Cross-Cultural Competence of Students from Selected European Union Countries (Poland, Spain, Czech Republic, Italy).

Preliminary Assumptions of the Research Project

DOI: https://doi.org/10.35765/pk.2021.3201.11
Keywords: competences, intercultural competences, cultural awareness, cultural sensitivity, cultural diversity, students, education

Abstract

The changes taking place in the contemporary labour market were the fac­tor that prompted our project. The employee’s position on this market does not depend only on his specialist knowledge and professional qualifications. This is particularly important in a multicultural environment, in which even linguistic competences are losing their significance because – without the ability to adapt to new cultural conditions – they do not play a major role. Cultural diversity becomes a source of competitive advantage at the moment when a company adopts appropriate strategies and techniques, which is the task faced by, among others, modern managers. The aim of the project is to explore the role of cross-cultural competence as an important element of uni­versity education from the point of view of both: educational programmes and the labour market. It is now believed that cross-cultural competence, under­stood as an attitude towards cooperation with representatives of other cultures, is a very important element of university education in the process of prepar­ing students to successfully function on the global labour market. The level of interpersonal skills of individual members of a multicultural team (espe­cially the level of their cultural intelligence) which enables them to effectively cooperate with representatives of other cultures is one of the main elements of cross-cultural competence. On the basis of the results of the study, the theo­ries of management science will be elaborated on, taking into account interna­tional realities and emphasising the importance of cross-cultural competence on the labour market. The results of the project will support the development of management science, especially in the field of intercultural management, by indicating how existing management theories are based on and benefit from practice, and how they are interpreted in management practice. Thanks to the study, both theoreticians and practitioners of management will be able to obtain more knowledge about cross-cultural competence.

Author Biographies

Agnieszka Knap-Stefaniuk, Jesuit University Ignatianum in Krakow

Doctor of Economics at the SGH Social- Economic College, holder of an MBA from Thames Valley University, gra­duate of the School of Trainers at Wszechnica UJ. She was a member of the PKA (Team for Economic Sciences) and Head of the Department of Human Resources Management at the Polish Open University, lecturer of the BA, MSc, and MBA studies, and a member of the Rector’s Com­mittee and the Scientific Council. From 2007 to 2015 she was Dean of the Krakow Faculty of Wyższa Szkoła Zarządzania/ Polish Open University; 2015–2017 she was Dean of the Krakow Faculty of Vistula University and a lecturer of the BA and MA studies in AFiBVistula [Assistant Professor at the Institute of Management]. Since 2018, she has been Vice Direc­tor of the Institute of Political and Administrative Sciences for Didactic Affairs for the Faculty of Education at the Jesuit University Ignatianum in Krakow. She cooperates with businesses and has served as a trainer, consultant, and facilitator for, e.g., Lexmark, Galeco, Biprocemwap, and Capgemini. She is the author of many publications on Human Resources Management. She specializes in issues related to strategic and internatio­nal HRM, leadership, motivation, and contemporary challenges in HRM, such as corporate culture, competency management and talent manage­ment. She conducts lectures and workshops at universities in Spain, Por­tugal, Italy, and Czechia.

Łukasz Burkiewicz, Jesuit University Ignatianum in Krakow

Cultural studies scholar, historian, economist of culture, and Assistant Professor at the Institute of Cultural Studies at the Jesuit University Ignatianum in Krakow. His scholarly interests are related to the cultural history of the Mediterranean region in the Middle Ages and the modern age. He also deals with medieval travels. His research includes issues related to cultural management, marketing, and economics.

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PK 32
Published
2021-05-17
How to Cite
[1]
Knap-Stefaniuk, A. and Burkiewicz, Łukasz 2021. Cross-Cultural Competence of Students from Selected European Union Countries (Poland, Spain, Czech Republic, Italy). : Preliminary Assumptions of the Research Project. Perspectives on Culture. 32, 1 (May 2021), 155-170. DOI:https://doi.org/10.35765/pk.2021.3201.11.
Issue
Vol. 32 No. 1 (2021): Christianity as a Source of European Culture
Section
Cross Cultural Management

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