Syllabus
Registration via LPIS
| Day | Date | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wednesday | 03/18/20 | 02:00 PM - 05:00 PM | D1.1.074 |
| Wednesday | 03/25/20 | 02:00 PM - 05:30 PM | D1.1.074 |
| Wednesday | 04/01/20 | 02:00 PM - 05:30 PM | D1.1.074 |
| Wednesday | 04/15/20 | 02:00 PM - 05:30 PM | D1.1.074 |
| Wednesday | 04/22/20 | 02:00 PM - 05:30 PM | D1.1.074 |
| Wednesday | 05/06/20 | 02:00 PM - 07:00 PM | Online-Einheit |
| Wednesday | 05/20/20 | 02:00 PM - 03:30 PM | Online-Einheit |
As more and more organizations continue to expand globally, the need to have a workforce comfortable with operating across cultural and institutional boundaries has become vital. This trend has led to a growing number of professionals with distinctly global careers. Individuals who have chosen this type of career often find themselves at one point or another in the roles of expatriates, frequent international business travelers, or members of global virtual teams. The main focus of this course is examining the strategies and practices organizations can use to best manage and support employees in these various types of global work roles. This is essential in order to ensure that these global professionals are successful, engaged, and able to thrive in often challenging international contexts. This course also aims to familiarize you with the benefits and challenges of pursuing a global career, thus helping you prepare for such a career path in the future.
We will cover topics such as cultural and institutional factors relevant to global careers, global staffing, expatriation, repatriation, and alternative forms of global work (e.g., frequent international travel). The course is highly interactive and is designed to maximize student learning and create a positive environment in the classroom by balancing time dedicated to lecture, cases, discussions, and engaging exercises.
Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:
- Describe and discuss the cultural, institutional, and organizational factors that shape the experiences of global employees.
- Differentiate between different types of global work roles and identify the opportunities and challenges they bring.
- Critique extant practices related to the management of global employees and recommend viable improvements.
- Design successful expatriation and repatriation programs.
- Describe and compare the various paths to crafting a global career.
- Reflect on and critically evaluate your own future global career choices.
- Demonstrate improved research, presentation, discussion, and critical thinking skills.
!Attendance requirements are suspended for the duration of the distance learning period!
Regular attendance is a requirement to pass this course. Please note that any absences will negatively impact your participation grade.You will fail the course if you are absent for more than 20% of the total course time. Attendance of the last session (May 20th: 14:00-15:30) is mandatory.
This is a highly interactive course that aims for balance between lectures and student involvement. Thus, the success of this class depends on students fully engaging and participating in class discussions and activities (online discussion forums/quizzes) . The course is comprised of lectures (online recordings), case analyses, discussions (online forums/quizzes), a final in-class examination (take home, open book examination), and a student team research project.
The team research project will give you an opportunity to explore in depth topics on global employment and careers. There are many issues related to global careers that we will not be able to cover in class. Thus, this team project will allow you to conduct a more concentrated research on a topic that interests you. Most importantly, you will have the chance to talk with global employees and/or HR professionals, who have valuable first-hand experience.
All course documents, readings, assignment guidelines, lecture notes, etc. will be posted on the course website on Learn@WU in due time. Forums, quizzes, recorded lectures will also be posted on Learn@WU.
Assessment will be based on both individual and team performance. Breakdown of assignments with percent of total grade:
- In-class (online) participation 30%
- One individual written case analysis * 20%
- Written final exam (individual case analysis; in-class) (individual case analysis; take home, open book) 20%
- Team research presentation (recorded slide show presentation) * (final grade partially depends on peer evaluations) 20%
- Team research executive summary * (final grade partially depends on peer evaluations) 10%
* More information on these assignments will be provided on the course website at the start of the course.
Please note that successful in-class participation involves not only attending class (participation in forums/quizzes) but also frequently and thoughtfully contributing to the discussion by answering questions, engaging in a thoughtful analysis of the discussed cases, building on other students’ ideas, actively participating in activities, and synthesizing across readings and discussions. You are expected to have read in advance all the required reading materials and cases and be prepared to discuss them.
Grading key:
90-100% = 1
80-89% = 2
70-79% = 3
60 - 69% = 4
Below 60% = 5
Students must have completed a two-page (double-spaced) reflection/summary of their own career plan before March 18th at 2pm (please submit it to the designated dropbox at Learn@WU). Make sure to identify any potential global career opportunities. This assignment will be graded as part of your participation grade.
Prior knowledge of human resource management and cross-cultural management is helpful but not necessary.
Mihaela Dimitrova, PhD
Department of Global Business and Trade
Office: D1 3.068
I am available for in-person meetings by appointment, e-mail address: mihaela.dimitrova@wu.ac.at
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