Cultural unconscious in research: integrating multicultural and depth paradigms in qualitative research

Predictors of Satisfaction and Value of Advanced Training for Mental Health Professionals in Wartime Ukraine

The full-scale escalation of Russia's war against Ukraine in 2022 created a surge of mental health issues, requiring urgent, evidence-based interventions to reduce trauma and mitigate stress. Reflecting recommendations from leading specialists in the field, Ukrainian mental health professionals sought to develop appropriate skills and knowledge for working in wartime through advanced training programs. This study aimed to investigate the experiences of Ukrainian mental health professionals having completed advanced training in mental health topics in wartime. A survey design was adopted, using the purposefully developed, and validated 'Wartime Learning Satisfaction Scale'. Regression analysis assessed the hypothesized contribution of four scales (Education, Educator, Learner, and War) to the perceived value of advanced training and learners' satisfaction. Respondents (n = 271) were trained in up to 30 courses (M = 4.27, SD = 3.03) lasting from two to over 120 h. Regression analysis revealed different predictors for satisfaction and value of the courses. Advanced training resulted in higher satisfaction with learning if it matched professional goals of mental health professionals and perceived higher value when relevant to societal demand, consistently constructed, practically useful, and not solely focusing on war-related issues. Respondents who completed all advanced training courses they were interested demonstrated significantly higher confidence in working in wartime. These findings are essential for effective mental health practice during wartime.

Exploring culture as a paradox: complementary QUEUE analysis of cultural values and practices

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present the proposition that culture in international management has been dominated by a “Western dualism to measuring culture” (Caprar et al., 2015, p. 1024), which has resulted in severe problems and persistent limitations. The suggestion is that cultural research can be more productively conceived as a paradox involving a duality between two contrasting yet co-determined spheres or domains.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper provides an outline of culture as a paradox and an outline of a research approach to address the dualities of culture.

Findings

A cultural duality is described, which involves a paradoxical “yin-yang” relationship between two contrasting yet mutually constituted aspects of the collective mind. One domain, which involves conscious cognitive elements has dominated research characterized by positivism and empirical cross-cultural explorations of phenomenological cultural values. The second, more recondite domain, involves unconscious and embodied cultural phenomena, which are more tacit and hidden in indirect expression through communicative interaction, exchanges of symbolic representations and embodied behaviour in context.

Research limitations/implications

A methodological duality of qualitative and quantitative mixing in order to provide a bi-focal understanding of both tacit and explicit aspects of culture is proposed as a research agenda.

Originality/value

The suggestion is that these cultural shadows have been relatively neglected thus far in cross-cultural management research. This means that in order to better comprehend culture as paradox, an equalization of approaches sensitive to both sides of the duality is prescient. In pursuit of this idea, a complementary qualitative analysis directed at more nebulous cultural phenomena is proposed in order to provide a balanced analysis of culture as paradox.