Incorporating theories into a course in international business communication

Abstract

In developing a business communication course for a group of business majors on an elite international business degree programme at the University of Hong Kong, cross-cultural communication theories and relevant research findings were incorporated into the syllabus and these underpin all the in-class activities and assessments. Central to the aims of the 2012 four-year curriculum is to broaden the experience of university students in Hong Kong and enhance their communication skills in the global market through various experiential learning opportunities, broadening courses and exchange programmes. Our presentation will describe how we incorporated experiential learning into the teaching of business communication skills and explore how different elements of the course are informed by theories in the area of cross-cultural communication. We also discuss how we view our roles as co-developers and co-teachers in the process of updating and improving the course and the implications of our approach for course design and teacher development.