Delivered at:: School of Foreign Languages

Course type:: Elective course

When:: 3 year, 1-4 module

Instructors

Bushetara, Red

Vradiy, Nadezhda

Kolesnikova, Ekaterina

Chotсhaeva, Kamilla

Full Syllabus

Abstract

The course ‘Organizational communication’ is elective and deals with human communication in a variety of organizations. It is designed for third-year bachelor students, who major in “Linguistics and intercultural communication”, but it could also be interesting for those studying business-related subjects. Students will extend their knowledge of traditional and contemporary communication theories, explore the concepts of organizational behavior, analyze the structures, practices and cultures of organizations and gain the skills professional communicators need to develop highly ethical and effective performance standards. The course provides students with hands-on experience of applying the knowledge and skills they gain through examining authentic real-world cases and working on projects.

Learning Objectives

to analyze organizational communication practices
to communicate effectively within different organizational models
to design and implement high-trust organizational culture
to demonstrate a good understanding of how communication occurs within organizations
to develop communication, analytical and problem-solving skills
to develop the ability to use communication theory and methodology to analyze organizations, their structures, practices and cultures

Expected Learning Outcomes

Know the basics of organizational communication theory
Know past and present organizational models
Understand how communication works in organizational structures and cultures
Know modern and classical theories of organizational communication
Know the definition and typology of downward communication
Understand the functions and typology of upward communication
Know the main principles of workplace communication
Know the definition, typology of lateral communication
Apply the knowledge and skills they get to integrate employee communications media
Understand the principles of communicating with a diverse workforce
Understand the role of business ethics
Understand characteristics of excellent business communication
Understand various approaches to leadership
Apply the knowledge and skills they get to manage organizational identity and diversity
Understand the benefits and downsides of technology in organizations
Apply the knowledge and skills they get to define and describe organizational models
Apply the knowledge and skills they get to measure the effectiveness of internal communication

Course Contents

Communication in organizations
Human communication. Organizational communication. Formal communication. Communication rules. Communication norms. Types of messages. Groups and teams in the workplace.
Downward communication
Weber’s 2 ways to force people to obey. 2 general types of downward communication according to Randy Hirowaka. 3 periods of downward communication according to C.J. Dover. 5 types of downward communication (instructions, rationale, procedures and practices, feedback, indoctrination). 2 primary problems of downward communication according to Randy Hirawaka. 5 effective methods of downward communication
Upward communication
4 important functions of upward communication. Katz and Kahn’s typology of upward communication. Tourish and Robson’s 5th type of upward communication. Employee silence and its 3 common forms. 4 myths about employee silence. Organizational dissent. Articulated organizational dissent. 2 basic processes of organizational dissent. 5 basic strategies of articulated dissent. Latent/lateral organizational dissent. Displaced dissent. Problems with upward communication. Effective methods of upward communication
Horizontal/lateral communication
Scalar chain. Fayol’s bridge. Hierarchical control of the messages. 4 functions to horizontal communication. 4 main problems with horizontal communication. Effective methods for horizontal communication. Informal communication. Types of informal communication networks. Analyzing communication networks
Business ethics
Four ethical scenarios. Major ethical perspectives. Typology of ethical lapses (J.O. Cherrington, D.J. Cherrington. Reinsh’s Nine Basic Ethical Findings. Redding’s Typology of Unethical Organizational Communication
Leader and follower behaviors and perspectives
Situational approach to leadership. Fred Fiedler’s contingency theory of Leader effectiveness. Task-oriented and relationship-oriented leaders. Situational favorableness. Paul Hersey and Kenneth Blanchard’s situational leadership theory. Directing/coaching/supporting/delegating leaders Functional approach to leadership. Barnard’s functions of the executive. Classification of functional roles in teams (prosocial/antisocial) Relational approach to leadership. Blake and Mouton’s managerial grid. Leader-Member exchange theory Transformational approach. Charismatic leadership. Intellectual stimulation. Individualized consideration
Modern workplace realities
Career skills. SWOT analysis as a tool for strategic career planning. Emerging and disappearing jobs. Recruitment process overview. CV structure. Behavioral questions. CV peer assessment. Types of job interviews. Mock job interview practice.

Assessment Elements

Career Trajectory
Curriculum vitae
Written examination
Test 1
Case study
Leader analysis
Test 2
MOOC Assignment
Written examination
The written examination will take place online in SmartLMS. Students need to have access to the site https://edu.hse.ru/ , as well as a login and a password to enter. Headphones and a microphone are not required. Students can enter the platform well in advance, but the assignments will be started at the set time. The examination will take 80 minutes. If during the writing of the test, the Internet does not work for some time, the student continues the test until the connection is restored. If the connection does not resume, the student takes screenshots of their answers, written in the absence of Internet connection, and sends them to the teacher and the manager of the educational programme. If the answers for the task on translation overlap for 80% or more among different students of one group, 0 points are awarded for this task to all the students who have such a coincidence. The first three tasks will be checked automatically6 the fourth one is checked by the teachers within 5 days. The grades are published in SmartLMS not later than the day stated in RUZ as grades announcement.
Case study on Ethics
Attendance&Participation

Interim Assessment

Interim assessment (1 module)
0.3 * Career Trajectory + 0.3 * Curriculum vitae + 0.4 * Written examination
Interim assessment (4 module)
0.1 * Leader analysis + 0.2 * MOOC Assignment + 0.2 * Test 1 + 0.2 * Test 2 + 0.3 * Written examination

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

International Association of Business Communicators, & Gillis, T. L. (2011). The IABC Handbook of Organizational Communication : A Guide to Internal Communication, Public Relations, Marketing, and Leadership (Vol. 2nd ed). San Francisco, Calif: Jossey-Bass. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=363478

Recommended Additional Bibliography

Corrado, F. M. (1994). Communicating with Employees : Improving Organizational Communication. Menlo Park, CA: Course PTR. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=112936
Kramer, M. W. (2004). Managing Uncertainty in Organizational Communication. Mahwah, N.J.: Routledge. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=109913
Walker, R., & Aritz, J. (2012). Discourse Perspectives on Organizational Communication. Madison, [N.J.]: Fairleigh Dickinson University Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=449158

Bachelor’s Programme 'Foreign Languages and Intercultural Communication'

Organizational Communication