The Importance of Interculturality in Business Innovation: The case study of the Brave Generation Academy

Authors

  • José Santos ISLA Gaia, Portugal
  • Marco Lamas ISLA Gaia, CEI, ISCAP-P.PORTO, Portugal
  • Carina Cerqueira CEI, ISCAP-P.PORTO, Portugal

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.34630/e-rei.vi13.6323

Keywords:

Interculturality, Cultural diversity, Multiculturalism, Business innovation, Intercultural competencies

Abstract

With the intensification of globalization in the most diverse areas and sectors around the world, the relationship between interculturality and business innovation has become increasingly close, as studies show that the combination of diverse cultural perspectives in business innovation strategies is a trend and an increasingly researched topic. Innovative companies are thus increasingly able to cope with a market that is constantly globalizing and diversifying. In order to answer the research question, “How important is the cultural diversity of employees to the capacity for innovation at Brave Generation Academy (BGA)?”, a mixed methodology was used, combining elements of quantitative and qualitative research, namely questionnaire surveys of employees and an interview with BGA's Human Resources director. To this end, Brave Generation Academy was identified as an organization capable of integrating employees from different cultures and achieving innovative results, so a case study was carried out at the institution. This article presents the results of an exploratory and descriptive study carried out at Brave Generation Academy (BGA) on the impact of the growing cultural diversity of employees on business innovation. The conclusions of the survey show that the employees and the Human Resources Director (HRD) of Brave Generation Academy believe that interculturality is of significant importance and benefit to the organization, being directly related to the promotion of a working environment that stands out for its creativity, diversity of ideas and innovative solutions. 

 

Author Biographies

José Santos, ISLA Gaia, Portugal

José Filipe Lamas Santos é Licenciado em Filosofia pela Faculdade de Letras de Universidade do Porto e Mestre em Gestão de Recursos Humanos pelo ISLA - Instituto Politécnico de Gestão e Tecnologia. É formador certificado pelo IEFP e integra o Bussiness Innovation Lab do ISLA-Gaia. josefilipesantos01@hotmail.com

Marco Lamas, ISLA Gaia, CEI, ISCAP-P.PORTO, Portugal

Post-Doc in Education (Entrepreneurship), PhD in Education (Entrepreneurship) and Degree in International Relations. He is Senior Professor at ISLA - Instituto Politécnico de Gestão e Tecnologia being Head of the Business and Innovation LAB (BIL), Director of the Master's Degree in Management, and the Director of the Postgraduate course in Entrepreneurship: Tech Startups-Visiting Senior Professor at ISCAP -P.Porto. As a researcher, he is a member of the Centre for Intercultural Studies, CEOS.PP, and ISLA Gaia Research Centre, being the Management Unit Coordinator.

Member of the editorial board of MiR Management in Review Journal. Co-founder of the international project SHINE -Scaling Higher Education Innovation for Europe, and advisor of the Board of AI for Africa. He is recognized as EntreComp Practitioner, and Early Warning Europe Mentor He is certified as Senior Marketer with specialization in Academy by APPM. Certified business coach by the European Coaching Association (ECA), and certified trainer of teachers.  marco.lamas@islagaia.pt  https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcolamas   

Carina Cerqueira, CEI, ISCAP-P.PORTO, Portugal

Doutorada em Tradução e Paratradução, especializada em Tradução Cultural (Universidade de Vigo). Licenciada e Mestre em Tradução e Interpretação Especializada (ISCAP/P.PORTO). Membro da comissão científica e investigadora no Centro de Estudos Interculturais (CEI/ISCAP); Coordenadora da linha de Investigação ‘Intercultural Communication’ (CEI/ISCAP). Membro da Comissão Científica para a criação do Doutoramento em Estudos Interculturais para a Inovação (ISCAP/P.PORTO). Investigadora especializada na área da Interculturalidade; Representação Cultural; Interpretação, Análise e Referencialidade da Arte enquanto espaço pedagógico para a Culturalidade; Tradução Intersemiótica; Análise Cultural na Literatura Inglesa.Professora Adjunta (ISCAP/P. PORTO). Formadora na área dos Estudos Interculturais Aplicados aos Negócios; formadora de Língua Inglesa; formadora de Cultura Inglesa Aplicada aos Negócios. crocerqueria@gmail.com

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Published

2025-06-09

How to Cite

Santos, J., Lamas, M., & Cerqueira, C. (2025). The Importance of Interculturality in Business Innovation: The case study of the Brave Generation Academy . E-Journal of Intercultural Studies, (13). https://doi.org/10.34630/e-rei.vi13.6323

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