Curiosity and its role in cross-cultural knowledge creation

This paper explores the role of curiosity in promoting cross-cultural knowledge creation and competence development. It is based on a study with four international higher educational institutions, all of which offer management and business education for local and international students. The reality of multicultural and intercultural relationships is researched using constructivist grounded theory method, with data collected through indepth interviews, long-term observation and participation, and discussion of the social reality as it was experienced by the participants. The study applies the concepts of cultural knowledge development, cross-cultural competence and cultural distance. Based on the comparative analysis, curiosity emerged as a personal condition conducive to the cultural knowledge development process. The paper presents a cross-cultural competence development process model, which takes into account the cultural curiosity of the learners. The paper also provides tentative recommendations for the steps that knowledge-creating multicultural organizations can take to develop cross-cultural exchange, cultural knowledge creation and cross-cultural competence development.peer-reviewe

Community-based multicultural counselor preparation as a site of Praxis and social justice

Recent calls in counseling psychology to embrace social justice work and mandates in the field to operationalize multicultural competencies have offered few mature examples of how this work actually looks. This article describes a 35-year-old program in a community-based urban setting which has successfully prepared over 800 counselors while integrating social justice and multicultural competencies into its core curriculum. The authors discuss the impact of the program in terms of multicultural competence, praxis, and social justice agency. The article includes recommendations about challenges that professionals and programs of this nature must negotiate in order to implement a program of this nature effectively

Kompetensi kaunseling pelbagai budaya dan kompetensi spiritual dalam kalangan kaunselor berdaftar di Malaysia

This study aimed to examine the level of spiritual competence and multicultural counselling competence among registered counselors in Malaysia. This study also would like to identify the different levels of spiritual competence and multicultural counseling competence based on demoghraphic factors such as gender, age, religion, ethnicity, educational level and tenure approval. A survey was conducted by administering a set of questionnaire consisting "the spiritual competency scale" by Young, Cashwell, Wiggins-Frame and Belaire (2002) and "Multicultural Competency Inventory" by Sodowsky, (1993). Both scales have been translated to Malay language. A total of 240 registered counselors participated in this study. The results showed that most counselors have a moderate level of spiritual competence with a mean of 3.64 as well as moderate level of multicultural competence with a mean of 2.78. In terms of differences in the level of spiritual competence, there is no significant differences based on gender, age, education level and years of service. Only the religious and ethnicity factor has a significant difference in the levels of counselors' spiritual competence. As for multicultural competence, there is a significant difference in age factor. Therefore, some suggestions have been made based on the findings of this study

Global Diversity Management: Towards a Conceptual Framework

[Excerpt] Compared to research on cross-national differences in diversity management, more research has been conducted within the second key area of global diversity management – that on the effective management of culturally diverse teams and organizations, and on the development of global competence among employees. Indeed, research on multicultural teams (e.g. Earley and Gibson, 2002), global competence (e.g. Chang and Tharenou, 2004; Earley and Peterson, 2004), and conflict management in multicultural groups (e.g. Barkema et al., 2003) has been emerging in the last decade; it simply has not been labelled a part of global diversity management per se. However, to date, there are no unifying frameworks for studying global diversity, with the exception of one by Mor Barak (2000), which focuses on the connection between subsidiaries and the larger communities in which they are embedded. While we agree that this is an important issue, many leaders of global firms first want to know how to manage global diversity within the confines of their organization. Thus, one of our goals in introducing this special issue on global diversity is to propose one such framework, to serve two primary aims: (a) to provide a framework within which to situate the papers that appear in this special issue; and (b) to stimulate future research in the area. In what follows, we briefly describe this framework, and then we introduce the papers for the special issue

Cultural assimilators as a form of multicultural competence in computer-oriented learning environment

В статті звертається увага на важливість формування полікультурної компетентності особистості в сучасному багатокультурному суспільстві. Особлива роль в цьому процесі відводиться сучасним засобам інформаційних технологій. Автор розглядає особливості використання “культурного асимілятора” як засобу формування полікультурної компетентності в комп’ютерно орієнтованому навчальному середовищі.The article draws attention to the importance of the multicultural competence of the individual in multicultural society. A special role in this process is given to modern means of information technologies. The author discusses "cultural assimilators" as formation tool of multicultural competence in computer-oriented learning environment

Building a Community of Shalom: What the Bible Says about Multicultural Education

Multicultural education is a highly controversial topic in which it has been the center of contentions and conflicts as it has evolved for the last couple of decades. Several concerns and problems existed in the field of multicultural education will be addressed in this article. In addition, a new framework of multicultural education, called the shalom model, which is drawn from the Bible is presented, along with the characteristics of the model. The goal of multicultural education, according to this model, is to build a community of shalom, an image that is clearly described in Isaiah 11:6. In order to accomplish this goal, the model suggests that all people need to be equipped with the truth that all people are the image bearers of God. This concept is expanded into four implementation interventions when relating to others: biblical perspective; cultural competence; contextualized pedagogy; and intentional praxis. Finally, regarding the application issue of this model, some points of the implementation strategies are addressed in this article

The Impact of Cross Cultural Communication on Collective Efficacy in NCAA Basketball Teams

This research contributes to the knowledge and theory on cross cultural communication by investigating the impact of cross cultural communication competence on the collective efficacy of multicultural National Collegiate Athletic Association basketball teams. Data was collected from 140 U.S. National Collegiate Athletic Association basketball coaches via the Cross Cultural Communication Competence Questionnaire and the Collective Efficacy Questionnaire for Sports. Principle component analysis was conducted on the data, revealing that the cross cultural communication competence and collective efficacy of basketball teams are multidimensional. The hypothesized relationship between cross cultural communication competence and collective efficacy was confirmed and statistically measured through regression analysis. It was found that four of the cross cultural communication competence dimensions produced by the principle component analysis exhibited a significant positive relationship with one of the two dimensions within collective efficacy. Given the well-supported relationship between collective efficacy and team performance in business, this study produces important implications for scholars and practitioners working with multicultural sporting teams

DEVELOPMENT OF CULTURAL COMPETENCE IN MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION IN INDONESIA AND NEW ZEALAND

The aims of the research are 1) How is multicultural education implemented in senior high schools in Indonesia and New Zealand ? 2) How is cultural competence be developed in multicultural education in senior high schools in Indonesia and New Zealand . This research is designed to use the approach of research and development. As explained by Borg dan Gall (1989), there are ten steps of conducting research and development strategy. The research population is senior high schools in Indonesia and senior high schools in New Zealand. The subjects of the research are the elements of senior high school in Indonesia and the elements of senior high school in Zealand. Data collected through questionnaires, active participation, observation, FGD, documentation. The data collected are those related to the practices and problems of multicultural education. The first year research findings reveal two interesting results, i.e 1) regarding the practices of multicultural education in Indonesia and the comparative study between the practices of multicultural education in high schools in Indonesia and New Zealand. Even though structurally and culturally in Indonesia multicultural education is implemented at schools, there is no national education policy; 2) the comparative study on multicultural education are some differences in the cross-cultural competence of students in Indonesian high schools, compared to New Zealand schools. The aspects that mark the differences are cultural awareness, understanding of own and others’ cultures, cultural competence, and cultural encounter. Meanwhile, the aspects regarding teachers’ competence in both countries are current knowledge and understanding of multicultural education, development of critical thinking, improvement of knowledge and skills through multicultural education. The differences are because of some internal and external factors. The internal factors is individual based, i.e. social background, knowledge, experience, education background, and experience in multiethnic/multicultural situation. The external ones are related to the sociocultural structure of the society, government policies, and cultural diversity

Multicultural Organizational Development: A Resource for Health Equity

Discusses ways to develop the multicultural capacity of health organizations, based on theories from the behavioral sciences that have been applied to organizational management