Business & Management

Considering words and the areas of the mind that they impact as two-dimensional shapes forms the theoretical basis from which intercultural communication between the West and Sub-Saharan Africa are examined. Unique shapes of words are illustrated as arising from their meeting with equally unique 'impactible areas' of people's minds, and cultures, resulting in transmitted and received shapes differing in a way related to lexical content at both ends. Differences in overlap between word impacts, shapes of words and fit between words in different languages / cultures are shown to contribute to imprecision in translation, resulting in the recommendation that local policy be of local origin. The above is applied to Christian mission in Africa through diagrammatic representations of 'love' as a spiritual gift in comparison to fellow words, and by an inter-cultural consideration of public…

How may culture be defined? Numerous works and important contributions have been answering this crucial question for the past thirty years; yet the problem remains unsolved. When taking a close look at ‘intercultural communication’, we may see that some utterances might not be thatcultural at all. If we have a clear definition of ‘intercultural communication’, then what is ‘intra-cultural communication’ (Winch 1997, Ma 2004)? Is there really a sharp difference between these two concepts and is miscommunication necessarily ‘cultural’ when implying individuals or groups from alleged different cultural backgrounds? We will study various examples and try to separate the cultural from the non-cultural by taking a close look at intercultural and intra-cultural miscommunication, insofar as their definitions seem to ultimately cover the same conceptual maps. After this first step, we will…

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has evolved globally from philanthropic acts to strategic initiatives with social, environmental, and economic implications. In Kenya, CSR is often applied philanthropically, with limited integration into long-term development strategies, especially in rural areas. This study investigates the social impacts of Rabai Power Company’s (RPL) CSR initiatives on sustainable rural development and corporate reputation in Kilifi County, Kenya. It aims to assess how CSR activities influence community beneficiaries and shape the company's legitimacy and stakeholder perceptions. A qualitative case study approach was used. Data were collected through four key informant interviews and one focus group discussion. The study was guided by Stakeholder Theory, Legitimacy Theory, and the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) framework. The data were thematically analyzed to…

This study used a descriptive research design and qualitative research methodologies to investigate the factors affecting media independence at the South African Broadcasting Corporation. The study employed purposive sampling to pick four directors, four editors, and four journalists from the South African Broadcasting Corporation utilizing non-probability selection. Thematic analysis was employed to analyze the data. The results indicate that the South African Broadcasting Corporation has difficulties, including an inadequate legislative framework and insufficient governmental assistance to establish effective regulations that safeguard personnel and foster a media climate conducive to autonomous work. The research revealed that the political environment affecting the South African Broadcasting Corporation impacts media freedom. Certain political organizations, prominent persons, and…

This study investigates the relationship between entrepreneurs’ dispositional optimism and the creative performance of their new ventures. While optimism is generally regarded as a positive entrepreneurial trait, this research explores whether excessive optimism may, under certain conditions, undermine creative outcomes. Drawing on social cognitive theory, the study surveyed 1,000 new ventures across Pakistan using a stratified random sampling technique. Data were collected from 231 top-level founding entrepreneurs using validated psychometric scales. Hierarchical regression and interaction analyses were conducted to examine the direct and moderated effects of optimism on creative performance. Results reveal a significant negative association between high levels of dispositional optimism and creative performance. This effect is intensified by two moderating variables: prior…

This paper aims to explore the fundamental principles of sound monetary policy, fiscal prudence, and entrepreneurial innovation, which have historically supported the economic prosperity of nations. It seeks to identify the factors leading to an impending financial crisis and proposes countermeasures based on market liberalization and individual entrepreneurial resilience. Using a critical analysis of prevailing economic conditions, this paper evaluates the unchecked expansion of the monetary supply, fiscal policies, and government interventions. The methodology includes a review of historical economic trends and the application of theoretical frameworks concerning monetary policy, fiscal responsibility, and market innovation. The research identifies that the unchecked expansion of the monetary supply has contributed to inflationary pressures, diminished savings incentives, and led to…

In this research, we investigated Confucian and Protestant work ethics (CWE and PWE) among 160 Polish and Korean respondents, distributed into balanced groups with regard to region, occupational status, and gender. We found that Koreans revealed higher levels of PWE than did Poles. CWE turned out to be not exclusive to Asian cultures, as Poles scored higher than did Koreans. The results support the necessity of reconciling cultural differences. We think that values, which are believed to support economic development, are not related to one particular work ethic.

Exploring the communicative behavior of teachers and students in the Japanese language classroom in Singapore is one important way of looking at intercultural communication between Japanese and Singaporeans. Ease in effective communication is often hindered by differences in expectations resulting in communication gaps. In this study, attempts were made to explore the differences in perceptions held by students and Japanese teachers of (i) a good teacher versus a Japanese teacher; and (ii) a good student versus a university student. A questionnaire based on previous findings was constructed using a 5-point semantic differential scale for this purpose. A comparison of results showed that there were significant differences in students’ and teachers’ perception of a good teacher/student versus the teacher/student in reality.

Sweden is rapidly changing from being a monocultural to a multicultural society. The effects of this process can also be seen in health care which has, up till now, been one of the most ethnically and gender segregated working places, compared to the industrial sector. Increasing multiculturality places the issue of intercultural communication on top of the agenda for Swedish society in general and for the health care sector in particular. This article is based on the results of two interrelated questionnaires, one directed at non-Swedish physicians, a relatively new but rapidly growing group in Swedish heath care, and one directed at Swedish health care personnel, a traditionally ethnically homogeneous group. The respondents’ answers have been summarised and compared in order to get a comprehensive picture of intercultural communication in Swedish health care.

The research problem is that West Nusa Tenggara lacks the local characteristics to support sustainable eco-tourism and culture. The case study of the quantitative descriptive method was used to describe the motivation behind the establishment of sustainable eco-tourism, the evaluation of triple helix support factors (government, academia, and green product business actors) in the development of the ecotourism, evaluation of internal factors of ecotourism, SWOT analysis, and the establishment of a green entrepreneur development strategy model in weaving and pearl industries. The results of the study show that the pearl shell breeding industry in West Lombok, which consists of pearl shellfish culture, treatment, pearl shell growing, pearl cultivation, pearl processing, pearl processing into jewelry, processing pearl shell waste into jewelry, and souvenirs, as well as the use of pearl…