CMGT573: Evaluating Communication Needs

CMGT573: Evaluating Communication Needs

Spring 2018 – ANN 305; 2:00-5:00 pm Tuesday

Professor: Dr. Colleen M. Keough

Office: ASC 121B Telephone: 740-3944 EMAIL:

Office hours: 5:00 - 5:45 Tuesday, 4:30 – 6:00 Wednesday and by appointment.

Evaluating Communication Needs has dual faces. At times it will be a course in applied communication; other times a course in engaged scholarship. Pragmatically, the course will provide you with the skills needed to diagnose communication needs within organizations. That is, the ability to recognize what organizations are doing well, what needs improving and how those improvements can be made. Students are introduced to commonly used communication assessment tools. Also, we explain the dynamic relationship between researchers, practitioners, and policy makers.

Learning Objectives

· To develop an advanced understanding of the range of communication issues in contemporary organizations (corporate, nonprofit, governmental, etc.)

· To conduct field observations of communication in organizations

· To improve your analytical skills in examining common organizational communication problems and to make you a more effective member of organizations

· To assess the proficiency of potential consulting vendors.

Text

Hargie, O. & Torish, D. (Eds.) (2009). Auditing organizational communication: A handbook of research, theory, and practice (2nd ed.). New York: Routledge.

Other readings are posted on Blackboard. The Blackboard reading list is dynamic as it will be customized for the interests of the students taking the course.

Recommended Books

The following book was the “original” how to the ICA Communication Audit book.

Downs, W. W. & Adrian, A. D. (2004). Assessing organizational communication: Strategic communication audits. New York: The Guilford Press.

Students who have not taken other courses in organizational communication (either graduate or undergraduate level) may find the following book useful.

Cheney, G., Christensen, L. T., Zorn, Jr., T. E., & Ganesh, S. (20011). Organizational communication in an age of globalization: Issues, reflections, practices. Prospect Heights, IL: Waveland Press.

Organizational Sites

In order to conduct the communication audit for this class, you have to identify an organization that will to grant you access to its members. A business, club, non-profit organization, or any other group of at least 20 people can be considered. Ideally, the organization you choose should be goal-oriented, not strictly recreational, such that it may need advice on how to communicate effectively in order to meet its goal. Your instructor will assist you, if necessary, to find an organization.

Course Assignments:

Research Project 40%

Project proposal (10%)

Final Report (30%) due either 4/

You may either work individually or in a small group (2-3 people) to conduct the audit. The tasks will include (1) identifying the organization, (2) contacting the organization and gaining its cooperation, (3) maintaining good relations with the organization, (4) interview key organizational members so to identify communication issues that need to be addressed in the audit, (5) develop appropriate data gathering techniques, (6) collect data, (7) analyze the data you're gathered, (8) write an audit report suitable for presentation to the organization, and (9) make an in-class presentation of the report.

Presentation (based on Research Project) 15%

Project Proposal Presentation (5%)

Final Report Presentation (10%)

“In - Practice” Assignments 15%

These assignments will give you practice in many data collection methods, but on a very small scale. They are homework assignments that are completed throughout the semester and form the basis for class discussions.

Final Exam – “What Are They Saying Now?” 20%

The final examination requires you to assess recent research that claims to be within the realm of “communication audits.” Four articles (preferably academic journals or high quality professional pieces) need to be included in your paper. Your analysis/critique should examine the articles in terms of their contributions for strategy, research, and pedagogy. Papers will be approximately 12-15 pages by the time you discuss four articles. Exams are due on May 3 by 4:00 pm. Submit through Blackboard.

Class Participation 10%

To earn participation points you must verbally comment in positive and informative ways. (Simply showing up for class will not earn you any participation points per University policy that prohibits any part of a grade from being based strictly on "attendance."

Grading Scale

94-100 = A; 90-93 = A-

87-89 = B+; 84-86 = B; 80-83 = B-

74-79 = C+; 74-76 = C; 70-73 = C-

67-69 = D+; 64-66 = D; 60-63 = D-

59 and below = F

COURSE POLICIES

1: Students are expected to attend all classes. Grades will be lowered for students with more than 2 absences.

2: Late assignments may receive lower grades. With the exception of the final exam, I can typically allow up to a 48 hour extension – but after that a grade penalty should be expected. The final exam cannot have an extension.

3. Students using electronic devices for non-class purposes will receive SIGNIFICANT deductions in class participation grade and may incur absences (even if you are physically in class).

Annenberg Academic Integrity Statement

"The Annenberg School for Communication is committed to upholding the University's Academic Integrity code as detailed in the SCampus Guide. It is the policy of the School of Communication to report all violations of the code. Any serious violation or pattern of violations of the Academic Integrity Code will result in the student's expulsion from the Communication major or minor."

USC Statement on Academic Conduct and Support Systems

Academic Conduct:

Plagiarism – presenting someone else’s ideas as your own, either verbatim or recast in your own words – is a serious academic offense with serious consequences. Please familiarize yourself with the discussion of plagiarism inSCampusin Part B, Section 11, “Behavior Violating University Standards” policy.usc.edu/scampus-part-b. Other forms of academic dishonesty are equally unacceptable. See additional information inSCampusand university policies on scientific misconduct,http://policy.usc.edu/scientific-misconduct.

Support Systems:

Student Counseling Services (SCS) – (213) 740-7711 – 24/7 on call Free and confidential mental health treatment for students, including short-term psychotherapy, group counseling, stress fitness workshops, and crisis intervention. engemannshc.usc.edu/counseling

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 1 (800) 273-8255 Provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org

Relationship and Sexual Violence Prevention Services (RSVP) – (213) 740-4900 – 24/7 on call Free and confidential therapy services, workshops, and training for situations related to gender-based harm. engemannshc.usc.edu/rsvp

Sexual Assault Resource Center For more information about how to get help or help a survivor, rights, reporting options, and additional resources, visit the website: sarc.usc.edu

Office of Equity and Diversity (OED)/Title IX Compliance – (213) 740-5086 Works with faculty, staff, visitors, applicants, and students around issues of protected class. equity.usc.edu

Bias Assessment Response and Support Incidents of bias, hate crimes and microaggressions need to be reported allowing for appropriate investigation and response. studentaffairs.usc.edu/bias-assessment-response-support

The Office of Disability Services and Programs Provides certification for students with disabilities and helps arrange relevant accommodations. dsp.usc.edu

Student Support and Advocacy – (213) 821-4710Assists students and families in resolving complex issues adversely affecting their success as a student EX: personal, financial, and academic. studentaffairs.usc.edu/ssa

Diversity at USC Information on events, programs and training, the Diversity Task Force (including representatives for each school), chronology, participation, and various resources for students. diversity.usc.edu

USC Emergency Information Provides safety and other updates, including ways in which instruction will be continued if an officially declared emergency makes travel to campus infeasible. emergency.usc.edu

USC Department of Public Safety – UPC: (213) 740-4321 – HSC: (323) 442-1000 – 24-hour emergency or to report a crime. Provides overall safety to USC community. dps.usc.edu

About Your Instructor ......

Colleen M. Keough, Ph.D., teaches courses in conflict management, communication evaluation, management-employee communication, group and team communication, and presentational skills. Her academic research interests include communication in alternative dispute resolution and negotiation, organizational culture, and organizational development. Dr. Keough is interested in engaged scholarship that integrates theoretical research and practical application and draws on her past industry experience as she works with academics to identify practitioner-oriented research projects. She is a past winner of the W. Charles Redding Dissertation Award from the International Communication Association's Organizational Communication Division. (W. Charles Redding is also a USC alumnus.)

Dr. Keough has extensive organizational development and training experience in a variety of for-profit and non-profit organizations. She has spent many years working with managers and senior executives in the areas of conflict management skills, presentation effectiveness, relationship management, and all aspects of management training. Internationally, she has conducted strategic planning and financial management workshops in Central and Eastern Europe and negotiation workshops for Chinese and Japanese clients.

Dr. Keough has served as a volunteer facilitator with the Los Angeles City Attorney's Dispute Resolution office working on community issues through the "Days of Dialogue" program. Within her community, Dr. Keough served on the South Pasadena Animal Commission, and when possible she spends the New Year's holiday season working on the South Pasadena Rose Parade float.

Dr. Keough recently served on the Board of Directors of the American Spaniel Club and is now on the Strategic Planning Committee in charge of Communication. She and her cocker spaniels compete in various dog sports and have earned AKC titles/championships in conformation, agility, obedience, rally, and tracking. Not limited to athletic competitions, Dr. Keough’s cockers have appeared in a Ralph Lauren ad and on the reality show America’s Next Top Model.

Course Schedule

(Note – Additional readings will be added based on student interest and needs)

Week 1: 1/9 Introductions

Discuss student and instructor expectations and desires for the course.

Assess students’ experience in assessment, organizational experience, etc.

No reading assignment for the first evening.

Weeks 2: 1/16 Communication Audits: Research, Strategy, Pedagogy

Hargie & Tourish Chapters 1 and 20

Week 3: 1/23 Historically -- What is a Communication Audit?: How Good is the Communication Audit?

Hargie & Tourish Chapter 2

On Blackboard

Chapter 15, "Analyzing Organizational Communication," from Cheney, Christensen, Zorn & Ganesh

Vaananen, M. Belt, P., Harkonen, J., Mottonen, M. (2012). Improving high-tech product development through communication audits. Technology and Investment, 3, 18-25.

OPTIONAL:

DeWine, S. & James, A. C. (1988). Examining the communication audit: Assessment and modification, Management Communication Quarterly, 22(2), 144-169.

The following articles are from a special forum published in Management Communication Quarterly in 2002. They give good background information about communication audits.

Zorn & May, Forum Introduction: Current Uses, Critical Appraisals, and Future Prospects, 439-441.

Salem, Assessment, Change and Complexity, 442-450.

Goldhaber, Communication Audits in the Age of the Internet, 451-457

Pace, The Organizational Learning Audit, 458-465

Jones, The Interpretive Auditor: Reframing the Communication Audit, 466-471.

Meyer, Organizational Communication Assessment, 472-479.

------

In-Practice #1 Due on 1/23

Several readings have referred to instruments used to conduct different forms of assessments/diagnosis. Knowing how to find tested instruments is a great help to consultants. The challenge is finding them. This activity will require you to become familiar with the databases available (for FREE) from the USC Libraries. Find an academic article that includes the survey instruments and bring the instrument to class. Bring a copy for everyone in class (of the instrument – not the entire article).

------

Week 4: 1/30 Knowing What is Out There and Questionnaires for Researching Communication in Organizations

Chapter 3 Hargie & Tourish

Case Study Chapters:

Chapter 11 Charting communication performance in a healthcare organization; discussion leader: ______.

Chapter 16 Auditing the corporate culture of a large manufacturing company; discussion leader: ______.

------

In-Practice Activity #2 Due During Week 5 (2/6)

Contact two working professionals (minimum 3 years of experience) and ask them the following questions: “If a communication assessment was done in your organization (or department), what do you think would give more valuable results: a Likert-type survey, individual interviews conducted by an outside consultant, focus group facilitated by an outside consultant; (you could also follow-up and ask about interviews/focus groups conducted by an inside person), or a nonparticipant observer who spend two weeks watching what goes on in your department.”

------

Week 5: 2/6 More on surveys as communication audit instruments

Chapter 13 – Communication Satisfaction in a Paper Mill, discussion leader: ______.

Reading on Blackboard

Zwijze-Koning, K. & Menno, J. (2007). Evaluating the communication satisfaction questionnaire as a communication audit tool. Management Communication Quarterly, 20(3), 261-282.