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                <text>Pitanje identiteta zaokuplja podjednako književnost i književnu teoriju. Osobni identitet gradi se u odnosu prema osjećaju pripadnosti grupi. Proces obrazovanja složeni je postupak pri kome se na mnogo načina, kroz identifikacijske procese, gradi identitet pojedinca. U njemu sudjeluju i zadani jezični sustavi i pročitana književna djela. Današnji modificirani načini učenja i dalje sudjeluju u oblikovanju rodnih i nacionalnih identiteta, kako zajedničkih, tako i individualnih, a neki instrumenti koje nam nudi suvremena književna teorija pomažu nam pri analizi tog procesa.</text>
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                <text>Currently, we are witnessing a new emphasis on the inseparability of language and culture in the development of policies and programs for the teaching of foreign languages. For language learners, an awareness of the cultural facets of language makes it easier to comprehend the topics and situations they encounter when reading or listening. Exposure to the culture of the people who speak the language being learned also leads to increased understanding and tolerance.    There are many excellent sources to help teachers connect culture with the language learning process. For example, to develop an English as a foreign language (EFL) program at our university, we consulted the linguistic communicative benchmarks from the Council of Europe. Additional guidelines are available from the national Standards in Foreign Language Education Project, which provides valuable information on how to help students (1) understand the perspectives of other cultures, (2) compare of others with their own, and (3) use the foreign language outside the school setting. These cultural objectives enhance an EFL program where ″the true content of the foreign language course is not the grammar and the vocabulary of the language, but the cultures expressed through that language″ (National Standards in Foreign Language Education project 2006, 47-48).    When developing our program, we felt that literature modules would be a great way to incorporate U.S. and British cultural elements while strengthening English reading abilities. We also recognized that using literature offered the potential to create an interesting multimedia experience and to introduce variety and more extensive exposure to English. Although unabridged literature is typically appropriate for advance learners, there is a renewed interest in integrating graded literary materials such as simplified novels that are written especially for beginning and intermediate level students. Therefore we structured our program around graded literary readers, in this case simplified novels, as well as associated audio recordings, films, and other supplementary texts and exercises. The aim of this article is to describe the implementation and results of two cultural multimedia modules that center on the simplified novels 1984 by George Orwell and Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck.  </text>
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                <text>The use of Anglicisms in authentic Italian and Slovene commercial correspondence</text>
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                <text>Lenassi, Nives </text>
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                <text>Analyses of various business languages show a great presence of Anglicisms, which can be ascribed to companies’ desires to be competitive on the global market. In line with current globalization trends, the impact of English as a source language on Italian and Slovene is considerable (see Bombi 2005, Rosati 2004, Sicherl 1999, Šabec 2011). In order to determine whether there are any common tendencies or divergences between the two business languages in the use of Anglicisms, a corpus of business correspondence texts was collected and studied combining qualitative and quantitative research methods. The corpus consists of 530 business correspondence texts, written in real-life communicative situations. There are 265 texts written by Italian businesspeople that have business contacts with Slovene partners, and the same number of texts written by Slovene businesspeople for their Slovene partners. In this case, therefore, Italian is a tool for international communication, whereas Slovene is used as the language for communication on the domestic market. Bearing these important differences in mind, various trends and English-language elements may be present in both receptor languages analyzed (Italian and Slovene). However, the differences or similarities in the use of Anglicisms between the two languages can also be ascribed to the diversity of texts that emerges at the linguistic and pragmatic level: the collected texts display a wide range of differences in length (short vs. long), topic (offer, request, complaint, etc.), number of recipients (one vs. more), relationship between the sender and recipient (formal vs. informal), and medium (letter, fax, or e-mail). Taking these differences into consideration, this paper sheds light on the factors that stimulate the use of Anglicisms in the texts studied-</text>
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                <text>You Reap What You Sow”- The Use of Idiomatic Language by EFL Teacher-Trainees in Developing Materials</text>
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                <text>Khan, Ozlem 
Can, Nilufer </text>
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                <text>Material evaluation and development courses in EFL teacher training programs carry an utmost importance for educating teachers to acquire the skill to evaluate, select and rewrite materials to cater for their students’ needs better. As Masuhara (1998:240) states “students come and go and so do materials but a large number of teachers tend to stay”. In EFL settings, in particular, non-native language teachers tend to over-rely on a single textbook, due to their self-perceived lack of Communicative Competence (CC) (Medgyes, 2001). As part of their CC, knowledge of idiomatic language is particularly considered in this study because avoiding the use of such language might make non-native teachers sound unnatural and unimaginative (Cooper, 1999). Thus, teachers might either reflect this kind of tone in the materials they develop or become more dependent on the available materials. Therefore, the aim of this study is to uncover to what extent EFL teacher-trainees use idiomatic expressions in writing materials. In doing so, the materials (i.e. unit preparation, supplementary worksheet preparation) prepared as part of the requirements of “Materials Evaluation and Development in ELT” course were examined by means of Content Analysis (McCarthy &amp; O’Dell, 2002). During this process, idiomatic expressions ranging from idioms to proverbs were identified (Dobrovol’skij &amp; Piirainen, 2005; Harnish, 1993) and verified using idiom and proverb dictionaries. The results were then analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively. The data analysis showed that the teacher-trainees hardly used idiomatic expressions in their materials. As for some of the teacher trainees who made use of idiomatic expressions in their materials, they usually did not incorporate them in a way to enhance the development of CC. The overall findings emphasize the need to improve idiomatic competence for effective material development.</text>
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Benk, Kemal </text>
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                <text>In Communicative Language Teaching Approach, the aim of language teaching is to teach the communication process. However, the primary requirement for any communication is the existence of a meaningful input to be got across. If the necessary knowledge of a language is not obtained, then the desired communication may not be realized due to a lack of essential input. Thus, the structure of the target language should be known by speakers to a certain extend if they are non-native speakers of the target language as in the case of English as a Second/Foreign Language (EFL/ESL) learners in Turkey and Bosnia and Herzegovina. At this point the notions of language accusation and language learning step in as EFL/ESL learners may not have the opportunity to be exposed to the target language, in this case "English", sufficiently. The reasons for this situation may vary according to the primary needs of the students, different educational beliefs and opportunities. In this paper three main topics are presented about Communicative Language Teaching Approach including the application of Communicative Language Teaching Approach in the modern English classes, the effects of this approach on students' motivation and some activities based on CLT.   </text>
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                    <text>Journal of Economic and Social Studies

Clustering Balkan Countries Based on Competitiveness
Factors: A Strategic Perspective
Kazım DEVELİOĞLU

Akdeniz University, Alanya Business Faculty
Alanya, Turkey
kdevelioglu@akdeniz.edu.tr

Kemal KANTARCI

Akdeniz University, Alanya Business Faculty
Alanya, Turkey
kantarci@akdeniz.edu.tr

Abstract: Prior to directing their investments, strategy

makers at national and firm level need to know competitive
advantages and disadvantages in a country or region. By
bearing this need in mind, this study aims to examine
competitive factors in Balkan countries to develop a road
map for investors. To do this, we used World Economic
Forum’s “Global Competitiveness Index” to analyze the case
of Balkan countries as a region to cluster and compare them
based on Global competitiveness factors. Analysis results
pointed out those Balkan countries were clustered in two
groups and scored lower or medium level on almost all
competitive factors as the region. Based on these findings,
authors suggested various strategic recommendations at micro
and macro level.

KEYWORDS:
Cluster, Competitiveness, Strategic
Management, Balkan Countries

ARTICLE HISTORY

Submitted: 20 March 2012
Resubmitted: 15 July 2012
Resubmitted: 18 December 2012
Accepted: 24 December 2012

JEL code: M20

237

�Kazım DEVELİOĞLU &amp; Kemal KANTARCI

Literature review
In an era of great competition among nations and firms, it is vital for firms’ strategy
makers to develop strategies to adapt to environmental changes and speed their
processes. Vietor (2006) indicates that, in national level, as a result of globalizaton,
countries compete each other in terms of markets, technology, skills, and investment
to grow and raise their standards of living. Although, macroeconomic
competitiveness creates the potential for high productivity, it is not sufficient.
Productivity ultimately depends on improving the micro economic capability of the
economy and sophistication of local competition (Porter, 2009).
Economic Forum (2011) defines competitivenessas the set of institutions, policies,
and factors that determine the level of productivity of a country. The level of
productivity, in turn, sets the level of prosperity that can be earned by an economy.
The productivity level also determines the rates of return obtained by investments in
an economy, which in turn are the fundamental drivers of its growth rates. In other
words, a more competitive economy is one that is likely to grow faster over time.
“Competitive strategy is the search for a favorable competitive position in an
industry, the fundamental arena in which competition occurs. Competitive strategy
aims to establish a profitable and sustainable position against the forces that
determine industry competition” (Porter, 2004, p1). According to Porter (2003)
competitive success cannot solely depend on managerial and company attributes
when many successful firms in a given field are concentrated in just a few locations
(pp. 254). Therefore, we need to see location and cluster membership as integral part
of a company’s success.
A cluster is “a geographically proximate group of interconnected companies,
suppliers, service providers and associated institutions in a particular field, linked by
externalities of various types” (Porter, 2003b, p562). Becoming in a cluster offers a
firm certain advantages such as knowledge, skills, inputs, components, services, etc.
A cluster, geographically, “can range from a single city or state to a country or even a
group of neighboring countries” (Enright, 1993; in Porter, 2003a, pp. 254).
Regional cooperative formations (e.g., NAFTA, APEC) aimed to develop trade and
investment in as particular region. It is expected that cooperation among neighbors
can significantly have an impact on productivity of national business environment
(Porter, 1998).
238

Journal of Economic and Social Studies

�Clustering Balkan Countries Based on Competitiveness Factors: A Strategic Perspective

To be competitive, nations are struggling to remain competitive by having regional
specializations in terms of hihger value added – non manufacturing industries and
Research &amp; Development intensive manufacturing niches (OECD, 2007). Similarly,
Porter (2009) indicates that competitiveness depends on the productivity with which
a nation uses its human, capital, and natural resources. Economic coordination
among neighboring countries can significantly enhance competitiveness. By the
similar vein, as developing countries, economic collaboration among Balkan
countries is expected to enhance sustainable competition. At this point, it has to be
noted that competition policies of advanced countries might not be appropriate for
the stage of development of most developing countries (Singh, 1999). Singh (1999)
also indicates that “It is important for developing countries to have a competition
policy which is designed to take appropriate account of their level of development
and the long term objective of sustained economic growth. This is in part due to the
potential effects of the international merger movement and also because of
privatization, deregulation and liberalization which have occurred in the domestic
economies of most developing countries” (p1).
As a developing region, the Balkan peninsula is becoming recovered and develop
after post-socialist and instable period because of the war among some of states. “The
Balkan Peninsula is an important area, having witnessed important historical and
political experiences and incidents for ages” (Çelebioğlu 2011, p.112). Having a
population of, nearly, 140 million citizens, the Balkan region provides a promising
market for firms from international arena and especially Balkan countries. As it is
indicated in WEF’s (2011-2012) Global Competitiveness Report, “national
competitiveness, we note that despite much work in the area of sustainability, there
is not yet a well-established body of literature on the link between productivity
(which is at the heart of competitiveness) and sustainability. However, at the World
Economic Forum we believe that the relationship between competitiveness and
sustainability is crucial (pp. 52). Developing economically sound strategies,
especially for international firms and firms from the region, it is crucial to examine
competitiveness indicators of Balkan countries. This will help firms to develop a
sustainable competitive edge by investing and selling in the region. Taking this
necessity into account, this study aims to fill the gap for lack of comparative studies
for Balkan countries. More specifically, we analyze Balkan countries’ competitiveness
factors by, first, clustering them and, second, compare the clusters to grasp which
cluster perform in which competitive factor well.

239

�Kazım DEVELİOĞLU &amp; Kemal KANTARCI

In this study, we used the data of The World Economic Forum’s (WEF)
classification of “Global Competitiveness Index” factors to examine indicators that
are expected to influence sustainable competition in the region. for the years between
2008-2011. WEF’s classification consists of three sub-indexes and 12 factors that
measure these sub-indexes, which are reported below:
•

Basic requirements

(Institutions, Infrastructure, Macroeconomic environment, and Health and
primary education)
•

Efficiency enhancers

(Higher education and training, Goods market efficiency, Labor market
efficiency, financial market development, Technological readiness, and Market
size)
•

Innovation and sophistication factors
(Business sophistication and Innovation)

Methodology
As it is mentioned above, in this study, we used the data of The World Economic
Forum’s (WEF) “Global Competitiveness Index” for the years between 2008-2011.
By using the secondary data, we aimed, first, to cluster the Balkan countries in terms
of above mentioned “Global Competitiveness Index” factors and second to compare
these clusters to reveal which of them are more competitive in subindexes and factors. To classify Balkan Countries, we employed a k-means cluster
analysis to see “how objects should be assigned to groups so that there will be as
much similarity within and difference among groups as possible” (Churchill, 1998,
pp. 860). In comparing Balkan countries based on competitiveness index actors, ttest analysis was used aiming that whether the means of two clustered countries were
statistically different from each other.

240

Journal of Economic and Social Studies

�Clustering Balkan Countries Based on Competitiveness Factors: A Strategic Perspective

Findings
In order to cluster the Balkan countries in terms of Global competitiveness factors,
we employed a k-means cluster analysis and derived two clusters, which is reported
in Table 1 below. One of these clusters (Cluster 1) includes countries: Bulgaria,
Croatia, Greece, Romania, Serbia, and Turkey. The second cluster (Cluster 2)
countries are Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Montenegro, and
Slovenia. Scores in Table 1 betray that only in market size competitiveness factor,
Cluster 1 countries have a competitive advantage compared with Cluster 2 countries.
Table 1. Cluster Analysis Results
Cluster

Global Competitiveness Factor
Institutions
Infrastructure
Macroeconomic environment
Health and primary education
Higher education and training
Goods market efficiency
Labor market efficiency
Financial market development
Technological readiness
Market size
Business sophistication
Innovation

1
3,63
4,00
4,70
5,45
3,95
4,33
3,60
4,18
3,78
5,20
4,20
3,13

2
4,35
3,38
4,93
5,90
4,38
4,35
4,58
4,83
4,05
2,05
3,80
3,30

F
1,784
0,401
1,827
0,033
0,022
0,396
3,599
0,021
0,105
15,499
0,018
0,120

p
0,214
0,542
0,209
0,860
0,885
0,545
0,090
0,889
0,754
0,003
0,897
0,737

In order to compare Cluster 1 and Cluster 2 countries, we used t-test analysis and
obtained the results, which are reported in Table 2 and Table 3. In table 2, we
compared two clusters in terms of Global Competitiveness sub-indexes.
Table 2. T-test Results for Cluster Membership and Global Competitiveness Subindexes
Variable
Basic requirements
Efficiency enhancers
Innovation and sophistication factors

Cluster
1
2
1
2
1
2

Mean
4,38
4,47
4,06
3,87
3,39
3,34

Std.
Deviation
0,246
0,449
0,161
0,326
0,214
0,473

t

p

-0,858

0,396

2,547

0,015

0,479

0,634

241

�Kazım DEVELİOĞLU &amp; Kemal KANTARCI

Results in Table 2 portray that Cluster 1 (Mean= 4,06) and Cluster (Mean= 3,87)
countries both had medium-level but statistically significant difference (t= 2,547; P=
0,015) in efficiency enhancers sub-index. For the other two sub-indexes, namely
basic requirements (t= 0,858; P= 0,396) and innovation and sophistication factors
(t= 0,479; P= 0,634), both of the clusters showed no statistically significant results. It
has to be noted that in both, basic requirements and innovation and sophistication
factors, Cluster 1 and Cluster 2 countries had medium level competitiveness scores.
Table 3. T-test Results for Cluster Membership and Global Competitiveness Factors
Variable
Institutions
Infrastructure
Macroeconomic environment
Health and primary education
Higher education and training
Goods market efficiency
Labor market efficiency
Financial market development
Technological readiness
Market size
Business sophistication
Innovation

Cluster
1
2
1
2
1
2
1
2
1
2
1
2
1
2
1
2
1
2
1
2
1
2
1
2

Mean
3,53
3,84
3,70
3,43
4,55
4,89
5,73
5,76
4,21
4,17
4,00
4,12
4,04
4,34
4,04
4,07
3,82
3,74
4,20
2,83
3,75
3,72
3,45
2,97

Std.
Deviation
0,233
0,515
0,691
0,851
0,482
0,435
0,228
0,319
0,254
0,625
0,239
0,376
0,325
0,208
0,224
0,504
0,286
0,616
0,579
0,479
0,313
0,427
0,131
0,507

t

p

-2,657

0,011

1,158

0,254

-2,406

0,021

-0,332

0,741

0,305

0,762

-1,194

0,239

-3,592

0,001

-0,255

0,800

0,597

0,554

8,427

0,000

0,268

0,790

0,705

0,485

Examination of Table 3 revealed mixed results for Cluster 1 and Cluster 2 countries.
In Table 3, the results betray that Cluster 2 countries scored better in three of twelve
Global Competitiveness factors than Cluster 1 countries. Only for market size
competitiveness factor, Cluster 1 countries had statistically significant difference
scores (t= 8,427; P= 0,000).

242

Journal of Economic and Social Studies

�Clustering Balkan Countries Based on Competitiveness Factors: A Strategic Perspective

Discussion
Analysis results at the findings section pointed out those competitiveness scores of
Balkan countries, whether it belong Cluster 1 or Cluster 2, are relatively low or
medium and need to be developed. Specifically, Cluster 2 countries (Albania, Bosnia
and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Montenegro, and Slovenia) should have a national
strategic plan to improve their competitive position in infrastructure (quality of
roads, railroads, ports, and air transport infrastructure), higher education and
training (secondary education enrollment, tertiary education enrollment, quality of
the educational system, math &amp;science education, management schools, internet
access in schools, availability of research and services), goods market efficiency
(intensity of local competition, extent of market dominance, effectiveness of antimonopoly policy, extent and effect of taxation, total tax rate, number of procedures
to start a business, agricultural policy cost, buyer sophistication), labor market
efficiency (cooperation in labor-employer relations, flexibility of wage determination,
hiring and firing practices, women in labor force), financial market development
(availability of financial services, affordability of financial services, ease of access to
loans, venture capital availability), technological readiness (availability of latest
technologies, firm-level technology absorption, FDI and technology transfer,
internet related factors), business sophistication (local supplier quantity and quality,
state of cluster development, nature of competitive advantage, control of
international distribution, extent of marketing, willingness to delegate authority),
and innovation (capacity for innovation, quality of scientific research institutions,
company spending on R&amp;D, utility patents granted).
Similarly, Cluster 1 countries should emphasize on development of institutions,
infrastructure, financial market, and technological environment and better
conditions in macroeconomic environment, higher education and training, goods
market efficiency, business sophistication, and innovation. It seems from analysis
results that the major advantage for these clusters is their population and market size.
This picture warns us that firms plan to invest in the Balkan region should be aware
of disadvantageous competitive factors in both cluster countries. It seems that even
though both clusters have disadvantages for investors they also offer certain
advantages for them. We believe that for strategy makers in national governments
and firms, these findings provide useful insights to develop their strategic plans.

243

�Kazım DEVELİOĞLU &amp; Kemal KANTARCI

References
Churchill, Gilbert A. (1998). Marketing Research. Dryden Press.
Çelebioğlu, F. (2011). Investigation of Development Indicators in the Balkan Countries for
the Post-Socialist Period. Journal of Economic and Social Studies, Volume: 1, Number: 1,
111-122.
Enright, M. J. (1993), "The Geographic Scope of Competitive Advantage," in E. Dirven, J.
Groenewegen, and S. van Hoof (eds), Stuck in the Region?: Changing Scales of Regional
Identity. (Utrecht: Netherlands Geographical Studies 155), 87-102.
Porter, M. E. (1998). The Competitive Advantage of Nations. The Free Press.
Porter, M. E. (2003a). Locations, Clusters, and Company Strategy (in The Oxford
Handbook of Economic Geography, Gordon L. Clark, Maryann P. Feldman, and Meric S.
Gertler (eds), Chapter 13, pp. 253-274), Oxford University Press.
Porter, M. E. (2003b). The Economic Performance of Regions. Regional Studies, Vol. 37, 67, 549-578.
Porter, M. E. (2004). Competitive Advantage, The Free Press.
Porter, M. E. (2009). The Competitive Advantage of Nations, States, and Regions, Harvard
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OECD. (2007). Competitive Regional Clusters: National Policy Approaches,
(http://www.oecd.org/document/2/0,3746,en_2649_33735_38174082_1_1_1_1,00.html),
(22.04.2012).
Singh, A.. (1999). Competition Policy, development and developing Countries. Indian
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Vietor, R. H. K.. (2006). Strategy, Structure, and Government in the Global Economy.
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244

Journal of Economic and Social Studies

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                <text>Prior to directing their investments, strategy makers at national and firm level need to know competitive advantages and disadvantages in a country or region. By bearing this need in mind, this study aims to examine competitive factors in Balkan countries to develop a road map for investors. To do this, we used World Economic Forum’s “Global Competitiveness Index” to analyze the case of Balkan countries as a region to cluster and compare them based on Global competitiveness factors. Analysis results pointed out those Balkan countries were clustered in two groups and scored lower or medium level on almost all competitive factors as the region. Based on these findings, authors suggested various strategic recommendations at micro and macro level.</text>
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                <text>Political, Historical and Environmental Factors at LanguageTransmissionfrom Generation to Generation: the Model of Uzbek Originated Afghan Immigrants who live in Gaziantep, Turkey  Since language has a major role for transmitting the cultural values of the society to the next generations, it is the basic unit of the society that ensures the continuity. Although it is a natural process that the language of the society, which is learnt in the family first, interacts with the other languages and changes throughout this interaction, it cannot be accepted as normal that the members of the society forget their mother tongue and interact through other languages. It is the result of the fact that the members of the society could not transmit their mother tongue to the next generations because of some political, historical and environmental factors. For instance, Uzbek originated Afghan immigrants, who were brought from Afghanistan in 1983 and were housed in Gaziantep in Turkey with a political decision made in 1982, were interacting in Persian not in Uzbek, which is an evidence showing how some political, historical and environmental factors can be effective on hindering language transmission to the next generations. In this study, we tried to investigate the causes and results of the language corruption among these Uzbeks via the survey we conducted on these Uzbeks, even the last members of the royalty ofBukhara Khanate. Consequently, the questions asked in the survey aimed to find out the effect of language corruption on culture change, and the effect of these culture changes on the sense of belonging.     </text>
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                <text>As a requirement of the rapid globalization and the increase in intercultural communication in many parts of our lives, English has gained a new status as the language of international communication. Following the change in the role of English, integrating culture into English Language Teaching (ELT) has gained in importance and teaching only the target language culture has been questioned with the idea of teaching world cultures which is a necessity for intercultural communicative competence (ICC). Although the attitudes of teachers towards teaching ICC have been studied in different countries, the research on the attitudes of learners towards learning ICC is limited in literature, especially in Turkey.     In this paper, I will present the attitudes of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students towards learning ICC in EFL context. The purpose of the study is to determine whether a) EFL learners support the idea of learning world cultures, b) They are only in favor of learning target language culture, or c) They are opposed to learning values of any foreign culture.  The variables such as gender, age, English proficiency level, major and the medium of instruction at their departments will be taken into consideration to see if they affect students’ attitudes towards learning ICC. Approximately 420 EFL learners studying at the preparatory classes of seven different Turkish state universities located in various parts of the country will take part in the study.  A questionnaire assessing their attitudes towards learning ICC will be administered to those students. The data to be obtained from the questionnaires will be entered into SPSS and analyzed through quantitative methods by running descriptive statistics and ANOVA. The results of the study are expected to be of benefit to policy makers, course designers and text book writers.     </text>
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