This presentation is based on the assertion that the time is ripe for universities' business program designers to articulate intercultural competence as a business school graduate attribute. In this era of globalization, whether working globally or locally, to be effective and to work in harmony, today’s business graduates must be equipped with the attitudes, knowledge, and skills to navigate unfamiliar cultural terrain, and build bridges across cultural divides. Canada's demographic profile reveals a country rich in diversity. Projected demographic shifts indicate that by 2030 Canada will continue to become even more diverse. On the one hand, this diversity brings opportunities to expand our consciousness and extend our sense of humanity. On the other hand, these cultural differences provide fertile soil for misunderstandings and conflict. Many of our beliefs, values, and behaviors are acquired through enculturation, that is, the unconscious and conscious processes by which we internalize our culture. Ethnocentrism, the tendency to view the world through our own cultural lens, is a natural consequence of enculturation processes. In its extreme form, ethnocentrism can lead to racism, discrimination, and war. History is replete with examples of war, oppression, exploitation, and genocide that have resulted from cross-cultural contact and are rooted in ethnocentrism. Even in today's highly diverse and interconnected world, the lingering, stubborn prevalence of ethnocentrism is a key reason for the divisions between cultures. This ethnocentric worldview gives rise to dualistic or dichotomy driven thinking which creates rifts between cultures. Martin Luther King Jr. cautioned us to “learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.” Dr. King's message still resonates long after his passing. According to scholars from a wide spectrum of disciplines, by developing intercultural sensitivity, students are more likely to shift from an ethnocentric worldview to one that is ethnorelative. The more interculturally sensitive individuals become, the more likely they can develop intercultural competence.
This presentation emanates from an extensive literature review and research conducted at a Canadian university, located in Ontario. The discussion focuses on best practices and missed opportunities to foster the development of intercultural competence among students in that university's business program. Given that intercultural competence is not a naturally occurring phenomenon, it must be intentionally addressed and nurtured in our university business programs. Fostering the development of intercultural competence is a pivotal step toward preparing students to become interculturally empathetic with a view to building a broader community, based on our common humanity. In light of this, intercultural competence is a characteristic of students' spiritual development. Pope Francis underscores the great responsibility that schools have in "this field, called as they are to develop intercultural dialogue in their pedagogical vision." By facilitating intercultural competence development throughout business programs, stakeholders would take an important step toward diminishing the barriers between cultures and building bridges that connect us to each other.
Dr. Brand's presentation will focus on pedagogical approaches that emphasize reflection and self-reflexivity to promote the holistic and spiritual development of students.
Dr. Brand is a sessional lecturer at the University of Guelph-Humber and an adjunct professor at Yorkville University. Prior to this, Ingrid worked as a senior administrator for universities in Egypt, Jordan, and Kuwait. Each of these experiences increasingly picqued her interest in bridging cultural differences. Based on this, Ingrid's research focuses on the intersection between intercultural competence, internationalization, and global leadership.
Ingrid earned her doctoral degree in Organizational Leadership, Policy, and Development, with a specialization in Comparative International Development Education from the University of Minnesota. Ingrid's dissertation is entitled: Toward Global Leadership: Factors Influencing the Development of Intercultural Competence among Business Students at a Canadian University. She also earned a masters degree in Archival Studies and a BA, in history, from the University of British Columbia.