ANTH 800.1 - Business Anthropology

Course Description

This seminar course provides a comprehensive overview of business anthropology and a cross-cultural perspective on three main areas: consumer research, organizational culture, and design anthropology. Readings and discussions will focus on a survey of anthropology as applied to global business, with an emphasis on solving real world business problems, including the use of AI tools. The unifying themes will be the importance of applying social science research methods and theory and global perspectives to inform strategic decision-making. Through readings, lectures, discussions, and visual media, students will explore the intersection of anthropological knowledge and the world of business.

Learner Outcomes

• Discover in what ways business anthropology can benefit your business and the relevance of the anthropological perspective for your career.
• Apply anthropological methods and knowledge to solve real-world business problems.
• Consider the political, economic, administrative, and ethical issues involved in doing business anthropology.
• Conduct fieldwork and collect data on consumer behavior or organizational culture.
• Analyze and interpret data on human behavior to produce actionable insights. Synthesize findings for presentation to business clients.