Syllabus focus: Management in context, cultural interpretation and Japan.

Topics: Long-lived Japanese businesses: continuity, identity, purpose and long-term orientation. Stakeholder relationships, community ties, leadership, learning and innovation. The balance between preserving identity and adapting management practices. Transfer of practices across countries. [1–2]

Activity: Discuss continuity versus adaptation and evaluate which practices are transferable beyond the Japanese case.

Learning objective: Explain how organisational identity, stakeholder relationships and adaptation support continuity.

Session 2 | Integrated frameworks and the A3 presentation

Syllabus focus: Integration of management context, culture, communication and negotiation.

Topics: A3 combines Hofstede, one additional taught concept, intercultural communication and Gesteland-based negotiation. Compare the selected country with Japan and provide practical management advice. Required format: exactly six slides, including the title, delivered in 15 minutes. [3–4]

Activity: Organise the presentation into six slides: (1) title and purpose; (2) management context; (3) culture and management; (4) intercultural communication; (5) negotiation; (6) Japan comparison and advice.

Learning objective: Integrate course concepts into a focused country analysis and a practical Japan comparison.

Assignments and follow-up

A3 filename: Surname_Country.pptx. Slide timings: 1, 2.5, 3, 2.5, 3 and 3 minutes. Cite statistics, examples and external images in speaker notes. Keep the presentation focused on management, culture, communication and negotiation; family-business succession is outside scope. [4]

Submission rule: Assignments are due 10 calendar days after the class announcement.

Teaching materials

[1] FUC_En.docx: course outline and learning goals.

[2] Long-Lived Japanese Family Businesses presentation, slides 1–14.

[3] Hofstede teaching decks. [4] A3 Country Profile Assignment Handout.

 Session 1 | Japan: management and business communication

Syllabus focus: Country profiles and the application of cultural models.

Topics: Japanese management in the assigned case: consensus, hierarchy, seniority, mentoring, group processes, and training. Communication through indirect meaning and silence. Meeting preparation, formality, relationship-building, and decision processes. Application of Hofstede and Gesteland to the case. [1–3]

Activity: Prepare the Japan meeting strategy for the technology-partnership exercise, One Partnership Pitch, Two Meeting Strategies.

Learning objective: Develop a meeting approach that connects communication and negotiation choices with the case context.

Session 2 | China and the Japan–China comparison

Syllabus focus: Comparative country analysis and negotiation practice.

Topics: Chinese management in the assigned case: relationships, face, hierarchy, guanxi, ownership and regional context. Intermediaries, technical expertise, stakeholder interests and negotiation continuity. Comparison with Japan across communication, authority, decisions, relationships, and workforce management. [2]

Activity: Develop the China meeting strategy and compare it with Japan. Discuss first-meeting differences, politeness versus agreement, and the role of ownership and regulation.

Learning objective: Produce two distinct meeting strategies and explain the management and communication reasons for each.

Assignments and follow-up

Use the Japan analysis in A3, the six-slide, 15-minute country presentation. [4]

Submission rule: Assignments are due 10 calendar days after the class announcement.

Teaching materials

[1] FUC_En.docx: management context, cultural models, communication and country profiles.

[2] Japan and China Business and Management presentation, slides 1–13; Japan chapter, pp. 

Syllabus focus: Comparative and intercultural management; types of studies.

Topics: Cultural, economic, institutional, historical and organizational explanations of management differences. Convergence, divergence and hybrid practices. Individual, team, organizational and national levels of analysis. Single- and multi-country studies; cross-sectional and longitudinal designs; cross-cultural and within-culture approaches; quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods. [1–2]

Activity: Use Culture or Context? to test at least four explanations for a management difference. Analyze the Japanese multinational case across the USA, Germany, Singapore and India.

Learning objective: Compare explanations of management behavior and select an appropriate research approach.

Session 2 | Culture shock and adjustment strategies (21 students)

Syllabus focus: Intercultural understanding, communication and adaptation.

Topics: Culture shock, adjustment, re-entry, social support, stereotypes and attribution. Lucia’s silent project team: observations, interpretations, cultural and non-cultural explanations, and communication responses. Practical, learning and support actions for adjustment. [3]

Activity: Complete the critical-incident worksheet and prepare an adjustment plan. Include one practical action, one learning action, one support source and a one-week progress review.

Learning objective: Separate observation from interpretation and develop a respectful, practical adjustment strategy.

Assignments and follow-up

Class exercises: comparative case analysis, critical-incident worksheet and adjustment plan. [2–3]

Submission rule: Assignments are due 10 calendar days after the class announcement.

Teaching materials

[1] FUC_En.docx: comparative management, cultural interpretation and communication.

[2] Intercultural and Comparative Management Student Handout, pp. 1–6; exercises, p. 5.

[3] Culture Shock and Stereotypes Student Handout, pp. 2–5; activities, p. 4.

Syllabus focus: Culture as an explanatory factor in management.

Topics: Power distance; individualism/collectivism; masculinity/femininity; uncertainty avoidance; long-term orientation; and indulgence/restraint. Applications to authority, employee voice, teamwork, rewards, conflict, planning and innovation. National patterns, organizational context and individual differences. [1,2]

Activity: Link each dimension to a management decision and examine the influence of different cultural layers.

Learning objective: Explain all six dimensions and distinguish country-level comparisons from individual behavior.

Session 2 | Market comparison and performance-system cases (21 students)

Syllabus focus: Application of cultural models and management adaptation.

Topics: Compare Two Markets: analyze two countries or regions across all six dimensions. Global performance-system case: open challenge, individual rankings, competitive bonuses, experimentation and quarterly targets. Culture-layer mapping and the stereotype clinic. [2,3]

Activity: Complete the comparison worksheet and identify one business adaptation per dimension. Assess standardization and local adaptation. Replace a broad country claim with an observation, alternative explanations and a verification question.

Learning objective: Use cultural models to compare management practices and develop evidence-based recommendations without stereotyping.

Assignments and follow-up

Class exercises: market comparison, performance-system case, culture-layer map and stereotype clinic. [2,3]

Submission rule: Assignments are due 10 calendar days after the class announcement.

Death Valley, Maslow, and Communications are additionally covered with examples.

Teaching materials

[1] FUC_En.docx: comparative management, cultural models and communication.

[2] Hofstede 6 Dimensions Student Handout, pp. 1–5; exercises, p. 4.

[3] Culture Shock and Stereotypes Student Handout: cultural layers and classroom activities.

 Session 1 | Gesteland’s framework and communication 

Syllabus focus: Cultural models, intercultural communication and negotiation.

Topics: Gesteland’s four dimensions: deal-focused/relationship-focused; formal/informal; rigid-time/fluid-time; and expressive/reserved. The two Iron Rules: the visitor adapts to the local culture, and the seller adapts to the buyer. Meeting preparation, introductions, titles, punctuality, trust, listening and non-verbal communication. [1–2]

Activity: Apply the framework to first meetings and negotiation preparation, using Japan as a country example.

Learning objective: Explain the four dimensions and select appropriate communication and relationship-building approaches.

Session 2 | Cross-cultural adviser exercise and Germany–Brazil case 

Syllabus focus: Practical communication, negotiation, and country application.

Topics: A2: select Japan, China, UAE, Brazil, Germany or the United States and provide advice using all four dimensions. The Germany Meets Brazil case examines immediate negotiation, strict agendas, decision timing, and relationship-building. [2]

Activity: Complete the adviser worksheet and analyze the Germany–Brazil case. Recommend meeting, communication, trust-building and negotiation practices.

Learning objective: Use Gesteland’s model to explain a business interaction and recommend respectful adaptations.

Assignments and follow-up

A2 cross-cultural adviser worksheet and the associated Germany–Brazil case discussion. [2]

Submission rule: Assignments are due 10 calendar days after the class announcement.

Teaching materials

[1] FUC_En.docx: cultural models, communication, negotiation and country profiles.

[2] A2 Gesteland Model Student Handout, pp. 1–4; worksheet and mini case, p. 3.