The Cross-Cultural Project:
Developing International Managerial Skills
through Experiential Learning
Sangcheol Song
Alfredo Mauri
João Neiva de Figueiredo
Haub School of Business
Saint Joseph’s University
PA USA
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Contents of this Presentation
 Introduction to the Cross-cultural Project
 Motivation: The Cross-cultural Project as a New Teaching Pedagogy
 Five-steps of the Project
 Benefits of the Project
 Actual End-products the Project
 Additional applications of the Project
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Introduction of the Cross-cultural Project
 Courses: International Business Courses at SJU
 Goals: Increasing awareness of and enhancing contact with other cultures.
 Cross-cultural project
 Each team formed
• 3 ELS students do not have extensive knowledge of English as foreigners
• 3 SJU students do not come from the same country to their ELS partners.
 Expanded teams of six members are required to conduct two group projects
.
• Sustainability issue analysis
• Cultural analysis
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Motivation
 Increased demand of “soft” skills in academic and practical areas in the globalization era
 “Soft” skills: The ability to acquire less codified knowledge, e.g. understanding
how to effectively manage and interact with people from other cultures.
 “Soft” skills call for new pedagogies for “experiential” learning
 The Cross-cultural assignment as a vehicle for experiential learning
 Process of trying to get a task accomplished with someone who is not of the same
background and culture develops soft skills relating to dealing with diversity
 Acquiring tacit knowledge by “Learning by doing”
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Description of the Cross-cultural Project
1st step: Assignment with ELS students
 Team formation: Three U.S. based students (who are enrolled in the course and
who are mostly native English speakers) are paired up three ELS
students (who are enrolled in a nearby ELS program, and
therefore lack fluency in the English language.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSaV7MnXCFE
 Examples of home countries of ELS students:
Turkey, Ukraine, Russia, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Mexico,
China, Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Libya, Iran, and
Cameroon, among others.
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2nd step: Kick-off and Acquaintance
 kick-off day
 SJU and ELS students meet at the ELS building lounge
 The instructor presents the chosen assignment topics
 Each group introduces, discusses their roles, exchanges contact information, and
arranges at least three all-hands augmented group meetings.
 On and off-campus social gathering
 SJU students have usually helped foreign students learn more about America
including taking them to national constitutional center and tourist attractions
 ELS students have often invited SJU students to home-cooked typical meals.
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3rd step-1: Engagement-Conducting Two Group Projects
 Project I: Host country sustainability issue analysis
(1) Locating a critical sustainability issue that affects the “day to day” life of local people
at each target country (e.g. water/air pollution, low literacy, deforestation, etc.)
(2) Describing the problem(s)
(3) Proposing a solution
(4) Describing financing options and economic feasibility
 Project 2: Host country cultural analysis
(1) Identifying ‘less-known but important’ cultural facts in the foreign country
based upon the Hofstede’s five cultural dimensions.
(2) Identifying how people from the foreign country view Americans and
American companies operating in their countries
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4th step: Delivery of end-products of the two group assignments
 The act of producing various end-products together with people of a different
culture with limited knowledge of each other’s languages and customs exposes
students to unexpected situations because cultures have different cognitive
structures and the assignment requires common understanding and joint
teamwork for successful delivery.
 Two graded end-products
 Group oral presentation and written report
 Digital video recordings of the group presentations are provided to the students.
 Giving students an opportunity to work on their presentation skills
 Providing them with an additional window through which to reflect on
their cross-cultural experience.
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5th step: Self- Reflection Assignment & Debriefing Session
 Each student must identify, examine, integrate the lessons learned from the experience
of other students and teams.
 Delving into one’s reactions to and impressions from working with individuals of another
culture through examination of the process and of its impact on oneself.
 Debriefing session with all students.
Sharing /disseminating lessons learned so each student can benefit from others’ experiences.
 Direct + Indirect experience (vicarious/collective learning)
 Students are center of learning
 Awareness of difference promotes learning
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Project Benefits
 Instructor side
 Bringing real cultural understanding in class.
 Designing their courses in int’l contexts in diverse/real ways
 Utilizing current school resources
 ELS side
 Advertising additional learning opportunity to other ELS students and centers
 Offering foreign students a great chance to work with American students
 Students’ side
 ELS students have additional chances to learn English, American culture,
and build network
 American students have an experiential learning chance to know target
countries better and build network
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Outcomes
 Students’ testimonial: Anthony / Alexis




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvDpVh2Mozg
Which country did you study?
What did you do with your ELS partners?
What did you learn about your target country and people newly?
What was new and interesting in this project?
 Students’ common evaluation comments (selected)




“Very exciting”
“More real experiences with people from other cultures”
“Very useful for them to eliminate stereotypical opinions they had about a culture.”
“Helpful in overcoming communications difficulties, developing a deeper understanding
and implicit acceptance of different cultural characteristics and customs, and increasing
one’s capacity for empathy or for “putting oneself in others’ shoes.”
 “Making lasting friendships with someone from a completely different culture.”
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Example of
Cross-cultural Project
The case of S. Korea
o Obedience
o Show respect to elders
o Social order
 High Power Distance
o Gender gap
o Generation gap
 High Uncertainty avoidance
 High Collectivism
o Political polarization
o Trend-fashion sensitive
o Other people’s perception / reputation
 High Masculinity
 Long-term orientation
o Quick-Quick-Quick
o Unionization
o Group-based decision
o Relationship/affiliation
Implication for
Int’l Business
at Korea
 HR practices
-Benefits
-labor unions
-Female workers
-Performance measures
 Online business/
Internet contents
 Product design
 Promotion to
target group
/opinion leaders
 Parent/kid-targetting
advs/commercials
o Kid education
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o Employment stability
Additional applications
 Other areas in int’l contexts: Int’l studies, Int’l marketing, Int’l HRM,
language programs, area studies, communication, etc.
 Other ELS programs affiliated to neighboring universities
http://www.chongroyuhak.com/English_School/ELS_Philadelphia/?SchoolName=ELS_Philadelphia
 Other non-affiliated ESL (English-as-second language) programs within
bigger universities (e.g. ESL at Temple)
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Appendum
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Host Country Sustainability Presentation Evaluation Template
Verbal Presentation
Name
Case
Date
Materials (8 points)
Posted material on time
Outline very good
4
4
3
3
2
2
1
1
Sustainability issue covered is important
4
3
2
1
Proposed solution is feasible and realistic
4
3
2
1
Analysis of sust issue was comprehensive
4
3
2
1
Tradeoff examination involved ethics factors
4
3
2
1
Strong organization with clear main ideas and transitions
4
3
2
1
Presentation (12 points)
Eye Contact
Presenter makes eye contact with everyone/ no nervous
behaviors
4
3
2
1
Style
Speaks in a clear voice and displays ability for
communicating with the audience
4
3
2
1
Visuals
Good visual aids used to make presentation interesting
and meaningful
4
3
2
1
Content (20) points
Organization
Total
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Host Country Cultural Analysis Presentation Evaluation Template
Verbal Presentation
Name
Case
Date
Materials (8 points)
Posted material on time
Outline very good
4
4
3
3
2
2
1
1
Deep understanding of cultural issues
4
3
2
1
Showed little-known cultural differences
4
3
2
1
Strong reference and use of ELS experience
4
3
2
1
Linked culture study with current events
4
3
2
1
Strong organization with clear main ideas and transitions
4
3
2
1
Presentation (12 points)
Eye Contact
Presenter makes eye contact with everyone/ no nervous
behaviors
4
3
2
1
Style
Speaks in a clear voice and displays ability for communicating
with the audience
4
3
2
1
Visuals
Good visual aids used to make presentation interesting and
meaningful
4
3
2
1
Content (20) points
Organization
Total
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Important but less known social/cultural traits of S. Korea
• Family/group-oriented
• Confucius/human relationship
• Masculine/male-dominated
-Polarization among genders
• Quick, quick, quick attitude
• Trend/fashion-sensitive
•
Try to find materials related to “cultural diversity”
of your target country
e.g.) PSY “Kangnam Style” :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbf4y3yn7xY
e.g) Differences b/w Korea and America
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KKKFkar9a
M&feature=fvwrel
“Gangnam style” refers to a lifestyle associated with the Gangnam
district of Seoul—people are trendy and hip in this area
• Other people’s perception
• Pro-Americanism
• Anti-Japanism
• Student/women targeted crimes
오빤 강남 스타일 (Oppan Gangnam style), translated as
"Big brother is Gangnam style", with Psy referring to himself
“People who are actually from Gangnam never proclaim that
they are—it's only the posers and wannabes that say that they
are “Gangnam Style”- so this song is actually poking fun at those
kinds of people who are trying so hard to be something they’re not.”
-Psy
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