Special Lecture on Cross-cultural Communication for Global StudiesⅠ【Faculty of Global Management】

On 1 June 2021, the students of Global Studies under Professor Arianne Dumayas class were given an opportunity to listen to a special lecture about the importance and challenges of cross-cultural communication. Mr. Marc Brandt, a project manager who has an extensive multi-cultural working experience, delivered a lecture entitled “Working in a cross-cultural environment: Experiences from a German working in Japan.”  Although Mr. Brandt currently works at Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation, an integral part of Daimler group, he gave a talk based on his own personal experiences.

Having worked with people from about 35 different countries, Mr. Brandt emphasized the importance of respect and patience in cross-cultural interaction. Furthermore, he highlighted the fact that cross-cultural competencies are a key success factor for working in a highly globalized world. Mr. Brandt also encouraged the students to think of diversity as a strength and not a weakness.

The lecture was conducted through a hybrid format in which students attended the class online or in person. The students actively participated in the group exercises and enthusiastically asked questions at the end of the lecture. The special lecture was a valuable opportunity for the students to widen their horizon and enrich their cross-cultural learning experiences by listening to first hand experiences given by an expert from the industry.