SBUS20110 Intercultural Competencies for a Global Workplace

Academic Year 2022/2023

What are the opportunities and challenges of a global workplace? What is it like to work for a multinational or a SME with global ambition? What considerations and strategies do internationally-focused firms use to support their staff and customers in the navigation of geographic and cultural differences? This module provides BSc Business and visiting students with an insight on the organisational cultures, work practices, and business environment of global and domestic businesses based in Ireland. The key aim of this module is to expand your intercultural knowledge and skills and prepare you for the contemporary culturally diverse workplace.
Building on the experience of exploring Ireland culturally and socially, this module looks at the workplace experience and how intercultural knowledge and skills are valued, developed and utilised in practice.
This practical and applied module seeks to expose you to a range of contemporary workplaces, both smaller entrepreneurial and larger global businesses, and will put you in direct contact with experienced managers and entrepreneurs. Though the module you will be exposed to the visible and invisible aspects of culture and will identify methods to assess and adapt to cultural norms to benefit effective cross-cultural interactions. You will gain insights in to what employers are looking for in a new graduate and you will work towards improving your skills to support your career after university.

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Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

1. Develop an awareness of organisational and national cultural differences and the impact of culture in the workplace
2. Identify and practice strategies to communicate in a diverse cultural workplace
3. Enable confident, creative and respectful local and global citizens
4. Explore the impact of assumptions, perception, stereotypes and unconscious bias in intercultural exchange
5. Reflect on and further develop your own cultural intelligence to support potential work and career opportunities
6. Develop active personal leadership and peer skills for navigating intercultural collaboration, communication and critical thinking

Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

24
Specified Learning Activities

40
Autonomous Student Learning

50
Total

114
Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
The module will be delivered through a combination of lectures, class discussions, case studies, and class trips providing students with knowledge and applied understanding of culture in action. A key benefit of this module is the diversity of the participants. Each student will bring valuable insights into their own cultural attributes, providing an excellent grounding for intercultural understanding. Be ready to be adventurous with your learning!

This module aims to enhance your experience of working internationally - both within the class cohort and in dialogue with managers and entrepreneurs.

Assessment will involve a mix of individual and team based reflective learning, and a collaborative group project investigating a specific global sector. You are challenged to learn about, inquire and reflect what you have learned throughout the module.

Through the range of coursework activities, you will be encouraged to develop your reflective, creative and critical thinking abilities, information and communication capacities, and your collaborative learning and intercultural skills.
Note: As this module involves pre-advised excursions, while class sessions will run to the notified times, participants should anticipate need for additional travel time and plan flexibly on those dates in order to get the most from these experiences.
 
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 
Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Open Book Exam Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade
Assignment: Individual Written Report and Reflection (Reflection by video or written report) Coursework (End of Trimester) n/a Standard conversion grade scale 40% No

60
Group Project: This is a group assignment examining the intercultural practices in specific industries. The output of the assignment will culminate in an in-class group presentation and a short written set of guidel Throughout the Trimester n/a Standard conversion grade scale 40% No

40

Carry forward of passed components
No
 
Resit In Terminal Exam
Spring No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 
Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Group/class feedback, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Not yet recorded.