College of Communications

COLLEGE OF COMMUNICATIONS

DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN COMMUNICATION STUDIES

SPRING SEMESTER 2009

HCOM 326

Section 02

ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION

DYNAMICS

Dr. S. Irene Matz

Associate Professor

HCOM 326

Section 02

Organizational Communication Dynamics

Spring 2009

Instructor: Dr. S. Irene Matz Office Hours:

Associate Professor Thursday 3:00-4:00 p.m.

Or by appointment

Office: CP 450

Mail: CP 450

Phone: 278-4418 E-mail:

Website: http://commfaculty.fullerton.edu/imatz

Class Meeting Time & Place

Thursday 4:00-6:45 p.m. #13014 CP

Course

Required Texts: Eisenberg, E.M., Goodall, Jr. H.L. & Trethewey, A. (2007). Organizational Communication (5th ed.). Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s Press.

Matz, S. I. (2009). Handbook for HCOM 326 (purchase at Titan Bookstore).

Assignment & Assessment Percentage

Attendance & Participation 5 %

Mid-term Assessment 20%

Final Assessment 25%

Chapter Cases 5%

Group Reflections & Discussions 10%

Individual Research & Critique 15%

Final Group Assignment 20%

Attendance

1 class per week

0-1 class = A

2 classes = B

3 classes = C

Below = F

Course Schedule

HCOM 326

Spring 2009

WEEK OF / ASSIGNMENT / CHAPTERS
1/29 / Course introduction; Self introductions;
The Changing World of work / Chapter 1
2/5 / Defining Organizational Communication / Chapter 2
2/12 / Early Perspectives / Chapter 3
2/19 / Ethics & Working with Integrity / Chapter 11
2/26 / Insider & Quiz Show
100 word proposal due for final group assignment
3/5 / Systems Perspectives / Chapter 4
3/12 / Cultural Studies / Chapter 5
3/19 / Critical Approaches / Chapter 6
3/26 / MID-TERM ASSESSMENT
Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 & 11
4/2 / CAMPUS CLOSED – SPRING BREAK (3/30-4/3)
4/9 / Identity and Difference in Organizational Life / Chapter 7
4/16 / Teams & Networks / Chapter 8
4/23 / Communicating Leadership
Group written reports due / Chapter 9
4/30 / Organizational Alignment
Individual written reports due / Chapter 10
5/7 / GROUP PRESENTATIONS
5/14 / GROUP PRESENTATIONS
5/21 / FINAL EXAM
Chapters 6, 7, 8, 9 & 10

Videos & Video Clips

The Insider

Quiz Show

Class visitors:

Dr. Sirish Mani, Toyota Financial

Others - TBA

Course Policies

University regulations require that you are provided with a statement about plagiarism in the course syllabus.

Plagiarism: Plagiarism is defined as the act of taking the specific substance of another and offering it as one’s own without giving credit to the source. Sources must be cited accurately and appropriately. When sources are used, acknowledgment of the original author or source must be made following standard scholarly practice. Cases of plagiarism will constitute dismissal from the course with a failing grade.

Honesty: Academic honesty is a core value at Cal State Fullerton. It is cheating if you develop your answers from sources other than those permitted by your professor or represent the work of others as your own. A few specific examples are:

· Using the notes of others

· Using the work of other students

· Handing in work that isn’t yours

· Taking a test for someone else

· Sharing your answers to examination questions or class assignments with others

Please reference CSUF policies on Academic Integrity at:

http://www.fullerton.edu/senate/PDF/300/UPS300-021.pdf

Campus Support: Disabled Student Service Office, UH 101, (7140278-3117)

www.fullerton.edu/disabledservices.

Attendance: Part of your grade will depend on your attendance. Please reference the attendance scale for your letter grade that will be factored into your final grade. Good attendance and promptness are professional behaviors that reflect a responsible employee who is valued. If you must miss a class, please email or phone the professor prior to the class meeting. Please be on time for classes; tardiness interrupts the entire class – use this opportunity to develop habits that lead to your success. A “F” on attendance will automatically earn you a failing grade for the course unless you previously have contacted the professor. Participation is rated on respect for other students and your professor in addition to your active interest and comments in the course content. Doing other work in our class; reading other materials; studying for exams; and using electronic devices are all examples of behaviors that are unacceptable.

Cell phones: Please make certain that all cell phones and other technical equipment are turned off during class meetings. Computers are not allowed unless you have special needs that are previously discussed with the professor.

Flexibility: Please allow for flexibility with our schedule due to class enrollment, class speakers, or other events.

Assignments: All assignments are accepted on or before the due date. No make-up assignments or extra credit. Assignments should be “professional” quality and must be completed and handed in for a final grade. Please type all assignments.

Grading: Use this as a guide for your written assignments:

CLARITY – structural pattern clear, sentences and paragraphs well developed, transitions and report development.

CONCISENESS – strive for brevity, avoid redundancies, and include well-developed ideas.

COMPLETENESS – introduction, body, and conclusion with support and good development.

GRAMMAR – capitalization, punctuation, references, grammatical correctness, proofreading, professional appearance.

GRADING SYSTEM

PLUS/MINUS GRADING

Definition of Grades and

Their Corresponding Grade

Points

A+ 4.0

A 4.0

A- 3.7

B+ 3.3

B 3.0

B- 2.7

C+ 2.3

C 2.0

C- 1.7

D+ 1.3

D 1.0

D- .7

F Failing

ASSIGNMENTS

CHAPTER CASES

Case studies are included at the end of each chapter. You are responsible for reading, analyzing and discussing these at each class meeting. You should be prepared to incorporate definitions, perspectives and concepts related to the case and topic. Your goal is to illustrate your expertise through chapter readings, topic research of the regional area, product or serve and your experiences. These cases will be discussed on the assigned date. Come prepared to share your insights. Hand in a minimum, one-page (typed, double-spaced) discussion that includes any outside research and references. Out of the eleven chapters, you are responsible for six written responses. You can discuss any part of the chapter; for example, you can discuss “What Would you do?”; block scenarios with discussion questions; chapter case studies, or any part of the chapter that you find interesting. Use APA style in referencing in your paper. Remember that discussion of theories, concepts and chapter readings must be cited in your paper. Papers are due before the class begins – no late papers.

GROUP REFLECTIONS AND PRESENTATIONS

(each group is responsible for leading a discussion for one chapter – to be assigned)

Objectives: Learn strategies for working effectively in a group.

Learn more about communication theory.

Create an innovative approach to the topic.

You will be assigned to a group that will be responsible for sharing insights relating to a chapter. You will have 30 minutes to lead the chapter discussion.

· Use chapter discussion of theories and concepts to guide you.

· You are to discuss part of the chapter and not the entire chapter.

· Conduct additional research to support your discussion (use three outside sources for this – journals, newspapers, current magazines (such as Newsweek, Fortune, Time), interviews, books and other sources. Bring in these articles as part of your discussion.

· Hand in a bibliography of your outside sources and an outline of your discussion. Include a title page with members’ names.

· All group members should equally participate. You will be asked to critique your members at the end of the semester that will include both the chapter discussion and final project. Your feedback is valuable and will determine the individual grade. For example, if your group earned an “A” for the discussion and one member, with supportive evaluations from other members, did not equally participate, then his/her grade would reflect the effort.

FINAL PRESENTATIONS

ORAL & WRITTEN

n A business case study is, essentially, a story.

n It is a narrative about a problem, challenge, or opportunity faced by a manager or executive that has a number of possible solutions or outcomes.

n The story is told as accurately, fairly, and completely as possible, incorporating as many viewpoints as the author can reasonably accommodate.

n Such cases are never written for the purpose of identifying heroes and villains, but for the purpose of beginning a discussion about business problems.

A case study is different from a case history in that it does not provide definitive answers, outcomes, or alternatives. Teaching notes, though, should provide opportunity for discussion of possible solutions and ways to implement a plan through communication and public relations.

Your task is to identify a business problem, challenge or opportunity for a particular organization. Scan through the newspapers and business magazines to collect ideas of possible cases. This should be with the realm of an organizational focus and not a social problem.

Research

Conduct preliminary research:

Interviews, newspaper files, online databases, or other sources

Write

Construct a timeline with key events in chronological order.

Identify key players in the story by name and role.

Identify the critical issues in the case

Rank order them by importance to the executive decision maker

Divide up the tasks

Gather financial data

Do historical research

Save videotape or streaming video from the Internet

Document

Have at least one reliable source for everything you say or include in the case

Make photocopies, keep detailed notes

Copy down dates, times, page numbers, editions, and anything else that will direct a reader to your source

Use APA style

Write a Draft

Explain the company’s history

industry

product line

services

revenues

employee base

market share

Begin with a key moment in time for your story

Introduce key characters, role players, and decision makers

Explain what happened, when, and how

Identify all relevant assumptions

Cite sources in text

Don’t look for conclusions, causal factors, or solutions just yet

Be specific. Quantify where possible

Use direct quotes; identify those whom you quote

Consult multiple sources and document as you write

Read about or talk to

customers

suppliers

shareholders

community officials

regulatory agency officials

employees

competitors

Write a second draft

Make the story flow smoothly

Include charts, graphs, pictures: whatever makes the story readable for a teaching device

Write teaching notes for students who will read your case

Identify the business problem

Explain the purpose of the case

Specify and rank the critical issues

Identify and describe key players

Explain issues students may have trouble understanding

Define specialized terms or unusual processes and procedures

Suggest possible alternative solutions to the problem

Examine advantages, disadvantages for each alternative

You may reveal what actually happened in the teaching notes

Design a PowerPoint presentation

Show the reader what happened

with photos

company logos

products

people

events

images

news clips

videos

You are responsible for a PowerPoint presentation and a written report that supports your research. Divide your written report into an introduction, middle and conclusion. Include a reference page including a minimum of 15 sources (magazines, annual reports, newspapers, interviews – at least five journal articles). Report should be approximately 15-20 pages in length. Your presentation should last 30-45 minutes with time for discussion.

Research – you may use the internet to search for articles, but go to the primary source (the journal, newspaper, magazine, or other) when citing. This will avoid sources that are not credible.

· APA report style

· Title page

· Table of Contents

· 15-20 pages in length – double space

· Minimum of 15 sources

· Include a reference page

· You will be graded by your peers for your group effort and work.

INDIVIDUAL RESEARCH & CRITIQUE

You are individually responsible for a critique on your group experience. Please refer to Chapter 8 on Teams and discuss your findings. Research other articles on groups in addition to the chapter reading.

· Five page paper – double spaced

· A minimum of three additional research articles on groups & teams

· Discuss how your group related to the research on roles, norms, decision-making process, diversity, and other concepts.

· Your conclusion will include a brief discussion of grades for each member, yourself excluded, and whether they deserve the same grade as the group (it could be higher or lower).