Intercultural Competence & Diversity

For HR directors, corporate trainers, college administrators, diversity trainers and study abroad educators, this book provides a cutting-edge framework and an innovative collection of ready-to-use tools and activities to help build cultural competence—from the basics of understanding core concepts of culture to the complex work of negotiating identity and resolving cultural differences.Building Cultural Competence presents the latest work in the intercultural field and provides step-by-step instructions for how to effectively work with the new models, frameworks, and exercises for building learners' cultural competence.

Most people know that some basic cultural sensitivity is important. But few have developed the deep cultural intelligence needed to truly bridge the cultural gaps that exist in every workplace. The Cultural Intelligence Difference delivers a powerful tool for navigating today's work world with finesse--and success.--Amazon

This book is not about the statistical process measures or analytical problem-solving approaches found in the many excellent quality-improvement books already available. It is rather about the human side of teamwork, especially when those humans are different from one another. The tech-niques and methods featured here focus on helping teams build com-mon ground, appreciate and capitalize on differences, and overcome the obstacles that diversity sometimes presents. Perhaps the most important service this book can provide is to help team leaders and members become more flexible and adaptive in the face of an ever-changing economic and social world.--From the preface.

The book is intended for faculty integrating diversity into existing courses, and for anyone creating courses on diversity. The ideas and suggestions in the text can be incorporated into any class that includes a discussion of diversity issues or has a diverse student enrollment. The contributors offer pragmatic and tested ways of overcoming student misconceptions and resistance, and for managing emotional responses that can be aroused by the discussion of diversity. The editors aim to stimulate readers' thinking and inspire fresh ideas. The book further provides teachers of diversity with a range of effective exercises, and attends to such issues as teacher stress and burnout. This book can also serve to inform and guide department chairs and other administrators in the design and implementation of diversity initiatives. -- Publisher's Web site.