ELE 3769 Cross Cultural Management

ELE 3769 Cross Cultural Management

Course code: 
ELE 3769
Department: 
Communication and Culture
Credits: 
7.5
Course coordinator: 
Gillian Warner-Søderholm
Course name in Norwegian: 
Cross Cultural Management
Product category: 
Bachelor
Portfolio: 
Bachelor - Electives
Semester: 
2020 Spring
Active status: 
Active
Level of study: 
Bachelor
Teaching language: 
English
Course type: 
One semester
Introduction

This course develops students’ skills in intercultural communication, gained in our foundation course: SPÅ 2901 Intercultural Communication and Ethical Awareness. During this Cross Cultural Management course, students will further develop skills needed to manage and lead across cultures and borders in an international business setting,. Management tasks such as decoding cultural differences, cultural profiling and management framing within a business setting will be the focus of the course. Hence, developing skills in cultural due diligence for organizational strategies will be a key element of this course

Cross cultural management uses an interdisciplinary approach with perspectives from cultural studies combined with key international business and leadership issues. Classroom sessions will be based on international research discussions, group work simulations, video-taped exercises and case studies. Empirical cross cultural research and cases used in discussions will focus on issues related to international companies operating both in Norway and abroad. This course will help prepare students to meet the challenges of international assignments within multi-national business operations where different national contexts can impact the way we lead and co-operate in everyday business dealings. In this way, participants will develop skills needed to manage cross cultural teams in both face-to-face settings and in virtual teams.

Learning outcomes - Knowledge

After completed course students shall have:

  • Learned main theories in cross-cultural management.
  • Developed knowledge of existing research.
  • Gained an understanding of multicultural work environment.
  • Learned theories of cultural profiling and mapping.
  • Gotten insight in cross cultural management theories in the emerging BRIC economies.

 

Learning outcomes - Skills

After completed course students will be able to:

  • Explain and reflect on main theories in cross-cultural management.
  • Analyse existing research and argue the validity of the extant literature.
  • Identify and manage problems in a multicultural work environment.
  • Apply cultural profiling and mapping skills in an international management situation
  • Carry out cultural due diligence projects.
  • Identify key elements of cross cultural management theories in the emerging BRIC economies.
General Competence
  • Students will ideally develop cultural diplomacy and management skills within an international context, improve cross cultural communication skills and gain a better insight into communication, ethics and management approaches within a multi-cultural environment.
Course content
  • Understanding empirical studies of national and organizational cultures
  • Managing cultural and ethical dilemmas in industry: case studies
  • Norwegian and Scandinavian management in an international perspective
  • Cross cultural management in the emerging BRIC economies: case studies
Teaching and learning activities

Students are expected to use Internet during the course.

Software tools
No specified computer-based tools are required.
Additional information

For electives re-sit is normally offered at the next scheduled course. If an elective is discontinued or is not initiated in the semester it is offered, re-sit will be offered in the electives ordinary semester.

Qualifications

Higher Education Entrance Qualification

Required prerequisite knowledge

SPÅ 2901 Intercultural communication and ethical awareness: undergraduate course or equivalent.

Assessments
Assessments
Exam category: 
Submission
Form of assessment: 
Written submission
Weight: 
100
Grouping: 
Group/Individual (1 - 3)
Duration: 
1 Semester(s)
Exam code: 
ELE37691
Grading scale: 
ECTS
Resit: 
Examination when next scheduled course
Type of Assessment: 
Ordinary examination
Total weight: 
100
Student workload
ActivityDurationComment
Teaching
38 Hour(s)
Prepare for teaching
46 Hour(s)
Preparation for class & mid-term assignment.
Group work / Assignments
56 Hour(s)
Writing assignment & checklist assessment.
Task presentation (oral or written).
Online multiple choice tasks and discussion groups.
Contextualization of feedback
Student's own work with learning resources
60 Hour(s)
Self study and study groups (offline).
Examination preparation.
Sum workload: 
200

A course of 1 ECTS credit corresponds to a workload of 26-30 hours. Therefore a course of 7,5 ECTS credit corresponds to a workload of at least 200 hours.