20110 Transnational Management
Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a
particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source
of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.
Subject handbook information prior to 2025 is available in the Archives.
Credit points: 6 cp
Subject level:
Undergraduate
Result type: Grade and marksThere are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.
Description
This subject introduces concepts and capabilities that are critical to navigating the complexities of managing in transnational contexts. It integrates frameworks and practices from diverse disciplinary areas, such as cross-cultural psychology, social psychology, organisational behaviour, and international human resource management, to help students address the major challenges (and opportunities) of global management.
An important learning outcome of this subject is how culture influences students' (and others’) assumptions, perceptions, attributions and behaviours, and therefore how it shapes managerial practices. The content and activities in this subject are designed to help students develop awareness and competencies to more effectively communicate, collaborate, manage and lead in culturally-diverse transnational settings.
Subject learning objectives (SLOs)
| 1. | Examine the impact of culture on themselves and others, and the cross-cultural capabilities needed to bridge cultural differences |
|---|---|
| 2. | Apply a range of management approaches to suit different transnational settings and functions, including communicating, collaborating, managing and leading |
| 3. | Discuss the impact on global careers of the challenges and opportunities which exist in transnational contexts |
Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)
This subject also contributes specifically to the following program learning objectives:
- Communicate information clearly in a form appropriate for its audience (2.1)
Contribution to the development of graduate attributes
Globalisation is probably the defining phenomenon of our lifetime. It shapes every aspect of our lives from where, how and why we work, to the composition of our communities, companies and classrooms. Students studying Transnational Management develop a global outlook and capabilities that make them more effective managers in a globalized world. It does this by contributing to the development of the following graduate attribute(s):
- Communication and collaboration
This subject also contributes specifically to develop the following Program Learning Objectives for the Bachelor of Business International Business major:
- Demonstrate ability to work independently and with others as a member of a team to achieve an agreed goal (2.2)
Teaching and learning strategies
Assessment activities and learning materials are designed from evidence-based principles of ‘what works’ in developing people’s transnational capabilities.
Pre-class learning materials comprise a set of customised Briefing Notes that can be downloaded from the UTS Canvas website. The Briefing Notes introduce core ‘threshold’ concepts and provide baseline knowledge that you will need to get the most from lectures and tutorials. They also include opportunities for deeper engagement with the content through designated activities, mini-cases, guided reflections, and curated additional resources.
Students are expected to read and understand the content in the designated Briefing Notes before each lecture, and to reflect on the questions and activities included. The program below identifies which Briefing Notes are required preparation for each lecture.
Lectures are delivered on campus and are used to extend, refine and explore in more detail some of the core concepts introduced in the Briefing Notes. Personal examples, case studies and current research will be shared and discussed, and guidance and formative feedback provided to help you with assessment items. Slides for each lecture are available at UTS Canvas before each class.
Tutorials are conducted on campus via a separate schedule. You must attend the tutorial in which you have enrolled or you will be marked absent. Tutorials centre on group discussion activities that will build on the content covered in Briefing Notes and lectures. They provide opportunities to share personal experiences and reflections, apply concepts to case studies, and learn how other students interpret the content. They also offer opportunities to apply and share many of the interpersonal capabilities (collaborating, communicating, managing, leading) that are central to the learning outcomes of this subject.
The teaching approach in this subject is designed to help you create a vision for yourself as a transnational manager and to provide you with the knowledge, skills and experiences to progress towards that vision. We focus on the micro-level interpersonal knowledge and skills needed to understand, work with, and lead people from different cultural backgrounds.
The content is designed to complement the subject "Introduction to International Business" (20108), which deals with the macro-level environment of international business practice. In combination, these subjects – and others in the international business major – aim to help you develop the global knowledge, skills and mindset needed to succeed in international settings.
Content (topics)
The subject content is structured around three core themes, each linked to one of the subject’s learning outcomes. Classes will be devoted to unpacking and exploring the latest research and key concepts relating to each theme:
- Being a transnational person (the impact of one’s own enculturation, patterns of cultural differences, transnational capabilities in a global world)
- Managing in transnational settings (understanding and applying different approaches to communicate, collaborate, manage and lead in transnational settings)
- Managing and succeeding in transnational careers (living and working overseas, managing international assignments)
Assessment
Assessment task 1: Team Project (Group)
| Objective(s): | This addresses subject learning objective(s): 1 and 2 |
|---|---|
| Weight: | 20% |
| Length: | 20-25 minutes |
| Criteria: |
|
Assessment task 2: Applied Analysis and Reflection (Individual)
| Objective(s): | This addresses subject learning objective(s): 1 and 2 This addresses program learning objectives(s): 2.1 |
|---|---|
| Weight: | 40% |
| Length: | Up to 2500 words excluding references |
| Criteria: |
|
Assessment task 3: Final Examination (Individual)
| Objective(s): | This addresses subject learning objective(s): 1, 2 and 3 |
|---|---|
| Weight: | 40% |
| Length: | 2 hours |
| Criteria: |
|
Minimum requirements
Students must achieve at least 50% of the subject’s total marks.
Required texts
There is no required textbook for this subject. However, there are learning materials that students are required to read before class. These centre on a set of customised Briefing Notes which are available for download from the UTS Canvas website. These Briefing Notes summarise core concepts that will be discussed and explored further in class. They also include activities and reflection questions, links to relevant websites and academic articles, and some activities and case studies that students are expected to review before class. Several of the questions, cases, and activities that are in the Briefing Notes are former exam questions.
References
The Briefing Notes include details of some targeted (optional) academic reading articles. The details of these (including some information to help you understand their relevance to the subject content) can be found at the back of the Briefing Notes, while the articles themselves can be downloaded via the Reading List at the UTS Canvas site. The ‘Subject Resources’ page of the UTS Canvas website also contains link to reputable academic journals that publish good quality, English language research on topics relevant to this subject.