Cross Cultural Management (academic track) (5 cr)

Evaluation scale

0-5

Content scheduling

The teacher--thesis supervisor will provide (typically monthly) an informational presentation called "Matters of the Bachelor's Thesis" that focuses on specific elements useful for your thesis development. Assignments for each month will be based on your applying the information provided in your own thesis.

Topics in this monthly presentation include, for instance, "Where Research Ideas Come From," the "Purpose, Introduction, Research Aims and RQs, The Literature Review: Synthesizing Literature," "Research Design, Data Collection, Data Analysis, Reporting Results," and "Discussion & Conclusions."

Objective

The academic track serves to prepare and activate students to complete their bachelor's thesis in the second year of their studies. Students in the Cross-cultural Management Track may choose to focus on a range of topics related to culture, communication, global virtual teams, education, human resource management, and conflict management.

Track intended learning outcomes (ILOs):

IBBUS (Analytical Business Skills ); IBCRI Critical Thinking; IBCOM Communication Skills; IBCOL Collaborative Skills; IBESR Ethical, Sustainable and Responsible Conduct; IBPER Personal Skills

Content

Students are engaged in project-oriented activities that extend their previous studies in cross-cultural management. As well, tuition and support is offered for thesis research project development and execution.

Location and time

The course covers the entire academic year 2024-2025, with meeting times established for the spring semester. These periodic springtime course meetings are designed to faciliate your advancement of your thesis.

Materials

Materials regarding learning about how to complete a thesis will be provided by the teacher. However, throughout the Track course, you will be identifying, collecting, reading, synthesizing, and applying knowledge drawn from the academic literature as the basis for your thesis, as well as collecting and analyzing data to answer your thesis research question.

Teaching methods

Teaching methods include lectures, seminar-styled collaborative work, and desktop and field-based research.

In the autumn, the teaching methods involve period lectures regarding aspects of thesis research and writing. You will be required to gradually build your thesis over the course of the two semesters. In the spring, however, the Track meetings moves toward a research seminar approach, although there will be periodic "tutorial" presentations, so that you can work individually or in pairs to collect data and complete your thesis project independently, but with guidance from your thesis supervisor.

Related to this track thesis course is the Applied Research Project. The current plan is to have a separate (i.e., additional) meeting time in autumn 2024 dedicated specifically to this project. It will involve you and your peers learning how to facilitate learning activities, and then implementing them in educational or organizational settings. The timing of this project course will be determined at the start of the autumn semester.

Employer connections

Understanding how to and then being able to conduct quality research is a skill that is necessary for many professional careers. The proceses you will learn to create your thesis will have international and working life applications in the future. This is line with the International Business Program's competence: Learning to Learn. Through the process of working on a thesis, you will learn many aspects of retrieving and digest ing academic research information, interpretation of data, discussion of the meaning of data, and drawing reasonable conclusions.

Exam schedules

This course has no exams. Your grade will be based on your attendance in the track classes, your completing a well-reasoned thesis Research Plan, and your advancing your thesis throughout both semesters.

Student workload

During the fall semester, the Track typically meets once per week for 2.5 hours. During the spring semester, class meetings are less frequent and held for specific purposes to support you and your peers in your ongoing thesis development and completion.

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1)

A grade of 1 or 2 evidences a very basic level of skills development and execution. A grade of 1 indicates poor attendance and participation in track activities.

Assessment criteria, good (3)

To earn a grade of 3 you have evidenced good attendance and participation in all track activities. For a grade of 4 you will clearly evidence good reporting skills.

Assessment criteria, excellent (5)

To earn a grade of 5 you will evidence excellent attendance and participation in all track activities. Your client development work and facilitation results show strong interest, motivation and follow-through. Your attention to the stages of your thesis research process is consistent and well executed.

Qualifications

HBIB0014 Cross-cultural Management Essentials: Communication, Conflict, and Management Perspectives OR HIBC3100 Intercultural Communication in Business Contexts. Approved, documented prior studies in intercultural communication or cross-cultural management may suffice as prerequisites for this track.