Intercultural Human Resource Development

Module 4 of the Intercultural Train-the-trainer Course

Training is an important instrument of intercultural human resource development. Whoever wants to be successful as a trainer needs to know the needs and procedures within companies. In this module, we will look at the market and the means by which (cultural) diversity in an organization can be managed.

We show you the various tasks within intercultural human resource development. Based on an organization that places the idea of a ‘welcoming culture’ at the center of its corporate culture, we will develop a vision for its future development.

We look at other forms of diversity within an organization. Diversity Management and intercultural management are closely related but also distinct from each other in many points. Here, we will show parallels and differences. Since national culture and religion are given substantial space throughout the course, we will now concentrate on age, disability, gender and sexual orientation.

Finally, we look into the ‘classical’ tasks of intercultural human resource development in the context of foreign assignment management. This includes potential conflicts before, during, and after an assignment but also tools to assess intercultural competence. Finally, a connection to the services provided by relocation agencies will be made.

Topics discussed:

• Introduction to intercultural human resource development
• The place of intercultural training within HR development
• Employer branding in the context of diversity
• Diversity Management vs. Intercultural Management
• Diversity categories from an intercultural perspective
• Foreign assignments— from preparation to re-integration
• Tools for measuring intercultural competence
• Culture-sensitive selection of staff