Organizational Communication and its Social Context

SOIM-UB.65.1.003.FA12 / Prof. Aline Wolff Mon/Wed 2:00 3:15pm; Tisch UC-19

Office and Mailing Address: Management Communication Program Kaufman Management Center 44 West Fourth Street, Ste. 3-100 New York, NY 10012 *Phone: (212) 998-0092 Email: awolff@stern.nyu.edu

Office Hours: Mon 3:30-4:30; Weds 12:45-1:45 Office: KMC 3-105 or by appointment Teaching Fellow: Nick Rovelli Email: nicholas.rovelli@stern.nyu.edu

*best to use email as I dont check the office phone very often

Course objectives: Why are you here?

Organizational Communication and its Social Context is the second stage of Sterns four year Social Impact Core Curriculum. The first course, Business and its Publics examines the relationships between corporations and society, particularly the social issues that arise from business operations. This course focuses on how companies communicate with different audiences: their multiple stakeholders. In OC, youll learn how organizations respond to varied internal and external audiences using traditional and emerging communication channels and media. Youll have the opportunity to study business communication in theory and in practice, and apply communication strategy to oral and written business assignments.

Required materials:
1. Organizational Communication and its Social Context (OC text); (online e-book text) Available online via these instructions: 1. Go to http://create.mcgraw-hill.com/shop/ 2. Enter the ISBN Number: 9781121619067 3. Add the book to your cart and pay using a credit card. Note: Technical Support is available at 1.800.331.5094 This custom text has just been revised, so editions from the past semesters wont have all the required readings. 2. Guide to Presentations (referred to in the course outline as GP) Munter, Mary; Russell, Lynn. Prentice Hall Series in Advanced Communication, 3rd edition, 2010; available in NYU bookstore. Note: earlier versions of this are totally acceptable and can be found easily on McDonalds, BarnesandNoble.com and other sources. 3. The Alignment Factor Van Riel, Routledge, 2011. Chapter 5: this single chapter can only be ordered through the NYU Bookstore website. 4. A Plain English Handbook: How to create clear SEC disclosure documents. Office of Investor Education and Assistance. (1998). Washington, DC: U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Available free online at www.sec.gov/news/extra/handbook.htm. Also found on Blackboard/External Links. 5. Additional readings will be posted on Blackboard.
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Course basics: Teams, Blackboard and Key Requirements

Just as in the business world, a significant part of this course is based on teamwork and team assignments. Youll be assigned to teams early in the course, and well discuss the rights and responsibilities of the teams in class. Each team will need to meet on average once a week outside of class, either in person or virtually. In addition, this course requires two team meetings with the professor and/or the teaching fellow. Details will be explained in class. Course materials will be managed by Blackboard. PowerPoint lectures, handouts, links and other materials will be posted to Blackboard. Youll be directed to post assignments to specific Blackboard locations, unless paper versions are needed for class work. To do well in this course, you need to: Complete all individual and team assignments on time, both graded and ungraded Follow the specific assignment requirements in this course outline Participate in class discussions Contribute to team assignments Use grading rubrics to guide your decisions about how to complete the assignments

Participation guidelines
Participation and professionalism are key factors in this course. Attending and being prepared for class discussions as well as being on time for class are the minimum expectation for OC. Participation also includes timely posting of assignments to Blackboard. Late assignments, lack of preparation for class discussion or presentations, excessive tardiness, or more than two unexcused absences during the semester will result in a lower grade. As in any professional situation, notify the professor and teaching fellow in advance by email to obtain an excuse for any absence. In-class activities have been designed to support your individual learning as well as expedite your teams work on presentations. These activities are part of your participation grade and cannot be made up. Laptops are not permitted for class use unless specific directions are given. If you have specific learning needs that require following the class powerpoint during the professors lecture, discuss it with the professor in advance. Cell phones must be turned off.

Presentation assignment guidelines

Specific instructions will be given for each presentation, explaining what type of visual support, if any, is appropriate; when presentations are due; and how to prepare for the presentation. By reading the assignment carefully, you should have a clear sense of how to approach it. Several graded presentations will be either 1) reviewed with the TF or professor or 2) self-evaluated, using supplied forms on Blackboard. Reviews are due within a week of the presentation. Note: The professor reserves the right to change and reorder content as necessary; any changes will be communicated before assignments are due.

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Required Guidelines for Document Submission

How your documents are prepared and delivered is very important. Follow these guidelines explicitly: 1. Use Word software; PDFs are unacceptable because it is often difficult to insert comments and feedback on PDF documents. 2. Business documents assigned for this course should follow business style (single-spaced, no indented paragraphs, left justification, double-spacing only between paragraphs, etc.) rather than standard academic style (double-spaced with indented paragraphs.) Check the business format used in the introduction memo, in the textbook and online. If you are still unsure, ask fellow students, your TF or Professor. 3. IMPORTANT: When you submit any assignment or any attachment, always start with your last name as part of the filename followed by your team number (For example, Shah_Team3_Assign1.doc). Note: This means overriding the Blackboard default for submission. 4. All documents (memos, reports, proposals, emails, etc.) must be in the designated format for each assignment. You will get detailed descriptions for all assignments. 5. Most documents and visual aids will be turned in by submitting to Blackboard. All document assignments must be in a font size of at least 11 points with margins of at least .9. Any assignment posted after the deadline will be considered late and receive a lower grade. Feedback on assignments and written comments will be returned as promptly as possible.

Additional Help
Contact the professor and/or TF via email and meet with us! We are available and willing to help you succeed. For additional help, try the Internet resources below and look for more of these helpful links on the Blackboard course site: <http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/> Guide to Grammar and Writing (explanations, examples, quizzes, FAQs; excellent online assistance) http://library.nyu.edu/vbl/ NYU Virtual Business Library Note: The Bobst Library has a business librarian specifically assigned to help Stern students. Ask for advice and you will find researching any topic or question will save you a lot of time.

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Stern Undergraduate College Policies

Assignments and grading
At NYU Stern we seek to teach challenging courses that allow students to demonstrate mastery of the subject matter. Assigning grades that reward excellence and reflect differences in performance is important to ensuring the integrity of our curriculum. In core courses, our faculty have adopted a standard of rigor for teaching where: 25-35% of students can expect to receive As for excellent work 50-70% of students can expect to receive Bs for good or very good work 5-15% of students can expect to receive Cs or less for adequate or below work Note that while we use these ranges as a guide, the actual distribution for this course and your own grade will depend upon how well each of you actually performs in this course. Please see: http://www.stern.nyu.edu/UC/CurrentStudents/Academics/PoliciesAndProcedures/CON_021884 for Teaching and Grading at the NYU Stern Undergraduate College for more information. Your final grade will be determined according to the chart located on page 7 of this course outline. Participation and attendance are a significant part of the point system. This course includes the Undergraduate College policies for participation and attendance, as well as the ethical guidelines.

Attendance
Class attendance is mandatory and part of a students grade. Excused absences may be permitted only in the case of documented serious illness, family emergency, religious observance or civic obligation. If you will miss class for serious illness or family emergency, documentation is required. If you will miss class for religious observance or civic obligation, you must inform your instructor no later than the first week of class. If pre-arranged, actual holiday dates will be excused; missing class due to travel time is an unexcused absence. Recruiting activities are not acceptable reasons for class absence. More than two unexcused absences will negatively affect the final class grade.

Lateness
Students are expected to arrive to class on time and stay to the end of the class period. Chronically arriving late or leaving class early will negatively affect a students grade. Students may enter class late only if they can do so without disrupting the class.

Participation
Participation is an essential part of learning in this course. Students are expected to participate in all facets of classroom learning and as effective team members.

Reading/Homework
Students are expected to come to class prepared, having read text and assigned readings prior to class. Homework, case studies and other assignments are expected to be completed and handed in on time.

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Late Assignments and Make-up Policy

At the discretion of the professor, late assignments will incur a grade penalty unless due to documented serious illness or family emergency. Professors will make exceptions for religious observance or civic obligation only when the assignment cannot reasonably be completed prior to the due date and the student makes arrangements for late submission with the professor in advance.

Academic Integrity
Integrity is critical to the learning process and to all that we do here at NYU Stern. All students are expected to abide by the NYU Stern Student Code of Conduct. A students responsibilities include, but are not limited to: A duty to acknowledge the work and efforts of others when submitting work as ones own. Ideas, data, direct quotations, paraphrasing, creative expression, or any other incorporation of the work of others must be clearly referenced. A duty to exercise the utmost integrity when preparing for and completing examinations, including an obligation to report any observed violations.

Please see the following link for more information:

http://www.nyu.edu/about/policies-guidelines-compliance/policies-and-guidelines/academicintegrity-for-students-at-nyu.html

Students with Disabilities Students whose class performance may be affected due to a disability should notify the professor early in the semester so that arrangements can be made, in consultation with the Henry and Lucy Moses Center for Students with Disabilities, to accommodate their needs. Please see http://www.nyu.edu/csd for more information. Plagiarism
Representing the ideas of others as your own is plagiarism, whether accidental or by design. Do not plagiarize. A few helpful links: How to Avoid Plagiarism from Northwestern University http://www.northwestern.edu/provost/students/integrity/plagiarism.html and Plagiarism: What It Is and How to Avoid It from Indiana University <http://www.indiana.edu/~college/plagiarism/index.shtml>. There are numerous role-playing assignments in this class. Although you may assume the role of a corporate player, you may not assume their words, blogs, or web site ideas as your own. All references need to be cited or explained. Please ask if you need more clarification.

Re-Grading
In line with Grading Guidelines for the NYU Stern Undergraduate College, the process of assigning of grades is intended to be one of unbiased evaluation. This means that students are encouraged to respect the integrity and authority of the professors grading system and discouraged from pursuing arbitrary challenges to it. If a student feels that an inadvertent error has been made in the grading of an individual assignment or in assessing an overall course grade, a request to have the grade be re-evaluated may be submitted. Students should submit such requests in writing to the professor within 7 days of receiving the grade, including a brief written statement of why he or she believes that an error in grading has been made.
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Calendar of assignments and due dates

To track your grade throughout the semester, use the column (grade) to the right of the column with the available points per assignment. All grades will be posted to the Blackboard grade center. Specific assignment details can be found later in this syllabus. Assignment * Complete Student Info Sheet Response to Week 1 readings/discussion Appreciative inquiry - best team experience Fri, Sept. 7 Fri., Sept. 14 Bring ideas to class 4 Mon. Sept. 17 Classes 6 and 7 Presentations Mon. Sept. 24 or Wed. Sept. 26 Video Review by Oct. 8 Wed. Oct. 3 Drafts: Classes 10 & 11 *Participation 3. Business document : McDonalds 4. Team presentation : company profile * Threaded Discussion on Issues and Email 5. Update on Issues to Professor and TF 6. Team presentation: Strategic Issue Response 7. Written Document on Issues and CSR 8. Final Team presentation: CSR/Reputation/Image * Participation: includes a combination of in-class exercises, activities, engagement, impromptus, attendance and overall professionalism Final Doc. - Fri Oct. 12 by 11pm Class 13 and 14 Mon. Oct. 22 or Wed. Oct. 24 Discussion: Wed Oct. 31 Email: Mon. Nov. 5 Classes 19 and 20 Mon Nov. 12 Wed. Nov. 14 Due by 11pm, Wed. Nov. 28 Classes 26, 27 & 28 Wed Dec 5 Mon Dec 10 Wed Dec 12 * Participation Due Points
Participation Team Ind.

Grade

* Participation * Participation * Participation

1. Team presentation 1: McDonalds Communication Strategy *Meet with the Prof. review video 2. Exam on SEC Guidelines * Draft documents due in class

8
* Participation

4 10

5 10 7 12 12 10

Throughout the semester

*Participation

12

Total

100 points

40

60

The professor reserves the right to change and reorder content as necessary; any changes will be communicated before assignments are due.
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Organizational Communication
Week /Date / Class Class Topic

Professor Stehlik

/ Fall 2012
Writing/ Speaking Assignments Due Be prepared to discuss in class: What is the social contract of business today?

WEEK 1:
Wed 9/5 Class 1

Introduction to course and communication strategy; how organizations communicate in social context; corporate communication amidst technological change.

Reading Assignments Due Read: NY Times article When Capitalists Cared

Published Mon. September 3, 2012, by Hedrick Smith; Google article title.

* Participation: Student Information Form due Friday, Sept. 7

Read: World Bank Organizational Communication overview;
http://siteresources.worldbank.org/EXTG OVACC/Resources/OrganizationalComm web.pdf

WEEK 2:
Mon 9/10 Class 2

Intro to organizational communication; aspects of models and theory; comm. strategy/intent; T.A.I.M.

OC text, ch 3 Leadership is a conversation optional reading:

July 2011 from Forbes Transparency: Social Media Is Forcing You to Tell the Truth
http://www.forbes.com/sites/csr/2011/07/1 2/transparency-social-media-is-forcingyou-to-tell-the-truth/

Be prepared to discuss: How organizations communicate? Why is command and control communication considered less viable in todays world?

*Participation (see written assignment): Post to Bb Assignment area by Fri., Sept. 14

Wed 9/12 Class 3

Introduction to stakeholder theory and stakeholder communication; Intro to McDonalds case and its audiences/stakeholders Intro to teams & teamwork; appreciative inquiry for new teams Review assignment for team presentation 1; discussion of McDonalds case How to develop and deliver the Big Idea for an effective presentation; Using storyboards and planners; Presentation delivery techniques for teams Team presentation 1 on McDonalds communication strategy (4 teams present)

Read: -OC text, ch 2 -GP, ch. 1& 2 -Online McDonalds case reading and links
Read articles and video on teams and teamwork Articles:
Ten Qualities of an effective team player http://www.forbes.com/2010/11/12/te ams-essential-qualities-leadershipmanaging-engagement_2.html Video: Good Teams Bad Teams

Be prepared to discuss: How does McDonalds communicate with its stakeholders? Which tactics and channels stand out as effective? Teams for the semester will be assigned in class today. Be prepared to share: a best team story. Write it up and bring two hard copies to class

WEEK 3:
Mon 9/17 Class 4

Wed 9/19 Class 5

Read: GP, -ch. 3, 4 & 6

WEEK 4:

Bring a hard copy of your planner/storyboard and any slides you may be using.

Assignment 1 team presentations on

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Organizational Communication; Fall 2012

Week /Date / Class Mon 9/24 Class 6

Class Topic

Reading Assignments Due Download your slide deck to the desktop of our classroom before class.

Writing/ Speaking Assignments Due

McDonalds communication strategy.

After presentation, teams meet with professor to review video (schedule your meeting to be completed before Oct. 8)

Wed 9/26 Class 7

Team presentation 1 on McDonalds communication strategy (4 teams present)

Bring a hard copy of your planner/storyboard and any slides you may be using. Download your slide deck to the desktop of our classroom before class.

Assignment 1 team presentations on McDonalds communication strategy.

After presentation, teams meet with professor to review video (schedule your meeting to be completed before Oct. 8)

WEEK 5:
Mon. 10/1 Class 8

Intro to business writing; Preview assignment 2 Business writing strategies: organization, structure and Plain English Business writing: editing and document design In class editing exercise; peer review

Read: -SEC, preface; intro; and chs 1 and 5 -Review GP, ch 4

Read: SEC, chs 6,7 and 8 Optional: OC text, ch 8 (Appendix II)

Assignment 2 EXAM: SEC Guidelines

Assignment 3, draft 1: Plan your first draft by writing your A-I-M of your upcoming document and a short intro or outline; bring copies to class; bring laptops for in class editing; incorporate peer feedback Assignment 3, draft 2 Editing for publication; bring laptops.

Wed. 10/3 Class 9

WEEK 6:
Mon 10/8 Class 10

Final edit of business document; check for intent, format and quality Read: How to Research a Company

Wed 10/10 Class 11

Companies for semester assigned in class: Begin Research

Assignment 3, Final of McDonalds doc. due on Fri., http://www.ehow.com/how_ Oct. 12. 2005384_researchcompany-interview.html In class research activity; bring
laptops (or share); prepare for team presentations next week.

WEEK 7:
Mon 10/15
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HOLIDAY NO CLASS
Organizational Communication; Fall 2012 Page 8 of 18

Week /Date / Class

Class Topic How to deliver a high level briefing with lots of data and an interesting story Enhancing your story with visual aids

Wed 10/17 Class 12

Reading Writing/ Speaking Assignments Assignments Due Due Review YouTube video Death by Powerpoint Prepare for team presentations And any Hans Rosling video on next week. Ted talks Read: GP -ch 5 on visual aids;; -review ch 6 on delivery

WEEK 8
Mon. 10/22 Class 13

Team presentation: company profile; overview of company and opinion on how well they are using social media within their corporate communication strategy. Team Presentation: company profile; Intro to Strategic corporate communication; identifying and responding to corporate issues; achieving an integrated approach to corporate communication strategy and sustaining an organizational message. Issues What are the issues facing your company? How will you communicate an integrated response? Which channels of communication will be most effective?

Bring a hard copy of your planner/storyboard and your slide deck (3 to a page) Download your slide deck to the desktop of our classroom BEFORE class. Read: OC text: ch 4 Read: The Strategic Communication Imperative (online via Proquest) Author: Argenti MIT Sloan Management Review. Cambridge: Spring 2005. ISSN:1532-9194 Vol. 46, Iss. 3; p. 83

Assignment 4 5 Teams Present Submit online (before class): -Final storyboard planners -Final slide deck Assignment 4 3 Teams Present Submit online (before class): -Final storyboard planners -Final slide deck

Wed 10/24 Class 14

WEEK 9:
Mon 10/29 Class 15

Wed 10/31 Class 16

Persuasion
Discussion of Assignment #6

Review: McKinsey Report: Valuing CSR and Sustainability; http://www.mckinseyquarterly. com/Making_the_most_of_corp orate_social_responsibility_247 9 (download & view the McKinsey presentation) Read: -tbd

Assignment 5, part 1 Threaded Discussion about issues that affect your company. First post due to BB team discussion board by Oct. 31; responses to team members thereafter. Assignment 5, part 2 Email to Prof. and TF issue/s affecting the firm that will be used for team presentation; email to Prof/TF (one per team) is due before class.
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WEEK 10:
Mon. 11/5 Class 17

Guest Speaker on Strategic Corp. Communication TBD (NY Times)

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Organizational Communication; Fall 2012

Week /Date / Class

Class Topic

Reading Assignments Due Optional:

http://sixminutes.dlugan.com/category/ delivery-techniques/ particularly look at the 18 Paths to Pathosinteresting points.

Writing/ Speaking Assignments Due

Wed. 11/7 Class 18

Feedback on Team Issues Email. Coaching in class on enhancing persuasion and delivery. Team Presentation on Issues: Assignment 6: Strategic Issue Response

WEEK 11:
Mon 11/12 Class 19

Bring a hard copy of your planner/storyboard and your slide deck (3 to a page) Download your slide deck to the desktop of our classroom BEFORE class Bring a hard copy of your planner/storyboard and your slide deck (3 to a page) Download your slide deck to the desktop of our classroom BEFORE class Read: - OC text, ch 6 -The Alignment Factor, Ch 5 Review How to Give Good Feedback Link posted on Blackboard Complete: Peer assessment in preparation for in class feedback session

Wed 11/14 Class 20

Team Presentation on Issues: Assignment 6: Strategic Issue Response

WEEK 12:
Mon 11/19 Class 21

Review Assignment 7: Short Report that looks for alignment or lack of alignment between corporate issues and CSR initiatives; Team Dynamics

Teams will conduct a feedback session in class. Be prepared to discuss: Porter and Kramers views of integrated CSR.

Wed 11/21 Class 22

Speaking Impromptus; handling questions Review of Assignment 8 requirements Intro to Corp. Sustainability, issues, concerns and strategies. How Corp., Communication supports corporate image and sustainability. Read Assignment 8 Read: OC text ch 5 Reputation and Its Risks HBR Articles, Robert G. Eccles, Scott C. Newquist, Roland Schatz, Vol. 85 Issue 2, Feb 01, 2007. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pu bmed/17345684 Read: OC text ch 7 Assignment 7 Due : Document 2 on CSR and Issues Alignment

WEEK 13:
Mon 11/26 Class 23

Wed 11/28 Class 24

CSR and Sustainability in Practice. Guest Speaker on how to implement a CSR strategy

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Week /Date / Class

Class Topic and budget. (subsidiary of Cartier)

Reading Assignments Due

Writing/ Speaking Assignments Due

WEEK 14:
Mon 12/3 Class 25 Wed 12/5 Class 26

Coaching and preparation for Team Presentation 4In class working session Preparation for Assignment 8 Team presentation 4

Teams meet to work on final presentations; coaching with professor and TF outside of class. Assignment 8 3 teams present -Submit slide deck online -Bring complete planner

WEEK 15
Mon. 12/10 Class 27

Team presentation 4

Assignment 8 3 teams present as above

Team presentation 4 Wed. 12/12 FINAL CLASS Class wrap-up

Assignment 8 2 teams present as above

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Participation and professionalism

Participation consists of a combination of significant contributions to class discussions, in-class exercises, activities, quizzes, engagement with your team and with the class, impromptu speaking and/or writing opportunities, and attendance. It includes your overall professionalism and engagement throughout the semester.

Impromptu speaking
As time permits, the professor will select topics for short (2-3 minute) individual presentations or team presentations. Typically the topics are business related, controversial and in the news on the day of class. You will have the opportunity at the beginning of class to volunteer to present. After presenting you will receive feedback on the strength of your presentation and on areas for improvement.

Specific Participation assignments:

Reflection on Class discussion: You have the last word!
Do you sometimes get your best ideas after everyone else has spoken? Or do you sometimes not get an opportunity to articulate your idea in class? Perhaps you get your best ideas after youve had time to think and reflect or talk to others about a particular area of interest. In this participation assignment you are being asked to share your reflection with the professor and TF. Task: In these first sessions of OC you read several articles on Organizational Communication. Upon reflection, what insights have you drawn from either the readings or the discussion within our classroom? Deliverable: Submit a short Word document (approximately 150 words) that explains your thinking. Post the document to Bb assignments by Friday, Sept. 14.

Appreciative inquiry - best team experience

In class 4, you will be meeting your team for the first time. This is the team you will be working with throughout the rest of the semester. As preparation for getting off to a strong start, you will be participating in an introductory appreciative inquiry exercise in class. Task: Reflect on a team experience where you performed at your best. It can be any team from a work or school project or volunteer experience. Capture the essential elements of that experience and be prepared to share it with your new team. What was the impact of that team experience? What were your strengths on the team? How did the team operate? What descriptive adjectives characterize your performance? Try to be as specific with the details as you can. Write a brief paragraph and bring it to class with you to help you participate effectively in this exercise; turn in two hard copies of this document to the TF at the end of class on Mon., Sept. 17.

Graded Assignments Assignment 1: Team Presentation on McDonalds

Assume you are a member of McDonalds Corporate Communication Task Force on Stakeholder Engagement. The Task Force has been instructed to develop a social media strategy for a range of stakeholder groups.
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Your team will be assigned one such stakeholder group. But before the team can recommend a strategy, it needs to carefully devote time to Audience Analysis. Essentially, the team has to ask itself: What do we need to know before an implementable strategy can be devised? This is the core question your team must address in the 8 minute presentation. To do this, your team needs to frame its assigned stakeholder group specifically by examining: What is the groups (potential or actual) relationship to McDonalds? How large is the group? What are the demographics of the stakeholder group? Where is their power? What are their interests? What are the most effective ways of communicating with them?

Stakeholder Groups: Shareholders, Animal Rights Activist Groups, Nutrition Activist Groups, Wall Street Equity Analysts Focusing on Restaurant Chains, Suppliers, Franchise Owners, Company Trainees at McDonalds University, the FDA. Task: Analyze your assigned stakeholder group to help McDonalds develop a future communication strategy for them. Is McDonalds currently communicating with the stakeholder? If yes, how? If no, why not? Should McDonalds be communicating with this stakeholder and why or why not? What potentials channels of communication do you think would be most effective with this stakeholder?

In your presentation, respond to these questions and explain your rationale. Consider information from the case, other reading assignments on McDonalds, other examples of corporate use of social media, and your own experience. Deliverable: A team presentation lasting 8 minutes, with 2-3 minutes afterwards for questions; each team member must speak. No PowerPoint bullet slides are permitted, but you may use PowerPoint to show projected photographs, maps, charts or illustrations. Follow-up: Each team will meet with the professor to review the presentation. Evaluation: This is a team grade worth 8 points. Review the grading rubric listed on Blackboard. Resources: On Blackboard/Course Documents, you will find a McDonalds folder with news reports, data and information that will help you with this assignment.

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Organizational Communication; Fall 2012

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Assignment 1: Team Review of McDonalds Presentation

Each team will meet with me to review both content and delivery style in the presentation benchmark. Over the course of the semester, you and your team will be doing a series of presentations which will be graded for both the substance of the material presented and your presentation delivery. Like this one, the presentations will be videotaped, and well review those together. Just watching yourself on video will be extremely helpful and youll also be able to watch how you interact with your teammates. The TF and I will work with each of you to set both team and personal goals for improvement so that you can track your progress over the term. Deliverable: Prepare for this review by bringing your notes from personally reviewing the video. Identify at least one strength and one are for improvement.

Assignment 2: SEC Guidelines Exam

This will test your knowledge of the SEC Guidelines that have been assigned. You will be given a short quiz in class. This is worth 4 points as an individual grade.

Assignment 3: Individual Written Document on McDonalds

Assignment objective: This assignment will give you an opportunity to learn how to write a business report and demonstrate your understanding of intent, audience, and organization in business documents. Task: Recommend how McDonalds could best communicate with your stakeholder group, using either social or traditional media or a combination of both. Audience: Choose from the following McDonalds executives, some of whom were mentioned in the article: Rick Wion, Director of Social Media; Neil Golden, Director of Marketing for US restaurants; Lee Edmondson, developer of McDonalds McD TV Channel; Brad Hunter, Director of Customer Engagement; Kathy Martin, Vice President of Investor Relations; Candace Spiel, Franchise Manager; Jan Fields, President of McDonalds USA; Cindy Goody, US Senior Director of Nutrition. Note: Each team member must write to a different executive. Deliverable: A single document containing both your report to the above audience (1.5 pages maximum) and a separate statement to the professor explaining why you chose the intended reader, how you analyzed that reader, and how your analysis affected the choices you made in preparing the document. Do not simply list your answers; create a short message in business format for this statement to the professor Submit both the statement and the document as a single Word file NOT a PDF.

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Important Reminder about Plagiarism: Cutting and pasting from any existing written materials, online or printed, including a website, without attribution constitutes plagiarism. If you include text from existing materials, it must be attributed. If you fail to do this and your plagiarism is discovered, you will receive an F for the assignment.

Assignment 4: Team Presentation: Company Profile

Task: For the rest of this semester, your team will work together to prepare and deliver a set of presentations focusing on the corporate communication strategies of a selected firm. For future presentations about your firm, you will present as members of the companys corporate communication department; however, for this assignment you are presenting as yourselves to the class.
What is your company story?

Your team presentation should inform the class about the most important aspects of the company. Use the following questions to research interesting and useful company data: What is the business they are in? What industry are they in? Who are their competitors and how does their reputation compare to those competitors? What is their corporate brand promise and how do they communicate it? How is the company doing financially? Who are the leaders in this company and how long have they been in place?

Develop an interesting presentation about your company that provides a context for the class to understand your later presentations. This assignment should incorporate the use of credible information sources and cite them appropriately in slides. Audience: What will be the most effective strategy to inform your peers about your company? Your intent: What do you want the audience to specifically think, say or do as a result of your communication? Time limit: maximum 9 minutes for the presentation including Q&A. Plan your presentation to allow up to 2 minutes for questions. A well structured presentation of 6 minutes should give your audience a clear idea of the company. Share the speaking time equally. Convey one overriding message (aka, your big idea) that encompasses all points and explains the essence of your company. No data dumping! Visual aids: Use visual aids; avoid using dense text slides. Think visually, not verbally on your slides. Deliverables to upload to Blackboard: Upload your completed presentation planner and slide deck. Evaluation: This assignment is worth 5 points for your team and 5 points for individuals. See grading rubric for more details.

Professor Aline Wolff

Organizational Communication; Fall 2012

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Assignment 5: Team Email Identifying Company Issues

Part A--Threaded Discussion Task: For this participation assignment, each team member identifies a specific issue that concerns the teams company and posts his or her thoughts to team in a threaded discussion using the teams media of choice. Note: this posting must be accessible to the Professor and TF. Your objective: In your individual post, your goal is to inform the rest of your team about an issue that is critical to the company. You should describe an emerging public issue as discussed in class and readings. The issue may soon affect the company (if it hasnt already). You are not looking for day-to-day operational business problems stemming from competitive challenges or product marketing. Your issue will undoubtedly involve the interests of one or more concerned (or soon to be concerned) stakeholder groups. Engage in a persuasive exchange with your classmates by responding to a minimum of 2 posts to help the team come to consensus on the issues. Evaluation: Your individual posts count toward your Participation grade. Part B-- Email Update on Issues to Professor and TF Task: As a result of class discussion and the exchange of posts earlier, your team should have a good sense of which stakeholder-driven issues to address in the upcoming presentation. For this assignment, the team will jointly compose one professionally worded e-mail message that will clarify which issues have been chosen. Your objective: To inform the professor and teaching fellow about the chosen issue or issues and to justify the teams choices. Deliverable: Send the e-mail directly to the professor and teaching fellow. Evaluation: This document will be evaluated as a team grade worth 5 points based on a combination of analysis, structure, and format.

Assignment 6: Team Presentation 3: Strategic Issue Response

Task: For this presentation, your team will deliver a persuasive presentation to the SVP of Corporate Communication recommending a communication strategy that addresses the primary issue/s your company is facing. As discussed in class, how an organization responds to issues relates directly to stakeholder relationships and this consideration should be a central part of your presentation.

Assume that your team comprises the task force that has been assembled by the SVP of Corporate Communication. Your team should analyze the primary issues facing the organization, which stakeholder groups are involved and recommend a communication strategy for the company. Your recommendation should address the stakeholders, their power, and which channels of communication would be most effective.
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Your objective: To persuade your audience, the SVP and other members of the Corp. Comm. team, that your issue-response plan will be strategically sound and tactically address critical stakeholders. Time limits: Maximum 12 minutes for the presentation, followed by 3 minutes for questions. You must share the speaking time. Visual aids: Use visual aids, but avoid using dense text slides. One person from the team must post the slides on Blackboard/Assignments by the deadline announced in class. Deliverable: Submit your completed Presentation Planner and the slide deck under Assignments. Bring two hard copies of your slide deck (three to a page) and your planner to class on presentation day for the TF and Professor. Evaluation: This assignment is worth 10 points for your team and 7 points for individuals. See grading rubric on Blackboard for more details.

Assignment 7: Written Document on Issues and CSR

Task: Now that your team has identified the critical issues facing your firm, the SVP of Corporate Communication requests a one page analysis of whether those issues align or conflict with any of the companys sustainability or CSR initiatives. To accomplish this task, you will need to examine the firms current initiatives. This can be done by reviewing the companys various websites, social media channels and also mainstream media reporting. You should also review the Porter-Kramer article, The Link Between Competitive Advantage and CSR as well as Why Every Company Needs a CSR Strategy (On BB/Course Documents) for ideas that can help frame your response to the SVPs request. Incorporate these ideas where appropriate and cite reference if quoting. Deliverable: A one page document in standard business document format. Evaluation: This individual assignment is worth 12 points. See grading rubric for more details.

Assignment 8: Team Presentation on CSR/Reputation/Image

Task and Audience: The C Suite wants your team to assess how well the firm presents itself to its multiple stakeholders on the important issues of sustainability and CSR. You will deliver a presentation for the C-Suite that analyzes how effectively the company presents its overall image and reputation through its CSR/Sustainability initiatives and policies. Consider the following questions in your preparation:
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How does the company present its image and reputation as a socially responsible firm? What CSR/Sustainability messages does the company send and how effective are they to major stakeholder groups? (consider the pairing of messages and media in your effectiveness statement; and describe your criteria for effectiveness) What recommendations would you make to enhance communication of the sustainability and CSR initiatives. Persuade the C-Suite to accept your recommendations.

Audience: the CEO and other members of the C-suite. Your objective: to persuade your audience to accept your recommendations. Time limits: maximum 20 minutes for the presentation, including 5 minutes for questions, which may come at any time. Deliverables must be uploaded to Blackboard on presentation day before class: Presentation planners for team and individuals Slide deck Additionally please provide two printed copies of both the slides (3 to a page) and the final team planner for the TF and Profess.

Evaluation: 12 points for team and 10 points for individual. See grading rubric for details.

Professor Aline Wolff

Organizational Communication; Fall 2012

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