55778 - Developing Multicultural Skills in Global Contexts

Academic Year 2021/2022

  • Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures
  • Campus: Forli
  • Corso: Second cycle degree programme (LM) in Interdisciplinary research and studies on Eastern Europe (cod. 8049)

Learning outcomes

This module aims to develop cultural intelligence (CQ) through enhanced interpersonal and intercultural communication skills to improve the effectiveness of students when working in and leading multi-cultural teams and when becoming managers in an international business environment.

More specifically, you will

  • develop an understanding of culture, cultural differences, cultural values, beliefs and assumptions
  • build an awareness of the benefits (and potential barriers) towards effective intercultural communication
  • through a highly practical approach, explore how cultural differences can impact on group effectiveness, negotiations, communication, and personal presentation and impression
  • use your cultural background as the basis for contrastive analysis across all forms of communication, including verbal, non-verbal, written and professional.
  • Become more effective international team leaders

Learning outcomes

On completion of this module you will typically have knowledge and understanding of

  • the concepts of societal culture and managerial culture, and the underlying attitudes, values and behaviors of different cultures
  • recent research on the impact of cultural differences in management and communication
  • the nature of communication
  • cross-cultural issues in different forms of communication - verbal, non-verbal and professional
  • how to develop and apply appropriate inter-cultural leadership skills

Course contents

10 x 2-hour experiential sessions. These will include group presetations and role play exercises, as well as' process'- based discussions

Induction Session

Culture Shock

Course Introduction

The Cultural Spirals

  • The pathway to cross cultural competence
  • The Mono-Cultural and Multi-Cultural spirals

Session 1

The DRALAX project

  • Description
  • Conclusions
  • Reflective Diary
  • Appendix 1

Page - Session 2

Synergies and Differences

  • The pathway to Cross-Cultural Behaviour
  • The three ingredients of Cross-Cultural Communication
  • An introduction to practical exercise 1 -‘Multi Cultural Teamworking in Action’

    Page - Session 3

    Building cultural sensitivity through understanding your own Culture

  • Stereotypes and generalisations
  • The Four Levels of Cultural Generalisation
  • The Three Types of Culture and how the world fits into them.
  • ‘Cultural Aerobics’

Page - Session 4

The Communication Matrix

  • Understanding your preferred communications style.
  • The 10 communications styles.
  • The RADAR cycle©.
  • Reflective diary

Page - Session 5

Improving communications

  • Understanding international business communication in different environments.
  • Understanding differences in office etiquette, communication styles, presentations, meetings and negotiation styles; working, leadership and decision making and how to manage disagreement.
  • Reflective Diary

Page - Session 6

Intercultural Management Competencies

  • Your own personal management audit.
  • Review of key learning points.
  • Personal action planning.

    Page - Session 7

  • Reflective Diary

    Page - Session 8

  • Dralax revisited
  • Final module review

Readings/Bibliography

Recommended information sources and reading material

Text book that you should consider purchasing to support this module is:

Guirdham Maureen 2005 Communicating across Cultures at Work Oxford, Palgrave Macmillan

Martin J Gannon Culural Metaphors, Readings, Research, Translation ands Commentary

Hofstede Geert 2001 Institutions and Organisations across Nations, Sage Publications

Hofstede, Geert, 2003 Cultures and Organisations, Software of the Mind, Profile Books

Huijser, Mijnd, 2006 The Cultural Advantage, A New Model for Succeeding in Global Teams, London NB Books

Lewis, Richard D 2003 (3rd edition) When Cultures Collide, Leading, Teamworking and Managing Across the Globe, London, NB Books

Mole John 2003 Mind your Manners London NB Books

Storti Craig 2003 The Art of Crossing Cultures London Maine Intercultural Press

Storti Craig 2003 (second edition) The Art of Coming Home Maine Intercultural Press

Trompenaars, Fons & Hampden-Turner, Charles 1998 Riding the Waves of Culture, New York, McGraw-Hill Professional

Trompenaars, Fons & Woolliams, Peter, 2003 Business Across Cultures, Capstone Publishing

Trompenaars, Fons & Woolliams, Peter, 2004 Managing People Across Cultures, Capstone Publishing

Other sources used to support the module include

Bennett Milton (ed) 1999 Basic Concepts in Intercultural Communication Maine, Intercultural Press

Garton, Colleen & Wegryn, Kevin, 2006Managing Without Walls, MC Press,

Tomalin B and Nicks M 2007 The World’s Buiness Cultures and How to Unlock Them’ London Thorogood

Zweifel, Thomas, D. 2002 Culture Clash, Managing the Global High Performance Team, Select Books,

Various Authors, CultureSmart!Guides,Simple Guides 150+ Titles, Kuperard Publishers, 2002-2009

Solomons, David..R. 2013 The ‘I’ Factor. Web based publication

Journals

In addition to these text book sources you should develop your knowledge and understanding of cross cultural communication by regularly reading the following publications:

Harvard Business Review

International Journal of Cross-cultural Management

International Journal of Intercultural Relations

Cross-cultural Management

Journal of Cross-cultural Psychology

Multilingual Matters www.multilingualmatters.com

Expatriate adviser, quarterly www.theamericanhour.com

Websites

www.dialogin.com

www.bbc.co.uk

www.global-dynamic.com


Assessment methods

Students will keep a 'diary' during the course, which will be evaluated at the end of the course

Office hours

See the website of David Raphael Solomons