This course is intended to provide students interested in an international career to recognize and solve problems arising from the cultural differences between themselves and their overseas colleagues. Where possible, students are given the opportunity also to explore and plan for their future career within the sector of their interest. Students achieve this by being assigned to work as interns in "sponsor" offices/organizations in Milan. They are therefore required to interact with Italian counterparts in the workplace. Through attending the internship, conducting independent study/research and attending the seminar, students will focus on: 1) the specifics of each particular internship (getting to know the organization), 2) the sector of work (coming to an understanding of the background, present day workings of and future developments in the field in Italy) and 3) Italian culture and the cross-cultural working experience that the students have. The weekly seminar concentrates on providing students with direct contact with working professionals and dealing with working with another (Italian) culture.
Prerequisites:
• Adequate Italian for office survival
• Availability of sufficient internship posts for the interested students
• Each student's ability to pass the internship coordinator and sponsor's personal interview
Note: Students must receive credit from their home institution in order to enroll in the internship program.
Method of presentation:
On-the-job work, independent study and research, facilitated class and small group discussions of work and Italy, readings and a guest lecture series.
LANGUAGE OF PRESENTATION: English
Required work and form of assessment:
1. Regular attendance at sponsor's place of work (10 hrs/wk minimum)
2. Attendance at weekly seminar (2 hrs/wk)
3. Completion of assigned readings
4. Maintaining field study book of work experience and observations (reviewed weekly); half page each entry
5. Synopsis of guest lecturer's presentations; half page description due the week after presentation
6. Final report (see detailed instructions in course reader)
Work attendance: Regular attendance required or automatic failure
Pop quizzes: 10% Sponsor's report: 20%
Seminar attendance and participation: 20%
Field Study journal entries and synopsis of lecturer’s presentations: 25% Final report: 25%
content:
During the seminar the course will:
• Seek to solve the students' on-the-job problems as they occur
• Explore through discussion the students' work experience
In addition, the seminar will concentrate on explaining those fundamental differences in social structure and behavior affecting the work environment. The basis for the course outline will include:
I. The basic differences arising from the contrast in morals between the traditional Anglo-American rural-village social origins and Italian urban-city origins. Considering such vital comparative points as:
• Consensus and the need for decisions
• Nature of hierarchy (and deference)
• Role of custom
• Concepts of time (monochronic vs. polychronic)
• Definition of planning
• Realization of team behavior
II. Italy
• Free-will individuality among Italians
• Fewer behavior rules (internalized controls) except "laws" imposed by the church
• "La figura" and the incentive for purely personal accomplishment.
• Differing (Italy-U.S.) definitions of duty
Required readings:
Selected articles and readings on cross cultural communication/adaptation and living in Italy (See suggested reading list with asterisks indicating the books from which the readings were taken)
Sara Gay Forden, The House of Gucci. Harpersrow, New York. 2000.
Recommended readings:
Roger E. Axtell, Do's and Taboos Around the World. John Wiley & Sons, New York. 1990.
Glen Fisher, International Negotiation: A cross-Cultural Perspective. Intercultural Press, Yarmouth, Maine. 1980.
Raymond Flower and Alessandro Falassi, Culture Shock! A guide to customs and Etiquette in Italy. Graphic Arts Center Publishing Company. Portland, Oregon.
Martin J. Gannon & Associates, Understanding Global Cultures, sage publication, London, 1994.
Nancy L. Graganti and Elizabeth Devine, The Traveler's Guide to European Customs and Manners. Simon and Schuster, New York. 1984.
Edward T. Hall and Mildred Reed Hall, Understanding Cultural Differences, Intercultural Press, Yarmouth, Maine,1990.
John Haycraft, Italian Labyrinth. London, 1985.
John Mole, When in Rome . . . A Business Guide to Cultures and Customs in 12 European Countries. AMACOM. New York. 1990.
Robert D. Putnam, Making Democracy Work: Civic Tradition in Modern Italy. 1993.
Marlene L. Rossman, The International Businesswoman: A guide to Success in the Global Marketplace. Praeger Publishers, New York. 1986.
Donald Sassoon, Contemporary Italy: Politics, Economy & Society since 1945. London, 1986.
Vern Terpstra, The Cultural Environment of International Business. South-Western Publishing, Cincinnati, Ohio. 1978.
Internship Seminar
This course is intended to provide students interested in an international career to recognize and solve problems arising from the cultural differences between themselves and their overseas colleagues. Where possible, students are given the opportunity also to explore and plan for their future career within the sector of their interest. Students achieve this by being assigned to work as interns in "sponsor" offices/organizations in Milan. They are therefore required to interact with Italian counterparts in the workplace. Through attending the internship, conducting independent study/research and attending the seminar, students will focus on: 1) the specifics of each particular internship (getting to know the organization), 2) the sector of work (coming to an understanding of the background, present day workings of and future developments in the field in Italy) and 3) Italian culture and the cross-cultural working experience that the students have. The weekly seminar concentrates on providing students with direct contact with working professionals and dealing with working with another (Italian) culture.
• Adequate Italian for office survival
• Availability of sufficient internship posts for the interested students
• Each student's ability to pass the internship coordinator and sponsor's personal interview
Note: Students must receive credit from their home institution in order to enroll in the internship program.
On-the-job work, independent study and research, facilitated class and small group discussions of work and Italy, readings and a guest lecture series.
LANGUAGE OF PRESENTATION: English
1. Regular attendance at sponsor's place of work (10 hrs/wk minimum)
2. Attendance at weekly seminar (2 hrs/wk)
3. Completion of assigned readings
4. Maintaining field study book of work experience and observations (reviewed weekly); half page each entry
5. Synopsis of guest lecturer's presentations; half page description due the week after presentation
6. Final report (see detailed instructions in course reader)
Work attendance: Regular attendance required or automatic failure
Pop quizzes: 10% Sponsor's report: 20%
Seminar attendance and participation: 20%
Field Study journal entries and synopsis of lecturer’s presentations: 25% Final report: 25%
During the seminar the course will:
• Seek to solve the students' on-the-job problems as they occur
• Explore through discussion the students' work experience
In addition, the seminar will concentrate on explaining those fundamental differences in social structure and behavior affecting the work environment. The basis for the course outline will include:
I. The basic differences arising from the contrast in morals between the traditional Anglo-American rural-village social origins and Italian urban-city origins. Considering such vital comparative points as:
• Consensus and the need for decisions
• Nature of hierarchy (and deference)
• Role of custom
• Concepts of time (monochronic vs. polychronic)
• Definition of planning
• Realization of team behavior
II. Italy
• Free-will individuality among Italians
• Fewer behavior rules (internalized controls) except "laws" imposed by the church
• "La figura" and the incentive for purely personal accomplishment.
• Differing (Italy-U.S.) definitions of duty
Selected articles and readings on cross cultural communication/adaptation and living in Italy (See suggested reading list with asterisks indicating the books from which the readings were taken)
Sara Gay Forden, The House of Gucci. Harpersrow, New York. 2000.
Roger E. Axtell, Do's and Taboos Around the World. John Wiley & Sons, New York. 1990.
Glen Fisher, International Negotiation: A cross-Cultural Perspective. Intercultural Press, Yarmouth, Maine. 1980.
Raymond Flower and Alessandro Falassi, Culture Shock! A guide to customs and Etiquette in Italy. Graphic Arts Center Publishing Company. Portland, Oregon.
Martin J. Gannon & Associates, Understanding Global Cultures, sage publication, London, 1994.
Nancy L. Graganti and Elizabeth Devine, The Traveler's Guide to European Customs and Manners. Simon and Schuster, New York. 1984.
Edward T. Hall and Mildred Reed Hall, Understanding Cultural Differences, Intercultural Press, Yarmouth, Maine,1990.
John Haycraft, Italian Labyrinth. London, 1985.
John Mole, When in Rome . . . A Business Guide to Cultures and Customs in 12 European Countries. AMACOM. New York. 1990.
Robert D. Putnam, Making Democracy Work: Civic Tradition in Modern Italy. 1993.
Marlene L. Rossman, The International Businesswoman: A guide to Success in the Global Marketplace. Praeger Publishers, New York. 1986.
Donald Sassoon, Contemporary Italy: Politics, Economy & Society since 1945. London, 1986.
Vern Terpstra, The Cultural Environment of International Business. South-Western Publishing, Cincinnati, Ohio. 1978.