INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVES IN ORGANISATIONS (BH1109)

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1 Module Number: BH1109 Module Title: International Perspectives in Organisations Number of Aston Credits: 10 Total Number of ECTS Credits: 5 (European Credit Transfer) Staff Member Responsible for the Module: Dr Jonathan Crawshaw Work & Organisational Psychology Group South Wing, Room 8011, Extension j.r.crawshaw2@aston.ac.uk Availability: Please see office hours or Group Administrator, Mrs. Jenny Thompson, SW8002, Extension 3257 Other Staff Contributing to the Module: Dr Michael Butler Work & Organisational Psychology Group South Wing, Room 8023, Extension: m.j.r.butler@aston.ac.uk Availability: Please see office hours or Group Administrator, Mrs. Jenny Thompson, SW8002, Extension 3257 Tutorial Support TBC Pre-Requisite(s) for the Module: None ABS 2012/13 Page 1 of 5 BH1109

2 Module Learning Outcomes: Upon successful completion of the module students will be able to: Develop an understanding of the international context and its impact on organisations Examine international perspectives on organisations by taking into account the economic, political, industrial, cultural and human resource management dimensions Examine the ethical and social dilemmas that international businesses face and ways of resolving conflicts Identify cross-cultural differences and their impact on communication, leadership, and management Develop an understanding of the psychodynamics of working internationally and negotiating and managing transitions effectively Examine issues related to mergers and acquisitions and expatriation and repatriation Explore how human resource strategies have an impact on working effectively in international situations International Dimensions: The core basis of this module is on international perspectives of organisations. A range of examples, case studies and research findings are discussed to examine the same. This is explicitly addressed in all the lectures and tutorials with a special reference to different cross-cultural context. Corporate Connections: Examples and references to current business and corporate practices will be used throughout the module. Links to Research The module is informed by contemporary developments in research on international management and international HR management in particular. Guest speakers who are leading academics in their field contribute on their own areas of specific expertise. ABS 2012/13 Page 2 of 5 BH1109

3 Lecture Content: Week 1 Module introduction The importance of, and trends in, international business and management. Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Week 9 Week 10 The global business environment The role of national culture Ethics and social responsibility Strategy formulation and implementation Global alliances and international joint ventures (IJVs) Workshop Organisational structure and management control Motivation across cultures Leadership across cultures International human resource management The political, economic, and technological context of international business and management. The national cultural context of international business and management. Key issues in crosscultural communication. Theory and practice of social responsibility and sustainability in international business and management. Alternative entry strategies and strategic management in international businesses The factors influencing the success and failure of global alliances and IJVs. Creative Communication in International Business Alternative designs, structures and control systems in MNEs Cross-cultural differences in employee motivation at work. Cross-cultural differences in leadership and leadership effectiveness. The nature and scope of HRM and IHRM. Approaches to international staffing and the management of expatriate staff. Week 11 Module review Exam revision Tutorials Four group-based tutorials will be held on alternate weeks beginning in week 2 (details to follow) ABS 2012/13 Page 3 of 5 BH1109

4 Workshop: Creative Communication in International Business This practical workshop will examine how issues of perspective and cultural preference impact on conversations in practice. Through creative exercises and group tasks the workshop will develop skills in high quality listening, collaboration and flexibility as the tools for enabling effective communication in an international business context. The session will be led by The Map Consortium a company of experienced facilitators who work with creative skills and processes to provide practical approaches to 21 st century business challenges. The Map s clients include; Unilever, HSBC, Investec, Pinsent Mason, and PricewaterhouseCoopers among many other international businesses. Learning and Teaching Methods: a) Method of Teaching Lectures, Seminars/Tutorials and a Practical Workshop b) Duration Lectures Tutorials/Workshop Reading and preparation for tutorials/exam Total 24 hours 6 hours 70 hours 100 hours Assessment and Feedback Rationale and Methods: 1. Individual Reflective Report (Week 8: Wednesday 21 st November, 2012) 10% Feedback on this report will be provided to all students by week Two-hour unseen examination (Weeks 12/13) 90% Students are encouraged to utilise lecturer office hours and group tutorials to obtain more detailed feedback and advice. Ethical Approval: This module does not require any primary research for which ethical approval would be necessary. ABS 2012/13 Page 4 of 5 BH1109

5 Reading: 1. Recommended Reading Luthans, F., & Doh, J. P. (2012) International management: Culture, strategy, and behavior (8 th edition). New York: McGraw-Hill (ISBN: ). 2. Further/Alternative Reading Deresky, H. (2011) International management: Managing across borders and cultures text and cases (7 th edition). New Jersey: Prentice Hall (ISBN: ). Dowling, P. J., Festing, M., & Engle, A. D. (2008) International human resource management (5 th edition), Andover: Cengage Learning EMEA (ISBN: ). 3. Important Academic Journals: Academy of Management Journal/Review/Executive Asia Pacific Journal of Management Harvard Business Review International Journal of Human Resource Management Journal of Cross Cultural Psychology Journal of International Business Studies Journal of Management Studies Journal of World Business Strategic Management Journal These journals, and others, can be sourced via Aston s e-library and e-journals databases. 4: Online Sources: Additional reading and reference material will identified in the lecture materials as the module progresses and, in some cases, provided via Blackboard. Students are advised to read at least one quality newspaper regularly in order to keep up to date on developments in the world of work. Students will also be expected to identify and share with colleagues relevant sources of information that they find, including books, journals and electronic sources and information on useful sites should be loaded onto Blackboard common areas. ABS 2012/13 Page 5 of 5 BH1109