Florida Tech Institute Earns $100,000 for Military Cross-Cultural Competence Study

MELBOURNE, FLA.—In support of a Department of Defense mandate for all soldiers to have cross-cultural training for their international assignments, the

Florida Institute of Technology’s Institute for Cross Cultural Management has received a $100,000 grant from the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute (DEOMI). Institute for Cross Cultural Management director and principal investigator on the grant, Richard Griffith, has recently initiated steps to internationalize the School of Psychology’s Industrial/Organizational Psychology program.

Working with personnel from nearby Patrick Air Force Base, the project team’s goal is to better define and measure cross-cultural competency and to streamline cross-cultural training.

“Cultural sensitivity is especially important for the military entering international situations. Training can help people to become more behaviorally flexible and to get along more comfortably in foreign situations,” said Griffith. His project will contribute to culture competency training basic research, needs assessments, training method development and the implementation of various kinds of training to enhance cultural competency.

According to Griffith, the military, which has extensive experience with cross-cultural training, wants to evaluate what is already available, and increase awareness and use of the best such tools and training.

The project, to last one year, began this fall. Professors working with Griffith are Bill Gabrenya of the School of Psychology, and John Deaton of the College of Aeronautics.