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2018/2019  KAN-CCDCO1005U  Managing in Global Workplaces

English Title
Managing in Global Workplaces

Course information
Language English
Course ECTS 7.5 ECTS
Type Mandatory
Level Full Degree Master
Duration One Quarter
Start time of the course First Quarter
Timetable Course schedule will be posted at calendar.cbs.dk
Study board
Study Board for BSc and MSc in Business, Language and Culture, MSc
Course coordinator
  • Mette Zølner - Department of Management, Society and Communication (MSC)
Main academic disciplines
  • Globalization and international business
  • Management
  • Organization
Teaching methods
  • Face-to-face teaching
Last updated on 13-06-2018

Relevant links
Learning objectives
  • Analyze and discuss major empirical expressions of culture in global workplaces.
  • Distinguish empirical expressions of culture from expressions of language, identity and power in global workplaces and discuss challenges for doing so.
  • Distinguish between various theoretical perspectives on culture (i.e. aggregate cultural dimensions, interpretive and negotiated culture perspectives) and discuss their strengths and weaknesses when applied to the global workplace.
  • Describe and discuss theoretical perspectives on culture in relation to philosophy of science (positivist view, interpretive view, postmodern view, critical view).
  • Describe, apply and assess the relevance of various analytical concepts and methods for understanding culture when managing the global workplace.
Course prerequisites
Relevant bachelor's degree – in business and management or equivalent.
Prerequisites for registering for the exam (activities during the teaching period)
Number of compulsory activities which must be approved: 2
Compulsory home assignments
1) A student presentation.
2) A written group assignment.
Examination
Managing in Global Workplaces:
Exam ECTS 7,5
Examination form Oral exam based on written product

In order to participate in the oral exam, the written product must be handed in before the oral exam; by the set deadline. The grade is based on an overall assessment of the written product and the individual oral performance.
Individual or group exam Individual oral exam based on written group product
Number of people in the group 3-5
Size of written product Max. 15 pages
If granted an exemption to write individually, students have to submit a written product of max. 5 pages.
Assignment type Case based assignment
Duration
Written product to be submitted on specified date and time.
20 min. per student, including examiners' discussion of grade, and informing plus explaining the grade
Grading scale 7-step scale
Examiner(s) Internal examiner and external examiner
Exam period Autumn
Make-up exam/re-exam
Same examination form as the ordinary exam
1) if a student is absent from the oral exam due to documented illness but has been part of handing in the report s/he does not have to submitt a new project report, but MUST hand in the same project report AGAIN for the re-exam.
2) if an individual student fails the oral exam she/he does not have to submitt a new project report, but MUST hand in the same project report AGAIN for the re-exam.
3) if a whole group fails they must hand in a revised report for the re-take.
4) If you haven't handed in anything for the ordinary exam. You will hand in a project report for the re-exam.
Course content and structure

This course explores the cultural challenges that characterize the global workplace, that is, organizations spanning geographical, linguistic, and cultural borders. While focus will be on cultural challenges of global business, the course will relate these to identity and language issues.

Readings and lectures will present various perspectives on culture  and discuss strengths and weaknesses of these when applied to the global organization. However, emphasis will be on the cognitive approach to culture as meaning categories that individuals draw upon and make sense of in and through social interaction in and across particular institutional and organizational contexts. Analytical concepts, such as culture as negotiated meaning, culture as systems of meaning, recontextualization, professional identities, managers as boundary spanners and global mindset will be introduced and their applicability will be discussed on the basis of examples from empirical research of global workplaces and business collaboration across regional contexts (i.e. Europe, Asia, North-Africa and the Americas). Recurrent cultural challenges when managing in global workplaces will be illustrated and analyzed on the basis of cases illustrating issues such as corporate values and codes of conduct, corporate languages, global teams, outsourcing, and global talent management.
Description of the teaching methods
The course is designed to integrate analytical and practical aspects of the global workplace. The course will mix lectures by faculty and practitioners respectively and include active participation of students through case analysis, group and plenary discussions. The course readings amount to approximately 1000 pages.
Feedback during the teaching period
Student feedback occurs regularly throughout the course, e.g. group exercises in class, compulsory student presentations and one written hand-in.
Students are also encouraged to ask questions during course sessions, in breaks as well to use the teachers’ office hours.
Student workload
Lectures 30 hours
Exam 40 hours
Preparation 136 hours
Total 206 hours
Expected literature

To be announced on Learn
 
Last updated on 13-06-2018