Objectives and Contents:

We face conflicts both within and across organizations. As managers we

very often face interpersonal problems vis--vis our colleagues within a
department on certain matters concerning each of us. Conflicts across
departments are seen to be widely rampant and may often accompany
damaging consequences. Partner organizations form alliances and even
networks are bereft with hassles and tension. Even as individuals we are
required to handle various kinds of dilemmas in our personal and
occupational lives.
Negotiation is often seen as a method of resolving conflicts and disputes. But in
business and likewise in other situations too, negotiation is only a process of
relationship building. How to analyze the situation? How to persuade the other
party towards ones terms and conditions? What different strategic options does
a situation entail? When and what strategy and tactic should one use? How to
deal with the emotional outburst of your rival and how to cool down
temperatures in a meeting? What characterizes successful negotiators? What are
the cultural differences across countries that may affect the perceptions and
decisions in negotiation situations? We will explore answers to these questions
and more during the class deliberations.
Both the topics of conflict and negotiation require an understanding of some
basic processes. These are interpersonal; processes, communication influence
process, information processing, decision making and conflict handling
processes. Some of these issues are significant at the individual level and so will
be handled as individual styles.
This course is totally based on interactive exercises and games. You will go
through a series of questionnaires and instruments to facilitate learning. Your
active participation and continued involvement in each task and exercise is the
hallmark of your learning. The more you activate yourself in the class, the more
accomplished and more skilled you will become.

Evaluation:
Keeping the objectives and methodology in mind, there will be 30% weightage
in the evaluation process for class participation. Each class attendance will be
recorded, but my subjective evaluation of your active participation will be the
criteria of evaluation. Secondly, one assignment of not more than 5 pages on
your experience of a conflict episode and what you did with what outcome
analyzed with conceptual inputs is to be submitted before the last week of

classes. Finally, there will be one end-term examination as per PGP exam
system and invigilation. This will be an objective-type exam with multiplechoice, fill-in the blanks, short answer questions, etc. End-term will be of 40%
weightage. Readings materials will be supplied by the Instructor.
Registration:
The pedagogy demands that the class size be less than twenty five in number.
PGP office will allow you to register using lottery system through the good
offices of a PGP Rep. The constraint is number not exceeding 25. No CGPA
cut-off, no credit / audit preference.
Readings:
To be given by PGP Office in course of time
Books for reference:
Robert T. Moran & William G. Stripp Dynamics of Successful Business
Negotiations. JAICO Publishing Mumbai,1997
Daniel Dana. Conflict Resolution. McGraw-Hill NY, 2001
Class schedule
My classes are generally of longer duration. Some exercises take 3-4 hours to
complete. It is not desirable to break the class and keep it hanging for another
date. So I prefer a different class schedule.

2.

Organizational Leadership: Inspiration, Dilemmas and Action (BS227)

Course Title: Organizational Leadership: Inspiration, Dilemmas and Action

Course Code: BS-227
Course Instructor: Chetan Joshi
Office: K 406, New Academic Block Ext: 782
Elective Offered in: Term VI
Course Introduction: The course aims at understanding and appreciating the dynamics of
becoming and being leaders. It draws from business case studies as well as stories of
leadership in history, literature, multimedia resources to tease out relevant concepts in the
practice of modern leadership. The course attempts to highlight some of the questions
students need to resolve in their journey towards becoming leaders. These questions include,
among others: How is a leader different from a manager? What is leadership? Does a leader
have and share a vision and purpose? What is meant by vision? How does a leader execute
public and private responsibilities?

Course Objective: The main objectives of this course are twofold:

Use stories of leadership in business cases, history, literature, multimedia resources to
enable students appreciate and understand key concepts in leadership such as vision,
charisma, ambition, responsibility, etc., and,
Allow students to connect the lessons derived from the above sources to their own
personal experiences and to set their own agenda for a very personal leadership
journey.
Course Themes
Developing a leadership point of view
Leadership styles a diagnosis
Charismatic, transformational and authentic leadership
Dreams, passion, vision and action
Ethics and leadership
Leadership: Principles and compromises; Taking a stand
Leaders and decision making
Leading a diverse workforce
Crisis leadership
Requirements and Evaluation: The grade for this course will be based on:
Individual class participation
25%
Group Presentation
25%
Group Project
25%
Individual reflection write-up
25%
Indicative list of readings/cases/DVD/books:
Readings
Clawson, J. The leadership point of view. In J. Clawson (Ed.). Level three leadership:
Getting below the surface. (5th edition). Pages 1-10. Delhi: Prentice Hall.
Kotter. J. P. (2001). What leaders really do. Harvard Business Review, December, pp.
85-96.
Conger, J. A., & Kanungo, R. (1998). Aligning the organization through vision. In J. A.
Conger & R. Kanungo (Eds.), Charismatic leadership in organizations (Ch. 5, pp. 153188), Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publications.
Bass, B. M. (1998). Transformational and transactional organizational culture. In B.
M. Bass (Ed.), Transformational leadership: Industrial, military and educational impact
(Ch. 5, pp. 62-71), Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Trevino, L., Hartman, L., & Brown, M. (2000). Moral Person and Moral Manager:
How Executives Develop A Reputation for Ethical Leadership. California
Management Review, Summer, 42, 128-142.

Books
Lala, R. M. The Joy of Achievement: Conversations with J R D Tata. New Delhi:
Penguin.
Shaw, G. B. Saint Joan. Noida: Maple Press.
Karnad, G. Tughlaq. New Delhi: Oxford University Press.

Story
Dobbs Diner
Kar. B. Satyadas. New Delhi: Katha.
Movie
The Making of the Mahatma
Cases
British Petroleum: Transformational Leadership in a Transnational Organization
(INSEAD case# 497-013-1)
Coach Hurley at St. Anthony High School (HBSP Product# 411309-PDF-ENG).
McCoy, B. H. (1997). Parable of the Sadhu. Harvard Business Review, May-June
1997 (HBSP Product# 97307-PDF-ENG).
Childrens Hospital and Clinics (A) (HBSP Product# 302050-PDF-ENG)
A bomb in your pocket? Crisis leadership at Nokia India (A) (HBSP Product#
910M64-PDF-ENG)
Case of the unequal opportunity (HBSP Product# 91406-PDF-ENG)

3.

Management Practices Across Cross Cultural Contexts (BS-229)

INDIAN INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT CALCUTTA
PGP Term 6 / CEMS-MIM
MANAGEMENT PRACTICES ACROSS CROSS CULTURAL CONTEXTS

Course coordinator
Office
Extn.
Email
Meeting

Prof. Abhishek Goel

M-108, NAB (Ground floor)
751
agoel@iimcal.ac.in
With prior appointment on email

Introduction
This course offering is an outcome of requirements of CEMS-MIM program. Common
goals of IIMC and CEMS-MIM indicate development of a managerial mindset that is ready to
take on the challenges posed by multi-cultural environment. This ability to work with people
from different cultures has been found to be an important predictor for team success in
multicultural business environment. Those skilled in mitigating such challenges are expected to
stand a better chance in some of the most important tests on or off campus. This course
introduces the participants to the basics of what it takes to create a mindset conducive to
managing across cultural boundaries. It would then build the perspective to develop the
necessary skills for managing and leading businesses in cross-cultural context.
Keeping this in mind, the course is designed primarily to sensitize the participants
towards, (i) basic issues in deciphering, understanding and managing intricacies faced in

interactions among people from different cultures, and (ii) expose participants to management
practices and leadership qualities in major cultural clusters in the world.
The idea is to develop an attitude of understanding other peoples assumptions, beliefs
and values that are rooted in their own culture.
The requirements of managers form the bedrock of this course. Therefore, the course
includes tools such as cases from real business situations, simulations to drive home the need for
sensitization. Most of times we shall have data based discussions before we arrive at a more
plausible conclusion. An open mind would help in better understanding the cases and
deciphering the learning(s) therein.
CEMS-MIM Objectives
CEMS-MIM specifies a few objective that are to be attained in all courses of the
program.
The five objectives are:
1) Internationalism: The course should consistently focus on international and multicultural
settings and challenges and promote internationalism as value, attitude and approach to cultural,
social and gender differences.
2) Business Embeddedness: The course should engage corporate partners as guest speakers,
providers of live cases (real challenges put to the class for discussion/solution).
3) Responsible Citizenship: The course should challenge participants to discover, challenge and
develop their own values, attitudes and behavior, and to reflect on and take responsibility for the
broader environment in which their actions take place.
4) Reflective Critical Thinking: The course should employ a managerial decision-making approach
including reflecting on consequences of decisions and actions.
5) Comprehensive Leadership: Students should be able to reflect on their own strengths and
weaknesses, their values and behaviors, and how their actions as leaders impact other people,
organizations, society and the environment.
This course addresses all five objectives of the program. Session outline has session-wise fit with
these objectives.
Participant Profile
Participation in this course is open to all relevant student members. Some exposure to
cross-cultural context is desirable though not compulsory. Students from varied cultural
backgrounds are encouraged to join. Having a multicultural group coming together to discuss
cross cultural issues is in itself an interesting and learning experience.
Pedagogy
The pedagogy for this course would involve a mix of readings, film watching, case
studies, group presentations, field exercises, guest speakers from industry, and in-class
simulations to highlight the need for and issues involved in understanding someone foreign or
from a foreign culture.
Instruction Philosophy

Thecoordinator believes that such subjects cannot be taught. They can only be learned
with individual effort to observe, explore, and distill own learning points. Learning can happen
only if people wish to experience and have an open mind conducive to exploration.
The topic involved demands open discussions to share information about own
assumptions and at times look into ourselves. Therefore, this course would follow Socratic
philosophy of instruction to honour the spirit of the subject at hand. Instructor in this course
would act as a facilitator for raising issues and moderating their discussion. Meaningful class
participation would be encouraged.
Course Text
Text Book: International Organizational Behavior Nancy Adler with Alice Gunderson
Since this course is based on the premise that people learn out of interest, it is difficult to suggest
a series of compulsory readings. A large part of texts and other reading material is determined by
enthusiasm of the class, direction of discussion, and questions with participants. Hence, other
articles and readings shall be assigned from time to time. Reading is left to individual
participants. Those interested may approach the instructor for clarification and discussion.
Module Outline
Module 1: Understanding basics (4 sessions)
Exploration Issue: What do I look for when I study cultures?
Part 1: The need for a Global Mindset, What does culture mean?
Understanding different levels of culture
How does culture evolve?
A short simulation
CEMS-MIM Objectives: 1, 5
Part 2: Influence of culture on decisions
Case Study: Road to Hell
CEMS-MIM Objectives: 1, 3, 4, 5
Part 3: Culture and the Self (Guest Faculty Prof. Leena Chatterjee)(Sessions 3 and 4)
Exploration Issue: How does culture impact the self?
How does culture influence perceptions, attitudes, and an individuals interactions with others?
Reading: Independent and Interdependent Self Hazel R. Markus &ShinobuKitayama (PB,
1991)
Chapters 1, 2 from Adler
CEMS-MIM Objectives: 1, 3, 5
Module 2: Experiencing differences (2 sessions)
Bafa-Bafa simulation(double session, to be announced by PGP office after registration)
CEMS-MIM Objectives: 1, 2, 3, 5
Module 3: Differences in practices, us (4 sessions)
Exploration Issue: We are same, yet different

Part (i). A presentation on culture of choice (by the group).including on prevalent business and
leadership practices in a cultural cluster. You will be encouraged to bring in videos, your experiences, reallife evidence through secondary sources, enactment of situations via short act, etc. Max time will be 20
minutes each. The presentation will be graded. (20%)IN CLASS PRESENTATION.

(double session, to be announced by PGP office after registration)

CEMS-MIM Objectives: 1 2, 3, 4

Learning from Practice