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Cross-Cultural Awareness Training in Australian

OrganizationsPatricia Mehegan

Purpose of Research

To investigate practices and policies of Australian organizations in preparing personnel for overseas assignments.

Types of Organizations

* Government Organizations* Non-Government Organizations* Private Corporate Sector

Categories of Interviewee

* Directors of International Operations/Overseas Assignments/Expatriate Postings

* Human Resources Managers* Cross-Cultural Awareness Trainers* Overseas Assignees:

* Prior to departure from Australia* Three to four months after arrival in-country* End of first-year of posting or after returning to Australia

Issues in Cross-Cultural Awareness Training

* Commitment of organization* Culture-general versus culture-specific* Assessment and evaluation

Some Preliminary Findings

* Attitudes* Perceptions* Training and Outcome Preferences and Priorities

Cultural Awareness with Cultural Awareness with International and Australian International and Australian

Business StudentsBusiness StudentsDr Anthony GrayDr Anthony Gray

Department of Law, Faculty of BusinessDepartment of Law, Faculty of BusinessUniversity of Southern QueenslandUniversity of Southern Queensland

gray@usq.edu.augray@usq.edu.au

University of Southern University of Southern QueenslandQueensland’’s MBA Programs MBA Program

• . USQ University of the Year 2000-2001• . Australian leader in distance education• . USQ’s MBA program largest fee paying MBA

program of any Australian University• . Includes many different specialisations eg

accounting, business law, eBusiness, finance, HRM, IS, international business, marketing, project management, tech management, global economy, arts mgmt, PR, corporate info mgmt

• . 1439 MBA students as at 15/9/03, large majority are offshore

Student MakeupStudent Makeup

• . Large percentage Asian, particularly Malaysia and Singapore

• . Partner arrangements with Asian colleges, supported by overseas teaching schools, comprehensive course resources, on-line discussion groups etc

• . Law and Business a core compulsory unit within MBA – enrolment s2, 2003 800 students

• . MBA (obviously) more practically focused than other programs

Cultural IssuesCultural Issues

• . Learning modes• presenter driven vs interactive• black and white vs “grey”• focus on exam and assessment vs other

goals • automatic respect for the academic ):

Cultural Issues in Legal ContextCultural Issues in Legal Context• . Topics eg Rule of Law and Separation of Powers –

Western Style Albert V Dicey and Montesquie• . Rule of Law – same law applies to everyone regardless

of their position in life, protection from arbitrary exercise of power, power must only be exercised pursuant to legislative authority

• . Separation of Powers – demarcation between legislative, executive and judicial functions

• . Application in Asian countries• . Precedent and Role of Courts/Parliament• . Means of Resolving Conflict

Cultural Issues in Legal ContextCultural Issues in Legal Context• . Law of Contract • Little regulation, British tradition of laissez-faire freedom

of contract, buyer beware• Chinese – Contract Law of the People’s Republic of

China• Article 5 parties shall abide by the principle of fairness in

defining the rights and obligations of each party• Article 6 parties must act in accordance with principles of

good faith, whether exercising rights or performing obligations, cannot conceal important facts etc

Cultural Issues in Legal ContextCultural Issues in Legal Context

• . Law of personal injury• Australia eg Johns v Cosgrove, Ollier v

Magnetic Island Country Club• Access court system to seek

compensation

• Alternative focus on individual responsibility, harmony, inner peace, resolution of conflict outside court system

Meeting StudentsMeeting Students’’ NeedsNeeds

• . Concern that majority of students outside Australia, yet were learning (only) about Australian law in MBA

• . Developing for 2004 new core course in Comparative Law and Business, exploring differences between selected countries in particular areas of business law students may find useful eg contract, personal injury, business organisation, competition law

Meeting StudentsMeeting Students’’ NeedsNeeds• . Student enrolment of at least 400 expected per

offering (currently 800 in core Law and Business, this subject to be an alternative core course)

• . Limiting course materials to three countries –Australia, China and Germany, exam to be based on

• . Assignment can compare law of Australia with any other country, provided student submits suitable source materials to justify their discussion of local law

• . Marking assignments to be a challenge

Developing and sustaining a multicultural learning environment: An investigation of communication with cultural others in the multicultural classroom

Prue Holmes andEcho Tan

Introduction

International students on campusImplications

For teachersFor host students

Questions informing the study

How do international and host students make sense of their learning and communication experiences in the multicultural classroom?How do these experiences impact upon their learning and communication with cultural others?What implications do these experiences bring to educational institutions?

Framework of the study

Social constructionism:The ways in which these students create, sustain, and share meaning through language and cultural knowledge

Method:The cohort (20 international and 10 NZ students)Interviews and focus groupsThematic analysis—“thick description”

Findings: International students1. Unshared understanding

‘[There are] so many cultural differences. …There are no or little same talking between us. … Rugby is the last game in the planet for me. I really don’t like it.’ (Chinese student)

2. Language

Speaking and writingAccentLack of confidence in speaking English

‘Mostly, I make a mistake and everybody can’t understand me, so that maybe one years later, or half year later is better [to start trying to talk to NZ students].’ (Chinese student)

NZ students speak too fast and ignore us

3. Friendships with New Zealand students

Lack of shared interestWe can’t just sit down and say something about our country, our history, maybe 2,000 years. No-one will interest in that!’

The “too hard” basket‘Just maybe say something, say several words with you and, not going [anywhere], yes, nothing going on.’ (Chinese student)

4. Group work—the positives:

Improving understanding and getting helpDiscovering connections with cultural others

‘It’s fun to work with Chinese because I’m not used to that. I found we had more in common, it felt really cool to be working together and we both felt [we had things] in common, but the Kiwi guy didn’t.’ (Danish student)

Enjoying the creativity and courage of NZ students

Group work—the negatives:

NZ students are not interested in us‘There was one time I want to move the chair beside a Kiwi student desk. His bag was on this chair but there is not extra chair, so I have to use this one. I just ask, “May I use this chair?” And … he just look at me very seriously. … I just shocked. I saw horrible his appearance. I just want to move the chair. There is nothing I have done wrong. [And he looked at me] very seriously. Just pick up and threw it [the bag] on the floor. Threw it on the floor and say nothing. Don’t want to look at me anymore. Am I look so terrible? Oh, Christ, no! So I don’t know what he was think.’ (Chinese student)

Group work—the negatives (cont.):

Asians students’ ideas are marginalisedNZ students control group work processes

Findings: New Zealand students1. Perceptions

Asian, ‘Hard to communicate with’JealousyAtmosphere of derision

2. Understanding/language

From the cynical:‘If they all spoke fluent English then I don’t think there’d be a problem.’

To the enlightened:‘You have to be able to get on with someone on a personal level before you can work with them.’

3. Group work—the positives

NZ students can help int. student to understandInt. students are focusedRetain the same group throughout a paperWorking with int. students is an excellent preparation for the work force

Group work: A positive evaluation

‘I come out of my meetings and tutorials where we bring so many different experiences in together. It’s just great. There’s so much more information than if I had been with straight New Zealanders. It’s awesome, just really, really good. More information academically, cultural experiences, everything, with technology, because they are so much further ahead in their countries so they bring more knowledge, whereas we have minimal knowledge. ’

Group work—the negatives:

Asians are a problemLanguage hindered group progressInt. students don’t understand the task

4. Benefits

International students provide:opportunities for learning about and understanding other cultures networks for the future a more competitive learning environment

5. Disadvantages

Rudeness (talking, pushing, using their own language)Language deficit

‘[Language] causes a lot of frustration and racism among people. I mean if they [NZ students] can’t understand where a person is coming from, it just aggravates the situation.’

Feeling in the minority

Conclusion to study

There are insufficient benefits for allLanguage was attributed to a lack of communication and understandingCultural difference is not sufficiently recognised or understood

Recommendations

Implement a marketing/branding strategy/an identityProvide a compulsory paper on understanding and managing diversity

‘[New Zealand students] don’t seem very interested in my culture or my country.’ (Danish student)

Improve and monitor intercultural interaction in the learning environment

Strategies for improving intercultural interaction in the multicultural classroom

A broader orientation programmeMonitoring group formationStudent presentations of self and cultureIce breakersBuddy systemsIC study groupsCo-taught tutorials (in Mandarin)Celebrations of cultural diversitySocial eventsVolunteer work