Measuring international business students’ metacognitive and behavioural cultural intelligence in Tampere University of Applied Sciences

Abstract

Tampereen ammattikorkeakoulun kansainvälisen liiketalousopiskelijoiden metakognitiivista ja toiminnallista kulttuuriälykkyyttä mittaava tutkimus. Tutkimuksessa mitattiin metakognitiivista ja toiminnallista kulttuuriälykkyyttä suhteessa muuttujiin, kuten vastaajien kokemuspohjainen oppiminen, opiskellut kurssit aiheesta, ikä ja matkustettujen maiden lukumäärä. Tutkimus toteutettiin osana laajempaa kansainvälistä tutkimusta.

Tutkimuksen tuloksena todettiin vastaajien metakognitiivisen kulttuuriälykkyyden olevan korkea, toiminnallisen kulttuuriälykkyyden keskitasoa. Aiheeseen liittyvien kurssien opiskelun tai kokemuspohjaisen oppimisen ei havaittu vaikuttavan tuloksiin merkittävästi. Kuitenkin tarkempien tuloksien saavuttamiseen suurempi vastaajamäärä tarvittaisiin.

Overall purpose if the research was to see how relation between metacognitive and behavioural cultural intelligence and experiential learning can be seen within Tampere University of Applied Science’s international business students. Experiential learning was limited as one-month period of living, studying or working abroad. This topic was significant for the importance of said experiential learning being major part of the studies and justifying the funding it receives.

Data was collected through online survey, including cultural intelligence scale questionnaire with 7-point Likert scale. This research paper is laid out with an introduction giving an overview of the commissioner, research plan and set hypotheses. Literature review introduces used concepts of experiential learning, cultural intelligence and its four aspects as well as three related readings: a study, research article and a book. Methodology gives an idea how cultural intelligence can be researched and how this research was conducted. Results are represented with supporting figures and analysis made based on them. Conclusion sums up the results, gives validation for the research and recommendations for further studies. Full used survey can be found as appendix.

Respondents metacognitive cultural intelligence was found to be high and behavioural cultural intelligence average. Two thirds of the set hypotheses were met as higher age resulted in higher metacognitive cultural intelligence but relation between having done experiential learning and related courses resulting in higher scores not found. Bigger number of respondents would be needed for better results and to be able to make general assumptions about Tampere University of Applied Sciences international business students.