Academic Programme 2009-02

COURSE : Organisations and cultures
CODE : NI0038
PERIOD : 2009-2
FREQUENCY : 3 hours per week
MODE : Lecture
CREDITS : 3
LANGUAGE : English

1. JUSTIFICATION:

The understanding and management of organisational behaviour at the international level has become a pivotal area of international business. Understanding of cross-cultural issues of power, and managing of inter-group behaviour are increasingly critical areas for negotiating effectively. This course aims to examine the roles that the cultural aspects have in organisational behaviour.


2. COURSE OBJECTIVES:

• · To revisit the main issues and research methods for the study of cultures.
• · To examine cultural frameworks within organisations operating at the international, transnational, and at a global level.
• · To discuss current issues and affairs within organisations.
• · To analyse the potential of organisational culture as a means for improving ethics in organisations.

3. COURSE DESCRIPTION:

I. Introduction

Introduction to the course structure, academic programme and assessment methods.

Specific objectives

• To justify the importance of cultural studies for international business and negotiations.
• To revisit management tools for cultural diagnosis at the national level.
• To introduce research methods for field work.

Learning and teaching strategies

• Lecture.
• Class discussion.

Specific objectives:

• To understand, to contextualise and to define culture.
• To understand how behaviours affect international business and negotiations.

II. Organisations: national and organisational culture.

Specific objectives:

• To discuss dimensions and types of cultures from different disciplinary frameworks.
• To gain an understanding on what organisations are, their goals, the purposes they serve and how they emerge.
• To reflect on the relevance of the concept of culture within the organisational framework.
• To discuss the relevance of ethical and moral values in the understanding of culture.
• Learning and teaching strategies:
  
• Lecture.
  Class discussions.
  Film: The Corporation.
  
  Bibliographical references:
  
  Mead, Richard. 2004. International Management: Cross-Cultural Dimensions London: Blackwell Publishing.
  Mayfield, Jackie, Milton Mayfield, Drew Martin, & Paul Herbig. 1998. How location impacts international business negotiations. Review of Business, 19(2).
  Millman, Gregory J. . 2007. "Corporate Culture: more myth than reality? ." The Free Library 23:44-47. Millman, Gregory J. (2007, July 1).

III. Exploring diversity

This module explores the dimensions and definitions of diversity.

Specific objectives
Ø To identify the myriad ways in which we are different, and how those important characteristics impact individuals’ values, opportunities and perceptions of self and others at work and at society.

Learning and teaching strategies:
Team group and discussion.


IV. Managing diversity

This module explores the globalisation of organisational behaviour and its future trends.


Specific objectives
To analyse and to answer:
Ø How diversity is managed within organisations?
Ø What is the future of cultures?
Ø Are cultures being homogenised? or are they falling apart?
Ø What are the ethical impacts of diversity within organisations?


Learning and teaching strategies:
Discussion and round table.


Assessment strategies:
Student participation and workshop.

Bibliographical reference:
Chevrier, Sylvie, 2003. "Cross-cultural management in multinational project groups " Journal of World Business 38:141-149.


V. Expatriates and migrant workers

Specific objectives
To explore the phenomenon and the background of labour mobility worldwide.
To examine the main theoretical and practical challenges of labour migration.

Learning and teaching strategies:
Lecture.
Class discussions.
Film: The Beautiful Country.


Assessment strategies
Workshop.

Bibliographical references:
Verbeeten, David. 2007. The Past and Future of Immigration to Canada. Journal of International Migration & Integration, 8(1): 1-10.
Gercik, Patricia. 2003. "Moto: Coming to America." Pp. 226-229 in Readings and Cases in International Management: A Cross-Cultural Perspective edited by D. C. Thomas. London: Sage Publication.


VI. East Asia

Introduction to the East Asian region with special emphasis on Japan.
The Japanese management model.
The (South) Korean management model

Specific objectives:
To reflect on the influences of national cultures on traditional methods of management businesses in Korea and Japan.
To compare the East Asian model with the United States model.

Learning and teaching strategies:
Lectures.
Class discussions.

Bibliographical References
Lee, Jangho, Thomas W. Roehl, & Soonkyoo Choe. 2000. What Makes Management Style Similar and Distinct Across Borders? Growth, Experience and Culture in Korean and Japanese Firms. Journal of International Business Studies, 31(4): 631-52.


VII. China

Introduction to Chinese culture and its impacts on its economic development.
Chinese organisations.

Specific objectives:
To understand the “Chinese case”.
To analyse the political history of China, and to recognise its implications on its current affairs.
To discuss the corporate social responsibility of foreign firms operating in China.

Learning and teaching strategies:
Lecture.


Bibliographical references:

Warner, Malcolm. 2004. Human resource management in China revisited: introduction. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 15(4/5): 617-34.


VIII. South Asia


Specific objectives
To introduce the Indian social organisation and its cultural relations.
To compare with the Chinese case.

Learning and teaching strategies:
Lecture
Class discussions.
Film:
Dil Chahta Hai.

Bibliographical reference:

Deleury, G. 1978. Le modèle indou: essai sur les structures de la civilisation de l'Inde d'hier et d'aujourd'hui.
Country Watch. 2008. India: Social Overview, India Country Review: CountryWatch.
Agarwal, Sanjeev, Thomas E DeCarlo, Shyam B. Vyas, & Source:. 1999. Leadership Behavior and Organizational Commitment: A Comparative Study of American and Indian Salespersons. Journal of International Business Studies, 30(4): 727-43.



IX. Africa


Specific objectives
To recognise the main aspects of colonialism.
To appreciate and to analyse socio-economic development based on local needs and regional circumstances.

Learning and teaching strategies:
Lecture
Films:
Hotel Rwanda.
Blood Diamonds
I dreamed of Africa.
Nowhere in Africa.
The Interpreter.
The Last King of Scotland.

Bibliographical references:
Jones, Merrick L. “Management Development: An African Focus.” International Organizational Behavior - Texts, Readings, Cases and Skills. Prentice Hall International. 1998. p. 351-362
Mangaliso, Mzamo. 2003. Building competitive advantage from Ubuntu.In Thomas, David Clinton, editor, Readings and cases in International Management: A cross cultural perspective.
Thomas, Adèle & Mike. Bendixen. 2000. The Management Implications of Ethnicity in South Africa. Journal of International Business Studies, 31(3): 507-31.



X. The Middle East: The Arab World and Israel

Specific objectives:
To analyse the relationship between culture and business organisations within the Middle East.


Learning and teaching strategies:
Lecture.
Film:
§ Syriana.


Bibliographical references:

· Ali, Abbas & Ahmed. Azim. 1996. A Cross-National Perspective on managerial problems in a Non-Western Country. Journal of Social Psychology, 136(2): 165-72.
· Ali, Abbas, Krish Krhishnan, & Ahmed. Azim. 1997. Expatriate and Indigenous Managers’ Work Loyalty and Attitude Toward Risk. The Journal of Psychology(3): 260-70.
· Zwikael, Ofer & Kazuo Shimizu. 2005. Cultural differences in project management capabilities: A field study. International Journal of Project Management, 23: 454-62.


XI. Europe

Specific objectives:

To explore the changing contours of European 'space' and human movement, the significance of 'borders' (both external and internal), the construction of 'communities', as well as the dynamics of diversity, unity and conflict in order to understand how the history of the European continent has defined its present cultural and political variety.

Learning and teaching strategies:
Lecture.
Class discussions based on reading material.

Assessment strategies:
Discussion based on reading

Bibliographical references:
Huijgh, Ellen. 2007. Diversity United? Towards a European cultural industries policy. Social Policy, 28(3): 209 - 24
De Vries, Manfred Kets & Konstantin Korotov. 2006. The future of European Business Leadership. European Business Forum, 24: 36-42.



XII. Australia and Oceania

Specific objectives:

To gain a general understanding of society and culture within Australia and Oceania.

Learning and teaching strategies:
Lecture.
Class discussions based on reading material.
Film:
Whale rider.

Assessment strategies:
Workshop participation.

Bibliographical references:
· Baird, Kevin. 2007. The culture of Australian organizations and its relation with strategy. International Journal Of Business Studies, 15(1).

XIII. North America

Specific objectives:
To gain a view of the growth and achievements of the North American countries by focusing on cooperation in resolving critical trade issues of common interest.

Learning and teaching strategies:
Lecture.
Class discussions based on reading material.
Films:
§ Bread & Roses.
§ The pursuit of happyness.
§ Supersize me.


Bibliographical references:

HARRIS, Marvin. La cultura norteamericana contemporánea.”Introducción”; “¿Por qué no funciona nada? p. 7 – 42
Rapaille, Clotaire. 2006. The Culture Code New York: Broadway


XIV. Latin America: Brazil

Specific objectives:
· To analyze and to discuss (i) the Latin American view of North America, (ii) the Latin American view of itself, and (iii) the North American view of the Latin American.
To understand historical components of current affairs Latin America (indigenous roots, colonialism, foreign direct investment, human migration, institutions and regional crises).
To analyse top-down decisions in societies highly referenced by regularised social classes (estratos).

Learning and teaching strategies:
Lecture.
Discussion based on reading material.
Film:
The Mission.
The Motorcycle diaries.

Assessment
Attendance
Class discussions.

Bibliographical references:
Barros, Marcos. 2006. Emancipatory management: the contradiction between practice and discurse. Academy of Management Proceedings: C1-C6.



XV. Cultural citizenship, multiculturalism and the State

Specific objective:
To explore and to analyse views of cultural citizenship as a process of self-making and being made in relationship to nation-states and transnational process.

Learning and teaching strategies:
Discussion based on reading material.

Assessment
Attendance
Class discussions.

Bibliographical references:

Kim, Harris H. . 2003. Ethnic enclave economy in Urban China: the Korean immigrants in Yanbian. Ethnic and Racial Studies, 26(5): 802-28.


4. ASSESSMENT

10% Research Proposal (midterm assessment)
10% Blog
10% Research progress
15% Blog (midterm assessment)
25% PowerPoint and oral presentation on a specific module.
30% Final report (max. 3 students per group).

5. REFERENCES

• Agarwal, Sanjeev, Thomas E DeCarlo & Shyam B. Vyas. 1999. Leadership Behavior and Organizational Commitment: A Comparative Study of American and Indian Salespersons. Journal of International Business Studies, 30(4): 727-43.
• Ali, Abbas & Ahmed. Azim. 1996. A Cross-National Perspective on managerial problems in a Non-Western Country. Journal of Social Psychology, 136(2): 165-72.
• Ali, Abbas, Krish Krhishnan, & Ahmed. Azim. 1997. Expatriate and Indigenous Managers’ Work Loyalty and Attitude Toward Risk. The Journal of Psychology(3): 260-70.
• Baird, Kevin. 2007. The culture of Australian organizations and its relation with strategy. International Journal Of Business Studies, 15(1).
• Barros, Marcos. 2006. Emancipatory management: the contradiction between practice and discurse. Academy of Management Proceedings: C1-C6.
• Boyle, Maree & Ken Parry. 2007. Telling the Whole Story: The Case for Organizational Autoethnography Culture & Organization, 13(3): 185-90.
  Country Watch. 2008. India: Social Overview, India Country Review: CountryWatch.
• De Vries, Manfred Kets & Konstantin Korotov. 2006. The future of European Business Leadership. European Business Forum, 24: 36-42.
• Deleury, G. 1978. Le modèle indou: essai sur les structures de la civilisation de l'Inde d'hier et d'aujourd'hui.
• Gercik, Patricia. 2003. Moto: Coming to America.In Thomas, David Clinton, editor, Readings and Cases in International Management: A Cross-Cultural Perspective London: Sage Publication.
• Hammersley, Martyn & Paul Atkinson. 1995. Ethnography: Principles in Practice: Routhledge.
• Holston, Mark 2005. Toasting Brazil's humble spirit: long a symbol of national culture and pride, cachaca is gaining new popularity as a beverage that appeals across social classes at home and abroad. Americas.
• Huijgh, Ellen. 2007. Diversity United? Towards a European cultural industries policy. Social Policy, 28(3): 209 - 24
• Jones, Merrick. 1986. Management Development: An African Focus Management Learning, 17(3): 202-16.
• Kalliny, Morris & Lance Gentry. 2007. Cultural Values Reflected in Arab and American Television Advertising. Journal of current issues and research in advertising, 29(1): 15-32.
• Kim, Harris H. . 2003. Ethnic enclave economy in Urban China: the Korean immigrants in Yanbian. Ethnic and Racial Studies, 26(5): 802-28.
• Kogut, Bruce & Harbir Singh. 1988. The effect of national culture on the choice of entry mode. Journal of International Business Studies, 19(3): 411-32.
• Lee, Jangho, Thomas W. Roehl, & Soonkyoo Choe. 2000. What Makes Management Style Similar and Distinct Across Borders? Growth, Experience and Culture in Korean and Japanese Firms. Journal of International Business Studies, 31(4): 631-52.
• Mangaliso, Mzamo. 2003. Building competitive advantage from Ubuntu.In Thomas, David Clinton, editor, Readings and cases in International Management: A cross cultural perspective.
• Mayfield, Jackie, Milton Mayfield, Drew Martin, & Paul Herbig. 1998. How location impacts international business negotiations. Review of Business, 19(2).
• Mead, Richard. 2004. International Management: Cross-Cultural Dimensions London: Blackwell Publishing.
• Millman, Gregory J. . 2007. Corporate Culture: more myth than reality? . The Free Library 23(6): 44-47.
• Nelson, Debra L. & James Campbell Quick. 2005. Organizational Behavior: Foundations, Reality and Challenges. 5th ed: South-Western College Pub.
• Rapaille, Clotaire. 2006. The Culture Code New York: Broadway.
• Sylvie, Chevrier. 2003. Cross-cultural management in multinational project groups Journal of World Business, 38(2): 141-49.
• Thomas, Adèle & Mike. Bendixen. 2000. The Management Implications of Ethnicity in South Africa. Journal of International Business Studies, 31(3): 507-31.
• Tomlinson, John. 1999. Globalization and cultural identity, Globalization and culture. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.
• Verbeeten, David. 2007. The Past and Future of Immigration to Canada. Journal of International Migration & Integration, 8(1): 1-10.
• Warner, Malcolm. 2004. Human resource management in China revisited: introduction. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 15(4/5): 617-34.
• Weber, Max. 1964. The Theory of Social and Economic Organization. New York: The Free Press.
• Zwikael, Ofer & Kazuo Shimizu. 2005. Cultural differences in project management capabilities: A field study. International Journal of Project Management, 23: 454-62.