Preparing Business Students for the World of Work—Games for Intercultural Skill Development

Abstract

Most work environments today are diverse—gender, age, culture, language, values, ethnicity. Businesses are also increasing their global presence with branches in international locations and daily interactions across countries and cultures, all made easier through technological advances. Business education must be at the forefront in preparing students to work effectively in these contexts, and in particular, help future managers develop the skills to establish high performing diverse teams within and across organizations. A number of pedagogical approaches can be implemented in business courses to help students develop intercultural competencies. Three games for engaging students in the recognition and appreciation of cultural differences are described in this article. Ideas for debriefing are provided as well as for analyzing learning outcomes. The purpose of this article is to share strategies and approaches for implementing intercultural development pedagogies and measuring their effectiveness.