BUAD 302: Communication Strategy in Business

BUAD 302: Communication Strategy in Business

Fall 2009 Syllabus

12:00–1:50 (14667) HOH 306

2:00–3:50 (14673) HOH 306

Professor: Anne Hill

Office: ACC 400 B

Office Hours: T-TH: 11:00-12:00

And by appointment

E-Mail:

Telephone: 714-969-5906

You are working in an increasingly complex world characterized by explosive growth in access to and quantity of information—and your professional life will likely revolve around how you generate, organize, evaluate, and manage the communication of this information. Almost without exception, today’s business professionals attribute their success largely to their ability to write well, to speak dynamically, and to cultivate business relationships through strong interpersonal communication skills.

Armed with astute communication strategies, business professionals can effectively exercise influence—an essential management skill—and produce desired results.

Whether making a presentation, creating and executing an integrated persuasive appeal, or engaging in group problem solving—you should be able to convey ideas and feelings to your audience clearly, accurately, and persuasively. This course is designed to sharpen your existing skills as a strategic thinker, writer, and speaker and to employ those skills to realize an actionable understanding of strategic communication.

The class is structured to emphasize experiential learning so that our study of managerial communication theory can be applied to exercises and activities mirroring real-world challenges you will face in your professional lives.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

The overall goal of this course—Communication Strategy in Business—is to help you improve your ability to communicate successfully in the business world. Specifically, you will learn to analyze audiences and become aware of the interrelationship between context and purpose in order to develop the most effective strategy for successful communication in a business setting. You will use this analytical and strategic approach to improve your skills in each of the following communication categories:

Business Communication Strategy—Theory

to demonstrate an understanding of the elements of business communication theory and apply this understanding to communications in a wide range of business contexts.

Business Communication Strategy— Application To apply communication theory in order to develop business communication strategies, including evaluation of purpose, audience, context, and channel choice. To demonstrate the ability to analyze, compare and critique these strategies, and effectively communicate this assessment.

By the end of your BUAD 302 experience, you should have acquired knowledge and skills in the following areas:

Business Presentations

• Analyze a communicative situation and develop a strategy to create effectivepersuasive business presentations.
• Demonstrate understanding of and apply the principles of effective business presentations, including managing question-and-answer sessions and employing visuals.

Interpersonal Communication

• Demonstrate understanding of the elements of nonverbal communication and apply them in interpersonal communication situations.
• Demonstrate understanding of the principles and processes of effective listening and apply them in interpersonal communication situations.
• Demonstrate understanding of the principles of effective feedback and apply them to provide effective and appropriate feedback to peers.

Organizational Communication

• Demonstrate understanding of organizational communication practices—external and internal—and apply this knowledge in various communication contexts.
• Demonstrate awareness of intercultural factors that affect communication and apply this knowledge in intercultural communication situations.
• Demonstrate understanding of the principles of small group communication, including problem solving and decision making, and apply them to create effective teams.

After only fifteen weeks, you probably will not reach a level of professional excellence in all business communication areas—significant improvements in skill levels sometimes take years. However, you will be able to use skills learned in this class to influence your communication objectives, and you will feel increased confidence in your communication decisions and in the execution of those decisions.

RESOURCES

Required reading includes the text cited below as well as articles and cases distributed in class.

• Weissman, Jerry. Presenting to Win. (2009)

FT Press. ISBN: 0-13-714417-2

• Alred, et al. The Business Writer’s Companion, 5th ed. (optional)

TO SUCCEED IN THE COURSE

Professional behavior is expected and includes turning in assignments on time, coming to class fully prepared even if you were unable to attend a previous class, and initiating timely communication with me about any troubles you are having with any aspect of this course. In short, I expect you will actively participate in and take responsibility for your own learning. Also, as in business, attention to detail and knowing how to professionally communicate with your instructor and peers will facilitate your success in this class. These behaviors will be considered as part of the “professionalism” portion of your overall grade, together with the customary expectations about attendance and punctuality.

Important Note: Please silence all electronic devices and turn off portable computers before class. There is no need for them. Using electronic devices during class is distracting and exhibits a lack of professionalism.

Attendance

I anticipate that you will be present in every class, and be ready to begin work at the time class is scheduled to start. Consistent tardiness will affect your grade and you risk missing out on important beginning-of-the-class activities. Should you need to be absent—for whatever reason—I expect to receive an e-mail message from you prior to the start of class or before the end of the working day (5:00 p.m.) Multiple absences, even when accompanied by conscientious notification, may be viewed as unprofessional behavior.

If you miss a class session, you still must come to the next class fully prepared. Please contact a classmate before the next class meeting. I cannot recreate lectures/discussions for individual absences—telling you everything we did in class.

Class Demeanor and Respect for Others

Please recognize that BUAD 302 is a difficult and intimidating course for many students. I expect the class to operate as a learning community. Please have respect and offer support to your colleagues as they work to develop their individual skill levels. You learn as much from observing presentations as you do from making presentations. Be an attentive, active listener when others are making presentations since you will be asked to critically evaluate the performance of your classmates.

ASSIGNMENTS

In this class, as in business, you’re expected to complete your projects on time. All assignments will be posted on blackboard and are due in class on the date assigned. All written assignments and graded presentations must be completed; failing to complete even a single assignment may impact your final grade in this course. Final grades in the course will depend on your performance in the following three types of assignments:

▪ Oral presentations

▪ Written communications connected with presentations

▪ Classroom activities

Please check Blackboard and your e-mail account regularly for any messages I may send. This is standard communication in business. If you have an e-mail address that does not identify your name, you must tell me who you are when e-mailing me.

The three types of coursework are described in more detail below.

Oral Presentations

Each of you will complete a series of 4–5 graded presentations—individual and group. The value of these presentations increases throughout the term to provide an advantage for improving skill levels. I am particularly interested in your developing ability to connect with your audience. It is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to make this connection when you are reading your presentation or reciting it word-for-word. Reading verbatim-or even appearing to read—a presentation will lower your grade significantly. It is permissible to use notes, of course, but my goal is to wean you from the temptation to write out your presentation in complete sentences and memorize it. Doing this is guaranteed to deal a death blow to your effectiveness as a communicator. Due to ELC (Experiential Learning Center) scheduling constraints, there will be no make-ups on ELC presentations.

Written Communications

You will complete some individual and group writing assignments which are meant to complement your oral presentations. The Marshall School of Business computing environment supports the Microsoft Office bundle of productivity tools. All assignments must be prepared with these tools – or tools that produce compatible files – and printed on a laser or inkjet printer.

All parts of multi-page assignments should be stapled together in the upper left corner. Please do not enclose any of your work in binders or folders. Please indicate your full name and the time your class meets on all documents.

Where a bibliography, reference notes, or other stylistic requirements are used, the information must conform to a standard style manual (APA or MLA). Your written assignments should be free of spelling, punctuation, or grammar errors. Any errors in mechanics reduce the effectiveness of written communication and will dramatically lower your grade.

Classroom Activities and Exercises

Throughout the term, you will participate in interactive exercises in the classroom and in the Experiential Learning Center (ELC). Some of the exercises will be credit/no credit based simply on participation in the exercise. Late arrivals will be noted. Excused absences will be reviewed on an individual basis. Unexcused absences will receive no credit. Other exercises will be assigned points based on a level of performance. In addition, you are responsible for reading and understanding the assigned readings; we will not review all of them in class.

Assignment Protocol

▪ In business, you are expected to complete your projects on time.

▪ If you are unable to attend class on the day a written assignment is due, make

arrangements for it to be delivered to the classroom or to my mailbox by the

start of class.

▪ Any written assignment or presentation that is not turned in will receive an “F.”

▪ Your written assignments should be free of spelling, punctuation, or grammar

errors. ANY errors in mechanics reduce the effectiveness of written

communication and will dramatically lower your grade.

▪ Bibliography, works cited, reference notes, or other stylistic

requirements must conform to a standard style manual.

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES

Not all meetings are conducted in our classroom. Because of the depth of this course, we may use additional locations that will provide you with the best learning experience to help you increase your skills.

Experiential Learning Center

Oral presentations, exercises and simulations are videotaped in the Experiential Learning Center (ELC) located in the basement of Bridge Hall. Because our time in the ELC is precious, being punctual is critical. The dress expectation will be included in the presentation assignment. What an audience sees when you speak influences what it hears and thinks.

Mock Interviews

Mock interviews are scheduled on weekends in Popovich Hall, September 19, 20 and 27 from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. You mustparticipate in one of the scheduled days. Failure to attend the interview exercise will impact your final grade because the exercise cannot be made up. Sign-ups for a 20 minute time slot and further details of this assignment will be discussed in class.

GRADING POLICIES

The Marshall School of Business no longer requires average course grades to meet strict numerical targets. However, “each class will have a recommended target mean GPA. The target for required classes will be 3.0…” “The department chairs will monitor the grades awarded to prevent grade inflation...” I will be mindful of the recommended target, but individual grades will be awarded on the basis of individual student performance.

Working Definition of “A” Quality Work

Outstanding or exceptional work will receive an “A.”

▪ “A” work reflects mastery of course, concepts, tools, and techniques, plus a

solid understanding of implications, application, or interrelationships, as may be

appropriate.

▪ “A” work also reflects your ability to apply and express that understanding with

meaningful language. In business, this would mean your manager would accept

the work with no revision, be willing to put his or her name on it, and send it

forward.

▪ To put it another way, an “A” on a written or oral communication signifies that

the communication

– contains a clear, early statement of the main ideas

– states the sender’s conclusion as the receiver’s main idea

– has a carefully develop opening, middle and close

– recognizes complexities by thoughtfully addressing each one

– includes strongly supportive details

– is logically developed and well organized

– employs a style and tone appropriate to the occasion

– demonstrates mature sentence variety and paragraph development

– considers who does what next

– achieves the desired impact on the audience

– is freeof grammar and usage errors

Grade Review

If an assignment is returned to you and you believe that some error has occurred in the grading, you can, within oneweek of the date the assignment is returned to you, request—using a memo—that I re-evaluate it. I am always glad to clarify my commentary on returned assignments, but if you wish to discuss your grade, you must initiate the discussion with a memo. The original assignment or presentation evaluation form should be attached to the memo, and the new memo should carefully explain why you think the assignment should be re-graded. Arguing that “I worked hard and put in a lot of time” or “I don’t understand why I received this grade”are neither full nor careful explanations. The re-evaluation process can result in three types of grade adjustments: positive, none and negative.

IMPORTANT ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS

Academic Integrity

Oral presentations must also represent original work and reference sources if needed. “Plagiarism is the unacknowledged and inappropriate use of the ideas or wording of another writer and can result in severe penalties including an “F” in the course. The best way to avoid plagiarism is to carefully document your sources, even when you are only making use of data or ideas rather than an actual quotation.

Students with Disabilities

Any student requesting academic accommodations based on a disability is required to register with Disability Services and Programs (DSP) each semester. You can obtain a letter of verification for approved accommodations from DSP. Please be sure the letter is delivered to me as early in the semester as possible. DSP is located in STU 301 and is open 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday. The phone number for DSP is (213) 740-0776.

Retention of Graded Papers – Returned paperwork, unclaimed by a student, may be discarded four weeks after grades are posted by the University and, hence, will not be available should a grade appeal be pursued by a student following receipt of his/her course grade.

Class Cancellation – Only official notices written on Management Communication letterhead, dated and signed by the Chair (Professor Sandra Chrystal), will constitute a notice of cancellation for a class session. I will try to notify you in advance (via USC e-mail) of an unexpected class cancellation.

SERVICES

Other facilities within the Marshall School of Business offer a broad range of informational, software, and hardware support and services. Schedules for and additional information about these facilities can be found on the Marshall School homepage:

EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS

For help, call213-740-4321USC Security

911Los Angeles Police or Fire Department

For information, call 213-740-9233USC Emergency Information Line

Listen to 91.5FMKUSC Radio

USC information, call 213-740-2311

AND FINALLY…Welcome to BUAD 302!!

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