APPLIES TO ACADEMIC YEAR 2013/2014

GRA 8167 Intercultural Management

Responsible for the course
Laura E Mercer Traavik

Department
Department of Leadership and Organizational Behaviour

Term
According to study plan

ECTS Credits
4

Language of instruction
English

Introduction
In today’s global, highly interrelated and interdependent world, international leaders must be able to manage people from various nations and cultures effectively. A successful leader requires competencies at communicating and reconciling diverging interests with people from different cultural backgrounds. In order to achieve these goals leaders must be aware of potential differences, have a clear understanding of their own cultural assumptions, and have critical communication and negotiation skills.

This course is designed to provide an introduction to the most recent research on culture and management, intercultural communication, and negotiation. The course will help you understand and analyze the critical elements and processes in intercultural management. By using roles plays and cases you will have the opportunity to learn through doing, and the possibility to investigate your own talents, skills, and weaknesses. In addition, we will build on the class’s own international and intercultural experiences to illustrate both best practices and common pitfalls.

Learning outcome
Acquired knowledge:

1. Definition of culture
2. Overview of the concepts and research on cross cultural management
3. Intercultural communication strategies and frameworks
4. Definition of a negotiation and identification of the central mechanisms in a negotiation
5. Negotiation strategies and tactics

1. Apply knowledge about culture and management to intercultural work situations
2. Apply communication strategies for effective communication in intercultural contexts
3. Apply negotiation frameworks to effectively manage diverse groups and resolve conflict

1. Your own cultural assumptions
2. Ethical considerations in intercultural management
3. How others see you

1. Introduction to intercultural management
2. Overview of the concepts and research on cross cultural management
3. Communication and culture at work
4. Intercultural communication
5. Introduction to negotiation
6. Identification of the central mechanisms in a negotiation
7. Negotiation strategies and tactics
8. Intercultural management: summing up

Examination
The course evaluation will be based on:
- In class activities and presentations throughout the module, counting 40 %
- Individual written assignment, counting 60 %.

This is a course with continuous assessment (several exam elements) and one final exam code. Each exam element will be graded using points on a scale (e.g. 0-100). The elements will be weighted together according to the information in the course description in order to calculate the final letter grade for the course.

Specific information regarding student evaluation beyond the information given in the course description will be provided in class. This information may be relevant for requirements for term papers or other hand-ins, and/or where class participation can be one of several elements of the overall evaluation

Examination code(s)
GRA 81671 - Continuous assessment; accounts for 100 % to pass the course GRA 8167, 4 ECTS credits

The course is a part of a full Executive Master of Business Administration Program and all evaluations must be passed to obtain a certificate for the degree.

Examination support materials




Re-sit examination
Re-takes are only possible at the next time a course will be held. When course evaluation consists of class participation or continuous assessment, the whole course must be re-evaluated when a student wants to retake a exam. Retake examinations entail an extra examination fee.

Additional information