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This research aimed to explore the relationship between employees' perceptions of organizational politics (POPS) and their predisposition to involve in knowledge sharing (KS) behaviors at individuals and workgroups level in the Brazilian automotive Modular Consortium. The sample included 144 shop floor employees of Modular Consortium (six connected companies in assembly lines). The POPS-KS relationship was analyzed using different referents, seeking to understand how individuals and groups respond to the presence of organizational politics, and POPS and KS were tested in a Brazilian context, shedding new light on potential cultural influences impacting this relationship. The results evidenced that positive interpersonal communication can contribute to KS, and in turn, KS can counteract the negative impacts of POPS. There was a positive relationship between POPS-KS, indicating that POPS may have functional effects in facilitating KS of individuals and workgroups. Key findings and implications for future research were discussed.

The increasing need for spices in the world triggers various expeditions to find sources of spices in the world. The activity of searching for the origin of these spices gave birth to international trade systems and routes. The emergence of this spice route resulted in the emergence of trading ports which became the forerunner to the emergence of new kingdoms. Jepara was one of the kingdoms that emerged because it had a port in a strategic area on the spice trade route. The hustle and bustle of trading activities in Jepara also affects the social life of the Jepara people who have long been known for their carving skills. Traders who come from various parts of the country and abroad open up opportunities for cultural mixing, which has an impact on culture, expertise, and the application of patterns in the art of Jepara wood carving. In this paper, the researcher tries to mitigate the development and influence of acculturation brought by foreign traders with a historiography method to make it easier to read the impact of the maritime spice route on the development of carving in Jepara. The results of this study shows the application of various wood carving motifs to various artifacts as a result of the influence of the mixed culture in Jepara at that time.

This article employs surveys by Gallup, the Central Asia Barometer, and the Barometer of Eurasian Integration, as well as focus groups that were commissioned as part of this research, to argue (1) that Kazakhstani perceptions of the United States compare unfavorably to perceptions of China and especially of Russia; (2) that Russian influence is a minor or nonexistent cause of the United States’ poor image; (3) that US cultural influence has an ambiguous effect on the country’s image in Kazakhstan, due to a “clash of values” between conservative Kazakhstani society and relatively liberal US cultural exports; (4) that the United States’ foreign policy, especially its violation of other states’ sovereignty, has an unambiguously negative effect on its image among Kazakhstanis; and (5) that the resulting relatively negative image of the United States translates into reluctance to build or maintain ties with it. In conclusion, we highlight areas in which the United States–Kazakhstan cooperation is likely to receive a better reception.

Since English is extensively used among linguacultural users to access life opportunities, it has become a requisite foreign language in the Thai educational system. To prepare Thai learners for this new changing role of English and reduce English Language Teaching dependency on the native English variety, this study aimed to explore English lecturers’ voices in Thai universities on existing English as a Foreign Language (EFL) pedagogies at the Thai tertiary level with the research question: how do English lecturers in Thai universities perceive EFL in Thai universities? Data was collected through semi-structured interviews with 25 Thai EFL university lecturers selected from ten different universities in Thailand and analyzed using content analysis. The finding reveals that EFL-oriented pedagogy plays a dominant role in English language teaching (ELT) education in Thai classrooms, illustrating three main salient themes from the study: (1) EFL pedagogies; (2) EFL materials; and (3) EFL curriculums. The result shows that the pedagogy is less responsive in the changing roles of English use and its widespread worldwide, especially among diverse linguacultural interlocutors. Hence, English university lecturers should reconsider, adjust, and made more practical glocal changes in English language teaching for the purpose of language teaching, language planning and predicting language change.

Many theories have been proposed to discuss Sufism in terms of its linguistic origins and its role in spiritual knowledge, its concepts and ideas, and cultural influences. Both Muslim and orientalist scholars have offered opposing views on the beginnings of Sufism. Unfortunately, Western orientalists were the first to research this topic, and their ideas greatly influenced later scholars. This study examines how early British orientalists, particularly Sir William Jones, approached the study of Sufism. Jones represents the early development of British orientalism, which started in the form of personal travel accounts long before orientalist societies were established to support them. Only the later ‘experts on the Orient’ created scholarly circles that followed a more objective and systematic approach to studying Muslim cultures, yet often persisted in the erroneous claim that Sufism was an external and foreign element in Islamic culture.

SUMMARY STATEMENT Culture influences how we communicate, teach, and learn. Debriefings are laden with cultural influences. Without attention to cultural considerations, accepted debriefing techniques might not reach the desired outcome and, in certain cultures, may even harm teacher-learner relationships. We explore cultural considerations in healthcare simulation debriefing and offer guidance for debriefers to gain awareness of potential cultural biases.

This study aims to explore Chinese secondary teachers’ emotional patterns and regulation strategies from the perspective of social construction in the context of education reform, known as the new ...

The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of female students enrolled in STEM majors in highly internationalised university to understand how the various sets of cultural gender-rela...

As the most fundamental economic sector of human societies, farming has played a significant role in interactions between humans and the environment. The study of crop patterns in various regions could not only clarify the economic foundations of early societies, but also greatly improve our understanding of interactions among human beings, the environment, and other creatures. In this regard, this study focuses on early agriculture practices at the Haojiatai site, situated in the cultural and natural transitional region between North and South China. Macro plant remains from this site reveal that foxtail millet was the most important staple crop here during the Longshan and Xinzhai periods (4300-3800 cal. yr BP), along with common millet and a small amount of rice and soybean. This crop pattern is in contrast to the ancient environmental conditions of this region, and cultural factors such as agriculture traditions and food preferences may have been more important in the formation process of this crop pattern.

Higher education in Aotearoa New Zealand – we have a problem. Māori and Pasifika academics are not given time to talk together about Māori and Pasifika student success. Often framed by ‘the academy...

Background A growing body of research highlights the experiences of Black men students who successfully navigate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) educational pathways. Many Black men graduate students in engineering describe moments when their advisors, peers, and, at times, community members make them feel different because of their race and gender. Needed is a better understanding of what motivates Black men to persist in graduate school despite such challenges. Purpose This study advances a new theoretical model, “Black Men's Graduate Engineering Motivation” (BMGEM), to describe the overlaying factors and sources of motivation—and their interrelations—that influence Black men in engineering graduate programs to persist. Research Design To explore the motivational factors that influence Black men in graduate engineering programs at predominantly White institutions (PWIs) to persist, this study of 42 students used an eight-item demographic form, one-on-one semi-structured interviews, and follow-up focus groups. Data analysis was conducted using adapted grounded theory techniques. After the completion of data collection and multiple iterations of analyses (both inductive and deductive), existing conceptualizations of motivation were used to help make sense of data. The connection to existing literature, code development, their placement into categories, and placing categories into themes led to the creation of a substantive, practice-informing theory: Black Men's Graduate Engineering Motivation. Findings Data analysis resulted in the theory of Black Men's Graduate Engineering Motivation (BMGEM). The BMGEM explains the overlaying factors that influence individuals’ experiences and motivations to persist (i.e., sociocultural factors, personal factors, social identities, pre-graduate school experiences), and external and internal motivational sources that also influence students’ motivations to persist (i.e., desire to earn a graduate degree, desire to become an engineer, challenges during graduate school, peers, family members, [under]representation, self-coaching practices, career and professional goals). Conclusions and Recommendations The findings from this study inform future research, and practice-based strategies around broadening participation, that aid in Black men's progress through science and engineering pathways. With this new information, we charge engineering colleges to make true commitments to broadening participation, which means centering students—in this case, Black men—as contributors to STEM. In doing so, engineering colleges need to commit to helping Black men succeed. Assisting in their motivation to persist is a key to meeting this charge.

This paper traces both the scholarly and popular reception of the Old English epic Beowulf from the publication of the first edition of the poem in 1815 to the most recent English novel based on it from 2019. Once the work was first made available to the scholarly community, numerous editions in various languages began to appear, the most recent being in English from 2008; once editions were published, Old English scholars around the world could translate the text into their native languages beginning with Danish in 1820. Translations, in their turn, made the poem available to a general audience, which responded to the poem through an array of media: music, art, poetry, prose fiction, plays, film, television, video games, comic books, and graphic novels. The enduring, widespread appeal of the poem remains great and universal.

This paper examined the impact of culture on risk tolerance for students in Indonesia. By using surveys that had been completed by 309 college students, this research used logistic regression as the main method. This research found that there is no evidence that Western Indonesia would score as more risk-tolerant on standard risk assessment questionnaire and would choose portfolio allocations that are riskier than Central & Eastern Indonesia. Parents' higher education has given a significant result to the risk tolerance match. The theoretical and practical implications of this research are discussed. Our findings suggest that differences in risk tolerance are at least partially a product of a culture which is a tribe in each region, but such differences may not always be reflected in actual investment decisions.Keywords: Risk tolerance, cultural influences, tribeJEL Classifications: I0, Z0DOI: https://doi.org/10.32479/irmm.10224

The growth of technology has impacted billions of lives by allowing people to connect with others through social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Skype, WhatsApp, and so on. Despite the advantages of technology, there has been notable resistance from employees, especially the older generations, who are not eager to adopt social media technologies into their everyday lives. The purpose of this research was to investigate the influence of culture in the adoption of social media by employees in Mafikeng. A questionnaire was utilized to collect data from 252 employees across various government and non-government departments around the Mafikeng business area. The findings revealed the cultural factors that influence employees’ adoption of social media platforms, employees’ readiness to adopt social media, and the impacts of culture on social media adoption by employees. https://doi.org/10.34105/j.kmel.2020.12.018

Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) is an education model that provides a framework for international academic exchanges. Though COIL projects outline some best practices for academic partnerships, there are still several areas of project development in which participating faculty must make important decisions that affect the success of the academic venture. Perhaps one of the most important, yet frequently overlooked, aspects of international academic exchanges are the considerations made for differences in academic cultural practices. The current article details a COIL project in which binational faculty and students shared a semester‐long course. At the conclusion of the course, the two student groups reported vast differences in their experiences. In an effort to explain students' divergent perspectives, the author examines the academic climate reported by students and how academic practices implemented in the COIL project affected the overall success of the course.

Purpose This paper aims to attempt to provide an overview of the valuable scientific contribution on learning organization in social science from the perspectives of Professor Silvia Gherardi and discusses the evolution of Silvia’s work over her long career. Design/methodology/approach With the collaboration of this leading scholar, Professor Silvia Gherardi, this paper investigates several topics pertaining to the debate on Learning Organization and provides a unique perspective on the development of these theories. Findings Starting from the Italian perspective, in which knowledge and learning are mainly social and cultural phenomena, the paper focuses on Professor Silvia Gherardi’s contribution to the emerging area of practice-based theorizing of knowing and learning in organizations. Originality/value In the light of different epistemological approaches and views, the discussion with Professor Silvia Gherardi reveals her practice-based perspective. She proposes a historical analysis of the evolution of the Learning Organization debate, thus providing fertile ground for both researchers and practitioners.

This article offers an analysis the of church music books of the Basilian monasteries of the Rus province in the second half of the 18th— early 19th centuries. Publishing activities of the printing house in Pochayiv Basilian Monastery is described, based on studying the monastery inventories. Publishing targeted on music books, in particular printing so called «Irmola» — multy-genre books, which is a specific Ukrainian type of the church singing book. The article also focuses on the influences of the Basilian Order on the spread of Western Christian cultural influences in the second half of the 18th century.

The article analyzes how the attitude of the Finnish population to Finland’s policy of military non-alignment correlates with the official foreign strategy. The question of public opinion can act as a possible sociocultural tool for its change is examined. The author explains the main reasons for the formation of stable public opinion in favor of neutrality, based on national and cultural identity. The role of public opinion in the Finnish internal debate on the «NATO option» is shown. The thesis that public opinion plays only an auxiliary role in comparison with external circumstances affecting the foreign policy of Finland, which is widespread in research circles, is considered. The author argues that public opinion on Finland’s possible entry into NATO is crucial in two key ways. First, at present, it’s a factor supporting the stable foreign policy decision, which is carried out by the state government. Secondly, in the future, public opinion may become a factor capable, under certain conditions of having a significant impact on the change of the Finnish course in foreign and security policy. The second option assumes that public opinion can play its own role by changing the pre-planned foreign policy scenario.

There has been much effort in recent years to address some of the damage of the recent global financial crisis with financial literacy education. Little research has been done, however, on the factors that might affect the decision to seek individual versus couples-based financial education. We used a survey instrument administered via the online labor market, Mechanical Turk, to examine factors associated with this outcome: whether members of a couple would choose individual or couples financial coaching. All participants were screened for current membership in a committed relationship for at least 6 months. Most participants reported a preference for couples versus individual financial counseling. Key factors that predicted a likelihood to opt for couples' counseling include gender, age, and satisfaction with one's relationship. Results from this study suggest that how and why consumers seek financial education may be affected by social, cultural, emotional, and relational factors as well as financial concerns. Such factors should be considered by practitioners in this field if program marketing, design, and delivery are to be relevant to participants and effective.

The research is about the role of the costume designer and the extent of its effectiveness in achieving the balance between character design that reflects the ideals and goals of movie, and finding the appropriate reference, whether historical or civilized influence, through the design idea on which it is based. For example, the research was taken from the costume design of the star wars movie in a condition that applies to the elements of a suitable design and limited the analysis On Queen Padmé character from the series of star wars movies, the research mentioned three costumes that appeared during the film; throne room gown with its elements inspired in the creative process of design, the lake gown, and the travel gown with its details which Inspired by different civilizations like old historical Russian dress.

This case study illustrates why a group of young adults from a working-class community in the UK choose not to participate in HE despite having the necessary qualifications. It highlights the impac...

Stringent bankruptcy laws are generally understood to increase the costs of failure and thus not conducive for entrepreneurship. In this paper, theory is developed and tested exploring the moderating influences of the dimensions of culture—individualism—collectivism, masculinity–femininity, uncertainty avoidance, and power distance. Results of this study, from conditional fixed effects Poisson regressions, support that stringent bankruptcy laws are positively associated with the levels of entrepreneurial activity in certain cultural contexts.

Rural Americans often face challenges in education and, as a result, long-term economic stability due to a deficiency in access to digital resources, minimal opportunities for advanced education, a...

A shift from reactive and punitive practices in secure juvenile facilities has prompted facilities in the United States to adopt multitiered systems of support such as facility-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports (FW-PBIS) to address climate and culture concerns. To date, most implementation efforts have focused on defining adult behaviors and systems. There is limited understanding of the role of youth voice related to adoption and implementation of the advocated practices. This pilot study sought to understand youth perspectives of FW-PBIS implementation as viewed through the lens of facility/organizational climate assessment. We piloted a facility climate survey for use in juvenile facilities and conducted focus group sessions to capture youth voice. Facilitator and barrier themes related to facility climate with FW-PBIS implementation were identified. Implications for practice, as well as limitations and future directions for research, are discussed.

The article explores academic identities in Ukrainian research universities whilst means–ends decoupling takes place at the state level. The latter term implies that the practices of state policies are disconnected from the state’s core goal of creating public welfare. Such means–ends decoupling occurs in oligarchic economies, Ukraine being one. Data for research were collected through semi-structured interviews with 38 academics from the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences affiliated with 2 Ukrainian research universities. The findings reveal that while institutional complexity caused by means–ends decoupling at the state level results in means–ends decoupling at the organisational level which leads to cultural complexity, both institutional and cultural complexities experienced by academics trigger them to sustain means–ends decoupling at the individual level. As a consequence, academics are able neither to adopt practices/roles prescribed by the organisational identities of the global model of the research university nor to attain synergy among them. The greater means–ends decoupling at the individual level implies a larger gap between constructed academic identities and identities prescribed by the global model of the research university. The greater awareness of academics about their practices being either loosely related or not related at all to their core goal (aspirational identity) and the larger number of practices which they compartmentalise the greater the dissonance they experience. As means–ends decoupling at all the aforementioned levels implies a severe diversion of human intellectual capital in Ukraine, it entails grave consequences for the Ukrainian society and economy.

This study investigated the relationship between cultural influence and people’s daily media choices. From the perspective of high-context and low-context culture, an online survey was conducted with 351 participants from China and America filling out questions about culture content, media richness, and daily media choices. Findings not only supported the general notion that China has a relatively high-context culture while the US is comparatively low on the scale, but also indicated that people in different cultures perceive the same communication medium differently. The current study also found out that the perceived media richness of a medium may have a negative impact on the likelihood that it would be chosen for communication. Possible reasons for these findings were explained from the perspective of media richness and social presence. This study suggested further research on variables of convenience, privacy and power distance regarding the utilization of various communication media in different contexts.

In Australia, the number of female graduates in some science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines is as low as 15%. Previous reviews exploring the issues affecting female un...

The literature on first-generation college students largely focuses on the challenges and barriers they may experience in college. Yet, we do not have a clear understanding of who these students are as learners. To address this gap, this systematic review examines how scholars study and conceptualize first-generation college students as learners. We found the majority of the literature we reviewed conceptualized them as learners based on their academic performance and the influence of cultures on their learning. These two conceptualizations positioned first-generation college students against normative ways of learning, and in doing so promulgate an assimilation approach in higher education. We found a smaller body of literature that conceptualized first-generation college students as learners whose lived experiences, when connected to academic content, can contribute to their academic learning, advancement of disciplines, self-growth, and community development. We use this alternative view to provide recommendations for studying and working with first-generation college students.

There is growing awareness and international commitment to improving sexual and reproductive health for persons with intellectual disabilities. Despite this, people with intellectual disabilities c...

This essay explores the literary and cultural influence of post-Reformation English Bible translation. The massive influence of biblical language and ideas has been well studied, but the specific i...

Aim/Purpose: This paper investigates the educational gap between males and females caused by gender segregation in Saudi educational institutions and the role of Mobile Learning Technology (MLT) in bridging this gap through the emphasis on teaching practices, learning resources, and opportunities, as well as participation in campus life. Background: There is a gender gap over the access to educational opportunities and facilities raised by the segregation in educational institutions in Saudi Arabia. In Saudi society, school campuses have been always been restricted due to the cultural and social values of the native people. The practice of segregation extends across all social aspects of life including education. This has resulted in a gender preferred educational system that highly favors males over females in terms of teaching, learning opportunities, facilities, and resources, as well as the participation of activities on campus. This has become disadvantageous for female students because it has limited their equal access to learning opportunities, sometimes trained by less experienced instructors, and has led thus to an unfair academic performance. Methodology: An online surveying system was used with a population of all female students who are enrolled in 13 colleges located in Jeddah. The size of the population was 15,171 students. The sampling technique was probabilistic random in which only 300 questionnaires were received back, and only 187 out of 300 questionnaires were fully answered. The study is descriptive, and it used a quantitative survey method with a cross-sectional collected data. Contribution: This study supported instructors and higher education administrators in adopting MLT to overcome some cultural gaps caused due to segregation by adding literature on MLT contribution to the enhancement of higher education opportunities for women in Saudi Arabia. This study is the first of its kind in the context of Saudi Arabia to delve into the role of MLT in closing the gender gap through making an effective Saudi higher education system policy. Findings: There are some challenges experienced by Mobile Learning Technology to close the gap caused by gender segregation in the Saudi educational institutions in relation to some dimensions that include demographic data, teaching gap, content, educational opportunities, participation in campus life, and the use of mobile learning. Recommendations for Practitioners: This study recommends that the educators should consider the need to implement Mobile Learning Technology in the educational system of Saudi Arabia as a means of bridging the everlasting gap of gender separation, especially in schools, and also to empower female students to compete at the same level with their counterpart male students. Recommendation for Researchers: Further research is expected to focus on effective implementation in Mobile Learning in female campuses as well as government assistance of promoting Mobile Learning in both public and private schools of female campuses. Impact on Society: The study findings could be highly beneficial for understanding the problems that confront equality and transparency in education between male and female and how Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools could help guarantee equality in education. Future Research: Future studies could be extended to other areas of assisted online education tools. Furthermore, measures can be implemented to enhance transparency and equality between males and females in education, which could be associated with satisfaction levels for both sides.

The UK construction sector is not diverse and is reputed to be dangerous, dirty, physically demanding and non-professional. Young people often regard construction jobs as a last resort. Yet there is a growing skills shortage that needs to attract greater diversity of applicants. The aim of the BRIDGE (Building Routes Into Degrees with Greater Equality) project was to improve the number and diversity of entrants to professional construction higher education programmes. An in-depth assessment of the current situation informed a theory of change, and identified seven interrelated themes to tackle this. This case study is focused on the recruitment theme. Using action research, imagery/wording used in student recruitment was updated and staff undertook equality, diversity and inclusion training. The findings demonstrate the positive effective of these interventions. For example, on one target programme, the percentage of female students increased from 8% in 2016 to 23% in 2017.

The paper focused on aspects of HR in international firms. It tries to explore the implications of global HR skills and competencies. That is how the HRM is practical in multinationals in globalized, liberalized and privatized world. In particular cultural influences on HR and HRD, emerging skills, and implications for the firms and some suggestions for them are attempted. Keywords: Skills, HRD, Competencies, Globalization.

Background Oncology nurses face unique challenges in the care of patients from culturally diverse backgrounds. Culture, values, and preferences play important roles in patient decision-making regarding goals of care and treatment. Objectives This article describes the content and outcome of an educational seminar for nurse residents, which uses storytelling to highlight the relationship between dynamic cultural influences and ethical decision-making. Methods A 75-minute didactic seminar using storytelling, role-playing, and simulation was incorporated into a nurse residency program. Stories illustrate the role of oncology nurses in protecting and advocating for vulnerable patients, respecting and accommodating cultural differences, and increasing self-awareness of personal values that may influence decisions. Tests were administered to participants before, immediately after, and three months after the seminar to measure changes in knowledge. Findings Over one year, 107 novice oncology nurses, in five cohorts, attended the seminar. Results demonstrated an overall increase and sustainment of knowledge regarding ethical decision-making in nurse residents and illustrated the effectiveness of storytelling as a method to promote ethical decision-making among staff.

Requirement Engineering (RE) is a socio-technical activity and it demands intensive communication with the stake-holders to elicit and model all requirements. As both national and organisational cultures influence the behaviour of the individuals and their work practices, they might also influence RE activities deeply. We propose an extension to a formal framework for identifying and analysing cultural influences that could impact RE activities: the aim is to apply the framework not only on the national culture level, but expand it to the level of organisational culture to provide a more nuanced approach.

The South African Schools Act, 84 of 1996, articulates the establishment of School Governing Bodies, which authorises stakeholders such as parents, educators and learners to participate actively in decision-making processes pertaining to school governance. The Act further stipulates that learners, through the Representative Council of Learners, should be afforded full opportunity to participate in crucial decisions by the broader governing body. The reason for undertaking this study reported on here was triggered by the concern raised by various authors about the high level of ineffectiveness of learners as governors of schools in South Africa. The objective of this study was to investigate the significance of culture in determining the extent of learner effectiveness as governors of schools in rural South Africa. As a means of achieving this objective, perceptions of members of Representative Councils of Learners (RCL) from selected rural high schools in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, were sought. These perceptions centred on the extent to which cultural influences impeded on learner effectiveness as governors of schools. This study explored and analysed the significance of culture in relation to learners’ effectiveness as governors of schools in rural South Africa. A qualitative research approach, based on a purposive sampling method and interviews, was espoused by engaging members of the Representative Council of Learners in certain selected high schools of the Harry Gwala District in KwaZulu-Natal. The findings of the empirical study investigation divulged that culture was one of the main impediments to learners’ effective school governance in the rural South African setting. The study recommends the intervention of the Department of Education, with the view of creating an environment conducive to active learner participation in school governance in rural areas.

This chapter explores how superhero costumes are translated from the printed page to the screen in three ways. First, to provide sociocultural and historical context, the early history of comic book costuming is considered, including the role of broader cultural influences, material technologies, and live action media adaptations. Second, extensive interview excerpts are used to highlight the issues and challenges of translating between in-print and on-screen costuming, including more recent barrier-breaking superhero movies such as Captain Marvel and Black Panther. Third and finally, the relationship between print and screen superhero costumes as opposite sides of the coin are explored using two contrasting case studies, with the long-term continuity in Superman’s costuming on one side, compared to the ongoing changes and variability in Catwoman’s costuming on the other.

The inflow of international students to Indian higher education has remained low and this should be a matter of great concern. As a piece of country-specific research, this paper aims to understand...

Imposing the policy lessons from higher-performing countries may involve the complex interplays of socio-cultural and institutional contexts. This article attempts to observe Taiwan’s progress in h...

This study seeks to examine the influence of the cultural elements on international students’ country choice. It also examines whether individual values moderate the influence of cultural elements ...

This qualitative study employed portraiture methodology and the analytical tool of thinking with theory to comprehend how gay Latino men enrolled at a four-year university experienced heteronormati...

Purpose To extend the understanding of country image to the country whose image is less distinctive, the purpose of this paper is to examine two salient factors: one country’s prototypical brand and its cultural influence (i.e. Korean Wave) on shaping the country’s image in the context of Korea and its subsequent impact on product evaluation and purchase intention. Built on the prototype and schema theories, a research framework is proposed and empirically tested on two product categories (cosmetics and tires). Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from US consumers ages 20 and older and analyzed using structural equation modeling. Findings The findings largely supported the proposed framework with two additional paths (Korean Wave to product quality and Korean Wave to purchase intention). In both product categories, the findings confirmed that the image transfers from the prototypical brands (e.g. Samsung) to the country image (i.e., Korea), from Korean Wave to country image, and from the macro country image to the micro country image. The influence of the prototypical brand image was greater than that of the Korean Wave. However, some differences were found across product categories; the positive impact of the macro image on product quality evaluation was supported only for tires, not in the case of the cosmetics. The path from the Korean Wave to product quality evaluation was significant only for the cosmetics, and not for the tires. Originality/value These findings provided new theoretical perspectives for country image studies, and practical insights for companies, especially in countries whose image is less distinctive, to help develop effective marketing strategies in different product categories.

This study presents original research findings of a qualitative study of Qatar’s international higher-education branch-campus model, which in 2016 hosted 11 international branch campuses, among the most of any country then. Few studies have examined the rationales, goals, and challenges of the branch-campus model from a host country’s perspective. This paper asks two central questions: 1) Why did Qatar partner with six North American universities to establish six international branch campuses between 2001and 2008 and 2) what were the challenges during the early years of operations from the Qatari and branch-campus leadership perspectives? This study’s primary data-collection method was face-to-face, open-ended interviews. I interviewed 18 participants in Qatar and recruited based on potential participants’ positions relative to the establishment, oversight, and governance of the six branch campuses. I also included executives and directors from the government of Qatar, Qatar Foundation, and leadership of the six branch campuses. I used extant documents, such as annual reports, strategic plans, government reports, speeches, and popular-media articles as additional data sources. Findings included rationales and goals related to pedagogy, sociocultural development, societal engagement, development of research capacity, and Qatar’s status as a leader and driver of change in the Arab Gulf region and beyond. Challenges included sociocultural issues, tensions between the international branch-campus leaderships and their home institutions, and conflicting expectations between the branch campuses and Qatar Foundation. These findings include in-depth and new insights into host-country goals and aspirations, and challenges experienced by U.S. and host-country partners, and how these challenges have been addressed.