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MBA8015STRATEGIC BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

Syllabus*: Spring 2008

Business Communication Programs

Department of Marketing, RCB

GSU Office:

Preferred Email: Please use

Cell Phone:

Office Hours: By appointment

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course presents communication as integral to management strategy and as a critical component for success in the workplace. In this class, you will develop a foundation for designingeffective messages, both written and oral, from concept to delivery. You will use a strategic communication model to identify objectives, analyze audiences, choose information, and create the most effective arrangement and channel for that message. Particularly, the course emphasizes elements of persuasive communication: how to design messages for diverse and possiblyresistant audiences and how to present that information in a credible and convincing way.

Specifically, you will practice drafting and editing clear, precise, and readable written business documents as well as learn to design documents to make information easily accessible to a busy, executive-level reader. In addition, you will develop and deliver an individual presentation,using appropriate and effective visual support, in which you present a persuasive argument that demonstrates relevance and benefits to an audience at different levelsof expertise or interest.

Further, because effective group communication is a necessity in today’s workplace you will learn and practice skills in low structure presentations, managing meetings, dealing with conflict, and leveraging the power of diversity, at both the individual and cultural level.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Upon successful completion of this class, you will be able to:

  • Use a strategic communication model and critical thinking to identify objectives, analyze audiences, andchoose the most effective structure and style for delivering strategically sound written and spoken messages.
  • Practice principles of effective business writing and document design in all written documents.
  • Design and deliver a persuasive presentation that convinces the audience of the topic’s relevance and overcomes resistance, using appropriate visual support and adhering to a specified time limit.
  • Employ principles of effective group communication to cultivate trust and understanding, increase open participation, and strengthen decision making in work groups and teams.
  • Build an understanding of different organizational cultures, business practices, and social norms to communicate more effectively in domestic and cross-cultural business contexts.
  • Analyze a company’s communication processes or key messages and recommend changes that can help advance communication as an integral part of that organization’s management strategy.
  • As a team, design and deliver a presentation that both informs and persuades, using an appropriate visual support strategy and adhering to a specified time limit.

REQUIRED MATERIALS

  • Textbooks: Management Communication, 3rd edition, by James O’Rourke (JO) and Guide to Managerial Communication, 7th edition,by Mary Munter (MM)
  • Three-ring binder
  • Email address that accepts large attachments
  • Mini-sized+RW DVD for videotaping (Provided by PMBA Program)
  • Fletcher Electronics case (on Study.net) for Strategy Memo Assignment

* This syllabus is preliminary and may undergo some minor changes.

GRADED ASSIGNMENTS

Assignments / Grade Weights
Communication Strategy Assignment / 15%
Written Assignment(Case Analysis) / 25%
IndividualPresentation / 25%
Communication Audit Report / 20%
Group Presentation: Communication Audit / 15%
Total / 100%

Grade Scale: Please note that no individual assignment or course grades will be rounded up.

A = 93-100C+ =77-79

A- = 90-92C =73-76

B+ =87-89C- =70-72

B =83-86D =60-69

B- = 80-82

Pre-Reading Before Class # 1: Fletcher Electronics Case (Study.net), Mary Munter (MM), Chapter 1; James O’Rourke (JO) Chapters 1-3. (You do not have to read all the cases that accompany the chapters unless I have assigned them)

COURSE OUTLINE

Class / Content / What’s Due Today / Reading Assignment for Next Class
Class #1,
Jan. 12 /
  • Welcome and Course Policy
  • Introduction to Management Communication Strategy
  • Communicator Strategy
  • Establishing Credibility
  • Audience Strategy
  • Message Strategy
  • Discuss Fletcher Case
  • Communication Strategy Assignment
/
  • MM: Chapters 2-4; Appendices A-D
  • JO: Browse Appendices A-D, as needed
  • JO: Chapters 5, 7
  • Read JO Case 7-1, Cerner Corporation, p. 211.

Class # 2, Jan. 26 /
  • Introduction to Communication Audit Assignment
  • Introduction to Written Communication
  • Drafting and Editing
  • Document Design
  • Writing Exercises
  • Using Technology: Discussion of Cerner
/
  • MM: Chapters 5-7-1
  • JO: Chapter 4, 6,10
  • Read JO Case 4-2: “Preparing to Speak at Staples, Inc.”

Class # 3,
Feb. 9 /
  • Introduction to Spoken Communication
  • Discussion of Staples Case
  • Persuasion and Influence; Handling Objections and Audience Resistance
  • Presentation Design and Delivery
  • Handling Q and A in Presentations Managing Audience Participation; Difficult Situations
/ Turn in Communication Strategy Written Assignmentbased on the Fletcher Electronics Case (See instructions on page 7 of syllabus) /
  • MM: Chapter 7-2
  • JO: Chapter 8, 9,13

Class # 4,
Feb. 23 /
  • Individual Presentations (1/2 Class)
/ Submit email evaluation of presentation by March 8
Class # 5
Mar. 8 /
  • Individual Presentations (1/2 Class)
/ Submit email evaluation of presentation by March 22
Class #6,
Mar. 22 /
  • Low Structure Spoken Communication: One-on-one; Difficult Messages
  • Nonverbal Communication
  • Intercultural Communication
  • Dealing with the Media
  • Working in Groups: Team Communication
  • Role Play
/
  • MM, Chapter 5 (p. 97-107)
  • JO Chapters 11-12

Class #7
April 5 /
  • Meeting Management/Group Dynamics
  • Resolving Conflicts
  • Dealing with Difficult People
/ Turn in Written Assignment on case of your choice (See instructions on p. 11 of syllabus)
Class # 8
April 19 /
  • Communication Audit Group Presentations
/ Turn in Written Assignment on Communication Audit

COMMUNICATION STRATEGY (C/S) WORKSHEET

ASSIGNMENT______NAME______

Mary Munter writes “A brilliant message alone is not sufficient; you are successful only if your message leads to the response you desire from your audience.” Use this form to help you develop a communication strategy that will result in the “desired audience response.”

Please complete the following form, before you begin to write, to describe the strategy you have used to create your communication document/presentation. Attach the typed or neatly printed form to each assignment.

AUDIENCE: (Who is my primary audience? What do I know about him/her/them? What is my audience’s likely reaction to this message?)

PURPOSE: (What is the general purpose of the message – to inform or persuade? Specific purpose – action I want my audience to take?)

CONTENT: (What obstacles must I overcome? What reader benefits can I emphasize? What will audience need to know to take the desired action? List the major point and supporting points.)

STRUCTURE: (What approach will I use to organize my message – direct or indirect, formal or informal? How will I make it easy for my audience to locate/understand my main points – bullets, agenda, etc.?)

CHANNEL: (What channel will I use – written or spoken? What medium – memo, letter, speech, email, brochure, etc.?)

CULTURE: What cultural variables and nonverbal elements should you consider? These can be corporate culture issues as well as demographic, ethnic, or national differences (List)

Adapted by Dr. Gillian Royes, BCOM, 2006, from Mary Munter’s Guide to Managerial Communication

COMMUNICATION STRATEGY ANALYSIS: Fletcher Electronics

Write a memo to your instructor analyzing the Fletcher situation. What was VanDyke trying to accomplish? What mistakes did he make in his communication strategy? What should he have done initially? What should he do now to salvage the situation? Use the information on communication strategy from your textbook and handouts to help you structure your analysis of the situation. Turn in a copy of the strategy worksheet writtenas though you were Bill VanDyke. What should have been his strategy? In other words, when you analyze the audience(s), you should analyze VanDyke’s audiences. When you consider the message construction, you should be assessing what VanDyke did and what he should have done.

Do not fill out the strategy worksheet dealing with your memo to me. Fill it out as what Van Dyke should consider.

Other issues to consider:

Strategic Communication Objectives.

Audience Analysis.

Message Construction.

Medium Selection.

Measurement of Outcome.

Turn in your strategy worksheet with your assignment. Note that your strategy worksheet is merely to show what went into your conclusions and recommendations. It is not a substitute for putting your ideas in the memo. This assignment is the only time you need to attach a strategy worksheet to a written assignment.

Here are some additional resources.

  • MM: Chapter 1 and “Communication Strategy Checklist” (p.32)
  • JO: Appendix E: Sample Strategy Memo (p.361)

INDIVIDUAL PERSUASIVE PRESENTATION

Combine the elements of effective persuasion strategy with strong presentation skills to convince your audience to support your conclusions on a business issue. Choose the topic for your persuasive presentation from the list below. In the case of a topic that has two sides to the issue, indicate whether you want the pro or con side so that a classmate can take the other side. If you don't see a topic that interests you, submit a proposed topic for my approval.

This presentation should be a combination of your own thoughts on the issue and some expert opinion, so some research is necessary. You have seven minutes for your presentation. Unfortunately, due to the class size, we won’t have much time for questions.

Suggested Topics

CEO Compensation: Too High? Too Low? Just Right? What’s the solution?
Credibility: How To Gain It And Keep It
When Generations Collide: Tips For Managing A Multi-Generational Workforce
Cultural Relativism Or Ethical Absolutism: Which Is “Right?”
Downsizing and Rightsizing: The Best Solution for Declining Profits?
Drug Testing: A Company’s Right or Invasion of Privacy?
The New CEO: Why Companies Should have a Chief Ethics Officer
E-Mail: How To Manage This Tool Effectively
Leveraging Diversity in the Workplace
The e EU: Good or Bad for the US?
Glass Ceiling: Myth or Reality?
Globalization: Pain or Gain?
Internet Security: Fact or Fiction?
More Technology or More People: What’s The Best Bang for the Buck?
Outsourcing: Good for Productivity orBadforUS Business?
Teams vs. Hierarchy: Best Organization Strategy?
Teleworking/Telecommuting: More Work or More Play?
Technology and Interpersonal Skills: Friends or Foes?
Trust In The Workplace: Pipe Dream Or Possibility?
“Whistleblowers:” Heroes or Tattletales?
Workplace Monitoring: An Ethical Dilemma
What Makes s Leader?
Communicating Change In The Workplace—Why So Many Companies Do A Lousy Job
Creating A Fear-Free Workplace: Important Or Impossible?
Key Attributes Of A Successful Employee Recognition Program
Community Service: Corporate Responsibility or Individual Choice?
Developing Tomorrow’s Corporate Leaders: Guidelines For Action
How To Overcome Destructive Internal Competition
How To Leverage Internal Competition To Benefit The Corporation
When Companies Merge: Strategies For Bringing Corporate Cultures Into Alignment
Attracting and Keeping Top Talent in Organizations: How To Do It
Why Failing is Important
How Should Business Deal with an Aging Population?
Benefits: What Do Companies Owe Employees?
Creative Solutions for Dealing with the Cost of Employee Health Care
Should We Put a Leash on Lawsuits?
How to Achieve Your Goals
How to Get Noticed Without Being Notorious
How to Overcome Resistance to Your Good Ideas
How to Hire the Right People? Interviewing Techniques
What US business people can learn from other cultures
The Most Serious Threat to the Human Race
The future of the wireless industry around the globe. What smart companies should do
What the airline industry needs to do to avoid bankruptcy.
Why the US needs a stronger corporate governance system—and how it will benefit the economy.
What environmental risk management can mean to the average company
How to win in the luxury hotel industry.
ERP systems: centralization vs decentralization.
A major idea from The Lexus and the Olive Tree. Take a pro or con position
Your Choice of Topic, with Instructor’s Approval (Please submit in a one-paragraph email)

CASE ANALYSIS: COMMUNICATION STRATEGY PROPOSAL TO MANAGEMENT (INDIVIDUAL PAPER)

Choose one of the following cases for your paper: Your audience will be senior management of that company.

Case Number / Case Name
Case 1.1 / Odwalla
Case 1-2 / Great West Casualty vs. Estate of G. Witherspoon
Case 2-1 / Starbuck’s Corporation: Can Customers Breastfeed in a Coffee Shop?
Case 2-3 / Taco Bell Corporation: Public Perception and Brand Perception
Case 3-1 / Excel Industries
Case 3-2 / A Collection Scandal at Sears Roebuck and Company
Case 3-3 / The Soul of Dell
Case 7-1 / Cerner
Case 7-2 / Vitruvius Sportswear Inc.: A Question of Online Privacy
Case 10-2 / LaJolla Software, Inc.
Case 11-3 / Dixie Industries
Case 11-3 / Hershey Foods
Case 12-2 / American Rubber Products Company
Case 13-1 / L’Oreal USA
Case 13-2 / Bayer AG: Anthrax and Cipro

Please prepare your paper with senior management of the chosen company as your proposed audience, unless you have a clear reason for identifying a different audience.

In this assignment you should

  • Identify the key issues of the situation.
  • Identify the main stakeholder groups and their value propositions.
  • Define and address any ethical issues.
  • Anticipate and deal with possible objections or resistance.
  • Make recommendations with regard to strategy: Analyzing the audience, choosing the media, structuring the message, considering the context, and timing.
  • Describe how your message should be tailored to various audiences.
  • Outline next steps.
  • Present a clear vision for the future: What are the benefits of the company’s accepting your recommendations?

GROUP ASSIGNMENT: COMMUNICATION AUDIT

Your Assignment: Audit the communication of a company of your choice. You may choose to audit a department or a branch office of a larger company.

Your Audience: The audience of your audit should be the client company’s senior leadership. I am not the audience. However, if you need to give me some background about the company, you can provide it in a short memo to me or as an appendix.

Keep in mind that your audience is thoroughly familiar with the history of the company, so you do not need to give them background information about their own organization unless it is relevant to some point you are making in the audit.

Your Deliverables

Cover Letter, Agreement, and Disclaimer for Client Company

Before you begin the audit, you need to write a short cover letter to the contact person at the company which you will audit and attach the Agreement and Disclaimer to that document. Include a copy with your written report.

Written Report:

Prepare a written report that analyzes the situation, considers the implications, explains your research, and recommends a workable strategy. Use a combination of primary and secondary research. For example, you may want to review the company’s collateral material and then conduct a focus group on how consumers or stakeholders react to that material.

Some of your findings should have a quantitative component, for example a survey or a poll.

Include samples of instruments you used to conduct the audit as well as compilations of your results.

Include an analysis of whatever difficulties you encountered in conducting the audit and how you overcame these problems. In your recommendations, discuss the possible implementation as well as the concept.

Presentation to Senior Management (or other appropriate audience)15-20 minutes

Deliver a team presentation (although not everyone has to speak) as though you were presenting to management at your client organization, giving a high-level overview of the situation, recommending a strategy, and “selling” your approach. Include a sufficient element of persuasion to convince management that a degree of intervention is necessary. Include recommendations about creating a safe environment in which new communication behaviors can be practiced. Suggest ways that management can assess the success of any changes.

Assume that you may encounter some resistance in the audience although the audience is not necessarily hostile. However, whenever you come into a company and observe areas for improvement, you may find that your audience becomes defensive.

Make sure that you spend adequate time on the benefits of implementing your strategy and the changes that you believe will take place as a result. This presentation must be considerably more than informational. You need to convince your audience of the merits of your approach.

Note: Please make sure that all members of the team work on both parts of the assignment. I am attaching a Bonus Sheet that you can use to assess the contribution that each member makes and to evaluate the overall effectiveness of the team.

Conducting a Communication Audit

Choose a company which you will audit for the effectiveness of its communication.

Working in teams, you will examine the company’s communication in the following areas:

Internal

External (Advertising, PR, Community Relations, Investor Relations, etc.)

Electronic (website, email guidelines)

Public Perception (Image, Identity)

If possible and available, you should avail yourself of three kinds of research: Exploratory, Secondary, and Primary.

Exploratory: Looking through publications—books magazines, newspapers, pamphlets, etc. for information on, for example, the industry of the subject company.

Secondary: Secondary research is the study of any primary conducted by others that can be extrapolated to apply to your research topic. For example, you may find an example of a communication audit performed by someone else.

Primary: Obviously, secondary research cannot provide the specific answers to the questions that apply to your topic. Primary research is information that you will obtain first hand from information sources that are not currently in publications. This research includes the following:

Observations

Surveys

Interviews

Your audit report should include the following elements:

Introduction: Discuss either typical organizational communication problems or specific problems that you suspect or have observed in your subject company.

Objectives: What do you want to know? What insights do you hope to achieve from your audit?

Problem Statement: What exactly are you researching? Your problem statement will define the scope of the problem and try to determine any cause-and-effect relationships between variables. For example, a company’s use of email may have become a problem. Or, the external perception of the organization may not be what it would like.