Description and contextualization of the subject

To value social and cultural structures and the different values and perspectives between cultures. To develop intercultural communication strategies for project stakeholders.

Learning outcomes of the subject

Apply the knowledge, tools and strategies that exist for the management of information, communication and human resources in projects, so as to optimise their development.

Develop existing tools and strategies for the management of information, communication and human resources in projects in order to optimise their development.

To obtain a basic IC knowledge and awareness, plus a set of practical tools to manage a multicultural team in a project setting.

Ordinary call: orientations and renunciation

The assessment of the subject is carried out continuously throughout the course.

The following factors are taken into account in the grading of the course:

Attendance: Although attendance is not compulsory, it is highly recommended due to the contents developed in the classroom. For this reason, attendance forms part of the calculation of the final grade.

Assignments: Students must hand in the assignments designated at the beginning of the course. The work will be handed in by uploading it to egela within the defined deadlines. In order to pass the course, the work must have obtained a grade higher than 5 out of 10.

Exam: The exam will be in the form of a multiple-choice test or short answer questions. In order to pass the course, the students must have obtained a grade higher than 4 out of 10 in the exam.

The grade for the course will be obtained by applying the corresponding weight to each of the factors (attendance, work, exam).

If any of the work has not passed the established cut-off mark, the final mark for the course will be No Show.

If the exam mark is lower than 4.0, the final mark for the course will be that corresponding to the exam mark.

If the student decides to waive the Continuous Assessment of this subject, he/she must communicate it in writing before the deadline for the submission of the individual work. This date can be found in the Student Guide available on the eGela platform.

In this case, in order to pass the course, the student will be assessed by means of a written exam that may contain additional questions to those posed in the exam to which students who are assessed on a continuous basis are submitted and which will include all the contents studied throughout the four-month period corresponding to the exam. This assessment will be completed with an oral exam which will take place on the same day as the written exam, by prior appointment for students registered for this exam. In the oral exam, students will be asked about the contents studied in the classroom, as well as about the activities carried out during the corresponding four-month period. In order to pass the course, students must pass both tests.

In the event that health conditions prevent the completion of a teaching activity and/or face-to-face assessment, a non-face-to-face modality will be activated, of which students will be promptly informed (applicable to all exams: ordinary, extraordinary and advance).

Extraordinary call: orientations and renunciation

Those who have to sit the extraordinary call will do so in the same way as they did in the ordinary call. In other words, those who took the continuous assessment will complete the tests (individual work, team work, exam) that they did not pass in the ordinary call.

The grade for the course will be obtained by applying the corresponding weight to each of the factors (attendance, work, exam).

If any of the work has not passed the established cut-off mark, the final mark for the course will be No Show.

If the exam mark is lower than 4.0, the final mark for the course will be that corresponding to the exam mark.

Those who waive the continuous assessment, will be submitted to a written and oral exam as described in the previous section (Ordinary call: orientations and waiver).

Temary

Cultural aspects: Conceptual evolution - variety of cultures Ethics, values and perspectives in different cultures. Aspects related to trust and staff awareness in different cultures. Motivation in different cultures.

Intercultural Communication: Concepts and strategies. Development of intercultural communication within project teams.

Multicultural Business case Role play.

Culture definition and Iceberg Culture diagram.

Ethnocentrism and ethnorelativism concepts. Bennet Model.

Diversity benefits.

Cultural models. (Hofstede, Trompenaars, Globe)

Wider culture concept beyond National culture.

Global Virtual Teams characteristics.

Project lifecycle aspects affected by IC. Theory and practice.

Bibliography

Compulsory materials

The course is managed through the egela platform. Here the student will find the transparencies used in class and other help materials. The statements of individual and team assignments will also be found there, and the places where to upload them.

Basic bibliography

Hofstede G.H., Pedersen P., Hofstede G, "Exploring culture" Intercultural Press. 2002

Samovar, Larry A. and Richard E. Porter, "Communication Between Cultures". 5th edition.

Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning. 2004

In-depth bibliography

Hertel, G., Geister, S., & Konradt, U. (2005). Managing virtual teams: A review of current empirical research. Human resource management review, 15(1), 69-95.



Daft, R. L., & Lengel, R. H. (1986). Organizational information requirements, media richness and structural design. Management science, 32(5), 554-571.



Glasl, F. (1982). The process of conflict escalation and roles of third parties. In Conflict management and industrial relations (pp. 119-140). Springer, Dordrecht.



Tuckman, B. W. (1965). Developmental sequence in small groups. Psychological bulletin, 63(6), 384.

Journals

International Journal of Project Management



Project Management Journal

Links

www.pmi.org



www.ipma.ch



https://www.hofstede-insights.com/country-comparison/