• Define a well-founded research question containing a ‘puzzle’ or problem concerning culture and business in a European context
• Formulate a clear and coherent academic argument, both in writing and orally
• Account for the strengths and weaknesses of the theories and concepts you use for analyzing the role of culture in business
• Use the concepts and theories taught during the course to conduct an analysis of an empirical cultural issue in business
• Account for your own cultural assumptions in addressing your topic
• Display awareness of social responsibility issues that may arise in relation to culture in business activities in regard to your chosen topic
• Demonstrate awareness of the challenges and opportunities offered by group work, reflect critically on the learning process in your group work and on what you could do to improve it next time

The overall aim of the course is to introduce students to major ways in which culture can be conceptualized in relation to business, and to how cultural dynamics play out in different ways in a globalising business world, specifically in a European context. The course aims to train students to see business as anchored in local, regional and global cultural contexts.

The course is organized in three blocks that address major levels at which culture affects business, namely: 1) National culture 2) Culture in firms & organizations 3) Consumer culture. Specific topics include cultural distance/fit, internationalization, leadership, and human resource management, digital cultures, consumer behaviour, consumer ethnocentrism and country of origin effects. The course lectures will be conducted by specialists in the different topics addressed, who will introduce students to current research and practice in the fields in question.

Empirical examples will be mostly drawn from the European business context, or from cases of Danish businesses operating abroad. Students will be introduced to major theories and concepts relating to culture in business. Students are invited to reflect critically on the assumptions underpinning the theories presented, and to take these into account when considering business problems and challenges. The course further aims to train students' cultural sensitivity, and thereby their ability to act in 'culturally responsible' ways, by challenging their own cultural assumptions.

Students are also introduced to problem-oriented research  in their workshops, supervision and practice assignments: including how to draft a good research question and craft literature review, as well as a basic introduction to methodology, data presentation and analysis.

The course integrates the HA EB values in the following way:

Mutual respect: Peer-to-peer feedback at the workshops, with an emphasis on constructive delivery, helps students to develop mutual respect for one another as equal team members with unique contributions. Teachers and students show mutual respect by honouring the formal contracts that pertain to them (e.g. information sharing, deadlines, preparing classes and readings adequately, etc) as well as implicit contracts for appropriate conduct, such as arriving at classes on time and doing their part to maintain an atmosphere that supports learning.

Integrity: The course encourages self-reflection both in its academic goals (reflecting on own cultural assumptions) and in the groupwork input and exam format, where students learn to reflect on how to improve their own role in a collaborative process.

Engagement: Both teachers and students come to class willing to engage in dialogue with one another. Through this, our goal is to achieve a participatory and accessible culture of mutual learning.

Tuleja, E. A. (2017) Intercultural communication for global business. London: Routledge