Cross-Cultural Virtual Spaces and Teams

This course is part of Management of Multinational and Cross-Cultural Teams Specialization

Instructors: Daniel Student

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4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

13 reviews

Intermediate level

Recommended experience

1 week to complete

at 10 hours a week

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

13 reviews

Intermediate level

Recommended experience

1 week to complete

at 10 hours a week

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

What you'll learn

Impact cross-cultural communication between in-person and virtual spaces; thinking about time zones, video conferences, & text based interactions.

Skills you'll gain

Details to know

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Assessments

5 assignments

Taught in English

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This course is part of the Management of Multinational and Cross-Cultural Teams Specialization

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There are 4 modules in this course

Airplanes gave us the ability to travel across oceans to visit international team members. But virtual spaces are now bringing us together in an instant. New rules have been written, and as work-from-home is on the rise, re-written, and they bring their own unique cross-cultural challenges. We’ll discuss communication differences unique to text-driven spaces like email and instant message as well as the evolving world of video conferencing. We’ll explore unique cultural challenges brought up by this “new office”, such as the blending of private and public spaces, the “virtual water cooler” of informal virtual communication, and the “time zone dance” done by teams sharing virtual work done while one half is asleep. The future is now. Thanks to technological advances, we have an opportunity to show up, share our cultures, and build creative and innovative pathways to successful multinational teams. Let’s build best practices together in this virtual space and then work together to make them go viral!

In this module, you will be able to discuss the benefits and challenges of written and verbal communication cues and be able to define how virtual communication has changed modern business communication. You'll be able to discover how people process information in the virtual space and be able to compare and contrast virtual communication with in-person communication. You will be able to specify the differences in virtual written communications versus verbal communication. And finally, you'll be able to evaluate the effectiveness of virtual tolls of communication as substitutes for in-person communications.

What's included

4 videos10 readings2 assignments9 discussion prompts

4 videos Total 27 minutes

Course Introduction 8 minutes
Module Introduction 3 minutes
Listening As a Skill 10 minutes
Communication in Virtual Spaces 6 minutes

10 readings Total 60 minutes

A Note From UC Davis 10 minutes
Professional Panelist: Anneli Adams 5 minutes
Professional Panelist: Manisha Gupta 5 minutes
Professional Panelist: Donald James 5 minutes
Professional Panelist: Maheedharan Thiagarajan 5 minutes
Professional Panelist: Pankaj Mehta 5 minutes
Professional Panelist: Renato Junqueira Santos Pereira 5 minutes
Professional Panelist: Karine Salanon 5 minutes
Professional Panelist: Yu-Chao (Justin) Wang 5 minutes
Non-Verbal Communication 10 minutes

2 assignments Total 60 minutes

Oral vs. Written Communication Practice Quiz (Ungraded) 30 minutes
Module 1 Quiz 30 minutes

9 discussion prompts Total 110 minutes

Learning Goals 10 minutes
Virtual Communication 10 minutes
Benefits and Drawbacks 5 minutes
Oral vs. Written Communication 10 minutes
In-Person vs. Virtual Communication 30 minutes
Virtual Conferencing Fatigue 15 minutes
Scenario 1: Liese and Burkhard 10 minutes
Scenario 2: Jonathan and Oscar 10 minutes
Your Preferences 10 minutes

In this module, you will be able to recognize how your identity shows up or does not show up clearly in a virtual space. You will be able to explore how culture plays a role in today's written and verbal communications and be able to look at culture with a wider lens to provide a framework for building your virtual team. You will be able to recognize how our innate biases show up when we can and can not see someone's face and be able to build a safe virtual space what allows all personalities to succeed.

What's included

4 videos1 assignment7 discussion prompts

4 videos Total 18 minutes

Module Introduction 3 minutes
Culture in Virtual Workspaces 6 minutes
Videoconferences 6 minutes
Written 4 minutes

1 assignment Total 30 minutes

Module 2 Quiz 30 minutes

7 discussion prompts Total 65 minutes

Advice For Effective Virtual Communication 10 minutes
Resolving Conflict - Part 1 5 minutes
Resolving Conflict - Part 2 10 minutes
Navigating Cultural Differences 10 minutes
Resolving Conflict - Part 1 10 minutes
Resolving Conflict - Part 2 10 minutes
"Face Time" 10 minutes

In this module, you will be able to recognize and respond to cultural differences in establishing what is a public and private space within your business team. You will be able to discuss strategies for building personal relationships and empathy with the lack of reality within virtual spaces and be able to examine how formal and informal communication will differ on a virtual team. You will be able to discuss how the concept of linear versus flexible time can impact culture and distinguish between collective versus individual cultures in virtual spaces.

What's included

5 videos1 reading1 assignment5 discussion prompts

5 videos Total 29 minutes

Lesson 3.1 Module Introduction 2 minutes
Collectivism vs. Individualism 6 minutes
Issues With Time 4 minutes
Examples From Our Panelists 8 minutes
The Empathy Map 8 minutes

1 reading Total 20 minutes

Resolving Conflict Activity 20 minutes

1 assignment Total 30 minutes

Module 3 Quiz 30 minutes

5 discussion prompts Total 50 minutes

Brainstorming 10 minutes
Collectivist Culture 10 minutes
Linear to Flexible Time Cultures 10 minutes
Brainstorm 10 minutes
Reflection 10 minutes

In this final module, you will be able to identify the opportunities to improve a multinational, cross-cultural team using virtual spaces. You will be able to recognize and name opportunities to use your own personal culture in a virtual space to cultivate team collaboration. You will also be able to design small acts of leadership, using virtual tools, to inspire cultural connectivity from your team members.

What's included

5 videos1 assignment7 discussion prompts

5 videos Total 27 minutes

Module Introduction 3 minutes
Virtual Spaces and Individuals 7 minutes
Virtual Spaces and Teams 6 minutes
Leading Virtual Teams 9 minutes
Course Summary 3 minutes

1 assignment Total 30 minutes

Module 4 Quiz 30 minutes

7 discussion prompts Total 95 minutes

Reflection Exercise 5 minutes
How to Manage Up in a Virtual World 15 minutes
Virtual Celebration Ideas 20 minutes
Virtual Social Activities 10 minutes
Create a Plan 20 minutes
Tips to Lead a Team Virtually 15 minutes
Course Reflection 10 minutes

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Instructors

Daniel Student

University of California, Davis

4 Courses 10,754 learners

Offered by

University of California, Davis

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Reviewed on Aug 5, 2025

In Module 1, there were a lot of missing documents and links that had long expired. Some of the test questions are incorrect. But overall, very valuable information and knowledge.

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