How are task reflexivity and intercultural sensitivity related to the academic performance of MBA students?

Abstract

Higher education in business school environments is increasingly focused on how to best equip students with the skills necessary for leadership in the global workplace. This paper examines the impact of two particularly important cognitive capabilities - task reflexivity and intercultural sensitivity, on academic performance in an MBA programme. It was hypothesised that in an intercultural learning environment, task reflexivity would be associated with higher academic performance, and that this relationship would be mediated via intercultural sensitivity. Questionnaire data from 77 MBA students was analysed alongside academic performance. Results demonstrated that task reflexivity was indirectly related to academic performance through intercultural sensitivity. These findings suggest that engagement in task reflexivity enables students to develop greater levels of intercultural sensitivity, allowing them to reap the positive effects of diversity in their peer group for their own learning and performance. Limitations and practical implications of the research for professional practice are discussed.

Publication DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2014.894016
Divisions: College of Business and Social Sciences > Aston Business School > Work & Organisational Psychology
College of Business and Social Sciences > Aston Business School
Additional Information: This is an Author's Original Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis Group in Studies in Higher Education on 2014, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/03075079.2014.894016
Uncontrolled Keywords: task reflexivity, MBA students,business schools,academic performance,intercultural sensitivity
Publication ISSN: 1470-174X
Last Modified: 04 Oct 2024 07:13
Date Deposited: 07 Jul 2014 10:45
Full Text Link: http://www.tand ... 079.2014.894016
http://www.scop ... tnerID=8YFLogxK
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PURE Output Type: Article
Published Date: 2015
Published Online Date: 2014-04-08
Authors: Lyubovnikova, Joanne (ORCID Profile 0000-0003-0710-3929)
Napiersky, Uwe (ORCID Profile 0000-0001-9650-8500)
Vlachopoulos, Panos

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