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2020/2021  BA-BEBUO1006U  Intercultural Communication and Management

English Title
Intercultural Communication and Management

Course information
Language English
Course ECTS 7.5 ECTS
Type Mandatory
Level Bachelor
Duration One Semester
Start time of the course Spring
Timetable Course schedule will be posted at calendar.cbs.dk
Study board
Study Board for BSc in European Business
Course coordinator
  • Daniel Barratt - Department of Management, Society and Communication (MSC)
Main academic disciplines
  • Intercultural studies
  • Communication
  • Management
Teaching methods
  • Face-to-face teaching
Last updated on 26-06-2020

Relevant links
Learning objectives
  • Demonstrate a critical understanding of some of the key definitions and dimensions of culture.
  • Analyse cultural influences on cognition, communication, and behaviour from both a personal and an interpersonal perspective.
  • Evaluate practical situations related to intercultural communication and management.
  • Use the theories, models, and terminology introduced in the course syllabus to present critical and coherent discussion and analysis.
  • Observe academic writing conventions with respect to argumentation, style, and use of references.
Course prerequisites
Basic knowledge of cultural theories, cultural value dimensions, and the work of intercultural researchers such as Hofstede.
Examination
Intercultural Communication and Management:
Exam ECTS 7,5
Examination form Home assignment - written product
Individual or group exam Individual exam
Size of written product Max. 10 pages
Assignment type Written assignment
Duration 48 hours to prepare
Grading scale 7-point grading scale
Examiner(s) Internal examiner and external examiner
Exam period Summer
Make-up exam/re-exam
Same examination form as the ordinary exam
Course content, structure and pedagogical approach

The goal of the course is to develop students’ awareness and understanding of the cultural factors that influence and constrain communication and management in an increasingly globalised business world. Self-awareness is also promoted as students are encouraged to critically examine how their own patterns of thought and behaviour may be affected by culture.

 

The course provides students with key theories, models, and a meta-language to enable them to analyse and discuss the relationship between culture, communication, and management. Students also learn to evaluate and suggest ways to approach realistic intercultural communication and management situations, thereby developing their intercultural competence.

 

The course is structured around three modules. The goal of the first module is to give students a deeper and more critical understanding of some of the key definitions and dimensions of culture introduced in the EB course “Culture and Cultural Economy” (e.g., by examining the critical debate surrounding Hofstede’s functionalist approach to culture), while introducing students to additional ways of thinking about culture (e.g., Trompenaars’ work on reconciling dilemmas in intercultural business encounters and the GLOBE project’s work on cultural clusters). The goal of the second module is to explore more new ground by investigating cultural influences on cognition, communication, and behaviour from both a personal and an interpersonal perspective, and by drawing on relevant research from both cognitive and social psychology. The third module is the most applied and practice-based part of the course: here the goal is to apply the above theories and models to cases of effective and responsible communication and management across cultures, focusing on business-related issues such as negotiation, conflict, and managing global virtual teams.
Description of the teaching methods
The course is a combination of plenary lectures and exercise classes. The plenary lectures function to introduce the main topics of each of the three modules, while the exercise classes provide an opportunity for class discussions and group presentations based on the course syllabus. Student participation in the exercise classes is key to successful learning.
Feedback during the teaching period
Feedback is an important component of learning in this course. In order to prepare for the final exam, students will be given the opportunity to submit one or two practice assignments. General feedback on these assignments (highlighting common strengths and weaknesses) will be given in class, while specific feedback will be given in individual supervision meetings with the instructors. In addition, the instructors have regular office hours which provide a further opportunity for feedback and supervision.
Student workload
Plenary lectures and exercise classes 34 hours
Preparation 124 hours
Final exam 48 hours
Expected literature

Textbook (subject to change):

  • Browaeys, M.-J. & Price, R. (2015). Understanding cross-cultural management (3rd ed.). Harlow, UK: Pearson Education Limited.

 

Additional readings:

  • Links for additional readings (e.g., book chapters and journal articles) will be posted on CBS Learn.

 

Cases:

Last updated on 26-06-2020