Intercultural Management

Course Objective:

This 45 hour course helps to understand different values and behaviors in the increasingly multicultural workplace. Learning the real impact of culture in the effective management of international business environment, will provide an asset to those who want to benefit from the cross-cultural studying / working experience.

Contents:

PART ONE: VALUES AND BEHAVIOURS IN THE MULTICULTURAL WORKPLACE

UNIT 1 ? CROSS-CULTURAL MANAGEMENT
-Introduction to international management.
-Understanding cultural differences
-Culture shock and reverse culture shock. Consequences and advices
-General view of Universal dilemmas. Some strategies to reconcile dilemmas
-International and transnational corporations
-Interacting spheres of culture.
-Going global. Different theories and perspectives
-Economic, political-legal, technological environment

UNIT 2 - CULTURAL DIMENSION OF INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS
-The meaning of culture.
-Elements of culture and variations of culture.
-Stereotypes. Getting beyond stereotypes
-Relationships and rules.
-The group and the individual.
-Time and space.
-Verbal and non-verbal communication.
-Hofstede?s Cultural Dimension Model.
-Trompenaars? key dimensions of culture.
-Other cultural assumptions: Hall, Schein, Adler, Kluckholn and Strodtbeck.

UNIT 3 - ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE AND THE ?INTERNATIONAL? MANAGER

-Competencies for managing internationally.
-Multiple identities
-Suggestions for managing differences.
-National cultures and corporate cultures.
oThe family culture.
oThe Eiffel Tower.
oThe guided missile culture.
oThe incubator culture.
-Observing artifacts and behavior. Formal vs Informal systems
oArchitecture, greeting rituals, form of address and dress codes.
-Women in management.
-Minimizing / Utilizing cultural differences.
-Global strategies according to cultural clusters. Examples.

PART TWO: INTERCULTURAL MANAGEMENT IN PRACTICE

UNIT 4 - MEETINGS ACROSS CULTURES
-Cross-cultural meetings
oFormal or informal
-Making arrangements and preparing for the meeting.
oWho attends?
oFollow-up
oThe agenda
oThe venue
oThe arrival
oPunctuality
oIntroductions and greetings. The rule of the card game.
oConversational Taboos
-Interpreters: Keys to success
oTeam players
oInside information
oTips on hiring interpreters
-Guidelines for successful meetings. Checklist: Preparing for a visit

UNIT 5 - CONDUCTING A NEGOTIATION AND DECISION MAKING PROCESS

-Cross-cultural negotiations.
-Win/win? Or win/ lose?
-The concept of ?face?.
-Conflicts resolution
-Differences in Decision-making
-Contracts and cultural variables
-Distinguishing ?Yes? from ?I understand?
-Planning to win.
oUnderstanding Zero-Sum game
oWin enough and lose enough
-Negotiation Legal tactics and bargaining rituals.
-Ethical challenges. Global Bribery and Corruption.
-Illegal tactics
-Closing the deal. Who makes the decision?
-Knowing when to say ?No?

UNIT 6 - DISPUTE RESOLUTION
-Reasons for dispute.
-Impact of culture in resolving conflicts.

Bibliography:

Along with selections from primary texts, students will be provided selections from other sources including:

Adler, Nancy, International Dimensions of Organizational Behavior. International Thomson Publishing, Cincinatti, Ohio, 1997.
Davidson, Marilyn, Women in Management Worldwide. Ashgate. 2004.
Harris, Philip, Managing Cultural Differences. Butterworth-Heinemann. 1999.
Hofstede, G. Cultures´ Consequences: International Differences in Work Related Values. Sage Publications. 1984.
Hofstede, Geert, Cultures and Organizations. Intercultural Cooperation and its Importance for Survival. McGraw-Hill Professional
Lewis, R. When Cultures Collide. Nicholas Brealey Publishing. 2001.
Luthans, Fred, International Management: Culture, Strategy and Behavior 7th Ed. Irwin Professional Pub. 2008.
Mead, Richard, International Management: Cross-Cultural Dimensions. Blackwell Publishing. 2005.
Mole, K. Mind your Manners. Managing Business Culture in the new global Europe. Nicholas Brealey Publishing. 2003.
Morrison, A. M. The New Leaders ? Guidelines on Leadership Diversity in America. Jossey-Bass. 1992.
Rosen, R. Global Literacies: Lessons on Business Leasership and National Cultures. Simon and Schuster. 2000.
Schneider, Susan C., Managing Across Cutlures. Pearson Education. 2003.
Trompenaar, Fons, Riding the Waves of Culture. Nicholas Brealey Publishing. 2002.
Trompenaars, F. 21 Leaders for the 21st Century. Capstone. 2001

Course Evaluation:

Participation and attitude 10%
Quizzes and Homework Assignments: 20%
Midterm Exam: 25%
Final Exam: 35%
Final Paper: 10%

Final letter grades will be assigned using the following scale, expressed in terms of the percentage of total possible points earned:

9 ? 10 = Sobresaliente
7 ? 8.9 = Notable
5 ? 6.9 = Aprobado
0 ? 4.9 = Suspenso
Attending the course but not taking the exams = No presentado
Missing class more than permitted = No asistencia

Assingment policies:

All papers and projects, including any homework, are due at the beginning of class on the due date listed or assigned. Any assignment not turned in at that time is considered late.

Abstract and paper. The abstract should consist of a concise description of the paper. Both the abstract and the author identification has to be written in Times New Roman 10 pt. The title is to be written in Bold, 12 pt Times New Roman. The abstract must be concise, no longer than 3-4 lines and submitted by April, 7th
Paper should generally be 5-8 pages long, including title, 3-4 lines abstract, figures and bibliography.

Attendance Policy:

Attendance is obligatory. More than four hours of unexcused absence from class will endanger an officially certified completion of the course (grading + certificate). Absence due to illness is excused if the student produces proper documentation promptly. It is expected that students arrive to class on time and that they return directly to class after any given class break. Tardiness is figured into the absence policy.

Class Protocol:

Students are required to be involved in class activities. They are expected to show their preparation by participating in discussions, by asking relevant questions, being critical and analytical with the contents presented in class as well as by sharing their ideas and opinions. In class the student is required to maintain a polite demeanor always and under every circumstance. Students are asked not to eat in class and to put their cell phones on silence. With the exception being for class presentations, laptops are not to be used in class.