An Analysis of the Differences in Business Students' Intercultural Sensitivity in two Degree Programmes

Abstract

The initial assessment and the in-between assessment of intercultural sensitivity of students of the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria (UASUA) is examined, representing an important part of a planned longitudinal study. Additionally, the researchers present the design of the future. In general the researches want to explore the effects of intercultural education on business students. In this paper the researchers want to evaluate whether there is a difference in cultural sensitivity of students choosing two different business studies, one with, the other one without intercultural courses and inputs. Furthermore, the disparity between objective and subjective intercultural sensitivity is compared. In a next step the researchers analyze the effects of the first intercultural education part in one of the selected business studies. An approved test instrument (IDI) and an additional survey developed by the researchers are used for evaluation and t-tests are used to compare the two groups of students and the development of the sensitivity measurements over time. These findings contribute to a longitudinal study aimed at assessing the effectiveness of specific input on intercultural sensitivity over several generations of students.

Social Intelligence and Communication Competence: Predictors of Students’ Intercultural Sensitivity

“…This finding is in accordance with literature showing that there was no significant difference in intercultural sensitivity between males and females (McMurray, 2007;Del Villar, 2010;Margarethe, 2012;and Chocce et al, 2015). However, females seemed to insignificantly exhibit higher intercultural sensitivity than males in some or all of the intercultural Sensitivity Scale's factors.…”

Intercultural sensitivity: A comparative study among Business English Undergraduate Learners in two Countries of Iran and China

“…This fFinding is not similar to McMurray's (2007) and Margarethe, Hannes, and Weisinger's (2012) results that reported no significant difference in intercultural sensitivity between males and females. McMurray (2007) and Margarethe et al (2012) noted that the female participants tended to score slightly higher than males. Westrick (2004) also studied the relationship of gender on intercultural sensitivity and reported that females exhibited higher intercultural sensitivity than males.…”

Intercultural Sensitivity among Private University Students in Jakarta, Indonesia

“…By filling its built environment with gazebos and other foreign structures, Bina Nusantara University helps its students become more familiar with other cultures' architecture. Research by Margarethe, Hannes, and Wiesinger (2012) and Bradshaw and Biggs (2007) showed that an educational institution can support the development of their students' ICS by providing courses on cultural diversity topics. Based on the results of a questionnaire and interviews, the researcher found that Bina Nusantara University has a course which discusses cultural diversity issues, called "Character Building: Interpersonal Relationship."…”

“…However, it is not a mandatory subject. Based on research by Margarethe, Hannes, and Wiesinger (2012) and Bradshaw and Biggs (2007) about the effects of cultural diversity studies on the development of ICS, the researcher assumes that the absence of a mandatory course focused on cultural diversity issues is one of several factors that contribute to these students' position in the ICS Defense stage.…”

“…As ICS is dynamic and can be developed, various studies have attempted to find factors that can influence, or at least have a significant relationship with, the development of ICS. Some of these factors are: (1) Overseas study (Williams 2005;Anderson et al 2006;Straffon 2003); 2Intercultural education (Margarethe, Hannes, and Wiesinger 2012;Bradshaw and Biggs 2007); and (3) Overseas travel experience (Baños 2006).…”