Introductory description

How does culture affect the way we do business? How can we communicate effectively across culturally different workplaces and with diverse stakeholders? What is localisation and why is it relevant? This module will help you to gain a better understanding of communication within and across global businesses at individual and corporate levels, internally and externally. One important topic we’ll engage with is the way social media has changed the landscape of business communication and what values and beliefs about culture are having an impact on new media use in the modern business world. This module will promote your awareness and understanding of key aspects of communication, and importantly help you to develop your ability to communicate effectively across differences within the context of global business culture.

Module web page

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

Topics covered include: • The shifting global business landscape • Understanding culture for work • Communicating in face-to-face and virtual teams • Approaches to communication training and consultancy • Building business relationships across cultures • Negotiations across cultures • Transfer of cultural values in HQ-Subsidiaries • Reputation management and CSR • Crisis communication across cultures

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• Understand and apply theories commonly associated with intercultural business communication
• Identify and analyse the impact of cultural differences on business communication in a range of contexts
• Critically assess prior and recent research in the field of intercultural communication

Indicative reading list

• Bargiela-Chiappini, F., Bülow-Møller, A. M., Nickerson, C., Poncini, G., Zhu, Y., & M. Zachry. (2003). Five perspectives on intercultural business communication. Business Communication Quarterly, 66(3), 73‐96. • Curtin, P. (2012). Negotiating global citizenship: Mattel’s 2007 recall crisis. In T. W. Coombs and S. Holladay (Eds.), The handbook of crisis communication (pp. 467‐88). Wiley-Blackwell. • Chaney, L. & Martin, J. (2014). Intercultural business communication (6th ed.). Prentice Hall • Gertsen, M., & Zølner, M. (2012). Reception and recontextualization of corporate values in subsidiaries. In M. Gertsen, A.-M. Søderberg & M. Zølner (Eds.), Global collaboration: Intercultural experiences and learning (pp. 137-150). Palgrave Macmillan. • Gibson, R. (2002). Intercultural business communication: An introduction to the theory and practice of intercultural business communication for teachers, language trainers, and business people. Oxford University Press. • Hooker, J. (2012). Cultural differences in business communication. In C.B. Paulston, S. F. Kiesling, & E.S. Rangel (Eds.), The handbook of intercultural discourse and communication (pp. 389-407). John Wiley & Sons. • Kammhuber, S. (2010). Intercultural negotiation. In A. Thomas, E-U. Kinast, S. Schroll-Machl, & C. Weston-Horsmann (Eds.), Handbook of intercultural communication and cooperation (pp. 255-263). Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht. • Jameson, D.A. (2007). Reconceptualizing cultural identity and its role in intercultural business communication. Journal of Business Communication, 44 (3), 199-235. • Lehmberg, D. & Hicks, J. (2018). A ‘glocalization’ approach to the internationalizing of crisis communication. Business Horizons, 61, 357-366. • Varner, I.I. (2000). The theoretical foundation for intercultural business communication: A conceptual model. Journal of Business Communication, 37 (1), 39-57. • Zhu, A., Anagondahalli, D., & Zhang, A. (2017). Social media and culture in crisis communication: McDonald’s and KFC crises management in China. Public Relations Review, 43(3), 487-492.

Research element

Students conduct an empirical study in one of four topic areas for their written assignment, contextualising their analysis in a critical review and discussion of the relevant literature.

Interdisciplinary

The module takes an applied linguistics approach to intercultural business communication and training, drawing on empirical research, theory and practice from fields including intercultural pragmatics, cross-cultural psychology, management, and public relations.

International

Opportunities for intercultural interaction and reflection are the focus of seminar training activities, with learning resources across the module covering diverse international contexts that reflect the diversity of the student cohort.

Subject specific skills

Students will be able to: effectively apply the newly acquired knowledge in practical examples (e.g. negotiation settings); present and discuss intercultural communicative issues in the field of business; actively participate in group tasks and plenary discussions; show understanding for the impact of cultural differences on intercultural business communication; critically review existing research in the field of intercultural business communication; understand basic mechanisms and factors influencing intercultural communication

Transferable skills

Students will be able to: appropriately use key communication terminology in context; present business communication issues professionally and succinctly; learn how to handle or moderate conflicts emerging from intercultural business relationships; resolve business issues emerging from intercultural communication; develop and hone communicative skills required for individual as well as group work assignments