<p> The study explored whether the U.S. Marine Corps’ Basic Officer Course (BOC) creates a Marine Corps cultural identity within officers and how the acculturation process functions. The Social Identity Theory (SIT) and Communities of Practice (CoP) serve as the theoretical foundation for this study because identity is an integral aspect of both SIT and CoP. The researcher used a constructivist approach to identify and interpret the value-laden meanings and influencers of a Marine Corps cultural identity expressed by the participants. Since the study explored the perspectives of the participant group, the researcher determined a case study was the most fitting form of qualitative research. The research revealed that change, culture, adherence to behavioral norms, continual development, and cultural identity were themes expressed by every participant. Participant input showed the influence that cultural lore (Marine Corps history) has on the acculturation process. The study also refined the conceptual framework used for this research, which resulted in the researcher developing the Manufactured Culture Model (MCM). Recommendations for further study include: 1) the influence of gender on the acculturation process, 2) exploring any influences the Marine Corps’ acculturation process has (if any) on individuals that fail during the screening process, and 3) examine the dynamics of interactions among the Marine Corps’ culture and a Marine’s culture of origin.</p>
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:PROQUEST/oai:pqdtoai.proquest.com:10010150 |
| Date | 17 February 2016 |
| Creators | McDonald, Justin L. |
| Publisher | Argosy University, Denver |
| Source Sets | ProQuest.com |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | thesis |
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