St. Petersburg College
College of Business
GEB3213 Business Communication for Professional Effectiveness
Welcome to Business Communication for Professional Effectiveness! In this challenging course (10+ hours/week) you will hone business communication skills and acquire new strategies to develop your career in this course.
Faculty: / Dr. Patricia HanrahanOffice Location: / Clearwater BT-102
Telephone: / 727-791-2735
Email: / Please use Angel;
Office Hours: / By appointment
Class Days/Time: / Online
Prerequisites: / Admission to International Business BAS, or Management & Organizational Leadership BAS or Sustainability BAS or Business Administration BS.
About your Faculty:
Dr. Hanrahan has been an educator for over 20 years, with experience as a college professor and administrator, as well as a high school English teacher and principal. She has also been a business owner and entrepreneur, having launched two businesses: a marketing agency and an interior design company.
Shebelieves thatto be successful,people must develop keen critical and strategic thinking ability, superior communication skills, and the ability to manage themselves as well as others. She invites you to consider the value of continual reading, learning and questioning, and to understand that failure to stay ahead of change is to become reactive and eventually obsolete.
Dr. Hanrahan earned an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership with a specialization in Higher Education Administration from the University of Central Florida, an MBA with a concentration in Marketing from Keller Graduate School of Management, an MS in Aeronautical Science with a concentration in Management from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, an MA in Education Administration from Goddard College, and a BA in English from Bob Jones University. Her interests include teaching and learning effectiveness (particularly online), innovation and change, leadership communications, and the impact of technology on the workplace.
Course Description
Prerequisite or corequisite: Student must complete one of the following courses: (ENC 1102, ENC 1122H, IDS 1102H, IDS 1112H, IDS 1337H, IDS 1610, AML 1600, AML 2010, AML 2010H, AML 2020, AML 2020H, ENL 2012, ENL 2012H, ENL 2022, LIT 2110, LIT 2110H, LIT 2120, LIT 2120H). Prerequisite: (SPC 1017, SPC 1017H, SPC 1065 or SPC 1608) and (admission to Business Administration BS or International Business BAS or Management & Organizational Leadership BAS or Sustainability Management BAS or Technology Management BAS or Public Safety Administration BAS or Public Policy and Administration BS or Educational Studies BS).
The purpose of this course is to explore the role of strategic communications within the professional context of contemporary organizations and to provide a survey of the organizational, behavioral, and technical aspects of business communication. An emphasis is placed on the application of theory to practice and the development of business communication skills that are clear, influential, and designed for maximum impact in the workplace. Topics include communications strategy in business; interpersonal communications and organizational context; team communications, meetings and networking; electronic media and social media protocol; and creating strategic proposals, presentations, and reports. The emphasis is on the practical application of strategic business communications in a variety of formats that enhance professional development. This course has a substantial writing requirement. 47 contact hours.
Major Learning Outcomes:
1. The student will examine the nature of effective communication in business (A: Process); including the importance, characteristics and process of effective communications.
2. The student will analyze the communication skills of self and others, and discuss the implications that personality and communication skills play in business.
3. The student will judge how influence and change are advanced through strategic business communication.
4. The student will validate how electronic communications, conferencing, and meetings enhance the collaboration and communication of teams and work groups in a business enterprise.
5. The student will interpret the external environment and respond by creating strategic written business documents and delivering influential presentations that enhance and promote a highly professional image.
Note: This course involves many writing assignments. This course also involves using free outside tech tools such as presenting and linking to YouTube videos, web conferencing software, and slide sharing sites for link pasting.
Required Texts/Readings
Business Communication Package (Business Communication text “Business Communication: Polishing Your Professional Presence” by Shwom & Pearson Course Connect in-Angel Content -- access code.)St. Petersburg College
ISBN-10: 1269330667
ISBN-13: 9781269330664
Publisher: Pearson Learning Solutions
Copyright: 2014
Format: Multimedia Pkg
Status: 26-Aug-2013 AS
Net Price: $60.00
Other equipment
Online section required: Webcam
Library Liaison & Market Research
Alex Baswell,
Smarthinking Writing Feedback
Please turn in all papers to Smarthinking Student Tutoring (link in Angel on the right) for feedback before submitting.
Attendance Policy
Attendance and participation and “Partner group” participation is required. Our attendance policy is that you need to turn in your work every week and login at least every 3 days. All assignments must be completed for you to be considered in attendance, and this is especially important in the first two weeks. Missing an assignment may be cause to mark you absent.
Dropping and Adding
Students are responsible for understanding the policies and procedures about add/drop, etc. See
Assignments and Grading Policy
90% - 100% A
80% B
70% C
60% D
59% and below F
Tests/Quizzes are 10 points each and are 10-20 multiple-choice questions with 1 hour to take it.
Final Individual Project is 50 points.
Assignments are 5-15 points each.
Total points = 252
Click “View My Grades” and you may take your total points earned / total possible points to find your percentage or just look at “View My Grades.”
University Policies
Academic integrity
Your commitment as a student to learning is evidenced by your enrollment. Please familiarize yourself with the policy
Instances of academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. Cheating on exams or plagiarism (presenting the work of another as your own, or the use of another person’s ideas without giving proper credit) will result in a failing grade and sanctions by the University.
Campus Policy in Compliance with the American Disabilities Act
If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, please see me. Please register using the SPC policies
Student Resources
Computer labs for student use are available. Tech help is available
Student support and tutoring:
GEB3213 Course Assignments
Note: Assignments are due on Saturdays, except for the final presentation in Week 8, which is due on Tuesday.
Week / MLO / Topics / Chapters/Content / Assignments Due1 / 1 - Effective process of com in business & 2 - Com skills in self/others / Intro to Business Com; Business Com Process; Business Com Skills (EI) / Shwom Ch.1&3; Complete “Self-Assessment;” Dan Goleman’s EI “Leadership that Gets Results” HBR Article; “Decisions & Desire” HBR Article; Video “Interpersonal Communication;” Video “Planning Proposals;” Video “Planning Messages;” Video “Routine Messages;” Video “Business Messages” / 1. Communication Inventory Self-Assessment and Development Plan Reflection Paper (12 pts)
2. Business Communication Process Case Analysis (8pts)
3. Quiz Ch.1&3 (10pts)
2 / 1 - Effective process of com in business & 2 - Com skills in self/others / The Process: Analyze, Compose, Evaluate; Interpersonal & Intercultural Skills / Shwom Ch.2 & Appendix A; Video “Dress Professionally;” Video “Evaluating Information;” “How to Build Your Network” HBR Article; Sim “Routine Messages;” “My Employees are My Service Guarantee” HBR Article;
“Managing Your Boss” HBR Article; Sim “Intercultural Communication” / 1. “Worst” Business Communicators Case Study (12pts)
2. Networking Plan (4pts)
4. Quiz Ch.2 (10 pts)
3 / 3 - Strategic business com & change/influence, 5 - Business documents/presentations for professional image / Communicating Effectively: Context & Change in Framing Messages; Evaluating Business Information / Shwom Ch.4&7; “Why Are We Losing All Our Good People?” HBR Case Study; Sim “Persuasive Messages;” “GenY in the Workforce” HBR Case Study; Video “Proposals;” Video “Diversity” / 1. Organizational Culture Critical Thinking Paper (Stakeholder map; Thesis-Antithesis- Synthesis with Strategic Recommendations (15 pts)
2. Quiz Ch.4&7 (10pts)
4 / 3 - Strategic business com & change/influence / Strategic Business Communication: Listening & Analyzing Influence; Persuasive Communication & Proposals / Ch.5&8; “Survival Guide for Change” HBR Article; Sim “Persuasive Proposals;” Kotter’s “Leading Change” HBR Article; “Negotiation as a Corporate Capability” HBR Article; Sim “Writing Reports;” Video “Persuasive Messages” / 1. Culture, Context, Stakeholder Timetable (7pts)
2. Business Project Proposal PowerPoint (6pts)
3. Quiz Ch.5&8 (10pts each)
5 / 3 - Strategic business com & change/influence, 4 - Team & electronic business com / Strategic Team Communication; Managing the Collaborative Problem Solving Process / Ch.6 & Review of 2; Video “Negative Messages;” “Is the Rookie Ready” HBR Case Study; “The Discipline of Teams” HBR Article; Sim “Negative Messages;” “Better Way to Deliver Bad News” HBR Article / 1. Communicating “Bad News” and Managing Conflict (8pts)
2. Networking Paper (15 pts)
3. Quiz Ch.6 (10 pts)
6 / 4 - Team & electronic business com / Presenting a Strategic Professional Image using Electronic Media to Teams; Effective Communication in Meetings / Ch.9&11; Sim “Teamwork;” Video “Electronic Media;” “We Googled You” HBR Case Study; “No One Trusts the Boss Completely - Now What” HBR Case Study; Sim “Presentations;” Sim “Electronic Messages;” Social media professionalism / 1. Partners Webex Project Draft Presentation (8pts)
2. Professional Image in Social Media Analysis (7pts)
3. Quiz Ch.9&11 (10pts)
7 / 5 - Business documents/presentations for professional image / Preparing & Delivering Business Reports & Presentations / Ch.10; “Harnessing the Science of Persuasion” HBR Article; Video “Presentations;” Video “Reports & Proposals;” Sim “Business Report” / 1. Final Project Report (50 pts)
2. Quiz Ch.10 (10 pts)
8 / 5 - Business documents/presentations for professional image / Strategic Networking & Career Connections; Presenting a Professional Image / Ch.12 & review of 11; Video “10-20-30 Rule;” Video “Enhance Presentations with Visuals;” Sim “Interviewing;” Video “Interviewing;” “Managing Your Boss” HBR Article / 1. Final Project Report Presentation (20 pts)
2. Quiz Ch.12 (10 pts)
Total Points: 248
The schedule is subject to change with fair notice.
Items Due - Due Dates:
All Gradebook Items Due are due on Saturdays except for Week 8, which is due Tues of Week 8.
Important:
Grading is completed once/week. After grading is completed, click your “View My Grades” link under the Angel Lessons tab. Alternatively, you may use the Angel REPORTS tab, select Grades, and click Run. This is where you will see your GRADES and any comments.
If you want to calculate your running average besides using the “View My Grades” link under the Angel Lessons tab, please take the total points you’ve earned that have been graded out of the total possible points that have been graded up to that point = PTS you’ve earned / Total possible PTS that have been graded = your real-time grade. Thank you for your attention to this fact.
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