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Abstract: Multiethnic groups coexist in a typical Malaysian university setting. Cultural patterns are expressed through communication facilitating better understanding between diverse cultural groups. Intercultural communication competence based on ethnicity is explained by employing structural equation modelling using Barrett and colleagues' (2013) indicators of attitude, knowledge and skills. These three constructs are hypothesized to explain intercultural communication competence and its effect on well-being and performance. Purposive sampling via a self-administered survey involved 288 Malaysian educators from higher education. The findings confirm that both endogenous constructs - well-being and team performance -- can be used as predictive factors to assess intercultural communication competence.
Keywords: intercultural communication, communication competence, educators, well-being, team performance.
1.Introduction
Malaysia comprises of multiracial and multicultural communities where three predominant ethnicities coexist. Malays form the majority (67.4%) of the population, followed by the Chinese (24.6%) and Indians (7.3%) (Department of Statistics 2018). With the increased impact of globalization on the multiracial, multicultural, multilingual, multireligious society of Malaysia, there is a need to functio n effectively in one's own culture as well as that of others. In multicultural university settings, a large amount of communication and interaction takes place between educators from various ethnic backgrounds. Creating a culturally compatible communication platform that rejects ethnic, racial, religious and gender discrimination and promotes equality is the aim of all multicultural research (Woolfolk 2010). Higher-education institutions need to develop understanding and recognize their educators' cultural ethnocentrisms and other biases before they form judgments.
Attitudes are usually based on people's cultural background (Nunan 1991). To understand these attitudes, researchers must address the underlying beliefs on which these attitudes are based (Benson & Nunan 2002). Effective intercultural communication demands adopting a variety of strategies (Gay 2002, Ladson-Billings 1994). Inspiration comes from exploratory studies finding that culture and cultural diversity affect communication (Brooks, Bloomer & Manias 2018; Chung 2019). Cultural patterns of thought are expressed through communication.
Wen Huey (2012) found difference in work culture between Japanese and Malaysians when tested against five cultural dimensions. Idrus (2012) addressed the concept of shared identity among multicultural Malaysians. A study conducted on the three dominant ethnic groups in Malaysia reported significant differences in negotiation styles (Osman-Gani & Tan 2002). Zawawi (2008), who studied the cultural values of employees, was clear about the...