Corporate Communication

Transcription

1 Corporate Communication UTRGV COMM 6329 / Fall 2015 Schedule: August 31, 2015 to December 13, 2015 Location: Online Instructor: Dr. Young Joon Lim Office: ARHU, Room 158 Office Hours: through young.lim@utrgv.edu or by appointment Office Phone: Title: Corporate Communication: A Guide to Theory & Practice (4 th edition) Author: Joep Cornelissen (Sage, 2014, required) Readings are available on Blackboard. See each week for the listings This course aims to introduce graduate students to the latest overview of the theory and practice of corporate communication. This course describes not only what is happening in an era of strategic corporate communication but what corporations can do to stay one step ahead of the competition. Students will develop the role of corporate communication in such areas as corporate identity, image, and reputation; corporate advertising; public relations; investor relations; government affairs; employee communication; and crisis management. The objective of this course is to foster communication directors of corporations instead of technicians, meaning that students should be able to learn how to: (1) Create well-organized, coherent communication; (2) Analyze target audiences and create persuasive messages; (3) Lead a group of people whether in teams or meetings; (4) Integrate the practices of public relations, marketing and business communication; (5) Develop effective communication strategies in all situations for corporations. 1

2 At the end of this course, students should be able to: 1. understand prime responsibilities of corporate communication directors 2. function in larger corporate contexts, including supervising, mentoring and networking 3. manage corporate communication teams with fundamental communication skills Readings from the text and journal articles will be assigned by the instructor each week. Students are expected to read and understand them prior to taking exams and submitting assignments. As this course is designed for students at the graduate level, your personal work experiences from management, public relations, advertising, marketing, and business/communication related areas will be valued to enhance the understanding of corporate communication theory and practice. Specific assignment/exam instructions and schedules will be posted on Blackboard. Students are expected to spend about 8 hours per week for this course. In order to enhance selfmotivated study, the instructor is going to post weekly lecture notes, including reading and practical visual examples (Click and in lecture notes). One of the most efficient ways of studying this course is to scan the lecture notes first, then read the chapter(s) of the textbook, and peruse the notes again. Students will eventually have a better understanding of the course materials. There are four sectors that evaluate your academic performance throughout the semester. Exams: Take three exams, based on weekly readings and lecture notes Research article critique: Read and analyze other people s journal articles Discussion: Share your insights and knowledge with your class mates, based on journal articles Final project: Write an 8- to 10- page paper that addresses key activities and skills in specific disciplines and practice of corporate communication The final grade will be based on: Three Exams Discussion Research Article Critique Final Paper Total 300 points (100 points each) 50 points 50 points 100 points 500 points 2

3 A = 450 to 500 B = 400 to 449 C = 350 to 399 F = Below Missed Exams or Late Assignments By definition, missed exams create major time and scheduling conflicts and are UNFAIR to those who are prepared. For this reason, students who fail to take an exam or submit assignments before deadline will receive a score of zero unless they have a legitimate excuse. Deadlines matter in the real world and this course. The principal philosophy of this course is Fairness. 2. Contact Your Instructor Since is a predominant form of corporate communication, as part of this course, you will be required to send professional, properly written s. Keep communication professional by including COMM 6329 in the subject line of any s. You will be expected to use UTRGV for all correspondence. The instructor is to respond to your within 48 hours except for weekends and holidays. 3. Classroom Etiquette Remember not to write anything you would not want to see publicly printed. Anything you post online is not absolutely private. Be sure to re-read messages before sending or posting as all communications will be written for this course. 4. Academic Integrity & Honesty You are expected to adhere to the highest standards of academic honesty and integrity in the preparation of all your work and activities for the class. Your work must be your own and must not have been used for any other class. Using other people s ideas, phrases, or sentences without proper citation, and without quotation marks if it is a direct quote, is plagiarism. If you are not aware of what constitutes plagiarism, contact me. Ignorance of the rules will not be tolerated. Students found to be cheating or dishonest in any way, or to be found guilty of plagiarism may receive a 0 in the course, and the matter may be referred to the office of the Dean of Students. 5. Mandatory Course Evaluations Period Students are required to complete an ONLINE evaluation of this course, accessed through your UTRGV account ( you will be contacted through with further instructions. Online evaluations will be available Nov. 18 Dec. 9, Students who complete their evaluations will have priority access to their grades. 3

4 6. Students with Disabilities If you have a documented disability (physical, psychological, learning, or other disability which affects your academic performance) and would like to receive academic accommodations, please inform your instructor and contact Student Accessibility Services to schedule an appointment to initiate services. It is recommended that you schedule an appointment with Student Accessibility Services before classes start. However, accommodations can be provided at any time. Brownsville Campus: Student Accessibility Services is located in Cortez Hall Room 129 and can be contacted by phone at (956) (Voice) or via at accessibility@utrgv.edu. Edinburg Campus: Student Accessibility Services is located in 108 University Center and can be contacted by phone at (956) (Voice), (956) (Fax), or via at accessibility@utrgv.edu. 7. Sexual Harassment, Discrimination, and Violence In accordance with UT System regulations, your instructor is a responsible employee for reporting purposes under Title IX regulations and so must report any instance, occurring during a student s time in college, of sexual assault, stalking, dating violence, domestic violence, or sexual harassment about which she/he becomes aware during this course through writing, discussion, or personal disclosure. More information can be found at including confidential resources available on campus. The faculty and staff of UTRGV actively strive to provide a learning, working, and living environment that promotes personal integrity, civility, and mutual respect in an environment free from sexual misconduct and discrimination. 8. Copyright The lecture notes and all materials associated with this course are copyrighted in the name of Young Joon Lim, August 31, Students are not allowed to distribute any class materials. 4

5 The on-line exams are open book and open notes. All questions should be answered. You are NEVER allowed to have any kind of communication referring to the exam questions during the semester. Anyone who leaks the exam questions to other students will be placed on disciplinary probation and result in a grade of zero, in addition to another violation of the code such as: Cheating on examinations by giving or receiving assistance from another person Submitting your critique or final paper prepared by another person Submitting one piece of work in more than one course without the written permission of the instructors involved Asking for favors such as personal extra credit You as a graduate student affirm on your honor that you will abstain from dishonesty in all academic work. You have read and understood the code for this course, and you will abide by it. You are also obligated to respond by taking appropriate action if you suspect or witness violations. 5

6 COMM 6329 Schedule for Fall Here is the schedule. Week Date Class Topic Notice Week 1 Aug. 31 Sept.6 Introduction Readings on Blackboard Week 2 Sept Ch. 1 Week 3 Sept Chs. 2 & 3 Week 4 Sept Ch. 4 Journal Article 1 Week 5 Sept. 28 Oct. 4 Exam 1 (Online) Week 6 Oct Ch. 5 Available from 9:00 am, Sept.28 until 9:00 pm, Sept.30 Week 7 Oct Chs. 6 & 10 Week 8 Oct Ch. 11 Journal Article 2 Week 9 Oct. 26 Nov. 1 Exam 2 (Online) Week 10 Nov. 2 8 Ch. 14 Available from 9:00 am, Oct. 26 until 11:00 pm, Oct. 28 Week 11 Nov Chs. 8 & 12 Week 12 Nov Ch. 13 Journal Article 3 Week 13 Nov Exam 3 (Online) Week 14 Nov. 30 Dec. 6 Critique & Final Paper Submission Week 15 Dec Available from 9:00 am, Nov.23 until 9:00 pm, Nov. 25 Due by 9:00 pm, Dec.13 Week 16 Final Grades 6