Instructor:
Office:
Telephone:
Orlando R. Kelm
Mezes 4.146
232-4534
Office Hours:
E-mail:
Internet:
TBA orkelm@austin.utexas.edu
http://orlandokelm.wordpress.com/
This course, (taught in “friendly” Spanish, but designed for native, non-native, and current learners of Spanish), consists of the analysis of cultural issues that come up when North American and Latin American or Spanish business professionals work together. The course is designed for those students who have an interest in the intercultural aspects of business, and who would like to study these aspects in Spanish, with perspectives from Latin America. The materials for this course come mainly from brief video-taped online interviews where
Latin American and Spanish executives discuss their opinions about crosscultural issues related to Language, Environment, Social Organization, Context,
Authority, Non-verbal Communication, and Time.
All of the course materials are found on the blog “Cultural Aspects of Business”: http://kelmcultural.wordpress.com/
Kelm, Orlando R. “Cultural Interviews with Latin American & Spanish
Executives” http://www.laits.utexas.edu/laexec/laexec.html
Recommended Book:
Hampden-Turner, Charles & Fons Trompenaars. 2000. Building Cross-Cultural
Competence: How To Create Wealth From Conflicting Values. New Haven: Yale
University Press. (BCCC)
January
Week 1
Monday 13
Introduction to course blog
Assessing Business Culture: Models
1. David Victor’s LESCANT Model
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LESCANT Photo Database: http://www.laits.utexas.edu/lescant/
2. Hampden-Turner & Trompenaars’ Cultural Dilemmas
Homepage: http://www.thtconsulting.com/
Homepage: http://www.cultureforbusiness.com/
3. Geert Hofstede Cultural Dimensions
Homepage: http://www.geert-hofstede.com/
Cultural Interviews with Latin American Executives
Executive Summaries
Wednesday, 15
LESCANT: Language, Environment
Week 2
Monday, 20
LESCANT: Social Organization, Context
Wednesday, 22
Due: This week in Latin America 1
Week 3
Monday, 27
LESCANT: Authority, Non-Verbal, Time
Wednesday, 29
Due: LESCANT examples regarding Latin America
Week 4
February
Monday, 03
Due: LESCANT examples regarding Latin America
Wednesday, 05
Dieste Harmel & Partners
Homepage: http://www.dieste.com/
Gapminder: http://www.gapminder.org/
Week 5
Monday, 10
Cultural Interviews with Latin American and Spanish Executives
Spain Interviews, 1-6
URL: http://www.laits.utexas.edu/laexec/laexec.html
Assignment: Executive Summary #1
Wednesday, 12
Cultural Interviews with Latin American and Spanish Executives
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Spain Interviews, 7-13
URL: http://www.laits.utexas.edu/laexec/laexec.html
Assignment: Executive Summary #2
Week 6
Tuesday, 17
HT&T’s Cultural Dilemma 1: Universalism vs. Particularism for Brazil
BCCC, pg. 13-67
Videos 1 and 2: High Noon, Les Miserables
Thursday, 19
HT&T’s Cultural Dilemma 2: Individualism vs. Communitarianism for Brazil
BCCC, pg. 68-122
Videos 3 and 4 : Casablanca, Ikiru
Week 7
Monday, 24
Cultural Interviews with Latin American and Spanish Executives
Negotiation 1-6
URL: http://www.laits.utexas.edu/laexec/laexec.html
Assignment: Executive Summary #3
Wednesday, 26
Cultural Interviews with Latin American and Spanish Executives
Negotiation 7-13
URL: http://www.laits.utexas.edu/laexec/laexec.html
Assignment: Executive Summary #4
Week 8
March
Monday, 03
HT&T’s Cultural Dilemma 3: Specific vs. Diffuse for Brazil
BCCC, pg. 123-188
Videos 5 and 6 : Scarlet Letter, The Apartment
Wednesday, 05
HT&T’s Cultural Dilemma 4: Achieved vs. Ascribed for Brazil
BCCC, pg. 189-233
Videos 7 and 8: My Fair Lady, Tengoku to Jigoku
Week 9
Spring Break Week
Week 10
Monday, 17
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Due: This week in Latin America 2
Wednesday, 19
HT&T’s Cultural Dilemma 5: Inner vs. Outer for Brazil
BCCC, pg. 234-294
Videos 9 and 10 : The Seventh Seal, The Ballad of Narayama
Week 11
Monday, 24
Cultural Interviews with Latin American and Spanish Executives
Language 1-6
URL: http://www.laits.utexas.edu/laexec/laexec.html
Assignment: Executive Summary #5
Wednesday, 26
HT&T’s Cultural Dilemma 6: Sequential vs. Synchronous Time for Brazil
BCCC, pg. 295-343
Videos 11 and 12: Groundhog Day, Shall we dansu?
Week 12
Monday, 31
Due: HT&T examples regarding Latin America
April
Wednesday, 02
Due: HT&T examples regarding Latin America
Week 13
Monday, 07
Cultural Interviews with Latin American and Spanish Executives
Social Situations 1-10
URL: http://www.laits.utexas.edu/laexec/laexec.html
Assignment: Executive Summary #6
Wednesday, 09
Hofstede’s Power Distance Index (PDI) for Latin America
Hofstede’s Individualism Index (IDV) for Latin America
Week 14
Monday, 14
Cultural Interviews with Latin American and Spanish Executives
Time and Schedules 1-6
URL: http://www.laits.utexas.edu/laexec/laexec.html
Assignment: Executive Summary #7
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Wednesday, 16
Hofstede’s Masculine Index (MAS) for Latin America
Week 15
Monday, 21
Hofstede’s Uncertainty Avoidance Index (UAI) for Latin America
Hofstede’s Long-Term Orientation Index (LTO) for Latin America
Wednesday, 23
Note: CIBER Conference
Due: This week in Latin America 3
Week 16
Monday, 28
Due: Hofstede examples regarding Latin America
Wednesday, 30
Due: Hofstede examples regarding Latin America
Note 1: There is no final exam for this course.
Assignment 1. Building from the examples that we reviewed from Spanish-language commercials from PepsiCola, choose a LESCANT topic and prepare a 15-minute presentation (in Spanish) that demonstrates cultural differences between North and Latin
America. Note: It is not enough to just show multimedia in class. Presentations should demonstrate how each ties into the LESCANT model.
Assignment 2. Building from the examples that we reviewed from Spanish-language commercials from PepsiCola, choose a topic from Hampden Turner & Trompenaar’s dilemma theory and prepare a 15-minute presentation (in Spanish) that demonstrates cultural differences between North and Latin America. Note: It is not enough to just show multimedia in class. Presentations should demonstrate how each ties into the HT&T cultural dilemmas.
Assignment 3. Building from the examples that we reviewed from Spanish-language commercials from PepsiCola, choose a topic from Hofstede’s cultural dimensions and prepare a 15-minute presentation (in Spanish) that demonstrates cultural differences between North and Latin America. Note: It is not enough to just show multimedia in class. Presentations should demonstrate how each ties into the Hofstede’s cultural dimensions.
Points: 25 points each x 3 = 75
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There are 7 days when we discuss some of the video clips that make up the cultural interviews. In preparation for this discussion, students write a one-page executive summary (in Spanish) of how the comments in the interviews relate to features of Victor's
LESCANT model, Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions, or Hampden-Turner & Trompenaars'
Cultural Dilemmas. Each executive summary is worth 25 points. The summary should contain the following features:
Introduction : One paragraph that describes and summarizes the major cultural issues that are most salient or important to you. This should include aspects that seem most different from those norms found in US culture.
Statement of the Cultural Conflict : A specific statement of the cultural conflict (usually not more than two or three sentences).
Analysis : Your analysis of the critical cultural issues.
Recommendations : Based on your analysis, provide recommendations or alternative solutions on how to deal with these cultural issues.
Points: 25 points each x 7 = 175
There are three days when students are required to choose a current event from Latin
America. Write an executive summary (see instructions above) that includes an analysis of the cultural issues that are present and a specific recommendation of what to do in such situations. Each executive summary is worth 25 points.
Points: 25 points each x 3 = 75
Each student starts the semester with 25 points for attendance. Each absence reduces the total by 5 points. Absences due to representation and participation in university sponsored activities or religious holidays need to be approved beforehand.
Absences related to illness and family emergencies require documentation (e.g., doctor’s note, obituary, etc.) No points are reduced with the approval or documentation.
The final grade is based on the percentage of total points earned (A = 94+,
A- = 90+, B+ = 87+, B = 84+, B- = 80+, C+ = 77+, C = 74+, C- = 70+, D+ = 67+, D =
64+, D- = 60+). Scores are not rounded. No late work or make up work is allowed. Points are distributed on the following basis:
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75 pts
175 pts
75 pts
25 pts
350 pts
Examples of Cultural Issues (3 x 25 = 75 pts)
Exec Summaries- Interviews (7 x 25 = 175 pts)
This week in Latin America (3 x 25 = 75 pts)
Attendance (25 – 5 per = 25 pts)
TOTAL
Notes
Students with Disabilities
Upon request, the University of Texas at Austin provides appropriate academic accommodations for qualified students with disabilities. Services for Students with
Disabilities (SSD) is housed in the Office of the Dean of Students, located on the fourth floor of the Student Services Building. Information on how to register, downloadable forms, including guidelines for documentation, accommodation request letters, and releases of information are available online at http://deanofstudents.utexas.edu/ssd/index.php. Please do not hesitate to contact SSD at
(512) 471-6259, VP: (512) 232-2937 or via e-mail if you have any questions.
Academic Dishonesty
Academic dishonesty damages the reputation of the school and demean the honest efforts of the majority of students. The minimum penalty for an act of academic dishonesty will be a zero for that assignment or exam.
The responsibilities for both students and faculty with regard to the Honor System are described on http://mba.mccombs.utexas.edu/students/academics/honor/index.asp
If the application of the Honor System to this class and its assignments is unclear in any way, it is your responsibility to ask for clarification.
Classroom Professionalism Policy
The highest professional standards are expected of all members of the class. Faculty are expected to be professional and prepared to deliver value for each and every class session.
Students are expected to be professional in all respects.
The classroom experience is enhanced when:
 Students arrive on time.
On time arrival ensures that classes are able to start and finish at the scheduled time. On time arrival shows respect for both fellow students and faculty and it enhances learning by reducing avoidable distractions.
 Students minimize unscheduled personal breaks.
The learning environment improves when disruptions are limited.
 Students are fully prepared for each class.
Much of the learning takes place during classroom discussions. When students are not prepared they cannot contribute to the overall learning process. This affects not only the individual, but their peers who count on them, as well.
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 Students respect the views and opinions of their colleagues.
The expression and defense of opinions are encouraged and part of the academic environment. Intolerance for the views of others is unacceptable.
 Laptops and wireless devices are only used for course activities.
In this class we use the Internet for the delivery of almost all of our course content. You a welcome and encouraged to bring your laptop or mobile devices to class. However, when students are surfing the web, responding to e-mails, instant messaging each other, etc. they are doing a disservice to their peers and potentially causing a distraction.
Restrict use to items related to the course.
Your professionalism and activity in class contributes to your success in attracting the best faculty to this program.
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