Creativity and intercultural competence in multicultural organizations from a pragmatism framework

Svanström Salomonsen, Moses Rikard Ambu

4. term

Culture, Communication and Globalization, Master

2018

2018-05-31

89

Denne afhandling undersøger centrale udfordringer inden for interkulturel kompetence: etnocentrisme (at vurdere andre kulturer ud fra sin egen), manglende hensyn til kulturel kontekst, svag tværfaglig dialog og begrænset nytteværdi, fordi kompetencen ofte ikke kobles til præstation i praksis. Da meget forskning på området stammer fra vestlige lande, risikerer vestlige normer at definere, hvad der anses for interkulturel adfærd. Det er problematisk i nutidens globale organisationer, hvor ledere har brug for indsigt i medarbejderes forskellige overbevisninger, viden og holdninger for at forblive konkurrencedygtige og skabe inkluderende miljøer. Afhandlingen besvarer forskningsspørgsmålet: Hvordan påvirker kreativitet som værktøj interkulturel kompetence i en organisation ud fra en pragmatisk ramme? Tilgangen er tværfaglig og integrerer perspektiver på interkulturel kompetence, kreativitet og organisationskultur. Den pragmatiske ramme skal sikre anvendelighed: hvordan kreativitet kan implementeres i hverdagen på arbejdspladsen og påvirke interkulturel kompetence i praksis. Formålet er både teoretisk og praktisk: at gentænke interkulturel kompetence og udvikle en model, der samler de tre felter, samt at tilbyde konkrete kreative værktøjer, som ledere og medarbejdere kan bruge til at udvikle interkulturel kompetence i deres organisation. Resultaterne viser, at en kreativ platform med principperne "ingen bedømmelse" (midlertidigt at suspendere vurdering) og "paralleltænkning" (at udforske idéer side om side frem for at argumentere imod dem) fremmer interkulturel kompetence gennem en ikke-dømmende læringsproces. Når deltagerne arbejder med "3D-cases", opfordres de til at dele mangfoldige idéer uden begrænsninger fra kulturelle eller sociale mønstre, hvilket styrker deres fælles udvikling af interkulturel kompetence under samarbejdet. Desuden viser afhandlingen, hvordan selvindsigt, mindfulness og åbenhed kan bruges som kreative værktøjer gennem forskellige praksisser til at understøtte og påvirke interkulturel kompetence i organisationer. Bidraget er væsentligt på flere måder: Det kobler kompetence med præstation ved at give brugbare eksempler på, hvordan interkulturel kompetence kan udvikles gennem samarbejdsøvelser, og det udvider feltet med en tværfaglig tilgang, der inddrager kulturel kontekst og fremmer dialog mellem flere stemmer – hvilket adresserer problemet med etnocentrisme.

This dissertation examines key challenges in the field of intercultural competence: ethnocentrism (judging other cultures by one’s own), limited attention to cultural context, weak cross-disciplinary dialogue, and limited usefulness because competence is often not linked to performance in practice. As much research in this area originates in Western countries, Western norms risk defining what counts as intercultural behavior. This is problematic in today’s global organizations, where leaders need insight into diverse employees’ beliefs, knowledge, and attitudes to stay competitive and create inclusive environments. The study answers the research question: How does creativity as a tool influence intercultural competence in an organization within a pragmatist framework? The approach is cross-disciplinary, integrating perspectives on intercultural competence, creativity, and organizational culture. The pragmatist framework aims at practical usefulness: how creativity can be implemented in everyday work and influence intercultural competence in real settings. The dissertation has both theoretical and practical goals: to reconceptualize intercultural competence and develop a model that brings together the three fields, and to provide concrete creative tools that managers and staff can use to build intercultural competence in their organizations. The results show that a creative platform based on the principles of “no judgment” (temporarily suspending evaluation) and “parallel thinking” (exploring ideas side by side rather than arguing against them) supports a non-judgmental learning process that develops intercultural competence. When participants engage in “3D cases,” they are encouraged to share diverse ideas without constraints from cultural or social patterns, which fosters their mutual development of intercultural competence during collaboration. The study also shows how self-awareness, mindfulness, and open-mindedness can be applied as creative tools through various practices to facilitate and influence intercultural competence in organizations. The contribution is significant in two main ways: It links competence with performance by offering practical examples of how to develop intercultural competence through collaborative exercises, and it advances a cross-disciplinary perspective that includes cultural context and promotes dialogue among multiple voices—addressing the problem of ethnocentrism.

[This abstract was generated with the help of AI]

Interkulturelle kompetencer ; kommunikation ; kreativitet ; kultur ; organisationer

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