CHEN, HSIAO-YIN, Ph.D., May 2008 TEACHING, LEADERSHIP, AND CURICULUM STUDIES INTERCULTURAL SENSITIVITY DEVELOPMENT AMONG TAIWAN BUSINESS COLLEGE STUDENTS (409 pp.) Director of Dissertation: Kenneth Cushner, Ed.D. Globalization has led to increasing international mobility among business and education professionals over the past 50 years. When people have increased opportunities to interact with others from different cultures, intercultural sensitivity becomes important to create harmony among various cultural groups and reduce anxiety and cultural conflict. The purpose of this study was to examine Taiwan business colleges students’ intercultural sensitivity and how they learned about different cultures from their daily lives and formal education. The population in this study comprised Taiwanese citizens who were college seniors majoring in international business and management in Taiwan. The Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) and a demographic survey were employed in the first phase, a quantitative study. From a total of 195 students, 103 students (52.8%), 88 students (45.1%), and 4 students (2.1%) scored their intercultural sensitivity in the low-middle DD/R stage, high DD/R stage to low-middle M stage, and high M stage to low-middle AA stage respectively. Data analysis demonstrated no significant differences between students’ intercultural sensitivity and gender, age, and foreign language capability, but significant differences emerged in students’ intercultural sensitivity and international experiences, activities on campus, and future plans. In the second phase, a qualitative study, phenomenological theory was used. Based on students’ scores on the IDIs, 12 interviewees were selected. Interviewees’ intercultural sensitivity inclined either toward the ethnocentrism or ethnorelativism, and gender balance was considered. Data analysis demonstrated students whose intercultural sensitivity leaned toward ethnocentrism primarily learned different cultures from multimedia, had no or few international experiences, were uninterested in participating in intercultural activities on campus, and preferred to work in Taiwan after graduation. To compare with those students, students whose intercultural sensitivity leaned toward ethnorelativism learned cultural differences from listening to others’ international experiences, engaged in international experiences like short-study abroad, were interested in participating intercultural activities on campus, and preferred to pursue higher education overseas after graduation. Various implications emerged for Taiwan business college seniors to enhance their intercultural sensitivity, for Taiwanese teachers to include their personal international experiences in curriculum design, and for business school leaders to consider appropriate programs to improve students’ intercultural sensitivity. INTERCULTURAL SENSITIVITY DEVELOPMENT AMONG TAIWAN BUSINESS COLLEGE STUDENTS A dissertation submitted to the Kent Stat University College and Graduate School of Education, Health, and Human Services in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy by Hsiao-Yin Chen May 2008 © Copyright by Hsiao-Yin Chen 2008 All Rights Reserved ii A dissertation written by Hsiao-Yin Chen B.S., Marylhurst University, 2001 MBA, Marylhurst University 2002 Ph.D., Kent State University 2008 Approved by _________________________________, Director, Doctoral Dissertation Committee Kenneth Cushner, Ed.D. _________________________________, Member, Doctoral Dissertation Committee William Bintz, Ph.D. _________________________________, External Member, Dissertation Committee Patrick J. O’Connor, Ed.D. Accepted by ________________________________, Interim Chairperson, Department of J. David Keller Teaching, Leadership, and Curriculum Studies ________________________________, Interim Dean, College and Graduate School Donald L. Bubenzer of Education, Health, and Human Services iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The accomplishment of my doctoral study would have been impossible without help and support from my dissertation committee: Dr. Kenneth Cushner, Dr. William Bintz, and Dr. Patrick O’Connor. I was able to complete my dissertation with their guidance, knowledge, and thoughtful advice. Special thanks to Dr. Cushner, my adviser, who read several drafts of my dissertation while he was overseas and inspired me to remain focused. Heartfelt thanks to my parents. Few Asian parents encourage their female children to pursue the Ph. D.; however, my parents lovingly supported me during my long doctoral journey. I am grateful to my friends in the United States who championed me through all my difficulties. Their patience and reinforcement cheered me while I was under stress. I also appreciated the cooperation of all of the participants in this study. Their passion and willingness to share their valuable experiences were deeply appreciated. iv TABEL OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ………………………………………………..... iv LIST OF FIGURES ...……………………………………………………..... xvii LIST OF TABLES …..……………………………………………………… xviii TO THE READERS ………………………………………………….……. xx CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION …………………………………………………… 1 Background of the Study ………………………………………..…. 5 Changing Demographics …………….............................…… 6 Challenges in Business Higher Education ………………..… 8 Cross-Cultural Conflicts in the International Business Field …………………………………..…….… 10 The Importance of Intercultural Sensitivity in the Business World ………………………………...………..………… 11 Statement of the Problem ……………………..…………………… 12 Purpose of the Study ……………………………….……………… 14 Research Questions and Hypotheses …………………….………... 16 Primary Research Questions …………………..……………. 16 Specific Research Questions and Hypotheses ………………. 17 Definition of Terms …………………………..……………………. 19 Assumptions ………………………………..……………………… 21 Potential Limitations …………………………..………...………… 21 Significance of the Study ………………………..……………….… 22 v Organization of the Study ………………………….…………….… 24 Summary ………………….……………………...………………… 26 II REVIEW OF LITERATURE ………………………………..………… 27 Introduction to the Economic Development and Educational System in Taiwan …….………………..………………………..………. 27 Economic Development ……………………..…..………….. 28 Educational Innovation ………………..…..………………… 29 Business Education …………………………………...……………. 30 Background of Business Administration …………………..... 33 Pedagogy in Business Education …………………..………... 35 Didactic Pedagogy ………………………..…………... 35 Experiential Learning Pedagogy ……………………... 35 Understanding Culture …………………………...………………… 36 Definition of Culture ………………………….…..…………. 37 Cultural Differences ……………………..….……………….. 37 High-Low context Cultures ...…………………..……... 38 Individualist-Collectivist Cultures ..…………………... 38 Objective Culture vs. Subject Culture …...……………. 39 Culture is Learned …………………………..……….………. 39 The Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity ….………… 40 The Ethnocentric Dimension ……………………………...… 42 Denial of Differences ………………............................. 42 Defense Against Differences ………………………….. 42 Minimization of Differences ………………………….. 43 The Enthnorelative Dimension ……………………...………. 44 Acceptance Stage ……………………………………... 44 vi Adaptation Stage ……………………………………… 45 Integration Stage ……………………………………… 45 How to Interpret the IDI Profile …………………………..……….. 46 Review of Literature on Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) …………………………………………………………….. 50 College Teachers …………………………………...……..…. 51 Medical Trainees …………….…………………………… … 53 College Students ………………..………………………….… 55 High School Students ……….…………….............................. 62 Cross-Cultural Training ………………………………………..….... 67 The Theoretical Basis of Cross-Cultural Training Development ……………………………………..……… 68 Didactic Culture-General Training …………..………... 68 Didactic Culture-Specific Training ………..………….. 69 Experiential Culture-General Training …..……………. 70 Experiential Culture-Specific Training ……..………… 70 Cross-Cultural Training in the Business Community …….…. 71 Area Study Training ………………….……………….. 72 Cultural Awareness Training ………….………………. 72 Intercultural Effectiveness Skills Training …….……… 73 Cross-Cultural Training for Students ……………………...… 74 Research Demographic Variables ……………………..…………… 78 Gender ……………………………………………………..... 78 Age …………………….…………………............................. 78 International Experiences …………………………………… 79 Foreign-Language Capability ……………………………….. 79 Participation in International Activities on Campus ……..….. 80 vii Future Plans ...………………….………………………...…... 80 Interview Methodology …………………………………….……..... 80 How to Learn Cultures From Individuals’ Daily Lives ……...…..… 81 Family …………………………………………………..…… 82 Folktales, Legends, and Myths ……………………..……….. 82 Art ………………………………………………..………….. 83 Mass Media …..………………………………..…………….. 83 International/Intercultural Experiences ………………..……. 83 How to Learn Cultures From Formal Education …………………... 84 Teachers’ Personal Overseas Experiences …………………... 84 Cross-cultural Training/Seminars ……………………..…….. 85 Curriculum Designs and Teaching Strategies ……………….. 86 Summary ……………………………………………...……………. 86 III RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS ……………………………. 89 Research Design ………………………………………………..….. 89 Purpose of the Study ………………………………...………….….. 91 Design of the Study ………………………………………….……... 91 Research Questions and Hypotheses ……………………..………... 93 Primary Research Questions …………………….…………... 94 Specific Research Questions and Hypotheses ………............. 94 Descriptions of the Research Sites ……………………………….… 97 Research Site A …………………………………..………..… 97 Research Site B …………………………………...…………. 98 Research Site