How do you support the development of students’ intercultural competences?

1. How do you support the development of students’ intercultural competences? Ingeniørhøjskolen i København August 24th 2010 - Bjørn Nygaard www.idethandling.combjorn@idethandling.com

2. Culture is in most things we do Even in how to present one self! ”A Japanese business man visited a Fortune 500 company in New York. He was asked to give a speech, which he started by saying: ”I know that Americans often begin a speech with a joke. In Japan, we often start with an apology. As a compromise, I will apologize for not making a joke.” www.idethandling.com

3. My “cultural encounter” background Practical: • Danida advisor in Kenya, 3 years • Consultant in Africa, Asia, Russia and the Middle East, 13 years • COWI and NIRAS: Colleagues with multi-cultural background • Cultural encounter trainings: Novozymes’ management course, Danida and the Danish Trade Council, Risø • Conflict management • Evaluation of cultural encounter projects at University Colleges of Engineering Theoretical: • Anthropology – field work in Danish factories in Malaysia • Book: Data collection in Danish multi-cultural organisations • NLP (communication) • Conflict management Book: Gyldendal Business: “Kulturmødet på arbejdspladsen – kulturel kompetence som konkurence parameter i en globaliseret verden” (September 2010) www.idethandling.com

4. Objective and Programme Objective: That you have more knowledge about how to support the students in their cultural encounters Program: • What is intercultural competence (IC) and why is it important? • What are your challenges? • What do you already do? • What else can be done? • How do you work with your IC? www.idethandling.com

5. What is IC? • The desire and ability to act and communicate, so that constructive meetings with persons from other cultures are achieved. In long standing relations this can only be achieved though knowledge about other cultures, the ability to obtain such knowledge, self insight, strong communication abilities and empathy. • The ability to achieve once goals wihtout letting culture get in the way www.idethandling.com

6. Example http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFbPCj_cajY&feature=related(Kystvagten – 3.00 min. henne) www.idethandling.com

7. Intercultural Competence - Elements www.idethandling.com

8. Why is IC important in your organisations? • Danish engineers working abroard or in multi cultural organisations in DK need IC. Or: go home, inefficient, less innovation ... • International students learn less, have poor social experiences, do not stay in DK, ... • Lectures experience difficult teaching situations • Organisations: Fewer customers due to a bad reputation www.idethandling.com

9. 1. Team-efficiency Multi cultural groups Mono cultural groups Averageefficiency Highefficiency Inefficiency Low or high efficiency Based on Dr. Carol Kovach, Graduate School of Management - University of California www.idethandling.com

10. Your challenges What are they? Please give me some examples of difficult meetings and how you tackle them www.idethandling.com

11. What I have heard about your challenges: International students (generalised): • Seem inactive and do not take responsibility during class – used to rote learning + language problems – flat/hierarchy • Group work is hard – used to individual work - Kol./Ind. • Project work is hard – used to copy/paste – flat/hierarchy • Loose framework  lose motivation - authority • Difficult to show there are things you do not know to the lecturer (do not like to interprete) – used to distant lecturers and punishment - flat/hierarchy • Difficult to share knowledge (peer learning) – ”knowledge is power - trust • Difficult to keep time – polykron/monokron time (especially Africans), few sanctions • Culture chock - some stop (maybe due to difficult cultural encounters)

12. Danish students (generalised): • At times they speak their ethnic language when others are present (some internationals too) • Dominate, decides and at times marginalise international students in group work  projects work the “Danish way” • More direct (critique)  seem rude • Limited social initiative in and outside the study context  limited social contact www.idethandling.com

13. What do you already do? • Talk with students and colleagues about the cultural encounter – how can the competences of the international students be used? • Introduction to the organisation and student club • Party where international students cook • IC-project incl. Introduction to project work and roles • Group work without much interference from lecturer – in the group it is ok not to know it all • Team contract (conflict management, communication rules); define expectations to and roles in group work • Semester start: “Cocktail party” introduction, game with different rules, pictures which can be interpreted differently depending of culture, team building • Danish students as superviser for internationals - som leder ude

14. Which type of cultural encounter are you aiming at? • Assimilation – the international students behave like Danish students and e.g. learn how to share knowledge and talk openly to the lectures • Integration – they adjust on all important areas but keep a “cultural flavour” • Fusion – a double adjustment, where stakeholders test each others behaviour and learning stiles etc. • Colonisation – reverse assimilation www.idethandling.com

15. What more can be done? Students – reconcile opposites: • Institutionalise that the students explore what ”the others” do and think (and why) • And that they try out each others’ ways of doing things (fusion) instead og only/primarily using the Danish model of learning and cooperation (assimilation/integration) • Use the above as team building + evaluate team contract • A crash course in IC (how to explore, communication skills, what are the Danes like ...) The host role: • It is made clear to the Danish students that they have a host role and give examples of what that implies (explain ”Danish ways”, invite out/home, experience a Danish Christmas • Match a Danish and an international student (social mentor)

16. How can this be done? • Discuss in groups of two www.idethandling.com

17. The lecturers are front runners and show a good example (fusion and not assimilation?): • Reconcile this with the way you train. • Explain more, take less for granted: What is it “at gå i grupper”, the supervisor role, project work, oral examination, do you take notes? etc. Danish teaching tradition • Give students good marks for IC behaviour • A course in IC (exploration, communication, selfinsight, conflict management) • Explore training modalities from international students home countries e.g. the role of the lecturers, examination types etc. And let the Danish students experience how you do it

18. Innovation via fusion The group’s fusion culture New common elements Culture A The strengths of the two ”old cultures” – the elements you wants to retain and share Culture B www.idethandling.com

19. Reconcile opposites www.idethandling.com

20. www.idethandling.com

21. Innovation via fusion – example from Risø • ”There is a very direct approach here: ”what good will this do?” You are not so direct in the European countries I am used to work in. It is done in order to quickly know what people think. But it can be quite a shock. People who have been here a while start applying this approach. Maybe they down play the confrontational element but they still ask the questions. One probably add a bit of politeness. I would take a bit from both worlds: Say what you mean but without harassing anybody” (European employee) • Conflict theory: to be firm on the issue and considerate in your relation www.idethandling.com

22. How can this be done in your organiasation (innovation via fusion and reconcile opposites)? • Discuss in groups of two www.idethandling.com

23. To sum up: • Danes: a) Explore the new students' culture, b) explain the organisational and learning culture to the new comers, c) organise innovation through fusion, d) be hosts • Foreigners: a) Explore Danish culture and the learning/organisational culture, b) try to do in Rome like the Romans do, c) try actively to introduce the elements of their own culture they find effective but do not expect they (all) will be integrated into the organisation ideas2action ApS

24. Tools to explore

25. Intercultural Competence - Elements www.idethandling.com

26. Exploration Curiosity is not enough: • Observation skills (observations v/interpretations) • Active listening (listen, repeat/sum up, explorative questions e.g. how did he react, what did you do then, and few “whys”) • Reflection – what do all the (cultural) signs tell me? • Sum: Internal field work When you reflect ask your self questions like: • Why do they do that? • Does everybody do this? • Why did they react like that when I did this? • What do I need to know in order to manoeuvre in this cultural setting? www.idethandling.com

27. Exercise: Tell the Difference Between Observations and Interpretations Which of the following statements are observations and which are interpretations? • He is angry • He speaks in a high voice and his eyes are almost closed • His body shows signs of tension • He is drunk • She lowers her shoulders • Her fists are clenched • He has a frustrated look on his face • She is angry. She thinks I am an idiot www.idethandling.com

28. Explore your neighbour • Dane to a foreigner: What puzzles you about the work or organisational culture at your organisation? • Foreigner to a Dane: What would you like to know about the way we work in my home country (solve problems, manage projects, innovate, ...)? • Dane to Dane: What are the organisational culture differences between this organisation and a previous workplace • Reshuffle – sit in pairs (preferably Dane/foreigner) • Explore/”dig in” (how, what, when ...) www.idethandling.com

29. Analysis and reflection Behaviour & cultural artefacts Official values Deep values & assumptions Inspired by E. H. Schein, 1992 www.idethandling.com

30. Communication • For some it just comes natural: • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwaLTpnozP4&feature=related(Condy) www.idethandling.com

31. Key communication skills • The ability to create rapport (calibration (not interpretations) and matching “the other”) • Ability to put one self in “the other’s” shoos (second position) • Be as specific as possible if you want to be understood • Code of conduct • Active listening • Appreciative feedback www.idethandling.com

32. Appreciative feedback ”Danes would be considered very rude in the US.” ”Danes do not give appreciative feedback.” ”Danes can be very rude. Now I know how it is meant. I had not experienced it before. I was shocked.” ”Danes are good at giving negative feedback – in order for one to improve. A person from e.g. India would say ”all is perfect”. As a leader you give him feedback and suddenly he sais ”don’t you think I am good enough” You can see his tension.” www.idethandling.com

33. Sandwich • 2-3 detailed and specific observations of what is positive/works well • The juicy beef: What is less perfect and how it can be improved • The overall positive assessment • Somebody give me feedback on my presentation so far please www.idethandling.com

34. Communication and language http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_N1Cmt_QB0&feature=related (Malta) www.idethandling.com

35. Cultural knowledge • Does and don’ts  no big mistakes • Stereotypes (sub-groups; P. Reddy: little time for child’s emotional needs) • Alternative: Explore • In order to meet people as persons and not (just) as cultures (or cultural stereotypes) and to know what is not in the books www.idethandling.com

36. 300 definitions in 1952! (Kroeber and Kluckhorn) The special way we as a group think, communicate and act. It is generally unconscious and is passed on from one generation to the next – but at the same time it changes (slowly). Not just rituals, norms and rules! www.idethandling.com

37. What drags us imperfect humans into cultural conflicts? • (Feeling) lack of respect and recognition - Axel Honneth (a basic human need, insensitive e.g., tough feedback and insensitive jocks, discrimination, assimilation) • Different values (which one “rules”, misunderstandings, gender - Kenya) • Misunderstandings/misinterpretations (Swede in Bangladesh / observations-interpretations) • Less trust (has to be build) www.idethandling.com

38. Litterature • Brislin, R.: Culture’s influence on behaviour • Hammerich, Else & Frydenberg, Kirsten: Konflikt og Kontakt, 2006. • Larsen, Hanne: Multikulturelt teamwork på professionsskolerne i: Day, Babara og Stensen, Jette (red.), Kultur og etnicitet på arbejdspladsen, 20?? • Nygaard, Bjørn: Kulturel kompetence på arbejdspladsen, 2010. • Plum, Elisabeth: Cultural Intelligence, 2009. • Trompenaars, Fons og Hampden-Turner, Charles: Riding the Waves of Culture, 1997 (2009). www.idethandling.com