Intercultural Communication from the Perspective of a Project Staff Member : Case Study of Promoting Intercultural Management 2010
Taimitarha, Alexandra (2012)
Taimitarha, Alexandra
Laurea-ammattikorkeakoulu
2012
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2012060511730
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2012060511730
Tiivistelmä
In the spring of 2010, over 25 students and ten teachers participated in a two-week intensive study programme funded by the European Union known as Promoting Intercultural Management, or PIM. The trip had a substantial impact on all its stakeholders, which is why even two years later after PIM took place, students and other stakeholders involved are still referring to it in publications and keeping in touch with each other all over Europe. The participating teachers and students came from educational institutions in different countries in Europe with little or no experience of working and living with people of different cultures. When a group of people from different cultures are placed together in a foreign country and forced to work and study together in an intensive programme, it becomes a very interesting subject of study from an educational and intercultural perspective.
This thesis investigates and analyzes the intercultural communication that took place during PIM in 2010. Furthermore, it contrasts and compares relevant theory from the past 50 years. As culture is a set of human-made objective and subjective elements, the research method was carefully chosen, successfully capturing the experiences of a panel of teachers, students and staff members who took part in the program.
The conclusions reached include why students from different cultures may have behaved the way they did and also why the focus group discussion reacted the way it did to the behavior. The main findings were that the theory is still relevant but is not helpful in predicting future scenarios of intercultural communication. National stereotypes were both clearly observed and defied by the behavior of students during PIM. Lastly, a further discussion on how cultures seem to be changing is also explained using the theory.
Even though the research question was answered, the work raised many new questions, thoughts and ideas. It also shows why intercultural communication is so important in working life and for future cooperation among European countries.
This thesis investigates and analyzes the intercultural communication that took place during PIM in 2010. Furthermore, it contrasts and compares relevant theory from the past 50 years. As culture is a set of human-made objective and subjective elements, the research method was carefully chosen, successfully capturing the experiences of a panel of teachers, students and staff members who took part in the program.
The conclusions reached include why students from different cultures may have behaved the way they did and also why the focus group discussion reacted the way it did to the behavior. The main findings were that the theory is still relevant but is not helpful in predicting future scenarios of intercultural communication. National stereotypes were both clearly observed and defied by the behavior of students during PIM. Lastly, a further discussion on how cultures seem to be changing is also explained using the theory.
Even though the research question was answered, the work raised many new questions, thoughts and ideas. It also shows why intercultural communication is so important in working life and for future cooperation among European countries.