Research Seminar "Cross-Cultural Communication in Asia"

2021/2022

Учебный год

ENG

Обучение ведется на английском языке

6

Кредиты

Кто читает:

Институт востоковедения и африканистики

Статус:

Курс обязательный

Когда читается:

2-й курс, 1, 2 модуль

Преподаватели

Морозова Валентина Сергеевна

Чижова Ксения Андреевна

Course Syllabus

Abstract

The course “Cross-cultural Communication in Asia” is designed for two-year master’s programme students, who major in “Business and Politics in Modern Asia” and prepares them for solving research problems, forms knowledge and practical skills of independent research work related to professional activities, including research work in foreign language. The course provides students with fundamentals of intercultural context together with complex knowledge of modern Asia development. 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 cases, supported by a comprehensive reading list. The course will focus on: cross-cultural communication theories and Chinese communication characteristics, the rise of business anthropology in China, negotiating with Chinese partners and framework for cross-cultural understanding, Japanese communication culture, Japanese business system etc. Course also identifies characteristics of Chinese business culture that differ from the Japanese (in the dimensions of “high context” / “low context”, collectivism / individualism etc.). The course sets a background for the further studies of the complexity and increasing heterogeneity of Asian cross-cultural communication styles and future prospects of cross-cultural communication in Asia. Students study lecture materials, prepare seminar presentations, pass KAHOOT and LMS tests on required material, take part in discussions on selected issues.

Learning Objectives

• The course aims to provide students with the tools they need to create cross-cultural communication skills and gain more success with their employers (mainly, Chinese and Japanese companies).

Expected Learning Outcomes

• Able to advise individuals, departments and organizations on the development problems of the countries of Asia and Africa, using modern methods of direct and remote (using information and communications technologies) consulting; develop specific proposals for optimizing various types of practical activities.
• Able to advise individuals, departments and organizations on the development problems of the countries of Asia and Africa, using modern methods of direct and remote (using information and communications technologies) consulting; develop specific proposals for optimizing various types of practical activities.
• Able to analyze, verify, evaluate the completeness of information in the process of professional activity.
• Able to analyze, verify, evaluate the completeness of information in the process of professional activity.
• Able to build professional activities, business and make choices, guided by the principles of social responsibility.
• Able to build professional activities, business and make choices, guided by the principles of social responsibility.
• Able to choose consciously interpersonal interaction strategies with representatives of countries and cultural bearers of Asia and Africa.
• Able to choose consciously interpersonal interaction strategies with representatives of countries and cultural bearers of Asia and Africa.
• Able to conduct business negotiations in foreign languages (one oriental and English).
• Able to conduct business negotiations in foreign languages (one oriental and English).
• Able to conduct professional activities (including research activity).
• Able to conduct professional activities (including research activity).
• Able to conduct written and oral communication in Russian and foreign languages as a part of the professional and scientific communication.
• Able to conduct written and oral communication in Russian and foreign languages as a part of the professional and scientific communication.
• Able to determine independently the problem field of research activities in various aspects of Asian and African research.
• Able to determine independently the problem field of research activities in various aspects of Asian and African research.
• Able to develop independently new methods of research.
• Able to develop independently new methods of research.
• Able to formulate and justify proposals for joint oriental activity (research, applied research and research-analytical).
• Able to formulate and justify proposals for joint oriental activity (research, applied research and research-analytical).
• Able to improve and develop intellectual and cultural level, build a trajectory of professional development and career.
• Able to improve and develop intellectual and cultural level, build a trajectory of professional development and career.
• Able to organize multilateral communication and manage it.
• Able to organize multilateral communication and manage it.
• Able to organize the work of a group (collective, team), including a mixed type, consisting of representatives of eastern and western professional communities, to study international political, economic, social and cultural processes in the countries of Asia and Africa.
• Able to organize the work of a group (collective, team), including a mixed type, consisting of representatives of eastern and western professional communities, to study international political, economic, social and cultural processes in the countries of Asia and Africa.
• Able to prepare in one Eastern and English languages official business, scientific and informal documents in accordance with the norms of speech etiquette.
• Able to prepare in one Eastern and English languages official business, scientific and informal documents in accordance with the norms of speech etiquette.
• Able to present the results of professional activities publicly in one oriental and English languages directly in front of the audience and indirectly in the media, in the Internet space.
• Able to present the results of professional activities publicly in one oriental and English languages directly in front of the audience and indirectly in the media, in the Internet space.
• Able to search for information on topical issues in Asia and Africa (including the use of an advanced level of modern information and communications technologies) and process it with the help of modern methods of qualitative and quantitative analysis.
• Able to search for information on topical issues in Asia and Africa (including the use of an advanced level of modern information and communications technologies) and process it with the help of modern methods of qualitative and quantitative analysis.
• Able to solve problems in professional and social activities, taking into account social, socio-cultural, socio-political, ethnocultural and religious differences of the peoples of Asia and Africa.

Course Contents

• 1 year. Lecture 1. The problem of subject definition in cross-cultural communication. Basic categories of Chinese traditional culture and their modern interpretations in the context of cross-cultural communication.
• Lecture 1. Cross-cultural communication theories and Chinese communication characteristics
• Lecture 2. Chinese business etiquette and business world (关系 – “guanxi” system) – socio-cultural norms and rules.
• Lecture 2. Anthropology and Business in China
• Lecture 3. Japanese culture and its’ key concepts.
• Lecture 3. Stereotyping in the process of cross-cultural communication with Chinese – theory and practice
• Lecture 4. Japanese communication culture.
• Lecture 4. Managing business in China: negotiating with Chinese partners and framework for cross-cultural understanding
• Lecture 5. Discourse of East and West cultures in the process of cross-cultural communication
• Lecture 6. Japanese communication culture
• Lecture 7. Japanese companies
• Lecture 8. Japanese international companies outside Japan
• Lecture 9. Foreigners and Japanese enterprises
• Lecture 10. Japan in the modern world

Assessment Elements

• Presentation (China)
• Engagement in class discussions / Test
  Lecturers evaluate students progress, including assigned readings comprehension and contribution to discussions. The component is calculated as an average grade achieved on all seminars. Accumulative marks (min – 0, max – 10) for the participation in class discussions/case-studies are released at the end of the course (before the final assessment takes place).
• Written exam
  The final exam will take the form of written exam that includes 20 questions in a form of a test (2 open questions).
• Presentation (Japan)
• Presentation (Japan)
  Depending on the number of students, presentations will be conducted in groups by 2-4 students. The time limit for presentation is 20 minutes and should not be exceeded. Students are expected to read literature recommended in the syllabus, as well as to search for extra sources, especially in order to get most recent information on the topic of their presentation. The report begins with the presentation of the topic, abstract and objectives to the audience and ends with conclusions and a list of references. 1. Content of the report - corresponds to the stated topic, fully reveals the topic; - should be made in an academic language; - reporter should present logical and convincing argumentation, complete and reasoned answers to the questions; - lack of factual errors; - reporter should understand the main terms of the report, if necessary – explain their meaning to the audience; - appropriate conclusions to the stated objectives. 2. Presentation design - the presence of illustrative material (maps, diagrams, tables, photos) with an indication of the source; - a list of sources, drawn up in accordance with the requirements. 3. Speech - it is not allowed to read in advance prepared text on any medium; - the roles of the participants are evenly distributed; - compliance with the time limit (20 minutes). NOTE that the highest grade (10) implies the involvement of the audience in the discussion.
• Engagement in class discussions / Test
  Lecturers evaluate students progress, including assigned readings comprehension and contribution to discussions. The component is calculated as an average grade achieved on all seminars. Accumulative marks (min – 0, max – 10) for the participation in class discussions/case-studies are released at the end of the course (before the final assessment takes place).
• Written exam
  The exam for the course will be held in the test format on the LMS platform, includes 30 questions. Regulations: quiz = 1 minute, fill the gaps = 2 minutes, open-ended = 3 minutes. Updating the answer is not allowed.
• Presentation (China)
  Depending on the number of students, presentations will be conducted in groups by 2-4 students. The time limit for presentation is 20 minutes and should not be exceeded. Students are expected to read literature recommended in the syllabus, as well as to search for extra sources, especially in order to get most recent information on the topic of their presentation. The report begins with the presentation of the topic, abstract and objectives to the audience and ends with conclusions and a list of references. 1. Content of the report - corresponds to the stated topic, fully reveals the topic; - should be made in an academic language; - reporter should present logical and convincing argumentation, complete and reasoned answers to the questions; - lack of factual errors; - reporter should understand the main terms of the report, if necessary – explain their meaning to the audience; - appropriate conclusions to the stated objectives. 2. Presentation design - the presence of illustrative material (maps, diagrams, tables, photos) with an indication of the source; - a list of sources, drawn up in accordance with the requirements. 3. Speech - it is not allowed to read in advance prepared text on any medium; - the roles of the participants are evenly distributed; - compliance with the time limit (20 minutes). NOTE that the highest grade (10) implies the involvement of the audience in the discussion.

Interim Assessment

• 2020/2021 4th module
  0.2 * Presentation (Japan) + 0.1 * Engagement in class discussions / Test + 0.5 * Written exam + 0.2 * Presentation (China)
• 2021/2022 2nd module
  0.5 * Written exam + 0.2 * Presentation (China) + 0.2 * Presentation (Japan) + 0.1 * Engagement in class discussions / Test

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

• Alexander Prasol. (2010). Modern Japan: Origins Of The Mind - Japanese Traditions And Approaches To Contemporary Life. World Scientific.
• Evrard, A. Y., & Appadurai, A. (2017). Modernity at Large : Cultural Dimensions of Globalisation. London: Macat Library. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1564340
• Fiona Graham. (2003). Inside the Japanese Company. Routledge.
• Geert Hofstede, & Gert Jan Hofstede. (2004). Cultures and Organizations: Software for the Mind. McGraw-Hill Education.
• Harry Irwin. (1996). Communicating with Asia : Understanding People and Customs. Routledge.
• Jeff Graham, Javed Maswood, & Hideaki Miyajima. (2002). Japan - Change and Continuity. Routledge.
• Ming Dong Gu. (2018). Why Traditional Chinese Philosophy Still Matters : The Relevance of Ancient Wisdom for the Global Age. Routledge.
• Mona Chung, & Bruno Mascitelli. (2015). Dancing With The Dragon : Doing Business With China: Vol. First edition. Business Expert Press.
• Nishiyama, K. (DE-576)18166769X. (2000). Doing business with Japan : successful strategies for intercultural communication / Kazuo Nishiyama. University of Hawai’i Press.

Recommended Additional Bibliography

• Claude Lévi-Strauss. (2013). The Other Face of the Moon. Harvard University Press.
• Croucher, S. M. (2016). Understanding Communication Theory : A Beginner’s Guide. New York: Routledge. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1055331
• Fiona Graham. (2005). Japanese Company in Crisis. Routledge.
• Schweitzer, S., & Alexander, L. (2015). Access to Asia : Your Multicultural Guide to Building Trust, Inspiring Respect, and Creating Long-Lasting Business Relationships. Hoboken, New Jersey: Wiley. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=978132
• Senko K. Maynard. (1997). Japanese Communication : Language and Thought in Context. University of Hawaii Press.
• Sergey Mikhnevich. (2016). The Glory of Intelligence: China’s Smart Power and the Implications for Security in the Asia-Pacific Region. https://doi.org/10.17323/1996-7845/2016-01-92
• Yang, S., Chen, S., & Li, B. (2016). The Role of Business and Friendships on WeChat Business: An Emerging Business Model in China. Journal of Global Marketing, 29(4), 174–187. https://doi.org/10.1080/08911762.2016.1184363