Cross-Cultural Management and Negotiations

National as well as organisational culture plays an important role in managerial effectiveness and business performance of firms engaged in cross-border operations. The theory and practice of management and negotiation in a cross-cultural international context is examined with models of cross cultural management critiqued and applied to contemporary business cases. The challenges of operating international business relationships with diverse workforces are critically analysed. Course topics include understanding decision-making and sense-making by managers in terms of their mental models; organising and managing diverse teams; conflict management and negotiations; understanding cultural differences; and mapping institutional differences across countries. Focus is directed upon cross-country and cross-institutional negotiations; leadership types; and the concept of 'global managers'. Adopting a problem based learning approach using relevant cases and experiences, the course emphasises the importance of communication as an essential attribute and provides practical examples of cross-cultural negotiation in relevant business environments.