Global Cross-cultural Management

This course focuses on the variety of issues and opportunities that arise when we take action (i.e., leading, managing, being a member, following) outside our own culture. Our credibility and effectiveness are always to some extent culture-bound. Outside our native culture, our attitudes and actions do not necessarily mean the same thing that they do inside our native culture. The objective of the course is to consider the nature of intercultural management, to learn to think across cultural differences, to experiment with different ways of acting in cross-cultural situations, and to reflect on the cultural foundations of economic systems and of organizational practices. The course covers definitions, levels and layers of culture; the differences and relation of national and organizational cultures; ways of measuring cultural differences and managing intercultural encounters; an overview of the impact of cultural diversity on international business, including operating, advertising, and managing human resources across cultures. It also:

Discusses global leadership, leading across cultures, creating cultural synergy, global communication and negotiation;

Explores regional culture specifics and recommendations on doing business globally;

Reviews cultural difference as a competitive advantage, evaluating the pros and cons of cultural differences as an asset and as liability and recognizing the strategic value of understanding cultural differences.