The purpose of this module is to help students who will be working in an international business environment to communicate more effectively with people from different cultures. It aims to develop the student's understanding of the concept of culture and of theories relevant to the field of intercultural studies. Through reflection on their own heritage, history and cultural and ethnic identity, students will become aware of the values and assumptions they have which may not be shared by others. Students will apply this knowledge through reflection on their own communication styles and ways of communicating more effectively with people from different cultures and different language backgrounds will be explored.
Basic Theories and Frameworks in Intercultural Studies
• Issues of cultural identity • Value dimensions across cultures (Hall, Hofstede, Trompenaars, Bennett) • Stumbling blocks in intercultural communication (language barriers, non-verbal communication, stereotypes, assumptions, stress) • Cultural differences on a European and Global level • Understanding your own culture and beliefs: a reflective model.
Developing Intercultural Communication Competence
• Intercultural training in an international business context • Analysis of different communication styles (high / low context) with a view to developing accurate decoding of messages • Skills development in adapting one’s own communication style to ensure messages are communicated in a way that will be understood in different contexts • Interpreting and using non-verbal communication • Conflict resolution in inter-cultural settings
Practical strategies for communicating with non-native speakers of Eng
• Avoiding figurative speech and metaphoric language • Awareness of words with multiple meanings • Alternatives to phrasal verbs • Different registers of English, slang and Hiberno-English • Strategies for simplifying checking and confirming information • Issues with writing, spelling and numbers
| Module Content & Assessment | |
|---|---|
| Assessment Breakdown | % |
| Formal Examination | 50 |
| Other Assessment(s) | 50 |