About this course: This course aims to prepare you for working in an cross-cultural Business setting. We'll learn about common cross-cultural theories and how they are relevant to everyday business practices in a globalised world. By combining all of your vocabulary, reading, speaking, and writing skills that you acquired in the previous three courses, you will learn how language plays an important role in cross-cultural communication. You will also enhance your cross-cultural understanding and will be able to use vocabulary, tone and style, and spoken and written communication skills within a cross-cultural Business context. Skills learned in this course help prepare you to deliver the professional business presentation in the Capstone project. After completing this course, you will be able to: - identify possible cross-cultural issues and misunderstandings in communication - apply strategies to overcome possible cross-cultural issues and misunderstandings in communication - produce documents with an appropriate style for business communication purposes within a cross-cultural situation - deliver a speech with an appropriate style for business communication purposes within a cross-cultural situation
Created by: The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Taught by: Sean McMinn, Senior Insructor
Center for Language Education
Taught by: Kin Tang, Instructor
Center for Language Education
Taught by: Delian Gaskell, Instructor
Center for Language Education
| Basic Info | Course 4 of 5 in the Business English for Non-Native Speakers Specialization |
| Commitment | 6 weeks of study, 2-4 hours/week |
| Language | English |
| How To Pass | Pass all graded assignments to complete the course. |
| User Ratings |
Syllabus
WEEK 1
Welcome module
Welcome to Week 1! This week, we will cover Module 1 where we introduce you to the objectives and structure of this Specialization and course.
1 video, 4 readings
- Video: Welcome
- Reading: Objectives and outcomes
- Discussion Prompt: How is this course relevant to you?
- Reading: Learning how to learn
- Reading: Learning vocabulary
- Discussion Prompt: How do you learn English?
- Reading: The HKUST Grammar Guide
WEEK 2
What is culture?
Welcome to Week 2! This week we will cover Module 2 where we introduce you to basic cultural theories and language skills you will use in general cross-cultural business situations. You will also be introduced to vocabulary and language skills common to business communications.
4 videos, 7 readings, 2 practice quizzes
- Reading: Objectives and outcomes
- Reading: Vocabulary prep
- Practice Quiz: Vocabulary practice
- Discussion Prompt: How would you define culture?
- Video: What is culture?
- Reading: Can we define culture?
- Discussion Prompt: What about your culture? Does it change?
- Video: English as a Lingua Franca
- Discussion Prompt: Same word, different meaning?
- Reading: Objectives and outcomes
- Reading: Vocabulary list
- Practice Quiz: Vocabulary practice
- Video: Challenging grammar: comparative and superlative forms
- Reading: More on comparative and superlative forms
- Reading: Relatively, rather, compared to
- Video: Challenging English sounds /ʃ/ "sherry" and /ʧ/ "cherry"s
Graded: Say it right.
Graded: Module 2
WEEK 3
Culture and communication strategies
Welcome to Week 3! This week we will cover Module 3 where we introduce you to ways of cultural understanding can guide business communication strategies basic and the language skills you will use in general cross-cultural business situations. You will also be introduced to vocabulary and language skills common to business communications.
9 videos, 8 readings, 3 practice quizzes
- Reading: Vocabulary prep
- Practice Quiz: Vocabulary prep
- Video: Digital communication
- Discussion Prompt: Is it culturally appropriate?
- Discussion Prompt: Cross-cultural communication blunders
- Reading: Cross-cultural communication barriers
- Video: The cultural situation - Part 1
- Video: The cultural situation - Part 2
- Video: Cultural strategy - Writing
- Video: Cultural strategy: Speaking (Part 1)
- Video: Cultural strategy: Speaking (Part 2)
- Reading: Avoiding cultural faux pas in international business
- Reading: Objectives and outcomes
- Reading: Vocabulary list
- Practice Quiz: Vocabulary practice
- Video: Challenging English Grammar: Connective choice
- Reading: Adverb and Connective Choice
- Reading: List of conjuncts
- Video: Challenging English Sounds - /ŋ/ “thing” and /ŋk/ “think”
- Video: Rhythm, stress and pausing
- Reading: Peer review practice: Sample of a culturally insensitive email
- Practice Quiz: Culturally insensitive email: peer review practice
- Peer Review: Culturally insensitive email: Correct and rewrite
Graded: Avoiding cultural and communicative faux pas
Graded: Module 3
WEEK 4
Culture and management communication
Welcome to Week 4! This week we will cover Module 4 where we introduce you to common cultural frameworks used in the business world, how theories inform management in cross-cultural situations and language skills you will use in management situations. You will also be introduced to vocabulary and language skills common to business communications.
5 videos, 5 readings, 1 practice quiz
- Video: Hofstede's cultural dimensions
- Reading: More on Hofstede's cultural dimensions
- Reading: Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions: applications, further studies, and criticisms
- Discussion Prompt: Do you agree with Hofstede?
- Video: Cross-cultural communication skills for management
- Video: Directness of language
- Reading: Objectives and outcomes
- Reading: Vocabulary list
- Practice Quiz: Vocabulary practice
- Video: Challenging English Grammar:The continuous tense
- Reading: More on the continuous (past, present, future)
- Video: Challenging English sounds: /w/ "west"-v- /v/ "vest"
- Peer Review: Say it right
Graded: Hofstede's cultural dimensions mini-case
Graded: Module 4
WEEK 5
Culture, application and ethics
Welcome to Week 5! This week we will cover Module 5 where we introduce you ways you might apply cultural frameworks to authentic workplace situations, business ethics in today's international worlds and the language skills you will use in these situations. You will also be introduced to vocabulary and language skills common to business communications.
6 videos, 4 readings, 1 practice quiz
- Video: Applying Cultural Frameworks
- Reading: Directness of communication - in Cross Cultural Contexts
- Video: Business Negotiations
- Discussion Prompt: Can cultural frameworks be applied in the real world?
- Video: Applying Cultural Frameworks in Business Ethics
- Discussion Prompt: Cross Cultural Frameworks and Business Ethics
- Reading: Objectives and outcomes
- Reading: Vocabulary list
- Practice Quiz: Vocabulary practice
- Video: Challenging English Sounds-/l/ "light" and /r/ "right"
- Video: Challenging English Grammar: Misplaced modifiers & dangling participles
- Reading: More on misplaced modifiers & dangling participles
- Video: Analyzing case studies
Graded: Applying cross cultural frameworks in cross cultural communication - mini-case analysis
Graded: Applying cross cultural frameworks in cross cultural business negotiations and ethics - mini-case analysis
Graded: Module 5
WEEK 6
Concluding module
Welcome to Week 6! This week we will cover Module 6 where we will conclude the course and you will need to complete the final exam and post-course survey.
Graded: Final exam
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Pricing
| Audit | Purchase Course | |
|---|---|---|
| Access to course materials | Available | Available |
| Access to graded materials | Not available | Available |
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Ratings and Reviews
Thank you so much
This course is one the important courses should anyone take it
Great course
Although some matters are presented quite broadly and generically, some others are exhaustive and of practical usage, especially the ones supported by documents and references: very useful!
I found the lessons on cultural aspects were very interesting and well instructed.
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It was an amazing experience to me for the very first time I studied online.
I learned a lot. I enjoyed learning with COURSERA.
Everything was great!