Course Title：Cross-Cultural Communication: International Management

Multinational Corporations continue to expand their operations globally. How do we communicate and collaborate with other cultures in a global age? As the world moves economically, technologically and culturally towards closer integration, what happens when people with different world views and communicative styles have to live and work together? An understanding of cross-cultural communication is critical for managing an international business. When businesses attempt to reach customers from another culture, a crucial aspect for the success of that venture lies in the understanding of cross-cultural differences. If the people in charge of these ventures, or their advertising agencies are not aware of the impact on crosscultural relations, the misunderstandings, hurt feelings and communication errors that occur often will cause serious damage to those efforts. Students will experience in this course how speech, texts, images and behaviours are shaped by culture and interpreted through their own cultural lens. We will identify and negotiate the obstacles to effective communication across cultures. The course focuses on understanding of cross-cultural communication, mass-communication and advertising in an international context. Cultural values either influence the production and execution of advertising or are reflected in the content itself. We will analyse advertisements and marketing campaigns as forms of communication. Additionally the effect of cross-cultural differences on international human resource management will be analysed. “Cross-Cultural Human Resource Management” becomes a “must” for international companies. The course develops a cross-cultural understanding of cross-cultural human resource management and therefore knowing how to managing the harmonious working relationship between expatriates and local employees by analysing problems consist of the concept of cross-cultural human resource management. We will analyse how misunderstandings and conflicts are created and can be resolved. The course will be taught in the form of lecture. The classroom culture will be case study-oriented. A wealth of examples and case studies is provided to enable the students to see the subject to business, mostly from a multinational corporation. The method of this course is to combine theory and real business life experience: • Presentation of theoretical background with reference to existing literature • Presentation of real-life examples and case studies leading to class discussions