Cross-cultural Teamwork in Reutlingen
By Peter Schwamborn & Conny Zschage
"I loved being able to work with the German students at ESB. It was such a unique experience to study and learn from another culture and take one of their classes." stated Sam Holder, a North Carolina State University (NCSU) student, who attended the two-week intensive module "Teamwork in Organizations" at ESB Business School in Reutlingen.
The course was one of a series offered within the NCSU Global Leadership & Team Decision Making Minor and was made available to ESB students in the study programmes "MSc International Accounting, Controlling and Taxation" and "MSc International Business Development" as an elective module.
In total, 17 NCSU students and 12 ESB students collaborated closely over two weeks, discovering at first hand the chances and challenges of working in international teams. Ample opportunity was given to apply theory to practice. Six teams were set up to tackle real-life cases provided by WAFIOS AG, a leading manufacturer of wire and tube processing machines based in Reutlingen.
In the first week, the students were given an on-site tour of the company headquarters. WAFIOS representatives gave an overview of the company’s operations and presented background to the cases to be analysed. In the second week, an online Q & A session with Dr. Thomas Kaup (Senior Executive Vice President Sales) enabled the students to clarify questions pertaining to their cases. The final results were presented to Mr. Gert de Waard (Executive Vice President – Global Sales Management) towards the end of the course. In the words of Dr. Kaup, the results were very impressive and he was fascinated by what could be put together in such a short time!
Throughout the course, instruction was provided by Prof. Dr. Hazel Grünewald (ESB) and Prof. Dr. Leigh Shamblin (NC State Poole College of Management). The cross-Atlantic duo coached the teams on how to tackle the business cases. They also supported team members both in identifying their individual strengths, cultural values and management styles and in considering how to leverage these aspects for overall team efficacy. As such, the course participants gained important insights into the critical role of communication, cooperation and trust in achieving common goals. The value of this knowledge cannot be stressed enough in today´s globalised world.
Excursions to the Mercedes-Benz factory in Sindelfingen and Motorworld in Stuttgart served to provide, above all, the American students with an interesting insight into the German automobile industry.
Last but not least, the group made the most of the time outside class to explore different venues in Reutlingen and Tübingen, trying out local cuisine and entertainment. A particular highlight was the Carnival parade in Rottenburg.
The module provided a unique and enriching experience for all students involved, highlighting the importance of intercultural collaboration and teamwork in a global economy.
