What Makes Us Global? Macro-trends and Effective Management of Cultural Interconnectedness

Description
What are the relevant macro-trends to follow? How does one find their point of origin and observe their shifts and transformations in a global and interconnected landscape that seems flat and also unstable to the point of disintegrating at the mere manifestation of any new crisis? The so called third stage of globalization, which started in the 1980s, witnessed the beginning of the “all in one” norm, in which local cultures and customs seemed set to become obsolete, making way for a great period of confusion. What the COVID-19 pandemic has revealed is that effective communications during a crisis have to take into account both the global and the local cultural contexts in which it evolved: missing this goal can affect the reputation of a country/company with a log-lasting damage.The first part of the course will focus on basic principles of cultural studies, such as theoretical approaches to global, glocal, local and cultural dimensions (Hofstede/Culture maps), taking decisions (Kahneman), data research (Lindstrom), which will be used to assess real problems and case studies by way of a holistic perspective. Furthermore, the class will look at how insights tied to concepts of Influence, Trust, Reputation, Generation, Complexity, Post-Humanism and Censorship mechanisms bring awareness of the present and of the potential impact global transformations can have on ideas of citizenship, consumption and consensus decisions.
The second part of the course will be dedicated to a review of the essential global macro-trends and can include the following:
-Green citizenship: green communication, how to tackle green stakeholders’ challenge, Gen Z Activism
-Post-Humanism and Artificial Intelligence
-Company/Stakeholder relationship vs citizenship role model
-Executive Reputation and Ceo Branding -Global/ Macro Trends in Social Movement: focus BLM-Black Lives Matter
A co-teaching with Professor Jatia Wrighten (see bio below) will be integral part of the focus of the class.
This course is highly interactive. Students are expected to proactively contribute to class discussion and to the building of concepts and course objectives by way of individual and group assignments that will include: strategy implementation plans; politics and market analysis; team building exercises; critical perspective training; effective and impactful presentations of contents to faculty and peers.

Course contents
Lesson 1: Why are you here? -Team creation - Intro to the course and to syllabus -Is it really global? Starting by 2020, the most different year, gallery of critical tools in analysis criticism and communication to assess and navigate cultural differences in considering events
Lesson 2: 2020 teams’ presentations – Marginalization/Intersectionality (a global perspective on cultural indexes “POWER DISTANCE”/“COLLECTIVISM/INDIVIDUALISM”) Introduce American culture aspect- emphasis on marginalized groups in the U.S. Theoretical Approaches to understanding identity made up of more than one characteristic- but specifically race and gender- Intersectionality Who are marginalized groups in the U.S.? Who are these groups in Italy? How does their marginalized status effect their ideas of global or cultural interconnectedness? How does Intersectionality look in an Italian context? – Co-teaching prof Jatia Wrighten+ Brief for “US-Italy approaches” submission: look at specific policies that emphasize similarities/differences.
Lesson 3: My 2020/FUTURE 100 presentation + Cultural perspective 1 + Black swans/Small Data discussions+Decisions/Kahneman focus + LINDSTROM presentation/Kahneman tasks/Intro Country Culture
Lesson 4: Reputation economy: a global perspective on cultural indexes “UNCERTAINTY AVOIDANCE”/”LONG TERM ORIENTATION”+ Brief for assignment “Reputation” submission
Lesson 5: Cultural perspective 2+ Maslow, Frankl/Desirable/Desired dimension +Trust as a key value with Edelman materials (on BlackBoard video+report to be studied + task about them)
Lesson 6 MIDTERM EXAM (Discussion+Essay submission)
Lesson 7: CEO Branding: how CEO could become pioneer for ethical purpose
Lesson 8: Political and cultural connections in communication&relationships – Activism and neoactivism - Global/ Macro Trends in Social Movement that had a global effect. FOCUS Black Lives Matter (BLM): How do we understand Black? Does context matter? Why does this movement have global appeal? Role of media/social media and branding: how did retailers capitalize on this movement? Is it genuine if capitalism benefits? Did it/ does it continue to increase interconnectedness? – Co-teaching prof Jatia Wrighten
Lesson 9: Green citizenship, green activism. Generations, communications, pressure approaches to green stakeholders: a global perspective on cultural UNCERTAINTY AVOIDANCE index + Team task on Ideal EcoCountry]
Lesson 10: Digital self in Artificial Intelligence. Smart objects and smart ethic s: a global perspective on cultural POWER DISTANCE index. Brief launch for Final Exam individual essay/team task
Lesson 11
FINAL EXAM PRESENTATION TEAM TASK/DISCUSSION (on individual ESSAY SUBMISSION)