Intercultural Communication for Global Business

Course overview

Today’s world is increasingly diverse as companies embrace globalization and respond to the shifting landscape of the pandemic. The ability to effectively interact, work and develop meaningful relationships with professionals across different cultures and social groups is essential in a global workforce.

Discover how VUCA (an environment that is volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous) represents a set of challenges that all businesses face, and how becoming culturally competent in a globalised, VUCA world can open new markets and networks, promote mutual enrichment, and improve productivity and efficiency.

Drawing on interdisciplinary research, this course will provide you with the necessary awareness, know-how and practical skills needed to become more effective at intercultural interactions. You will draw on various models to analyse your own experiences in order to develop a personal development plan to address effective interactions at work in the face of significant challenges.

What will I learn?

By the end of the course, you will be able to:

• assess the impact of VUCA on today’s workplace
• define culture and critique several cultural models
• explain the effect of cultural differences on interactions
• identify individual and cultural preferences for working practices and demonstrate the use of empathy when evaluating others
• define the culture adaptation process and develop a strategy to foster effective interactions at work
• assess the opportunities and challenges of using English as an international working language and develop strategies to use it in an effective and inclusive way
• apply inclusive teamwork and/or leadership skills to successfully complete tasks in a multicultural workplace
• evaluate and apply experience and knowledge to create a personal development action plan.

Who is this course for?

• Individuals working in organisations that span across cultures, languages or countries.
• Expatriates (expats), or those working in a non-native country and looking to develop their workplace communication skills.
• EDIB (Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging) professionals keen to learn more about building intercultural communication into their diversity and inclusion models.

What will I get on completion?

Evidence your learning with a Certificate of Achievement from the University of Cambridge on successful completion.