International Commerce & Culture
Professor Ann
C. Baker Classes meet on
Arlington campus, Room 253
Contact
Information: abaker1@gmu.edu Tuesday, 7:20-10pm
703-993-3805
Office: Arlington, Room 264
This course examines and applies the major dimensions of cultural analysis to international commerce and policy. The course assesses cultural perspectives that influence the flow of peoples, messages, goods, capital, and technology across national and cultural boundaries. It focuses on problems that public officials and the business community face when conducting activities in the context of differing cultures and value systems.
Texts and other
Readings:
Fukuyama,
Francis (1996). Trust: The Social
Virtues and the Creation of Prosperity, NY, Free Press. (Case studies of US, Germany, Japan, Korea,
France, Italy, China.)
Hampden-Turner,
Charles & Trompenaars, Fons (2000).
Building Cross-Cultural Competence: How to Create Wealth from
Conflicting Values, New Haven, Yale University Press.
Harrison,
Lawrence & Huntington, Samuel (Eds.) (2000). Culture Matters: How Values Shape Human Progress, NY, Basic
Books.
Huntington,
Samuel (1996). The Clash of
Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order, NY, Simon & Schuster.
Lewis, Richard
(1999). When Cultures Collide: Managing
Successfully Across Cultures, London, Nicholas Brealey Publishing.
A fee of
approximately $10-$20 will be collected in the first class to cover copy costs
for additional relevant readings that will be distributed during the semester.
Requirements:
Completion of all assigned reading, attendance, and active participation
in class are expected each week. There
will be two essays required that will demonstrate a reflective integration of
readings and class interactions, while also allowing some opportunity to delve
more deeply into related areas of personal interest. The papers (approximately 10-12 pages) will be due on October 22nd
and November 26th. In
addition, each person will also be responsible for working with one or two
other students to make a class presentation (approximately 15-20 minutes) and
then offer questions or scenarios that will engage students in class
conversation. The final course grade
will be based upon:
More details
will be given during the first class.
Week 1, August
27: Introduction to the course, texts, syllabus, students and professor, and to
concepts and approaches that will be explored during the semester.
Week 2,
September 3: Overlapping Dimensions of
Culture and International Commerce
Week 3,
September 10: Corporate and National
Culture as Influences in International Commerce
Week 4,
September 17: Varied Perspectives on Time
Week 5,
September 24: Varied Perspectives on Kinship and Family
Week 6, October
1: Varied Perspectives on Gender
Week 7, October
8: Varied Perspectives on Power, Status, and Conflict Resolution
Columbus Day
Break – October 15
Weeks 8 – 12,
October 22 – November 19: Each week
will focus on a Region of the World introduced by an outside speaker who will
share expertise and experiences from various regions of the world such as the
European Union, the Muslim World, Latin America, China, and Africa. Speakers will include John Paden, Desmond
Dinan, Peter Mandaville, and others upon final confirmation.
Part 4 – Integration of Culture and International Commerce in Cross-Cultural Communication and International Careers
Week 13,
November 26: Careers in International Interactions (Second Essay Due on Nov.
26)
Week 14, December
3: Prospects, Possibilities, and Implications