MANAGEMENT IN A GLOBAL AND INTERCULTURAL CONTEXT

COURSE GOALS:

The course “Intercultural Management” encompasses ways of cross-cultural comparison of

management and communications processes, emphasizes possible (and practical) cultural geographic
distinctions and antecedents that affect individual, group, and organizational behavior. The overall
objective of the module is to define in theory and practice the divergence of management across the
world today. At the end students will be able to understand the way management is approached in
different areas of the world.
2. COURSE CONTENT:

Intercultural Management: The course examines case studies and readings that focus on general
concepts of “culture” as well as in particular on issues of intercultural competence, cultural identity
and cultural diversity from a strategic, organizational, and marketing perspective. In parallel, the
course considers the ethical issues highlighted by an intercultural perspective on business activities.
Toward the end, the course will encourage students to adopt a range of critical approaches drawn
from history, anthropology, organizational sociology, narrative and symbolic/interpretive analysis,
post-modern theory, and management practice. Cultural Area Studies: This course provides an
introduction to the specific Spanish culture. It secures sensitivity to cultural factors in particular within
a business environment and an understanding of the history, the social structure as well as the
political system(s) and current political issues of the country. Students will get an understanding of
how business is embedded in the specific societal institutions, and these in turn in the cultural context
of Spain. They shall develop a sense of how to work with, compete against, and cooperate with firms
from this nation.
4. GRADING:
Students will be evaluated through a continuous evaluation system (CES) and via the following tools:
Attendance and continuous evaluation by the teacher of active participation
 in the exercises and debates in class and the on-line campus forums. Attitudes and quality of
reasoning measurement.
2 individual works / exercises
to be given “in hand” to the teacher when indicated. Level of concepts understanding and capacity
to apply them.
1 team project
to be presented in class and to be given “in hand” to the teacher when indicated. Level of concepts
understanding and capacity to apply them correctly. Also of importance will be the attitude and the
formal abilities / skills developed for presentation.
1 test that will take place during the last session, covering main concepts saw in class.
Each of these instruments will represent 25% of the course global grade. An 80% of attendance and a
minimum mark of 4/10 (in the concept test and the team project) will be required to pass the course.
5. CORE LITERATURE:
Moran, R. T.; Harris, P.R. ; Moran, S.V. (2010): Managing Cultural Differences: Global Leadership
Strategies for Cross-Cultural Business Success. 8th edition. Butterworth-Heinemann. ISBN: 978-
1856179232. Unit 1: Cultural Impacts on Global Management. Class Handouts: various readings
6. FURTHER READING:
Hall, E. (1976). Beyond Culture. Anchor Books. ISBN: 978-0385124744 Hampden-Turner, C.;
Trompenaars, F. (1997). Riding the Waves of Culture: Understanding Cultural Diversity in Business. 2nd
edition. Nicholas Brealey Publishing. ISBN: 978-0786311255 Hofstede, G. (2010). Cultures and
Organizations: Software of the Mind. 3rd edition. McGraw-Hill. ISBN: 978-0071664189 Hofstede, G.
(2002). Exploring Culture: Exercises, Stories and Synthetic Cultures. Nicholas Brealey Publishing. ISBN:
978-1877864902 Lewis, R. D. (2005). When Cultures Collide: Leading Across Cultures. Nicholas Brealey
Publishing. 3rd edition. ISBN: 978-1904838029 Livermore, D. (2011). The Cultural Intelligence
Difference: Master the One Skill You Can't Do Without in Today's Global Economy. AMACOM. ISBN:
978-0814417065 Mead, R. (2000). Cases and projects in international management: cross-cultural
dimensions. 1st edition. Wiley-Blackwell. ISBN: 978-1557868497 Moran, R. T.; Harris, P.R. ; Moran, S.V.
(2010). Managing Cultural Differences: Global Leadership Strategies for Cross-Cultural Business
Success. 8th edition. Butterworth-Heinemann. ISBN: 978-1856179232. Unit 2: Regional Cultural
Specifics.