Professional skills and expertise
The focus of this module lies on enabling students to acquire a range of different personal skills that are needed in an international management context. The module consists of (1) a global case study challenge, in which students enhance their intercultural teamwork skills, (2) a coaching program, in which students learn how to coach others and recognize their own goals and strengths, and (3) elective skills development seminars, in which students choose 2 out of the following 3 seminars: "Cross-border negotiations", "Communicating with impact" and "Learning, thinking and problem-solving strategies".
On successful completion of this module, students will be able to:

• describe how methods and techniques in the chosen elective skills seminars can contribute to managerial effectiveness in an international business context
  
• apply coaching techniques to support others in identifying their strengths and goals and finding the right approaches to reaching their goals
  Personal skills (problem-solving/critical thinking, social and communication skills, self-competence)
  In the global case challenge and the coaching program, students will acquire the following personal skills:
  
• build trust and collaborate effectively in global virtual teams
  
• develop intercultural competence through working on case studies in intercultural teams
  
• support others in identifying their own strengths and goals, devising plans to reach their goals, and reflecting on learning experiences
  
• recognize their own strengths and personal and career goals, and develop strategies for reaching these goals

• recognize culture-based differences in negotiation style and apply appropriate negotiation techniques in an intercultural negotiation situation (in the "Cross-border negotiations" seminar)
• improve their communication skills in terms of precision, structure and clarity, persuasion, and visual representation of knowledge (in a variety of different genres including, for example, academic articles, social media posts, and managerial report) (in the "Communicating with impact" seminar)
• extend their repertoire of learning, thinking (analytical, critical, and conceptual thinking) and problem-solving methods (in the "Learning, Thinking and Problem-Solving Strategies" Seminar)

• using digital tools for communication and cooperation in virtual global teams
• communicating more effectively on social media channels

None

This module covers the following topics:
I. Global case study challenge
• Collaboration and cultural intelligence in global and/or virtual teams
• Working on case studies in global virtual teams
II. Coaching program
• Coaching as a development process
• Coaching techniques
• Peer coaching exercises
III. Personal skills development electives
A. Cross-border negotiations
• Process dynamics in cross-border negotiations
• Cultural and personal differences in negotiation style
• Distributive and integrative negotiations
• Practical negotiation exercises
B. Communicating with impact
• Effective communication in different genres (including, for example, academic writing, social media posts, and managerial reports and presentations)
• Audience analysis, clarity of purpose, structure, and precision
• Developing credibility and being persuasive
• Visual rhetoric (effective visual communication)
C. Learning, thinking and problem-solving strategies
• The neuroscience of learning
• Effective learning techniques
• Models of habit creation and behavior change
• Analytic, conceptual, and critical thinking approaches
• Problem-solving models
• Learning, thinking, and problem-solving exercises

Bailey, S. (2020). Academic Writing for International Students of Business and Economics. 3rd ed. Abingdon: Routledge.
Barmeyer, C. & Franklin, P. (2016). Intercultural Management: A Case-Based Approach to Achieving Complementarity and Synergy. London: Palgrave.
Collins, S. (2019). Neuroscience for Learning and Development: How to Apply Neuroscience and Psychology for Improved Learning and Training. 2nd ed. London: Kogan Page.
Fells, R. & Sheer, N. (2019). Effective Negotiation: From Research to Results. 4th ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
O´Connor, J. & Lages, A. (2019). Coaching the Brain: Practical Applications of Neuroscience to Coaching. Abingdon: Routledge.
Ragins, B. R. (2012). Editor's comments: Reflections on the craft of clear writing. Academy of Management Review, 37 (4), 493-501.
Usunier, J.-C. (2018). Intercultural Business Negotiations: Dealmaking or Relationship Building. Abingdon: Routledge.

• Lecture and discussion
  
• Role play
  
• Peer coaching
  
• Practical exercises
  
• Written assignments

Integrated module exam (immanent examination character):

• Case analysis presentation and reflection (30%)
  
• Coaching diary (30%)
  
• Personal skills elective paper (40%)