chen defense

8/14/2019 Chen Defense

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Intercultural SensitivityIntercultural Sensitivity

Development AmongDevelopment Among

Taiwanese BusinessTaiwanese Business

StudentsStudents

Hsiao-Yin Chen


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Background of the Study

ChangingDemographics

Challenges in BSHigher Education

Cross-culturalConflicts

150,000 US employees

work overseas each

year;

43,000 foreigners livedin Taiwan in 2004;

100,000 international

students majored in

business and

management during the

2004-05 academic yearin the US.

Cross-cultural sensitivity

(respect for others

religion);

Business skills(communication &

adaptation);

International business

competencies (being an

international mediator).

Value of the host

country;

Language;

Living conditions; Interpersonal

relationship.


3/21

Primary Research Questions

WhatWhat levels of intercultural sensitivityhavehave the Taiwanese undergraduatethe Taiwanese unde

rgraduate

international business and managementinternational business and mana

gement

majors in this studyma

jors in this study((my target populationmy target population))achieved as indicated by the Interculturalachieved as indicated by the Intercultural

Development Inventory (IDI)?Development Inventory (IDI)? What is the relationship between theWhat is the relationship between the

results of the IDI and selectedresults of the IDI and selected

demographic characteristics of myof mytarget population??


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Primary Research Questions(continued)

How do the interviewees selectedfrommy target populationview culture? How do

their responses relate to the IDI if at all?

What kinds oflife experiencescontributedto the intercultural sensitivity ofmy target

population?

What formal educational experiencesencouraged mytarget population to

develop their intercultural sensitivity? How?


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Conceptual Framework of the Study

The Relationship Between the Dimensions and the Scales (IDI, CD-ROM, 2005)


6/21

Research Design and Samples

QuantitativeApproach

QualitativeApproach

Intercultural

DevelopmentInventory

(IDI)

PhenomenologyTheory

a. 195 seniors;

b. Majoring in international

business and management;

c. Taiwanese citizens.

a. 12 interviewees were selected

among 195 seniors;

b. 2 students from each group: Ethnocentric/ethnorelative Each of the 3 research site


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Hypothesis 1-1.

My target populationwill exhibit strong intercultural

sensitivity in theethnorelative dimensionas shown on the

IDI.

Hypothesis 1-2.

My target population in urban areaswill exhibit stronger

intercultural sensitivity in the ethnorelative dimension than

those studying in rural areas as shown on the IDI.

Specific of Question 1Do my target population show strong intercultural

sensitivity in the ethnorelative dimension?


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Hypothesis 2-1.

The femalesin my target populationwill exhibit stronger interculturalsensitivity than theirmale counterparts on each scale as shown on theIDI.

Hypothesis 2-2.

Theages ofmy target populationwill not affect their interculturalsensitivity as shown on the IDI.

Hypothesis 2-3.My target population who hadinternational experienceswill exhibitstrongerintercultural sensitivity than those who had not as shown oneach scale of the IDI.

Specific Question 2Do demographic characteristics affect intercultural sensitivity

in my target population in this study?


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Specific Question 2 (continued)

Hypothesis 2-4.My target population who can speak one or more foreignlanguages fluentlywill exhibit strongerintercultural sensitivitythan their counterparts who cannot as shown on each scale of theIDI.

Hypothesis 2-5.

My target population who have participated in interculturalactivities on campuswill exhibit strongerintercultural sensitivitythan their counterparts who have not as shown on each scale of theIDI.

Hypothesis 2-6.

My target population who have the desire to work or study abroadwill demonstrate strongerintercultural sensitivity than theircounterparts who do not as shown on each scale of the IDI.


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Questionnaire

50 items of Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) intraditional Chinese language.

5 points scale:

1 2 3 4 5Disagree Agree

Developmental Score (DS):

Ethnocentric Dimension Ethnorelative Dimension

55-79:Low-middle Denial/Defense or

Reversal (DD/R)

80-109:

High DD/R to low-middle

Minimization (M)

110-139:High M to low-middle

Acceptance/Adaptation (AA)

140-145:

High AA to higher Adaptation


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Quantitative Findings

H 1-1.

Intercultural SensitivityAmong 195 Students

H 1-2.

School Areas

(A, B, C)

Result Not supported Not supported

Notes

Over 50% (n=103)of the

195 Taiwanese business

undergraduates in this

study fell in the DD/R or

in the denial dimension

of the DevelopmentalModel of Intercultural

Sensitivity (DMIS).

A (Urban):86.50 (1)+(3)

B (Rural): 76.40 (1)+(2)+(3)

C (Rural): 76.58 (1)+(3)

(5) Disinterest in cultural difference

(6) Avoidance of interaction with

cultural differences

(7) Tendency to view the world in

terms of us and them, where us

is superior


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Quantitative Findings (Continued)

H 2-1.Gender

H 2-2.Age

H 2-3.Intl

Exp.

H 2-4.Language

Ability

H 2-5.Activities

on campus

H 2-6.Future Plan

Significant

Difference X X X

NoSignificant

DifferenceX X X

Notes

3-6 months

(sig. diff.)

Less than

3 months

(no diff.)

Participated

(sig. diff.)

Not provided

& Not

participated

(no diff.)

Study abroad

(sig. diff.)

Others(study/work in

TW; work

overseas)

(no diff.)


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Sample (Qualitative Approach)

12 interviewees were selected from 195 students basedon the IDI;

2 students whose DS toward the ethnocentric dimension

were selected from each school;

2 students whose DS toward the ethnorelative dimension

were selected from each school.

Research Site A Research Site B Research Site C(M&F) low-middle DD/R (M&F) low-middle DD/R (M&F) low-middle DD/R

Research Site A Research Site B Research Site C

(M&F) High M to low-middle

AA

(M) High DD/R to low-

middle M

(F) High M to low-middle

AA

(M) High DD/R to low-

middle M

(F) High M to low-middle

AA


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Framework of Qualitative Findings

An individualsintercultural sensitivity development

Life experiences Formal education

FamilyMedia

Peers Religion

Teachers

sharing

Intercultural

activitiesIntl

students


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Qualitative Findings

Individuals toward Ethnocentric

dimension

Individuals toward Ethnorelative

dimension Provide more examples of

objective culture(food and eating

styles);

Learn different cultures from

the media(American TV shows,

Japanese and/or Koreas dramas);

Learn from interacting with

foreigners in Taiwan(teachers in

English cram schools, foreigners

visit in Taiwan);

Provide more examples of

subjective culture(value, and

ways of life);


parents, friends, and relatives

personal experiences (working,

studying, and living experiences) ;


interacting with foreigners both in

Taiwan and overseas(teachers in

schools, short-term study abroad,

and do missionary work overseas);


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Qualitative Findings (continued)

Individuals toward Ethnocentricdimension

Individuals toward Ethnorelativedimension

Learn from teachers

personal experiences;

Shareno interest in participating

intercultural activities oncampus and short-term study

programs;

Avoid interactingwith foreign

students in classes;

Haveno suggestionsregarding

culture study to their schools.

Learn from teachers

personal experiences;

Share interest in participating

intercultural activities such as ashort-term study overseas

which is held by schools;

Interactwith foreign

students in classes frequently;

Suggest their schools to

provide seminars or classes

related to cultures.


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Integrating Quantitative and Qualitative FindingsIndividuals toward

Ethnocentric dimension

Individuals toward

Ethnorelative dimension

Gender No difference Females students showed stronger

intercultural sensitivity than male

students (Qual.)

Age No difference No difference

International

experiences

*

No overseas experience or

interaction with foreigners inTaiwan

Short-term international experience

and interaction with foreigners inTaiwan and overseas

Language

capability

Most participants rated their

foreign-language in the fair level

(Qual.)

Most participants rated their

foreign-language in the good level

(Qual.)

Intercultural

act. on

campus*

No interest in participating Participate and suggest foreigners

involvement in the activities

Future plan* Prefer to work in Taiwan after

graduation

Prefer to study abroad after

graduation


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Limitation of the Study

The IDI is a self-evaluation test;

3 research sites and 195 students may not represent all

Taiwan business college students;

Volunteer instructors disallowed classroom observations;

The building of interpersonal relationships between the

researcher and interviewees was difficult.


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Implications

Taiwan Business

School

Taiwan Business

Faculties

Taiwan Classroom

Application Hire diversity faculties;

Provide programs

for foreign exchange

or summer work abroad;

Provide varieties of

intercultural activities

on campus;

Provide culture-

related seminars;

Provide useful

culture courses.

Design appropriate

curriculum (students

gender, future plans,

and language ability);

Attend cross-

culture seminars.

Provide more

information

to enhance

students interests

before students

participate in

intercultural

activities on campus;

Discuss the

activities with

students after they

participate in

intercultural activities

on campus.


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Suggestions for Further Study

Quantitative Study Qualitative Study

Discover about the

educational level of

parents;

Find out individualsreligion;

Understand facultys

intercultural sensitivity.

Observe intercultural

activities on campus;

Interview faculty mentioned

frequently by students.

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