Cross Cultural Management

Cultural diversity has become a core asset and challenge for successful value-based management in a globalized world. Concepts of culture have been evolving and crude forms of cultural sensitivity are no longer sufficient. This is why this module invites students to learn about state-of-the-art cross-cultural management ideas and practical applications of key concepts. Cross-cultural competence means continuous learning and creative cooperation. (Prior or parallel participation in “Organizational Culture and Leadership” is encouraged.)

Instructors: Prof. Dr. Guido Möllering, Johanne von Danwitz
Language: English
Module number(s): BM-WWM-1609; BM-WFW-2209

Current Issues in Management: Trust in Business and Society

Trust is an important means of coordination and relationship development especially in contexts marked by uncertainty and dynamic changes. Trust matters at different levels from interpersonal to institutional.
In this module, we will look at the role of trust in business and society with an emphasis on current developments in the light of the ongoing Corona pandemic. Based on an introduction to trust concepts and prior empirical research, the participants in this module will conduct a research project together involving a survey and semi-structured interview part. The aim of the project is to assess how the pandemic has affected trust and vice versa. The implications will be relevant for people, businesses and society at large.

Instructor: Prof. Dr. Guido Möllering
Language: English
Module number(s): BM-WFW-1601; BP-WFW-1601; BK-PO

Governance
Companies face strategic choices of how to organize their value creation: they may produce inhouse, buy from external suppliers or create products in cooperation with others. This seminar deals with the basic forms of "governance" of value creation processes, both individually and in their possible combinations: Make, Buy and Cooperate. Strategic, organizational and operational aspects are discussed in a theory-based and practice-oriented manner. The seminar provides a cross-company approach to the management of a production in networks.

Instructors: Prof. Dr. Guido Möllering
Language: German
Module number(s): BM-PMa-1604; BP-WMa-1604

Organizational Culture and Leadership
The module provides a first understanding of the relationship between organizational culture and leadership. After considering conceptual foundations and definitions, we will distinguish to different levels of organizational culture: artifacts, espoused beliefs/values, and underlying assumptions. We will discuss how they determine behavior, perceptions, thoughts and feelings in organizational contexts.

Instructors: Prof. Dr. Guido Möllering, Nicole Steller
Language: English
Module number(s): BM-WWM-1603
 

Strategy
This course provides an overview of organizational strategy. We introduce two distinct perspectives: strategy as an instrument and strategy as human behaviour. First, you will learn how to analyse the strategic position of an organization and how to think about strategic choices. Second, you will learn about recent sociologically informed concepts in strategy research (e.g., strategy-as-practice). After successful completion of this module, you will be able to apply concepts and ideas from strategic management commonly used in organizations, critically discuss traditional heuristics for strategy making, and reflect upon the practice of strategy making itself.

Instructor: Prof. Dr. Hendrik Wilhelm
Language: English
Module number(s): BM-PMa-1603; BP-WMa-1603
 

Strategiy and Change Management - Managing Strategic Change
Today companies are facing increasingly dynamic and competitive environments. This means they have to react to changes in their environment, e.g. due to changing customer expectations, innovations or regulatory changes, and adapt operational processes in order to maintain or even expand their competitive advantages. In this seminar we will deal with such strategic adaptation processes in practice. Our goal will be to examine the practical design of so-called dynamic capabilities, i.e., the ability of a company to repeatedly respond to environmental changes through activities of exploration, learning, and change.

Instructors: Prof. Dr. Hendrik Wilhelm, Johannes Busold
Language: German
Module number(s): BM-WWM-1602

Current Issues - Strategy in Action: A Business Simulation
This seminar offers an action-based learning experience of strategy making and execution. In a multiple-round web-based simulation, you and your fellow team members will lead a fictitious firm in the electronic sensors industry. As executive decision makers, your task is to ensure that your company survives and strives in a dynamic competitive environment. To do so, you will analyze your firm and the competitive environment, and then formulate, implement, monitor, and adjust your strategy. Your decisions will cover major business functions, such as R&D, Procurement, Production, Marketing, and Finance. As socially responsible managers, you will also consider the community in which your company is embedded. Apply your strategy knowledge, team skills and business insights gained from earlier Strategy & Organization seminars and demonstrate your ability to outcompete other companies. Accompanying seminar sessions serve as recap on strategic management concepts and forum to review and analyze the performance of your firms.

Instructor: Prof. Dr. Hendrik Wilhelm
Language: English
Module number(s): MS-WSt-1806; MS-WOr-1806; MS-WFW-1811; MG-WFW-1805; M25-2

 

Inter-Organizational Alliances and Networks
Inter-organizational relations (IORs) are increasingly important in our times, because it is impossible more than ever to integrate all required capabilities or simply buy them on the spot in markets. But what exactly are the reasons for linking up with other organizations, which forms of collaboration are common, and how are networks of organizations to be managed? The module addresses these questions from a management and organization studies perspective, considering four main types of IORs: 1) Strategic Alliances and Networks, 2) Regional Networks and Clusters, 3) Global Production and Supply Networks, and 4) Innovation and Project Networks.

Instructors: Prof. Dr. Guido Möllering, Raphaela Fritz
Language: English
Module number(s): MS-WOr-1804

 

International Strategy
International Strategy concerns the opportunities and challenges arising from doing business across borders and within a globalized economy. This seminar provides an introduction to theories and concepts of international management—for example, options for organizing and managing international operations—with a focus on real-world examples and case studies. In doing so, it raises awareness for the diversity that characterizes an international competitive environment. It also builds intuition about the nature of existing and newly emerging threats and opportunities that define business success and how to compete effectively in international markets.

Instructor: Prof. Dr. Hendrik Wilhelm
Language: English
Module number(s): MS-WSt-1802; MP-EFE-1803; MG-WFW-1802; M25

 

Ethical Issues in Organization
Complementing the study of business ethics and corporate responsibility at large, this module focuses on ethical issues occurring within organizations and emphasizes the students’ own ethical awareness and personal development. We cover ethical foundations in philosophy, ethical decision making, communication, leadership, diversity and organizational implications. Students learn how to identify and deal with the many ethical dilemmas occurring in organizations. They work on a project tracing a real-life ethical issue in an organization and develop their moral standpoint as well as ethical management skills. The seminar usually includes input from practitioners experienced in this topic area.

Instructor: Prof. Dr. Guido Möllering
Language: English
Module number(s): MS-WOr-1802; MG-WFW-1804; MP-EFE-1805

 

Organizational Culture and Change Management
Managers often stress two issues when talking candidly about their organizations: problems related to their organization’s culture and failed organizational change. In this seminar we will uncover what makes these two phenomena so important and troublesome for managers. We will critically evaluate the notion of organizational culture and its implications for management. To do so, we uncover mechanisms of culture emergence and transmission and explore how researchers capture organizational culture. Building on these insights, we connect culture to organizational change. We will discuss different approaches in change management, and critically discuss managers push towards cultural change.
Instructor: Prof. Dr. Hendrik Wilhelm
Language: English
Module number(s): MS-WOr-1801

 

Strategizing Corporate Social Responsibility
During this seminar, we aim to develop an understanding of three general questions: (1) What is the social responsibility of corporations? (2) Why do corporations assume social responsibility? (3) And how do they become socially responsible entities? To understand what the concept includes, we will start by looking into the history of social responsibility and into the changing role of corporations in a globalized world. We will learn about the reasons for firms to engage in socially responsible activities, as these have been addressed by various approaches: stakeholder theory, institutional theory, and strategic CSR. We will also discuss the role of social movements and NGOs as a central driver for CSR engagement. In the third part of our course, we will explore the ways of how firms become socially responsible by learning about their role as political actors, about collaboration with civil society actors (SMOs/NGOs), self-regulation and their managing of labor rights. We will also gain an understanding of the differences of CSR activities across countries. In our final wrap-up, we will discuss how becoming a responsible firm presupposes a certain understanding of CSR strategy, namely that of the strategy-as-practice perspective.

Instructors: Prof. Dr. Guido Möllering, Dr. Leona Henry
Language: English
Module number(s): M6-1

 

Strategic and International Management
This module gives an overview of the most important concepts and applications of strategic management with a special focus on international management strategies. General questions of strategic analysis, design and implementation are considered. Building on this, the focus is on the opportunities, forms and challenges of internationalisation of companies. Strategic and international management are also reflected as responsible fields of activity that link the company with its diverse environment.

Instructor: Prof. Dr. Hendrik Wilhelm
Language: German
Module number(s):  MG-PGM-1808

 
Theories of Strategic Management
This module traces the theoretical foundations of strategy (such as competitive forces, resources and capabilities) and core strategic issues in organizations (such as innovation, collaboration, internationalization, governance, change). We will also consider the latest developments in strategic management theory regarding strategy as process and practice. Throughout the course, theoretical concepts will be investigated regarding their practical and organizational implications, based on numerous real-life cases discussed in class.

Instructor: Prof. Dr. Guido Möllering
Language: English
Module number(s): MS-PSO-1802; M1

 

Theories of Organization
Organizations are core to our society, structuring our daily work (e.g., firms) and private lives (e.g., sport clubs). Many definitions of organizations exist, but we commonly think of them as social entities, pursuing steady objectives that have a formal structure through which they align their members’ activities with the objectives of the organization. Theories of organization seek to explain the emergence, behavior, and outcomes of organizations. For example, institutional theory provides an explanation for why companies engage in greenwashing. Research on organizations is thriving, resulting in a plurality of theories. This course familiarizes students with the main classic and contemporary organisation theories. It uses empirical studies to illustrate the application of the different theories. Students will discuss the relevance of each theory in both scientific and practical terms, and apply a theory to an organizational phenomenon of their own choosing.

Instructor: Prof. Dr. Hendrik Wilhelm
Language: English
Module number(s): MS-PSO-1803

 

Strategic human resources management
The megatrends demography and digitization massively affect the human resource management of many companies. Strategic HR management is becoming a key factor. This seminar will focus on the following aspects in particular: Basic elements of an HR strategy, demographic risk management, strategic HR planning, target agreement systems and performance management, long-term incentive programs, recruiting and employer branding, talent management, leadership, retention management, human capital management, HR analytics, HR controlling, diversity, digital HR, HR department as a strategic partner.

Instructor: Dr. Hon.-Prof. Rainer Strack
Language: English
Module number(s):  BM-WWM-1607; BM-WFW-1601; MS-WOr-1806; M8-2; BE26

 

Business ethics and trust
In this seminar business ethics is discussed upon basic categories, such as responsibility, freedom, cooperation, trust, rules, values, morals, interests in the specific context of companies. The central thesis that maintaining trust is a basic condition for successful cooperation is also examined from the perspective of trust research. Numerous case studies illustrate business ethics as a challenge that must be met in one's own interest and for the common good, and trust as a worthwhile investment in which one must continually invest. The students actively contribute their own current questions and examples.

Instructor: Prof. Dr. Guido Möllering
Language: German
Module number(s):  M6-2/ FBM