Cross-Cultural Management – the European Approach

Paris (France), Torino (Italy) & Berlin (Germany)

Europe is a continent that combines unity with great diversity. In a globalising world, where more and more people live and work with people from many different backgrounds and nationalities, learning how to make the most of cultural diversity is a must.

During this three-week programme delivered in three representative and yet very different European countries (Italy, France and Germany), students from many different cultures will experience first-hand an intercultural journey and learn core competences in contemporary cross-cultural management, combining European and global perspectives.

The basic assumption of this Summer Programme is that globalisation does not mean standardisation. Most of us will retain our home base, origins and roots, that is, we will retain our local identity while still being members of the global community. Moreover, diversity and differences in global villages are key assets for companies, as well as for managers and consumers.

Cultural diversity increases the range of alternatives available to us and helps deal with complex problems. Knowledge of cultural variations, in business cultures, marketing and management, can make international managers more effective when dealing with customers, suppliers, colleagues and negotiation partners in foreign countries. It also help decision makers react better to any ethical, political, social or economic issues that may arise in the international operations of their respective companies.

Course leader

Nathalie Prime Doctor in Business Administration HDR (French Qualification for Ph.D. Supervisor) Professor Marketing

Target group

Undergraduate students

Course aim

By choosing this Summer Programme, not only will you acquire knowledge of cultural differences in an international business environment and develop the capability to adapt with confidence, but you will also:

- Understand the key influence of culture, its benefits and constraints, when making and implementing decisions in an international environment,

- Enhance your intercultural competences in mapping the diversity in world business cultures, your local consumer knowledge and your cross-border management style,

- Enlarge your management skills and networks.