ANG 5711 CULTURE AND INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS
Dr. Anita Spring
Office: 451 Grinter
Phone: 392-7102 x 308
Email: aspring@ufl.edu
springanita@yahoo.com (for attachments)
SECTION 8633
Thursday Periods 9-11
2318 Turlington move to Grinter seminar
Office Hours: Tues. 2-4 pm, Thurs. 12-1pm
COURSE DESCRIPTION: The course explores the opportunities and challenges of the global
economy from an anthropological and business perspectives. Students will develop a more
complete understanding of the complex cultural and economic issues that determine the success
of international ventures. Culture and International Business begins with a conceptualization of
“business” and “anthropological” notions of terms like culture, communication, social
organization, value, wealth, trade, and labor. Next it explores the politics of the global market,
the role of entrepreneurship across cultures, the evolution of multinational businesses, and how
business, marketing, and advertising practices vary around the world. The course concludes by
examining some of the more controversial issues in globalization (e.g., wages, the environment),
and inquiring how these are shaped by different concepts of the roles and responsibilities of
governments and corporations. Cross-cultural concepts of gender and how these can affect
international business activities are discussed throughout the course.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS: Students are expected to attend all classes and have read the
readings in advance (10%). The following are the course assignments:
1. A team project comparing and contrasting the anthropological and business aspects of
international business. (30%)
2. Several short (2-3 page) papers on cases that address the unique business and cultural
issues found in different regions of the world. (30%)
3. An individual paper that explores a relevant issue in a country or region of the student’s
choosing (abstract or outline must be approved before writing it). (30%)
REQUIRED TEXTS:
1. Ferraro, Gary. 2002. The Cultural Dimension of International Business. 4th edition (Available
at Goering’s)
2. Moran, Robert, David Braaten, and John Walsh. 1994. International Business Case Studies for
the Multicultural Marketplace. Available at Goering’s)
3. Reader of Articles. (Available at Custom Copies)
TOPIC 1: Introduction to Basic Concepts
I. Introduction: Why understanding culture is important in international business
II. Culture: Anthropological vs. other definitions
Basic anthropological concepts: Cultural relativity, Business culture, Real and ideal behavior
Corporate culture, Emic vs. etic, Intercultural management, etc.
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READINGS:
*Ferraro, Chapters 1 and 2.
*Burkhalter, Brian. 1989. If Only They Would Listen: The Anthropology of Business and the
Business of Anthropology. In Applying Anthropology: An Introductory Reader. A. Podolefsky
and P. Brown, eds. Pp. 165-170. Mountain View, Calif.: Mayfield Publishing.
*McCurdy, David. 1998. Using Anthropology. In Applying Cultural Anthropology: Readings. G.
Ferraro, ed. Pp. 66-72. Belmont, Calif.: Wadsworth Publishing.
* Giovannini, Maureen, and Lynne Rosansky. 1990. Anthropology and Management Consulting:
Forging a New Alliance (pages 1-31). NAPA Bulletin 9, American Anthropological Association.
III. Business: What is a “business”?
Ownership issues in business, Production, The proper role of the state in the
economy,Distribution, Public vs. private ownership of the means of production, Marketing,
Market equilibrium allocation of resources, Controls on economic activities or on allocation of
value created
VIDEO: “Cultural Awareness in Business”
TOPIC 2: Communication
I. Forms of Communication: Language, Gender and language, Language diversity, Non-verbal
behavior
II. Language and business communication: Different concepts of the verbalized, written, and
body language. The importance of “face”
VIDEO: “The Cultural Environment of International Business”
READINGS:
*Ferraro, Chapters 3 and 4.
*Adler, Nancy and John Graham. 1989. Cross-Cultural Interaction: The International
Comparison Fallacy? Journal of International Business Studies (Fall):515-537.
*Chen, Ming-Jer. 2001. Chapter 7: Never Say “No”: Communicating with the Chinese. In Inside
Chinese Business: A Guide for Managers Worldwide. Boston: Harvard Business School Press.
*Nakane, Chris. 1974. The Social System Reflected in Interpersonal Communication. In
Intercultural Encounters with Japan: Communication--Contact and Conflict. J.Condon and M.
Saito, eds. Pp. 124-131. Tokyo: The Simul Press.
*Earley, Christopher. 1997. Chapter 3, Pp. 42-55: Face and Social Context. In Face, Harmony,
and Social Structure: An Analysis of Organizational Behavior Across Cultures. New York:
Oxford University Press.
TOPIC 3: Concepts of “Value” and “Wealth”
I. Definitions of “Value”
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Temperaments cross-culturally and by gender
. Attitudes and ideals cross-culturally.
Attitudes toward time, work, wealth, consumption, achievement, change, and risk.
Considerations of gender and culture. Role of the leader. View of life and approach to the world:
scientific method, karma, que sera sera, etc.
Business definitions of “Value”: Creating value, not maximizing “profits” is what counts
The Risk/Return relationship
READINGS:
*Ferraro, Chapter 5.
*Jain, Uma. 2001. Transcending Cultural Boundaries for Human and Organization
Development: Experiences of International Exchanges Between India and the United States. In
Handbook of Organizational Behavior. 2nd ed. R. Golembiewski, ed. Pp. 737-756. New York:
Marcel Dekker.
II. Definitions of “Wealth”
Wealth can mean different things to different people. For whom do businesses create wealth?
Stakeholders and Shareholders; Companies versus governments; Are government or
corporations responsible for addressing social issues? Globalization debates, the living wage, the
environment, etc. What are the implications of corporate altruism?
READINGS:
*Miller, Janice, Peter Horn, and Luis Gomez-Mejia. 2001. The High Cost of Low Wages: Does
Maquiladora Compensation Reduce Turnover? Journal of International Business Studies
32(3):585-595.
*Ralston, David, Nguyen Van Thong, and Nancy Napier. 1999. A Comparative Study of the Work
Values of North and South Vietnamese Managers. Journal of International Business 30(4):655-673.
TOPIC 4: Social Organization of Societies and Businesses
I. Anthropological Concepts of Social Organization and Related terms:
Family and kinship;Networks and Associations; Roles, norms, and achieved versus ascribed
status; Gender considerations; Societal social organization; Corporate social organization, crossculturally; Patriarchy and Paternalism: role of company in family life; Status of various
occupations
II. Corporate Social Organization:
What is so special about the modern corporation? Forms of business organization; What the
modern corporation does; How the modern corporation differs from the 19th century corporation
READINGS:
*Adler, Nancy and Dafna Izraeli. 1994. Where in the World Are the Women Executives?
Business Quarterly 59(1):89-94.
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*Kilduff, Martin. 2001. Hegemonic Masculinity and Organizational Behavior. In Handbook of
Organizational Behavior. 2nd ed. R. Golembiewski, ed. Pp. 599-608. New York: Marcel Dekker.
*Kleinberg, Jill. Practical Implications of Organization Culture Where Americans and Japanese
Work Together. NAPA Bulletin 14.
*Stein, “Change, Loss, and Organizational Culture: Anthropological Consultant as Facilitator of
Grief Work”NAPA Bulletin 14.
*Hofsteade, Geert. 1980. Motivation, Leadership, and Organization: Do American Theories
Apply Abroad? Organizational Dynamics (Summer):42-63.
III. Religion and Society: Religion and Values; Religion and economic development, business;
Islamic prohibitions on interest and Judeo-Christian concept of interest; Asian Belief Systems
READINGS:
*Chen, Ming-Jer. 2001. Chapter 4: Roles and Rules of the Social Fabric. In Inside Chinese
Business: A Guide for Managers Worldwide. Boston: Harvard Business School Press.
TOPIC 5: Practical and Political Factors in a Global Market
I. Why do people Trade? Acquire commodities, scarce goods, exotic goods, status goods;
Build and nurture alliances; Maintain social relationships
READINGS:
*Brian, Robert. 1990. Business Friends. In Conformity and Conflict: Readings in Cultural
Anthropology. 7th ed.. J. Spradley and D. McCurdy, eds. Pp. 293-298. New York:
HarperCollins.
II. Why do Countries Trade? For many of the same, basic reasons people have always
engaged in exchange; Mercantilism; Absolute Advantage; Comparative Advantage; Assumptions
of theories of specialization
READINGS:
*Porter, Michael. 2000. The Competitive Advantage of Nations. In Transnational Management:
Text, Cases, and Readings in Cross-Border Management. 3rd ed. C. Bartlett and S. Ghoshal, eds.
Pp. 216-239. Boston: McGraw-Hill Higher Education.
III. Anthropological Considerations of Trans-Cultural Trade: Influence of policies on
economic activities; Legitimized versus non-legitimized power; Policies: Business enablers and
constraints
READINGS:
*Eames, Elizabeth. 2000. Navigating Nigerian Bureaucracies. In Conformity and Conflict:
Readings in Cultural Anthropology. 10th edition. J. Spradley and D. McCurdy, eds. Pp. 294-302.
Needham Heights, Mass.: Allyn & Bacon.
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*McCaffey, Janet. 1998. Creatively Coping with Crisis: Entrepreneurs in the Second Economy
of Zaire. In African Entrepreneurship: Theory and Reality. A. Spring and B. McDade, eds. Pp.
37-50. Gainesville: University Press of Florida.
IV. Concepts of Labor and Capital: First and Third worlds; Multinationals
READINGS:
*Fuentes, Annette, and Barbara Ehrenreich. 2000. Women in the Global Factory. In Conformity
and Conflict: Readings in Cultural Anthropology. J. Spradley and D. McCurdy, eds. Pp. 164171. Needham Heights, Mass.: Allyn & Bacon.
*Robbins, Richard. 2002. Chapter 2. In Global Problems and the Culture of Capitalism. Pp. 3258. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
TOPIC 6: Entrepreneurship and Business
Definitions; Cross-cultural variation; Formal and informal sector; scale and size, characteristics;
Local versus global; Gender considerations in entrepreneurship across cultures
READINGS:
*Coulter, Mary. 2000. Chapter 1. In Entrepreneurship in Action. Pp. 2-32. Upper Saddle River,
New Jersey: Prentice Hall.
*Gattiker, Urs and John Ulhoi. 2001. Entrepreneurial Phenomena in a Cross-National Context.
In Handbook of Organizational Behavior. 2nd edition. Robert T. Golembiewski, ed. Pp. 389-414.
New York: Marcel Dekker.
*Spring, Anita and Barbara McDade. 1998. Entrepreneurship in Africa: Traditional and
Contemporary Paradigms. In African Entrepreneurship: Theory and Reality. A. Spring and B.
McDade, eds. Pp. 1-36. Gainesville: University Press of Florida.
*Spring, Anita. 2002: Gender and the Range of African Entrepreneurial Strategies: The
“Typical” and the “New” Women Entrepreneurs. In African and African American Business:
Historical and Contemporary Perspectives. A. Jalloh and T. Falola, eds. Rochester: University of
Rochester Press.
TOPIC 7: The Evolution of Multinational Businesses
Traditional and Modern Corporations:
Evolution of Western Corporations; What a modern corporation does; Forms of business
organization; Non-western corporations, past and present; Why the rise of multinational
enterprises? Product life cycle; Internalization; Value chain management
READINGS:
*Perlmutter, Howard. 2000. The Tortuous Evolution of the Multinational Corporation. In
Transnational Management: Text, Cases, and Readings in Cross-Border Management. 3rd ed. C.
Bartlett and S. Ghoshal, eds. Pp. 73-82. Boston: McGraw-Hill Higher Education.
* Titterud , XXXX“ The Sociocultural Impacts of Multinational Corporations in Third World
Countries”
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TOPIC 8: How Business Practices, Marketing, and Advertising Vary Across Cultures
I. Business Practices:
Structure of corporations in other cultures; Management practices in other cultures; Decisionmaking in other cultures; Performance evaluations in other cultures
READINGS:
*Reeves-Ellington, Richard. 1995. Anthropology and Total Quality Management: Improving
Sales Force Performance in Overseas Markets. In Contemporary Marketing and Consumer
Behavior: An Anthropological Sourcebook. J. Sherry, Jr., ed. Pp. 169-208. Thousand Oaks,
Calif.: Sage Publications.
II. Marketing and Advertising
Considerations of culture and gender; Marketing to urban and rural/peasant markets
READINGS:
*Van Rij, Jeanne. 1998. Trends, Symbols, and Brand Power in Global Markets: The Business
Anthropology Approach. In Applying Cultural Anthropology: Readings. G. Ferraro, ed. Pp. 110115. Belmont, California: Wadsworth Publishing.
*Robbins, Richard. 2002. Chapter 1. In Global Problems and the Culture of Capitalism. Pp. 1-31.
Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
TOPIC 9: Issues in Globalization:
Global level, country level, and multinational corporations; The development cycle: Can
countries skip stages of economic development? Economic power; Political power; Sovereignty;
Dependency; Comparative Advantage
READINGS:
*Reeves-Ellington, Richard. 1994. Corporation Anthropologists at Work in the Third World. In
What Can Multinationals Do for Peasants? V. Sutlive and T. Hamada, eds. Pp. 219-255. Studies
in Third World Societies Publication Number 49. Williamsburg: College of William and Mary.
*Robbins, Richard. 2002. Chapter 7. In Global Problems and the Culture of Capitalism. Pp. 194220. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
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