How to Manage Cultural Misunderstanding: A Workshop for First-Year Students Held at the Faculty of Management
Intercultural communication skills are essential in business, psychology, linguistics, and any field where interaction plays a key role. During the workshop, students from the master's program “Business Development” were introduced to the basics of intercultural communication in business using real-world case studies and saw how cultural differences affect professional interactions.
The first-year cohort of the “Business Development” program included representatives from various countries. The students were invited to participate in a workshop designed to develop the skills necessary for working effectively in multicultural teams and to create a comfortable learning environment.
Discussions of real-life cases and knowledge-sharing with speakers from diverse fields helped students gain a deeper understanding of the complexities of management in an international context. In a globalized world, intercultural communication skills have become not just beneficial but indispensable for future leaders and managers.
Zhanna Shabanova, Deputy Head of the International Office, HSE University – Nizhny Novgorod
In today’s globalized world, intercultural communication is a fundamental competency. For successful work, collaboration, and interaction, managers need to understand the cultural characteristics of their counterparts. A professional communicator must be able to manage communication processes and overcome various barriers in dialogue.
Natalia Ursul, Associate Professor at the Department of Foreign Languages, HSE University – St. Petersburg, highlighted key challenges in intercultural communication and management in international business and engaged participants in a discussion about communication nuances in different countries. Nelli Boryshneva, Associate Professor at the Department of Literature and Intercultural Communication, HSE University – Nizhny Novgorod, shared her expertise in analyzing intercultural identities and differences.
Workshop participants examined a variety of stereotypes common in Switzerland and Russia and received valuable advice on collaborating with representatives of these countries during a lecture by Daniel Rehmann, a business advisor for the Swiss Technopark Mobahaus in St. Petersburg.
Maxim Luppov, Assistant at the Department of Foreign Languages and Intercultural Communication, HSE University – Nizhny Novgorod, addressed the history of relations between Russia and China and the sociocultural adaptation of Chinese students in Nizhny Novgorod. Yulia Ilyasova-Kalinova, Executive Director of Kalinov Milk LLC, shared the story of how her ice cream company was founded and its journey to entering the international market. She discussed challenges faced by managers, problem-solving experiences, and strategies for finding international partners.
Following the speakers' presentations and discussions on international communication challenges and potential solutions, students were invited to work on practical cases. They identified ways to address management tasks while considering the cultural characteristics of one of the following countries: China, India, UAE, Ethiopia, South Africa or Brazil.
“The workshop demonstrated the importance of intercultural communication in modern business. Students saw how cultural differences influence professional interactions and acquired practical skills for effective work in multinational teams,” remarked Daniel Rehmann.