Undergraduate Course: Managing Across Borders and Cultures (BUST10113)
Course Outline
| School | Business School |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 4 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | How can firms shape and be shaped by cultures and institutions? This course explores this important question through engaging lectures, case studies and seminars. It addresses the growing demand for future managers to develop cross-cultural skills and competencies that are essential for improving performance in a globalised economy. |
| Course description |
The course intends to stimulate a critical discussion of cross-cultural business issues by unpacking (1) the impact of national cultures and institutions on organisational performance and (2) the role firms play in shaping cultures and institutions. A better understanding of these issues assists future managers in dealing with both cross-cultural and contextualised management challenges and opportunities.
Students are expected to read the provided lecture materials and relevant literature, participate in discussions actively, and analyse the readings keep up to date with developments in the area through social media, newspapers and journal reports. The objective is to develop a critical understanding of key business issues connected to national culture and institutions.
Student Learning Experience:
Students will:
- Work collaboratively to prepare materials that unpack relevant research and theoretical perspectives.
- Find, read and appreciate the value of academic literature, how it is cited and referenced, and how to use it to develop a strong argument.
- Practise bringing together different and sometimes conflicting ideas in coherent arguments and developing and representing one's views with colleagues.
- Engage in the dynamic process of critical evaluation and argumentation with the academic literature.
- Dissect and interpret organisational practices to explore their cultural and institutional embeddedness.
- Practise presenting their ideas to their peers and teachers confidently, clearly and effectively.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
|
Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | Business Studies Honours entry |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | Visiting students must have at least 4 Business courses at grade B or above. We will only consider University/College level courses. |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
|
| Academic year 2024/25, Available to all students (SV1)
|
Quota: None |
| Course Start |
Semester 1 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 20,
Summative Assessment Hours 2,
Revision Session Hours 2,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
172 )
|
| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
|
| Additional Information (Assessment) |
40% coursework (group presentation incl. 20% peer assessment) - assesses learning outcomes 1, 2 and 3
60% coursework (individual essay) - assesses learning outcomes 4 and 5 |
| Feedback |
Feedback will be provided on the assessment within agreed deadlines.
|
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Critically discuss the advantages and disadvantages of theoretical perspectives connected to national culture and institutions.
- Critically determine the strengths and limitations of academic articles at the intersection of business, national culture and institutions.
- Critically explain the impact of national culture and institutions on firms.
- Critically apply theoretical perspectives on national culture and institutions to explain organisational practices in different cultures and institutional contexts.
- Critically appraise the role of firms in impacting national culture and institutions.
|
Reading List
| Usunier, J., van Herk, H., & Lee, J. (2017). International and cross-cultural business research. SAGE Publications Ltd, https://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781529715057 |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Knowledge and Understanding
After completing this course, students should be able to:
- Demonstrate a thorough knowledge and understanding of contemporary organisational disciplines; comprehend the role of business within the contemporary world; and critically evaluate and synthesise primary and secondary research and sources of evidence in order to make, and present, well informed and transparent
organisation-related decisions, which have a positive global impact.
- Identify, define and analyse theoretical and applied business and management problems, and develop approaches, informed by an understanding of appropriate quantitative and/or qualitative techniques, to explore and solve them responsibly
Communication, ICT, and Numeracy Skills
After completing this course, students should be able to:
- Convey meaning and message through a wide range of communication tools, including digital technology and social media; to understand how to use these tools to communicate in ways that sustain positive and responsible relationships.
- Critically evaluate and present digital and other sources, research methods, data and information; discern
their limitations, accuracy, validity, reliability and suitability; and apply responsibly in a wide variety of
organisational contexts.
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| Keywords | MABC |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Nkosana Mafico
Tel:
Email: Nkosana.Mafico@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Ms Morgan Wilson
Tel:
Email: mwilso26@ed.ac.uk |
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