An Important Step Towards Sustainable Training Measures
After two years of development work, here it is: from January 2011, intercultures is taking a further important step with its customers towards the sustainability of training measures. Following classroom training, web-based training (WBT) models are available for a total of 25 target cultures – completely free for all participants.
Learning time for a basic module is approximately 45 minutes, and deepens and strengthens the learning contents about a particular aspect, e.g. “Negotiating” or “Managing personnel”. This is done in narrative style, leading participants through the topic in three episodes.
The World is not Black and White
There is a particular focus on the careful differentiation of the situation. At the end of each episode, a choice of four answers or behaviour options is given, from which the most appropriate is to be selected, while under certain circumstances all others could also be suitable. In contrast and contrary to intercultural learning objectives, most similar products – particularly those from Anglo-Saxon countries – offer only “right” or “wrong” options. Instead of black and white, we have deliberately opted for the wealth of grey!
These episodes are supplemented by a quiz and a compendium of work practices in each culture, to be downloaded as a pdf file. Another option is the choice of a testing module, which could, for example, be used when a WBT is used in preparation for classroom training and its content is later applied “live” with the group of participants.
There Is More To Come!
Five more free basic versions are planned for our customers before the end of 2011. Premium versions with five times the content of the basic versions are in development. These will be subject to a charge and while they might not serve to replace classroom training altogether, they will pass on extensive knowledge as stand-alone solutions. More information will be available in our next issue of “News”, where we will introduce the premium version “China” and its architects and authors.
