EXC 2903 Intercultural Management: A Scandinavian Perspective
EXC 2903 Intercultural Management: A Scandinavian Perspective
An empathic understanding of how people from different parts of the world differ when it comes to opinions, attitudes, and beliefs or even what it takes to develop motivated and committed employees, is crucial for managers in todays global world. The assumption that national cultures are still playing important roles in forming peoples values and attitudes, more than indicates that definitions and concepts of culture and cultural differences at national, organizational, and managerial level should be covered during a course like this.
One aspect of the course focuses on the importance of national culture in determining communication and behaviour in international business. The course provides an overview of culture, Scandinavian management, digital relationships with data analytics: Scandinavian trends, communication strategies and cross cultural negotiations. Learning approaches will include lectures, case work, teamwork and blended learning. We also gain key insights through guest speakers from the industry and visits to leading Norwegian companies to see Scandinavian management in practice.
The other aspect focuses on the so called "Scandinavian Model" where gender and economic equality dominate and specific employment rules and rights must be applied. In particular, the "Norwegian Working Environment Act" is covered.
Specific global industries where Norwegian firms have excelled such as shipping, oil and gas, and energy will also be investigated during the course.
The objectives of the course are to provide students with an overview of research on intercultural management and to apply this knowledge creatively in the Scandinavian/Norwegian context.
- Students should have an overview of key concepts of culture, cross cultural negotiations, the Scandinavian Management Model, creative communication planning.
- Students should also be able to recognize key intercultural management issues within the Scandinavian/Norwegian context and communication strategies in a global context.
Students should be able to analyze intercultural interactions. They should be able to apply the Scandinavian Management Model and also able to understand data analytics to evaluate digital relationships with stakeholders in international management settings.
Students should see the ethical and sustainable long term implications of the Scandinavian Management Model and culture in negotiations and communication and in data analytics.
The course is divided into three main areas of focus:
I. Culture, framework for comparing cultures
- Cultures impact on communication behaviour
- Cultural stereotypes, differences and similarities
II. The Scandinavian Management Model
- A focus on different Norwegian firms and sectors as well as on laws and regulations of work
- Competencies for managing intercultural interaction; implications of cultural differences at intra and interorganizational levels
III. Digital relationships with data analytics: Scandinavian trends
- Understanding digital stakeholder communication
- Design thinking to develop and visualize stakeholder relations
- Introduction to data analytics – applying data in visual communication: Scandinavian trends
IV. Negotiation skills
- Negotiation behavior profiling in an intercultural context
- Analyzing and understanding successful integrative bargaining strategies
- Gaining meaningful insights and developing communication skills within strategic/empathetic thinking and creativity techniques
The learning objectives of the course are accomplished with a combination of lectures, guest speakers, company visits, group work, workshop, and presentations. Normally each day will be structured so as the lectures will take place before lunch, while the afternoon will consist of other course-related activities.
Feedback during the course to promote student learning
An important part of the course is the workshop on communication profiling, developing a toolkit for cultural understanding, development of data analytics skills for visualizing and developing stakeholder relations and in development of negotiation skills. Students work on pre-assigned groups while the instructors provide continuous feedback for improvement. In addition, feedback is provided on presentations and discussions for process learning
Making students work steadily – use of “required coursework”
Participation in lectures, company visits, group work, and other activities is mandatory. The first two weeks of the course set the basis for the written exam (at the middle of the course). The workshops that follow in weeks three and four are designed to develop specific communication and negotiation skills and digital relationships knowledge. Students are required to work in teams for case negotiations, design thinking and in case reflection documents in the final week of the program.
Participation in lectures (online and face-to-face), company visits, workshops, group work, and presentations is mandatory.
This is a course with continuous assessment (several exam components) and one final exam code. Each exam component is graded by using points on a scale from 0-100. The components will be weighted together according to the information in the course description in order to calculate the final letter grade for the examination code (course). Students who fail to participate in one/some/all exam elements will get a lower grade or may fail the course. You will find detailed information about the point system and the cut off points with reference to the letter grades when the course start.
At re-sit all exam components must, as a main rule, be retaken during next scheduled course.
A re-sit is held at the next scheduled examination in the course. Students who are taking a new exam must take the course all over including all parts of the evaluation.
Higher Education Entrance Qualification
One year university studies
| Assessments |
|---|
Exam category: Submission Form of assessment: Written submission Weight: 40 Grouping: Individual Duration: 8 Hour(s) Comment: Take home exam Exam code: EXC29031 Grading scale: Point scale leading to ECTS letter grade Resit: All components must, as a main rule, be retaken during next scheduled course |
Exam category: Activity Form of assessment: Presentation and discussion Weight: 60 Grouping: Group Duration: 1 Semester(s) Comment: Group creative exercise and presentations. Exam code: EXC29031 Grading scale: Point scale leading to ECTS letter grade Resit: All components must, as a main rule, be retaken during next scheduled course |
| Activity | Duration | Comment |
|---|---|---|
Teaching | 50 Hour(s) | Classroom |
Other in classroom | 10 Hour(s) | Workshop |
Webinar | 12 Hour(s) | |
Prepare for teaching | 50 Hour(s) | |
Company visit and/or Study trip | 50 Hour(s) | |
Group work / Assignments | 50 Hour(s) | |
Student's own work with learning resources | 38 Hour(s) | Examination and preparation for examination. |
Group work / Assignments | 60 Hour(s) | Preparations for presentations and presentations. |
A course of 1 ECTS credit corresponds to a workload of 26-30 hours. Therefore a course of 12 ECTS credit corresponds to a workload of at least 320 hours.