Measuring Intercultural Sensitivity within a Company’s Organizational Structure Utilizing The Development Model of Intercultural Sensitivity

Abstract

In a fast-paced world of constantly emerging new technologies, it has become easier for companies of all sizes to venture into the world of international business, whether they have the knowledge and skills to succeed or not. Recognizing that many American businesses have some level of ethnocentrism (or lack of intercultural sensitivity) in their corporate culture that can be detrimental to a company’s international growth, it would be beneficial for a company to recognize and eliminate or at least minimize their ethnocentric attitudes. To examine these attitudes, this thesis surveyed 326 employees from an international food company using research based from Milton J. Bennett’s Development Model of Intercultural Sensitivity to look at the levels of ethnocentrism within their hierarchal structure. The results suggest that there are areas where the company can improve the level of intercultural sensitivity amongst all hierarchal levels and that time and international experience are the best indicators for levels of intercultural sensitivity. Mitigating intercultural risk both from an employee perspective and from a business perspective is key to the success of a company’s goals for international or global growth.