Shared experiences and awareness from learning in a student multicultural environment: Measuring skills’ development in intercultural intensive programs

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to analyze the skills and attitudes development of multicultural teams. In todays’ environment, business interconnectivity and multicultural societies are becoming the normal way of living. Although students are increasingly facing multicultural learning environments, their awareness and willingness or harmonious and productive learning in these environments need to be prepared for in a systematic manner. Therefore, it is necessary that the students are conscious of their commonalities and differences with other students to gain cultural competence. Students’ progress in developing their cultural intelligence is determined by co-operative social skills and the amount of interactions in a multicultural environment.

Design/methodology/approach

The research was conducted using a quantitative methodology. The questionnaire development roots in a students’ self-assessment scheme proposed by Armstrong (Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania) covering the progress made during the participation in an intercultural project.

Findings

The research findings relate to attitudes toward developing and sharing knowledge, stress, learning and task orientation, intercultural communication and cultural awareness skills related to the impacts of culture on the different ways of learning when working in multicultural teams. The study confirmed that knowledge gains and competence progress are higher in international teams compared to national teams.

Research limitations/implications

To provide for better differentiation as to the student profile, e.g., nationality, cultural categories, a larger sample size is suggested.

Practical implications

The study might be seen as a road map for universities and international companies alike for imparting cognitive, affective and behavioral competencies.

Originality/value

This study complements previous studies investigating the phenomenon of stress with multi-cultural complexity in more long-term durations. It implies stress factors to appear also in short-term multi-cultural exposures.

Citation

Sanchez Bengoa, D., Ganassali, S., Kaufmann, H.R., Rajala, A., Trevisan, I., Berkel, J.v., Zulauf, K. and Wagner, R. (2018), "Shared experiences and awareness from learning in a student multicultural environment: Measuring skills’ development in intercultural intensive programs", Journal of International Education in Business, Vol. 11 No. 1, pp. 27-42. https://doi.org/10.1108/JIEB-01-2017-0006