Article2014

The transformational triggers of international experiences

34 citations0/0 files storedJournal of Management Development

No readable copy stored yet — this record is metadata only.

No open-access location is known for this record yet.

Literature note Cite in a project Citation map

International Student and Expatriate Challenges Adult and Continuing Education Topics Language, Communication, and Linguistic Studies

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify the antecedents of the transformational learning process associated with early international experiences. Secondarily, this research aimed to explain how the antecedent “transformational triggers” may contribute to developing intercultural competencies. Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative study was conducted using open-ended survey response data regarding the transformational triggers that occurred during a study abroad program. The data were collected from a sample of 82 participants from a Midwestern university in the USA. Findings – Four categories of transformational triggers were identified: immersing with local customs and people, experiencing the novelty of “normality,” communicating in a new language, and finding time for self-reflection. Research limitations/implications – For a qualitative study, the sample size was sufficient for exploring the types of transformational triggers associated with early international experiences. One limitation of this study is that the sample studied were undergraduate students, or young sojourners, experiencing early, and for some even their first, international experience. Future research can replicate the findings to confirm the same typology of transformational triggers exists for older managers during their early or first international assignment. Practical implications – The transformational triggers identified from this study provide managers with an understanding of the type of experiences that are important to developing intercultural competencies. With these triggers, they can design global leader development programs or expatriate assignments to include time and tools to reflect and provide support specific to each type of transformational trigger. Originality/value – This study offers the first field study of the transformational triggers associated with developing intercultural competencies from early international experiences.

Paper brief

Loading…

Cite this work

Citation unavailable for this work.

BibTeX RIS CSL-JSON

No public copy is stored for this record, so only the metadata is cited.

Citations in this library

Citation map →

Stored only when both papers are in the corpus — 34 citations exist upstream.

References

1998Basics of qualitative research : techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory 1991Culture and the Self: Implications for Cognition, Emotion, and Motivation 1985The Reflective Practitioner: How Professionals Think in Action 1954Nature of Prejudice 1991Transformative Dimensions of Adult Learning 1934How We Think: A Restatement of the Relation of Reflective Thinking to the Educative Process 1998Self-efficacy and work-related performance: A meta-analysis.1990Ethnic identity in adolescents and adults: Review of research.

Cited by

2017Bleisure: motivations and typologies 2019Individual and job-related antecedents of a global mindset: An analysis of international business travelers’ characteristics and experiences abroad 2023Deconstructing transformations: Educational travellers’ cross-cultural transformative experiences 2022The road to an international career: The “Erasmus effect” on resilience, intercultural interactions and cultural intelligence 2020How Global Leaders Learn from International Experience: Reviewing and Advancing Global Leadership Development

Explore the map →

Papers that cite the same references — the relational fallback while embeddings are still backfilling.

Imported from OpenAlex (CC0) — nothing here is generated.