MG333
Cross Cultural Management
Cross Cultural Management
MG333
- Course Outline – 2012-2013
Objective
This module aims to develop the awareness, skills and knowledge required by
managers seeking to work abroad as international executives. The module
provides a key grounding in the nature of management in the global context
by increasing awareness and understanding of the soft skills in international
management, particularly those relating to cross-cultural management. The
meaning of culture is explored by drawing on a range of national cultural and
institutional models and studies and providing a broad understanding of the
international context in which multinational corporations operate.
How national culture influences management practice is also considered. In
particular the focus will be on the influence of organizational and national
cultures on the development and transfer of a wide range of HRM practices
For example, in what ways do human resource management and employment
practices differ across countries and why? What are the possible underlying
cultural and institutional reasons for these differences? The influence of
national culture on aspects of organization structure will also be examined. A
range of areas in international management will be reviewed including,
structure and learning networks, transfer of HRM practices in MNCs,
.knowledge transfer and corporate social responsibility. Finally, we consider
the emerging challenges of international management. The emphasis will be
on how individuals, teams and organizations manage these cultural
differences.
Name
Office
Ext
E-mail
Dr Johanna
Clancy *
Room 338
Cairnes
4327
johanna.clancy@nuigalway.ie
Dr Tony Royle
Room 321
St. Anthony’s
3106
Tony.Royle@nuigalway.ie
* Module co-ordinator. Please contact for any queries related to module.
Times
Lectures:
Day
Time
Venue
Fridays
1-3
UC102
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MG333
Cross Cultural Management
Upon completion of this course you will be able to:
Understand the importance of cross-cultural management, and of the major
theoretical and empirical studies which examine the impact of different
national cultures on work and employment.
Understand a range of international management practices and how
organizational and national culture impacts upon them: work, motivation,
performance appraisal, leadership, cross-cultural communication and
decision-making, negotiation and trust, conflict and dispute resolution and
corporate social responsibility.
Knowledge of comparative management and employment models and their
implications for management and employment in different national
contexts and the international context in which MNCs operate
Apply their understanding of cultural and institutional differences to
evaluate the challenges and opportunities of doing business in different
countries.
Display an understanding of cultural difference in interactions with
different nationalities.
Overall
Learning
Outcomes
Format
Programme(s)
Course Material
Weekly, the course comprises 2 hours lecture. These lecture slots incorporate
case studies, class discussion, video segments etc to consider various topics
from alternative angles. The key issues outlined in each of the sessions should
then be developed through further study. Private study enables you to build
on the knowledge gained in sessions through recourse to handout material and
the recommended readings. Small group exercises are used to reinforce the
learning during class.
B Comm, B Comm International, B Corp Law, B Corp Law International
A course web is available at http://blackboard.nuigalway.ie
1.
End of Year Examination
100%
Assessment
Workload
Credit weighting:
Lecture hours:
Independent study:
Examination:
Total Student Effort:
5 ECT
24
99
2
125 hours
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Cross Cultural Management
Core Texts:
Browayes, M.J. and Price, R. ( 2011) Understanding Cross – Cultural Management,
2nd edition. Harlow: Pearson Education Limited
Supplementary Text(s):
Bartlett, C.A. and Ghoshal, S. (1998) Managing Across Borders: The transnational
solution, Boston, Harvard Business School Press.
Banerjee, S.B. (2007) Corporate Social Responsibility: The good the Bad and the Ugly,
Cheltenham: Edward Elger.
Bartlett, C., Ghoshal, S. and Beamish, P. (2008) Transnational Management: Text, Cases
and Readings in Cross-Border Management, fifth edition, New York, McGraw Hill.
Branine, M ( 2011 ) Managing Across Cultures : Concepts , Policies and Practices
London : Sage
Crane, A., Matten, D., McWilliams, A., Moon, J., Siegel, D., (eds.) (2008) The Oxford Handbook of
Corporate Social Responsibility, Oxford: Oxford University Press
Dicken, P. (2011 ) The Global Shift: Mapping the changing contours of the world
economy, sixth edition, London, Sage.
Edwards, T and Rees, C (2011) (eds.) International Human Resource management, London:
Prentice Hall.
Gooderham, P.N. and Nordhaug, O. (2003) International Management: cross cultural
challenges, Oxford, Blackwell
Harzing, A.W. and Pennington, A. (eds) (2011) International Human Resource
Management, 3rd edition, Lonodn, Sage.
Jacoby, S.M. (2005) The Embedded Corporation and Employment Relations in Japan and the United
States, Princeton NJ: Princeton University Press
Klein, N. (2001) No Logo, London: Harper Collins
Matanle, P. and Lunsing, W. (2006) Perspectives on Work, Employment and Society in Japan,
London: Palgrave
Meade, R and Andrews, T.A. ( 2009) International Management , Fourth Edition,
Chichester : John Wiley and Sons
Morgan, G. (2006) Images of Organizations, London: Sage
Mouer, R. and Kawanishi, H. (2005) A Sociology of Work and Employment in Japan, Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press.
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Cross Cultural Management
Punnett, B.J. (2009) International Perspectives on Organizational Behaviour and Human Resource
Management, New York, M.E. Sharpe.
Royle, T. (2000) Working for McDonald’s in Europe, London: Routledge
Royle, T. and Towers, B. (eds.) (2002) Labour Relations in the Global Fast-Food Industry,
London: Routledge
Schneider, S.C. and Barsoux, J.L. (2003) Managing Across Cultures, second edition, Harlow, FT
Prentice Hall
Scullion, H and Collings, D.G. (eds) (2006) Global Talent Management , London : Routledge
Thomas, D.C. (2008) Cross Cultural Management: Essential Concepts, second edition, London,
Sage.
Whittaker, D.H. and Deakin, S. (eds.) Corporate Governance and Managerial Reform in Japan,
Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Additional readings can be found at the end of the course outline or will be provided during the
course. There are, of course, many other excellent books and journal articles with online access on
international and cross cultural management in the library. The ability to make effective use of a
library catalogue (and other library facilities) is an essential skill at third level. The library staff will
be willing to assist you in beginning a search.
Some of the key journals in the field include:
Journal of World Business (JWB)
Management International Review (MIR)
International Business Review (IBR)
Thunderbird International Business Review (TIBR)
European Journal of International Management (EJIM)
Cross Cultural Management (CCM)
International Journal of Cross Cultural Management (IJCCM)
Human Relations (HR)
Agenda
Topic
Session 1: Introduction to the Global
Business Environment and Cross Cultural
Management
Readings
Browaeys and Price (2011); Chapter 1
Dicken ( 2011); Chapters 1 and 2
11/01/2013 (JC)
This session will introduce the multinational
corporation and the major characteristics and
challenges which these firms face in the global
arena. The changing contours of the global
economic map will be examined. Some key
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concepts in Cross Cultural Management will be
introduced.
Session 2: Definitions and Models of
Culture
18/01/2013 (JC)
Browaeys and Price; Chapters 1, 2, 3, 5
Mc Sweeney, B ( 2002) Hofstede’s model of national cultural
differences and their consequences : a triumph of faith – a failure of
analysis, Human Relations, 55 (1) : 89-118.
This session will critically consider some key
definitions and models of culture. The link
between culture and competitive advantage
will also be examined using examples of
international joint ventures and cross border
mergers and acquisitions
Kirkman, B.L , Lowe, K.B and Gibson, C.B. ( 2006) “ A quarter
century of culture’s consequences : a review of empirical research
incorporating Hofstede’s cultural values framework, Journal of
International Business Studies, 37 (3 ) : 285 – 320.
Session 3: The Role of Regional, Industry,
Corporate and Professional Cultures.
Browaeys and Price, chapters 1, 3, 7
25/01/2013 (JC)
Romani, L. (2011). “Culture in International Human Resource
Management” in Harzing AW and Pinnington, AH (eds)
( 2011). International Human Resource Management, 3rd edition
The session will examine a number of
important cultural spheres – Regional culture,
industry culture, corporate culture and
professional cultures. The session will also
explore the links between these different
cultural spheres.
Golnaz Sadri, Brian Lees, (2001),"Developing corporate culture as a
competitive advantage", Journal of Management Development, Vol.
20: 10: 853 – 859.
Session 4: Managing Knowledge across
Borders
Browaeys and Price, chapter 8
01/02/2013 (JC)
A key challenge for the multinational company
is to identify key knowledge regardless of
where it resides and to transfer relevant
knowledge around the multinational network.
This session will consider the key challenges
and opportunities in this regard.
Bjorkman, I., Evans, P. & Pucik, V. (2011) “Managing Knowledge
in Multinational Firms” in A.W. Harzing and A. Pinnington (eds)
International Human Resource Management, 3rd edition
Minbaeva, D., Pedersen, T., Bjorkman, I., Fey, C. and Park, H.
(2003) ‘MNC Knowledge transfer, subsidiary absorptive capacity
and knowledge transfer’, Journal of international Business Studies,
34 (6): 586-99.
Session 5
Browaeys & Price Chapter 8 & 16
Leadership and Cross-Cultural Teams:
Alon, I. & Higgins, J. M. (2005) “Global Leadership Success
through emotional and Cultural Intelligence, Business Horizons, 48:
501-512.
08/02/2013 (JC)
Kedia, B. L. & Mukherji, A. (1999) "Global managers:
Developing a mindset for global competitiveness".
Journal of World Business. 34 (3): 230-251.
Brett, J., Behfar, K. & Kern, M. C. (2006) "Managing
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multicultural teams". Harvard Business Review. 84 (11):
84.
Govindarajan, V. & Gupta, A. K. (2001) "Building an
effective global business team". MIT Sloan management
review. 42 (4): 63-71.
Session 6:
Browaeys & Price chapters 13, 14, 15
Cross Cultural Communication &
Negotiation.
Luo, Y. & Shenkar, O. (2006) "The multinational
corporation as a multilingual community: Language and
organization in a global context". Journal of International
Business Studies. 37 (3): 321-339.
15/02/2013 (JC)
Session 7: Management, Culture and
Employment in Japan
Morgan, G. (2006) Chapter 5
1/03/2013 (TR)
Shinoda, T. (2008) ‘The return of Japanese labour? The
mainstreaming of the labour question in Japanese politics’, Labor
History, 49, 2: 145-159.
This session examines the nature of culture,
management and employment in Japan and the
challenges and opportunities this poses for
management of non-Japanese MNCs and their
cross-border operations
Benson, J and Debroux, P. (2004) ‘The Changing Nature of Japanese
HRM: Impact of the Recession and the Asian Financial Crisis’,
International Studies of Management and Organization, 34, 1: 3251.
Sessions 8 and 9: Corporate Social
Responsibility in MNCs
Gooderham & Nordhaug chapter 9
Sachdev, S. (Ch 13) in Edwards and Rees (2011)
22/02/2013 and 01/03/2013 (TR)
Royle, T., Rueckert, Y. and Furåker, B. (2012) The Factors
Influencing Socially Responsible Behaviour in MNCs: IKEA in
These sessions examine the development of
Ireland, Sweden and Spain, British Universities Industrial Relations
international regulation the growth of CSR and Association Conference, University of Bradford, 28th - 30th June
other forms of voluntary self-regulation
2012 (* this paper will be available on blackboard)
amongst MNCs and their implications for
cross-border HRM and employment policies.
The second session focuses on CSR and
corporate codes of conduct and the case of
IKEA.
Session 10: Corporate Culture and CrossBorder HRM and Employment Practices:
The McDonald’s Corporation
15/03/2013 (TR)
This session examines the nature of the
corporate culture and its transfer to the
international operations of the McDonald’s
Corporation, one of the world’s largest and
most successful corporations.
Royle, T. (2004) ‘Low Road Convergence? The significance of
sectoral factors in understanding MNC cross-border behaviour: the
case of the Spanish and German quick food service sectors’,
European Journal of Industrial Relations, 10, 1: 51-71.
Royle, T. (2006) ‘The Dominance Effect? Multinational
Corporations in the Italian Quick Food Service Sector’, British
Journal of Industrial Relations, December, 44, 4: 757-759
Royle, T. (2010) ‘McDonald’s and the Global ‘McJob’: A
longitudinal analysis of work, pay and unionization in the
international fast-food industry’, Labor History, 51, 2: 249-269.
Session 11: Review session & exam
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Cross Cultural Management
presentation
22/03/2013 (TR)
This course outline is available on blackboard in pdf format. Should you have a visual disability
and require the document in another format, please contact me and I will oblige.
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