Investigating the value of a peer-to-peer mentoring experience. Issue 2 (May 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Griffiths, Kathleen; Kopanidis, Foula; Steel, Marion
• Is Part Of: Australasian marketing journal. Volume 26:Issue 2(2018)
• Page Start: 92
• Page End: 98
• Publication Date: 2018-05
• Subjects: Cross-cultural adaptability -- Peer-to-peer mentoring -- Graduate global employment -- Internationalization -- Quantitative method -- Cross Cultural Adaptability Inventory; Marketing -- Australasia -- Periodicals; Marketing -- Periodicals; 658.8480905
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ausmj.2018.05.006
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1441-3582

Abstract

Highlights: Companies require graduates who are adaptable and can work in a globalised business world. Universities and industry need to design international curriculum together for all students. A cross-cultural peer-to-peer mentoring experience was investigated. This cross-cultural experience did not have a significant effect on cross-cultural adaptability. Abstract: Globalization of business skills has become critical as employers have a requirement for culturally adaptable marketing and business graduates who are "work ready" in either Australia or overseas. These students must have both discipline knowledge and soft skills including cultural competence. How students develop intercultural skills at university is discussed. Given that more than ninety percent of local university students do not participate in academic offshore experiences, a focus is on the internationalization-at-home activities that universities offer. This study looks at cross-cultural peer-to-peer mentoring. A paucity of research on the effect of these experiences further enhances the relevance of this topic. This research investigates whether Australian marketing and business students who undertake a cross-cultural peer-to-peer mentoring experience "at home" become more cross-culturally adaptable. A quasi experimental pre and post-test survey shows that this method of an "at home" cross-cultural experience has a significant effect on four of the cultural dimensions. They are Flexibility/Openness, Personal Autonomy, Perceptual Acuity and Fulfilment. This means that as a result of this study, the recommendation for future peer-to-peer mentoring experiences would be to specifically target these significant dimensions as part of the peer-to-peer mentoring agenda. The focus of their agenda on these dimensions would allow peer-to-peer mentors of different ethnicities and those mentors who are Australian born but who mentor students from different countries, to be confident that their work was directly attributable to increasing their mentees' and their own cross-cultural adaptability. It shows that cross-cultural mentoring for marketing and other business students in an "at home" setting is an important part of preparing business and more specifically marketing students for the challenges of the global workplace. Chinese Abstract: 由于雇主们需要那些在澳大拉西亚或海外均能"适应就业"的文化适应型毕业生, 商业技能的全球化变得至关重要. 本文讨论了学生如何通过参与交流, 游学和实习等海外体验来培养跨文化技能. 考虑到百分之九十以上的学生未参与这些国外体验, 研究把重点放在大学提供的国内国际化活动, 特别是跨文化的点对点指导. 针对这些体验效果的少量研究进一步增强了这一主题的重要性. 本研究调查了在国内进行跨文化指导体验的澳大利亚学生是否提高了跨文化适应能力. 一项准实验性的测试之前和之后调查显示, 这种"国内"方式的国际化体验可能不会对进行跨文化点对点指导体验的学生产生显著效果. 市场营销部门和商学院通过该研究得出的主要经验包括:其如何定位自己以便在培养"适应就业"的学生方面保持竞争力, 尤其是那些没有国际化体验的学生是否展现出跨文化技能, 以及确定可能影响学生跨文化适应能力的"国内"的国际化体验.