COURSE SYLLABUS

Post-graduate Program in Business Administration

Course Title: Corporate Culture Credit Number: 2 Credits

Duration: 6 weeks Instruction Language: English

Pre-Requisites/Co-Requisites: None

Lecturer/Professor: Tuan Thanh Nguyen, DBA

Contact Information: nguyenthanhtuan15@yahoo.com

Phone: 0918273239

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course provides the student with an in-depth overview of business culture through
behavior theory and business practice learning. Also, this course examines the
dimensions and culture of an organization and the group dynamics that help shape it. The
leader’s role in developing, maintaining, or changing the culture is explored and the
student will use case studies and journal articles to apply the tools that are discussed
within the course. These tools provide the student with the ability to measure the
dimensions of an organization’s culture. The overall theme of the course is to provide an
opportunity for the students to analyze the cultural impact on corporate management.

COURSE LEARNING OBJECTIVES

 Define the different types of culture

 Describe the crucial impact of culture on organizational performance
 Explain the impact of international culture on an organization
 Identify alternative management cultures and their impact on change
 Explain a process to change corporate culture

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  Identify the importance of managing cultural differences which have effect on
competitive advantage

REQUIRED TEXTBOOK

Hoecklin, L. (1995). Managing Cultural Differences: Strategies for competitive

advantage. NewYork: Addison-Wesley

ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDED TEXT RESOURCES

(NOTE: The student can use these as additional resources to obtain additional
perspectives on the course material as well as references within their assignments.):

Gesteland, R. R. (1996). Cross-Cultural business behavior. Denmark: Copenhagen

Hofstede, G. (1994). Cultures and organizations: Intercultural cooperation and its

importance for survival. UK: McGrawHill

Holden, N. J. (2002). Cross-Cultural Management: A knowledge management

perspective. NewYork: PrenticeHall

Luthans, F., & Doh, J. P. (2009). International Management: Culture, Strategy, and
Behavior. NewYork: McGrawHill.

Lewis, R. D. (2000).When cultures collide: Managing successfully across-cultures.

London: Nicholas Brealey Publishing

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

 Read text(s) and all assigned articles.

 Actively participate in the case and discussion questions in each session.
 Complete the quizzes and or exams in each session
 Complete the Course Research Project paper.

HOW TO COMPLETE THE COURSE

Please do the following in order to complete the course:

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  Refer to the Reading Assignments (listed above) to see what the reading/study
assignment is for the Session you are completing.

 Examine the Learning Objectives for each Session and keep them firmly in mind
as you complete your Session.

 Read/study the assignment in your main textbook/study guide, and respond to the
case study/assignments.

 If you have any questions about the assignments or content for the Session, you
should email your professor. Your professor will assist you with any questions or
concerns you may have for the Session.

ASSESSMENT METHODS AND GRADING POLICY

Student's performance will be assessed by the work they do in the course – including
participation in the discussions that are a part of each lesson. Online course grading is
based less on a final examination or final essay, and more on completing the assignments
throughout the course.

These assignments may include some or all of the following:

(1) Short response - questions to be answered in very short written responses (max. two
paragraphs).

(2) Case analysis - a short 2 to 3-page essay, a draft for a larger essay, and/or a short
critical review of specific readings. Most important is that you clearly indicate the source
of your information with reference footnotes or endnotes. (One page should contain
between 250 and 300 words in total, including footnotes).

(3) Response - a short essay in your own words as assigned in the module. This response
must not be longer than 1 page (count one page as having page between 250 and 300
words).

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(4) Team Project - You will be assigned to a team throughout the course and each
member will turn in a report at the end of the course assessing the team process and the
role of the team leader.

Evaluation

20% Discussions and class participation

30% Mid-term and Final

50% Course Research Project Paper

100 %

It is important to note that graduate students must maintain a 3.0 GPA to retain their
matriculated status. A “C” grade, therefore, is passing, but below the score needed to stay
matriculated.

Grading Policy

Grade Percentage Quality Points per Credit

A 93-100 Outstanding 4.0

A– 90-92 3.7

B+ 87-89 3.3

B 83-86 Satisfactory 3.0

B– 80-82 2.7

C+ 77-79 2.3

C 73-76 Poor 2.0

F 0-72 Failure 0.0

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Students must maintain the readings, discussion participation, quizzes and assignments to
obtain a passing grade in the course. To obtain a superior grade, students must
demonstrate a high degree of quality in their work.
PLEASE NOTE THAT PLAGIARISM (copying other writers' text without due citation
or recognition) WILL NOT BE TOLERATED. Plagiarism is equal to cheating in exams
as it means "stealing" solutions to problems, ideas or written text from other people and
pretending they are your own. Students caught committing these forms of cheating will
be subject to course failure and will be reported to the Dean of the University. Two
instances of cheating or plagiarism will be cause for academic suspension.
For information on what plagiarism is and how to avoid it, please read the pages 41 and
41 in the book: TURABIAN, Kate L., A Manual for Writers of Research Papers,
Theses, and Dissertations, Chicago Style for Students and Researchers, 7th Edition, The
University of Chicago Press, 2007.

COURSE SCHEDULE

Module 1
Descriptio The impact of cultural diversity on international business.
n This module shows the cultural impact on business practices, thought and
perception of different cultures that can competitive advantage.
Read Textbook, Introduction, chapter 1.
Prepare 1. Participate with at least one response to the on-line discussion that you
send to all other students and the professor.
2. Discussion Question
3. Case analysis 1.1-1.3
Module 2
Descriptio Culture: What it is? What it is not and how it directs organizational
n behavior.
This module will introduce layers of cultures, definitions of culture,
Characteristics of culture, Hofstede’s four dimensions of culture-related
values, national culture, cultural differences, values and beliefs.
Read Textbook, chapters 2
Prepare 1. Participate with at least one response to the on-line discussion that you
send to all other students and the professor.
2. Discussion Question
3. Analyze case study 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4
Module 3
Descriptio The strategic value of cultural differences.
n This module will explain the competitive requirements of

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 internationalism, cultural approaches and strategies to reach competitive
advantage. It also consists of models of cultural leaning and perspectives
on managing across cultures.
Read Textbook, chapters 3.
Prepare 1. Participate with at least one response to the on-line discussion that you
send to all other students and the professor.
2. Discussion Question
3. Analyze case studies 3.1 - 3.8
Module 4
Descriptio Communicating Across Cultures.
n -To recognize the culturalvariables in the communication process and
factors affecting the process
- To develop an awareness of differences I non-verbal behaviors, context,
and attitudes and how they affect across-cultural communication
Read Textbook
Prepare 1. The Communication Process
2. The culture-communication link.
3. Discussion Question

Module 5
Descriptio Communicating Across Cultures (cont.)
n - To understand the complexities of Western-Arab communication
- To be aware of impact of IT on cross-border communications
- To learn how to successfully manage cross-cultural business
communications

Read Textbook
Prepare 1. Managing cross-cultural communication.
2. Discussion Question
3. Analyze case studies p.160
Module 6
Descriptio Communicating Across Cultures (cont.)
n - To awareness of cultural differences
- To promote consideration of the impact of cultural differencesin
global economy
- To stimulate dialogue between domestic and international students
- To explore issues raised by culturally diverse workforces

Read The culture Quiz

Prepare 1. Summary of key points
2. Solve culture Quiz
3. Discussion Question