INTERCULTURAL MANAGEMENT
IBUS 2341
Instructor:______________________________
Phone: ________________________________
Email: _________________________________
Office: _______ Fax ______________________
Prerequisite: none
Credit: 3 semester hours
Materials Needed: Textbook: Managing Cultural Differences, 7th Edition, Harris and Moran.
Course Description
Cross-cultural comparisons of management and communications processes. Emphasizes cultural
geographic distinctions and antecedents that affect individual, group, and organizational
behavior. May include sociocultural demographics, economics, technology, political-legal
issues, negotiations, and processes of decision making in the international cultural environment.
NOTE: This course fulfills the multicultural requirement of the Management A.A.S. and meets
requirements toward an Associate degree in International Studies
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, students should be able to:
1. Discuss and analyze the impact of cultural diversity on management practices, organizational
culture and group relations
2. Discuss and plan for effective performance in the global marketplace
3. Develop a knowledge base of cultural specifics affecting business practices in North
American, Latin American, Asian, European, and Middle Eastern cultures
4. Create a plan for employee transitions and retraining
5. Obtain knowledge of cultural impacts on global business and management
Class discussions will includes the following issues:
-International trade and foreign investment opportunities
-multicultural issues that affect the Houston community and economy
-economic and environmental issues that affect the international workplace
Course Competencies
In order to accomplish the above objectives, it will be necessary for the student to meet the
following skills and competencies:
1. Recognize when organizational change is necessary in order to achieve corporate success in
today’s marketplace
2. Be able to identify a set of intercultural guidelines in working with a certain culture
3. Create a personal skill set for successful intercultural negotiation
4. Demonstrate skills that allow for more effective management in a diverse work environment
5. Be able to identify problem areas in intercultural situations, analyze/troubleshoot the problem
and create working solutions (some analysis may be in a case study format)
Statement of Foundation Skills and Workplace Competencies (SCANS Skills)
The Lone Star College System is committed to preparing every student with the knowledge and
skills needed to succeed in today’s dynamic work environment. Towards this end, the following
foundation skills and workplace competencies have been designed into the curriculum for this
course:
Foundation Skills
 Demonstrates Basic Skills – Reading (F1), Writing (F2), Listening (F4), Speaking
(F5)
 Demonstrates Thinking Skills – Creative (F6), Decision making (F7), Problem
solving (F8), Seeing things through the minds eye (F9), Knowing how to learn (F10),
Reasoning (F11)
 Exhibits Personal Qualities – Responsibility (F12), Self-esteem (F13), Social (F14),
Self-management (F15), Integrity / Honesty (F16)
Workplace Competencies
 Manages Resources – Allocates human resources (C4)
 Exhibits Interpersonal Skills – Participates as team member (C5), Teaches others
(C6), Serves clients/customers (C7), Exercises leadership (C8), Negotiates to arrive at
decisions (C9), Works with cultural diversity (C10)
 Manages Information – Acquires and evaluates (C11), Organizes and maintains
(C12), Interprets and Communicates (C13), Uses computers to process (C14)
 Uses Systems and Technology – Understands systems (C15), Monitors and corrects
performance (C16)
Means of Assessment
Means of Assessment will be determined by your instructor. Please see the attached Syllabus Addendum
if your instructor has provided one.
Evaluation Policies and Procedures
Your instructor will supply detailed testing and grading procedures. If you stop attending class, you must
withdraw at the Admissions Office before the official drop date. Failure to do so will result in a grade of
‘F’ for the course.
Attendance and Participation Policies
Class attendance is important. Generally, the course material is covered in the textbooks;
however, lectures and small group exercises augment and clarify the textbook material. You are
encouraged to get to know your fellow students in order to have a source for lecture notes and
handouts if you cannot attend a class session.
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Students are expected to assume the responsibility for learning. Your instructor will assist you,
but the actual responsibility rests with you. Students are also expected to devote their energy to
attaining the skills and knowledge required for their particular career goals.
The Lone Star College System Policy & Procedure Manual [Student Conduct, Section 562.0ld]
states, “Disruptive activity that hinders other students’ learning or deters an instructor from
effective teaching will not be tolerated under any circumstances.”
To provide equal-opportunity learning situation for all students enrolled in this class, children are
not allowed in the labs or classrooms.
Academic Integrity
The college’s academic integrity policy states, the Lone Star College System is committed to a high
standard of academic integrity in the academic community. In becoming a part of the academic
community, students are responsible for honesty and independent effort. Failure to uphold these standards
includes, but is not limited to, the following:
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Plagiarizing written work projects.
Cheating on exams or assignments.
Collusion on an exam or project.
Misrepresentation of credentials or prerequisites when registering for a course.
Virus Protection
The college will not be held liable for any corruption of data caused by virus contamination. The college
computers are regularly screened and are protected against computer viruses to the best of our ability.
However, we do not guarantee that viruses do not exist on our systems. Procedures are in place in all labs
for you to scan your diskettes. It is your responsibility to protect your data from corruption due to viruses.
Student Services
Library
The Library at each college provide print and non-print resources and services for students. The materials
have been selected to serve the curricular, vocational, and recreational needs of the college community.
Each college provides computer access to a variety of information in electronic form including
bibliographic indexes to journals, Internet resources, and multimedia publications.
Learning Support Centers
Learning Support Center at each college provide print and audio-visual materials as well as
tutorial assistance and computer labs for students who need academic support services.
Materials from other disciplines are available in each center including reading, writing, math and
college study skills.
Internet & E-mail
The Lone Star College System provides computing and network resources to students. Students are
encouraged to use the computers, software packages, and electronic mail (e-mail), for educational or
System-related activities and to facilitate the efficient exchange of useful information. However, the
equipment, software and network capacities provided through the System computer services are and
remain the property of the System, and access may be denied to any student who fails to comply with the
System’s policies and procedures regarding its use.
Access to the System’s e-mail and similar electronic communication systems are a privilege and
certain responsibilities accompany that privilege. System users are expected to demonstrate the
same level of ethical and professional manner, as is required in face-to-face or written
communications. Anonymous or forged messages will be treated as a violation of this policy.
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Equal Opportunity Statement
It is the policy of the Lone Star College System to provide equal employment, admission and educational
opportunities without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age or disability.
Lone Star College System strives to provide an excellent learning environment free from
harassment or intimidation directed at any person’s race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age,
or disability. Any form of harassment will not be tolerated.
ADA Statement
The Lone Star College System is dedicated to providing the least restrictive learning environment for all
students. The college system promotes equity in academic access through the implementation of
reasonable accommodations as required by the Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title V, Section
504 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) which will enable students with disabilities
to participate in and benefit from all post-secondary educational activities.
If you require reasonable accommodations because of physical, mental, or learning disability,
please notify the instructor of this course as soon as possible and preferably before the end of the
first two weeks of class to arrange for reasonable accommodations.
Guaranteed Graduate Policy
The Lone Star College System guarantees that graduates of its Associate of Arts, Associate of
Science, or Associate of Applied Science and all Certificate programs, will provide under certain
circumstances, additional education and training tuition free to students lacking appropriate
master of specified competencies.
Drops/Excessive Absences:
Under Section 51.907 of the Texas Education Code, "an institution of higher education may not
permit a student to drop more than SIX courses, including any course a transfer student has
dropped at another Texas public institution of higher education." This statute was enacted by the
State of Texas in Spring2007 and applies to students who enroll in a public institution of higher
education as first-time freshmen in the Fall 2007 semester or later. Students enrolled prior to Fall
2007 are not affected. Any course that a student drops is counted toward the six-course limit
unless the student is completely withdrawing from the institution or meets one of the eligible
criteria for a waiver. A "drop" in this instance is considered when a student is dropped or
withdrawn from a course after official day resulting in a grade of "W." Please refer to the catalog
for any additional information regarding the eligible criteria for a waiver.
For additional information, refer to the Lone Star College System catalog.
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