Cross-cultural management - Research Paper Example

Cross-Cultural Management Cross-Cultural Management Academic acculturation: Challenges facing international from non-native English-speaking backgrounds. This paper review is aimed at discussing the challenges facing new immigrants who come to America for their studies and the way they cope with the cultural diversity eminent in their learning institutions. A sample population is identified for purposes of the investigative research pertaining to cultural diversity among the international students and the impact on their social and academic lives. The data collected, findings and reports from this representative sample are then subjected to a series of data analyses based on which deductions are made. From the findings, viable recommendations are made with reference to scholarly work and reviews from social experts and academicians. Introduction Culture connotes peoples’ way of life. It is essentially a reflection of the attributes and characters of defined group of people within a population and includes aspects such as dressing, language, food, practices and beliefs, economic activities, and general aspects of life- characteristic of a particular group. Cultures tend to differ from one community to another; however, neighboring communities have a tendency to borrow various aspects of culture from one another and hence the disparities are few but continue to differ gradually as one drifts away to other regions (Charles, 2010). This explains why people from different continents tend to greatly differ from one another in their language, dressing, religious affiliation and beliefs among other social aspects of life; due to their different backgrounds and upbringing. This research was conducted from Iowa State University. This university is situated in the State of Iowa and admits students from all over the world. Each year, the University enrolls over 33,000 students; half of whom are international students. This provides a good platform to analyze aspects of academic acculturation and social diversity and their implications on students’ lives while undertaking their career studies. The research is faced with a couple of challenges in the course of determining the most appropriate sample group and the most effective way of collecting sufficient data and information from the identified group. Given the huge diversity of international students from all over the world, finding a small sample group that will represent the whole population of the international students is actually a tall order. Communication break-down was also one of the biggest hurdles for our research work. Another eminent challenge that we had to contend with is the unwillingness of some section of students to participant in the process. We had to mitigate these challenges in order to get the most the students and retrieve sufficient information from the sampled population. There are a couple of assumptions in this research as it is the nature with any particular field work research which can then be factored in when drawing inferences and conclusion from the findings. We assumed that information obtained from an international student from China gives a reflection of the Asian community for instance and one from South Africa acts as a representative of the Africans. It was also assumed that other than the host (Americans), the University provides a level play field for all the other international students admitted and the behaviors of a particular group is a reflection of their culture and native background. Research Methodology The relevance and level of accuracy for any research work is fully dependent on the ability of the researcher to effectively collect data that is valid, authentic, reliable and accurate so as to give a realistic reflection of the situation on the ground. The collection of data that has been manipulated or is inaccurate tends to compromise the whole research work and the deductions drawn from it (Nelson, 2014). For this reason, it is out rightly essential to determine the right sample group and the most appropriate data collection method that will guarantee retrieval of most of the information from the participants without compromising its accuracy and legitimacy. For purposes of this research, data is collected from a series of interview sessions with the students. The reason for adapting this data collection strategy is because of the flexibility aspect of interviews. The interviewer has the opportunity to interact with the students on a one-on-one basis and have the chance to ask for clarifications whenever the data given seems vague or contradictory; increasing accuracy of data collected. Using effective communication skills, with less talking and more of listening, the interviewer is able to collect extensive data from the participants. I used a group of 5 participants from varied cultures and social backgrounds. The criteria I used to select the participant was based on first, their varied racial descent to represent the international students from other continents or states, must be a continuing student in at least their second year of study, must have spent their earlier years in their respective native homes and must be able to communicate in English. Every participant was required to answer a series of questions through an oral interview and provide sufficient clarification and demonstrations wherever possible. The interviews were then recorded for future reference and reviews (with the consent of the participants). This is the criteria used for my representative sample group from where I was able to collect views on the challenges they face in interacting with students from both the host country and other international states-putting in mind their different cultural dynamics. They also got to share the impact that these disparities have on their academic life, in quest of acquiring knowledge in this foreign state and subsequently their own thoughts and recommendations on the same. All this information was captured for subsequent analysis. In cases where participants could not express themselves well in English, I deployed the services of an interpreter to enhance communication and provide sufficient details as required. Findings (interpretation, analysis and discussion) After undertaking the interviews, it was evidently demonstrated by all the five participants that they were actually struggling to strike a balance between the two varying cultural dynamics. One of the major hurdles for that was expressed by all participants was communication being students from non-native English-speaking background. They had to first learn the art of pronunciation and knowledge of the language; furthermore, all the lectures and classes were taught exclusively in English with an American ascent and hence they were obligated to learn how to speak fluently and be able to listen and understand the ascent satisfactorily. In essence, they required time to get the language right before proceeding to acquire knowledge. There are other aspects of culture that affected individual participants for instance, a. A participant stated that most Americans are very aggressive and outgoing and proactive which is contrary to their culture. He asserts that his conservative nature has had to change with time to fit in this foreign world. b. The other participant explained of their heavy ascent that curtails communication making it hard to interact with other foreign and native students. c. Another participant yet complained of the fact that their calendar of events at times conflicts with school timetable and the management does nothing to consider their religious obligations. They also have a challenge with the dressing codes and other codes of ethics expressed by students from varied social and religious backgrounds that is contrary to their cultural practice and codes of conduct. On their view of the impact of cultural diversity on education, four out of the five students demonstrated of the fact that the cultural differences have had a huge negative impact on their quest to access education. The participants asserted of the rough time they had in adjusting to the new environment with different people, talking in different languages was stress enough. The feeling of being lost in the middle of ‘nowhere’ is what most of the participants construed throughout the interactive session with them. The unfamiliar environment made them homesick. One of the participants said that within the first three or four days, they were thinking of when they will get back home to their families and friends. These findings from the interview were a clear show of the frustrations that directly affected their ability to concentrate in class as expected of them. The only participant who had no culture-shock effects that distracted them alludes that they have experienced worse situations than these before and so this was just new experience. Furthermore, meeting new people was an exciting encounter and an adventure of a lifetime to him. This was the one case where the participant’s academic pursuance was not affected On their view on the significance of learning abroad, in an international University such as Iowa State University, they exhibited optimism mostly due to the high standards of education offered in such reputable international institutions. 80% of the responses depicted the fact that their home countries have no capacity to offer some of the technical courses due lack of facilities, there are also competent academicians and scholars with high level of qualifications in such developed countries hence the reason for advocating for studying abroad. They also demonstrated the importance of getting to meet people from other areas and learn of their culture and way of doing things. Despite being a tall order, they admit that the process is also important as they have become more accommodative and establish good interpersonal and public relation skills in the process. Lastly, on their recommendation and concluding remarks, a. The first participant recommended that the international universities need to do more in supporting international students in coping up with the new environment and offer remedial classes to assist them understand the language and other dynamics of the education system in America. b. The second participant stated that there is need to address the social vice of discrimination, prejudice and labeling of a particular group of people basing on their race, nationality, religion or culture which is very prominent in the university. There is need for such international institutions to have structures in place to address such emerging issues. The curriculum should also be redesigned to encompass more on the significance peaceful coexistence, international relations and the significance of diversity. c. The third and fourth participants both hailed the University for accommodating students from across the globe without discrimination. The fourth participant also recommended for more university scholarship to be given to students from the third world countries to uplift their standards as the university continues to promote unity in diversity and empowering the bright students from humble backgrounds. d. The fifth and last interviewee appreciated the fact that it is difficult to meet the needs of all the students in such an international institution but stated that there is need for the management to be flexible enough to accommodate positive change fostered by the students whenever possible. Interpretation From the findings of the research, it is evident that cultural diversity among students from varied backgrounds tend to conflict with one another. Some of these differences go further to distract them from in their quest to get education-which is main objective of their enrollment in the institution of higher learning. The biggest hurdle seems to be communication among the different groups and more so between teacher-student interaction. For the learning process to be effective there is need for efficient two-way communication between the lecturers and the students. With English as the second language, foreign international students get it rough keeping up with the pace set by the other students who have English as their native language. This was very apparent in the interviews as participants shared of their struggles to learn the language and at the same time undertake their class work and lectures satisfactorily. Other cultural hurdles exhibited by the various participants that was evidently different from their own and had an effect on their social lives included the mode of dressing, religious affiliations, cultural practices and norms such as mode of greeting, etiquette, boy-girl relationships. Others such as slung and slogans and coded language made some of them feel embarrassed, guilty, uncomfortable or generally out of place. Some behaviors and actions that seem normal for a particular group, is the direct opposite in another different society and such cases make the foreign students have it rough adjusting to the new cultures and practices that may be condoned in their native homes. Analysis From the data collected, it is evident that 80% of the participants were largely affected by the cultural diversity evident in the institution. The wide array of cultural differences resulted to culture shock in 4 out of 5 participants reflecting a reasonably big proportion of the population that is affected. All participants attributed to the fact that language was the biggest hurdle that they had to address. There was need for communication at all levels; between student-student and teacher-student depicting its significance. The assumption is that the views of the participants are a reflection of the experiences of international students at their various levels. It is evident that those whose cultures are distant from that of the Americans for instance the Arabs experience greater challenge and much longer time to adjust that those whose cultures are in some ways relate with the host country (such as participants from South Africa) (Wall, 2013). The finding from above research attributes to raw data that can be subjected for further analysis for detailed study of the respective groups. As construed by Dowdy & Reenen (2014), the analysis of crude data collected from a field work leaves space for marginal errors that are bound to arise due to the inefficiencies of data collection methods and devices. Discussion The non-native English-speakers demonstrated the need to learn English so as to acquire education and be in a position to compete with their fellow counter parts of American descent. According to Charles Horton (2013) in his journal on: Social Organization: Meaning Of Communication And Its Relation To Human Nature documents of the fact that without communication the whole world will be marred by confusion of the highest degree. He asserts that for any organization to achieve its mandate, there is an eminent need for effective flow of information among its various departments in a systematic, accurate and timely manner. This is the same case with the international students at Iowa State University. For them to be part and parcel of the system, there is need to flow with the information as it goes through the system hence the learning process. According to social theorist Adam Johnson, personal disorientation is a common occurrence affecting individuals due to the feeling of unfamiliarity of the surrounding environment. It is usually characterized by elements such as: language barrier, generation gap, technology gap, homesickness and boredom. The participants in the interview clearly showed the impact of change to human behavior. It takes time for one to adjust from one environment to the other. With time, they tend to fully adjust to the society and the cultures that come with it. In essence it is important for international students going to a foreign land for further studies to be well prepared psychologically for what awaits them. Such preparations are important in setting the mind and body for the task ahead. It works to make it easier for them to adapt once there. Conclusion In conclusion, it is evident that international students who find themselves in foreign land in the quest of acquiring education have to put up with the cultural and social differences evident in their new environment. This paper review has demonstrated how such disparities affect students more so those from non-native English-speaking background who have limited knowledge of the language with pronunciation difficulties. From the findings, it is evident that the international students are committed to quickly adjusting to their new surrounding and hence need support of the natives and the learning institutions to help them settle down and adjust with much ease and hence achieve their ultimate objective. Recommendations As earlier mentioned, it is important for the international student to get to learn how to speak and listen to the language of the natives for purposes of effective communication. The students need to be prepared psychologically so as to make the transition period much easier and holistic. The institutions should also adjust their systems to fully accommodate the foreign students by having remedial classes for the slow learners who are yet to adjust to the American system. For the part of the research, the sample population can be redesigned to cover extensively other aspects of study such as gender, social class, age, political affiliations among parameters. References Charles H. C. 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