• Audebert Friedrich

Does President Joe Biden negotiate(s) like a real American? Why did the German Chancellor usually only fly abroad for short working visits? How does Siemens get contracts worldwide and why didn't E.ON become world market leader as the largest electricity producer?

All these questions have strong intercultural implications. They can be analyzed in a multifaceted discussion of space and time and are often dependent on historical events.

Knowledge of these complex contextual factors is becoming more and more relevant to the success of decision-makers in international organizations, in politics as well as in successful companies.

Nations and international organizations have "real" experts for negotiations in their respective diplomatic corps. How are they recruited and trained? Are there country-specific differences here? And why do companies not use the same preparation?

The lecture/seminar will focus on about ten different country case studies that have taken place or are currently relevant in different organizations or companies.

The lecture/seminar aims to,

- to understand and analyze negotiation styles of German-speaking and international corporations as well as politics

- to look at the effects of negotiations in business cases

- to be able to discuss "diplomatic trainings

- To be able to understand the impact of tectonic shifts in world politics on corporate decisions.

TOPIC 

1

Merger & Acquisition - interculturally successful?

Part 1:

1.  The E.ON Case: Who Were the Parties Involved, What Was the Role of Opus Dei, the German Federal Government,       the Italian as well as the Spanish State, etc.?

(Bein, H.-W. and Büschemann, K.-H. and. Cáceres, J "The Spanish War." Süddeutsche Zeitung, 19.05.2010, https://www.sueddeutsche.de/wirtschaft/uebernahmekampf-um-endesa-der-spanische-krieg-1.917968)

2.  Daimler-Chrysler: Why did the "marriage in heaven" not succeed?

(Bubik,Michael. „Erfolgskriterien für Unternehmenszusammenschlüsse”. Eine theoretische und exemplarische Analyse.  Band 49.Peter Lang GmbH. Europäischer Verlag der Wissenschaften. Frankfurt am Main 2005; Müller, Martina. Die Identifikation kultureller Erfolgsfaktoren bei grenzüberschreitenden Fusionen. Eine Analyse am Beispiel DaimlerChrysler AG.Deutscher Universitäts-Verlag. GWV Fachverlage GmbH, Wiesbaden 2007.)

2

3. Tom Tailor - Fosun: An example of the feared sell-off of German companies in Corona times?

(https://www.businessinsider.de/wirtschaft/finanzen/chinesen-kaufen-tom-tailor-fuer-1-euro-e/
https://www.abendblatt.de/wirtschaft/article231804831/China-Deutschland-Investoren-Firmen-Uebernahme-Peter-Altmaier.html
Matthes, J. Technologietransfer durch Unternehmensübernahmen chinesischer Investoren. Wirtschaftsdienst 100, 633–639 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10273-020-2723-2)

4. Linde-Praxair: The mega merger - profit or loss?
(https://www.n-tv.de/wirtschaft/Weg-fuer-Mega-Fusion-von-Linde-ist-frei-article20682778.html)

3

Merger & Acquisition - interculturally successful?

Part 2:

5. ZF-TRW-WABCO: Foundation culture and shareholder value come together: Can this succeed?
(https://www.wsj.com/articles/germanys-zf-recently-held-advanced-takeover-talks-with-wabco-1500995712).

6.  Bayer-Monsanto: The name of the glyphosate manufacturer is erased from the beginning: Why?(https://www.zeit.de/wirtschaft/unternehmen/2019-03/bayer-monsanto-glyphosat-klagen-aktienkurs-werner-baumann).

4

7.  KUKA aroused the interest of the Chinese: Who bought why and what is the business case behind it?
(Amadeo, K. (2018) Foreign Direct Investment, Its Pros, Cons, and Importance to You. Available at: https://www.thebalance.com/foreign-direct-investment-fdi-pros-cons-and-importance-3306283.)

8.  Chem China on a buying spree: who was bought, how, when and why?

(Conrad, Björn; Ives, Jaqueline; Meissner, Mirjam; Wübbeke, Jost; Zenglein, Max J. (2016): Made in China 2025. The making of a high-tech superpower and consequences for industrial countries. MERICS. Online verfügbar unter https://www.merics.org/sites/default/files/2018- 07/MPOC_No.2_MadeinChina2025_web_0.pdf.)

5

Interculture and Diplomatic training:

1.  What does diplomatic training look like in D, France, GB?
(Kahrmann, Jens. Bestenauslese beim Auswärtigen Amt. „Bei uns zählt mehr als die Examensnote“. Legal Tribune Online, 02.04. 2013; Berridge, G., & James, A. (2003). A Dictionary of diplomacy. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan; About us. GOV.UK, https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/foreign-commonwealth-office/about.

2.  How are diplomats in the U.S., India, and China prepared for their career?
(Kopp, Harry K; Naland, John K. (2017): Career Diplomacy – Life and Work in the US Foreign Service, Dritte Edition,      Washington DC., Georgetown University Press, Rana, Kishan (2005): The Structure and Operation of China’s Diplomatic System, China Report, Vol. 41 (3), S. 215- 236, https://www.mea.gov.in/indian-foreign-service.htm )                                       

3.  The European External Action Service - Competition or Extension of National Diplomatic Missions
(https://europa.eu/european-union/about-eu/institutions-bodies/eeas_de)

6

The Third Time/Space:

1.  Which locations worldwide are used for negotiations and why are they predestined for this (at least 4)?
(Bhabha, Homi K. (1994): The Location of Culture. London, New York: Routledge. 38-39.(2010): Kulturelle Differenz und Dritter Raum: Die Verortung der Kultur. In: R. Borgards (Hg.): Texte zur Kulturtheorie und Kulturwissenschaft. Stuttgart: Philipp Reclam jun. GmbH & Co. KG. S. 233– 249).

2.  What functions and characteristics must negotiation spaces have (choose spaces in four different cultures)?
(Audebert, Fritz u. Beyer, Thilo, Smart Spacing: The impact of Locations on Intercultural Trust Building and Decision Making, in: Barmeyer, Christoph u. Franklin, Peter: Intercultural Management: A Case-Based Approach to Achieving Complementarity and Synergy, New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2016.) 

3.  What are the appropriate times to graduate (describe them in four different cultures)
(Audebert, Fritz u.  Bauer Miriam: Der Faktor Zeit: Internationale Fernsehwerbung im interkulturellen und ökonomischen Spannungsfeld, Saarbrücken, 2007.)

Course with continuous evaluation: after the registration period, you can no longer cancel your registration (see session calendar on the Faculty's website).

No re-take exam