Flexible social skills as the basis of cross-functional competencies

Introduction. The problem of developing flexible social skills as a basis for cross-functional competencies has always been in the focus of attention of educators, but modern changes in society and the economy have made this issue particularly relevant. The purpose of this study is to determine the key aspects of developing flexible social skills that ensure the formation of crossfunctional competencies necessary for effective professional activity in modern conditions.
Materials and methods. The article presents an analysis of domestic and foreign literature devoted to the issues of flexible social skills and their role in the formation of cross-functional competencies. The study is based on the works of educators and psychologists considering the theoretical aspects and key provisions in the field of flexible social skills. To process the obtained data, systematization and classification methods, as well as general scientific methods of analysis, generalization and synthesis, were used.
Results. An analysis of approaches to the taxonomy of social competence was carried out from the point of view of the formation of social flexible skills in the context of global transformations occurring in modern society. The theoretical aspects of the problem of developing social soft skills as a basis for cross-functional competencies are considered, including the interpretation of the concept of "soft skills", the characteristics of soft skills, and a description of approaches to interpreting the component composition of social soft skills.
Discussion and conclusions. The use of general scientific methods of analysis, generalization, and integration made it possible to create a complete picture of the relationship between soft social skills and cross-functional competencies. Particular attention was paid to considering approaches to interpreting the components of soft social skills. This approach is of fundamental importance for determining the direction of further research and developing practical recommendations for educational organizations. The results of the study have practical significance for use in educational practice, allowing for the development of effective methods and techniques aimed at forming and developing students' soft social skills.

1. Andreeva G. M. Social Psychology. Moscow, Aspect Press Publ., 2010. 363 p. (In Russ.)

2. Vekker L. M. Psyche and Reality. Unified Theory of Mental Processes. Moscow, Smysl Publ., 1998. 685 p. (In Russ.)

3. Volchegorskaya E. YU. Model of Formation of Cross-Functional Skills in Primary School Students. Pedagogicheskoe obrazovanie: tradicii, innovacii, poiski, perspektivy: materialy XIV Mezhdunarodnoj nauchno-prakticheskoj konferencii. Shadrinsk, SHGPU Publ., 2024. Pp. 421- 427. (In Russ.)

4. Krupnov A. I., Novikov I. A., Vorob'eva A. A. Correlation of Systemic-Functional and FiveFactor Models of Personality Traits: Towards a Problem Statement. Vestnik RUDN, 2016, no. 2, pp. 45-56. (In Russ.)

5. Leonov I. N. Tolerance of uncertainty as a psychological phenomenon: the history of the formation of the construct. Vestnik Udmurtskogo universiteta, 2014, no. 4, pp. 43-52. (In Russ.)

6. Lyusin D. V. Modern ideas about emotional intelligence. Social'nyj intellekt: teoriya, izmerenie, issledovaniya. Moscow, 2004. Pp. 29-36. (In Russ.)

7. Sokolova E. I. Modern understanding of the concepts of "competence" and "skill" (review based on materials from Russian and foreign studies). Nepreryvnoe obrazovanie: XXI vek, 2021, no. 3 (35), pp. 132-146. (In Russ.)

8. Universal competencies and new literacy: what to teach today for success tomorrow. Preliminary findings of the international report on trends in the transformation of school education / I. D. Froumin, M. S. Dobryakova, K. A. Barannikov [et al.]. Moscow, National Research University Higher School of Economics Publ., 2018. 28 p. (In Russ.)

9. Bobrowicz K., Thibaut J.-P. The Development of Flexible Problem Solving: An Integrative Approach. Journal of Intelligence, 2023, vol. 11, no. 6, p. 119, doi: 10.3390/jintelligence11060119.

10. Canney C., Byrne A. Evaluating circle time as a support to social skills development – reflections on a journey in school based research. British Journal of Special Education, 2006, vol. 33, no. 1, pp. 19-24, doi: 10.1111/j.1467-8578.2006.00407.x.

11. Diamond A., Bialystok E., Craik I. M. The early development of executive functions. Lifespan cognition mechanisms of change. Oxford, University Press, 2006.

12. Duckworth A. L., Kirby T., Tsukayama E., Berstein H., Ericsson K. Deliberate practice spells success: Why grittier competitors triumph at the National Spelling Bee. Social Psychology and Personality Science, 2010, vol. 2, no. 2, pp. 174-181, doi: 10.1177/1948550610385872.

13. Ehlers U. D. Future Skills: The Future of Learning and Higher Education. New York, Books on Demand, 2020.

14. Gray M. E., Keith J. H. Teaching by Analogy: From Theory to Practice. Mind, Brain, and Education, 2021, vol. 15, no. 3, pp. 250-263, doi: 10.1111/mbe.12288.

15. Huizinga M., Molen M. W. Age-group differences in set-switching and set-maintenance on the Wisconsin card sorting task. Developmental Neuropsychology, 2007, vol. 31, no. 2, pp. 193- 215, doi: 10.1080/87565640701190817.

16. Hurrell S. A. Rethinking the soft skills deficit blame game: employers, skills withdrawal and the reporting of soft skills gaps. Human Relations, 2016, vol. 69, no. 3, pp. 605-628.

17. Jureviciene M., Kaffemaniene I., Ruskus J. Concept and Structural Components of Social Skills. Ugdymas. Kuno kultura. Sportas, 2012, vol. 3, no. 86, pp. 42-52.

18. Laker D. R., Powell J. L. The differences between hard and soft skills and their relative impact on training transfer. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 2011, vol. 22, no. 1, pp. 111- 122, doi: 10.1002/hrdq.20063.

19. Lamri J., Lubart T. Creativity and Its’ Relationships with 21st Century Skills in Job Performance. Kindai Management Review, 2021, no. 9, pp. 75-91.

20. Marin-Zapata S. I., Roman-Calderon J. P., Robledo-Ardila C., Jaramillo-Serna M. A. Soft skills, do we know what we are talking about? Review of Managerial Science, 2022, vol. 16, no. 4, pp. 969-1000.

21. Marr B. Future Skills: the 20 Skills and Competencies Everyone Needs to Succeed in a Digital World. Hoboken, John Wiley, 2022.

22. Mingaleva Z., Vukovic N. Development of engineering students competencies based on cognitive technologies in conditions of industry 4.0. International Journal of Cognitive Research in Science Engineering and Education, 2020, vol. 8, special issue, pp. 94-101.

23. Mullan K., Wajcman J. Have mobile devices changed working patterns in the 21st century? A time-diary analysis of work extension in the UK. Work Employment and Society, 2019, vol. 33, no. 1, pp. 3-20.

24. Parlamis J., Monnot M. J. Getting to the CORE: putting an end to the term “soft skills. Journal of Management Inquiry, 2019, vol. 28, no. 2, pp. 225-227.

25. Polakova M., Madzik J. H., Copus L., Suleimanova J. H., Molnarova I., Polednova J. Soft skills and their importance in the labour market under the conditions of Industry 5.0. Heliyon, 2023, vol. 9, no. 8, pp. 18-70.

26. Polonen P. Future Skills. Jersey City, Viva Editions, 2021.

27. Robles M. M. Executive perceptions of the top 10 soft skills needed in today’s workplace. Business Communication Quarterly, 2012, vol. 75, no. 4, pp. 453-465.

28. Rubin R. B., Martin M. M. Development of a measure of interpersonal communication competence. Communication Research Reports, 1994, vol. 11, no. 1, pp. 33-44.

29. Stoycheva K. Tolerance for ambiguity, creativity, and personality. Bulgarian Journal of Psychology, 2010, vol. 1, no. 4, pp. 178-188.

30. Shmatko N., Volkova G. Bridging the skill gap in robotics: global and national environment. Sage Open, 2020, vol. 10, no. 3, pp. 12-25.

31. Thornhill-Miller B., Camarda A., Mercier M., Burkhardt J.-M., Morisseau T., BourgeoisBougrine S., Vinchon F., Hayek S. E., Augereau-Landais M., Mourey F., Feybesse C., Sundquist D., Lubart T. Creativity, Critical Thinking, Communication and Collaboration: Assessment, Certification, and Promotion of 21st Century Skills for the Future of Work and Education. Journal of Intelligence, 2023, vol. 11, no. 3, pp. 54-62.

32. Zins J. E., Weissbert R. P., Wang M. C., Walberg H. J. Building Academic Success on Social and Emotional Learning: What does the Research Say? New York, Teachers College Press, 2004.