BA 4216Cross-cultural Studiesin Organizations

Introduction and Culture

Course syllabus available athttp://old.ba.metu.edu.tr/user/ctopalInstructor: Çağrı Topal

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Why take this courseCulture as shaping managerial and

organizational practicesCultural diversity based on

differences in education, occupation, hometown, social class, and gender

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ObjectiveDeveloping a critical understanding

of the implications of different national cultures for business and management practice in domestic and international markets

Improving teamwork and presentation skills

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OutcomesUnderstanding the global context of

cross-cultural management, influence of different cultural and religious characteristics on management, role of cross-cultural communication in business, leadership, motivation, negotiation, conflict management, and human resource management across cultures, ethical issues in cross-cultural settings, and ethnocentric business practices

Improving teamwork and presentation skills 4

ReadingsMixed readings from relevant

textbooksTextbooks on cross-cultural

management available from the library

Long cases from Martin J. Gannon, “Understanding Global Cultures”, 3rd and 4th editions

Short cases to be distributed in class

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Assessment-1Midterm 1 20%Midterm 2 20%Case quizzes 30%Case presentation and report

15%Group participation

10%Individual participation

10%Total 105%

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Assessment-2: IMPORTANTGrades and notes are final and not subject to change.

No individual request for additional study for raising a grade will be accepted.

No non-academic criteria such as that you are working outside, that this is your last semester, and that this is your only course will be considered in grading.

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Lecture and participationKey points and examples by the

instructorDiscussion in the groups of two or

three or four students General class discussionStudents’ questions and critiquesDo not write the name of an absent

student on the group/case participation sheet and lose all participation points

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MidtermsTwo conceptual exams (November 4

and 25)Closed-book and closed-notesMultiple-choice, fill-in-the-blank, true-

false, short- and long-answer questionsMake-up exam only if applied within

one week after the exam with documentation

No make-up for group or individual participation studies in the class

No final exam and thus no resit exam 9

Case presentationTen casesQuiz for each caseEach presented by a group of three

or four students35-40 minutes for the presentation

and 15-20 minutes for the discussion

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Case reportReport only on the case presented-3

pagesTyped in appropriate format (see the

syllabus)Not the analysis of the caseExplanation of the group preparation

processGroup gradeOne point penalty for each day of

late submissionForm your groups and select a case11

CivilityBe in class on timeTurn your cellular phones offTurn your laptops offAvoid engaging in side

conversationsUse an impersonal professional

languageSee the instructor if you need

special arrangements

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GradingPercentage Course Grade

Coefficient90-100 AA 485-89 BA 3.580-84 BB 375-79 CB 2.570-74 CC 265-69 DC 1.560-64 DD 150-59 FD 0.549 and below FF 0

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Code of ethics and regulationsMake yourself familiar with the

university’s code of ethics and regulations

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QuestionsQuestionsConcerns

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CultureKluckhohn (1962): ‘culture consists

of patterned ways of thinking, feeling and reacting, acquired and transmitted mainly by symbols, constituting the distinctive achievement of human groups, including their embodiments in artefacts; the essential core of culture consists of traditional (i.e., historically derived and selected) ideas and especially their attached values’

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Culture

Triandis (1972): the subjective perception of the human-made part of the environment including the categorization of social stimuli, associations, beliefs, attitudes, roles, and values that individuals share

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CultureHofstede (1980): culture consists of

shared mental programs that control individuals’ response to their environment• Human nature: Universal characteristics•Groups: Culture• Individuals: Personality

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CultureGroup phenomenonSharedLearnedEnduringPowerful influence on behaviourSystematic and organizedLargely invisibleNormal

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Culturenatural and correct vs. unnatural

and incorrectuniversal validityin-group vs. out-group

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CultureIt’s like water surrounding the fishCulture does not necessarily result

in the same behaviour in all individual members but signals the same meaning every time

Similar values might exist in different cultures with different priorities

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