. Findings from the participant interviews helped to address gaps in the literature by confirming a preference for a patient-centred approach to culturally competent care, in addition to identifying pre-existing expectations for the health care encounter and patient-dependent factors as additional elements influencing the physician-patient relationship.

This thesis investigates how Japanese doctors create and maintain patient-centred consultations through their verbal interaction with patients, and the extent to which features of Japanese interpersonal communication influence the institutional discourse. Audio recordings of 72 doctor-patient interactions were collected at the outpatient department of a Japanese teaching hospital. All consultations involved new cases. There were two kinds of consultations: a preliminary history-taking interview with an intern and a diagnostic consultation given by an experienced doctor. After transcribing the recordings sequences of the discourse were analysed qualitatively on a turn-by-turn basis and a corpus of the data was analysed quantitatively to establish frequencies of discourse features related to patientcentredness. A review of literature (Chapter 2) establishes the standard structure of medical consultations and the relationship of the doctor and patient during consultations in terms of the asymmetry of speaking initiative according to consultation phases. The second part of Chapter 2 is an examination of Japanese communication style, attested to be influenced by culturally specific norms of behaviour that are demonstrable through verbal interactions. Chapter 3 describes the research method, and this is followed by four chapters of analysis. Chapter 4 describes the nature of the two kinds of consultations; the phases they include, and how the participants shift from one phase to the next with phase transition markers. Particular attention is paid to opening and closing phases, as they are most relevant to the establishment and consolidation of a patient-centred relationship. Chapter 5 investigates patterns of questioning by doctors, identifying functional categories of questions to see how they are used to coax information from the patient. Chapter 6 examines how the doctor encourages the patient’s narrative through backchanneling; how the doctor accommodates the patient through sensitive explanations of treatments and procedures; and how the voice of the patient emerges through calls for clarification, and voicing concerns. Chapter 7 highlights discourse sequences that may indicate culturally specific influences, and examines the emergence of laughter as an indicator of Japanese interpersonal interaction. The features of these Japanese consultations are consistent with medical consultations described in English speaking settings regarding phases and the discourse strategies used to achieve patient-centredness. While there appear to be Japanese cultural influences in the interactions consistent with previous cross-cultural studies the author argues that the institutional setting (clinical framework) is more immediately relevant to the conversational dynamics of the interactions than the Japanese cultural setting. Finally, medical consultations involving new cases have more features of service encounters and therefore not controlled by the guidance-cooperation model of doctor-patient interaction.

Problem: While the multinational teams consisting of members from different nationalities,backgrounds and cultures have advantages of diversity in the workplace, the differencesbetween team members can also pose the challenges. Our study focuses on InformationTechnology (IT) project teams in organizations located in Sweden. The rapid growth oftechnology and IT sector, increasing demand in IT professionals, and the knowledge ofwriting universal code allow people to work internationally regardless of citizenship.Therefore, the workforce in the IT sector is rapidly growing and diversifying — it ischaracterized by teams consisting of different nationalities. However, these differences incultures, languages and nationalities can complicate the communication processes betweenthe team members. Therefore, efficient cross-cultural communication within a team isessential for team collaboration and performance. Purpose: The study aims to find the significant issues in the process of adaptation to the newculturally diverse environment faced by immigrant professionals in IT project teams. Thestudy mainly focuses on an individual level, consequently expanding it to a collective level,as the related challenges refer to collaboration among the team members. Method: The study was conducted by interviewing immigrant professionals who have beenworking in IT project teams in the companies, located in Sweden. The participants belong tosix different nationalities and have worked in Sweden for approximately 2-8 years. They areall male aged between 30-33 years old. After the interviews, we can present findings, whichdemonstrate the points of similarity and difference. Conclusion: Technology, which is a significant factor in IT projects, constantly changes, andtherefore, IT project teams that work with innovation require high adaptability to explore newopportunities. That makes effective coordination and communication essential. In theculturally diverse team, managers should manage global mindset and cultural intelligence forindividuals to help team members in adaptation process. Cross-cultural training should beprovided to the migrant professionals in the team to avoid miscommunication based oncultural differences, hence overcoming challenges.

This study discusses the purpose, process and practice of quality assurance in transnational education (TNE) wherein institutions in one country award their degrees to students studying in another. This arrangement raises the issue of how the quality and standards of the degree programmes are assured so that they enable the programmes delivered in one country to be considered as being of a comparable quality and standard to those delivered in another. The study explores how the cross-national implementation of quality assurance is conducted and perceived by those engaged in it and the challenges such activity faces. Using data collected via structured interviews in Sri Lanka and the UK, the study examines the perceptions of participants in TNE collaboration. The analysis is undertaken within a conceptual framework developed from inter-firm relationship and supply chain management theories. The concept of “relational capital”, and its creation through socialisation activity, is proposed as a key factor in understanding TNE. A further body of literature is explored, that of inter-cultural communication and inter-cultural competence. The study contributes to the literature on TNE and internationalisation by identifying a tension between the financial drivers behind TNE and the resource intensive activities required to build relational capital. The findings are developed into a conceptual model for quality assurance in TNE, which can be used in the planning, management and evaluation of TNE and is designed to develop relational capital through the relational and inter-cultural competences of those engaged in such work. Through such a development, it is argued, quality assurance in TNE can move away from a process of enforced compliance with the prevailing quality assurance processes to one driven by a shared quality culture in which capacity building in the partner institutions of TNE can be achieved.

The thesis discusses the fundamental differences between the legal systems of Russia and Czech Republic, the legal forms of business and process of establishing companies in Russia. The work also deals with the characteristics of the legal consciousness of Russians and Russian mentality traits that affect business communications. There are discussed not only the basic cultural dimensions but also the latest trends in the development of Russian business culture. The key to a successful business in Russia is willingness to solve problems, not only through formal (e.g. law enforcement), but also informal way - through personal relationships. In comparison with the Czech character the Russian one is distinguished by greater openness and emotionality, including readiness to open conflict, and greater interpenetration of personal and professional relationships. Establishment of a company in Russia is much simpler and cheaper than in Czech Republic.

As multinational corporations (MNCs) are extending their international operations they need to examine issues such as the localisation of human resource policies and management, and the effective use of local and expatriate managers. Examination of expatriate studies indicates a lack of attention given to the relationships between expatriate managers and local managers or the perspectives of local managers working in MNCs. This thesis attempts to fill these gaps by focusing on the cross-cultural interactions between expatriate and local managers. This thesis addresses the importance of positive cross-cultural understanding between Japanese expatriate managers and local managers in Japanese subsidiaries in Australia, and its effect on work-related outcomes such as job satisfaction and commitment to the organisation. It identifies macro and micro factors which are associated with levels of job satisfaction and commitment of Japanese expatriate managers and Australian managers with special focus on economic functions of industry, communication, and mutual perceptions. Conceptual models for predicting organisational commitment for Japanese expatriate and Australian managers are developed, and the validity of the models is empirically tested. ¶ Australian managers and Japanese expatriate managers working for Australian subsidiaries of twelve Japanese-owned firms completed self-report questionnaires anonymously. A unique paired data set is used for particular analyses such as measuring communication and perceptions of each other. This thesis examines differences in work values and beliefs between Japanese expatriates and Australian managers on issues derived from structural and cultural features of Japanese MNCs; for example, the type of subsidiary-head office management (eg. strategic planning), integration of local managers, group-oriented decision making, and work ethic. It is found that there is a significant gap in perceptions between Japanese and Australian managers with regard to corporate membership, but no significant differences are found in their opinions towards the strategic planning style of management. Contrary to our expectations, Australian managers are found to be more group-oriented than Japanese managers. ¶ The characteristics of two industries, general trading firms (the sogo shosha) and manufacturing firms, are discussed and their impacts upon cross-cultural relationships and work attitudes of managers are examined. Findings indicate that Australian managers in manufacturing firms have more positive perceptions of work relations with Japanese managers and positive work attitudes than Australian managers in the sogo shosha. This suggests that manufacturing firms provide a more positive work environment to Australian managers than the sogo shosha, whereas cross-cultural interactions in the sogo shosha are not very effective, which may cause misunderstanding and mistrust between managers, and lower levels of job satisfaction and organisational commitment of local managers. The type of industry does not affect the work attitudes of Japanese managers or their perceptions of Australian counterparts. ¶ A conceptual model for predicting the organisational commitment of Japanese and Australian managers are developed and tested empirically. Independent variables included in the model are: individual characteristics, type of industry, psychological integration of local managers into the Japanese organisation, work relations between Japanese and local managers and job satisfaction. Results indicate that job satisfaction, work relations and tenure have significant impacts upon organisational commitment of Australian managers. As for the Japanese managers, job satisfaction and tenure have significant impacts upon organisational commitment, but no association between work relations and organisational commitment is found. In addition, the relationship between work relations and organisational commitment for the Australian managers is partially mediated by job satisfaction, however, this is not the case with the Japanese managers. ¶ The findings of this thesis will improve our understanding of cross-cultural interactions between expatriates and local managers, increasing overall firm performance and improving the quality of cross-cultural relationships within contemporary society. Moreover, these findings will provide a wider perspective on understanding how organisations can implement localisation of management and integrate local managers into the organisation.