Examination arrangement

Course content

This course aims to develop your understanding of culture and its importance in business strategy, leadership, and innovation. The course will examine how cultural differences shape business activities, organizational and corporate cultures and identities, intercultural communication, and culture and leadership.

Topics may include:

• Navigating international workplaces and cultural differences
• Strategy and culture
• Organizational cultures and identities
• Culture, leadership and innovation
• Intercultural communication
• Globalization and financialization
• Technology and culture
• Sustainability
• Ethics
• Prejudice and stereotyping

Learning outcome

By the end of this course, students should be able to:

• Define key concepts, such as culture, cultural difference, cultural diversity, and organizational culture
• Evaluate different approaches to understanding and studying cultures (national, organizational, etc.)
• Explain key concepts, models, and theories in the literature on culture and strategy; culture and leadership, culture and innovation.
• Analyze one’s own and others’ attitudes and reactions to different cultures
• Appraise the relationship between culture and ethics
• Propose solutions to challenges of working in multicultural settings and international companies (i.e. companies with subsidiaries and/or offices in different countries)
• Use English as a lingua franca to discuss cultural issues orally and in writing
• Critically analyze course materials (including original research)
• Select key information to support one’s ideas
• Apply what you have learned to problem-centered course assignments

Learning methods and activities

• Lectures with a focus on student interaction
• Visiting guest lectures
• Small group work, including discussions and research
• Presentations
• E-learning in a virtual classroom

Compulsory assignments

• Obligatory Assignment

Further on evaluation

Mandatory assignments:

There will be one to two obligatory assessments during the course. All obligatory assessments must be passed in order to qualify for the final exam. Redo of failed assessments may be permitted.

Final exam:

The final exam is a group presentation. Details will be provided at the start of the semester. Students who failed the final exam could retake it the following semester if they passed the obligatory assignment. Students who failed both the obligatory assignment and the final exam have to retake the entire course. The retake exam will not be an oral (group) presentation, it will be an individual 72 hour home exam.

Specific conditions

Required previous knowledge

None.

Course materials

Course materials will be available by the beginning of the course.