Course objectives
Communication is inherent to human organization; good interpersonal and group communication is essential to its success. Successful completion of this course enables one to:
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recall, compare, and give examples of key concepts and theories of organizational communication;
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comprehend and critically evaluate how communication influences the overall function of an organization;
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analyze and make recommendations on case studies about about interpersonal conflict and group decision making;
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successfully practice communication skills via experience through group activities, course assignments, and in-class presentations.
Policy
Active learning and the Web
“I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.” – Confucius
This is an active
learning
course meaning that you will be engaged with activities such as class and group discussion, participating in and designing class exercises, collaborative note-taking, and peer assessment. An implication of this is, for example, if you do not volunteer
at least one good comment or question
during a class, I might “cold call” you myself.
I also make much use of the Web. For instance, this syllabus is a Web page and I expect you to follow links.
Academic policies
In short, come to class on time and with the readings and assignments completed; be respectful and willing to collaborate. There are no provisions for missed exams or late assignments. If I notice you texting, then you are doing it too much. If I think your use of a computer is distracting you and others, I will put you on the spot (e.g., ask you to immediately send me your notes). Such deviations from classroom professionalism and respect may result in dismissal from class and demerits against your grade. See
full course policies
for more detail.
In general, if you have an issue, such as needing an accommodation for a religious obligation or learning disability, speak with me before it affects your performance; afterward it is too late. Do not ask for favors; instead, offer proposals that show initiative and a willingness to work.
Academic Integrity
: “The promotion of independent and original scholarship ensures that students derive the most from their educational experience and their pursuit of knowledge.” Violations include cheating, fabrication, plagiarism, and participating in or encouraging dishonesty. I will, and have, report violators to the Office of Student Conduct.
Assignments
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(20 pts) Class participation
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(15 pts) Midterm exam
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(09 pts)
Reading responses
.
Due 3 hours before class
-
(10 pts) Case analysis
Write a ~1000 word
case analysis
of Violanti’s
Men will be “Boys” and women will be “whores”
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(10 pts) Peer teaching
Groups of students will be responsible for
presenting/facilitating class
.
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2 weeks before class: share any reading requirements so as to be included in the syllabus.
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1 week before class: share class plan with instructor for feedback and suggestions.
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1 week after class: turn in your evaluation
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(10 pts) Experiential Analysis
Write a ~1000 word essay reflecting on organizational experiences you’ve had in this class or elsewhere that makes use of course theories and concepts.
-
(1 pts)
Email Filter
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(2 pts) Pop quizzes
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(12 pts) Final exam
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(1 pt) TRACE
Our college requires all students to complete TRACE evaluations at the end of the semester. You will be asked to provide a screen shot to your instructor that reflects your participation, even if you (anonymously) opt-out of completing the survey.
Writing assignment requirements (greater than 400 words)
Written assignments must be double-spaced, 12 point font, 1-inch margins. One page should contain approximately 250 words. Pages must be numbered and stapled together. Citations must be in the APA style.
On the last page, include your final word count (excluding references) and (if appropriate) the names and assessments of the students who gave you feedback (e.g., engagement: A, understanding: B, writing: B, scholarly-support: Yes).
So as to avoid bias, I read assignments “blind” without knowing the author. Hence, your name should only appear on the back side of the final page; you may write this in ink. (That is, I should only know your name by turning the assignment over.)
On the due date, print copies must be submitted in class and the electronic version must be submitted to BlackBoard Turnitin.
Grading Rubric
“A” students have
all
of the following attributes, they:
-
show
mastery
in assignments. Their work demonstrates impressive understanding of readings, discussions, themes and ideas. It is fluid, clear, analytical, well-organized and grammatically polished. Reasoning and logic are well-grounded and examples precise.
-
have virtually perfect
attendance
. Their commitment to the class resembles that of the teacher.
-
are
prepared
for class. They always read assignments and participate fully. Their attention to detail is such that they occasionally catch the teacher in a mistake.
-
show
interest
in the class. They look up or dig out what they don’t understand. They often ask interesting questions or make thoughtful comments.
-
have
retentive
minds. They are able to connect past learning with the present.
-
have a winning
attitude
. They have the determination, initiative and self-discipline to succeed.
Please see the complete
rubric
for other performance levels and for writing and participation.
Resources
Being a good student is a learned skill and craft.
“Best practices”
are guides to help you learn those skills and include: The Craft of Reading; Making Sense of Concepts; Achieving Balance in Discussion; Some Thoughts on Presenting; Writing Class Essays; and Feedback on Writing: Rubric and Writing.
I provide partial
handouts
for some of my classes. These classes will often contain active class
exercises
Northeastern resources
Readings
A
reading calendar
is available.
Bibliography
Like other skills,
bibliography
is something you learn to do well. Technology can make it easier. NU makes both RefWorks and EndNote
available
to students; you can also use the freely available browser-based
Zotero
. You can then import the
bibTeX file
of this class’s readings into those applications.
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Readings
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Books
-
Erick M. Eisenberg, H. L. Goodall, Angela Trethewey
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Chapters
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PDFs, including chapters from Zaremba and Cheney, will be on Blackboard and require you to log in there first; other resources may be accessed off-campus via
the library
and LibX.
-
Alan Jay Zaremba
-
Organizational communication: Foundations for business and collaboration
-
y=2005 p=Oxford University Press a=USA ed=2
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George Cheney, Lars Thoger Christensen, Theodore E. Zorn, Shiv Ganesh
-
Organizational communication in an age of globalization: Issues, reflections, practices
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Cases
-
Michelle T. Violanti
-
Men will be "Boys" and women will be "whores": The case of the U.S. Navy's tailhook scandal
-
e=Beverly Davenport Sypher ch=20 bt=Case Studies in Organizational Communication 2: Perspectives on Contemporary Work Life p=Guilford Publications d=19970531
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Recommended
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I still use the handbook I acquired as an undergraduate; it's wonderful to have a concise and easy guide for questions (e.g., when does punctuation go outside a quote mark?). When I give feedback on composition issues, I will reference this handbook:
-
Diana Hacker
-
A pocket style manual with 2009 MLA and 2010 APA updates
-
d=20100427 p=Bedford/St. Martin's ed=5
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Classes
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Sep 07 Fri
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Sep 11 Tue
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Defining organizational communication
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EGT ch=2 pp=26-36
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Sep 14 Fri
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Sep 18 Tue
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Dialog
-
EGT ch=2 pp=36-56
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David Bohm, Donald Factor, Peter Garrett
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Assignment
-
Write a reading response.
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Sep 21 Fri
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Theories: Classical, Human Relations, and Human Resources
-
EGT ch=3 pp=59-79
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Bonnie Stewart
-
Sep 25 Tue
-
Theories: Systems perspective and sense-making
-
EGT ch=3 pp=79-102
-
Yiftach Nagar
-
Assignment
-
Write a reading response.
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Sep 28 Fri
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Teams and Networks
-
EGT ch=7
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Oct 02 Tue
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Organizational culture and socialization
-
EGT ch=4 pp=103-135
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Harvey Schachter
-
Jessamyn Smith
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Oct 05 Fri
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Joseph Reagle
-
Assignment
-
Write a reading response.
-
Linda Nilson
-
Teaching at its best: a research-based resource for college instructors
-
ch=11-12 a=Bolton, MA p=Anker y=2003 ed=2
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Oct 09 Tue
-
Ikujiro Nonaka, Noboru Konno
-
Oct 12 Fri
-
Analyzing Organizational Communication
-
CTZG ch=15 pp=437-469
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Oct 16 Tue
-
Midterm review
-
Review the topics/concepts I sent and be prepared to collaboratively create candidate exam questions.
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Due
-
Oct 19 Fri
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Oct 23 Tue
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Oct 26 Fri
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Critical Approaches
-
EGT ch=5
-
Oct 30 Tue
-
Encountering, interpreting and managing conflict
-
CTZG ch=10 pp=275-309
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Nov 02 Fri
-
Identity and Difference
-
EGT ch=6
-
Manuel Valdes, Shannon Mcfarland
-
(Gabby Desonne, Shelby Cole, Karen Gambardella)
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Nov 06 Tue
-
Samuel Cohn
-
Race and gender discrimination at work
-
a=Nashvilla, TN p=Westview y=1999
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Sanford Heisler
-
(Nicole Lonergan, Jessica Retrum, Marissa Mullen, Kristin Mahler)
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Nov 09 Fri
-
Interpersonal communication in the workplace – social relationships and networks
-
CTZG ch=6 pp=139-173
-
Cheryl L. Coyle, Heather Vaughn
-
(Alex Delifer, Robin Buisseret, Jon Erland)
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Nov 13 Tue
-
Leadership
-
EGT ch=8
-
Haydn Shaughnessy
-
(Mercy Mungai, Brooke Hoger, Vanessa Mok)
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Nov 16 Fri
-
"How leaders embed and transmit culture"
-
Edgar H. Schein
-
Organizational culture and leadership
-
ch=14 d=2010 p=Jossey-Bass Publishers ed=4 a=Hoboken
-
Thom Rainer
-
(Omar Saab, Rachel Anderson, Mel Whiting)
-
Nov 20 Tue
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Intercultural communication
-
Zaremba ch=11
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(Matt Cook, Sarah Prazmark, Jon Aldieri, Kacie Conroy)
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Nov 23 Fri
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Nov 27 Tue
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Crisis communication
-
(Allison Wilson, Ashley Brescia , Anna Pinella)
-
Zaremba ch=10
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Due
-
Nov 30 Fri
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Dec 04 Tue