Alaska Pacific University – Anchorage, Alaska

Business Administration Department – Organizational Management

IS206 ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION

Adjunct Professor: Beverly Dennis Alaska Pacific University

Phone: 243-2133 (Work) 243-8333 (Home) - Master of Business Administration

Fax: 243-8330 - BA in Organizational Management

e-mail: Certified Hospitality Accountant Executive (CHAE)

Certified Hospitality Technology Professional (CHTP)

COURSE HOURS: 6:00 to 10:00 PM once a week for seven weeks

TEXTS:

Communication for Business and the Professions, 7th edition (1995). Andrews, P. & Baird, J. Brown & Benchmark. ISBN: 0-697-32727-2

Dynamics of Intercultural Communication, 5th edition (1998). Dodd, C.H., Brown & Benchmark. ISBN: 0-697-32725-6

SUGGESTED READING:

Do I Have to Give Up Me to be Loved by You, (2002). Paul, J. & Paul, M., Hazelden Information Education. ISBN: 1568387970.

COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course covers the principles of oral communication within the business environment paying particular attention to work groups and multicultural communication in the diverse work place. Experiential activities will give students practice in using verbal and non verbal communication skills.

COURSE OBJECTIVES: The objective to this course is to enhance the student’s interpersonal and organizational communication skills. The student will develop techniques and skills for social communication in an organizational context, with an appreciation of intercultural communication. A substantial part of this course is devoted to written communication.

Attendance Requirements: Attendance is expected. Since this course is taught in a modular format, any absence means that a substantial amount of knowledge is missed by the student. It is recognized that Degree Completion students are working adults and that periodic absences may be unavoidable. Extra credit work will be necessary to receive missed class points. It is the student’s responsibility to request extra credit assignments. All excused absences must be made up by the last day of the module. Three or more unexcused absences will result in an unofficial withdrawal from the module.

ASSIGNMENTS: This class is designated a Writing Intensive class. There will be 6 short, weekly assignments that will demonstrate an understanding of the topics to be discussed and in which a communication issue is to be analyzed. Please write all papers in APA style, double-spaced with a title page and reference list. Each paper is to be 3-5 pages long and include 2 references and 3 citations. Points may be deducted for papers in excess of the maximum length.


GRADING:

Attendance, class participation 100 points

Weekly Assignments 150 points (25 each)

Total Points: 250 points

A = 96-100% C+ = 78-80% D- = 61-63%

A- = 91-95% C = 74-77% F = <60%

B+ = 88-90% C- = 71-73%

B = 84-87% D+ = 68-70%

B- = 81-83% D = 64-67%

ETHICAL STANDARDS: While students in APU classes are expected to work in teams on many assignments, they are also expected to comply with University rules concerning academic honesty. Alaska Pacific University students are expected to promote academic honesty by not participating in or facilitating other’s participation in any act of academic dishonesty, and by reporting incidences of academic dishonesty to their professors. In particular, this means that any work a student submits to a professor must be what it claims to be, and must be entirely that student’s work except for appropriately cited work of others, and must have not have previously been submitted in another class. All APU students also are expected to maintain the high ethical standards appropriate to their future professions.

Please be aware that academic dishonesty and breaches of professional ethics will not be tolerated in this course. Any instances of academic dishonesty will result, minimally, in a failing grade for the course for the student involved and may result in recommendation of their expulsion from the university. Similar penalties may be levied against students who violate professional ethics guidelines. If you have any doubts about what may constitute academic dishonesty, or any questions about the procedure for appeal and adjudication of charges of dishonesty, please refer to the appropriate pages in the University Catalogue and the Student Handbook.

UNIVERSITY POLICIES: Students who believe that they require reasonable accommodation to participate fully in this class should immediately contact the instructor. They may also wish to contact the ADA Coordinator in the Dean of Students Office. The instructor reserves the right to modify or revise this syllabus depending on the needs of the students, University or the instructor.

CLASS 1

Seminar/Discussion / Organizational Culture and Perception
Chapters to be presented / Andrews & Baird: Chapters 1 & 2, 7th. Edition.
Dodd: Chapter 1-2
In Class Activity / Cases from the text.
Homework Assignment / INTERCULTURAL MOVIE REPORT - 25 points
Please watch a movie in which the main characters are from a cultural group other than your own, or watch one that focuses on inter group conflict.
In your paper, please answer the following questions:
  1. What ethnic groups are involved?
  2. Is the movie insightful or stereotypical? How so?
  3. What new understandings did you gain as a result of viewing the movie though the communication perspective? How do the concepts presented in the books apply?

CLASS 2

Seminar/Discussion / Social Perception & Group Communications
Chapters to be presented / Andrews & Baird: Chapter 11, 7th Edition.
Dodd: Chapter 4
In Class Activity / Group Exercises
Homework Assignment / INTERCULTURAL INTERVIEW - 25 points
Please conduct an interview with a person from an ethnic/cultural background different from your own. The purpose of the interview is to help you learn more about other ethnic groups through interpersonal exchange.
After the interview, write a 3-5 page paper discussing what you discovered.
You will be given a handout with more details.

CLASS 3

Seminar/Discussion / Meetings and Non-Verbal Communication
Chapters to be presented / Andrews & Baird: Chapter 12 & 13, 7th Edition.
Dodd: Chapter 7
In Class Activity /
Problem solving and role play.
Homework Assignment / MEETING REPORT - 25 points
Please observe a meeting that you have recently attended and in your paper consider the following:
1.  Of the 4 types of meetings discussed in the text, which one typifies the one you attended? Give examples of how the type was evident and how well it worked. Use Table 12-1 on page 400 of Andrews & Baird for evaluation guidelines.
2.  What roles did the participants of the meeting take? Were there “problem” participants? How were they handled?
3.  What was the point of the meeting? Was it accomplished? Was the meeting necessary?

CLASS 4

Seminar/Discussion / Managing Conflict
Chapters to be presented / Andrews & Baird: Chapter 14, 7th Edition
Dodd: Chapter 5 & 10
In Class Activity / Style test and case studies
Homework Assignment / EXTEMPORANEOUS SPEECH - 25 points
Please select a topic for a six to eight minute extemporaneous speech to be delivered to the class. You will need to focus and narrow the topic, write a statement of purpose, chose a persuasive strategy, research your topic thoroughly and create an outline to be used during the presentation.
Your speech will be evaluated by a fellow class member who will use an evaluation sheet. The areas to be evaluated are:
·  Language: word choice, sentences
·  Organization: introduction, body, conclusion
·  Content: meaningfulness, ideas well supported, good evidence used, sound reasoning, credibility
·  Delivery: eye contact, body language, intonation

CLASS 5

Seminar/Discussion / Public Communication
Chapters to be presented / Andrews & Baird: Chapter 4, 5, 6, 7th Edition.
Dodd: Chapter 11
In Class Activity / Speeches
Homework Assignment / NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION REPORT - 25 points
Please spend some time in a public place and observe nonverbal communications. Look at nonverbal communication in terms of interpersonal relationships. Please consider the following aspects:
§  Gestures and Posture
§  Oculesics and Facial Expressions
§  Proxinetics: use of space
§  Greetings
§  Haptics
§  Chromatics
§  Sensorics
§  Paralanguage
What patterns do you observe? What relationships produce these patterns? What is the role of gender in the nonverbal behaviors you examined? Please find at least 3 different situations to observe and analyze.

CLASS 6

Seminar/Discussion / Interviewing and Listening
Chapters to be presented / Andrews & Baird: Chapter 7, 8, 9, 7th Edition.
Dodd: Chapter 6 &8
In Class Activity / Listening groups, role play
Homework Assignment / LISTENING EXERCISE - 25 points
One of the most important elements of this class is understanding how to use communication tools. To make these tools useful to you, please do the following exercises. Please write at paper reporting on your experiences with these exercises
§  The first exercise is: PASSIVE LISTENING.
§  The second is: ACTIVE LISTENING.
Please choose a different person for each exercise. You will be given a handout with more details.

CLASS 7

Seminar/Discussion / Media and Culture
Chapters to be presented / Andrews & Baird: Chapter 3 7th Edition.
Dodd: Chapter 12-13
In Class Activity / Analyzing advertising, case study

Revised: 06-23-04

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