Note: This course listing is for informational purposes only and does not constitute a contract between CIEE and any applicant, student, institution, or other party. The courses, as described, may be subject to change as a result of ongoing curricular revisions, assignment of lecturers and teaching staff, and program development. Courses may be cancelled due to insufficient enrollment.
CIEE Study Center Syllabi
To view the most recent syllabi for courses taught by CIEE at our Study Centers, visit our syllabi site.
Course Syllabus / CIEE Study Center, Seville, Spain
International Business Culture
Language of Instruction: English
Recommended credit: 3
Contact hours: 45
Overview
This class is designed for Business and Communication majors with an interest in working in an international setting. The goal of the class is to provide an introduction to the primary concepts of management in an international and intercultural perspective. Students will learn the importance of taking cultural aspects into account when taking important managerial decisions. Throughout the class, students will understand the importance of how one´s own cultural perspective affects perceptions and reality in the world of international business. Special emphasis will be placed on different cultural theories, protocol, ethics and international negotiations.
Course Prerequisites
Although there are no specific prerequisites for this course, it has been designed for students majoring/minoring in business or related disciplines.
Methods of Instruction
The course is structured in both lectures and on-site classes. Lecture classes will be conducted by the professor but students are expected to participate. The on-site classes are field studies to places relevant to the course content.
Course Requirements
Participation
Students will be required to participate in at least two team presentations of the case studies/articles as part of their participation grade. Students are also expected to actively contribute to the class discussion based on the readings.
Field Study Papers
During the session, students will write two short field study papers (5 pages double spaced) based on visits to Spanish, Moroccan and International companies functioning in Spain and Morocco. Students will work in pairs. These two field studies are intended to give you first-hand information regarding the managerial styles and challenges of (a) Spanish/Moroccan businesses and (b) international business in Seville or Rabat.
Prior to each visit, students will receive a list of questions or issues related to the companies. Students will select the area they wish to focus on and on the due date will be expected to share the research results in small group discussions.
Exams
Given the concentrated nature of the January term, students will have two take home exams focusing on specific concepts, theories and case studies.
Assessment and Final Grade
Midterm exam 25%
Final exam: 30%
Field Study Papers 25%
Class participation 20%
Attendance
Seville and Rabat Study Center Attendance Policy for all CIEE classes:
Students are not permitted to miss class for unjustified reasons. If you miss more than one class and /or required activities without a valid excuse, the professor will automatically lower your final grade by one-half point (on a 10-point scale). Additional unexcused absences will result in further half point reductions in the final grade.
Students arriving more than ten minutes late to the class will be considered absent for a day.
In the case of illness, the student should speak to the professor to design a plan for making up missed material. In order to justify an absence, the professor will require a written justification from the Program Director.
Course contents
Introduction
1.- International Business Culture. Definition. Relationship with strategy
2.- Goals of the internationalization process
3.- Reasons for the increase in international trade.
4.- Differences in national/international negotiations.
5.- Profile of the International Negotiator.
Behavioral analysis
1.- The nation as geographical environment for developing cultures.
2.- Group affiliations and influence in the international Business culture.
3.- Culture dimensions in negotiations (Hofstede).
4.- Trompenaars culture dimensions.
5.- Culture metaphores. (Ganon)
Communication
1.- Culture elements.
2.- Identification of cultures of high/low context.
3.- Verbal Communications.
4.- Importance of the non-verbal Communications.
5. Differences by geographical regions.
Ethics in International Business Negotiations.
1.- Ethics: Universalisms and relativisms.
2.- Ethical conflicts.
3.- Ethic Intercultural conflict resolutions.
4.- Convergence and divergence
International Protocol.
1.- Importance and differences on protocol in each geographical area.
2.- Analysis of some key elements of protocol: Name, titles, presentations and introductions, business cards, table manners, tips, colours and shapes, gifts, etc.
Negotiation Process.
1.- Phases of the Negotiation Process.
2.- Peculiarities in different geographical regions.
Negotiation Styles in different geographical areas.
1.- Strategies for different cultures: policentrism, etnocentrism, geocentrism.
2.- Use of time in personal/professional relationships
3.- Communications patters, agreements and decision making processes.
4. -Differences by geographical areas: Spain and Europe; Morocco and Arab world/Africa.
REQUIRED READING:
Adler, Nancy J. (2002). International Dimensions of Organizational Behavior. Canada: South-Western Thomson Learning pp. 16-35, and pp.81-93.
Bartlett, Christopher A. and J. O'Connell (1998). Lincoln Electric:Venturing Abroad. Harvard Business School, April: 9-398-095.
Cheng, Cliff (1996). A comparison of the modernistic Toyota model of greenfield start-ups with a premodern Chinese family business transplanted to the USA. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 9 (3):18-30.
Collins, James and Jerry I. Porras (1997). Cult-Like Cultures. In Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies: pp. 115-139. New York: Harper Business.
D’Andrea, G. and D. Arnold (2003). Zara. Harvard Business School, March: 9-503-550.
Frederick W.R. and de la Fuente Rodriguez A (1994). A Spanish Acquisition in Eastern Germany: Culture Shock. Journal of Management Development, 13 (2): 42-48.
Ghemawat, Pankaj (2003). The Forgotten Strategy. Harvard Business Review, Nov., 81 (11): 76-84.
Graham John L. and Lam, Mark L. (2003). The Chinese Negotiation. Harvard Business Review, October 2003: pp. 1-9.
Hofstede, Geert (1993). Cultural Constraints in Management Theories. Academy of Management Executive, 7(1): pp. 81-94.
Holden, Nigel J. (2002) Cross-Cultural Management: A Knowledge Management Perspective. London: Prentice Hall, pp. 159-181.
Jacob, Nina (2003). Intercultural Management. London and Sterling VA: Kogan Page Ltd, pp. 107-117.
Kou, Julia and Spar, Debora (1994). Being There: Sony Corporation and Columbia Pictures. Harvard Business School: 9-795-025.
Loveman, Gary, and Schlesinger, Leonard A. and Anthony, Robert T (1993). Euro Disney: The First 100 Days. Harvard Business School: 9-693-013.
Peterson, Brooks (2004). Cultural Intelligence. Yarmouth, ME p. 33.
Porter, Michael (1990). The Competitive Advantage of Nations. Harvard Business Review. March-April: 73-93.
Roger, M, and Grol, P. and Schoch, C (1998). IKEA: Culture as Competitive Advantage. CPA, Paris Chamber of Commerce.
Schneider, Susan and Jean-Louis Barsoux (2002). Managing Across Cultures. Second Edition. London: Prentice Hall.
Spar, Deborah (1999). Toys "R" Us Japan. Harvard Business School, February:
9-796-077.
Spar, Deborah (2002). Hitting the Wall: Nike and International Labor Practices. Harvard
Business School: 9-700-047.
Storti, Craign (1994).. Cross-Cultural Dialogues: 74 Brief Encounters with Cultural
Difference, Yarmouth, Maine: Intercultural Press. (in class analysis of dialogues).
Trompenaars, Fons, and Hampden-Turner, Charles(1998). Riding the Waves of Culture:
Understanding Cultural Diversity in Business, 2d ed., New York: McGraw-Hill
Wattley-Ames, Helen (1999). Spain is Different 2nd ed., Yarmouth, ME: Intercultural
Press, pp. 83-107.
Wesley, David T.A., and Athanassiou, Nicholas and Lane, Henry W., and McNett, Jeanne
M. (2002). Blue Ridge Spain. Richard Ivey School of Business: Ref. 9B02M003
Specific Bibliography on Morocco/Northern Africa
Cohen, Shana & Larabi Jaidi. (2006) Morocco Globalization and its Consequences,
Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.
York, Jillian York (2006), Morocco: A Quick Guide to customs and etiquette,
Kuperard.
Elashmawi, Farid. (2001) Competing Globally, Mastering Multicultural Management and
Negotiation, MA: Butterworth Heinemann Publications.
Wallace, V. Schmidt, Roger, Connaway, Susan S. Easton, William J. Wardrope. (2007)
Communicating Globally: Intercultural Communication and International Business, California: Sage Publications, Inc.
Jackson, Terence. (2004) Management and change in Africa: A cross cultural perspective,
NY: Routledge.
Abbas, Ali. (2009) Business and management Environment in Saudi Arabia: challenges and opportunities for multinational corporations. NY: Routledge.
Silverthorne, Colin P. (2005) Organizational Psychology in Cross-cultural Perspective.
NY: New York University Press.
Ugwuegbu, Denis C. (July 30, 2001) The Psychology of Management in African Organizations, Westport, CT: Praeger.
Barrett, Mary, Marilyn J. Davidson. (2006) Gender and Communication at Work. Burlington, VT: Ashgate Publishing Company.
Jackson, Terence. Ed. (2004) Management and Change in Africa: A Cross Cultural
Perspective. NY: Routledge.
Hutchings, Kate, Kavoos Mohannak. Eds. (2007) Knowledge Management in Developing Economies: A Cross-cultural and Institutional Approach. Massachusetts: Edward Elgar Publishing, Inc.
study