2020/21 Taught Postgraduate Module Catalogue

MODL5016M Managing Business Across Cultures

15 creditsClass Size: 32

Module manager: Haynes Collins
Email: H.Collins@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2020/21

Pre-requisite qualifications

Successful completion of undergraduate degree (or equivalent) and an excellent command of your foreign language(s).

This module is approved as an Elective

Module summary

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Objectives

The aim of the module is to raise students' awareness of some of the issues facing people who work and manage businesses in a cross-cultural environment and to increase their ability to deal with such issues. It looks at these issues at the individual, group and organisational level, and in more pragmatic terms, at the field of cross-cultural training and its use and efficacy in preparation for the world of work.

Learning outcomes
On completion of this module, students should be familiar with the key principles of cross-cultural training for work and be able to assess its effectiveness. The module will encourage a reflective approach to the students' own experience of working in teams and consideration of the issues in an authentic situation in the group project.

Students will be able to demonstrate specialist knowledge of the main themes and issues in the field and be able to show a critical and coherent approach to these issues.

Skills outcomes
This module will seek to complement the cross-cultural skills developed in the module Skills and Issues in Intercultural studies (MODL5012M), by looking more specifically at the cultural issues raised in the world of work, with the rise of businesses and institutions which operate across national and cultural boundaries.

It aims to enhance students' employability as bridges between cultures, with the cultural awareness to understand and interpret the demands of working in an international environment.

Syllabus

1. Developing cross-cultural literacy and competencies. This component looks at the field of cross-cultural company training, both in terms of assessing how useful such training would be and doing some of the exercises involved. Sources include: Mattock (2003)'Cross-Cultural Communication-the Essential Guide to International Business' Canning, Hall (1995) 'Managing Cultures' John Wiley & Sons.

2. Culture and the Individual - the issues facing individuals working in cross-cultural environments, both at home and abroad, looking at the experiences of expatriates and international managers. Source: Schneider, Barsaux (1997) Managing Across Cultures.

3. Culture and the team - the issues facing people working in and managing multicultural teams. Source: Schneider, Barsaux (1997) Managing Across Cultures, Prentice Hall.

4. Culture and organisations - the issues facing organisations operating across different countries and cultures. Sources: Schneider, Barsaux (1997) Managing Across Cultures, Prentice Hall, Deresky (2000) International Management Prentice Hall, Hofstede (2005) Cultures and Organisations, McGraw Hill.

5. Possible further component - International business in China, looking at some of the cross-cultural issues facing Chinese and foreign companies setting up joint ventures and businesses together. Sources: Selmer (1998) International Management in China, Strange (1998) Management in China - the experience of foreign businesses. Frank Cass Publishers.

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Workshop	1	2.00	2.00
Lecture	8	1.00	8.00
Seminar	5	1.00	5.00
Private study hours			135.00
Total Contact hours			15.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			150.00

Private study

- Private reading (4 hours per hour of contact time) = 45 hours
- Group project preparation = 30 hours
- End-of-semester essay preparation = 68 hours.

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Student progress will be monitored during the group project and its formal assessment and during more informal weekly class discussions.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Essay	2,000 words	70.00
Group Project	Presentation	30.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		100.00

The essay will enable students to display their understanding and knowledge of the key cross-cultural issues facing businesses and their employees and their ability to think critically and write coherently about such issues. The group project will show their ability to work in, potentially, multicultural teams and reflect on their experience. It will give them the opportunity to apply the knowledge gained from the theoretical input to a practical context.

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 10/08/2020 08:42:53

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