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(1)Cross-Cultural Communication and Adaptation Steps of Undergraduate TaiwanICDF Students. by Jeanine Nazareth Orozco Jiménez. A Thesis Submitted to the Graduate Faculty in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION. Major: International Human Resource Development. Advisor: Chih-Chien Steven Lai, Ph. D.. National Taiwan Normal University Taipei, Taiwan June 17th, 2015.

(2) ACKNOWLEDGEMENT First, I want to thank God for blessing me and giving me the strength, wisdom, the character I have developed, and for filling my life with many good and bad experiences within this two years in a different environment and away from my family. Thanks to him for not letting me fall whenever I felt it, and always take me from my hand and guide me through the tough and happy periods. Thanks to him for making me stronger, self-centered, passionate, and hard-working. Second, I want to thank my family, who were always for me cheering me up and giving me support. Gracias mami, papi y a mis hermanos, por todo el apoyo que me han brindado. Por todas esas palabras de aliento en los momentos que más lo necesité, y por esas alegrías que me han brindado en estos dos años. Gracias por celebrar conmigo mis triunfos y caídas. Gracias en especial a mi hermanito que estuvo a mi lado en Taiwan para alegrarme, distraerme y platicar de locuras. Gracias por hacer mi tiempo en Taiwan algo especial!! Third, I would like to thank all the professors, since from each of them I am taking the best. Thank you for challenging me and making me work hard, and for transmitting to me the knowledge you have acquire through your experiences. Especially, I thank my advisor for his support, for trusting me, and for always being there at any time. Thanks for being so supportive and so kind. Thanks also my committee members, Dr. Chun-Wei Yeh and Dr. Wei-Wen Chang, for their valuable advices and support. Fourth, I want also to thank my really lovely staff members Kate, Tracy and Jessica, since they were during those two years my good friends. I really owe you a lot, since you always were there for me for any reason. This was not only a student-staff relation, but friend-friend relation. Thank you a lot for those lovely days, for taking me part of your life. I cannot express how thankful I am with you. Fifth, I would love to thank to TaiwanICDF for giving me the opportunity to come to study in Taiwan, and also IHRD for considering me a good candidate for being part of the program. 謝謝老師,同學,家人,朋友。我覺得這兩年很好玩。我學很多東西,也很謝謝老師給 我你們的知識。我真的很想再回來薹灣,我會想你們。. I.

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(4) ABSTRACT This study aimed to explore and describe opinions, expectations and feelings of undergraduates TaiwanICDF students regarding cross-cultural communication and the steps they had been taking since they came to Taiwan to achieve their adaptation while using the language. For the study several definitions and theories/practices were explained in order to find how adaptation and communication between different cultures relate to each other. Therefore, an interview schedule, which comprised of 12 questions, was developed to get the opinions, expectations and feelings of those students. In total, 20 undergraduate students were asked for qualitative information; however 19 were included in the study. Those students have a scholarship from TaiwanICDF, and also came from African, Central American, and The Caribbean countries. After the interview was applied, the researcher found that no matter where the students came from they experienced similar feelings, and have similar opinions and expectations about their adaptation process and communication issues. Therefore this research has several conclusions and recommendations regarding the findings and the developed research questions. Keywords: cross-cultural communication, adaptation steps, acculturation, undergraduate TaiwanICDF students.. III.

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(6) TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEGMENT ....................................................................................... I ABSTRACT ....................................................................................................... III TABLE OF CONTENTS .................................................................................. V LIST OF TABLES .......................................................................................... VII LIST OF FIGURES ..........................................................................................IX CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION ...................................................................... 1 Background of the Study ........................................................................................................ 1 Problem Statement ................................................................................................................. 4 Purpose and Research Questions............................................................................................ 6 Significance of the Study ....................................................................................................... 7 Delimitations .......................................................................................................................... 7 Basic Assumptions ................................................................................................................. 8 Definition of Terms ................................................................................................................ 8. CHAPTER II REVIEW OF LITERATURE ................................................ 11 Cross-cultural Communication ............................................................................................ 11 Adaptation Steps .................................................................................................................. 17 Theories of Cross-Cultural Communication and Adaptation Steps ..................................... 22. CHAPTER III RESEARCH DESIGN ........................................................... 25 Research Framework ............................................................................................................ 25 Research Method and Instrument Development .................................................................. 26 Participants ........................................................................................................................... 28 Research Procedure .............................................................................................................. 30 Data Collection Process ....................................................................................................... 31 Data Analysis ....................................................................................................................... 33 Reliability and Validity ........................................................................................................ 34. CHAPTER IV FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS ........................................ 37 Adaptation Process of the Undergraduate TaiwanICDF Students ....................................... 37 Cross-Cultural Communication and Language Issues ......................................................... 54 Cross-Cultural Communication and Adaptation Role for Undergraduate TaiwanICDF Students ................................................................................................................................ 62 Discussions of Research Findings ........................................................................................ 65. CHAPTER V CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ................ 69 Conclusions .......................................................................................................................... 69 V.

(7) Recommendations ................................................................................................................ 75. REFERENCES .................................................................................................. 79 APPENDIX A INTERVIEW SCHEDULE GUIDELINE ........................... 87 APPENDIX B EXAMPLE OF TRANSCRIPT ............................................ 88. VI.

(8) LIST OF TABLES Table 1.1 TaiwanICDF Alumni 1998-2011.………………...………………………………..3 Table 1.2 TaiwanICDF Students 2011-2014…………...……………………………………..3 Table 2.1 Definitions of the Dimensions of Acculturation…………………...……………..18 Table 3.1 Research Questions based on Theories/Practices……...………………………….27 Table 3.2 Interview Questions based on Research Questions (Based on Interview Schedule Order)…………………………………………………………………...……………………28 Table 3.3 Participants Codification and Information…………………………………...…...29 Table 3.4. Example of Categorization of Variables, Categories, Subcategories and Key. Points…………………………………………………………………………………………33 Table 3.5. Reliability and Validity of the Instrument and Data Analysis within the. Study………………………………………………………………………………………….36 Table 4.1 Summary of Adaptation Process Theme…………...……………………………..38 Table 4.2. Coding for Psychological Experiences of the Category First Adaptation. Perception…………………………………………………………………………………….39 Table 4.3. Coding for Socio-cultural Perceptions of the Category First Adaptation. Perception…………………………………………………………………………………….41 Table 4.4. Coding for Physiological Experiences of the Category First Adaptation. Perception…………………………………………………………………………………….45 Table 4.5 Coding for Difficulties of the Category Culture Shock………………...……...…46 Table 4.6 Coding for Positive Changes of the Category Culture Shock…………..………..48 Table 4.7 Coding for Family and Friends of the Category Strategies for Adaptation..…….50 Table 4.8 Coding for Social Gatherings of the Category Strategies for Adaptation..………51 Table 4.9 Coding for Others of the Category Strategies for Adaption……..……………….52 Table 4.10 Summary of Cross-Cultural Communication and Language Issues…..………..54. VII.

(9) Table 4.11 Coding for Practice of the Theme Communication Patterns………...………….55 Table 4.12 Coding for Use for Practice of the Theme Communication Patterns………...…58 Table 4.13 Coding for Language Perception of the Theme Language Anxiety………..…...60 Table 5.1 Summary of Conclusions for the Proposed Research Questions……...….……....74. VIII.

(10) LIST OF FIGURES Figure 2.1 Dimensions of culture…………………...………………………………………...12 Figure 2.2 Communication process between two persons with a same cultural background...14 Figure 2.3 Communication process between two persons with different cultural background.15 Figure 2.4 Acculturation strategies…………...……………………………………………….19 Figure 3.1 Conceptual framework of steps of adaptation for communication between different cultures…………………………………………………………………………………….…...26 Figure 3.2 Research procedure……………...……………………………………………..….31. IX.

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(12) CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION This chapter describes the background of the study, the problem statement, the purpose, research questions, and the significance of the study, also the delimitations and definitions of terms. Those sections aim to explain the interest of the researcher on cross cultural communication and adaptation steps of undergraduate International Cooperation and Development Found (TaiwanICDF) students.. Background of the Study Wagner (2004) noted in “Globalization and Higher Education” that in globalization economic, cultural and political processes have an impact on research and higher education. As globalization is encircling our living condition, it is also demanding more and better professionals, thus companies are determined to use the new talents in their benefits (Brown, 2003). Recently, jobs are demanding for candidates with higher educational level (The White House, 2014); therefore higher education and job opportunities are interrelated to each other. As remarkable changes are happening rapidly, and, also, needs of people, Brown (2003) stated that middle class families are more concern on better higher education, and get better knowledge and skills advantages for getting better job opportunities. For this reason, students are taking new risks in going to study in different parts of the world in order to develop professional competencies. The Millennium Developmental Goals (MDGs) were developed in order to decrease the poverty level of the world by the United Nations in 2000. So the MDGs are demanding more and more well-prepared professionals to help to accomplish those goals, because in a globalized environment there are different ways to deal with a problem. On the other hand, globalization is making traditional markets get mature, and emerging markets to expand themselves (Peters & Laljani, 2008), and for this reason people are getting interested on study abroad in order to get a global perspective. Currently, engineering, logistics environment, education, nursing, cosmetology and hairdressing, and, vehicle maintenance and repair, have become more popular among study abroad students (People’s Daily Online, 2009). The potential of any kind of education program is to reduce the gap between people and promote equality on opportunities, and also to benefit the world (The spencer foundation, 2010). In consequence, international agencies such as Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), United State Agency for International Development (USAID), International Cooperation and Development Found (TaiwanICDF), among other agencies, give 1.

(13) opportunities to developing countries citizens to study undergraduate, master, and PhD degrees by giving scholarship to study abroad; or even specializations on certain areas that might help to develop their own countries. As a result, the opportunity to study abroad has increased. On the other hand, the interest of people for studying abroad has been influenced by the need of contributing to solve complex problems of the world (Ashman, 2013), such as economic crisis, water crisis, animal extinction issues, climate change, among others. In order to reduce these problems, students need a global perspective that will be gained by studying abroad (Ashman, 2013). A lot of countries in Asia provide different types of programs to international students; Taiwan is one of these countries. The Ministry of Education of the Republic of China (2014) “considers international cooperation and collaboration a cornerstone of its efforts to embrace internationalization, especially for institutions of higher education”, therefore the number of international students in Taiwan has increased from 26,488 in 2006 to 64,558 in 2012. Official Development Assistance (ODA), or foreign aid, is defined as “voluntary transfer of resources from one country to another” (Foreign aid, n.d.), but it also includes technical cooperation. Different entities, nowadays, exist to support the foreign aid as the United Nations, Regional Development Banks, and others institutions, as the World Trade Organization and the European Union. Those institutions help less developed countries to achieve their Millennium Development Goals. As part of those institutions, TaiwanICDF is an organization that was founded on July 1, 1996, and its mission is to “work for Humanity, Sustainable Development and Economic Progress” (Lee, 2014, p.165). TaiwanICDF is a bilateral organization that assists countries in Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia, Central and Eastern Europe financially and technically. This organization enhances these countries by its four core programs; (1) banking and finance to reduce poverty and develop their living conditions; (2) technical cooperation in agriculture, healthcare, private sector development, information and communication technology, and environment protection to increase their economic growth; (3) international human resource development by upgrading the society to advance economically and socially, but also to pool potential human resources given them scholarships; and (4) international humanitarian assistance by providing emergency aid and reconstruction assistance to nations that are affected by natural disasters (Lee, 2014).. 2.

(14) The objective of the international education and training program of TaiwanICDF is “to help the partner countries to cultivate and develop a talented pool of human resources” (TaiwanICDF, 2014a). To achieve this objective, TaiwanICDF gives professional workshops, scholarships on higher education, and cooperate on training projects in association with international organizations. TaiwanICDF started providing higher education scholarships since 1998; see Table 1.1 and Table 1.2, respectively; and nowadays is working with 17 universities within Taiwan, which offer 28 different programs in different trends, to attract international students (TaiwanICDF, 2014b). Table 1.1. TaiwanICDF Alumni 1998 - 2012 Year Undergraduate Master 1998 0 4 1999 0 8 2000 0 8 2001 0 12 2002 0 15 2003 0 26 2004 0 25 2005 0 35 2006 22 52 2007 20 66 2008 24 74 2009 21 81 2010 27 68 2011 0 91 2012 0 90 655 Total 114 Source: TaiwanICDF 2014.. PhD. Total. 0 0 0 1 2 2 2 1 4 1 0 1 3 2 0 19. 4 8 8 13 17 28 27 36 78 87 98 103 98 93 90 788. PhD. Total 50 60 201 178 489. Table 1.2. Current TaiwanICDF Students 2011-2014 Year Undergraduate Master 2011 47 0 2012 56 1 2013 94 103 2014 92 83 187 Total 289 Source: TaiwanICDF 2014.d. 3 3 4 3 13. 3.

(15) The scholarships conditions are to fill the online TaiwanICDF application, documents proving the nationality of the applicant such as passport or identification card, English translation of the highest level diploma and grades, a copy of the English proficiency certificate of the applicant, such as TOEIC or TOEFL; TaiwanICDF medical report, two letters of reference, and any other documents that can be requested (TaiwanICDF, 2014c). Therefore, the opportunity for studying in Taiwan is equal for all of the applicants, and for this reason a lot of international students come to study their undergraduate, master or PhD degrees with TaiwanICDF scholarships. Taiwan is prepare and is willing to help developing countries with education; therefore TaiwanICDF is providing “each year, scholarships to around 182 new students” (TaiwanICDF, 2014a).. Problem Statement Opportunities to study abroad provided by international institutions are welcome by different citizens; however the cross cultural adaptation is not taking into account till the citizens arrive to the new country. Even the opportunities are excellent for every student, some factors might affect them. One of them is the adaptation to a foreign country. Since those students come from different part of the world, the culture in the host country is different. Because of culture differences, getting adapt to a different environment might be a problem for them. For this reason, when expatriates start to live in a different environment, they look for similar or familiar customs (InterNations, 2014). Matsumoto and Yoo (2006) gave a definition of culture, which is “a meaning and information system shared by a group and transmitted across generations” (p. 235); consequently, “culture is learned through perception” (Chaney & Martin, 2007, p. 6). However, perceptions, even in the same culture, are not the same for every individual. Therefore, for persons from different cultural background are even more different, making intercultural communication a difficult process. Chaney and Martin (2007) suggested that as culture involve norms, rules and roles, so this will affect the coding and the decoding of messages. For this reason, this is the first impact on undergraduate TaiwanICDF students while adapting to a Taiwanese culture. Culture shock, expressed as the feeling of being insecure, anxious and being lost, is commonly view as a normal process of adaptation to a new culture (Adler, 1975; Arensberg & Niehoff, 1964; Foster, 1962; Gullahorn & Gullahorn, 1963; Lundstedt 1963; Oberg, 1960, as cited in Lynn, 2011). Consequently, most international students face it while living in 4.

(16) Taiwan due to the differences in values, behaviors, customs, laws, language, among other issues. Stroebe, van Vliet, Hewstone and Willis (2002) suggested that international students have adjustment difficulties that are associated to culture shock, so it will affect physically and psychologically TaiwanICDF students. Park (1938) stated that “the social function of communication seem to be to bring about and maintain understanding and cultural solidarity among individuals” (p. 187). So culture, according to Singelis and Brown (1995), affects the individual psychologically, and consequently the way the individual communicates. As different cultures communicate with each other, this will bring to the acculturation process confusion and conflicts (Park, 1938) due to language, traditions and experiences. For example, Taiwanese can understand English; however their proficiency level is very low in comparison with China, the Philippines and South Korea. According to Pan (2013) high school students’ score was 582 points in the English proficiency test, which was higher than college and universities students, whose average was 504 points in 2012. On the other hand, some undergraduate TaiwanICDF students from Africa and The Caribbean are native English speakers, but Latin-American countries got low proficiency English level (McHugh, 2013). However, the Latin-American students that come to study to Taiwan, as a requirement to get the scholarship, and as mention before, a moderate level should be proven. Depending on the university and the programs offered by them, a score for English is settled and required. In most cases, more than 800 points in TOEIC or more than 80 points in TOEFL is required. When comparing the English level of Taiwanese and the English level of foreigners this means there is a big gap of almost 300 points. For this reason, some Taiwanese lack of confidence for speaking English due to different reasons that involve culture issues and methods of teaching at schools. In one classroom can have up to forty to sixty students (Lin & Warden, 1998), making the learning process less effective or the attention from the professor to the students unequal. Taiwanese culture involves the Confucian culture, so for them [“Silence is gold, a real man should be good at thinking, but weak at speaking, keep your mouth shut but your eyes open, keep silent unless you can burst on the scene like a bombshell”] (Lin & Warden, 1998), and for this reason Taiwanese lack of confidence whenever they want to speak or when they should speak. Ruben and Kealey (1979) expressed that “communication determines the individual’s ability to interact”, so “intercultural communication is the absence of cultural adaptation” (as. 5.

(17) cited in Lewthwaite, 1996, p. 169). Taiwanese population has their own communication principles, and foreigner students are not aware of it when they arrive in Taiwan, so intercultural communication will become an issue for both, Taiwanese and foreigner population. As Taiwanese are learning English to communicate with foreign population, these undergraduate TaiwanICDF students are also required to study Chinese language in order to communicate with the Taiwanese population and to show respect for the culture. Due to the quantity and non-alphabetic system of the Chinese language, Chinese is a challenging language to learn (Luo, 2013). Consequently, those students experience two types of language anxiety; learning anxiety and survival anxiety (Schein, 2002); therefore learning a new language can affect negatively the acquirement of a foreign language (Liu, 2006). Because of the anxiety feelings of not getting Mandarin-Chinese, those undergraduates are still talking in English while communicating with locals, or still gathering with their own cultural background. Since there is a relation between language and culture, the process of adaptation to the Taiwanese culture of these students might be affected depending on the area that those students are living. In the capital city the communication might be better, because English understanding is better, but in the central and south Taiwan communication problems will be more common.. Purpose and Research Questions A lot of studies have been conducted to study acculturation, or the adaptation of foreign students, especially Asian, African and Latin American in other cultures, such as in the United States, Australia, England, among other countries (Chirkov et.al., 2008, Constantine et al., 2004; Carlson & Widaman, 1988); however, undergraduate students have not been studied related to cultural shock based on cross-cultural communication and their adaptation in Taiwan. For this reason, the purpose of this study is to explore and describe the opinions, expectations, and feelings of TaiwanICDF undergraduate students about their communication problems and the steps they took, or keep taking, to get adapted to the Taiwanese culture. In consequence, based on the background of the study and to fulfill the research purpose, the following research questions were developed:. 6.

(18) 1. How undergraduate students of TaiwanICDF do perceive they deal with the culture shock issue? 2. What steps do they perceived they took to adapt themselves to the new culture? 3. Is language perceived by them to be a problem for living or studying in Taiwan? 4. How do they perceive they handled communication problems?. Significance of the Study The study contributes not only the students but also TaiwanICDF and Taiwanese population. Taiwanese population is very open to foreigners; however the language barrier is a constraint to communicate with each other. Consequently, the study suggests not only comprehension from the undergraduate TaiwanICDF students, but also from the population. On the other hand, it also provides future undergraduate TaiwanICDF students some ideas about the daily experiences when they arrive in Taiwan. These experiences will enhance newly arriving students to learn more about the Taiwanese culture before landing. Those experiences will give these new students reasons to learn the language a little bit faster to communicate better than the predecessors, who are having problems while communicating with the Taiwanese population in certain situations, such as in the traditional market, hospital, and other situations. The ICDF managers are the closest contact to those students from TaiwanICDF; hence, the study will help those managers to understand more clearly the expectations, opinions and feelings from the actual students, so that ICDF managers and TaiwanICDF can find options to improve the communication issues for new undergraduate students to help them to adapt quicker.. Delimitations The study focuses on cross-cultural communication and its impact on the adaptation steps of undergraduate TaiwanICDF students from Africa, Central America, and the Caribbean countries. These undergraduate TaiwanICDF students are currently studying in Taipei, and have got a TaiwanICDF scholarship. The study focuses on students that got the scholarship in 2012 and 2013. For the study was required that those students which came in 2013 have at least six months living, continuously, within Taiwan. 7.

(19) Basic Assumptions As the study involved undergraduate students over Taipei that came on 2012 and 2013, differences on the acceptance of the Taiwanese culture between them were percieved. The first assumption is that students that came in 2012 are now more adjusted to the Taiwanese culture, and their daily problems with communication are not as frequent as the students that came in 2013. The second assumption is that between students from different background, but not Chinese speakers, who are studying in Taipei, encounter similar communication problems since they came to Taiwan.. Definition of Terms -. Adaptation steps: The psychological adaptation is defined as “the ongoing process , anchored in the emotions and intellect, by which humans sustain in the mental and emotional states of being and in their interactions with their social and cultural environments” (Miller-Kane Encyclopedia and Dictionary of Medicine, Nursing, and Allied Health, 2003). Adding to the definition of adaptation steps, steps are defined as “a measure or action, especially one of a series taken in order to deal with or achieve a particular thing” (Oxford Dictionaries, 2014), and define as “one of sequence of separate consecutive stages in the progression towards some goal” (Collins Dictionary, 2014). Consequently, according to the definitions, adaptation steps in this study is refer to the actions the students are taking to get more comfortable with the social environment in Taiwan, and how they handle communication issues according to their experiences. Adaptation also has to be aware of time and willingness for acceptance the new culture.. -. Culture shock: is a term that cannot be defined so easy, because it involves subjective behavior. Oberg (1960), who first introduced the term of culture shock, defined it as “a “disease” suffered by individuals living in a new cultural environment” (as cited in Chapdelaine & Alexitch, 2004). Pedersen (1994) defined it as “the process of initial adjustment to an unfamiliar environment”. In 2006, Oberg defined culture shock as the “precipitated by the anxiety that results from losing our familiar signs and symbols of social intercourse”. Consequently, in this study, culture shock is referred to unsimilar issues experienced by the students.. 8.

(20) -. Intercultural. communication:. This term is divided into two concepts;. communication and intercultural. Communication is defined by Samovar, Porter & McDaniel (2009) as “a dynamic process in which people attempt to share their internal states with other people through the use of symbols”. Intercultural is considered as the singularity and the irreplaceable characteristic of an individual within a social environment (Fleuri, 2003). Therefore, cultural communication, or intercultural communication, within this study is used as the communication between different cultures, and the problems that it might involve. -. Perception: is defined as “the conscious recognition and interpretation of sensory stimuli that serve as a basis for understanding, learning, and knowing or for motivation a particular action or reaction” (Mosby’s Medical Dictionary, 2009). In the study perception comprises the opinions, expectations, and feelings of the sample regarding to communication issues in their daily life.. 9.

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(22) CHAPTER II REVIEW OF LITERATURE This chapter presents relevant literature, such as definitions, concepts, theories or practices which help the researcher to explain cross-cultural communication and adaptation steps of undergraduate TaiwanICDF students. The chapter is divided into three main sections which are related to the variables of the topic. Within the first main section is described several definitions and their relationships about cross-cultural communication. The second section aims to explain definitions and it relationships about adaptation steps. In the last section is presented the main theories that the study followed.. Cross-cultural Communication Definition of Culture According to Grimson (2000), culture is a controversial concept that through time has been defined by anthropologists as something that distinguishes one human being from another human being like a life style of living of a group of individuals, conduct patterns, values and its definitions, knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, morals and customs. However, culture, also, has to deal with changes such as boundaries and mixtures, internal variations of behaviors, integration, and coherence among them. In consequence, culture is share across subgroups in a society, and it comprises cognitive, intellectual, psychomotor, effective and rationale components (Vargas Hernández, 2007), which are described by Hofstede (2001) as cultural dimensions. He, Hofstede, developed five dimensions based on the cultural values for particular countries, in order to understand their culture (Cullen & Parboteeah, 2013; Hofstede, 2001, 1991): 1. Power distance: “expectations regarding equality among people.” 2. Uncertainty avoidance: “typical reactions to situations considered different and dangerous.” 3. Individualism: “relationship between individuals and the group in society.” 4. Masculinity: “expectations regarding gender roles.” 5. Long-term orientation: “basic orientation toward time.” Channey and Martin (2007) defined three important dimensions of a culture, which are the following, see Figure 2.1:. 11.

(23) 1. Language: the way to create a relation with others while communicating similar values and beliefs. 2. Physical: is the environment in which people interact to each other and its cultural activities. 3. Psychological: is the sharing of knowledge, beliefs, and mental activities within a culture.. Figure 2.1. Dimensions of culture. Retrieved from “Intercultural business communication,” by L. H. Chaney & J. S. Martin, 2007, p. 5. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.. The figure explains that in order to a culture exist, these three dimensions have to interact with each other; if one is missing there can be an incomplete interaction or misunderstandings while interacting. These dimensions contribute to each scenario a part of them so the culture scheme can be completed.. Definition of Inter-culture Within the culture exists two very important terms; multi-culture and inter-culture. Multiculture is considered by Moreira (2001), and Silva (2003, 2001) as the coexistence within different cultural background in a same social environment (as cited in Fleuri, 2003). On the other hand inter-culture is considered as the singularity and the irreplaceable characteristic of an individual within a social environment (Fleuri, 2003).. 12.

(24) So, inter-culture takes place, as different from culture and multi-culture, when exist an approach to interchange information, ideas, thoughts, or feelings with someone, who comes from a cultural background different from yours (Samovar, Porter & McDaniel, 2011). In consequence, when two persons or even a group from different parts of the world get in contact both have to recognized that there is a presence of another culture, because of different languages, manners, thoughts, religion, race, and other differences.. Definition of Communication Communication has different definitions. Following the definition in the previous section, Samovar, Porter & McDaniel (2009) defined it as “a dynamic process in which people attempt to share their internal states with other people through the use of symbols.”(p.16). Rogers (1995) explained that communication takes place between unlike individuals, as a simple context. But communication not only encircles a person but it also involves process and environment. Communication comes from the Latin communicationem, which is the noun of action from the past participle stem of communicare, which means to share or to divide out (Communication, n.d.). So, according to De Valenzuela (1992), communication is “any act by which one person gives to or receives from another person information about that person’s needs, desires, perceptions, knowledge or affective states. Communication might be intentional or unintentional and may involve conventional or unconventional signals, may take linguistic or non-linguistic forms, and may occur through spoken or other modes”. The process of communication is very easy to understand when it is just applied in the same culture, and it involves sender, receiver, message, channel, response or feedback. The sender refers to the person or persons, who have the need to transmit something. The message is the verbal or nonverbal information that the sender wants to be transmitted via a channel. The channel is the way by which the message is transmitted, such as oral conversation, a conference call, a telegram, among others. The receiver is the target of the sender, which means is the person, who the sender wants to transmit a message to. The response and feedback are different concepts, but one lead to another. The response is the way the receiver acts after decoding the message from the sender, and the feedback is how the message is effective to the receiver; but depending on it, the sender can modify or amplify it (Samovar et.at, 2011).. 13.

(25) Cross-Cultural (Intercultural) Communication Now that the concepts of culture and communication are expressed, many authors think that both concepts are interrelated with each other. To explain what that means, Smith (1966) explained that “Culture is a code we learned and shared, and learning and sharing require communication. Communication requires coding and symbols that must be learned and shared” (as cited in Chaney & Martin, 2007, p.1-2); as represented in Figure 2.1. Culture cannot be known without communication, and communication can only be understood with an understanding of the culture it supports (Jandt, 2000, p.22). Because of this closest relationship between culture and communication, the process of communication not only supports same culture interaction but different cultures, too. Samovar et.al (2011) agreed that communication has a purpose, such as persuade, inform or entertain someone. Communication is used with an intention, and it is only worthy when interacting with someone; nonetheless, information processing, personality, social relations, habits, norms, rules, roles, networks, language and environment are native characteristics from an individual; therefore those factors play an important role while communicating. In a context from the same culture, see Figure 2.2, communication is easier because the environment is the same, even with problems as noise, one can understand a person with the same language and culture, and this makes the communication effective. However, misunderstandings may take place, too, but not regarding cultural issues.. Figure 2.2. Communication process between two persons with a same cultural background. Source: Adapted from International dimensions of organizational behavior: Communicating across cultures by N. Adler and A. Gundersen, 2007, p. 74. Copyright 2008 by Thomson Learning, Inc.. 14.

(26) On the other hand, the process in cross-cultural communication is quite the same, but in this is involved environment, language, gestures, perception, and the culture itself, making the process more complex, see Figure 2.3. Not everyone in a different culture has the same level in speaking a foreign language, or understanding a different culture.. Figure 2.3. Communication process between two persons with different cultural background. Source 1: Adapted from International dimensions of organizational behavior: Communicating across cultures, by N. Adler and A. Gundersen, 2007, p. 74. Copyright 2008 by Thomson Learning, Inc. Source 2: adapted from “The language barrier, solutions & its impact on HR policies,” [PorwerPoint slides] by A.W. Harzing, 2013.. Samovar et al. (2009) defined cross-cultural communication as the process by which people with different “cultural perceptions and symbol systems are different enough to alter the communication event.” However, its biggest problem is. the cross-cultural. miscommunication that occurs when the person from the second culture does not receive the intended message of the sender (Adler & Gundersen, 2007). In the intercultural communication process participates perception, patterns of cognition, verbal behaviors, nonverbal behaviors, and the influence of context (Samovar, et.al, 2011): 1. Perceptions: Mosby’s Medical Dictionary defines perception (2009) as “the conscious recognition and interpretation of sensory stimuli that serve as a basis for understanding, learning, and knowing or for motivation a particular action or reaction”. According to Rowland (1906) is defined as “the consciousness of particular 15.

(27) material things present to sense”. Giving these definitions, Samovar et.al (2009) explained that culture modifies what is seen, heard, tasted, and smelled. 2. Patterns of cognition: is the way on how a person resolves a problem, and the influence of the culture on the person affects the way to recognize and solve a problem. Nisbett (2003) found that “Northeast Asians, such as Chinese, Japanese, and Koreans, employ holistic thinking patterns, whereas Westerners use a linear causeand-effect model” (as cited in Samovar et.al, 2011). Subsequently, Samovar et.al (2011) agreed that the patterns used in a culture might be a problem while interacting with another culture. 3. Verbal behaviors: as mention before, Jandt (2000) established that culture without communication cannot exist, and communication is present when the culture is understood. This means that communication and culture depend on each other, because if communication does not exist culture cannot be transmitted to future generations. Consequently, language also is part of the culture, in which is developed symbols in common within a culture to give meaning to objects, events, emotions, experiences, and places (Samovar et.al, 2011). 4. Non-verbal behaviors: as the verbal is the noisy part of a communication, non-verbal expressions are necessary in order to bring better meaning to words. Gestures, facial expressions, eye contact, posture and movement, touch, dress, silence, space and time, objects and artifacts form part of non-verbal behaviors. As each culture defines its own language code, also it does for non-verbal code culture (Samovar et.al, 2011). 5. Influence of context: culture modifies not only verbal and non-verbal behaviors, but context, too. This means that it modifies also the way of interaction in physical and social situations. While intercultural communication, it is necessary the awareness of it, in order to not disrespect any culture (Samovar et.al, 2011). The combination of these elements from culture and communication creates a culture shock to foreigners, in this case to undergraduates TaiwanICDF students that come to Taiwan to study. The awareness about the language, the interchange of experiences, and culture are unperceived by the new scholars before coming to Taiwan. Once the students come to Taiwan, their concern is how to ask for something to eat, to drink, to wear, and how to communicate; however, this is not simple to these scholars because of the differences in language, even though they are concerned about the type of food, the behavior of the population, among others. At this point, culture shock takes place. 16.

(28) Oberg (1960) defined culture shock as the anxiety of people resulting from the uncertainty of what to do in a different culture. Pedersen (1994) conceptualized it as “the process of initial adjustment to an unfamiliar environment.” Samovar and Porter (2004), and, Chaney and Martin (2007), who have similar definitions, converged culture shock definition as the experienced trauma of not understanding the verbal and non-verbal communication of the host culture, its customs, and its value system. Even though culture shock is conceptualized and defined, the reaction is subjective and each person feels it in different ways, and tries to adapt in different ways, too. However, every expatriate is always aware about the feeling of being ridiculous, and what he or she knows about how to behave is not helping him or her in the new environment. Oberg (1960) explained his concept of culture shock by developing a theory, which described the six negatives aspects of culture shock. These negative aspects are: “(1) strain resulting from the effort of psychological adaptation, (2) a sense of loss or deprivation referring to the removal of former friends, status, role, and/or possessions, (3) rejection by or rejection of the new culture, (4) confusion in the role definition, role expectations, feelings, and self-identity, (5) unexpected anxiety, disgust, indignation regarding cultural differences between the old and new ways, and (6) feeling of helplessness as a result of not coping well in the new environment.” (p. 2) The process of communication takes a very important part within a culture. Communication is the method by which population within a country interact with others. However, the globalization and the foreign aid are pushing some changes within a culture. These changes are making host culture interact closely with foreigner visitors, such as students, workers, travelers, etc. But the changes are not only for the host population but for the foreigners, who should adapt to and understand the new culture. Undergraduate students, as any other foreigner that spends a long time in another culture, suffer from culture shock, and language shock, but they can overcome those issues by opening their mind, and by becoming involved in the host culture.. Adaptation Steps Definition of Adaptation Adaptation is a broad term that comprises culture shock, assimilation, adjustment, and acculturation (Begley, 1994; Kim, 1995, as cited in Chang, 2008). It also is understood as 17.

(29) changes from individual living in a foreign country caused by the demands of the environment (Berry, 1997). Hazuda, Stern and Hoffner (1988) defined it as “the process of adjusting and adapting to a new and different culture” (Chaney & Martin, 2007, p. 8). Acculturation, according to Valencia and Johnson (2008), is the process by which individuals adapt to cultural environmental changes. For this reason, adaptation is “a complex and dynamic process, and an inevitable part of intercultural interactions” (Chang, 2008, p.8). Graves (1967) developed the psychological acculturation term, which is the experienced changes because of the interaction with people from other cultures (as cited in Berry, 1990). As both definitions are interrelated, for this study, the terms of adaptation and acculturation will be treated as similar definitions, which mean it will be referred as the psychological and physiological changes caused from living in a different cultural environment.. Intercultural Adaptation Redfield, Linton, and Herskovits (1936, p.149) stated that “acculturation comprehends those phenomena which result when groups of individuals having different cultures come into continuous first-hand contact with subsequent changes in the original culture patterns of either or both groups” (as cited in Berry, 1997). Consequently, studies in “cross-cultural psychology has demonstrated links between cultural context and individual behavioral development” (Berry, 1997, p. 5). This means that the acceptance of a culture will determined the level of adaptation of the undergraduate TaiwanICDF students. Berry (1990; 1997) defined the acculturation strategies; assimilation, separation, integration and marginalization (Ward & Rana-Deuba, 1999; Sam, 2000; Pham & Harris, 2001; Chaney & Martin, 2007; Jian, 2012), see Table 2.1 and Figure 2.4. Table 2.1. Definitions of the Dimensions of Acculturation Dimension Assimilation. Definition Happens when the individual values more the new culture forgetting her or his own culture, and looks for constantly interaction with members of different cultural backgrounds. Integration The individual interacts daily with other cultures without modifying and maintaining the own culture. Marginalization or Happens when the individual loses its own culture but also does not Deculturation acquire and has little interest on the host culture. Separation The individual has less or none interaction with other cultures, because he or she puts more value to his or her own cultural background.. 18.

(30) Figure 2.4. Acculturation strategies. Source: Retrieved from “Immigration, acculturation, and adaptation” by John W. Berry, 1997, Apply Psychology: An International Review, 46(1), p. 10. Copyright 1977 by International Association of Applied Psychology.. The figure 2.4 integrates the degree of adaptation perceived by the foreigner population. The question “is it considered to be of value to maintain one’s identity and characteristics?” is referring to the degree that the foreigner is willing to change its identity and accept the host culture as its own. The second question “is it considered to be of value to maintain relationships with larger society?” refers to the degree of importance for a foreigner to maintain a relationship with the host culture and the facilities that the host population might give them.. Definition of Adaptation Steps When expatriates enter to a new culture environment, they keep their own culture and keep acting as they were living in a place where their culture was the same (Noesjirwan & 19.

(31) Freestone, 1979). However, entering to a new culture environment, where customs, beliefs, laws, values, among others are different, will modify the way international population perceive things and, in consequence, their behavior; as explained in Table 2.1 and showed in Figure 2.4. However, after leaving for some time in this new environment a certain strategy of acculturation will be follow depending on the view and desires of the individual (Chaney & Martin, 2007), see Table 2.1 and Figure 2.4. Adler (1975) added that also the individual is more aware about the new culture and will try to develop skills and knowledge that will help him or her to move on. But, acculturation can be different depending on the individual level and population level, which involves ecological, cultural, social, and institutional aspects. Miller-Keane Encyclopedia and Dictionary of Medicine, Nursing, and Allied Health (2003) state that psychological adaptations is “the ongoing process, anchored in the emotions and intellect, by which humans sustain in the mental and emotional states of being and in their interactions with their social and cultural environments”. Oxford Dictionaries (2014) defines steps as “a measure or action, especially one of a series taken in order to deal with or achieve a particular thing”, and Collins Dictionary (2014) define it as “one of sequence of separate consecutive stages in the progression towards some goal”. Individuals act, think and perceive things differently, which means that “there are not standard formulas for overcoming culture shock” (Da Cunha, 1980) and get adapted easily. According to Berry (1997) these individuals and groups apply different approaches to get adapted and accept the host culture. For taking some steps to adapt to a new place, it is important to take into account why and for how long the individuals will be interacting with the host culture (Berry 1997). Ho (1995) suggested that the level of adaptation to a new place depends on the age and that there is any sequence of steps to follow for getting adapted. This is also supported by Zapf (1991), who suggested that expatriates confronts different experiences and that they are giving a personal meaning; however this meaning will have a good or a bad impact on the expatriates, causing them disorientation, frustration or being afraid. As mentioned before, those steps for getting adapted have to be influenced by the culture in the host country. Expatriates must get adapted to a new environment, such a population density, dietary changes, exposure to new diseases, loss of economic status or new job opportunities, new friends, new language acquisition, alteration of value systems, among 20.

(32) other deeper changes (Berry, 1997). Therefore, the steps to get adapted will vary depending on the different situations an individual might be passing through. Berry (1997) found in others authors work that adaption in “older youth do often experience substantial problems, particularly during adolescence”. As this study is reviewing undergraduate students, this fact is really important to figure out which steps these students are taking to get adapted to their new environment. In adaptation steps process studies have found that females present more problems than males, and the level of education that these students bring with them will help them to take better decisions for a good adaptation. As an example of the explanations about adaption steps, Anderson (1971) described the experience of 15 American scholars in India. All of them experienced culture shock, and problems to get adapted to their new environment. Therefore, they recorded their dreams in order to compare them and analyze them. She found that they passed through an “identity crisis that accompanies the mixed cultural affiliation which is a part of these processes of adaptation to culture shock” (Anderson, 1971). The second example is the experience of 31 foreign-born teachers in the United States studied by Joan F. Fee in 2010. Those teachers presented culture shock regarding many things in their new environment; such as housing, transportation, social security, doctors, stores, appropriate clothing, among other. One step to resolve this was their “appreciation of practical help and social support” (Fee, 2010). A second steps was to look for primary arrival professors to get some help. The third step they took was asking for help to the school district and the university; but most of them were required but the new teachers. A fourth step was to look for their master’s cohort. Victor Savicki (2010) studied the sociocultural adaption of 59 U.S university students and he found that one of the steps they follow was to help to each other while encountering bad experiences, also to look for some support of the university and counselors to get adapted. Doyle (2009) suggested that students should be aware of the episodes and be mature to encounter them; also to respect the differences between cultures. Ulla K. Bunz (1997) explained in her findings that for getting adapted it is necessary to “find out about the new culture, learn the basics of the language, observe carefully, tolerate differences, and develop flexibility”; also for her an important step was to gain new experiences and memories. Therefore, adaptation steps in this study is referred to the actions that the students are taking to get more comfortable with the social environment in Taiwan, and how they handle. 21.

(33) communication issues according to their experiences in order to get cultural adapted to Taiwan.. Theories of Cross-Cultural Communication and Adaptation Steps Furnham and Bochner (1982) found that the most common problems of students while linving abroad are “language problems, accommodation difficulties, racial discrimination, separation reactions, dietary adjustments, financial stress, misunderstandings and loneliness.” (as cited in Lewthawaite, 1996). For that reason, the process of acculturation, as mention before, is not easy and will depend on the willingness of the TaiwanICDF undergraduate students. The explanations of the process of communication within two different cultures and culture shock issues gives a better understanding about the steps that undergraduate students normally follow to get over depression or anxiety feelings during the first six months within Taiwan. Also, this study gives some understanding about how these students are dealing with communication problems regarding the language in their daily life. The six negatives aspects explained in the theory of Oberg are seen as normal and expected reactions of people, in general, and form part in the adaptation process within culture differences (Furnham, 1993). These reactions mean that every person has to deal with these feelings to get adapted to a different culture, and do not matter if is a student, businessman, professor or just a traveler. The feeling of anxiety and insecurity of people are very common, because it is easy to feel that, as a foreigner, they not belong to the host culture that everybody is looking at them, that they do not have any relative or friend in the host country, and, in consequence, they lack of the “social importance” that they have in their own country. Culture shock is a personal experience; however, “as the situations changes in expected directions”, people, in general, needs to build “new perspectives on self, others, and the environment that “fit” with the new situations.” (Pedersen, 1994, preface) So Searle and Ward (1990) suggested that cross-cultural transition needs the combination of psychological and socio-cultural variables; the psychological variable refers to “the feelings of well-being and satisfaction”, and the socio-cultural variable refers to “the ability to fit in or negotiate interactive aspects of the host culture.” That means that the changes will impact emotionally, psychologically, behavioral, cognitively and physiological on individuals (Pedersen, 1994). But those changes depend on the individual, so the psychological adjustment is based on the personality, social support and life change variable, while sociocultural adaptation is based on culture distance, the frequency of communication with 22.

(34) the host population, and the cultural knowledge (Ward et al., 1998). For that reason, the students will reflect the steps they have been taking since they came to Taiwan to feel they are part of the Taiwanese culture regarding their level of depression and the social difficulties (Ward & Searle, 1991). Zapf (1991) suggested some strategies for counselors that help those expatriates passing through a hard time and are trying to get adapted to a new environment. The first step is to recognize that the students, or any other expatriate, are experiencing culture shock and that this process is common and unavoidable. As a part of this recognition, and second step, Kealy (1978) found that the student should be able to recognize strange patterns that he or she is getting involve to; such as drinking problem, avoiding people, being unable to control their emotions, writing to their families or friends back home, constantly complaining about the new society or culture, adopting negatives attitudes towards locals, among others. A third step that is discussed by Zapf (1991) is to talk to people who already experienced the same before and look from them support. The fourth step is concerning about the language, which plays an important role in the adjustment process; therefore the need of assisting to a language program is recommended. Consequently, it is essential for the students to recognize which situations are they feeling overwhelmed and try to analyze those situations. Wilson et al. (1995) suggested five different steps to help to get adapted or to overcome culture shock. The first step is to get enough information about the host country, such as language, value system, norms, customs, etc. As a second step, he suggested to learn, before landing the new country, the basics of the new language; “the better the language skills, the more likely an easy adjustment” (Bunz, 1997). The following step was to learn from personal experiences and ask for explanations of the different outcomes. The fourth step was to be tolerant to the new culture, population and the way they normally do their things. And, as a final step, was to be open-minded and enjoy new things. Samovar et.al (2009) stated that “the requirement to understand cultural differences and communicate across cultural borders has increased exponentially” (p. 4). Therefore, language, for Smith (1972), is comprised of three general functions; communicative, integrative, and expressive. As part of the culture shock, the language shock is important, because it occurs when a person cannot express themselves due to language issues with others in a different culture (Smalley, 1963). Because of that, Herman (1961) suggested that the choice of language might shed light on problems of motivations associated with the. 23.

(35) learning of a new language. He also explained that people speak native language when they are in public places, because it is easy to be derogated or humiliated (Herman, 1961, p 193). According to Wei (1994, p.6), “language choice is an ‘orderly’ social behavior, rather than a random matter of momentary inclination”. For those reasons students, in this case, feel that they need to build something new to release the anxiety and insecurity, such as academic status, friends, or something that make them confident. As a consequence, students decide to gather with others that speak their native language. So, for the third research question, the researcher will address the communication problems in the daily life when those students have to speak with the Taiwanese population. According to the definition of communication of De Valenzuela (1992), Venable (2011) stated the seven C’s of effective communication, even though they were developed for the marketing field (Cutlip & Center, 1952), they can be used in informal ways of communication, making the communication process valuable and respectful in any field; clarity (the use of the correct and simplest words), completeness (take into account who, what, when, why, where and how questions so that the receiver understand a complete idea), conciseness (do not give more information as the necessary), concreteness (use some facts that may reinforce what you want to explain or say, to minimize misunderstandings), correctness (try to use correct grammar and be accurate), courtesy (use correct level of voice and expressions), and consideration (always be respectful to those to whom you are communicating).. 24.

(36) CHAPTER III RESEARCH DESIGN The following chapter is comprised of seven sections that propose the procedures to be taken in order to achieve the purpose of the study; research framework, research method and instrument development, participants, research procedure, data collection process, data analysis and, reliability and validity.. Research Framework The theories explained in the section above give different views of how the communication process influences the adaptation steps that might be taken for the undergraduate TaiwanICDF students in order to communicate with the Taiwanese population. Based on “Six negative aspects of culture shock theory,” by K. Oberg (1960); “Psychological and sociocultural adaptation theory,” by Searle and Ward (1990); “Steps to overcome culture shock,” by Zapf (1991) and Wilson et al. (1995); “language shock theory,” by Smalley (1963); and “7 Cs of communication,” by S.M. Cutlip and A.H. Center (1952), the following theoretical or conceptual framework was developed in order to explain the communication process and adaptation steps of the different cultures of TaiwanICDF students while interacting with Taiwanese population within Taiwan, see Figure 3.1. The cross-cultural environment in Taiwan involves national population and foreign population, and it should be a way that both populations interact with each other; therefore culture and the communication affect that interaction. The interaction between these two cultures must follow the process of communication for them to create a network that helps to understand the demands of each other. Each culture has their own characteristics, and when different cultures interact, several problems might be encounter for non-native speakers and native speakers while coding and decoding messages. Culture A, being TaiwanICDF undergraduate students, has a different cultural background, and to get in contact with the local population first they have to get adapted. However, before acculturate to Taiwanese culture, Culture A has to deal with different aspects, such as psychological aspects (depression, the feeling of being lost, etc.), sociocultural aspects (interaction with locals, accept the cultural differences, etc.), culture shock (traditions, food, dressing way, etc.), and language shock issues (anxiety or fear while talking the local language). 25.

(37) As those students are dealing with these issues by their own, they are developing certain steps in order to get adapted or acculturated to the Taiwanese culture. Hence, once these students accept and understand more and more the host culture, communication for them with the locals will be easier, because they can understand how to express themselves effectively following the structure of Taiwanese communication. As the communication process is two ways and the Culture A adapts to the local culture, Culture B will be able to answer or give feedback. In consequence, cross-cultural communication can be achieved.. Figure 3.1.Conceptual framework of adaptation steps and communication between different cultures.. Research Method and Instrument Development For fulfilling the purpose of this study, the method adapted a qualitative approach to collect, analyze, and finalize the data. So for the study, a series of questions were developed and comprised an interview schedule. An interview schedule is used for doing a structured interview, which is comprised of questions in a structured order and has its own specific instructions for delivering the interview questions (Fowler, 2004). This instrument, which is asking for qualitative information from the students, had 12 questions based on the research questions and the theoretical framework; see Table 3.1 followed by the Table 3.2. The content of the interview schedule was developed following the research questions and the theories or practices used within this study, and with the supervision of three experts; an expert on the developing of interview schedule and two 26.

(38) experts on cross-cultural issues. The instrument, after being approved from the experts mentioned, was validated by four TaiwanICDF managers for undergraduate programs. The reliability for the interview schedule was obtained by the suggestions and revision of the experts. The expert was chosen because of the “highly technical knowledge” (Slocum, 2005, p. 121). On the other hand, the validity of the developed instrument was established through an interview with TaiwanICDF managers who discussed each question in depth, because of their experiences with international TaiwanICDF students. After the discussion, the TaiwanICDF managers gave the researcher some recommendations and approved the content; and gave the consent to do the interview to the undergraduate students. Table 3.1. Research Questions based on Theories/Practices Research Questions 1. How undergraduate students of TaiwanICDF do perceive they deal with the culture shock issues? 2. What steps do they perceived they took to adapt themselves to the new culture?. Theories or Practices The six negative aspects of culture shock of Oberg (1960).. Psychological and sociocultural adaptation from Searle and Ward (1990). Steps to overcome culture shock by Zapf (1991) and Wilson et al. (1995). 3. Is language perceived by them to be a Scott M. Cutlip and Allen H. Center problem for living or studying in Taiwan? (effective public relations, 1952): 7 Cs of communication. 4. How do they perceived they handle Language shock theory developed by communication problems? Smalley (1963).. 27.

(39) Table 3.2. Interview Questions based on Research Questions (Based on Interview Schedule Order) Interview Questions 1. When you came to Taiwan, what problems did you encounter in adjusting? 2. Do these problems affect you personally and in what way? 3. Do you feel that you are currently over the culture shock? 4. What did you do to get over the feeling of homesickness, or any other feeling of sadness? 5. How did you handle daily communication problems when you first came to Taiwan? For example, ordering food or drinks, taking a taxi, going to hospitals or clinics, the feeling of being lost. 6. Now that you have been living a while in Taiwan, is communication still a problem for you? 7. Have you taken any Chinese language course, so you can communicate with the population? 8. Are you taking any Chinese course in your university? 9. Do you like Chinese language? 10. How many hours per week do you take those classes and how many hours do you practice by yourself? 11. Do you practice your Chinese speaking skill with your native language speakers’ friends? 12. Do you think that your Chinese learning or courses are helpful to communicate and adapt yourself to Taiwan?. Research Questions 1. How undergraduate students of TaiwanICDF perceived dealing with the culture shock issues? 2. What steps do they perceived they took to adapt themselves to the new culture? 3. How did you handle communication problems?. 4. Is communication perceived by them to be a problem for living or studying in Taiwan?. Participants This study followed a qualitative approach to understand the feelings and opinions of undergraduate TaiwanICDF students about their living experiences while communicating and what they have done or still doing to get adapted to a new country like Taiwan. The target group for this study was students of the undergraduate level, who came in the year 2012 and 2013 to study for their first, second or third degree in Taipei, the capital of Taiwan. The 2013 students had lived at least six months, continuously, within Taiwan. Black and Mendenhall (1991) suggested a time line in months that individuals faced in the U-Curve, in which they proposed the stage and approximately the time a person might take to overcome it. Since getting adapted to a new culture varies from person to person (Berkeley International Office, 28.

(40) paragraph 2), six month is a good period of time to ask them how they are feeling about the culture and communication problems in their daily life (Black & Mendenhall, 1991). A lot of diverse students come to Taiwan to study; however, the target of those students for this study was focused on students that came from African, Latin American, and the Caribbean countries. Latin American students came especially from Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua. Costa Rica was not part of the students chosen for this study since TaiwanICDF have no governmental relationship with the Costa Rican government. The whole sample was 20 students in total for this study; five students from Africa, eight students from Latin America, and seven students from the Caribbean; as shown in Table 3.3. For some personal reason and unconformity of being part of the study one of the participants, after the interview and the member check validation, asked the researcher not to be included in the study, because the student was feeling insecure about the participation. Consequently, based on the time limitation, the researcher included 19 students for finishing the study. Table 3.3. Participants Codification and Information Participants Code*. Gender. Country. AF-1 AF-2 AF-3 AF-4 AF-5 CA-1 CA-2 CA-3 CA-4 CA-5 CA-6 CA-7 CA-8 TC-1 TC-2 TC-3 TC-4 TC-5 TC-6 TC-7. Female Female Female Male Male Female Female Female Female Female Female Male Male Female Female Female Female Female Male Male. Gambia Gambia Gambia Gambia Gambia El Salvador El Salvador Guatemala Guatemala El Salvador Nicaragua El Salvador Honduras Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Vincent and The Grenadines Saint Vincent and The Grenadines Belize Saint Lucia Saint Kitts and Nevis Belize. Year of Arrival 2012 2012 2013 2013 2013 2012 2013 2013 2013 2013 2013 2012 2013 2013 2013 2012 2012 2012 2012 2012. *Note: AF, CA, TC refers to the area they came from, AF refers to African countries, CA to Central American countries, and TC to The Caribbean countries. The Number after the dash refers to the number of the interviewee.. 29.

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