Cultural differences in the perception of critical interaction behaviors in global virtual teams

We investigated whether members of virtual teams from the U.S., India, and Belgium perceived the same interaction behaviors to be critical for team functioning as Dutch members from an earlier study. Thirteen virtual team workers from the U.S., 11 from India, and 11 from Belgium were interviewed by means of the Critical Incident Technique Flanagan [Flanagan, J. C. (1954). The critical incident technique. Psychological Bulletin, 51, 327–358]. The total number of critical incidents from all countries was 493 and most incidents could be grouped into the same 13 categories as those found in the original Dutch study. However, the results showed that the distributions of the critical incidents from the American, Indian, and Belgian respondents differed from those of the Dutch. Indian and Belgian respondents also mentioned a new category of critical incidents: Respectfulness. The cultural differences were interpreted by means of Hofstede's [Hofstede, G. (2001). Cultures consequences: comparing values, behaviors, institutions, and organizations across nations (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, California, U.S.: SAGE Publications] dimensions.     

Appointment and Induction of Teacher Trainers (Fachseminarleiter,Seminarleiter) for the ‘Second Phase’ (Referendariat) of Teacher Education in Berlin (West)

This article deals with the selection of teacher trainers in the FRG. The author describes the recruitment and selection processes and techniques to select heads of ‘general training seminars’ (Seminarleiter,) and of ‘subject orientated seminars’ (Fachseminarleiter). As a result of the deficits of these methods of selection and placement training courses for future head teachers and school inspectors have been introduced by the Ministry of Education of Berlin (West). These courses seem to be quite attractive to young teachers as a method of “indirect counselling and guidance”.