Online Journal for Global Engineering Education

Volume 3 | Issue 1 Article 1

February 2008

Cross-Cultural "Soft Skills" and the Global

Engineer: Corporate Best Practices and Trainer
Methodologies
Carol Del Vitto
University of Central Florida, [email protected]

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 Del Vitto: Cross-Cultural "Soft Skills" and the Global Engineer

Cross-Cultural “Soft Skills” and the

Global Engineer: Corporate “Best
Practices” and Trainer
Methodologies
Carol Del Vitto, Ph.D.
University of Central Florida At the 9th Annual Colloquium on International
Engineering in November of 2006, the consensus
between the corporate and academic
presenters/attendees was that global engineering
students need not only to develop foreign language
proficiency, but must just as importantly develop
ABSTRACT cross-cultural, adaptive “soft skills” which will assist
At the 9th Annual Colloquium on International them in working collaboratively in their co-ops,
Engineering in November of 2006, the consensus internships and expatriate assignments. While this
between corporate and academic presenters/attendees message has been reverberating for the last ten years in
was that global engineering students need not only to academia, particularly in international business
develop foreign language proficiency, but must just as schools, many international engineering programs have
importantly develop cross-cultural, adaptive “soft neglected to develop this very important, competitive
skills” which will assist them in working collaboratively aspect of their programs. Instead, they have chosen to
in their co-ops, internships and expatriate assignments. continue to focus only on “hard” technical skills. If
While university engineering programs often focus on Americans want to be globally competitive they must
“hard” technical skills, it is becoming increasingly place an emphasis on being able to work and adapt
evident that in order to compete in a global overseas, or for that matter, to work for foreign
environment, international engineering students must companies who are located in the United States. In
become competent in both foreign language and contrast to Americans, Europeans and Asians have
culture. By examining the best practices of taken the need for global competition very seriously.
international companies and the programs developed According to the European Council of Europe (2001),
by cross-cultural trainers, university programs can language competence is no longer adequate for their
begin to better develop criteria and standards for their students, but rather a focus must now be made on
programs, thereby insuring their students have the best “intercultural competence” (Sercu 115). Consequently,
possible training as global engineers. it would be prudent for university programs to look at
human resource best practices and the strategies which
are commonly utilized by the corporate trainers who
have been preparing managers and employees for
Introduction expatriate assignments for years. These “best practices”
and strategies would thereby provide a better
We need to bring the issue of cross-cultural educational foundation for those instructing the new
competence to the top of the competitive generation of global engineers regarding what future
agenda. Cultural competence is no longer a
employers expect. In other words, the best way to
nice skill to have; it is an economic necessity.
We have been successful in developing the prepare the “Global Engineer” is to know what Human
hardware of increased globalization; for Resource professionals need and then further develop
example, computer and communications these qualities, characteristics and skills.
technologies, transportation methods, and
flexible manufacturing systems. Our weakness In her article “Corporate Recruiter demand for Foreign
has been in developing individuals with the Language and Cultural Knowledge” in Global Business
flexibility and knowledge needed to maximize Languages (1998), Christine Über-Grosse examines the
the value of the cultural capital available to the demand for foreign language and cultural knowledge by
organization
corporate recruiters at Thunderbird’s Master of
Brake, Walker and Walker 32.
International Management program and the University

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 Online Journal for Global Engineering Education, Vol. 3 [2008], Iss. 1, Art. 1

of South Carolina’s Master of International Business overseas service and then not to give them the best
Studies. An analysis of the job listings at both of these possible pre-departure training and the best home
institutions shows that “more than half” of the job office and field support available” (15). After looking at
listings, “56% of the total South Carolina postings in the costs incurred by corporations due to failed
1996-7 and 57% at Thunderbird in 1995-96, preferred assignments, would it not make sense for universities to
applicants with foreign language skills and cultural take the preparation of their students as future global
knowledge” (14). The need for cultural and linguistic engineers in the area of language and “soft” cross-
knowledge is no longer only necessary at international cultural skills seriously? How can universities better
business schools, but is equally important in prepare the global engineer? What specific cross-
international engineering programs where “Global cultural “soft skills” must be taught and what are the
Engineers” are being educated and developed. desirable, definable goals and objectives which are
needed in order to better prepare the global
Robert Kohls describes both potential outcomes and engineering student? Identifying the qualities human
benefits of cross-cultural training in his chapter on resource professionals seek in their candidates will not
“Intercultural Training for Overseas Posting” in only better prepare students for their co-ops and
Training Know-How for Cross-Cultural and Diversity internships, but also for any potential positions they
Trainers. Cross-cultural training may “not only apply for after graduation as expatriates.
prevent calamities” but also can boost productivity,
help an American manager motivate foreign national As a former expat who is the product of a cross-cultural
employees, and generally make such a person more and language training program, I believe the
effective in a foreign environment” (15). Unfortunately, advantages of training should not be underestimated.
there continues to be an alarming number of “failed” Working as a consultant/trainer for the last eight years
corporate expatriate assignments, with “failure” being with Siemens Power Generation in Orlando, Florida,
defined as the inability of the expatriates to complete has only strengthened my resolve and belief that cross-
the work they were sent to do. Kohls warns that cultural training should never be undervalued or
“without intercultural training…. as many as 40 to 60 neglected. The American engineers who had been
percent will fail-either necessitating early removal,” or working for Westinghouse before the “merger” with
will stay on but function “far below their U.S. Siemens quickly realized that they could potentially be
productivity level” (15). Fortunately, according to placed in positions in Germany. Similarly, German
Kohls, “with effective intercultural training, the failure engineers were quite often offered positions in the
rate can be reduced to 5 percent or less” (15). These United States. A sense of urgency swept through the
numbers alone should be impetus enough to take the organization as they began to develop both the
development of cross-cultural “soft” skills seriously. It language and cross-cultural/“soft” skills, in order to
becomes further evident that university programs must help them better collaborate with their new partners.
address and develop “soft” cross-cultural skills before While on the whole the German engineers tend to be
students are “sent off” to their internships and co-ops. better prepared than American engineers from a
Realizing the need to emphasize and develop skills language perspective, as they have typically had many
considered “soft,” in addition to their “hard” technical years of English at the university, they often need to
skills, will only help to increase the success of develop the “soft skills” which will help them to better
internships and co-op programs for both the students understand the business style of their American
and universities. counterparts. Ambitious Americans began fast and
furiously to learn German in order to either facilitate a
One of the negative outcomes of failed assignments by potential expatriate assignment, or perhaps merely to
expatriates is the enormous expense incurred by survive a global merger with the Germans taking the
corporations. It costs an “average of $150,000 to helm. The number of times engineers whom I have
$250,000 in direct costs for an American company to trained have lamented, “I wish I would have learned a
bring a mid-level employee home from a foreign language and cross-cultural skills while I was still in
assignment” (Kohls 15). Other estimates place the cost school” are too many to be recounted. The merger of
of overseas assignments anywhere from $250,000 to 1 Westinghouse and Siemens is just one example of the
million dollars, “not to mention lost contracts, plethora of potential scenarios today’s engineers face in
dissatisfied customers, and other collateral damage” a global environment.
(Wakao 24). In addition to the financial costs there are
also personal costs. Kohls relates, “Families have Paul A. Camuti, President and CEO of Corporate
literally broken up and careers have been ruined from Research Siemens Corporation, in an article appearing
such potentially traumatic experiences. It is sheer in 2006 in the Online Journal for Global Engineering
suicide not to select the best possible candidates for Education (OJGEE), describes that in order “to succeed

Carol Del Vitto Online Journal for Global Engineering Education 3.1 (2008)
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 Del Vitto: Cross-Cultural "Soft Skills" and the Global Engineer

in this new environment, new skills will be needed, placements very often develop into permanent
skills that go beyond the traditional technical assignments for the students, a key element of their
capabilities. Being technically proficient will still be success has been proper cross-cultural, “soft” skill
important, of course, but in an environment that training. This is evident in the success rates of students
emphasizes cross-border collaboration, one needs to graduating from these institutions who are then offered
augment, analytical left-brain abilities with creative foreign assignments. Internship programs such as the
right-brain skills.” He provides a list of the qualities MIT International Science and Technology Initiative
and skills an engineer of the 21st century will need to (MISTI) typically lead to long-term assignments and
succeed. These qualities and skills include: “Good translate into better pay for their engineering students.
communication skills, including multiple languages; An advantage for students who are able to take part in
the ability to work in teams; cross-cultural sensitivity internships is that they inevitably stand out to
and knowledge; social awareness; capacity to handle prospective employers because they exhibit both
complex systems; business acumen and sense of “language and culture skills,” explains Widdig. The
entrepreneurship.” Camuti’s observations only serve to MISTI program requires students to participate in
underscore the necessity of giving future engineers the cross-cultural training, in addition to one to two years
training necessary to succeed in an international of university German. Courses which are part of the
environment-while they are still at the university. MISTI program include “Speaking and Writing:
German in Technology and Business,” “Communicating
Thomas Tischhauser, Vice President of the Powertrain across Cultures,” and “Germany Today: Intensive
& Chassis division of Continental Automotive Systems German Language and Culture.”
similarly valued these skills and qualities in his
colloquium presentation on “The Global Engineer,” Similarly, the International Engineering Program (IEP)
emphasizing that the engineer of the future “must be at the University of Rhode Island has been one of the
prepared to ‘champion cultural diversity’” by forerunners in developing a BA program which requires
understanding that “cultures are diverse” and that the students study language and engineering
“diversity drives the best ideas.” Engineering students simultaneously, while also incorporating cross-cultural
will not only need “a good understanding of cultural training into the instruction. In fact, “currently the
differences,” but also be able to “function smoothly in a University of Rhode Island is educating more bilingual
complex social setting.” While some international and cross-culturally competent engineers than any
engineering programs have been placing a most-needed other university in the country,” according to their
emphasis on the importance of foreign language skills, Website. An integral part of their program is having
it is becoming increasingly evident that “soft” cultural the engineers complete a six-month internship. John
skills are equally important for students, as Grandin, the “father” of the IEP, describes the skill base
corporations are both seeking and/or requiring which is necessary for future engineers who are training
candidates with both skill sets. for international assignments in his article “Preparing
Engineers for the Global Workplace: The University of
The Global Engineering Excellence Study, supported Rhode Island” (Vol. 1, Issue 1, 2006) in the Online
by Continental AG, describes additional areas of Journal for Global Engineering Education.
competence which are integral for the success of global Engineering students educated and trained in America
engineering students. For example, students must have are quite often confronted with global competition,
training which is beyond “add-on” programs, and with many lacking the necessary “soft” cross-cultural
instead be prepared to conduct “research” and take part and linguistic skills. These students, unfortunately,
in “educational projects” (2). The study emphasizes that often “fail” and their work is “handed off to peers from
while English is “becoming a common language for other parts of the world where such global preparation”
cross-cultural communication,” the “dominance of is taken seriously.
English in global communication in engineering,
science, and business does not lessen the need for Georgia Tech has developed a model program for
native English speakers to learn other languages. educating and developing the global engineer. Jack R.
Linguistic ability is a crucial element of cross-cultural Lohmann, Vice Provost of the Georgia Institute of
competence” (5). Of course, the support and Technology, began by asking at the Colloquium, “Can
commitment of both industry leaders and university we define a ‘global engineer’?” He continued with his
engineering programs must be in place order for a new belief that the global engineer must be “…culturally
generation of engineers to thrive and compete globally. sensitive, socially aware, politically astute....speak
foreign language.” He went on to address the urgent
Currently there are several notable programs which need for research on engineering in a global context
stand out as placing engineering students in and explained: “the phenomenon of global engineering
international internships and co-ops. Because these is still emerging. There is a need for a theoretical

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 Online Journal for Global Engineering Education, Vol. 3 [2008], Iss. 1, Art. 1

foundation on learning behaviors and models, as well their awareness of cultural differences had significant
as on organization processes and management impact on their interactions and that they were more
methods.” Universities must remain focused on readily able to accommodate to changes in a foreign
“instilling global competence in engineers.” This will environment. Furthermore, “they became more
require that the university engineering programs, such confident in new environment” and as a consequence
as those offered by MIT, University of Rhode Island “productivity increased.” While some academic
and Georgia Tech, continue developing cross-cultural programs have integrated elements of cross-cultural
programs in order to insure success for engineering training into their programs, the systematic training
students in foreign assignments. Debbie Gulick and and assessment of methodologies utilized by cross-
Debbie Pearson also of Georgia Tech, in their cultural consultants could provide specific, targeted
presentation “Preparing Interns and Co-ops for the goals which could be integrated into university
Work Abroad Experience” emphasized the fact that engineering programs.
“effective preparation increases students’ chances of 1)
thriving in a new culture 2) making significant What are the foundations of intercultural training and
contributions on the job and 3) gaining new skills in which methods or strategies are utilized by
their chosen fields.” The cross-cultural preparation intercultural trainers? How should theoretical
Georgia Tech students receive, in addition to their foundations and learning models be implemented?
learning a foreign language includes: According to Kohls, intercultural training can be
described as “training that gives people the necessary
…knowing etiquette/local customs; knowing information, skills, and attitudes to enable them to
appropriate dress for the culture and work adjust to and function productively in a country other
environment, understanding relevant gender, than their own” (16). There are typically three different
historical religious and political issues; types of intercultural programs utilized by professional
knowing about the food of the country; trainers. These programs include pre-departure
encouraging an open mind, patience, flexibility, training, in-country assistance and re-entry training.
and sense of humor; knowing that punctuality University programs, some of which are now realizing
may be interpreted differently in different the benefits of both language and cross-cultural
cultures. training, could benefit from the expertise and “best
practices” of human resource professions at large
The positive results of their efforts are evident in the corporations, as well as independent cross-cultural
large number of engineering students from Georgia trainers who have worked for the last twenty years to
Tech who go on to be hired by top international meet the needs of business people. The academic
corporations. disciplines of intercultural communication, cross-
cultural psychology, international management,
Another program which prepares engineers for working communication, social and behavioral sciences, as well
abroad is the Global Engineering Alliance for Research as cultural anthropology have, along with area studies,
and Engineering (GEARE) program at Purdue provided the necessary theory and content knowledge
University. In a presentation by Eckhard Groll, for intercultural training.
Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Director of
Global Initiatives in the School of Mechanical The theoretical foundations of cross-cultural training
Engineering, entitled “Introduction to and Experiences have evolved over time, as delivery of cross-cultural
with the Undergraduate GEARE Program,” he concepts have been tailored to fit the business world.
conceded that despite their efforts “some barriers still Whereas business professionals typically participate in
exist in the development of both language and ‘soft’ training programs that can last anywhere from three
cross-cultural skills.” Because students are often faced days to six months, university programs are able to
with additional costs and tight graduation either integrate training into their language courses or
requirements, “soft” skill training becomes difficult. develop independent courses to enhance the
Dr. Groll stressed the need to develop both language international curriculum. While academicians who
and “soft” cross-cultural skills by means of an teach foreign language are highly qualified to teach
“orientation in foreign culture- before going abroad.” about culture, few are specialists in cross-cultural
This pre-departure training helps to optimize second- training. Much can be learned by looking to cross-
language and cross-cultural competencies necessary for cultural trainers for specific direction and objectives in
international internships. As a consequence of Georgia order to systematically develop university cross-cultural
Tech’s efforts to train students before they leave on programs. Trainers systematize and standardize their
assignment, student feedback has been more positive programs in order to insure they include the important
after international internships. Students believe that cultural elements which must not be neglected when

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 Del Vitto: Cross-Cultural "Soft Skills" and the Global Engineer

developing a cross-cultural program. Universities could is described by David C. Thomas and Kerr Inkson in
follow accordingly by implementing systemized and their book People Skills for Global Business: Cultural
standardized programs for students who may Intelligence. They define a culturally intelligent person
potentially work in international assignments. as “being skilled and flexible about understanding a
culture, learning more about it from interactions with
The Global Relocation Trends Survey Report provides it, and gradually reshaping their thinking to be more
a wealth of information regarding industry standards sympathetic to the culture” (Thomas and Inkson 15).
for human resource professionals. The 2005 Survey Just as psychologists have developed ways to measure
Report is enlightening in the area of cross-cultural IQ, it has become equally important to recognize how
research, as it constitutes one of the most reliable people handle emotions, resulting in an Emotional
sources of key findings for the human resource intelligence, or EQ quotient. A high EQ quotient means
industry. GMAC describes the fundamental purpose of that a person is able to “to recognize cultural
cross-cultural training: “to reduce the burden of differences through knowledge and mindfulness” and
expatriate culture shock and facilitate adjustment to has a propensity and ability “to act appropriately across
new surroundings” (2). The number of expatriate cultures. The culturally intelligent individual draws on
assignments is increasing, with 47% of the respondents a breadth of experience and can make fine
reporting an increase in 2005 of ex-pat assignments discriminations among subtly different behaviors that
over the previous year’s (32%). The number of perfectly fit the situation” (62). The importance of
companies who have locations outside the U.S. has also developing of cultural skills is described by Thomas and
increased- from 8% to 46% between 1999 and 2005. Inkson: “Even when people come from the same
One of the most notable trends is that the expatriate culture, interpersonal skills are often poor, and this
profile is changing, with the number of women and weakness is costly in business” (8). When interaction is
younger expatriates increasing. Women now constitute taking place across cultural boundaries, “the potential
23% of the total number of expatriates, and 54% of the for misunderstanding and failure is only compounded”
expatriates assigned in 2005 were between the ages of (8). They stress the need for international business
20 and 39. These trends serve to highlight the need for people to actively develop their cultural intelligence in
university students to be ready to hit the ground order to survive a global business environment.
running when they graduate.
According to Thomas and Inkson, cultural intelligence
The reasons for expatriate “failure,” according to the develops over time in several stages:
GMAC report, can be attributed primarily to several
issues: security and safety (in a post 9-11 world), Stage 1: Reactivity to external stimuli: If
remuneration dissatisfaction, poor quality of life, poor one is “mindless” of one’s own culture, one is
candidate selection, poor job performance, a job which unappreciative of the differences which exist
doesn’t meet expectations, an inability to adapt, and between their own and another’s culture.
spouse/partner dissatisfaction (10). Due to the great
expense involved in expatriate assignments, the survey Stage 2: Recognition of other cultural
reports that 62% of all companies are looking for norms and motivations: Through
alternatives to long-term assignments. This does not experiences and mindfulness an awareness of
mean, however, that “soft skills” are no longer the multicultural variables which may affect
important, but rather the opposite. These skills are just relationships develops.
as needed in order to better collaborate with foreign
nationals on short term assignments due to the limited Stage 3: Accommodation of other
amount of time given to build relationships. cultural norms and rules in one’s own
Nevertheless, while 81% of companies provided some mind: Instead of relying on absolutes, a person
form of cross-cultural training, formal cross-cultural in this stage of development will realize that
training was only required by 20% of the companies variation exists and begins to comprehend why
(14). While the return on investment (ROI) for certain behaviors occur.
corporations typically increases after cross-cultural
training, many companies continue to neglect this Stage 4: Assimilation of diverse cultural
crucial part of pre-departure planning, leading to an norms into alternative behaviors: Once
alarming number of failed expatriate assignments. the individual reaches this stage there is
Human resource professionals are increasingly familiar considerably less effort analyzing and specific
with the theory of “cultural intelligence.” They are also cultural situation, but rather they interact with
highly interested in being able to gage this quality in different culture almost “effortlessly.”
their employees. “Cultural intelligence” as a
fundamental theory in the development of “soft skills”

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Stage 5: Pro activity in cultural behavior it, can be helpful in supporting adjustment. An
based on recognition of changing cues: understanding of these variables are something
Individuals who have reached this stage are university programs can begin addressing by increasing
able to automatically adjust to situations and the students’ awareness of these issues as they consider
persons of another culture, sometimes before co-ops, internships and/or future expatriate
the members of the culture do themselves. assignments. Job variables are, of course, also
Intuitively they are aware of how to execute important when deciding whether to take an expat
and demonstrate behaviors which are assignment and include: clear objectives, clear
indicative of a culturally intellectual individual reporting lines, realistic expectations from the
(67-68). corporation, company support from either a mentor or
coach, and “micro-environment” expectations. The
Thomas and Inkson further describe a “highly broader “macro-environment” contains variables and
developed culturally intelligent person as having conditions which can either support or hinder
cognitively complex perception of their environment. adjustment. These variables include, for example,
They are able to make connections between seemingly whether “the new culture feels somewhat familiar,”
disparate pieces of information. They describe people whether “expatriates are fluent in the local language,”
and events in terms of many different characteristics and whether the “expatriates feel physically secure.”
and are able to see a coherent pattern in a cultural (Haslberger and Esarey 42). Finally, the individual
situation without knowing what the final picture might variables to be considered include the personal
look like” (68). A person in the final stage of characteristics and skills of the employee. Individuals
development is analogous to what Thomas Friedman who possess optimism, have “tolerance for ambiguity,
describes in his book The World is Flat: A Brief History open-mindedness, a willingness to cede control, exhibit
of the Twenty-First Century as a “great adaptor.” flexibility, are extroverts, a greater tolerance for own
“Great adaptors,” or “versatilists,” according to mistakes, are risk takers, have a high tolerance for
Friedman, are “not only capable of constantly adapting, discomfort and seek out feedback and listen” have a
but also of constantly learning and growing” (289). much greater chance of succeeding than those
Friedman relates an analogy given by the director of candidates who do not exhibit these qualities
training in Business Services at Siemens Westinghouse: (Haslberger and Esarey 45). When assessing the
“people in business need to become less like specialty success of engineering students it is of utmost
tools and more like Swiss Army knives. Those ‘Swiss importance to evaluate whether they possess these
Army knives’ are the versatilists” (290). Whether characteristics, and/or whether they have the potential
individuals are described as highly culturally to develop them. Human resource specialists look for
intelligent, as “versatilists,” or as “Swiss Army Knives,” individuals who exhibit certain qualities, and that is
it is important that international engineering students why it is so important from a competition standpoint
develop skills which serve to prepare them to work in that students are prepared to represent themselves as
the new “Flat World,” where due to the lightning swift “global engineers,” who are receptive to other cultures.
advancement in technology and communication they
are put in contact with people from all over the world. Stan Lomax in his book Best Practices for Managers
These global engineers will need the necessary skills to and Expatriates: A Guide on Selection, Hiring and
adapt to other cultures, whether they are working from Compensation, provides a wealth of information from a
their corporate headquarters, working in co-op corporate human resource perspective on the selection
programs, taking part in internships, or given and training of expatriates. He describes the tendency
expatriate assignments. If the development of these for corporations to insufficiently plan for expatriate
skills is ignored or undervalued, companies will assignments, leading to “huge losses for companies in
discover that they will continue to “inhibit terms of people and opportunities wasted, and needless
competiveness by alienating customers,” destroy and excessive financial expenditures” (84). He
“workforce cohesiveness,” and degrade “efficiency and describes that “managers appear to be more concerned
effectiveness” (Brake, Walker and Walker 31). with finding the best technically qualified candidates at
the outset, without adequate recognition of their
In the Ashridge Journal, Arno Haslberger and underlying problems that could undermine the
Sharman Esarey examine in their article “Snakes and assignment”(87). Lomax asks, “What do companies
Ladders: the Expatriate’s Path to Successful Cross- look for in identifying who would be the best fit for an
Cultural Adjustment” how managers can better “secure expatriate opening? The selection criteria is: 96%
the best chances of successful expatriation” (40). technical requirements of job, 94% business needs,
Examining the “micro-environment,” which includes 88% candidate availability/willingness, 60% personal
the expat and his family and the driving forces behind traits/ability to adjust, 54% language knowledge/

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 Del Vitto: Cross-Cultural "Soft Skills" and the Global Engineer

fluency, 25% academic degree” (88). He attributes Hofstede, Hampden-Turner, Tompenaars, Stewart,
failure in expatriate assignments to poor practices, such Bennett and Rhinesmith, the authors identify a
as not utilizing any true assessment tools and “cultural orientations framework” to establish the
unanticipated problems with the assignee’s cultural variables included in most cultural orientation
adaptation (89). When “best practices” procedure is programs:
followed, Lomax continues, it is both advantageous for
the individual and the company. 1) Environment: Control/Harmony/Constraint;
2) Time: Multi-Focus vs. Single-Focus/Fixed vs.
Human Resource professionals typically utilize an Fluid/Past vs. Present vs. Future;
assessment tool such as the Prudential Relocation 3) Action: Being vs. Doing;
Services “Overseas Assignment Inventory.” This 4) Communication: High/Low Context, Direct or
inventory contains a listing of 14 attributes, which Indirect/ Expressive or Instrumental/Formal or
include the candidate’s expectations, open-mindedness, Informal;
respect for other beliefs, trust in people, tolerance of 5) Space: Private or Public;
others, personal control, flexibility, patience, social 6) Power: Hierarchy or Equality;
adaptability, initiative, ability to take risks, sense of 7) Individualism: Individualistic or
humor, interpersonal interest, communication level Collectivist/Universalist or Particularist;
with spouse (140). A self-assessment tool such as this 8) Competiveness: Competitive or Cooperative;
inventory, in tandem with behavioral interviews, 9) Structure: Order or Flexibility;
enables the human resource professional to examine 10) Thinking: Deductive or Inductive/Linear or
the candidate’s fit with a particular assignment. At this Systematic.”
point a candidate’s personal circumstances can also be
evaluated in order to probe whether the individual and Within a cultural profile the factors shaping and
family are appropriate for the assignment. Other tests influencing an individual’s cultural profile typically
are available, such as the Global Assignment include: family, religion, education, corporate culture,
Preparedness Survey (G-A-P-S), which assesses the profession, social class, gender, race, generation,
candidate for 1) cultural flexibility 2) willingness to neighborhood, friends, and region. All are equally
communicate 3) ability to develop social relationships important, often overlapping with one another. It can’t
4) perceptual abilities 5) conflict resolution style and 6) be stressed enough that a person’s cultural core
leadership style (143-4). changes very slowly and is constantly in a state of flux.
While a part of one’s culture may be stable, other
Corporate cross-cultural training is typically either elements are in flux, adapting or resisting new
given individually or in groups. One effective way of conditions. This course book provides a wealth of
delivering training cost-effectively is for companies to material for cross-cultural training and could easily be
work in tandem with universities. Consortia, which utilized as a supplemental training text in international
host companies on campus and provide cross-cultural engineering programs.
seminars, dramatically lower the cost of training.
Thunderbird organizes several such programs There is typically very little standardization and
throughout the year, hosting such companies as AT&T, procedural protocol with regard to cross-cultural
Goodyear, GE, and Dow Chemical, just to name a few. training at the university. Renate A. Schulz describes in
It would behoove engineering schools to expand on this her article, “The Challenge of Assessing Cultural
idea, developing similar consortia. Naturally, the most Understanding in the Context of Foreign Language
costly programs available to companies are the Instruction,” the importance of establishing criteria and
individually-tailored programs. The programs are standards in developing intercultural competence.
typically only provided to higher management due to After providing a thorough outline of the historical
the higher cost. Distance learning programs are development of theories and practices of foreign
another means for companies and universities to language educators, she establishes the fundamental
reduce costs, although few exist in the area of cross- objectives of cultural learning, which include the
cultural training do date. attitudes, knowledge…and critical cultural awareness
(15-16). Schulz suggests the need for appropriate
The training manual Doing Business Internationally: assessment procedures as she describes the work of
The Cross-Cultural Challenges, Seminar Course book Bartz and Vermette which outlines “16 prototypes for
features a copyrighted program developed by the the assessment of cultural competence,” which differ
Training Management Corporation (TMC) after many from those utilized by corporate trainers (17). A
years of cross-cultural training research to evaluate and sampling of these 16 prototypes includes “portfolio
develop cultural competence. Building on the assessment, cross-cultural ‘conflict situation’
foundational work of Kluckhohn, Stodtbeck, Hall, resolution; analyzing visual examples of authentic

Online Journal for Global Engineering Education 3.1 (2008) Carol Del Vitto
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 Online Journal for Global Engineering Education, Vol. 3 [2008], Iss. 1, Art. 1

cultural situations; examining the cultural significance programs, books, videos and games are available
of underlined words or phrases; the identification of through Intercultural Press www.interculturalpress.com.
significant features in a literary passage and observing Two inventories which are utilized by to cross-cultural
an audio or video document for sociolinguistic trainers include the CCAI or Cross-Cultural
behavior. (Bartz & Vermette, 1996, 76-83). Schulz Adaptability Inventory and the Global Awareness
describes how the creation of portfolios, for example, Profile or (GAP) test. The CCAI was developed in
can facilitate both “formative and summative response to the need of cross-cultural trainers for a
assessment.” (18). Portfolios, as well as the other well-constructed and easily obtainable self-assessment
suggestions for assessment provided, help to give training instrument. Developed by Drs. Colleen Kelley
meaningful, experiential learning opportunities as the and Judith Meyers, the CCAI assesses the factors or
students develop cross-cultural skills and qualities. qualities which can enhance cross-cultural
effectiveness. It then helps to identify qualities which
Conclusion are strong and those which are in need of improvement.
The GAP test was developed by Dr. Nathan Corbitt and
Many universities and a large number of companies is an instrument which was designed to measure one’s
continue, unfortunately, to underestimate the value of awareness of global issues and geography. Dr. Corbitt
cross-cultural “soft skill” training. The global recognized the need to help people become more aware
engineering programs at MIT, University of Rhode of the geographic and subject areas needed to be
Island, Georgia Tech and Purdue should serve as successful in international business. The test consists of
valuable models to other engineering schools which are 120 questions concerning geography, environment,
in the process of building their programs. These politics, geography, religion, socioeconomics and
programs not only emphasize language learning in culture. After taking the inventory, students are able to
tandem with engineering courses, but also provide identify the specific areas they are weak in.
cross-cultural training as well. By examining the “best
practices” and training programs utilized by companies, Another publisher of cross-cultural materials is
criteria and standards can be better developed by Brigham Young University’s David M. Kennedy Center
university programs, whether they are just developing for International Studies. They create Infograms,
their global engineering programs and cross-cultural which are helpful for specific country information.
courses, or are expanding their programs. Other titles include “Coming Home Again,” and “The
International Family.” There are several books which
CROSS-CULTURAL TRAINING MATERIALS: The have come from the intercultural field which are
organization which represents cross-cultural training is particularly useful. They give in-depth detail of how to
“The Society of Intercultural Education, Training and development of Cross-Cultural Training Programs.
Research.” For those interested in reading the These include: Darlene Eleanor York’s Cross-Cultural
foundational theories behind cross-cultural training not Training Programs, Sandra Fowler and Monica G.
directly mentioned in this article the following may be Mumford’s Intercultural Sourcebook: Cross-Cultural
helpful: Geert Hofstede’s Culture’s Consequences: Training Methods, Robert Kohls and Herbert L.
International Differences in Work Related Values and Brussow’s Training Know-How for Cross-Cultural and
Masculinity and Femininity: The Taboo Dimension of Diversity Trainers, Richard R. Gesteland’s Cross-
National Cultures, Culture and Organizations: Cultural Business Behavior: Marketing, Negotiating
Software of the Mind (1997), Edward T. Hall’s The and Managing Across Cultures, and Experiential
Silent Language, (1959) The Hidden Dimension, (1966) Activities for Intercultural Learning by editor H. Ned
and Beyond Culture (1990). Patrick L. Schmidt’s Seelye.
Understanding American and German Business
Cultures: A Manager’s Guide to the Cultural Context in Works Cited
which American and German Companies Operate
(available in English and German). Schmidt’s book Bartz, W. & Vermette, R. “Testing Cultural Competence.”
works well as a companion text to either Business Acquiring Cross-Cultural Competence: Four Stages for
German or German for Engineering courses, as it Students of French. Lincolnwood, IL: National Textbook
outlines the various theoretical frameworks of social Co, 1994.
researchers such as Hofstede and Hall, while further
Brake, Terence, Danielle Medina Walker and Thomas Walker.
providing specific cultural examples and case-studies. Doing Business Internationally: The Guide to Cross-
Cultural Success. Princeton, N.J., 1995.
Fortunately there is a plethora of cross-cultural training
materials on the market, which was not the case just
ten years ago. Cross-Cultural inventories and testing

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 Del Vitto: Cross-Cultural "Soft Skills" and the Global Engineer

Camuti, Paul A. “Engineering the Future: Staying Competitive Hofstede, G. Masculinity and Feminity: The Taboo
in the Global Economy.” The Online Journal for Global Dimension of National Cultures. Thousand Oaks, CA:
Engineering Education. 1.1 (2006). Sage, 1998.

Friedman, Thomas L. The World is Flat: A Brief History of Hofstede, Geert. Cultures and Organizations: Software of the
The Twenty-First Century. New York: Farrar, Straus Mind: Intercultural Cooperation and its Importance for
and Giroux, 2006. Survival. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1997.

Fowler, Sandra M., ed. and Monica Mumsford, asst. ed. Kohls, L. Robert and Brussow, Herbert L. Training Know-
Intercultural Sourcebook: Cross-Cultural Training How for Cross-Cultural and Diversity Trainers.
Methods. Yarmouth, Maine: Intercultural Press, Inc., Duncanville, Texas: Adult Learning Systems, Inc., 1995.
1995.
Lohmann, Jack R. “Defining the Global Engineer.” 9th Annual
Global Engineering Excellence Study. “In Search of Global Colloquium on Global Engineering. Newport, Rhode
Engineering Excellence.” Continental AG. 2005. Island, 2006.

GMAC Relocation Trends 2005 Survey Report. Houston Lomax, Stan. Best Practices for Managers and Expatriates:
Texas: GMAC Relocation Services. 2005. A Guide on Selection, Hiring and Compensation. New
York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2001.
Grandin, John M. “Preparing Engineers for the Global
Workplace: The University of Rhode Island.” The Schmidt, Patrick L. Understanding American and German
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(2006). Press, 1999.

Groll, Eckhard. “Introduction to and Experiences with the Schulz, Renate A. “The Challenge of Assessing Cultural
Undergraduate GEARE Program.” 9th Annual Understanding in the Context of Foreign Language
Colloquium on International Engineering. Newport, Instruction.” Foreign Language Annals 40.1 (Spring
Rhode Island, 2006. 2007).

Gulik, Debbie and Debbie Pearson. “Preparing Interns and Sercu, Lies. Intercultural Communication Competence in
Co-ops for the Work Abroad Experience.” 9th Annual Foreign Language Education: Integrating Theory and
Colloquium on International Engineering. Newport, Practice. In New Insights into Foreign Language
Rhode Island, 2006. Learning and Teaching. Oliver St. John Kees van Esch,
and Eus Schalkwijk, eds. Frankfurt. Peter Lang, 2004.
Hall, P.H. “The Relationship of Perceived Ethno-centrism in
Corporate Cultures to the Selection, Training, and Thomas, David C. and Inkson Kerr. People Skills for Global
Success of International Employees.” International Business: Cultural Intelligence. San Francisco, CA:
Journal of Intercultural Relations 13 (1989): 183-201. Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc., 2003.

Hall, Edward T. Beyond Culture. New York: Anchor Tischhauser, Thomas. “The Global Engineer.” 9th Annual
Doubleday, 1976. Colloquium on International Engineering. Newport,
Rhode Island, 2006.
Hall, Edward T. The Hidden Dimension. New York: Anchor
Doubleday, 1966. Training Management Corporation (TMC). Doing Business
Internationally: The Cross-Cultural Challenges,
Hall. Edward T. The Silent Language. New York: Anchor Seminar and Coursebook. Princeton, NJ, 1992.
Doubleday, 1959.
Über-Grosse, Christine. “Corporate Recruiter Demand for
Haslberger, Arno and Sharman Esarey. “Snakes and Ladders: Foreign Language and Cultural Knowledge.” Global
the Expatriate’s Path to Successful Cross-cultural Business Languages. 1998.
Adjustment.” The Ashridge Journal (Spring 2006).
Wakao, Aiko. “The Culture Trapeze.” ACCJ Journal, October
Hofstede, Geert. Culture’s Consequences: International 2003.
Differences in Work Related Values. Thousand Oaks,
CA: Sage, 1980. York, Darlene Eleanor. Cross-Cultural Training Programs.
Westport, Connecticut: Bergin & Garvey, 1994.

Online Journal for Global Engineering Education 3.1 (2008) Carol Del Vitto
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Published by DigitalCommons@URI, 2008 9