Full metadata record
| DC Field | Value | Language |
|---|---|---|
| dc.contributor | Department of English and Communication | en_US |
| dc.creator | Peltonen, Lucas John | - |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://theses.lib.polyu.edu.hk/handle/200/14381 | - |
| dc.language | English | en_US |
| dc.publisher | Hong Kong Polytechnic University | en_US |
| dc.rights | All rights reserved | en_US |
| dc.title | Cultivating linguacultural competence in business English communication : a mixed methods intervention study | en_US |
| dcterms.abstract | Internationally operating business professionals communicate using English as a business lingua franca (BELF). BELF communication is inherently transcultural: BELF interlocutors communicate to execute business functions or build business relationships to enhance business functions, with interlocutors from a variety of linguistic and cultural (linguacultural) backgrounds. However, as I observed in my own business English (BE) classrooms in southern China, and as has been identified in the research literature, culturally based miscommunications remain pervasive. Consequently, this investigation endeavors to bridge the gap between current theories about contemporary transcultural communication in BELF and tangible curricular implementation. | en_US |
| dcterms.abstract | Despite the plethora of pedagogically oriented cultural models in applied linguistics, none have specifically focused on the development of the linguacultural competencies (LCCs) of BELF learners and users. It was necessary to develop a novel conceptual framework that specifically addressed professionals' LCCs pedagogically. Therefore, the Linguacultural Competence (LCC) framework was developed. Aligned with the broader Global Englishes for Language Teaching (GELT) framework's proposals to adjust pedagogy to address the global and transcultural nature of contemporary communication, the LCC framework combines the theoretical lenses of BELF, linguaculture, and genre to identify specific LCCs that can be operationalized and addressed pedagogically. | en_US |
| dcterms.abstract | As the LCC framework is a novel construct, this study had four research objectives: The first objective was to identify what specific LCCs professionals require. The second objective was to use the identified LCCs to structure an analysis of an existing BE curriculum (e.g., Market Leader, a popular, globally distributed textbook) to determine what competency-building opportunities are present in the textbook versus those that are not and how the relative presence or absence of LCCs might affect learners. For the third objective, the findings of the materials analysis were used to design a teaching intervention that included adaptations intended to develop two specific LCCs deemed important by professionals but were lacking in the textbook: 1) the ability to express one's home culture and 2) understanding of how religion impacts business communication. Utilizing a mixed methods intervention design, I collected qualitative and quantitative data from a control group receiving instruction on the existing curriculum and an experimental group that was exposed to an adapted version of the curriculum targeting the two LCCs. The final research objective was to examine the qualitative data (during-course self-reflections, email contents, post-course reflective questions, post-course interviews) to determine the reasons behind and explanations for the quantitative findings. | en_US |
| dcterms.abstract | The work centering on the first research objective resulted in the identification of 20 individual LCCs that were deemed important by job-experienced professionals. Interestingly, according to a Principal Components analysis (PCA), the LCCs clustered into knowledge, skills/strategies, and attitudes, aligning with extant intercultural constructs. | en_US |
| dcterms.abstract | The analysis conducted to achieve the second research objective revealed the LCC building opportunities that were present in the Market Leader textbook, and those that were absent. An in-depth analysis of Unit 3 offered insight into how the presence or absence of such competencies might affect learners. Informed by the findings related to this research objective, several necessary but neglected LCCs were discussed, and two competencies were selected as the basis of materials adaptations, development, and assessment in the intervention. | en_US |
| dcterms.abstract | Regarding the third research objective, the quantitative results of the intervention showed that both groups improved to a statistically significant but similar degree, as measured by two assessment instruments: a self-report questionnaire and an email performance task. Qualitative findings illustrated the utility of the LCC framework by showing that the LCCs are readily developable and assessable. Further, the fact that both groups improved over the course of a limited intervention suggests that raised awareness is enough to prompt improved linguacultural expression. The relative performance of the groups with respect to both LCCs (religion and home culture) and components (knowledge, skills/strategies, attitudes) are discussed. | en_US |
| dcterms.abstract | For the fourth research objective, qualitative data indicated that the similar improvement of the control and experimental groups was likely due to factors relating to the population of participants, namely their experience, motivation, and autonomy. Other factors that impacted the results were related to the intervention itself, such as the choice of materials and the removal of one assessment instrument. | en_US |
| dcterms.abstract | The findings of this study can inform pedagogical practices that contribute to developing the linguacultural competence of professionals who, in turn, can create a more engaged, empathetic, and efficient international business environment in the future. Such communicative improvements will ideally support business activity and success not only in Greater China but also globally. | en_US |
| dcterms.extent | xvii, 344 pages : color illustrations | en_US |
| dcterms.isPartOf | PolyU Electronic Theses | en_US |
| dcterms.issued | 2026 | en_US |
| dcterms.educationalLevel | Ph.D. | en_US |
| dcterms.educationalLevel | All Doctorate | en_US |
| dcterms.accessRights | open access | en_US |
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