DOING BUSINESS IN EUROPE

Developing competences, skills and knowledge to work effectively in European markets and manage intercultural and multicultural relationships.

No prerequisites

1. Develop cultural sensitivity and cultural awareness of each of the countries studied. 2. Become familiar with specific geographical areas and their specificities in business practices. 3. Understand the various legal, political, social and environmental constraints within which businesses must operate in the European Community. 4. Acquire skills and confidence to undertake business activities within the geographical area of the course and maintain relationships with its operators and customers. 5. Acquire skills of analysis, critical reflection and learning from experience in multi-cultural teams through the use of typical frames from academic writing.

Section 1: Introduction to the course and how to test learning, with particular reference to the use of academic writing frames to learn from experience. Section 2: Introduction to international, multinational and global organisations; Section 3: Management of co-localised, hybrid and virtual multicultural teams; Section 4: Definition of the European context; Section 5: Doing Business in Europe; Section 6: Managing multicultural negotiations.

All readings, slides and teaching materials will be uploaded on the course website.

1. Lectures; 2. Discussion of business cases; 3. Experiential team exercises; 4. Company testimonials; 5. Role playing; 6. Team project.

The assessment consists of a group project and the writing of an individual essay, following Gibbs’ reflective cycle model, on the dynamics that characterised the experience in the team in which the students participated. The exam will be assessed according to the following criteria: Not Successful: important deficiencies and/or inaccuracies in the knowledge and understanding of the topics; limited ability to analyse and synthesise, frequent generalisations and limited critical and judgemental skills, the topics are set out inconsistently and with inappropriate language; 18-20: Barely sufficient knowledge and understanding of the topics with possible generalisations and imperfections; sufficient capacity for analysis synthesis and autonomy of judgement, topics are frequently exposed in an incoherent way and with inappropriate/technical language; 21-23: Routine knowledge and understanding of topics; ability to analyse and synthesise correctly with sufficiently coherent logical argumentation and appropriate/technical language; 24-26: Fair knowledge and understanding of the topics; Good analytical and synthetic skills with arguments expressed in a rigorous manner but with language that is not always appropriate/technical; 27-29: Comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the topics; considerable capacity for analysis and synthesis. Good autonomy of judgement. Arguments presented in a rigorous manner and with appropriate/technical language; 30-30L: Excellent level of knowledge and thorough understanding of topics. Excellent analytical and synthetic skills and independent judgement. Arguments expressed in an original manner and with appropriate technical language.

Interest for the discipline. Active participation to the classes. Quality and relevance of the proposed topic.