HAI 1ICC - Intercultural Corporate Communication (Q2)

Faculty
Associate Professor, Ph.D., Margrethe Smedegaard Mondahl (ISV), and Associate Professor Lisbet Pals Svendsen (ISV)

Course Coordinator
Margrethe Smedegaard Mondahl, mm.isv@cbs.dk, and Lisbet Pals Svendsen, lps.isv@cbs.dk.

Course content, structure and teaching

The course rests on the viewpoint that communication is primarily a personal competence; if an individual in a corporate context is unable to make the proper choices of in terms of vocabulary and grammar as well as discoursive, cultural, pragmatic and strategic choices, the intended message will not be communicated, and this goes for both written and spoken communication. In the corporate context, strategies for good communication may be laid out, but if the personal competencies of the individuals who are supposed to make the strategies materialize into real communication are lacking, there will be a gap between corporate and stakeholder expectations and what is actually being communicated. Therefore this course will be balancing theory (‘traditional’ communication theory, culture theory, and corporate communication theory) with a strong element of practice to allow the students to use the tools studied in real-life situations.

The course will be drawing upon one or more cases, preferably real-time cases, which will allow students to follow current development in the media and thus also to draw on different types of media for input in terms of vocabulary, analytical assignments etc.

Learning Objectives

After having followed the course, the students will be able to:

Make an informed selection and comparison of the relevant theories and concepts in relation to intercultural corporate communication;
Compare the main culture and communication models and account for their advantages and drawbacks in the given situation;
Analyze, interpret and explain situations and practices making use of the appropriate language register in the given situation;
Reflect on personal competences as stakeholders in an internationally oriented corporation, acquired in terms of the knowledge and skills required to communicate with people from different cultures.

Type of examination, exam aids and assessment

Exam form: Individual oral 20 minute examination based on written group project (four to six students) of maximum 25 pages, graded by internal examiners on the 7-point scale. The grade is based both on the written report and on the oral performance. The make-up and re-examination takes place according to the same rules as the regular examination.

Exam aids: None

Teaching methods

The teaching methods used will vary, depending on the task at hand. The main components will be lectures, (student) presentations, analytical exercises, case study discussions, negotiation and/or mediation exercises, written assignments relating to the case(s) used etc.

Course literature

Argenti, Paul A. (2007): Corporate Communication (4th ed.) (Singapore: McGraw-Hill International Edition)
Mondahl, Margrethe Smedegaard & Svendsen, Lisbet Pals (2003): Oral Communication – in a Foreign Language (2nd ed.) (Copenhagen: Copenhagen Business School Press)

Recommended literature

Supplementary reading (SiteScape) - examples:

Huczynski, Andrzej A. & Buchanan, David A. (2007): Organizational Behaviour (UK: FT Prentice Hall) – Chapter Six: Communication
Mondahl & Svendsen (2003): Mastering Oral Communication (Copenhagen: Copenhagen Business School Press) – Chapter Four: Reception
Schneider, Susan & Barsoux, Jean-Louis (2003): Managing across Cultures (UK : FT Prentice Hall) – Chapter Three : Interacting Spheres of Culture
Scollon & Scollon: Intepersonal Politeness and Power
Yule, George: Face
Other relevant materials, including internet links to text, video materials etc.