Part I
Course Duration: One Semester
Credit Units: 3
Level: B3
Medium of Instruction: English
Prerequisites: Nil
Precursors: Nil
Equivalent Courses: Nil
Exclusive Courses: Nil
Part II
Course Aims:
This course aims to provide students with an understanding of the communication practices and values typical of the most important approaches to management found in contemporary organizations. It provides a range of conceptual frameworks for understanding communication in the workplace and its relationship to organizational culture, and aims to develop the ability to apply multiple viewpoints to the analysis of workplace interactions. The course provides opportunities for students to develop organizational communication skills by analyzing communication cases in a range of contexts.
Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs)
Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to:
No. | CILOs | Weighting
(if applicable) |
1. | Explain the communication practices and values typical of the most important approaches to management found in contemporary organizations | |
2. | Critically analyze workplace interactions in terms of underlying values, belief systems and power structures of the participants | |
3. | Develop theoretically-grounded recommendations for improving communication practices in common organizational functions, such as recruitment, decision-making and conflict management | |
(1: least important; 3: most important)
Teaching and learning Activities (TLAs)
(Indicative of likely activities and tasks designed to facilitate students’ achievement of the CILOs. Final details will be provided to students in their first week of attendance in this course)
CILO No. | TLAs |
CILO 1 | Lectures and readings
- lecture notes and readings explain how different theories and analytical approaches are applied to workplace communication |
CILO 2 | Lectures and readings
- lecture notes and readings help students to understand how different management approaches influence organisational culture and the ways in which different workplace processes are enacted
Case studies
- case studies give students the opportunity to apply their understanding of different approaches to specific workplace scenarios, and to critically analyse their impact
Roleplays
- these allow students to experience different issues relating to workplace communication processes such as decision-making and conflict management, and to reflect on them critically |
CILO 3 | Lectures and readings
- these provide explanation of ways in which communication processes unfold, link them to different management approaches and explain the relationship between these
Case studies
- these provide realistic scenarios in which students can identify specific problems and make appropriate recommendations based on their understanding of key theories and issues |
Assessment Tasks/Activities
(Indicative of likely activities and tasks designed to assess how well the students achieve the CILOs. Final details will be provided to students in their first week of attendance in this course)
CILO No | Type of assessment tasks/activities | Weighting
(if applicable) | Remarks |
CILO 1 | End of course examination
Multiple choice section will test students’ understanding of key concepts and different management approaches.
Essay question will test their ability to show how different management approaches can influence communication processes.
| 40% | |
| CILO 2 | Case study question will test students’ ability to critically evaluate a workplace communication process.
|
| CILO 3 | Case study question will test students’ ability to make appropriate recommendations on the basis of their evaluation of a problematic communication scenario. |
| Group project This requires students to analyse a workplace in terms of its culture and demonstrate how the underlying values found there influence communication processes, and to make recommendations on the basis of any problems they have identified. | 35% | |
| CILO 1 | - students have to demonstrate their ability to unpack the culture of an organisation and their understanding of the key management approaches. |
| CILO 2 | - students have to demonstrate their ability to evaluate a specific communication process in critical terms. |
| CILO 3 | - students have to demonstrate their ability to make appropriate recommendations on the basis of any problems they have identified. |
CILO 1 | In-class assignments (1 x 10%, 1 x 15% = 25% of marks)
This will test students’ understanding of the main issues and concepts relating to the various management approaches discussed in the course. | 25% | |
(1: Minor focus on the CILO; 2: Main focus on the CILO)
Grading of Student Achievement: Refer to Grading of Courses in the Academic Regulations.
Grading pattern: Standard (A+, A, A-….F).
Grading is based on student performance in assessment tasks/activities.
Part III
Keyword syllabus:
organizational communication
theories of management
written communication
spoken communication
power and politeness
organizational culture
critical approaches
assimilation processes
conflict management
decision-making