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Course Outline

IBS220 Cross-Cultural Management

Course Coordinator:Saskia De Klerk (sdeklerk@usc.edu.au) School:School of Business and Creative Industries

2025Semester 2

UniSC Sunshine Coast

UniSC Moreton Bay

 Blended learning Most of your course is on campus but you may be able to do some components of this course online.

Online

 Online You can do this course without coming onto campus, unless your program has specified a mandatory onsite requirement.

Please go to unisc.edu.au for up to date information on the
teaching sessions and campuses where this course is usually offered.

What is this course about?

Description

Globally, stakeholders of culturally diverse backgrounds interact daily in the workplace and virtually. Each base their interactions on their own rules; values; beliefs and experiences. This course will help you to understand the basis on which culturally diverse individuals, teams, and organisations operate in the business environment. Contemporary cultural theories provide frameworks to reflect and analyse your own cultural context, as well as the culturally different 'others'. This will assist in developing effective strategies for inclusion, cultural intelligence and sustainable practices.

How will this course be delivered?

Activity Hours Beginning Week Frequency
Blended learning
Learning materials – Interactive online learning activities. 1hr Week 1 12 times
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – Scheduled face to face workshops. 2hrs Week 1 10 times
Online
Learning materials – Interactive online learning activities. 1hr Week 1 12 times
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – Scheduled online workshops (Recorded). 2hrs Week 1 10 times

Course Topics

  • Determinants of culture
  • Cultural values (Hofstede and GLOBE)
  • Western business cultures
  • Asian, and African business cultures
  • Middle Eastern business cultures
  • Cultural dilemmas
  • Culture and management style 
  • Culture and business communication
  • Intercultural communication barriers
  • International negotiations
  • International teams and adjustment to new cultural environments
  • Strategies to manage conflict and cultural differences
  • Developing Intercultural communication competence

What level is this course?

200 Level (Developing)

Building on and expanding the scope of introductory knowledge and skills, developing breadth or depth and applying knowledge and skills in a new context. May require pre-requisites where discipline specific introductory knowledge or skills is necessary. Normally, undertaken in the second or third full-time year of an undergraduate programs.

What is the unit value of this course?

12 units

How does this course contribute to my learning?

Course Learning Outcomes On successful completion of this course, you should be able to... Graduate Qualities Mapping Completing these tasks successfully will contribute to you becoming... Professional Standard Mapping * Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
1 Assess cross-cultural business crises and demonstrate innovative management strategies for business development. Creative and critical thinker
Sustainability-focussed 
PC3.1, PC4.1, PC5, PC5.1
2 Demonstrate management skills that make a difference in managing in international environments. Empowered
Sustainability-focussed 
PC1.1, PC3, PC3.1, PC4.1
3 Apply cultural intelligence to respond to cultural differences by designing strategies unique to specific countries. Sustainability-focussed 
PC6, PC6.1
4 Describe and explain global contexts and why these influence international activities. Knowledgeable 
PC3.1, PC4.1, PC5.1

* Competencies by Professional Body

CODE COMPETENCY
Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
PC1.1 Written Communication
PC3 Creative and Critical Thinking
PC3.1 Problem Solving
PC4.1 Social Responsibility and Sustainability
PC5 Cultural Awareness
PC5.1 Diversity
PC6 Career-ready
PC6.1 Self-management

Am I eligible to enrol in this course?

Refer to the UniSC Glossary of terms for definitions of “pre-requisites, co-requisites and anti-requisites”.

Pre-requisites

Not applicable

Co-requisites

Not applicable

Anti-requisites

Not applicable

Specific assumed prior knowledge and skills (where applicable)

Not applicable

Microcredential Information

Not applicable

How am I going to be assessed?

Grading Scale

Standard Grading (GRD)

High Distinction (HD), Distinction (DN), Credit (CR), Pass (PS), Fail (FL).

Details of early feedback on progress

Formative feedback will be provided through tutorial activities and discussion. Task 1 is due early on in the semester and you will receive formative feedback in the rubric and through comments on your task.

Assessment tasks

Delivery mode Task No. Assessment Product Individual or Group Weighting % What is the duration / length? When should I submit? Where should I submit it?
All 1 Artefact - Professional, and Written Piece Individual 30% 
800 words (single spaced, 12 font = 2 pages)
 Week 4 Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All 2 Portfolio Individual 40% 
1,200 words
 Week 9 Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All 3 Case Study Individual 30% 
2000 words
 Week 13 Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All - Assessment Task 1:Briefing note: Cultural Insight
Goal: 
To demonstrate knowledge and application of cross-cultural management issues in a real-life business setting in a culture that is not your own.
Product: Artefact - Professional, and Written Piece
Authorship Statement:
Format: 
This is an individual task. You need to reflect, analyse and then provide a briefing note to your international manager. This will assist them in their dealings and interactions. Additional guidance is provided on CANVAS.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1 
Demonstrated knowledge and application of key cross-cultural management issues
 2
2 
Appreciation, identification and application of relevant cross-cultural management concepts in cross-cultural business contexts
 1
3 
Critical evaluation (discussion) of implications for conducting business with the culture and provision of practical insights
 3 4
4 
Written communication skills
 2 4
Generic Skills: 
Communication, Problem solving, Information literacy
All - Assessment Task 2:Portfolio: Developing Cultural Intelligence (CQ)
Goal: 
To reflect on your own cultural behaviour and understand issues involved in organisational culture and interorganisational cross-cultural interactions in a real business situations.
Product: Portfolio
Authorship Statement:
Format: 
This is an individual assessment. You are required to assess your cultural perspective and those of others in a working environment. This will involve reflecting on your own cultural behaviour and issues involved in organisational culture and interorganisational cross-cultural interactions in a real-time situation by applying your knowledge to a real business situation. Your reflection will draw on the textbook for background and theory; however, you are also expected to use and cite other relevant academic literature. Additional guidance will be provided on CANVAS.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1 
Understanding of your own cultural perspective
 3
2 
Knowledge of key relevant cross-cultural concepts covered in the course
 1
3 
Identification of the key factors influencing intercultural business
 1
4 
Explanation of significant influential factors on cultural values
 3 4
5 
Identification of the cultural implications for intercultural business interactions
 2 4
6 
Written communication skills
 1 2 3 4
Generic Skills: 
Communication, Problem solving, Applying technologies
All - Assessment Task 3:Case study Application
Goal: 
To demonstrate understanding of cross-cultural management concepts. Applying this knowledge to a real-life example and solving real-world problems by answers questions on the case study.
Product: Case Study
Authorship Statement:
Format: 
This is an individual task where you will read the case study as provided on CANVAS and formulate your response in 2000 words. You will be expected to provide short to medium-response answers. The case will cover a topic of importance at that time. Your answer should not be a commentary or academic critique rather a response with management implications and courses of action to adapt, avoid, or manage this situation. Successfully completing this case study will require a good understanding of all the topics covered throughout the course.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1 
Application of key cultural concepts covered in the course
 2
2 
Identification of organisational cultural issues and discussion of implications
 1 3
3 
Critical application of cultural concepts in an organisational context
 1 2 3 4
Generic Skills: 
Communication, Problem solving, Information literacy

Directed study hours

A 12-unit course will have total of 150 learning hours which will include directed study hours (including online if required), self-directed learning and completion of assessable tasks. Student workload is calculated at 12.5 learning hours per one unit.

What resources do I need to undertake this course?

Please note: Course information, including specific information of recommended readings, learning activities, resources, weekly readings, etc. are available on the course Canvas site– Please log in as soon as possible.

Prescribed text(s) or course reader

You need regular access to the resource(s) below. Many texts are available as ebooks through the Library at no additional cost.

Required? Author Year Title Edition Publisher
Required Marie-Joëlle Browaeys, Roger Price 2019 Understanding Cross-cultural Management 4th edition Pearson

Specific requirements

Not applicable

How are risks managed in this course?

Health and safety risks for this course have been assessed as low. It is your responsibility to review course material, search online, discuss with lecturers and peers and understand the health and safety risks associated with your specific course of study and to familiarise yourself with the University’s general health and safety principles by reviewing the online induction training for students, and following the instructions of the University staff.

What administrative information is relevant to this course?

Assessment: Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is the ethical standard of university participation. It ensures that students graduate as a result of proving they are competent in their discipline. This is integral in maintaining the value of academic qualifications. Each industry has expectations and standards of the skills and knowledge within that discipline and these are reflected in assessment.

Academic integrity means that you do not engage in any activity that is considered to be academic fraud; including plagiarism, collusion or outsourcing any part of any assessment item to any other person. You are expected to be honest and ethical by completing all work yourself and indicating in your work which ideas and information were developed by you and which were taken from others. You cannot provide your assessment work to others. You are also expected to provide evidence of wide and critical reading, usually by using appropriate academic references.

In order to minimise incidents of academic fraud, this course may require that some of its assessment tasks, when submitted to Canvas, are electronically checked through Turnitin. This software allows for text comparisons to be made between your submitted assessment item and all other work to which Turnitin has access.

Assessment: Additional Requirements

Eligibility for Supplementary Assessment Your eligibility for supplementary assessment in a course is dependent of the following conditions applying: The final mark is in the percentage range 47% to 49.4% The course is graded using the Standard Grading scale You have not failed an assessment task in the course due to academic misconduct

Assessment: Submission penalties

Late submission of assessment tasks may be penalised at the following maximum rate: - 5% (of the assessment task's identified value) per day for the first two days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. - 10% (of the assessment task's identified value) for the third day - 20% (of the assessment task's identified value) for the fourth day and subsequent days up to and including seven days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. - A result of zero is awarded for an assessment task submitted after seven days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. Weekdays and weekends are included in the calculation of days late. To request an extension you must contact your course coordinator to negotiate an outcome.

Links to relevant University policy and procedures

For more information on Academic Learning & Teaching categories including:

  • Assessment: Courses and Coursework Programs
  • Review of Assessment and Final Grades
  • Supplementary Assessment
  • Central Examinations
  • Deferred Examinations
  • Student Conduct
  • Students with a Disability

For more information, visit https://www.usc.edu.au/explore/policies-and-procedures#academic-learning-and-teaching

Student Charter

UniSC is committed to excellence in teaching, research and engagement in an environment that is inclusive, inspiring, safe and respectful. The Student Charter sets out what students can expect from the University, and what in turn is expected of students, to achieve these outcomes.

General Enquiries

  • In person:
    • UniSC Sunshine Coast - Student Central, Ground Floor, Building C, 90 Sippy Downs Drive, Sippy Downs
    • UniSC Moreton Bay - Service Centre, Ground Floor, Foundation Building, Gympie Road, Petrie
    • UniSC SouthBank - Student Central, Building A4 (SW1), 52 Merivale Street, South Brisbane
    • UniSC Gympie - Student Central, 71 Cartwright Road, Gympie
    • UniSC Fraser Coast - Student Central, Student Central, Building A, 161 Old Maryborough Rd, Hervey Bay
    • UniSC Caboolture - Student Central, Level 1 Building J, Cnr Manley and Tallon Street, Caboolture
  • Tel:+61 7 5430 2890
  • Email:studentcentral@usc.edu.au
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