Corporate Diplomacy

Spring 2010

PUBD 514: CORPORATE DIPLOMACY

USCAnnenbergSchool for Communication and Journalism, Spring 2010

Time: Fridays, 2:00pm–4:50pm

Location:

Lecturer: Cari E. Guittard

Phone: 415.608.0806

Email:

Office hours: By appointment

Objective -- To enable students to identify and further develop a global mindset as well as master some of the tools and operational tasks critical to global engagement and effective cross-cultural communication. Additionally, students will be able to apply various corporate diplomacy tools of the craft on behalf of any government agency, industry association, corporation, union, or other non-governmental organization upon completion of the course.

Background -- Global companies must be competitive in the business they are in and at the same time show dexterity in managing multiple stakeholders at home and abroad. While it is of key importance to have the right products and services at the right price, global companies need increasingly to be equipped with new competencies in dealing successfully with obstacles emanating from outside of their direct sphere of control. Often these operational obstacles outside of the “normal” business transactions stem from complex sets of relationships in an ever changing business landscape.

Facing such challenges, global companies require a new set of relational competencies that most global managers have no prior learning or training in. The competencies needed to deal with non-business counterparts such as foreign governments, multiple domestic and foreign pressures groups or domestic civil society groups like tribal leaders or NGOs predispose that global companies acquire organizational competency in Corporate Diplomacy Management. This competency would help build bridges and networks between global companies and the complex political landscapes within which they conduct business. Many needed attributes of a Corporate Diplomacy Manager are comparable to the competency profile of a political diplomat other attributes are unique to the context of international business.

Required Reading– Books

  • Changing Minds, The Art & Science of Changing Our Own and Other People’s Minds, by Howard Gardner, Harvard Business School Press, 2006
  • Power, Influence & Persuasion, Sell Your Ideas and Make Things Happen, by Harvard Business Essentials, 2005
  • Winning the Influence Game, What Every Business Leader Should Know About Government, by Watkins, Edwards, & Thakrar, Wiley & Sons 2001
  • Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands, How to do Business in 60 Countries, By Morrison, Conway, Bodren
  • The Idea That Is America: Keeping Faith with Our Values in a Dangerous World, by Dr. Anne-Marie Slaughter, Basic Books, 2007

Computation of Grade

Class ParticipationOral Presentations (30%): Students are expected to attend all class meetings and to participate in class discussions. Students are expected to be aware of the week’s events related to global affairs, particularly as it relates to the course. Every meeting, one student will be responsible for leading an initial discussion based on the week’s events and course readings. Additionally, students will be asked to present summations of their assignments throughout the course as public speaking and delivering polished presentationsare essential components to corporate diplomacy.

Writing (30%): Students will author several short argument papers of 500-700 words. The format will vary from an op-ed or essay to press release. It must be submitted in a Microsoft Word-compatible format. Topic for papers 1-3 are the student’s choice. Paper #4 will be a topic selected by the class on March 26. These articles will be evaluated on form, clarity, and persuasiveness.

Final Assignment (40%) – The major assessment for thismodule is an exercise in real-world corporate diplomacy. Students will investigate, then author and present two real world examples of corporate diplomacy successes and failures, outlining lessons learned, challenges, and opportunities for the corporations they are profiling.

Academic Integrity Policy:

The AnnenbergSchool 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 for 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, or from the graduate program.

ADA Compliance Statement

Any student requesting academic accommodations based on a disability is required to register with Disability Services and Programs (DSP) each semester. A letter of verification for approved accommodations can be obtained 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 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. The phone number for DSP is (213) 740-0776.
Course Outline

Building a Foundation – Developing the Global Corporate Diplomacy Mindset

January 15 – Introductions & Foundations

Who are you & what do you want out the course; who am I; foundational concepts and definitions; preview of some analytical tools and resources to be used during the course

Films & Discussion:

Parag Khanna, New America Foundation -- Multi-Americanism and the Future of Global Governance

Anne-Marie Slaughter, Director of Policy Planning, US Department of State -- Int'l Institutions – Carnegie Council 2009

Keith Reinhard, President, Business for Diplomatic Action -- Remaking Brand America's Tattered Image Abroad

Readings for Next Week:

  • Changing Minds, The Art & Science of Changing Our Own and Other People’s Minds, by Howard Gardner, Harvard Business School Press, 2006

January 22 – Developing a Corporate Diplomacy Mindset

Building a Corporate Diplomacy Mindset – Discussion of Changing Minds, key concepts and steps; outline and discussion of necessary competencies and intelligences; discussion of case studies – Margaret Thatcher, Bill Clinton, John Chambers, George W. Bush; Mind Changing Checklist

What is Corporate Diplomacy Leadership?

Film & Exercise: Keith Reinhard, President, Business for Diplomatic Action -- Six Pillars of Creative Leadership – Part I

Reading for Next Week:

  • Is Global Mindset in your DNA?,Thunderbird 2009,
  • Growing with Global Mindset – Raytheon Case Study, Thunderbird 2009,
  • Growing with Global Mindset – J&J in Brazil Case Study, Thunderbird 2009,

**Event of Note – January 28th, 2010 Attendance Optional

Benjamin Goldsmith & Yusaku Horiuchi: Global Public Opinion, US Foreign Policy and Public Diplomacy
CPD Conversations in Public Diplomacy
Thursday, January 28th, 2010
12:00 PM
Venue: USC; SOS B40

January 29 – Developing a Corporate Diplomacy Mindset Part II

Discussion of global mindset readings and presentations of Raytheon and J&J Case Studies

What is a global mindset, how does one develop and build a more global perspective; building influence and working successfully cross-culturally; relational competencies

Film: Parag Khanna, Mapping the Future of Countries, Oxford 2009

**Assignment – Select a senior global executive to profile whom you feel embodies a global mindset. Develop and plan to present the highlights of a 500-700 word essay that details examples of how this executive utilized their global mindset successfully.

February 5 – No Class – CPD Conference Event

Science Diplomacy and the Prevention of Conflict
A CPD Conference
Friday, February 5, 2010
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Venue: USCDavidsonConferenceCenter; Board Room

February 12 -- Developing a Corporate Diplomacy Mindset – Part III

Discussion of Conference Takeaways, key learnings

Presentation & discussion of assignment profiles

Film: Keith Reinhard, President, Business for Diplomatic Action -- Six Pillars of Creative Leadership, Part II

Readings for Next Week:

  • Power, Influence & Persuasion, Sell Your Ideas and Make Things Happen, by Harvard Business Essentials, 2005
  • HBR On Point – Tailor-Made Persuasion, Collection of Articles 2002 (Handout)

From Mindset to Practice – Essential Tools of Corporate Diplomacy

February 19 – Global Engagement Tools – Building Influence & Trust

Building Influence & Persuasion – Review of Key concepts and readings

Edelman Trust Research, Guest Presentation

Crisis Communications & Response

**Assignment II – Paired students will have an assigned region where they will interview a business executive whose corporate activities are engaged in that region as well as prepare relevant insights from open source research on key protocol and etiquette insights for doing business in this region. A Key Insights Fact Sheet will be prepared, presented, and shared with the class the following week.

February 26 – Global Engagement Tools –Part II– International Business Etiquette & Protocol and Strategic Communications

**Assignment II due

Presentations & discussion of global business practices and protocol by region

Middle East & Africa, Latin America, Asia & Southeast Asia, Europe

International Business Etiquette & Protocol

  • Diplomatic Dining, Time Management, Travel Considerations
  • Guest Presentation

Springboard & ROI, Handout & In class Exercise

Toolkit: Presentations, Press Releases, Speeches, & Events

Reading for Next Week:

  • Winning the Influence Game, What Every Business Leader Should Know About Government, Watkins, Edwards, & Thakrar 2001

March 5 – Global Engagement Tools – Part III – Knowing the Influencers

Discussion of Readings – Influence the government -- fundamental principles, laying the foundations, influence mapping, identifying leverage points, framing

Domestic vs. International Influencers – State Dept, Legislature, key USconstituencies; points of contact within the US Government, NGOs, Host Country Government, private sector peers, global networks – opportunities, constraints

Public-Private Partnerships

Readings for Next Week:

  • Diplomacy that Works, Best Practices in Cultural Diplomacy, by Dr. Cynthia Schneider, Georgetown, 2003
  • How Helpful is Cultural Diplomacy, by Michael Kaiser, Huffington Post 2009
  • Cultural Diplomacy, by Demos, 2007

March 12 – Instructor Traveling -- OFF

March 19 – Spring Break – OFF

Additional Dimensions of Corporate Diplomacy – Cultural Diplomacy, Citizen Diplomacy, Simulation Exercises

March 26 – Cultural & Citizen Diplomacy

Discussion of readings and profiling of cultural diplomacy snap shots

Films

oCultural Diplomacy from the Perspective of the Arab World (Global Art Forum 2009)

oCynthia Schneider: The surprising spread of "Idol" TV

  • Cultural Diplomacy in the Imagination Age – Second Life & Dancing Ink

Guest Presentation

Corporate Diplomacy in Action – Case Studies of Successes & Failures

April 2 – Overview of Successes in Corporate Diplomacy Case Studies Assignment

Film: Thunderbird World View – Several Film Shorts

Assignment III -- Profiling Successes in Corporate Diplomacy – each student will prepare and plan to present two overviews of 3-5 pages each, exploring two very different examplesof corporate diplomacy success stories. Overviews should focus on key challenges and lessons learned as well as outline, with specificity, what led to this successful endeavor. Additionally, the profiles should focus on different sectors and ideally different regions.

April 9 – Presentations & Discussions – Success in Corporate Diplomacy

**Assignment III Due

Presentation & Discussions

Guest Presentation

April 16 – Overview of Failures in Corporate Diplomacy Case Studies Assign

Assignment IV -- Profiling Failures in Corporate Diplomacy – each student will prepare and plan to present two overviews of 3-5 pages each, exploring two very different examplesof corporate diplomacy failures. Overviews should focus on key challenges and lessons learned. Additionally, the profiles should focus on different sectors and ideally different regions.

April 23 – Presentations & Discussions – Failures in Corporate Diplomacy

**Assignment IV Due

In class presentations and discussions, lessons learned.

Assignment V –Students will receive a handout with scenario and assignment enclosed. Students should be prepared to develop a response and corresponding presentation for the following week.

Reading for Next Week

  • The Idea That Is America: Keeping Faith with Our Values in a Dangerous World,Dr. Anne-Marie Slaughter Basic Books, 2007

April 30 – Corporate Diplomacy Values & Leadership – America’s Role in the World – Last Day of Class

Final Assignment due, presentations & discussion

Review & Discuss Slaughter Book

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