Managing Cultural Differences (5cr)

Objectives (course unit)

This course offers fundamental understanding of cultural issues in today's global business environment. It also provides the student with the skill to navigate successfully in intercultural environments.
When the student has passed this course he/she will know:
- Notion of culture
- National culture and its typologies
- Organizational culture and its typologies
- Emergence of culture
- Elements of culture
- Culture and religion (protestant ethics and capitalism, Islam and Hinduism)
- Culture and human behaviour
- Cultural influence on business activities
- Work ethics in different culture
- Cultural differences and similarities
- Cultural synergy
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When the student has completed the course he/she can:
- Understand national- and organizational cultural differences
- Detect consumer behavior across national boundary
- Manage an organization made up of people from different cultures
- Treat people from other cultures with empathy
- Solve business problems according to cultural requirements
- Deal with different interest groups without hesitation
- Work in global marketplace with a flexible personality
- Easily commit to different customer groups
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This course includes international business game (VIBu Simulation) in cooperation with University of Turku and several foreign universities.
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After completing the game the student knows:
- The impact of the virtuality to daily company operations and activities in an international working context
- The importance of cooperation and communication within international, multicultural virtual teams
- The link between supply chain management decisions and company cash flow, income statement and balance sheet
- The “bottle-necks” in the supply chain processes and how those bottle-necks impact on the company’s productivity and profitability
- The pressure of uncertainty and time constrains in decision making.
When the student has passed the course he/she can:
- use the experience of managing company processes within simulated environment in real business environment
- manage the company’s materials flow from suppliers to customers
- analyze company financial data
- manage the multicultural virtual team work better
- collaborate better with internal and external business partners
As a result, the student will be:
- A decision-maker who is qualified to understand independencies of different company operations and the financial success.
- A project manager who is able to take account the aspect of virtual team work and cultural differences.

Content (course unit)

In the era of globalization, companies go beyond national boundaries with the aim of getting the best possible returns from their trade and investment.
Successful operation in the global context requires cultural readiness to deal, among others, with competitors, partners, customers and suppliers.
Keeping in mind the mentioned necessities, the course content has been designed as follows:
- the notion of culture
- national culture and its typologies
- organizational culture and its typologies
- emergence of culture
- elements of culture
- culture and religion (protestant ethics and capitalism, Islam and Hinduism)
- culture and human behaviour
- cultural influence on business activities
- work ethics in different culture
- cultural differences and similarities
- cultural synergy

The course includes a business game (VIBu) is conducted virtually with one introduction lecture in a class. The game is played online over the internet and students work online as a part of an international team. Game decisions and negotiations as well as other course activities are carried out virtually as well. The course content is
• game introduction (in a class)
• running the company (2 x 6 hours) online as a part of virtual multicultural team
• analysis of the company processes, financial results and team performance

Location and time

1st meeting: 21.03.2019. Time: 16:30-19:30. Place: C2-16
2nd meeting: 22.03.2019. Time: 08:30-11:30, Place: C2-16
3rd meeting: 12.04.2019. Time: 08:30-11:30, Place: C2-16
4th meeting: 26.04.2019. Time: 08:30-11:30, Place: Online presentation

Exam schedules

No test

Assessment methods and criteria

Contact lesson participation, project, presentation, distance task, & learning diary

Assessment scale

0-5

Teaching methods

Pre-task, distance task, lecture, group project & online presentation / online workshop

Learning materials

- Organization Culture and Leadership, Edgar H. Schein, 5th edition
- Cultures and Organizations: Software of the mind, Geert Hofstede et. al, 3rd edition
- Suggested materials to TABULA course site

Student workload

Total work hour for the students: 27 x 5 = 135
Contact lesson including online presentation: 20 h
Project: 30 h
Distance task: 25 h
Learning diary: 25 h
Reading: 40 h

Content scheduling

1st meeting: 21.03.2019 : Culture; defining culture, influencing factors as well as national-, organisational-, & family culture
2nd meeting: 22.03.2019: Culture and human behavior; cultural influence on business activities & work ethics in different cultures
3rd meeting: 12.04.2019: Cultural differences and similarities; Cultural synergy; & managing diversity at work place
4th meeting: 26.04.2019. Time: 08:30-11:30, Place: Online presentation

Completion alternatives

Talk to the course teacher

Practical training and working life cooperation

Own workplace linked task

International connections

Possible

Further information

Contact lessons are very important from learning point of view

Assessment criteria - fail (0) (Not in use, Look at the Assessment criteria above)

Not done the group project & irregular to course activities

Assessment criteria - satisfactory (1-2) (Not in use, Look at the Assessment criteria above)

Student has done two-third of the given tasks including the course project. Student has demonstrated basic understanding to core issues of the course through required tasks and project.

Assessment criteria - good (3-4) (Not in use, Look at the Assessment criteria above)

Student has done all the given tasks. Participated to the online presentation. Student has demonstrated clear and deep understanding to core issues of the course through required tasks and project. In addition, student has proposed own opinion to the required tasks and discussed issues from multiple perspectives. Student has still scope for improving his/her performance.

Assessment criteria - excellent (5) (Not in use, Look at the Assessment criteria above)

Student has done all the given tasks. Participated to the online presentation. Student has demonstrated clear and deep understanding to core issues of the course through required tasks and project. In addition, student has proposed own opinion to the required tasks and discussed issues from multiple perspectives. Furthermore, student has shown extraordinary creativity in individual tasks.