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LCS100C Module Outline 2014-15
LCS100C Module Outline 2014-15
LCS100C
Culture & Society 1
Academic year 2014-15
Credit value: 20 credits
Duration: Semester 2
Prerequisites: None
Module Handbook
This module is core for Stage 1 students on International Tourism /
Hospitality Management and on the Minor pathways in French &
advanced Spanish. Each year on these pathways, you take one
language module, & one Culture & Society module. LCS200 & 300 will
focus on Francophone & Hispanic cultures; LCS100C gives a more
global perspective, focusing on issues of cross-cultural communication.
The module is also open to exchange students.
Make sure you are enrolled on this module if you are changing
elective, you need to submit elective change form, signed by LCS100C
module leader.
Teaching Staff
Dr Jacquie Hope
(module leader)
CKY 319
Staff availability
There should usually be some time at end of lecture to talk to the module
leader about any individual queries. To contact her outside session time,
please email with your question or to request an appointment she will be
happy to discuss any queries or concerns.
My principal focus will be the work of Geert Hofstede, which is the most
widely accepted & frequently cited theory of cultural difference (though
of course it also has its limitations & its critics!). In fact, his international
stature is such that he is currently the most cited European social
scientist, in any field.
Hofstede identifies six dimensions of difference between national
cultures:
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2
3
4
Power distance
Individualism / Collectivism
Masculinity / Femininity
Uncertainty Avoidance
Long-Term Orientation (Pragmatism)
Indulgence / Restraint
We will cover the first four dimensions only; we will also look briefly at
the theories of Richard Lewis & Fons Trompenaars.
The assignment, submitted at the end of module, gives you the opportunity
to relate the theory to your selection of the countries covered. You will be
applying Hofstedes theories to these countries, and integrating this with
further information about this country gained from the lectures and from your
own research. This will enable you to compare the challenges posed by a
work assignment in the various locations.
Module Aims
This module provides an introduction to a variety of theoretical and practical
dimensions of cultural difference and intercultural communication, of
relevance to business and professional life, using examples from the social
and business culture of a range of significant countries / regions including
those related to students language studies.
Deadline
% of module grade
Assignment
(instructions attached)
100%
Timetable
See university timetable, in conjunction with schedule on pp.2-3 of this
handbook. All students to attend both 2-hour sessions each week. The
timetable describes these as lectures, but in fact the sessions integrate
lecture delivery with other media such as video & with interactive elements,
such as discussion of case studies.
Problems / Concerns
If you have any concerns regarding this module, be sure to contact the
module leader, so help and advice can be offered without delay.
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Schedule of Lectures
Week
Date
Topic
27
Monday
26 Jan 2015
Friday
30 Jan
Monday
2 Feb
Friday
6 Feb
Monday
9 Feb
Friday
13 Feb
Monday
16 Feb
Friday
20 Feb
Monday
23 Feb
Friday
27 Feb
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
Monday
2 March
Friday
6 March
Monday
9 March
Friday
13 March
Monday
16 March
Friday
20 March
Monday
23 March
Friday
27 March
39
40
41
Monday
20 April
Friday
24 April
Monday
27 April
Friday
1 May
no session
Assignment surgery
no session
Assignment surgery
Assignment due Tuesday 5 May at 1200
(Cookworthy Student Support)
Assignment Instructions
Scenario
A UK-based company is opening five new offices overseas.
The company plans to send a British employee to manage the office in each
country, to lead a team of staff recruited locally.
Structure
Exact structure is specified on next page:
Introduction, five country sections, conclusion.
Style
Write in formal academic style. (Some practical intercultural business sources
use a more informal style it is important not to emulate this.)
Referencing
All quotations & ideas derived from sources must be referenced.
For referencing guidelines please see your programme handbook or the
University guidelines on intranet (Teaching & Learning / Learning
Development / Study Guides).
Please include a Source List at end listing all sources used.
Length
Total length 2,500 words, +/- 10%.
The five countries should be covered in approximately equal depth.
Please give word count at end. To ensure fairness, assignments below or
above the specified word length (+/- 10%) will be penalized
Presentation
If possible please use Arial font 12 point, 1.5 spaced, with page numbers.
Staple the pages together or use a thin plastic folder.
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Assignment Task
Choose five countries from those covered in lectures, i.e. Germany, France,
Spain, India, Japan, China. (We are using UK as our home culture.)
Invent a fictional company & decide what it is doing in the target countries.
You dont need to research this or make it appropriate for the countries its
just to enable you to personalise the assignment, so it feels more real).
Assignment Structure
Section 1 - Introduction
Briefly introduce your account by giving the name of your fictional company &
specifying what it is doing in the target countries.
Sections 2a-e Five country sections
Start each country section by listing Hofstedes scores on the first four
dimensions as given on the website www.geert-hofstede.com . Give the UK
score in brackets for comparison after each score - e.g. France: PDI 68 (UK
35), etc. You will find it useful to look at the comparative graphs, but it is not
necessary to reproduce these in your assignment.
Continue each country section by writing an account in academic style giving
recommendations how the outgoing UK employee might need to adapt his /
her behaviour and expectations to achieve optimum success. Use both the
comparative Hofstede scores and perspectives from the lectures and other
sources.
Remember that the outgoing employee has a range of activities, all of which
can be done more successfully through cultural adaptation: managing a local
team, and also dealing with local clients / potential clients / partners.
Section 3 - Conclusion
Very briefly conclude with a comparative assessment of the different cultural
challenges offered by the five postings. Suggest which of the postings might
in your opinion be expected to prove most challenging, and explain why.
Assessment Criteria
In order to pass the coursework, your work must fulfil the following criteria:
Plagiarism warning
The academic community treats academic cheating / plagiarism very
seriously. Please be sure that you are aware of the Universitys regulations.
If you want to reproduce an opinion / quotation from a printed source or the
Internet, make sure you have attributed it clearly. If you need advice, please
discuss with module leader. Further information is available on intranet /
programme handbook.
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