Experience Europe: European Cultures and Management Styles (3 credits)

Transcription

1 Summer School in Heilbronn, Germany Experience Europe: European Cultures and Management Styles (3 credits) May 30 June 17, 2016 Prof. Dr. Kathrin Köster & Prof. Dr. Anna Hayduk

2 1. YOUR INSTRUCTOR Prof. Dr. Kathrin Koester Prof. Dr. Anna Hayduk The course is initially designed by Prof. Dr. Kathrin Koester, and modified and taught by Prof. Dr. Anna Hayduk. Both are professors at the Faculty of International Business, Heilbronn University. Currently Prof. Dr. Anna Hayduk teaches courses in the areas of international management, intercultural management and tourism management. She is also the Faculty International Affairs Principal. Anna has a broad international experience of teaching at universities and working in business. Besides Germany she has taught at universities in different European countries, including Poland and Ukraine. Anna has a long term experience of international collaboration and research activities at the University of Manitoba, Canada. As a manager of Unland GmbH (Germany) she has worked in Germany, Russia and Ukraine. Apart from German, she speaks English, Ukrainian, Russian and Polish. Her main research interests are in the area of cross-cultural management and internationalization strategies. Contact details: Room: 4.04 V-Building Telephone: anna.hayduk@hs-heilbronn.de 2. INTRODUCTION & COURSE OBJECTIVES Both organizations and society are becoming more and more culturally diverse. Whereas in the past, the international arena used to be the domain of large multinational companies only, nowadays, even many smaller companies will transcend geographic, economic, political and cultural boundaries. At a societal level, cultural diversity and globalization are not just buzzwords. Developments in the media, technology and politics have made the world smaller and increasingly interdependent and integrated. As a result of this process, at both societal and organizational levels, it has become more and more important to be aware of national, and even regional, cultural differences, and to be able to manage culturally diverse organizations. This is especially true for Europe, where regional and national differences persist despite ongoing standardization and integration within the European Union (EU). Europe, especially central Europe, is an economic powerhouse with sustainably innovative corporations that operate on an international scale. Chances are high that they might be your future employer, customer, or business partner. In the light of strong and

3 even intensifying economic relations between North America and Europe, skills will be needed to appreciate (cultural) diversity and to deal with it effectively. To be successful in the global economy, which is heavily influenced by North American and European corporate players, a (future) manager must understand the effect of culture differences on organizational behavior. European Cultures and Management Styles will investigate this effect, drawing on cases and examples from different parts of Europe. OBJECTIVES On completion of this course, students should: Have knowledge and comprehension of the main theories, models and concepts related to cultural diversity and management styles in Europe Have knowledge and comprehension of the main economic, social, political and ethical systems in Europe Understand the main trends in the competitive environment of Europe, e.g., in the area of sustainability and other megatrends Be capable to apply this knowledge to different scenarios, as presented in case studies and exercises GENERIC SKILLS In terms of cognitive skills, European Cultures and Management Styles course will provide students with: The ability to apply theories, models and frameworks to the real world problems in intercultural management Analytical and interpretive skills in intercultural management A range of analytical approaches to critically evaluate complex arguments in intercultural management The ability to evaluate, interpret and present independent points of view in oral and written communication In addition, students will improve their: Cross-cultural communication and negotiation skills (verbal and non-verbal) Use of foreign languages on an ice-breaking level Ability to work in culturally diverse groups and teams Sensitivity to perform in unfamiliar situations Creativity, based on the acquaintance with a variety of (cultural) perspectives These skills will be fostered through both the design of the contact hours - which includes case study analysis, group presentations, role-plays, videos, (simulation) exercises - and the coursework assignments. AWARENESS ISSUES At a broader level, studying European Cultures and Management Styles course will increase students awareness of over-arching issues such as: The ability of self-reflection regarding the student s own cultural imprint Self-leadership and improved authenticity through enhanced understanding of own values and attitudes The preparation of students for international citizenship, including appreciating and respecting diversity

4 3. COURSE OVERVIEW The structure of the course has been designed to familiarize students with the most important issues in European Cultures and Management Styles, in a logical and sequential manner. It is composed of three main blocks, lasting one week each. Block 1: Exploring National Cultures (North America and Europe) In the first week, we will focus on the foundations for understanding national cultural differences, including history, language, political and economic systems. We will also explore the concept of national culture. In order to be able to study and compare different cultures, we need some sort of model or framework that allows us to identify the key dimensions of each culture. Therefore, we will discuss several frameworks that have been developed for this purpose. The frameworks provide essential background information for the self-reflection process on your own culture. Hence, it is very important to be familiar with these frameworks. During the seminar, we will also practice using these frameworks by watching some selected videos, assessing typical or untypical behavior in different cultures, and by investigating your own cultural preferences. Examples of frameworks: Hofstede s and Trompenaars models and the GLOBE study. We will also look at more complicated concepts, such as stereotyping, cultural paradoxes and cultural sense-making. Block 2: Communicating and Collaborating Across Cultures (Focus on European Cultures) In the second block (week 2), we will apply our knowledge of cultural differences to various interpersonal contexts. Since communication is the cornerstone of all human interaction, the first half of the week will be dedicated to cross-cultural communication, including negotiations. The key to understanding cross-cultural communication is the realization that what is transmitted is not the meaning, but simply the words and signals. The interpretation of these words and signals, by both sender and receiver, is determined by his/her own frame of reference, which to a large extent, is influenced by his/her cultural background. We will also look in detail at the most important dimension of communication styles: the difference between high and low context communication. We will explore different communication styles in Europe, where we find the whole bandwidth from low-context, exemplified by the German communication style, and high-context, such as in Southern Europe. The communication topic will be extended to leadership and motivation across European cultures. We will also discuss that the dominant American theories of motivation and leadership are very much culture-bound, and might need to be adapted to a different cultural context. Although we focus on the interpersonal context, implications for the management of multinationals and other multi-cultural organizations will be explored in detail. Block 3: Organizational Environment - Management Styles in European Organizations The final block (week 3) then moves our analysis to the organizational level and looks at how different types of European multinational companies adapt or do not adapt their policies and practices to cultural differences, at the role of culture and human resources in management, and at the management of diversity. We will especially look at cross-border / international projects as this is the prevailing context for intercultural management within organizations. The

5 analysis of concrete examples of diverse European corporations will provide you with a realistic insight into corporate Europe. Students (organized in teams) will be requested to gather material and data on real-life organizations and concrete examples of international projects, thus training their ability of transferring knowledge to the real business environment. If time allows, teams will be asked to present their own cases in the form of flash-light free-style presentations. Geographical Coverage: Although it is not possible to cover the whole of Europe in just three weeks, every effort has been made to ensure a good coverage of the main regions (from North to South): Scandinavia, Anglo-Europe (UK, Ireland), Benelux countries, Germanic countries, France, Central Eastern Europe (Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia), Southern Europe (Spain, Italy), South-Eastern Europe (former Yugoslavian countries, Bulgaria, Greece and Romania). Russia and Turkey, partially part of Europe in the narrow sense, will also be touched on briefly. ASSESSMENT Pre-assignment The pre-assignment is designed to prepare the groundwork for a smoother skills development in the area of cultural differences. Prior to the start of the course, students are requested to work on the following tasks: 1. Create a list of 10 prejudices/stereotypes that come to your mind when you think of Europe (don t be politically correct, be honest and open). 2. Create a list of 10 prejudices/stereotypes that people in Europe may have, regarding the USA or Canada (don t be politically correct, be honest and open). 3. What were the most important differences between your home country and Germany that you noticed in the first day(s) of your stay in Germany? 4. Think about your own culture. Try to recall some of the behaviors and values that you were taught early in life, by your parents or in school. How do these rules or behaviors affect you now? The pre-assignment is due at the first course session. It should comprise approximately 500 words and needs to be turned in to the instructor as a pdf-file or hard copy. The pre-assignment accounts for 30% of the overall grade. Main Assignment At the end of the course, there will be an individual assignment in the form of an open-book exam. This means that students can use their lecture notes and books during the exam. Students will be asked to answer questions regarding a selected case study, specifically focusing on the topics discussed in all three blocks. Students should demonstrate their competence of transferring the knowledge they have obtained in the course to a real-life case, as depicted in the selected case study. The open-book exam accounts for 70% of the overall grade. 4. LITERATURE

6 Students will find a wide selection of books on intercultural management in the library of our Faculty of International Business, which is just next door to the class rooms. In addition, students will be provided with a selection of academic articles on the course topics. Requested Reading: Köster, Kathrin (2010): International Project Management. London et al.: Sage Publications, chapters 1, 3, 8, 9 and 10. Chapter 1 lays the foundation for understanding international projects, which we will deal with in block 3. Chapter 3 summarizes the cultural frameworks, and thus, provides the basis for block 1. Chapters 8, 9, and 10 discuss cross-cultural communication, collaboration, leadership and motivation, which provide the basic knowledge we will need in block 2. RECOMMENDED BOOKS For further reading, students are encouraged to have a look at the following books, which are mostly available in the library: Adler, Nancy (2007): International Dimensions of Organizational Behavior, 5 th edition, Boston: South Western College Publishing. Francesco, Anne Marie and Barry A. Gold (2005): International Organizational Behavior, 2 nd edition, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall Hofstede, Gert (1997) Cultures and Organizations: Software of the Mind, London: McGraw Hill. Lewis, Richard D. (1999) When Cultures Collide: Managing Successfully across Cultures, London: Nicholas Brealey [Contains details on Germanic Europe, Anglo- Europe, Southern Europe, Eastern Europe and Scandinavia] Lustig, Myron W. and Jolene Koester (2006): Intercultural Competence. Interpersonal Communication Across Cultures. 5 th edition, Boston et al: Pearson Mole, John (2003): Mind your Manners. Managing Business Cultures in the new global Europe. 3 rd edition. London/Yarmouth: Nicholas Brealey Publishing [This book provides students with a concise overview of all European countries and cultures and is a first good orientation towards cultural diversity in Europe] Schneider, Susan; Stahl, Guenter K. and Jean-Louis Barsoux (2014): Managing Across Cultures, London: Pearson Education Thomas, David C. and Kerr Inkson (2004): Cultural Intelligence. People Skills for Global Business. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Trompenaars, Fons and Charles Hampden-Turner (1998): Riding the Waves of Culture: Understanding cultural diversity in business, 2 nd edition, New York: McGraw Hill Warner, Malcolm and Pat Joynt (eds) (2002): Managing Across Cultures. Issues and Perspectives, 2 nd edition, Hampshire/UK: South-Western Cengage Learning [The second part of this book contains interesting articles on Managing in North America, Images of Europe, Empowering Europe, and Management evolution in Central and Eastern Europe]