This research explores the critical influence of corporate culture on small and medium-sized enterprises’ (SMEs) crisis response abilities under varied cross-cultural environments. Amid the disruptive backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, SMEs globally have faced unprecedented challenges. This study addresses a gap in the existing literature by conducting a cross-cultural analysis of SMEs in China, Thailand, and Germany to understand how corporate culture affects crisis management. Utilizing a competitive cultural value model, the research categorizes corporate culture into four dimensions: group culture, development culture, hierarchy culture, and rational culture. These cultural dimensions are investigated in relation to their impact on crisis response abilities. Additionally, national cultural dimensions such as individualism and uncertainty avoidance are examined as moderating variables. The findings reveal that group and development cultures positively influence crisis response abilities, enhancing organizational resilience and adaptability. Conversely, hierarchy culture negatively affects crisis management, hindering flexible response strategies. Rational culture supports structured crisis response through goal-oriented practices. National culture significantly moderates these relationships, with individualism and high uncertainty avoidance impacting the effectiveness of organizational cultural dimensions in crisis scenarios. This study offers theoretical advancements by integrating cultural dimensions with crisis response strategies and provides practical implications for SMEs striving to enhance their resilience and adaptability in a globalized business environment.

Consumers, particularly women, pursue beauty and health in order to uphold their image within society, which has contributed to consistent demand for cosmetics. The cosmetics market, driven by globalization and cultural exchange, sees Thai cosmetics gaining popularity among Chinese women. There has been a significant rise in the popularity of Thai cosmetics, known for their natural ingredients and innovative formulations. With a growing interest in cross-cultural consumer behaviour, particularly in the context of skincare and make-up products, understanding how different age groups perceive and choose Thai cosmetics is crucial for effective marketing strategies. The main issue is the development of consumer preferences over time among Chinese women who have only recently been given the opportunity to choose among many brands. This qualitative study explores the intergenerational differences in Chinese female consumers’ preferences for Thai cosmetics, aiming to uncover rich insights into their perceptions, attitudes, and behaviours. The target population is female Chinese who have visited Thailand and purchased or used Thai-branded cosmetics. Key themes emerge regarding the perception of product efficacy, the cultural authenticity and the role of digital media and trends in influencing product choices. Findings highlight nuanced generational preferences, with older cohorts emphasizing trust and familiarity with established brands, while younger cohorts prioritize innovation, sustainability, and personalized beauty experiences. These insights provide valuable implications for marketers seeking to tailor strategies and product offerings to engage effectively diverse generational segments within the competitive cosmetics market.

The study aims to explore the impact of examination-oriented education on Chinese English learners and the importance of cultural intelligence in second language acquisition. Through a questionnaire administered to postgraduate students majoring in English in China, the research discovered that the emphasis on test scores and strategies in China’s higher English education system has led to a neglect of cultural backgrounds and cross-cultural communication. The findings underscore the necessity for reforms in English teaching within Chinese higher education to cultivate students’ intercultural intelligence and enhance their readiness for international careers in the era of globalization.

In the perspective of this article, the intercultural influences are viewed through the lens of educational benefits likely to be acquired by students following international socio-educational exchange programs. A model analysis is proposed based on these benefits on students majoring in economic areas, and it has been based on the perspective of influences through education and interaction with different cultures as compared to those of which the individual belongs to, respectively social influence. The research carried out was based on the observations made throughout a five-year period, between 2013 and 2018, regarding the evolution of students participating in the Erasmus programs. The analysis of the international socio-educational experience of people who studied abroad at a foreign university for a certain period of time was the starting point to design a research methodology so that the proposed topic could be investigated by collecting, structuring and analysing qualitative data, considering the fact that qualitative data will allow the discovery of associations of features, respectively of the benefits of personal experiences, which can only be analysed and perceived through the lens of points of view of those who experienced them. The qualitative research included the analysis of students in economics majors participating in the Erasmus program during the academic year 2018–2019 at a small university. The interview technique was used and the processing and interpretation of the data was carried out using software specific to qualitative research. The analysis carried out focused on the identification of complex connections underlying in the answers received from the respondents, answers that allowed the outlining of conceptual maps related to the research objectives. The purpose of the analysis was to underline the intercultural influences as perceived throughout four processes: individual internalization, socialization, individualization and humanization. These influences are revealed by the outcome of the research, that is the five conceptual maps that have resulted. These conceptual maps represent a starting point for future similar researches.