Research

As the national university, we champion and support innovative research that addresses the country’s most pressing challenges.

19 Jul 2023

UP Los Baños

Pesticide residues were found in commonly consumed vegetables and those labeled “organic”

Pesticide residues on vegetables pose food safety concerns. In this study, an assay called the Rapid Bioassay for Pesticide Residues...

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19 Jul 2023

UP Diliman

Surface constraint approach optimizes the design and trajectory of solar sails that are constrained to move on surfaces

Solar sailing is a propulsion technology that uses the solar radiation pressure of the sun as a source for thrust....

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18 Jul 2023

UP Diliman

Studies on disasters can only be inclusive if scholars and practitioners “decolonize” themselves

The discussions on the decolonization of knowledge in disasters are not entirely new and have been the subject of inquiries...

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14 Jul 2023

UP Diliman

“Filipinized” system that aims to make online learning accessible to nursing students and teachers presented at international conference

The project “Development of a Filipinized Learning Management System” (FLMS), funded by the Emerging Interdisciplinary Research Program of the the...

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10 Jul 2023

UP Los Baños

Transgender poet reflects on what it means to live under the new presidency

Now is no longer the time for poets is a suite of three poems with the following titles: “To write
another...

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07 Jul 2023

UP Manila

Pilgrimage can help ease symptoms of depression and anxiety

Research by psychologists and other mental health professionals tries to identify effective ways to manage and prevent emotional turbulence, including...

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07 Jul 2023

UP Visayas

A study of Chavacano shows how linguistic prestige evolves with changes in society

Chavacano is the lone Spanish-based creole in Asia and is spoken in different parts of the Philippine archipelago. Among the...

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07 Jul 2023

UP Los Baños

The sentiments of political actors on social media are “carefully manufactured” and affect our sense of nationalism

The sentiments peddled by political actors on social media are not coincidental. Rather, they are carefully manufactured texts that convey...

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07 Jul 2023

UP Los Baños

How do Filipino writers represent the experiences of young non-Western readers of science fiction?

Despite the popularity of young adult literature and speculative fiction locally and globally, there is not a lot of critical...

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07 Jul 2023

UP Diliman

What is the optimal position of trees that maximizes walking on urban sidewalks?

Trees can improve the walkability of urban outdoor spaces. Hence, studies have been conducted to examine and elucidate the relationship...

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07 Jul 2023

UP Diliman

Calle Crisologo in Vigan is a lived space and Thirdspace for the people who engage with it every day

Christoph Brumann and David Berliner, in their book World Heritage on the Ground: Ethnographic
Perspectives (2016), ask what World Heritage (WH)...

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07 Jul 2023

UP Diliman

The propagandists struggled with homesickness while in exile

Traditional historiographies such as historian John Schumacher’s seminal work on the Propaganda Movement have portrayed the propagandists as larger-than-life individuals...

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Research

This article sets out to examine cultural differences in perceiving leaders’ visual and non-verbal behavior. It examines and compares how business students at universities in Finland and the Philippines perceive business leaders based on visual cues, drawing on social psychological theories of social categorization, person perception, and the cultural dimensions of leadership and organization. A total of 32 university students of business studies participated in the study. They were presented with eight images of people with different visual expressions and reflected in writing on what kinds of leaders these people would be. The data was analyzed using qualitative content analysis. The findings show that both Finnish and Filipino students had similar perceptions of what kinds of leaders the people in the images might be. However, in terms of leadership preferences, the Finnish students appeared to place more emphasis on the person’s level of communicativeness and friendliness, whereas levels of competence and commitment were emphasized more strongly by Filipino students. The theoretical approach and design of the study may be applied in research on leaders’ visual and nonverbal expressiveness in multicultural organizations.

This research work carries three significant implications.

First, it serves to illuminate the critical role of students’ perceptions regarding tangible aspects of their teachers, including their attire and non-verbal communication. Frequently, educators are unaware of the profound impact their appearance and behavior can have on how students perceive them, potentially influencing how readily students absorb knowledge from them. Recognizing this aspect can lead to more effective teaching strategies and improved student-teacher relationships.

Second, this research highlights the importance of understanding the distinctions and commonalities between two distinct groups of students. In an era marked by increased student mobility, discerning where these groups differ and where they share similarities becomes paramount. This knowledge empowers educators to tailor their teaching approaches to better align with the cultural backgrounds and expectations of their students, fostering a more inclusive and effective learning environment.

Third, the research underscores the significance of collaboration between two universities situated in different parts of the world. This collaboration not only advances academic research but also facilitates cross-cultural learning experiences. As the field of management continues to evolve towards embracing a diverse workforce, such collaborations provide valuable opportunities for both institutions to deepen their understanding of each other cultures and enhance their abilities to effectively manage diverse teams and organizations. In essence, this research opens the door to a wealth of opportunities for mutual growth and enrichment.

Authors: Jari Martikainen (Department of Social Sciences, University of Eastern Finland) and Tiffany A. Tan (School of Management, University of the Philippines Cebu)

Read the full paper: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/00208825.2023.2238459