Course unit description "Diversity and Conflict Management as Leadership Challenges in Global Enterprises"

Lecturer: Prof. Ceyhun Mahmudlu, Ph.D.

---

Learning outcomes / competencies

In the increasing globalized world and fostering of migration process the people began to be engaged more in communication with diverse groups. In this circumstance, all kinds of organizations, including business, need to have diversified philosophy, structure and staff. This is important from the perspective of remaining competitive in the world wide frame. Number of scientific works has found that diversity in the work place play crucial role in the increase of the productivity of the companies, but at the same time it can cause various forms of conflicts. In this regard, it is important for the managerial staff of business organizations rightly to understand diversity and be able to solve conflicts which can rise from that circumstance. This course is aimed to study conceptual and theoretical frames of diversity and conflict in work places and at the same time to strengthen basic practices of the students in managing of diversity and resolution of interpersonal and intergroup conflicts.

Course contents

There are number of concepts that define diversity in the literature. While one group more focused to identify the phenomenon from the perspective of cultural, gender, ethnic, racial differences, other prefer to link it with different educational background, geographic location, the level of income and so on. The first part of the course which is focused to study, particularly conceptualization and theoretical side of "diversity" will enable students to identify diversity, to recognize benefits of diversity and select options for managing diversity. The second part of the course aims to discuss conflicts in the work places that may rise from diversities in the organization. In this regard, as outcomes of the course the students will learn to recognize different types of conflicts, to analyze them from various perspectives, to get acquainted with conflict resolution methods, to prepare strategy for managing of conflicts and to select valid resolution method for related conflictual situation.

The topics for the course will be as following:

• Conceptualizing diversity
• Diversity management strategies
• Conceptualizing and theorizing conflicts in work places
• Conflict managing strategies
• Alternative Dispute Resolutions
• Managing diversity conflicts in German case

Prerequisites

Formal prerequisites: This course is also open to all B.A. students in our Faculty of Business and Social Sciences. It is also open for exchange students of all specializations.

Academic prerequisites: Ability to communicate in English (interactive seminar format).

Types of assessment

Assignment	Grade
Paper	40%
Interview Presentation	40%
Participation	20%

Paper Students have to prepare individual or group paper in the relating topics that will be given by the instructor. The topics of the paper will be relevant to the discussed weekly themes and materials for the topics will be selected from academic articles mainly based on case studies. All materials will be provided by the instructor.

Interview Students have to conduct individual or group interview at least with one responded on diversity or conflict issue and to present analyzed outcome of the research in the class.

Participation Class will include lectures, small group discussions, simulations and in-class assignments. Student participation is very important in this class and therefore you are expected:

• To read the assigned material before class and be prepared to discuss it.
• To attend, participate and be on time for every class. Because dispute resolution skills are developed throughout the course, attendance is very important.

In-class meetings will include class discussions and group activities. You are encouraged to ex-plain your views but listen and consider the views of others. Diversity of views and opinions are strongly encouraged.

Art	Datum der Leistungserbringung	Prüfungsanmeldung
(bitte Zeitangabe ...Min)		Ende 1. HS*	Ende 2. HS*	individuelles Datum
Klausur: ...Min.	wird vom PA festgelegt*	X		bei Klausur nicht möglich
Test: ...Min.	tt.mm.jj			tt.mm.jj
Präsentation	tt.mm.jj			tt.mm.jj
Hausarbeit	tt.mm.jj			tt.mm.jj
Andere	TBA	X		tt.mm.jj

* Prüfungsamt Termine

Suggested reading

• Thomas R. Roosevelt (2006), Building on the Promise of Diversity: How we can move to the next level in our workplaces, our communities and our society. (AMACOM)
• Gill Kirton & Anne-marie Greene (2010), Dynamics of Managing Diversity, Elsevier
• M. Afzalur Rahim (2001), Managing Conflicts in Organizations, Quorum Books
• Heather Falconer and Mike Bagshaw (2009), IRS Managing Conflict in the Workplace, Routledge