Citation
Harris, P.R. (1998), "Book Reviews. Global Awareness Profile/Facilitator's Manual", European Business Review, Vol. 98 No. 6. https://doi.org/10.1108/ebr.1998.05498fab.016
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 1998, MCB UP Limited
Book Reviews. Global Awareness Profile/Facilitator's Manual
Book reviews
Global Awareness Profile/Facilitator's Manual
Nathan CorbittIntercultural PressYarmouth, Maine, USABinder containing manual, booklet, game, sample test and answers $35Profile instrument sold in sets of 10 for $30
As a part of human resource development (HRD), the globalization of the marketplace in the 1990s has created a need for specific learning materials to prepare personnel to function more effectively in this post-industrial work culture. This instrument by professor Nathan Corbitt serves that purpose. His informative manual discusses the concept of global awareness, and distinguishes between the latter term and knowledge. While knowledge is explained as "what we know to be true within our own context and experience, global awareness involves a recognition and appreciation of the size, complexity, and diversity of the earth as a single entity." The author maintains that such awareness enables us to perceive the vastness of the world, its dynamic complexity, and the diversity of its people. In our book, Developing the Global Corporation, we paralled this interpretation by saying that "the global corporation operates as if the entire world is a single entity", illustrating this mindset in terms of business or professional activities, as well as management development and recruitment. In a companion volume, Managing Cultural Differences, we cited the need for leadership in globalization, including training employees to be more culturally sensitive and skilled. The Corbitt global awareness profile (GAP) is a useful tool in this regard for HRD managers and directors. It should also be especially helpful with students in business schools or the behavioral sciences who seek to prepare global managers and professionals.
The GAP test provides 120 selected questions in six geographic areas (Asia, Africa, North and South America. Middle East and Europe. The contents cover six broad context areas environment, politics, geography, religion, socioeconomic and culture. This reviewer would have preferred more items in the latter category, so I recommend as a supplement the Kelley/Meyers' cross-cultural adaptability inventory (NCS Assessments, 1996). also available from Intercultural Press, a premier source of C-C learning materials. However, Corbett's questions are intended to be universally relevant dealing with such other dimensions as population, economics, gender recognition, urbanization, language, human rights, and international cooperation. Each question offers four alternatives, such as, an inquiry about South Asia seasonal winds the correct answer supplied is "monsoon".
GAP administration take 45-60 minutes. Once scored, respondents or trainers can develop subtotals so that scores can be profiled according to both geographic and context awareness, as well as for display on a group grid or graph. The interpretation of results lead to interesting individual/ group discussion, as well as a variety of learning strategies suggested by the author. For example, this manual also includes not only references for further reading, but adds a GAP game for use in classrooms or training sessions. The validation of this instrument seems to have been largely on college students in Pennsylvania, USA. However, the author does propose three types of testing to further validate GAP for reliability. Thus, ESR readers could try out this instrument with European managers from various countries in that community.
Dr George Simons, an international consultant operating in The Netherlands, suggests that too many instruments used in data gathering originate in North America. So he is compiling a directory of comparable resources developed for European national and ethnic groups. If EBR readers know of such Euro learning materials, they may contact him at his e-mail address (gsimons@euronet.nl) or his Website (http://www.intl-partners.com). Meanwhile, Europeans will have to adapt to their needs, excellent questionnaires like Nathan Corbitt's Global Awareness Profile or those in my own Twenty Reproducible Assessment Instruments (1995, E-M: orders@hrdpress.com or Website www.hrdpress.com).
Philip R. Harris
References
Moran, R.T., Haris, P.R. and Stripp, W.G. (1993), Developing the Global Organization Strategies for Human Resource Professionals, Gulf Publishing, Houston, TX.
Harris, P.R. and Moran, R.T. (1996), Managing Cultural Differences Leadership Strategies for the New World of Business (4th ed.), Gulf Publishing, Houston, TX.
Moran, R.T. and Braaten, D.P. (1996), International Directory of Multicultural Resources, Gulf Publishing, Houston, TX.