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Department of Communications
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Theories of management that establish the context for organizational communication, ranging from
classical to cultural theories. Symbolic interaction in organizations. Influence of new technologies on
organizational communication.
More details
Organizational Communication is a critical exploration of the theories, structure, and processes of
communication in organizations. We will focus on communication competency as a linchpin of
organizational change and effectiveness, and address the nature of that competency at individual, group,
and organization-wide levels. Problems, issues, and techniques of organizational communication will be
analyzed through case studies, exercises, and projects. The examination of theory and examples is
intended to improve managerial effectiveness in communication and negotiation.
Through active participation in this course, it is anticipated that students will be able to:
1. develop and enhance their knowledge of major theories, and concepts concerning organizational
communication;
2. identify the dominant challenges of organizational communication in a variety of workplace
settings, domestically and globally;
3. describe verbal and nonverbal communications and their specific impact on leadership,
management, problem solving, and decision making in organizations;
4. compare traditional and emerging theories of organizational communication;
5. analyze and compare the concepts and practices of communication at individual, group, and
organizational levels and demonstrate their application in a variety of workplace situations;
COURSE FORMAT
Class format will be a combination of lecture, academic videos, and group activities. Lectures will cover
general theoretical concepts as well as specific examples and material from assigned and additional
readings. Students are required and expected to read assigned chapters before coming to the class. In
addition, be prepared to ask questions if you do not understand any concept. Lectures will also, at times,
provide differing perspectives to what you read; you are expected to understand these differing
perspectives.
COURSE EXPECTATIONS
1. Emails: I communicate with students through their student uottawa email accounts. It is your
responsibility to check your emails as I will be sending important messages through this
medium.
2. Active Participation. Students are expected to attend, take notes, and participate in class. Students
are expected to maximize their own learning by actively participating in all activities. This
includes raising questions for discussion or clarification, bringing their own work and other
organizational (only professional and academic) experiences to discussion, and interacting
professionally and ethically with classmates and with the instructor.
3. Attendance is Mandatory. I will be taking attendance randomly so please dont present an
excuse that this is the only day you missed class etc. It is your responsibility to be present
unless there is a medical note provided within 24 hours of missing the class. For each
missed class you would lose 1 mark. As most of the course material is structured in such a
way that it builds upon itself, and because this class, for obvious reasons, places so much
emphasis on the practice of communication through discussion, exercises, etc., it is difficult for
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you to enhance your interpersonal skills if you are not regularly present to practice them. Also,
because you will be part of a group requiring your involvement and input, attendance is
something that you owe to your fellow group members.
4. Follow Assignment Instructions. Carefully read the instructions for your written assignments
described in the course outline. Always use a title for your work. Strictly, follow the instructions
regarding page limit/font size/margins for your written submissions. In any case do not exceed
the required standard page limits for all submissions. Format for written submissions should
follow the American Psychological Association (APA) Publication Manual (5 th Edition).
5. Keep duplicates of deliverables. For your protection, always keep a copy of your written
assignments (either soft copy or a hard copy). In case of loss, theft, destruction, dispute over
authorship, or any other eventuality, it will be your responsibility to provide a copy of your
written submissions.
6. Respect Deadlines. All deadlines need to be respected, and exceptions will be granted only in
extraordinary cases. No make up case study, no make up assignment. Projects which are
submitted after the due date without an agreed upon extension are considered late assignments.
Assignments must be handed in at which they are due. Submission of late assignments requires
the prior consent of the instructor otherwise the penalty on late assignments is a grade loss of
10% per day up to a maximum of 3 days, after that assignments will not be accepted.
7. Respect your classmates desire to learn. In class, turn off all cell phones, beepers, or other
electronic communication devices.
8. Late arrivals and early departures are not acceptable in this class. Do not leave early, that is,
pack up books, stand up, etc. near the end of the class. The class period is over when the allocated
time is completely up or when the instructor dismisses the class. Late students conspicuously
disturb the learning experience for their classmates. As a courtesy, you should plan to arrive no
later than the start of class (if not sooner).
9. Modifications in the schedule: Teaching is a dynamic process. There may be occasions during our
time together where modifications to various aspects of the course will be necessary. Thus, the
course syllabus is a guide only for our teaching and learning.
EMAIL GUIDELINES
Please be professional.
Always use your university account. E-mail from other domains (hotmail, gmail) often are treated as
spam.
Always identify the course number and section in the Subject line
Please use proper greetings. You can refer to your instructors as Professor X or Dr. X. Any other
title (Ms., Mrs., Miss, or Mr.) is less appropriate given the classroom context. As university students,
it is imperative that you learn to use proper titles.
Always sign your email with your first and last names and include your student number.
If you show up late for any exam, you will not be allowed extra time. If you show up after someone has
left the room, you will not be allowed to take the exam. No exceptions!
If you miss an exam due to medical reasons or personal emergencies, it is your responsibility to contact
the professor within 24 hours of the beginning of the class period you missed. You will only be allowed to
take a make-up exam upon providing an official document (e.g.,doctor notes in case of a medical
emergency) detailing the reason for your absence. Make-ups, if permitted, may differ from the original
exam in terms of the number of questions asked and/or question format.
POLICY ON RE-MARKING
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From time to time, students have legitimate concerns about marks they have received on a Case, Quiz, or
Project. If you feel that any paper handed back to you has not been marked appropriately for the work you
have submitted, you do have recourse for re-marking. However, please note that to be eligible for re-
marking, you must embark upon the following procedure within one week of the deliverable being
handed back in class:
1 Indicate in writing specifically what your concern(s) is (are). This does NOT mean that you
simply say I think I deserve more marks. You must clearly indicate where the marker made a
mistake in his/her marking of the paper. In this regard, you must refer to the class notes, excerpt
in the textbook, etc., supporting your claim.
2 After completing #1 above, you must submit the paper with your comments back to the Professor
within one week of the paper being handed back in class. If you did not pick up the paper when it
was handed back, you still have only 1 week from the original hand-back date to request a
remark.
3 If a deliverable is not resubmitted following the above guidelines, the Professor will regard the
mark as originally assigned to be the final mark for that deliverable.
NO MARKS will be changed at a later date. It is important to note that the Professor reserves the right to
remark the entire paper in question and to either leave the mark as is or to change it positively or
negatively as required.
COURSE SCHEDULE
The following is a tentative schedule of events subject to change as necessary and desirable. Students will
be notified in advance of any changes requiring preparation. I will keep you posted in class.
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Administration, Supervisory and Subordinate , and readings
Communication; Socialization of New Members
Case Study Four with peer evaluations Case Study will be posted
Feb 17 Participating in Organizations: Developing Critical Organizational Read Ch 8 and additional
*Role Play Outline Due Communication Competencies readings; Case Study will be
with Peer Evaluations Case Study Five with peer evaluations posted
and who did what
letter**
Feb 24 No Class No Assigned Readings
Study Break No Class
2) Designing, Scripting, and Performance of a Role Play Exercise [in groups]: 25%
3) Peer evaluation: 5%
Note: The composition of groups for the case studies, Role plays and Research Project will be
determined, at the latest, by the start of the second class. Students will form their own team (minimum 5,
maximum 6 members) early in the course, and will remain in this team to complete all in-class case
studies and deliver the final group presentation.
Students will have all of their case study mark (30%) before March 24 th, 2017
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purposes of this course, specific questions will be assigned for each case. The marking format for each
question will be announced at the time. Each case will be worth 5%. Case answers should be a maximum
of 5 pages hand written (one-side only) or 2.5 pages typed with 12 font-size, Times New Roman, and 1-
inch margins. Please write as neatly as possible. Illegible reports will not be graded! A maximum of
20% of the grade assigned to a teams report can be removed if the report contains significant
grammatical and/or spelling mistakes.
For each case, I will assign you specific questions for each case a day before the case is due. Read the
case before coming to the class and as a group answer the assigned questions using material assigned for
that case class (as well as material taught in the course, and your academic and professional experience if
also applicable dont just dump indiscriminately). Each case will be marked out of 5%.
Format:
1. Use a cover/title page. You must use the template provided by the professor (posted on virtual
campus).
2. Double-spaced, maximum 5 pages.
3. Point form is acceptable (and even preferable to verbosity) as long as youre coherent.
4. Integrity Statement: Be sure to include a signed (by all team members) copy of the personal
ethics agreement (attached with your course outline) for group assignments. Groups who did not
include this agreement will not receive a grade for that particular case. This form is at the
end of your course outline.
5. Peer Evaluation: Be sure to include a peer evaluation for the group (attached with your course
outline). NO PEER EVALUATION WILL BE ACCEPTED AFTER THE ASSIGNMENT WAS
SUBMITTED. Groups that did not include a peer evaluation will not receive a grade for
that particular case/assignment. You will be reminded about this at the start of the first two
cases. Peer evaluations are supposed to be confidential so I dont want people standing or sitting
in circle and evaluating each other.
6. Format for written submissions should follow the American Psychological Association (APA)
Publication Manual (5th or 6thEdition).
Submission Timing Requirements:
Cases must be submitted to me, in person, by 10 minutes prior to the end of the class in which the case is
being done. Late submissions will not be accepted. I should be receiving one large envelope from each
group with all above mentioned documents. It is your responsibility to make sure you have an envelope
and peer evaluation forms. No hand written peer evaluations or integrity statements will be acceptable.
Marking:
1. You will be expected to support your responses to the questions by providing examples and/or
citing areas of scholarly support for your position taken, where applicable.
2. More specifically, each assignment question will be graded according to the following general
guidelines, as per the grade sheet appended at the end of this document:
a) How well did the response actually answer the question in a logical, clear and
comprehensive manner?
b) How well did the response deal with all aspects of the question?
c) How well did the response link the relevant course material?
d) Did the response demonstrate an appropriate effort/level of analysis?
e) To what extent did the response demonstrate original thought or new insights to the issue
that falls outside the course materials? (exceptional grades are awarded for this level of
effort)? .
Designing, Scripting, and Performance of a Role Play Exercise [in groups]: 25%
In groups you will design, and perform a role play exercise related to communication related topic such as
'managing effective interpersonal relationships; conflict resolution; effective decision making" etc. You
could role play situations like, miscommunication between colleagues, poor communication between a
customer and customer representative (with part for a person playing the role of a mediator/manager). A
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more detailed description of this assignment will be provided. On the day you present, a hard copy of
your role play script is required with peer evaluations and who did what letter. Role play performance is
worth 20%, script is worth 5%.
Deadline: Please see course schedule for presentation dates. and please check Appendix for more details.
GRADING SCALE
The following grading scale will be used. Grading of assignments may be conducted using numbers or
letter grades. In either case, the description included below describes the expectations for candidates at
each grade level.
A+ An exceptional grade in a course or on an assignment is given for a response that demonstrates a thorough
Exceptional knowledge of all relevant concepts and techniques. The response is complete in content and presented in a
90-100% clear, coherent and effective manner. In addition an exceptional response adds something novel and original
which distinguishes an A+ from an A. Exceptional responses are rarely encountered as they are, by
definition, outstanding among other responses.
A An exemplary grade in a course or on an assignment is given for a response that demonstrates a thorough
Exemplary knowledge of all relevant concepts and techniques. The response is complete in its content, with a clear and
85-89% coherent presentation designed to communicate effectively.
A- An excellent grade in a course or on an assignment is given for a response that demonstrates a thorough
Excellent knowledge of relevant concepts and techniques. The response is largely complete in its content and clearly
80-84% presented. However, some minor aspect of the assignment which may pertain to content or effective
communication is lacking.
B+ A very good grade in a course or on an assignment is given for a response that demonstrates adequate
Very Good knowledge of relevant concepts and techniques. The response is both informative and clearly presented.
75-79% However, the response is incomplete, as some substantive aspect of the assignment has been overlooked.
B A good grade in a course or on an assignment is given for a response that demonstrates adequate knowledge
Good of relevant concepts and techniques. However, the response is incomplete as some substantive aspect of the
70-74% assignment has been overlooked. In addition, there are difficulties with effective communication.
C+ A satisfactory grade in a course or on an assignment is given for a response that demonstrates basic
Satisfactory knowledge of relevant concepts and techniques. A substantive aspect of the assignment has been overlooked.
66-69% In addition, the difficulties with effective communication result in a lack of clarity such that readers or
listeners struggle to get the information.
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C A pass grade in a course or on an assignment is given for a response that demonstrates incomplete knowledge
Pass of relevant concepts and techniques. A substantive aspect of the assignment has been overlooked. In
60-65% addition, the difficulties with effective communication result in a lack of clarity such that readers or listeners
struggle to get the information.
D+ 55-59% The category of redeemable failure demonstrates an unacceptable level of knowledge of concepts and/or
D 50-54% techniques to satisfy the requirements of an assignment or course. Clearly not adequate but passable.
Passable
E 40-49% A non-redeemable failure demonstrates an unacceptable level of knowledge of concepts and/or techniques to
Non-redeemable satisfy the requirements of an assignment or course. No supplemental examination and/or assignments are
Failure offered.
ACADEMIC FRAUD
A note of caution regarding cheating and plagiarism
Students are advised to become familiar with the University of Ottawas policy regulations on academic
fraud. Plagiarism is one type of academic fraud. A student found guilty of committing plagiarism will be
subject to sanctions, which range from receiving a mark F for the work in question to being expelled from
the University, and even the revocation of a degree, diploma, or certificate already awarded. For useful
guidelines to help you avoid plagiarism, please consult the following web pages:
http://www.uottawa.ca/academic/info/regist/fraud_e.html
http://www.uottawa.ca/plagiarism.pdf
Writing Resources
The Academic Writing Help Centre, University of Ottawa.
http://www.sass.uottawa.ca/en/awhc/.
The Elements of Style (Strunk& White)
http://www.bartleby.com/141/.
APA style
http://www.apastyle.org.
FOR STUDENTS IN NEED OF LEARNING SUPPORTS
Students who require accommodations or academic support because of a physical or learning disability, or
anycondition that affects their ability to learn, are invited to register with ACCESS SERVICE:
In person: UCU 339. By Telephone: 562-5976. TTY: 562-5214. By Email: adapt@uottawa.ca
Students can then meet with an Access Service specialist to identify their individual needs and to discuss
appropriate
interventions.
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Some Online Resources - Communication and Organizational Communication
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APPENDIX I
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Name of Student Being Evaluated: _______________________________________________________
Rating Scales: Rating: _____/5
Comments:__________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
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APPENDIX II
Personal Ethics Statement Concerning Assignments
Group Assignment:
By signing this Statement, I am attesting to the fact that I have reviewed not only my own work, but the work of my
colleagues, in its entirety. I attest to the fact that my own work in this project meets all of the rules of quotation and
referencing in use at the University of Ottawa, as well as adheres to the fraud policies as outlined in the Academic
Regulations in the Universitys Undergraduate Studies Calendar. I further attest that I have knowledge of and have
respected the Beware of Plagiarism brochure found on the university website. To the best of my knowledge, I also
believe that each of my group colleagues has also met the rules of quotation and referencing aforementioned in this
Statement. I understand that if my group assignment is submitted without a signed copy of this Personal Ethics
Statement from each group member, it will be interpreted by the School that the missing student(s) signature is
confirmation of non-participation of the aforementioned student(s) in the required work.
_______________________________ _________________
Name,Capitalletters Studentnumber
_______________________________ _________________
Signature Date
_______________________________ _________________
Name,Capitalletters Studentnumber
_______________________________ _________________
Signature Date
_______________________________ _________________
Name,Capitalletters Studentnumber
_______________________________ _________________
Signature Date
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_______________________________ _________________
Name,Capitalletters Studentnumber
_______________________________ _________________
Signature Date
_______________________________ _________________
Name,Capitalletters Studentnumber
_______________________________ _________________
Signature Date
_______________________________ _________________
Name,Capitalletters Studentnumber
_______________________________ _________________
Signature Date
APPENDIX III
Journal Reference:
Akmal, T., & Miller, D. (2003).Overcoming resistance to change: A case study of revision and renewal
in a US secondary education teacher preparation program. Teaching & Teacher Education, 19(4),
409-420.
Book Reference:
Apps, J. W. (1994). Leadership for an emerging age: Transforming practice in adult and continuing
education. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Book Editions:
Friend, M., & Cook, L. (1996).Interactions: Collaborative skills for school professionals.
(2nded.). White Plains, NY: Longman.
Internet Article:
Bolognese, A. F. (2002).Employee Resistance to Organizational Change. Retrieved May 13, 2004 from
http://www.newfoundations.com/OrgTheory/Bolognese721.html
Dissertation reference:
Bean, C. J. R. (2003). Framing and sense making in organizational change: The experience of
nomadic work. [Dissertation Abstract] Dissertation Abstracts International, 64(2-A), 564US:
Univ Microfilms International.
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Same Authors in same year:
Dent, E. B., & Goldberg, S. G. (1999a).Challenging resistance to change. Journal of Applied
Behavioral Science, 35(1), 25-41.
Dent, E. B., & Goldberg, S. G. (1999b). Resistance to change: A limiting perspective. The Journal of
Applied Behavioral Science, 35(1), 45-47.
Text Citation:
Levels of Heading:
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Appendix IV
1. Everyone who is here has the right to be here and to participate. Everyone who is here brings
experience and knowledge that makes their participation valuable.
2. Everyone has the right to be silent, i.e. "To pass" in answer to a question. Remember that some topics
may be more difficult or painful for some than for others.
3. Be aware of how your participation affects the participation of others. Your words, your tone of voice,
your body language, the amount that you talk, all affect others.
4. Remember that people's experience and knowledge vary. What you hold most dear may not be obvious
or of value to others, and vice versa.
5. Actively listen. Reflect back to people what they are saying, even as you state your position.
6. Speak for yourself. Avoid speaking for others. Use "I" statements: "I think . . ."
7. Ensuring that everyone can participate is everyone's responsibility. Preventing someone from
participating impoverishes the education of all.
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APPENDIX V
Please note that you are expected in fairness to your colleagues to respect the time allocation. Not doing
so could adversely affect your evaluation.
It is very important to structure role plays by clearly defining both the situation and the roles to be played
by each actor. Your role play exercise should have a proper beginning, middle, and end. I will be
observing following specific points such as:
Was the problem relevant to the course, similar to or different from real life, and did all players
show feelings realistically?
Was the team calm and focused while performing?
Were the obstacles/problems resolved/managed? If so, how well did the actors handle it?
Was the solution a cooperative, positive, practical one? Did it make the situation better?
Are there other solutions that could be used to solve the problem even better?
How was the timing, tone of voice, and body language as the team carried out the plan?
What kinds of communication skills were significant for example: critical thinking, empathy,
decision making, assertiveness etc.?
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