Empathy competence is considered a key aspect of excellent performancein communication professions. But we lack an overview of the specificknowledge, attitudes, and skills required to develop such competence inprofessional communication. Through interviews with 35 seasoned communication professionals, this article explores the role and nature ofempathy competence in professional interactions. The analysis resulted in aframework that details the skills, knowledge, and attitudinal aspects ofempathy; distinguishes five actions through which empathy manifests itself;and sketches relationships of empathy with several auxiliary factors. Theframework can be used for professional development, recruitment, and thedesign of communication education programs.
Objective This paper aims at uncovering the hampering and facilitating factors in intercultural communication that professionals encounter in their business relationships. Methodology The data collection process involved conducting individual interviews and two rounds of focus groups with professionals who shared their experiences in working with another culture. The transcripts were analyzed using Thematic Analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2012) with the assistance of Atlas.ti 9. Findings The key challenges that emerged were differences in communication styles: too direct versus too indirect; misunderstandings and misconceptions when communicating in non-native languages; differences in business customs, such as separating business from private life versus blurred business and personal relationships; differences in decision-making and stereotyping. Value Added We offer a new perspective about existing models and theories of intercultural dimensions, highlighting the risks they entail when superficially generalized. Our paper contributes to professional practice by illustrating how language, differences in the communication style, business etiquette and stereotyping can prevent successful interactions. We show that business English may facilitate international communication but may easily become a source of misinterpretation. Recommendations Intercultural flexibility can play a fundamental role in contextualizing communication and providing true meaning to businesses exchanges. Adjusting language, focusing on building trustful relationships and creating alignment processes can all be instrumental for more effective and successful business communication. Future research with business professionals from diverse cultural backgrounds would enrich our understanding of intercultural business communication.
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Purpose: Aphasia after stroke has been shown to lead to communication difficulties between healthcare professionals (HCP) and people with aphasia. Clinical guidelines emphasize the importance of teaching HCP to use supportive conversative techniques through communication partner training (CPT). The aim of this study is to explore and describe the experiences of HCP in communicating with people with aphasia and their needs and wishes for the content in CPT. Materials and methods: The data were collected through qualitative semi-structured interviews with 17 HCP. HCP were recruited from two geriatric rehabilitation centres in the Netherlands and one academic hospital in Belgium. The interviews drew upon the qualitative research methodologies ethnography and phenomenology and were thematically analysed using the six steps of Braun & Clarke. Results: Three themes were derived from the interviews. HCP experienced that communication difficulties impede healthcare activities (theme 1) and reported the need to improve communication through organizational changes (theme 2), changing the roles of SLTs (theme 3) and increasing knowledge and skills of HCP (theme 4). Conclusions: According to HCP, communication difficulties challenge the provision of healthcare activities and lead to negative feelings in HCP. HCP suggest that communication can be improved by providing more time in the healthcare pathway of people with aphasia, adapting healthcare information to the needs of people with aphasia, commitment of physicians and managers, changing the roles of SLTs and improving knowledge and skills of HCP. Implications for rehabilitation Communication between healthcare professionals (HCP) and people with aphasia can be improved by training HCP to use supportive conversation techniques and tools. An important condition for successful implementation of communication partner trainings in healthcare centres is to identify the experiences of HCP with communication with people with aphasia and their needs and wishes for training content. This study shows that communication problems between HCP and people with aphasia impede diagnosis and therapy with considerable implications for healthcare quality. The suggestions that HCP have concerning the content of communication partner trainings can be placed under "education" and "implementation and post-training support." HCP describe specific roles for speech-and language therapists to fulfil after the training and suggest two main changes that should be made at an organizational level.
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“Empowering learners to create a sustainable future” This is the mission of Centre of Expertise Mission-Zero at The Hague University of Applied Sciences (THUAS). The postdoc candidate will expand the existing knowledge on biomimicry, which she teaches and researches, as a strategy to fulfil the mission of Mission-Zero. We know when tackling a design challenge, teams have difficulties sifting through the mass of information they encounter. The candidate aims to recognize the value of systematic biomimicry, leading the way towards the ecosystems services we need tomorrow (Pedersen Zari, 2017). Globally, biomimicry demonstrates strategies contributing to solving global challenges such as Urban Heat Islands (UHI) and human interferences, rethinking how climate and circular challenges are approached. Examples like Eastgate building (Pearce, 2016) have demonstrated successes in the field. While biomimicry offers guidelines and methodology, there is insufficient research on complex problem solving that systems-thinking requires. Our research question: Which factors are needed to help (novice) professionals initiate systems-thinking methods as part of their strategy? A solution should enable them to approach challenges in a systems-thinking manner just like nature does, to regenerate and resume projects. Our focus lies with challenges in two industries with many unsustainable practices and where a sizeable impact is possible: the built environment (Circularity Gap, 2021) and fashion (Joung, 2014). Mission Zero has identified a high demand for Biomimicry in these industries. This critical approach: 1) studies existing biomimetic tools, testing and defining gaps; 2) identifies needs of educators and professionals during and after an inter-disciplinary minor at The Hague University; and, 3) translates findings into shareable best practices through publications of results. Findings will be implemented into tangible engaging tools for educational and professional settings. Knowledge will be inclusive and disseminated to large audiences by focusing on communication through social media and intervention conferences.
In the past decades, we have faced an increase in the digitization, digitalization, and digital transformation of our work and daily life. Breakthroughs of digital technologies in fields such as artificial intelligence, telecommunications, and data science bring solutions for large societal questions but also pose a new challenge: how to equip our (future)workforce with the necessary digital skills, knowledge, and mindset to respond to and drive digital transformation?Developing and supporting our human capital is paramount and failure to do so may leave us behind on individual (digital divide), organizational (economic disadvantages), and societal level (failure in addressing grand societal challenges). Digital transformation necessitates continuous learning approaches and scaffolding of interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation practices that match complex real-world problems. Research and industry have advocated for setting up learning communities as a space in which (future) professionals of different backgrounds can work, learn, and innovate together. However, insights into how and under which circumstances learning communities contribute to accelerated learning and innovation for digital transformation are lacking. In this project, we will study 13 existing and developing learning communities that work on challenges related to digital transformation to understand their working mechanisms. We will develop a wide variety of methods and tools to support learning communities and integrate these in a Learning Communities Incubator. These insights, methods and tools will result in more effective learning communities that will eventually (a) increase the potential of human capital to innovate and (b) accelerate the innovation for digital transformation
The project aims to improve palliative care in China through the competence development of Chinese teachers, professionals, and students focusing on the horizontal priority of digital transformation.Palliative care (PC) has been recognised as a public health priority, and during recent years, has seen advances in several aspects. However, severe inequities in the access and availability of PC worldwide remain. Annually, approximately 56.8 million people need palliative care, where 25.7% of the care focuses on the last year of person’s life (Connor, 2020).China has set aims for reaching the health care standards of the developed countries by 2030 through the Healthy China Strategy 2030, where one of the improvement areas in health care includes palliative care, thus continuing the previous efforts.The project provides a constructive, holistic, and innovative set of actions aimed at resulting in lasting outcomes and continued development of palliative care education and services. Raising the awareness of all stakeholders on palliative care, including the public, is highly relevant and needed. Evidence based practice guidelines and education are urgently required for both general and specialised palliative care levels, to increase the competencies for health educators, professionals, and students. This is to improve the availability and quality of person-centered palliative care in China. Considering the aging population, increase in various chronic illnesses, the challenging care environment, and the moderate health care resources, competence development and the utilisation of digitalisation in palliative care are paramount in supporting the transition of experts into the palliative care practice environment.General objective of the project is to enhance the competences in palliative care in China through education and training to improve the quality of life for citizens. Project develops the competences of current and future health care professionals in China to transform the palliative care theory and practice to impact the target groups and the society in the long-term. As recognised by the European Association for Palliative Care (EAPC), palliative care competences need to be developed in collaboration. This includes shared willingness to learn from each other to improve the sought outcomes in palliative care (EAPC 2019). Since all individuals have a right to health care, project develops person-centered and culturally sensitive practices taking into consideration ethics and social norms. As concepts around palliative care can focus on physical, psychological, social, or spiritual related illnesses (WHO 2020), project develops innovative pedagogy focusing on evidence-based practice, communication, and competence development utilising digital methods and tools. Concepts of reflection, values and views are in the forefront to improve palliative care for the future. Important aspects in project development include health promotion, digital competences and digital health literacy skills of professionals, patients, and their caregivers. Project objective is tied to the principles of the European Commission’s (EU) Digital Decade that stresses the importance of placing people and their rights in the forefront of the digital transformation, while enhancing solidarity, inclusion, freedom of choice and participation. In addition, concepts of safety, security, empowerment, and the promotion of sustainable actions are valued. (European Commission: Digital targets for 2030).Through the existing collaboration, strategic focus areas of the partners, and the principles of the call, the PalcNet project consortium was formed by the following partners: JAMK University of Applied Sciences (JAMK ), Ramon Llull University (URL), Hanze University of Applied Sciences (HUAS), Beijing Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH), Guangzhou Health Science College (GHSC), Beihua University (BHU), and Harbin Medical University (HMU). As project develops new knowledge, innovations and practice through capacity building, finalisation of the consortium considered partners development strategy regarding health care, (especially palliative care), ability to create long-term impact, including the focus on enhancing higher education according to the horizontal priority. In addition, partners’ expertise and geographical location was also considered important to facilitate long-term impact of the results.Primary target groups of the project include partner country’s (China) staff members, teachers, researchers, health care professionals and bachelor level students engaging in project implementation. Secondary target groups include those groups who will use the outputs and results and continue in further development in palliative care upon the lifetime of the project.
