<b><i>EXPLORING CROSS-CULTURAL MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES IN BAHRAIN’S INTERNATIONAL PRIVATE SCHOOLS</i></b>
Creators: name: Shaker, Sawsan
Publisher: name: American University of Bahrain
Year: 2024
Subjects: classificationCode: 350707
subject: Leadership
classificationCode: 3507
subject: Strategy, management and organisational behaviour
classificationCode: 350709
subject: Organisation and management theory
classificationCode: 350711
subject: Organisational planning and management

description: The number of international private schools in Bahrain is increasing and this market is expected to witness more growth. This trend poses a significant opportunity for this study to contribute to the cross-cultural field. The increase in international schools with diverse stakeholders comes with the complexity of multicultural interactions. Limited studies are available on educational leaders’ cross-cultural management (CCM) in GCC international schools and are unavailable in Bahrain. This paper addresses this gap through the study of cross-cultural management by conducting one-on-one interviews with fifteen educational leaders of eight leading schools.The study aims to answer the research question inspired by the literature gap. The research question is: What are the cross-cultural management practices employed in Bahrain’s international schools by educational leaders? Two research objectives are developed to guide the study which are:1- Critically analyze cross-cultural policies, practices, and training prevalent in Bahrain’s international schools.2- Identify the enablers and barriers faced by educational leaders in managing cross- cultural communication in Bahrain’s international schools.This study employed an interpretive qualitative methodological approach focused on delving deep into educational leaders’ lived experiences to gain an in-depth understanding and draw rich insights. Fifteen educational leaders (Directors, Principals, and Departmental Heads) from eight different international schools are interviewed using in-depth semi-structured interviews. Afterward, thematic analysis by Braun and Clark (2006) is used as the main analytical approach to analyze the qualitative data of this research. The analytical process pursued trustworthiness including credibility, transferability, dependability, and confirmability in this qualitative research.The findings of this study brought forth two main themes, organizational CCM and individual CCM. The first theme analyzed the current practices at schools on the organizational level. The finding demonstrated a lack of formalized CCM policies, training, and a lack of dedicated curriculum delivered to leaders, staff, and students.The second theme explored cultural positioning, including cultural outsiders, insiders, and in-betweeners. Leaders who possess an understanding of cultural positioning are able to navigate cultural complexities and enhance their effectiveness. The study identified a range of enablers and barriers associated with cultural positioning and their impact on CCM effectiveness. For cultural insiders, enablers included cultural awareness, adaptation, motivation, and consultation. These factors enhance leaders’ Cultural Intelligence (CQ). Additionally, a blend of personality traits like understanding, acceptance, tolerance, empathy, respect, and humility empower leaders to manage diverse stakeholders effectively and make informed decisions.Conversely, a lack of cultural awareness and adaptability hinders CCM effectiveness, positioning leaders as outsiders. These barriers include cultural assumptions, ethnocentrism, unbridged cultures, and communication barriers, all of which impede effective leadership in diverse school settings.Furthermore, for cultural in-betweeners, the findings of CCM enablers included leaders' regular practice of reflection, balancing local and international identities, and fostering diverse leadership teams. These practices contribute to leaders' CCM effectiveness in managing international schools.