Download Cooperation across cultures

Cooperation across cultures
International cooperation and competition is increasing rapidly. If you are going to be a winner you will have to be
able to know what’s going on in other parts of the world and know how to use it for your benefit. The way to do it is
through other people – people who are different from you in some ways. But there are similarities too, if you can find
them.
The objective of this French-Scandinavian project is to practice international cooperation and the difficulties and
enjoyment that it brings. In order for you to get the credit you deserve you are to account for your communication.
I. Expectations and facts about each other (3 hours)
Make a brief introduction of yourselves and your background. Think of what you think might be special seen from an
international perspective. Post it on Fronter in your group room. Read the texts about each other and ask about what
seems difficult to understand. You are supposed to inform the other classmates about who your partners are and
what their life is like.
Also write your answers to the following questions. Then write down your thought about your partners’ answers.

What are the main differences between the French and the Scandinavian ways to do things?

What is important to know about the others? Why?

What is important to know about your own culture?

In what way are our communication styles different?

What may cause international cooperation to fail?
II. A small project (7 hours)
Negotiate the topic of a small project that you will carry out together. The result can be a web page or a PowerPoint
presentation that you will present to your local classmates. You can post your work in your group room (see more
about that below).
A comparison of two competing brands or products – one French, the other Finnish or Swedish
Examples: diesel engines (Wärtsilä/Pielstick/Scania), cars, lorries/trucks, nuclear power plants, mobile phones
(Alcatel/Nokia/Ericson), ships (Aker Yards), glassware, or something else. Find out about and describe:
areas of application
marketing and
reputation
manufacturing
environmental
impacts
strengths and
weaknesses
competition
production facilities
energy efficiency
history
research and
development
logistics
other
III. Technology and bureaucracy
In order to make things easy we are going to store your texts in group rooms on a learning platform, Fronter. There
you will have Forums and chats where you can communicate. Or you can use your email. Then sum up your
communication and post the summaries in the hand-in folder in the group room. There are forums in the group
rooms as well. Ask the Åland students about how to access Fronter.
Of course it is a good idea to use other means o f communication, such as MSN etc. if you want to use cameras to
show what things are like in your neighbourhood that also a good idea.
If anything else is unclear, try to solve it together or if that doesn’t work you can email Erik at [email protected]
Time
All in all you are expected to put down ten hours of work together – including everything…
GOOD LUCK AND HAVE FUN!