D.B.A.  Baker College (Michigan), 2012.
Specialization: Business education; Business

The combined role of experiential activity and uncertainty familiarization and its impact on the acculturation experiences of higher academic expatriate students
139 pages. UMI #: AAT 3549104
Bibliographic Record in ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Database

The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to measure the effectiveness of methods used to prepare students for study and work in a foreign country, including a standard checklist of cultural norms and behaviors, approaches to acceptable and unacceptable cultural interaction, and Hall's experiential activities to prepare students for unfamiliar environments by exposing them to many of the feelings and challenges associated with the experience of being lost. Data collection involved administering the Cross Cultural Adaptability Inventory to two groups of 50 participants each. Experimental group participants received preparation based on a specific experiential activity and uncertainty familiarization. Control group members received the standard preparation typically offered by their sponsoring schools. All participants took the CCAI 2-3 weeks after being in the host culture to evaluate how well their training prepared them for their intercultural experience. After several weeks in the host culture, participants were interviewed to further assess their level of acculturation and the role that the preparatory training played in preparing them for their experiences. Results showed that prior preparation through experiential activities and uncertainty avoidance resulted in students that adapted more readily to acculturation.

• Helen Bojarczyk, Ph.D., Chair
• Bernice Folz, Ph.D.
• Jill Langen, Ph.D.