Магистратура
2025/2026
Научно-исследовательский семинар "Межкультурная коммуникация в АТР"
Статус:
Курс обязательный (Международный бизнес в странах Азиатско-Тихоокеанского региона)
Кто читает:
Департамент менеджмента
Где читается:
Санкт-Петербургская школа экономики и менеджмента
Когда читается:
1-й курс, 3, 4 модуль
Охват аудитории:
для всех кампусов НИУ ВШЭ
Язык:
английский
Кредиты:
6
Контактные часы:
48
Course Syllabus
Abstract
The course provides students with fundamentals of intercultural context together with complex knowledge of modern development of Asia. It is also devoted to communication between different cultures and includes the study of theoretical aspects of intercultural communication, covering the key-concepts with a wide variety of examples, supported by a comprehensive reading list. The course will focus on: differences between “interaction” and “communication”, “intercultural”, “multicultural” and “cross-cultural”; basic categories of Asian traditional cultures and their modern interpretations; stereotyping in the process of Intercultural Communication in Asia; national character and main features of Asian business etiquette; intercultural communication and dialogue of cultures in the sociocultural space of modern Asia. The course aims to equip students with a robust theoretical and practical understanding of intercultural communication, with a specific emphasis on the complex dynamics between APEC nations and the Russian Federation.
A significant portion of the course is dedicated to the nuanced study of cross-cultural interactions, encompassing pivotal theoretical frameworks within intercultural communication. This exploration will be supported by empirical case studies and an extensive, curated reading list.
In an increasingly globalized economy, the ability to interact effectively with colleagues, clients, and partners from diverse cultural backgrounds is a fundamental professional competency. This program moves beyond simple etiquette, delving into the deep-seated cultural dimensions—such as communication styles, context, power distance, and concepts of time—that shape business interactions.
Students will explore the theoretical foundations of intercultural communication and apply them to practical, real-world business scenarios. Key topics include managing multinational teams, conducting successful international negotiations, crafting persuasive marketing for different audiences, and developing strategies to prevent cultural misunderstandings that can derail projects and partnerships. The course emphasizes the development of cultural intelligence (CQ), fostering the skills necessary to interpret verbal and non-verbal cues, adapt one's communication approach, and build trust across cultural divides.
Ultimately, this course equips participants with the essential tools to become more effective, respectful, and successful global business professionals, turning cultural diversity from a potential challenge into a strategic advantage.
Learning Objectives
- • To equip students with robust theoretical frameworks for analyzing intercultural communication in a business context.
- • To develop a nuanced understanding of the diverse cultural, social, and business environments within the Asia-Pacific Region (APR).
- • To enhance practical skills for effective communication, negotiation, and management in multicultural APR contexts through case study analysis and research.
- • To critically evaluate cultural stereotypes and understand the dynamics of national business cultures and etiquette.
Expected Learning Outcomes
- Develop and present culturally-informed strategies for common business challenges
- Apply a systematic framework for analyzing business interactions
- Compare and contrast major models of societal culture (e.g., Hofstede, E.T. Hall, GLOBE) and apply them to APR nations
- Identify potential barriers to effective cross-cultural communication (e.g., anxiety, ethnocentrism, prejudice, and different communication codes) and develop strategies to overcome them.
- Critically evaluate the impact of culture on the perception of self and identity, including facework, self-construal (independent vs. interdependent), and in-
- Recognize and deconstruct common stereotypes and generalizations, understanding the difference between them and using cultural patterns as flexible frameworks rather than rigid prescriptions.
- Create a personal development plan for ongoing intercultural competence, demonstrating self-awareness of one's own cultural biases and a commitment to lifelong learning about other cultures.
- Analyze the deep structure of culture by explaining the fundamental dimensions of cultural variability (e.g., Hofstede's dimensions, Hall's context, Trompenaars' models) and how they manifest in communication styles.
- Apply a systematic framework for analyzing cross-cultural interactions, such as the D.I.E. (Describe, Interpret, Evaluate) model, to move beyond initial judgments to more accurate understanding
- Critically evaluate the impact of culture on the perception of self and identity, including facework, self-construal (independent vs. interdependent), and in-group/out-group dynamics.
- Analyze the role of language and language diversity, including the challenges of communicating in a second language, the use of interpreters, and the power dynamics associated with language choice.
- Analyze the role of nonverbal communication across cultures, including kinesics (gestures, posture), proxemics (personal space), haptics (touch), paralanguage
- Develop and demonstrate cultural empathy by attempting to understand a communication event from the perspective of a cultural worldview different from one's own.
- Articulate the challenges and strategies for working effectively in multicultural teams, including managing conflict, building trust, and leveraging diversity for innovation.
- Develop and present culturally-informed strategies for common business challenges (e.g., negotiation, marketing, leadership) in the APR.
- Adapt communication strategies for various contexts, including business negotiations, educational settings, healthcare interactions, and social relationships, to achieve mutual understanding and respect.
- Apply ethical principles to cross-cultural encounters, demonstrating respect, responsibility, and a commitment to minimizing harm when engaging with cultural differences.
Course Contents
- Defining APR region
- Recent economic developments in APR
- Models of societal culture
- Cultures, subcultures, countercultures, ethnocentrism.
- Elements of culture: values, worldviews, attitudes and beliefs, traditions, myths.
- Cultures, cultural clusters or “civilizations”, nationalism and civil religions
- Cultural biases and stereotypes
- McLuhan, uncertainty management, communication competence
- The Deep Structure of Culture: Roots of Reality
- Artefacts, narratives, rituals.
- Identities, personal, cultural.
- Language, verbal intercultural communication
- Nonverbal communication
- Intercultural relations and communication
- Intercultural conflicts
- Nature of negotiation: strategizing, framing, planning
- Strategy and tactics of distributive bargaining
- Strategy and tactics of integrative bargaining
- Finding and using negotiation leverage
- Regional and national negotiation styles
Assessment Elements
- ActivityPoints are awarded for the participation in discussions and role games at the seminars, not for the mare presence.
- Home works based on casesThe home works will be based on the cases, some questions will be discussed during the seminars and some will be answered in home works, which students will need to submit to LMS. In total it will be 8 home works some of them will be individual, some will be done in teams.
- Intermediary presentation of the Group projectStudents should prepare brief comparative analysis of the countries, including: They will make presentations of this brief in class. The presentation should include: 1. The comparative analysis of the current economic situation, trends and most important sectors and industries of two countries. 2. Information on the current actual or prospective business and economic cooperation for the countries chosen. 3. Time limit for the presentation is 15 minutes.
- Midterm testTests combines open-ended and close-ended question, related the first two blocks of the course: 1. Particulars of APR and culture dimensions 2. Theory and elements of communication.
- Final presentation of the research projectDuring the course, students will complete a group project (4–5 people) focused on analyzing two countries: the first should be from APR, the second – from any other region. The choices should be approved by the teachers. through the lens of leadership, communication, and teamwork.
- ExamExam format: printed test including 20 questions, combining open and closed questions. The grade is the percentages of correct answers. Using AI Each work will be checked for plagiarism using an internal HSE service to identify the use of AI in the work. The use of AI is not prohibited for editing sentences, phrases, or words, generating images or audio materials, or formatting links. Otherwise, the use of AI is prohibited. When using AI in the work, the student must declare it in separate links in the work according to the established template. When the HSE Saint Petersburg Anti-Plagiarism system initially detects the use of AI for unauthorized purposes and/or the absence of a mention and explanation of the use of AI in the student's work, the student is given the opportunity to correct the work. In case of repeated detection of the use of AI for unauthorized purposes and/or the absence of a mention and explanation of the use of AI in the student's work, the work is not counted and the student receives an unsatisfactory mark (0 points). Please write the retake rules for the course if a student does not achieve a satisfactory grade as a result of completing the course. The cumulative grade is retained in any case according to ПОПАТКУС (University rules) POPATKUS. What is the procedure for retaking the course during the supplementary session? Remind me that students who fail the exam have 3 attempts to retake the discipline – 2 attempts with the instructor teaching the discipline and 1 time with a commission. You need to outline the retake procedure and the grading formula (weight of the cumulative course grade + form and weight of the retake assignment) in the program also 7. Academic Integrity and Policies • Academic Integrity: o [All work submitted in this course must be your own. Plagiarism, defined as using the words, ideas, or work of another without proper attribution, is a serious academic offense and will be dealt with in accordance with HSE University's Policy on Academic Integrity. This includes the unauthorized use of AI tools without explicit permission from the instructor. All sources must be cited using the [e.g., APA] citation style.] • Late Submission Policy: o [Assignments submitted after the deadline without a valid, documented reason (e.g., medical certificate) will be penalized by a 10% reduction in grade for each 24-hour period it is late.] • Special Educational Needs: o Students with special educational needs are requested to contact the instructor and the HSE Support Service at the beginning of the course to arrange appropriate support.
Interim Assessment
- 2025/2026 4th module0.05 * Activity + 0.05 * Activity + 0.1 * Exam + 0.25 * Final presentation of the research project + 0.075 * Home works based on cases + 0.075 * Home works based on cases + 0.075 * Intermediary presentation of the Group project + 0.075 * Intermediary presentation of the Group project + 0.25 * Midterm test
Bibliography
Recommended Core Bibliography
- Cultures and Organizations, Software of the mind. Intercultural Cooperation and Its Importance for survival. (2010). McGraw-Hill. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsnar&AN=edsnar.oai.library.wur.nl.wurpubs.392270
- Cultures and Organizations: Software of the mind. (2014). Hakjisa. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsnar&AN=edsnar.oai.library.wur.nl.wurpubs.454134
- Deresky, H. (2016). International Management: Managing Across Borders and Cultures, Text and Cases, Global Edition. [N.p.]: Pearson. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1419482
- Gesteland, R. R. (2005). Cross-cultural Business Behavior : Negotiating, Selling, Sourcing and Managing Across Cultures. [Copenhagen, Denmark]: Samfundslitteratur Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=526885
- Warren, T. L. (2017). Cross-cultural Communication : Perspectives in Theory and Practice. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1480963
- Warren, T.L. Cross-Cultural Communication: Perspectives in Theory and Practice / Thomas L. Warren. – Oxon; New York: Routledge: Taylor & Francis Group, 2017. – (Baywood's Technical Communications Series / ser. ed.: Charles H. Sides). – Текст: электронный // DB ProQuest Ebook Central (ebrary) [сайт].