FSK10 East Asian Culture and Communication

• Topics

  This course provides basic knowledge of issues relevant for understanding Chinese and Japanese business culture and communication. It covers culture spesific themes such as: uchi and soto (cf. hierarchy), mianzi (face), guanxi (cf. relationships), honne and tatemae (cf. indirectness). It also encourages critical reflection on one's own cultural values and on existing theories and concepts within the field of intercultural business communication.

• Learning outcome

  Upon successful completion of the course, the students have acquired the following:

  Knowledge:

  •  understand similarities and differences in Western and East Asian attitudes, norms, and values directing daily life and business practices.
  • knowledge of relevant theories related to intercultural business communication

  skills:

  • able to reflect on the values underlying behaviour and communication in East Asia with special reference to Japan and China.
  • able to critically assess the theories related to intercultural business communication

  General competence:

  • improved soft skills to work in East Asian settings
  • improved critical thinking

• Teaching

   Group discussions, case studies, field work, and presentations. The course requires the students' active participation.

• Requirements for course approval

  Attendance is mandatory for 75 % of the lectures.

  Two group presentations of the field work results in class: 1) preliminary findings, 2) final analysis

  Discussion of another group's presentation 

• Assessment

  Portfolio assessment consisting of: 1) an individual reflection paper on a given topic and a final self reflection note (ca. 50%), and 2) a group report based on fieldwork (ca. 50%) 

  Candidates must pass all parts of the exam in the same term.

• Grading Scale

  Grades A - F for the assessment parts and for the overall grade.

• Computer tools

   None

• Literature

  A selection of book chapters and articles will be made available on Canvas.