Indian Institute of Management Kashipur

Postgraduate Program in Management

Business Communication
Term I, 2019-20
Credit: 1

Instructors
Name: Prof. K M B Islam
Contact Info:
Office Hours: During 1 hour period immediately after the class. No appointments required.

Name: Dr. Smarak Samarjeet

Contact Info:
Office Hours: During 1 hour period immediately after the class. No appointments required.

Prerequisites: None

Course Description
Communication influences all factors of your life. From daily interactions with strangers on the
street to the way you present yourself in the board room - the way you communicate is a reflection
of who you are and how you establish relationships with those around you.

By understanding the way you communicate and increasing your knowledge of conflict
resolution and negotiation, you can increase your probability for success with others. Business
Communication is a course specifically designed for MBA students in order to equip them with
the necessary skills of communication that are required in professional fields today.

Course Objectives

Learning Goals

1. To ensure that students become effective communicators and have a positive impact on
their employability
 2. Equip students with the skill sets for better articulation, both in oral and written
communication.

3. Prepare students for placement through rigorous mock presentation and mock interview
sessions. 

Learning Outcomes

1. PLO1h - Demonstrate effective communication skills

2. PLO1j - Develop effective interpersonal skills

3. PLO3c - Communicate effectively

4. PLO1i - Exhibit ability to organize written thoughts into a coherent narrative

Required Textbook
Business Communication: Connecting in a Digital World (13th Edition) by Lesikar, Flatley,
Rentz, Lentz and Pande.

Pedagogy and Course Requirements

The classes will incorporate use of audio visuals, gamification techniques, class exercises and
group activities. This course will focus on practical approaches to improving communication skills
as well as ensuring that students have a grip on basic theoretical aspects of communication.

Class Discussions

The class discussion will involve the readings assigned for the class, which may include book
chapters, articles, and cases. You are expected to have done all the assigned reading and to
actively participate in these discussions.

Quizzes

Quizzes are an important component of the course. There will be both announced and surprise
quizzes. If you are late for class, you will not receive extra time to complete the quiz. The missed
quizzes shall not be made up under any circumstances and you will receive zero points.

Studio on Demand (Optional)

Only interested candidates will be enrolled for the studio on demand sessions. Forms will be
floated on the first session itself. This is an optional work for those who are interested to get
continuous feedback on their communication skills. Enrolled candidates would be asked to
prepare audiovisual content in terms of public speech, biographical sketch or any impromptu
speech. One can use smartphones to record the content. The concerned faculty would then
evaluate and provide one-to-one feedback. The feedback session will happen only during
working days and official hours. The duration and time of the feedback will be decided before.
Candidates would be required to stick to the timeline.

Group Formation

Groups will be formed by PGP Office.

Group Exercise Presentation

Each group will work on an exercise (a small case) and present it in the class. Groups will be
assigned topics on which they will prepare a plan using the theoretical concepts about that
particular session in which the exercises will be presented. The presentation has to be submitted
in the class before the assigned session. More details will be provided in the introductory session.
Term Project

The term project is a strategic communication plan for a business idea.

More details about project will be provided in the introductory section
a) The length of the report should be between 12 and 15 typed pages.
b) Project Reports should be submitted in-class at the beginning of the 19th session of the course.
c) Both the Project Report and the Presentation of the Project Report will be evaluated. The criteria

of evaluation will be the depth of research, originality of the data and its analysis, and credibility

of the analysis. The ability to use a theoretical lens is also an important parameter of evaluation.

Grading
Mid-Term Exam 25%
End-Term Exam 35%
Quiz 10%
Project (group) 10%
Assignment 10%
Presentation 10%

Tentative Class Schedule

(Additional readings, cases, and articles may be assigned as they become available)
Session Topics Readings Instructor(s) Assignments
1 Introduction to Management Islam and
Introduction to Communication Communication Smarak
2 Islam and Case Study: Intra-
1. Analyzing a Communication Smarak organizational
2. Analyzing a Communication Communication at
Organizational Communication situation – Cognitive Bias the Body Shop
3 Communication Strategy for Organizing a Message: Islam and Case Study: Adidas
Managers 1. Building an Argument Smarak Cancels release of
2. Decision Arguments shackled sneakers
3. Evaluation Arguments
4. Diagnosis Arguments
4 Common Executive Challenges 1. Working with negative Islam and
people Smarak
2. Being Persuasive 1. Learnings from
3. Resolving an Argument Stan Lee
4. Being open-minded in a 2. Handling
complex environment Emotional
5. How to respond to Outbursts
emotional outbursts (HBR)
5 Introduction to Managerial Writing in Business: Islam and
Writing 1. Routine Letters Smarak
1. Writing Process and 2. Sales Letters
Writing Style 3. Job Application Letters
4. Cover Letter
5. Emails Class Activity
6 How to Persuade in words Informative and Persuasive Writing Islam and Class Activity
Smarak
7 Business Proposals and Business Writing Action Plans Islam and Group Exercise:
Plans Smarak Composing an
action plan
8 Internal Communication • Memos Islam and Class Activity
• Notices Smarak
• Minutes
• Reports
9 Writing in Business Paragraph structure Islam and Class Activity
1. First Paragraph Smarak
2. Signpost
3. Strong topic Sentences
4. Revising the Paragraphs for
brevity
5. Understanding the scaffold
10 Writing for Social Media 1. PGC / Content Curation Islam and Communication
2. Community Building via Smarak Close-up at Jet
Social Media Airways
3. Blogging
4. Microblogs
5. Facebook
11 Storytelling in Business Basic Narrative Structure Islam and 1. The Four
Smarak Truths of the
Storyteller by
Peter Guber,
Harvard
Business
Publishing.

12 Digital Storytelling Digital storytelling for business, Islam and 1. How to

essentials, production, technology Smarak create
and applications at hand simple
digital
Assignment: Creating a corporate stories by
explainer video Helen C.
Barrett.
Electronic
Portfolios.
2. Introduction
to Audacity.
3. Introduction
to Photo
Story 3
4. Introduction
to Adobe
Spark
5. Different
tools for
explainer
videos
13 Introduction to Managerial 1. Introductory Speech TBA Class Activity
Speeches 2. Vote of Thanks
3. Theme based Speech
4. Leadership Communication
14 Planning a Presentation: 1. Preparing the Plan TBA Class Activity
1. Communicating as an 2. Team Presentation / 1. Two minute
individual Individual Presentation drill
2. Communicating in a team 3. Communicating the 2. Non-Verbal
Message Communicatio
4. Enriching the message n exercise
5. Presentation Delivery
6. Visual Communication
15 Interview techniques 1. Selection or Placement TBA Class Activity
interview 1. Role play
2. Appraisal Interviews
3. Exit interviews
16 Oral storytelling traditions: 1. Leadership storytelling TBA Class Activity
1. Basics 2. Public Speaking essentials
2. Language
3. Structure
4. Performance
17 Managing Digital 1. Phone call Islam and Class Activity
Communication 2. Voicemail Smarak
3. Skype call
4. Language
• Leaving a
voicemail
• Explaining
Service and
Comparison
• Making a
decision
• Communicating
a decision
• Resolving a
problem
• Following up a
problem
18 Group Presentation Islam and
Smarak
19 Group Presentation Islam and
Smarak
20 Group Presentation Islam and
Smarak

Course Policies

1. Responsibility for Course Materials: You are responsible for all material covered in
class. If you are absent, you are responsible for obtaining the information you missed.
2. Classroom Behavior: We expect you to participate in class activities in a mature and
appropriate manner. Disruptive or otherwise unacceptable behavior will not be tolerated.
Students may be asked to leave the class and the attendance for that particular class
will not be given. You are also responsible for reading the course material given before
each session. If you fail to read and come prepared for the class, you will be asked to
leave the class. No attendance will be given.
3. Mobile and Laptop Use: Mobiles and laptops are not permitted in the classroom. I will
let you know beforehand if laptop/mobile is required for a class. In the class, you must
keep your laptop down unless asked by the instructor. If found using laptop or mobile
phone during the class, you will be asked to leave the class. No attendance will be
given.
4. Academic Conduct: All members of the academic community at IIM Kashipur are
expected to practice and uphold standards of academic integrity and honesty. Academic
integrity means representing oneself and one’s work honestly. Misrepresentation is
cheating since it means students are claiming credit for ideas or work not actually theirs
and are thereby seeking a grade that is not actually earned. Following are some examples
of academic dishonesty:
 i. Cheating on quizzes and examinations. This includes using materials such as
books and/or notes when not authorized by the instructor, copying from someone
else’s paper, helping someone else copy work, substituting another’s work as
one’s own, theft of exam copies, or other forms of misconduct on exams.
ii. Plagiarizing the work of others. Plagiarism is using someone else’s work or
ideas without giving that person credit; by doing this students are, in effect,
claiming credit for someone else’s thinking. Whether students have read or heard
the information used, they must document the source of information. When
dealing with written sources, a clear distinction should be made between
quotations (which reproduce information from the source word-for-word within
quotation marks) and paraphrases (which digest the source of information and
produce it in the student’s own words). Both direct quotations and paraphrases
must be documented. Even if students rephrase, condense or select from another
person’s work, the ideas are still the other person’s, and failure to give credit
constitutes misrepresentation of the student’s actual work and plagiarism of
another’s ideas. Buying a paper or using information from the World Wide Web
or Internet without attribution and handing it in as one’s own work is plagiarism.
iii. Falsifying records or providing misinformation regarding one’s credentials.
iv. Unauthorized collaboration on computer assignments and unauthorized
access to and use of computer programs, including modifying computer files
created by others and representing that work as one’s own.
v. Unless they specifically indicate otherwise, instructors expect individual, unaided
work on homework assignments, exams, lab reports and computer exercises, and
documentation of sources when used. If instructors assign a special project other
than or in addition to exams, such as a research paper, or original essay or a book
review, they intend that work to be completed for that course only. Students must
not submit work completed for a course taken in the past or for a concurrent
course unless they have explicit permission to do so from both faculty members.

Any academic misconduct will automatically result in a failing grade for the class
and the student will be reported to the committee on academic misconduct for
further disciplinary action.

4. Attendance: As far as I am concerned, you are an adult and it is your decision whether or
not you attend class. However, your decision not to attend a class may have negative
consequences for your class grade. (Please consult PGP Participants’ Handbook for this
purpose).
If you decide to attend a class, you must come to the class and take your seat sufficiently
before the beginning of the class time. Under no circumstances you would be allowed
in once the class has started. You are expected to sit through the class unless you have a
prior permission from the instructor to leave the classroom before the end of the class.
5. Late submission: Any late submission beyond the deadline (even by few seconds)
will result in 0 point. Except in case of emergencies, with a doctor's note, any
questions about late submission will not be entertained.
6. Missed exam: There is no make-up for the missed exams unless the student has
discussed and made an arrangement with the instructor for a valid reason beforehand. In
 all other instances, the student must produce a valid doctor's note for the day the student
missed the exam. Such doctor's note must be produced in the same week the student
missed the exam.
7. Grade Discussion: It is the student’s responsibility to monitor his or her own grades and
raise any questions s/he may have within one week of the grades assigned.
8. Extra Credit: No Extra credit shall be given to make-up for missed quizzes,
assignments, exams, project, or poor performance in the course.

Learning Accommodations
To provide equal access to the educational programs and opportunities, IIM Kashipur is dedicated to
providing appropriate accommodations to students with documented disabilities such as attention deficit-
hyperactivity disorders, physical disabilities, sensory impairments, and psychiatric disorders in order to
help them achieve their academic and personal potential. These academic accommodations are provided
to students at no cost.

Inclusivity Statement
IIM Kashipur believes that diversity and inclusiveness are essential to excellence in education and
innovation. Our community represents a rich variety of backgrounds, experiences, demographics, and
perspectives. IIM Kashipur is committed to fostering a learning environment where every individual is
respected and engaged. To facilitate a dynamic and inclusive educational experience, we ask all members
of our community to:
• be open to the perspectives of others
• appreciate the uniqueness of their colleagues
• take advantage of the opportunities to learn from each other
• exchange experiences, values, and beliefs
• communicate in a respectful manner
• be aware of the individuals who are marginalized and involve them
• keep confidential discussions private