ORG536: Contemporary Business Writing and Communication

ORG536: Contemporary Business Writing and Communication
Credit Hours:
3
Contact Hours:
This is a 3-credit course, offered in accelerated format. This means that 16 weeks of material is covered in 8 weeks. The exact number of hours per week that you can expect to spend on each course will vary based upon the weekly coursework, as well as your study style and preferences. You should plan to spend 10-25 hours per week in each course reading material, interacting on the discussion boards, writing papers, completing projects, and doing research.
Course Description and Outcomes
Course Description:
This course is designed for the practicing professional and focuses on internal and external communications practices and strategies within and beyond organizational settings. Audience is considered and includes employees, executives, first-line supervisors, community, customers, and board members. Students consider communication styles, interpersonal skills, business and professional writing, reports, and presentations based on substantive and credible data, and various modes of communication, including virtual communication.
Course Overview:
As a graduate-level discussion on business communication, the focus of this course is to use the essentials of good business writing and to apply concepts and techniques to dealing with 21st-century business communication issues. This includes traditional writing and verbal communication, nonverbal communication, social media, and other web-based, digital communication methodology that are in use currently within the workplace. There is also an application of communication as a means of enhancing organizational sustainability within a diverse and global business environment.
Course Learning Outcomes:
1. Appraise the process of 21st-century business communication and describe how to use it effectively.
2. Describe effective practices and technologies for planning and participating in face-to-face and virtual meetings.
3. Create business documents and reports that apply the components of the writing process.
4. Compare and contrast the role digital media play in the world of business communication.
5. Describe and analyze the basic features of informal and formal business reports, plans, and proposals.
6. Explain and apply the major elements of organizing and presenting a business presentation.
Participation & Attendance
SAMPLE
Prompt and consistent attendance in your online courses is essential for your success at CSU-Global Campus. Failure to verify your attendance within the first 7 days of this course may result in your withdrawal. If for some reason you would like to drop a course, please contact your advisor.
Online classes have deadlines, assignments, and participation requirements just like on-campus classes. Budget your time carefully and keep an open line of communication with your instructor. If you are having technical problems, problems with your assignments, or other problems that are impeding your progress, let your instructor know as soon as possible.
Course Materials
Textbook Information is located in the CSU-Global Booklist on the Student Portal.
Course Schedule
Due Dates
The Academic Week at CSU-Global begins on Monday and ends the following Sunday.
• Discussion Boards: The original post must be completed by Thursday at 11:59 p.m. MT and Peer Responses posted by Sunday 11:59 p.m. MT. Late posts may not be awarded points.
• Critical Thinking: Assignments are due Sunday at 11:59 p.m. MT.
• Live Classroom: Although participation is not required, Live Classroom sessions are held during Week 2 and Weeks 5 or 6. There are two total sessions.
Week #
Readings
Assignments
1
• Chapters 1 & 2 in Business Communication: Process and Product
• Not talking, but texting. (2004). Manager: British Journal of Administrative Management, 41, 10.
• Wziątek-Staśko, A. (2011). Efficient communication between a manager and an employee as a way to sustainable development of the contemporary organisation-based on empirical research. Management Theory & Studies for Rural Business & Infrastructure Development, 26(2), 265-270.
• Discussion (25 points)
• Critical Thinking (90 points)
2
• Chapter 3 in Business Communication: Process and Product
• Storti, C. (2011). What is culture, anyway? Profiles in Diversity Journal, 13(1), 10-11.
• Ersoy, N. T. (2011). Effects of work-related norm violations and general beliefs about the world on feelings of shame and guilt: A comparison between Turkey and the Netherlands. Asian Journal of Social Psychology, 14(1), 50-62.
• Discussion (25 points)
• Critical Thinking (90 points)
• Live Classroom (0 points)
3
• Chapters 4, 5, & 6 in Business Communication: Process and Product
• Discussion (25 points)
• Critical Thinking (90 points) SAMPLE
• Katz, I. R., Haras, C., & Blaszczynski, C. (2010). Does business writing require information literacy? Business Communication Quarterly, 73(2), 135-149.
• Portfolio Project Milestone (25 points toward 350 total points)
4
• Chapters 7 & 10 in Business Communication: Process and Product
• Tian, K., & Borges, L. (2011). Cross-cultural issues in marketing communications: An anthropological perspective of international business. International Journal of China Marketing, 2(1), 110-126.
• Discussion (25 points)
5
• Chapters 8 & 9 in Business Communication: Process and Product
• Li, X. (2012). Weaving Social Media into a Business Proposal Project. Business Communication Quarterly, 75(1), 68-75. doi:10.1177/1080569911432629
• Discussion (25 points)
• Critical Thinking (90 points)
• Live Classroom Option 1 (0 points)
6
• Chapter 11 in Business Communication: Process and Product
• Luparelli, G. N. (2010). The case study: An exercise for developing the confidence and skills to author and deliver a business presentation. Proceedings of the Northeast Business & Economics Association, 671-674.
• Discussion (25 points)
• Critical Thinking (90 points)
• Live Classroom Option 2 (0 points)
7
• Chapters 12 & 14 in Business Communication: Process and Product
• Discussion (25 points)
8
• Chapters 15 & 16 in Business Communication: Process and Product
• Discussion (25 points)
• Portfolio (350 points)
Assignment Details This course includes the following assignments/projects:
Module 1
Choose one of the following two assignments to complete this week. Do not do both assignments. Identify your assignment choice in the title of your submission.
Critical Thinking Assignment Option #1: Ethical Dilemmas (90 points)
“The meanings of morals and ethics do overlap. Broadly speaking, morals are individual principles of right and wrong, and a system of ethics deals with sets of those principles.
…Morals and morality are about personal behavior, ethics more grandly philosophical. However, linguistic use constrains the philosophical use and helps to blur the distinction: one can have a single ethic, as in ‘a strong work ethic’ or ‘an ethic of selfishness,’ but if we talk about a single moral, we’ve shifted a bit in meaning to the realm of Aesop and Uncle Remus, as in ‘the moral of the story.’ In the singular, a moral is a lesson to be learned about a single principle of right and wrong, and an ethic is a single guiding principle that affects your criteria for determining what is right and wrong. Yup, it’s blurry.”
Source: http://www.ualberta.ca/~cbidwell/CHRTP316/Morals%20vs%20Ethics.doc
SAMPLE
As a business communicator, you may face various ethical dilemmas in your career. Many factors can determine your choice of an action to take. Study the scenarios below. For each scenario, apply the tools for doing the right thing in choosing an appropriate action:
1. Is the action you are considering legal?
2. How would you see the problem if you were on the opposite side?
3. What are alternate solutions?
4. Can you discuss the problem with someone whose advice you trust?
5. How would you feel if your family, friends, employer, or coworkers learned of your action?
For this Critical Thinking Assignment, decide on the action you would take for each scenario below. Explain the action and why you selected that response. Analyze your response against the tools for doing the right thing. Support your thinking with research. At least three outside references (other than the course readings and content) should be included. Be sure to include each of the doing the right thing elements (1 through 5 above) in your response. (You may wish to refer to Chapter 1.14 in your textbook for more information).
1. Email Message
You accidentally receive a message outlining your company’s restructuring plan. You see that your coworker’s job will be eliminated. He and his wife are about to purchase a new home. Should you tell him that his job is in danger?
2. Customer Letter
You are writing a letter to a customer who is irate over a mistake you made. Should you blame it on a computer glitch, point the finger at another department, or take the blame and risk losing this customer’s trust and possibly your job?
3. Progress Report
Your team leader has asked you to write the quarterly sales report. She has told you that you should inflate the sales figures just a little bit so that you can meet the quarterly goal. She strongly reminds you that you and your team members will all receive a healthy bonus if the team meets the goal.
4. Presentation
You are rushing to prepare a presentation. On the Web you find perfect wording and great graphics. Should you just lift the graphics and wording but change a few words to make it your own? Your reasoning is that if it is out on the Web, it must be public domain.
Discuss this view in writing in the light of what you read in this chapter and outside sources. Your well-written paper must adhere to the following parameters:
• 3-5 pages in length, not including the title and reference pages.
• 2-3 references cited in the assignment. Remember, you must support your thinking/opinions and prior knowledge with references; all facts must be supported; in-text references used throughout the assignment must be included in an APA-formatted reference list.
• Review the grading rubric, which can be accessed from the Course Information page.
• Formatted according to CSU-Global Guide to Writing and APA Requirements.
Reach out to your instructor if you have questions about the assignment.
Critical Thinking Assignment Option #2: Attitudes toward Workplace Ethics (90 points)
Consider this statement from a respondent in a recent survey of ethical decision-making among young public relations professionals (remember that ethics and morals are not necessarily the same thing and that “ethics” are culturally constructed—that is, what is ethical for one population, nation, or organization is not necessarily true for another. There are macro-level ethics such as societal and micro-level ethics such as what we might find in the organizational culture.): SAMPLE
“At this point in my life, a job is a job, and in terms of ethics, I’ll do what I have to do to keep my job; my personal feelings will take a back seat. With the economy so bad, it’s just one of those things. I can’t afford to let my personal feelings complicate my career.”
Questions: Do you agree that personal morals must not get in the way of one’s career? Under what circumstances would you reserve comment and keep focused on your own work?
Discuss this view in writing, in light of what you read in this chapter and outside sources. Your well-written paper must adhere to the following parameters:
• 3-5 pages in length, not including the title and reference pages.
• 2-3 references cited in the assignment. Remember, you must support your thinking/opinions and prior knowledge with references; all facts must be supported; in-text references used throughout the assignment must be included in an APA-formatted reference list.
• Review the grading rubric, which can be accessed from the Course Information page.
• Formatted according to CSU-Global Guide to Writing and APA Requirements.
Reach out to your instructor if you have questions about the assignment.
Module 2
Choose one of the following two assignments to complete this week. Do not do both assignments. Identify your assignment choice in the title of your submission.
Critical Thinking Assignment Option #1: What Makes a “Best” Company for Minorities? (90 points)
Forbes has cited a 2012 report by Calvert Investments ranking the best and worst companies for women and minorities. Companies who ranked highest had the following characteristics:
• Diversity in executive and board representation
• Two or more women and/or minorities among its highest-paid executives
• Companies use specific language about a desire for diversity
• Family-friendly benefits like flexible work, adoption assistance, and domestic partner benefits
For this Critical Thinking Assignment, assume you believe it would be better if your organization were more diverse. You have openly stated this in the workplace. Because of your interest in this area, your manager asks you to write an information report to present at the next board meeting. Your assignment is to discuss what the leading minority-friendly companies are doing. You decide to prepare your report based on the bulleted points above from Fortune magazine’s suggestions for fostering diversity.
Discuss this view in writing, in light of what you read in this chapter and outside sources. Your well-written paper must adhere to the following parameters:
• 3-5 pages in length, not including the title and reference pages.
• 2-3 references cited in the assignment. Remember, you must support your thinking/opinions and prior knowledge with references; all facts must be supported; in-text references used throughout the assignment must be included in an APA-formatted reference list.
• Review the grading rubric, which can be accessed from the Course Information page.
• Formatted according to CSU-Global Guide to Writing and APA Requirements.
Reach out to your instructor if you have questions about the assignment.
Source: SAMPLE
Adams, S (2013). The best and worst companies for women and minorities. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/susanadams/2013/03/07/the-best-and-worst-companies-for-women-and-minorities/
Critical Thinking Assignment Option #2: Negotiation Traps (90 points)
Businesspeople often have difficulty reaching agreement on the terms of contracts, proposals, and anything that involves bargaining. They have even more difficulty when the negotiators are from different cultures.
Discuss the causes and implications of the following common mistakes made by North Americans in their negotiations with international business partners:
• Assuming that a final agreement is set in stone.
• Lacking patience and insisting that matters progress more quickly than the pace preferred by the locals.
• Thinking that an interpreter is always completely accurate.
• Believing that individuals who speak English understand every nuance of your meaning
• Ignoring or misunderstanding the significance of rank.
Discuss this view in writing in the light of what you read in this chapter and outside sources. Your well-written paper must adhere to the following parameters:
• 3-5 pages in length, not including the title and reference pages.
• 2-3 references cited in the assignment. Remember, you must support your thinking/opinions and prior knowledge with references; all facts must be supported; in-text references used throughout the assignment must be included in an APA-formatted reference list.
• Review the grading rubric, which can be accessed from the Course Information page.
• Formatted according to CSU-Global Guide to Writing and APA Requirements.
Reach out to your instructor if you have questions about the assignment.
Module 3
Choose one of the following two assignments to complete this week. Do not do both assignments. Identify your assignment choice in the title of your submission.
Critical Thinking Assignment Option #1: Selecting the Best Channel (90 points)
After identifying the purpose of your message, you need to select the most appropriate communication channel. Utilizing Figure 4.5 in Chapter 4, “Ten Levels of Richness in Today’s Workplace Communication Channels – Richest to Leanest,” suggest the best communication channels for the following messages. Assume that all channels shown are available. Support your reasoning with examples and research.
1. You need to know whether Crystal in Reprographics can produce a rush job for you in two days.
2. As part of a task force to investigate cell phone marketing, you need to establish a central location where each team member can see general information about the task as well as add comments for others to see. Task force members are located throughout the country.
3. You want to know what team members are available immediately for a quick teleconference meeting. They are all workaholics and glued to their computers.
4. As human resources manager during a company reorganization, you must tell six employees they will lose their jobs.
5. A prospective client in Japan wants the price quotes for a number of your products as soon as possible.
Include an introductory paragraph that outlines the importance of selecting appropriate communication channels.
Discuss in writing in the light of what you read in this chapter and outside sources. Your well-written paper must adhere to the following parameters: SAMPLE
• 3-5 pages in length, not including the title and reference pages.
• 2-3 references cited in the assignment. Remember, you must support your thinking/opinions and prior knowledge with references; all facts must be supported; in-text references used throughout the assignment must be included in an APA-formatted reference list.
• Review the grading rubric, which can be accessed from the Course Information page.
• Formatted according to CSU-Global Guide to Writing and APA Requirements.
Reach out to your instructor if you have questions about the assignment.
Critical Thinking Assignment Option #2: Managing Change (90 points)
You are the chief operations officer (COO) of a Fortune 1000 company, and your company is preparing to implement a major change in standard operating procedures in the next six months. This is an initiative that you have personally spearheaded over the past year and one which you know—while extremely valuable to the company and its employees in the long-term future—will almost certainly elicit a lot of initial unhappiness, anxiety, uncertainty, and push-back from both customers and employees of the organization—especially if the key components of the change initiative are communicated carelessly.
Think about the communications problems you face as the COO—right now, over the next six months, and for up to a year after the change is implemented. What will you have to do to ensure that your message is well-received and clearly understood by both external and internal customers (employees)? What media will you choose to communicate through over the next several months?
After considering this problem at some length, please draft an email to your chief executive officer (CEO) in which you sketch out the plan and describe your communications strategy.
Your well-written paper must adhere to the following parameters:
• 3-5 pages in length, not including the title and reference pages. Both your analysis and draft email to the CEO must be included.
• 2-3 references cited in the assignment. Remember, you must support your thinking/opinions and prior knowledge with references; all facts must be supported; in-text references used throughout the assignment must be included in an APA-formatted reference list.
• Review the grading rubric, which can be accessed from the Course Information page.
• Formatted according to CSU-Global Guide to Writing and APA Requirements.
Reach out to your instructor if you have questions about the assignment.
Choose one of the following two Portfolio Project choices to complete. Do not do both assignments. Identify your assignment choice in the title of your submission.
Portfolio Project Milestone Option #1: Writing an Outline (25 points toward 350 total points)
This week, in light of what we learned about the writing process, begin to plan in some detail how you will approach writing the Portfolio Project paper. Compose a 1-2 page outline that you can fill in over the next few weeks. Although you will not receive any points this week for this Portfolio Project preliminary deliverable, it is worth 25 points toward your final score. Review the Portfolio Project Rubric.
Post any questions or comments about the content or requirements of the Portfolio Project to the questions thread in the Discussion Forum.
Portfolio Project Milestone Option #2: Researching Your Case Study (25 points toward 350 total points)
SAMPLE
Complete preliminary research on the internet and/or through the use of online library databases. Compose a 1-2 page summary of sources and an overview of each source. Although you will not receive any points this week for this Portfolio Project preliminary deliverable, it is worth 25 points toward your final score. Review the Portfolio Project Rubric.
Post any questions or comments about the content or requirements of the Portfolio Project to the questions thread in the Discussion Forum.
Module 5
Choose one of the following two assignments to complete this week. Do not do both assignments. Identify your assignment choice in the title of your submission.
Critical Thinking Assignment Option #1: Social Media and Business (90 points)
Select a major, publicly traded company that you are interested in and visit it on Twitter, the company’s blog, Facebook, or LinkedIn. Evaluate its use of this social media tool and how it uses the tool to deliver good news and bad news to its stakeholders. Set up your assignment following these guidelines:
Introduction: Present an overview of the company you have selected, the link to its Twitter account, blog, Facebook, or LinkedIn page, and a general description of the media format that is used—blog, Facebook, or LinkedIn.
Evaluation: Evaluate how the company uses the media for the delivery of news in the following areas. For each area, analyze how the firm uses the media for delivery of news that is often perceived as “good” (such as a promotion or a companywide celebration) and as “bad” (such as a layoff or a corporate blunder).
1. Public/customer relations
2. Market research
3. Building an online community
4. Internal communication
Potential Risks: Discuss the company’s potential risks for how they are using this social media.
Recommendations: Make recommendations for how the company might improve its use of the social media tool in the delivery of good news and bad news, in light of what you read in this chapter and outside sources. Your well-written paper must adhere to the following parameters:
• 3-5 pages in length, not including the title and reference pages.
• 2-3 references cited in the assignment. Remember, you must support your thinking/opinions and prior knowledge with references; all facts must be supported; in-text references used throughout the assignment must be included in an APA-formatted reference list.
• Review the grading rubric, which can be accessed from the Course Information page.
• Formatted according to CSU-Global Guide to Writing and APA Requirements.
Reach out to your instructor if you have questions about the assignment.
Critical Thinking Assignment Option #2: Communicating Bad News (90 points)
Think of a time when you had to deliver or received bad news, such as a layoff or pay reduction, at work. In what ways did you or your interlocutor deliver the news effectively? In what ways did things not go well, and why?
Imagine you had the opportunity to revisit the situation. Put yourself in the shoes of the bearer of the bad news. How would you do things differently, in light of our study this week? Decide on the technique you’ll use and
SAMPLE
describe it; then, write a brief scene in which you act out the situation, inserting realistic dialogue on the part of both parties. How does the conversation resolve this time?
Your well-written paper must adhere to the following parameters:
• 3-5 pages in length, not including the title and reference pages.
• 2-3 references cited in the assignment. Remember, you must support your thinking/opinions and prior knowledge with references; all facts must be supported; in-text references used throughout the assignment must be included in an APA-formatted reference list.
• Review the grading rubric, which can be accessed from the Course Information page.
• Formatted according to CSU-Global Guide to Writing and APA Requirements.
Reach out to your instructor if you have questions about the assignment.
Module 6
Choose one of the following two assignments to complete this week. Do not do both assignments. Identify your assignment choice in the title of your submission.
Critical Thinking Assignment Option #1: How to Make Better Presentations (90 points)
In this Critical Thinking Assignment, you will prepare a short presentation that you could potentially deliver to corporate trainers in your workplace. Your goal is to teach these trainers how to make a better presentation. Create a short presentation (8-10 slides) that delivers the content that you think corporate trainers need to know about delivering effective presentations. Be sure your presentation is visually appealing and follows guidance given in this week’s materials.
The presentation for this Critical Thinking Assignment must be completed using presentation software and uploaded online (to a place like SlideShare or Google Presentations) or use an online presentation alternative like Prezi, PreZentit, Zoho Show, Empressr, Screencast-O-Matic, etc. For this part of the assignment, you will submit a live hyperlink to where your presentation can be found online. You will not be submitting the presentation file—just a link to where the file is located on the internet. In addition to the presentation, you must also submit a one-page handout to accompany the presentation. Please note that you do not need to narrate the presentation or record yourself presenting.
Project format: In an MS Word document, submit the following:
• Standard assignment cover page
• URL to the presentation
• One-page handout that accompanies the presentation.
Suggested length: Aim to design the presentation to be approximately 10 minutes in length. The presentation should have 8-10 slides.
Your well-written submission must adhere to the following parameters:
• 2-3 references cited in the assignment. Remember, you must support your thinking/opinions and prior knowledge with references; all facts must be supported; in-text references used throughout the assignment must be included in an APA-formatted reference list.
• Review the grading rubric, which can be accessed from the Course Information page.
• Formatted according to CSU-Global Guide to Writing and APA Requirements.
Reach out to your instructor if you have questions about the assignment.
Assignment Option #2: Life After Death by PowerPoint (90 points) SAMPLE
Watch Don McMillan’s You Tube clip “Life After Death by PowerPoint” at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbSPPFYxx3o or read the following handout at http://bryanttraining.pbworks.com/f/death_by_ppt_POD_handout.doc.
Discuss your impressions and perceptions of the satire or handout. Be sure to: (a) identify the specific bad habits noted, (b) discuss the reasons for their incorrect usage, (c) note your own experience with using PowerPoint, and (d) record your observations and recommendations for using PowerPoint appropriately.
Your well-written paper must adhere to the following parameters:
• 3-5 pages in length, not including the title and reference pages.
• 2-3 references cited in the assignment. Remember, you must support your thinking/opinions and prior knowledge with references; all facts must be supported; in-text references used throughout the assignment must be included in an APA-formatted reference list.
• Review the grading rubric, which can be accessed from the Course Information page.
• Formatted according to CSU-Global Guide to Writing and APA Requirements.
Reach out to your instructor if you have questions about the assignment.
Module 8
Choose one of the following two Portfolio Project choices to complete. Do not do both assignments. Identify your assignment choice in the title of your submission.
Portfolio Project Option #1: (350 points)
For this Portfolio Project, you are to benchmark the best practices in business communication based on your learning in this course. This project consists of two components: a business presentation and accompanying paper.
Business Presentation (10-12 slides)
Select at least four of the below topics to include in your presentation. Be sure to include the use of electronic messages and digital media for business communication. Visuals, graphics, screenshots, etc., should be included in the presentation using online software such as Prezi or Screencast-O-Matic. Submit a URL to your presentation in your analysis paper.
Discuss best practices in these areas:
• Effective and ethical business communication
• Professionalism in the workplace
• Intercultural business communication
• Writing tips for the business professional
• The use of electronic messages and digital media for business communication
• Positive and negative messages
• Business presentations
• Business reports, plans, and proposals
Analysis Paper (7-10 pages)
An analysis of your selected best practices listed above must be included in your paper, with a detailed explanation and examples of the best practices for each component. Be sure to include the URL to your presentation in this document.
Your well-written paper must include the following considerations:
• 7-10 pages in length, including reference pages.
• Formatted according to CSU-Global Guide to Writing and APA Requirements.
• Be clear, concise, and focused on the assignment. SAMPLE
• Utilize approximately six different outside resources.
• Meet the requirements of the assignment.
Portfolio Project Option #2: Writing a Case Study (350 points)
“News is what you don’t want to tell me. Everything else is public relations.” –David Brinkley, journalist
The case study is an excellent way to help prepare students and managers to be prepared to face real-life business situations—analyzing all the relevant data, making efficient decisions, and taking appropriate action. The writing of a business case study is an important skill that demonstrates communications and analytical skills. Case studies are, in essence, narratives that tell the story of the business problem or issue at hand. These narratives, or stories, do not provide answers directly; rather, they offer as much background and situational information as possible to present the situation in as unbiased and thorough a manner as possible, writing from the viewpoints of as many of the parties as reasonably possible.
Writing and analyzing case studies allows students to demonstrate proficiency in many facets of business education—especially, in this case, in business communications and analysis. The case study is therefore a tool to offer students the opportunity to explore business communications issues in a complex manner—not simply deducing or memorizing the answer, but thinking deeply about the issues involved and how to approach a solution.
A library case study—the kind involved in this Portfolio Project assignment—does not include information that cannot be found in the public record by anyone with internet access, a library card, and rudimentary research skills. A wealth of information is available to such interested individuals, including TV and newspaper stories, blogs, government documents, federal court proceedings, and sometimes other resources—especially for organizations that are publicly traded, such as IPOs or other public disclosures.
To write your case study:
• First select a topic that is interesting both to you and to your intended audience—in this case, your instructor. Try to find a subject that is relatively timely, that is or has been in the public eye, at least until recently.
• Then, do some preliminary research on your topic, using the internet and/or online library databases. Next, consider the perspective from which you will tell the story. Who is the primary decision-maker in your scenario? Nail down the beginning and end dates of your narrative, and think about the level of detail that you want to write.
• Then, build a timeline of events that are important to your case, in chronological order.
• Identify key characters in your narrative; and identify the key issues that you’ll write about, in order of importance.
• Next, prepare your first and second drafts, keeping in mind the importance of capturing your audience’s attention with a quote, a crucial event, or an anecdote in the opening paragraphs. After grabbing your reader’s attention, offer a brief explanation of the company’s history, its industry, and its size (such as annual revenues, number of employees, market share, etc.). Introduce your reader to the key players and decision-makers. Keep in mind the “who, what, when, where, why, and how” of your story. Be sure to enumerate important assumptions; and use quotes from key players where possible. Finally, read your drafts for flow, grammar, and syntax. As much as possible, be sure that your writing is lively, accurate, and cogent. Consider any tables, graphs, figures, stock charts, maps, or other graphics to include in the appendices that will help your reader to navigate the narrative. Be sure to indicate the source of anything you use, unless you build it yourself.
Your well-written paper must include the following considerations:
• 7- 10 pages in length, including reference page(s) (not including appendices).
• Formatted according to CSU-Global Guide to Writing and APA Requirements.
• Be clear, concise, and focused on the assignment. SAMPLE
• Utilize approximately six different outside sources that will help to support your assertions and strengthen your arguments; the CSU-Global Library is a great place to find these sources!
• Meet the requirements of the assignment.
Below is an example of the title and précis of a (rather lengthy, with the appendices) student-written business case study, to give you an idea of the tone and scope of your case study.
American Apparel: The Plus-Sized Problem
Categories: Apparel and Textile, Brand Management, Conflict Management, Customer Communication, Manufacturing
Authors: Garg, P.; Fan, K.; and O’Rourke, J.S. (Editor)
American Apparel, a multinational fashion retailer headquartered in Downtown Los Angeles, looked to target the plus-size clothing customer segment in an effort to grow its stagnant sales. It launched “The Next Big Thing,” a marketing campaign requiring contestants to submit modeling shots for American Apparel’s online audience to vote on. Little did they know that their ad copy, which utilized several puns as adjectives to describe larger women, would invoke a negative response by media outlets as well as incite members of the plus-size community. Nancy Upton, a size-12-wearing student and actress based in Dallas, Texas, decided to join the contest with a satirical entry, and created a blog. What happened next was a series of corporate communication problems that revealed a deeper issue of cultural insensitivity rather than just a poor choice of wording. 17 pp. #13-08 (2013)
Course Policies
Course Grading
20% Discussion Participation 45% Critical Thinking Assignments 35% Final Portfolio Paper
0% Live Classroom
Grading Scale and Policies
A
95.0 – 100
A-
90.0 – 94.9
B+
86.7 – 89.9
B
83.3 – 86.6
B-
80.0 – 83.2
C+
75.0 – 79.9
C
70.0 – 74.9
D
60.0 – 69.9
F
59.9 or below
In-Classroom Policies
For information on late work and incomplete grade policies, please refer to our In-Classroom Student Policies and Guidelines or the Academic Catalog for comprehensive documentation of CSU-Global institutional policies.
Academic Integrity
Students must assume responsibility for maintaining honesty in all work submitted for credit and in any other work designated by the instructor of the course. Academic dishonesty includes cheating, fabrication, facilitating academic dishonesty, plagiarism, reusing /re-purposing your own work (see CSU-Global Guide to Writing and APA Requirements for percentage of repurposed work that can be used in an assignment), unauthorized possession of academic materials, and unauthorized collaboration. The CSU-Global Library provides information on how students can avoid plagiarism by understanding what it is and how to use the Library and Internet resources.
SAMPLE
Citing Sources with APA Style
All students are expected to follow the CSU-Global Guide to Writing and APA Requirements when citing in APA (based on the APA Style Manual, 6th edition) for all assignments. For details on CSU-Global APA style, please review the APA resources within the CSU-Global Library under the “APA Guide & Resources” link. A link to this document should also be provided within most assignment descriptions on your course’s Assignments page.
Disability Services Statement
CSU–Global is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for all persons with disabilities. Any student with a documented disability requesting academic accommodations should contact the Disability Resource Coordinator at 720-279-0650 and/or email ada@CSUGlobal.edu for additional information to coordinate reasonable accommodations for students with documented disabilities.
Netiquette
Respect the diversity of opinions among the instructor and classmates and engage with them in a courteous, respectful, and professional manner. All posts and classroom communication must be conducted in accordance with the student code of conduct. Think before you push the Send button. Did you say just what you meant? How will the person on the other end read the words?
Maintain an environment free of harassment, stalking, threats, abuse, insults or humiliation toward the instructor and classmates. This includes, but is not limited to, demeaning written or oral comments of an ethnic, religious, age, disability, sexist (or sexual orientation), or racist nature; and the unwanted sexual advances or intimidations by email, or on discussion boards and other postings within or connected to the online classroom.
If you have concerns about something that has been said, please let your instructor know.
SAMPLE
Credit Hours:
3
Contact Hours:
This is a 3-credit course, offered in accelerated format. This means that 16 weeks of material is covered in 8 weeks. The exact number of hours per week that you can expect to spend on each course will vary based upon the weekly coursework, as well as your study style and preferences. You should plan to spend 10-25 hours per week in each course reading material, interacting on the discussion boards, writing papers, completing projects, and doing research.
Course Description and Outcomes
Course Description:
This course is designed for the practicing professional and focuses on internal and external communications practices and strategies within and beyond organizational settings. Audience is considered and includes employees, executives, first-line supervisors, community, customers, and board members. Students consider communication styles, interpersonal skills, business and professional writing, reports, and presentations based on substantive and credible data, and various modes of communication, including virtual communication.
Course Overview:
As a graduate-level discussion on business communication, the focus of this course is to use the essentials of good business writing and to apply concepts and techniques to dealing with 21st-century business communication issues. This includes traditional writing and verbal communication, nonverbal communication, social media, and other web-based, digital communication methodology that are in use currently within the workplace. There is also an application of communication as a means of enhancing organizational sustainability within a diverse and global business environment.
Course Learning Outcomes:
1. Appraise the process of 21st-century business communication and describe how to use it effectively.
2. Describe effective practices and technologies for planning and participating in face-to-face and virtual meetings.
3. Create business documents and reports that apply the components of the writing process.
4. Compare and contrast the role digital media play in the world of business communication.
5. Describe and analyze the basic features of informal and formal business reports, plans, and proposals.
6. Explain and apply the major elements of organizing and presenting a business presentation.
Participation & Attendance
SAMPLE
Prompt and consistent attendance in your online courses is essential for your success at CSU-Global Campus. Failure to verify your attendance within the first 7 days of this course may result in your withdrawal. If for some reason you would like to drop a course, please contact your advisor.
Online classes have deadlines, assignments, and participation requirements just like on-campus classes. Budget your time carefully and keep an open line of communication with your instructor. If you are having technical problems, problems with your assignments, or other problems that are impeding your progress, let your instructor know as soon as possible.
Course Materials
Textbook Information is located in the CSU-Global Booklist on the Student Portal.
Course Schedule
Due Dates
The Academic Week at CSU-Global begins on Monday and ends the following Sunday.
• Discussion Boards: The original post must be completed by Thursday at 11:59 p.m. MT and Peer Responses posted by Sunday 11:59 p.m. MT. Late posts may not be awarded points.
• Critical Thinking: Assignments are due Sunday at 11:59 p.m. MT.
• Live Classroom: Although participation is not required, Live Classroom sessions are held during Week 2 and Weeks 5 or 6. There are two total sessions.
Week #
Readings
Assignments
1
• Chapters 1 & 2 in Business Communication: Process and Product
• Not talking, but texting. (2004). Manager: British Journal of Administrative Management, 41, 10.
• Wziątek-Staśko, A. (2011). Efficient communication between a manager and an employee as a way to sustainable development of the contemporary organisation-based on empirical research. Management Theory & Studies for Rural Business & Infrastructure Development, 26(2), 265-270.
• Discussion (25 points)
• Critical Thinking (90 points)
2
• Chapter 3 in Business Communication: Process and Product
• Storti, C. (2011). What is culture, anyway? Profiles in Diversity Journal, 13(1), 10-11.
• Ersoy, N. T. (2011). Effects of work-related norm violations and general beliefs about the world on feelings of shame and guilt: A comparison between Turkey and the Netherlands. Asian Journal of Social Psychology, 14(1), 50-62.
• Discussion (25 points)
• Critical Thinking (90 points)
• Live Classroom (0 points)
3
• Chapters 4, 5, & 6 in Business Communication: Process and Product
• Discussion (25 points)
• Critical Thinking (90 points) SAMPLE
• Katz, I. R., Haras, C., & Blaszczynski, C. (2010). Does business writing require information literacy? Business Communication Quarterly, 73(2), 135-149.
• Portfolio Project Milestone (25 points toward 350 total points)
4
• Chapters 7 & 10 in Business Communication: Process and Product
• Tian, K., & Borges, L. (2011). Cross-cultural issues in marketing communications: An anthropological perspective of international business. International Journal of China Marketing, 2(1), 110-126.
• Discussion (25 points)
5
• Chapters 8 & 9 in Business Communication: Process and Product
• Li, X. (2012). Weaving Social Media into a Business Proposal Project. Business Communication Quarterly, 75(1), 68-75. doi:10.1177/1080569911432629
• Discussion (25 points)
• Critical Thinking (90 points)
• Live Classroom Option 1 (0 points)
6
• Chapter 11 in Business Communication: Process and Product
• Luparelli, G. N. (2010). The case study: An exercise for developing the confidence and skills to author and deliver a business presentation. Proceedings of the Northeast Business & Economics Association, 671-674.
• Discussion (25 points)
• Critical Thinking (90 points)
• Live Classroom Option 2 (0 points)
7
• Chapters 12 & 14 in Business Communication: Process and Product
• Discussion (25 points)
8
• Chapters 15 & 16 in Business Communication: Process and Product
• Discussion (25 points)
• Portfolio (350 points)
Assignment Details This course includes the following assignments/projects:
Module 1
Choose one of the following two assignments to complete this week. Do not do both assignments. Identify your assignment choice in the title of your submission.
Critical Thinking Assignment Option #1: Ethical Dilemmas (90 points)
“The meanings of morals and ethics do overlap. Broadly speaking, morals are individual principles of right and wrong, and a system of ethics deals with sets of those principles.
…Morals and morality are about personal behavior, ethics more grandly philosophical. However, linguistic use constrains the philosophical use and helps to blur the distinction: one can have a single ethic, as in ‘a strong work ethic’ or ‘an ethic of selfishness,’ but if we talk about a single moral, we’ve shifted a bit in meaning to the realm of Aesop and Uncle Remus, as in ‘the moral of the story.’ In the singular, a moral is a lesson to be learned about a single principle of right and wrong, and an ethic is a single guiding principle that affects your criteria for determining what is right and wrong. Yup, it’s blurry.”
Source: http://www.ualberta.ca/~cbidwell/CHRTP316/Morals%20vs%20Ethics.doc
SAMPLE
As a business communicator, you may face various ethical dilemmas in your career. Many factors can determine your choice of an action to take. Study the scenarios below. For each scenario, apply the tools for doing the right thing in choosing an appropriate action:
1. Is the action you are considering legal?
2. How would you see the problem if you were on the opposite side?
3. What are alternate solutions?
4. Can you discuss the problem with someone whose advice you trust?
5. How would you feel if your family, friends, employer, or coworkers learned of your action?
For this Critical Thinking Assignment, decide on the action you would take for each scenario below. Explain the action and why you selected that response. Analyze your response against the tools for doing the right thing. Support your thinking with research. At least three outside references (other than the course readings and content) should be included. Be sure to include each of the doing the right thing elements (1 through 5 above) in your response. (You may wish to refer to Chapter 1.14 in your textbook for more information).
1. Email Message
You accidentally receive a message outlining your company’s restructuring plan. You see that your coworker’s job will be eliminated. He and his wife are about to purchase a new home. Should you tell him that his job is in danger?
2. Customer Letter
You are writing a letter to a customer who is irate over a mistake you made. Should you blame it on a computer glitch, point the finger at another department, or take the blame and risk losing this customer’s trust and possibly your job?
3. Progress Report
Your team leader has asked you to write the quarterly sales report. She has told you that you should inflate the sales figures just a little bit so that you can meet the quarterly goal. She strongly reminds you that you and your team members will all receive a healthy bonus if the team meets the goal.
4. Presentation
You are rushing to prepare a presentation. On the Web you find perfect wording and great graphics. Should you just lift the graphics and wording but change a few words to make it your own? Your reasoning is that if it is out on the Web, it must be public domain.
Discuss this view in writing in the light of what you read in this chapter and outside sources. Your well-written paper must adhere to the following parameters:
• 3-5 pages in length, not including the title and reference pages.
• 2-3 references cited in the assignment. Remember, you must support your thinking/opinions and prior knowledge with references; all facts must be supported; in-text references used throughout the assignment must be included in an APA-formatted reference list.
• Review the grading rubric, which can be accessed from the Course Information page.
• Formatted according to CSU-Global Guide to Writing and APA Requirements.
Reach out to your instructor if you have questions about the assignment.
Critical Thinking Assignment Option #2: Attitudes toward Workplace Ethics (90 points)
Consider this statement from a respondent in a recent survey of ethical decision-making among young public relations professionals (remember that ethics and morals are not necessarily the same thing and that “ethics” are culturally constructed—that is, what is ethical for one population, nation, or organization is not necessarily true for another. There are macro-level ethics such as societal and micro-level ethics such as what we might find in the organizational culture.): SAMPLE
“At this point in my life, a job is a job, and in terms of ethics, I’ll do what I have to do to keep my job; my personal feelings will take a back seat. With the economy so bad, it’s just one of those things. I can’t afford to let my personal feelings complicate my career.”
Questions: Do you agree that personal morals must not get in the way of one’s career? Under what circumstances would you reserve comment and keep focused on your own work?
Discuss this view in writing, in light of what you read in this chapter and outside sources. Your well-written paper must adhere to the following parameters:
• 3-5 pages in length, not including the title and reference pages.
• 2-3 references cited in the assignment. Remember, you must support your thinking/opinions and prior knowledge with references; all facts must be supported; in-text references used throughout the assignment must be included in an APA-formatted reference list.
• Review the grading rubric, which can be accessed from the Course Information page.
• Formatted according to CSU-Global Guide to Writing and APA Requirements.
Reach out to your instructor if you have questions about the assignment.
Module 2
Choose one of the following two assignments to complete this week. Do not do both assignments. Identify your assignment choice in the title of your submission.
Critical Thinking Assignment Option #1: What Makes a “Best” Company for Minorities? (90 points)
Forbes has cited a 2012 report by Calvert Investments ranking the best and worst companies for women and minorities. Companies who ranked highest had the following characteristics:
• Diversity in executive and board representation
• Two or more women and/or minorities among its highest-paid executives
• Companies use specific language about a desire for diversity
• Family-friendly benefits like flexible work, adoption assistance, and domestic partner benefits
For this Critical Thinking Assignment, assume you believe it would be better if your organization were more diverse. You have openly stated this in the workplace. Because of your interest in this area, your manager asks you to write an information report to present at the next board meeting. Your assignment is to discuss what the leading minority-friendly companies are doing. You decide to prepare your report based on the bulleted points above from Fortune magazine’s suggestions for fostering diversity.
Discuss this view in writing, in light of what you read in this chapter and outside sources. Your well-written paper must adhere to the following parameters:
• 3-5 pages in length, not including the title and reference pages.
• 2-3 references cited in the assignment. Remember, you must support your thinking/opinions and prior knowledge with references; all facts must be supported; in-text references used throughout the assignment must be included in an APA-formatted reference list.
• Review the grading rubric, which can be accessed from the Course Information page.
• Formatted according to CSU-Global Guide to Writing and APA Requirements.
Reach out to your instructor if you have questions about the assignment.
Source: SAMPLE
Adams, S (2013). The best and worst companies for women and minorities. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/susanadams/2013/03/07/the-best-and-worst-companies-for-women-and-minorities/
Critical Thinking Assignment Option #2: Negotiation Traps (90 points)
Businesspeople often have difficulty reaching agreement on the terms of contracts, proposals, and anything that involves bargaining. They have even more difficulty when the negotiators are from different cultures.
Discuss the causes and implications of the following common mistakes made by North Americans in their negotiations with international business partners:
• Assuming that a final agreement is set in stone.
• Lacking patience and insisting that matters progress more quickly than the pace preferred by the locals.
• Thinking that an interpreter is always completely accurate.
• Believing that individuals who speak English understand every nuance of your meaning
• Ignoring or misunderstanding the significance of rank.
Discuss this view in writing in the light of what you read in this chapter and outside sources. Your well-written paper must adhere to the following parameters:
• 3-5 pages in length, not including the title and reference pages.
• 2-3 references cited in the assignment. Remember, you must support your thinking/opinions and prior knowledge with references; all facts must be supported; in-text references used throughout the assignment must be included in an APA-formatted reference list.
• Review the grading rubric, which can be accessed from the Course Information page.
• Formatted according to CSU-Global Guide to Writing and APA Requirements.
Reach out to your instructor if you have questions about the assignment.
Module 3
Choose one of the following two assignments to complete this week. Do not do both assignments. Identify your assignment choice in the title of your submission.
Critical Thinking Assignment Option #1: Selecting the Best Channel (90 points)
After identifying the purpose of your message, you need to select the most appropriate communication channel. Utilizing Figure 4.5 in Chapter 4, “Ten Levels of Richness in Today’s Workplace Communication Channels – Richest to Leanest,” suggest the best communication channels for the following messages. Assume that all channels shown are available. Support your reasoning with examples and research.
1. You need to know whether Crystal in Reprographics can produce a rush job for you in two days.
2. As part of a task force to investigate cell phone marketing, you need to establish a central location where each team member can see general information about the task as well as add comments for others to see. Task force members are located throughout the country.
3. You want to know what team members are available immediately for a quick teleconference meeting. They are all workaholics and glued to their computers.
4. As human resources manager during a company reorganization, you must tell six employees they will lose their jobs.
5. A prospective client in Japan wants the price quotes for a number of your products as soon as possible.
Include an introductory paragraph that outlines the importance of selecting appropriate communication channels.
Discuss in writing in the light of what you read in this chapter and outside sources. Your well-written paper must adhere to the following parameters: SAMPLE
• 3-5 pages in length, not including the title and reference pages.
• 2-3 references cited in the assignment. Remember, you must support your thinking/opinions and prior knowledge with references; all facts must be supported; in-text references used throughout the assignment must be included in an APA-formatted reference list.
• Review the grading rubric, which can be accessed from the Course Information page.
• Formatted according to CSU-Global Guide to Writing and APA Requirements.
Reach out to your instructor if you have questions about the assignment.
Critical Thinking Assignment Option #2: Managing Change (90 points)
You are the chief operations officer (COO) of a Fortune 1000 company, and your company is preparing to implement a major change in standard operating procedures in the next six months. This is an initiative that you have personally spearheaded over the past year and one which you know—while extremely valuable to the company and its employees in the long-term future—will almost certainly elicit a lot of initial unhappiness, anxiety, uncertainty, and push-back from both customers and employees of the organization—especially if the key components of the change initiative are communicated carelessly.
Think about the communications problems you face as the COO—right now, over the next six months, and for up to a year after the change is implemented. What will you have to do to ensure that your message is well-received and clearly understood by both external and internal customers (employees)? What media will you choose to communicate through over the next several months?
After considering this problem at some length, please draft an email to your chief executive officer (CEO) in which you sketch out the plan and describe your communications strategy.
Your well-written paper must adhere to the following parameters:
• 3-5 pages in length, not including the title and reference pages. Both your analysis and draft email to the CEO must be included.
• 2-3 references cited in the assignment. Remember, you must support your thinking/opinions and prior knowledge with references; all facts must be supported; in-text references used throughout the assignment must be included in an APA-formatted reference list.
• Review the grading rubric, which can be accessed from the Course Information page.
• Formatted according to CSU-Global Guide to Writing and APA Requirements.
Reach out to your instructor if you have questions about the assignment.
Choose one of the following two Portfolio Project choices to complete. Do not do both assignments. Identify your assignment choice in the title of your submission.
Portfolio Project Milestone Option #1: Writing an Outline (25 points toward 350 total points)
This week, in light of what we learned about the writing process, begin to plan in some detail how you will approach writing the Portfolio Project paper. Compose a 1-2 page outline that you can fill in over the next few weeks. Although you will not receive any points this week for this Portfolio Project preliminary deliverable, it is worth 25 points toward your final score. Review the Portfolio Project Rubric.
Post any questions or comments about the content or requirements of the Portfolio Project to the questions thread in the Discussion Forum.
Portfolio Project Milestone Option #2: Researching Your Case Study (25 points toward 350 total points)
SAMPLE
Complete preliminary research on the internet and/or through the use of online library databases. Compose a 1-2 page summary of sources and an overview of each source. Although you will not receive any points this week for this Portfolio Project preliminary deliverable, it is worth 25 points toward your final score. Review the Portfolio Project Rubric.
Post any questions or comments about the content or requirements of the Portfolio Project to the questions thread in the Discussion Forum.
Module 5
Choose one of the following two assignments to complete this week. Do not do both assignments. Identify your assignment choice in the title of your submission.
Critical Thinking Assignment Option #1: Social Media and Business (90 points)
Select a major, publicly traded company that you are interested in and visit it on Twitter, the company’s blog, Facebook, or LinkedIn. Evaluate its use of this social media tool and how it uses the tool to deliver good news and bad news to its stakeholders. Set up your assignment following these guidelines:
Introduction: Present an overview of the company you have selected, the link to its Twitter account, blog, Facebook, or LinkedIn page, and a general description of the media format that is used—blog, Facebook, or LinkedIn.
Evaluation: Evaluate how the company uses the media for the delivery of news in the following areas. For each area, analyze how the firm uses the media for delivery of news that is often perceived as “good” (such as a promotion or a companywide celebration) and as “bad” (such as a layoff or a corporate blunder).
1. Public/customer relations
2. Market research
3. Building an online community
4. Internal communication
Potential Risks: Discuss the company’s potential risks for how they are using this social media.
Recommendations: Make recommendations for how the company might improve its use of the social media tool in the delivery of good news and bad news, in light of what you read in this chapter and outside sources. Your well-written paper must adhere to the following parameters:
• 3-5 pages in length, not including the title and reference pages.
• 2-3 references cited in the assignment. Remember, you must support your thinking/opinions and prior knowledge with references; all facts must be supported; in-text references used throughout the assignment must be included in an APA-formatted reference list.
• Review the grading rubric, which can be accessed from the Course Information page.
• Formatted according to CSU-Global Guide to Writing and APA Requirements.
Reach out to your instructor if you have questions about the assignment.
Critical Thinking Assignment Option #2: Communicating Bad News (90 points)
Think of a time when you had to deliver or received bad news, such as a layoff or pay reduction, at work. In what ways did you or your interlocutor deliver the news effectively? In what ways did things not go well, and why?
Imagine you had the opportunity to revisit the situation. Put yourself in the shoes of the bearer of the bad news. How would you do things differently, in light of our study this week? Decide on the technique you’ll use and
SAMPLE
describe it; then, write a brief scene in which you act out the situation, inserting realistic dialogue on the part of both parties. How does the conversation resolve this time?
Your well-written paper must adhere to the following parameters:
• 3-5 pages in length, not including the title and reference pages.
• 2-3 references cited in the assignment. Remember, you must support your thinking/opinions and prior knowledge with references; all facts must be supported; in-text references used throughout the assignment must be included in an APA-formatted reference list.
• Review the grading rubric, which can be accessed from the Course Information page.
• Formatted according to CSU-Global Guide to Writing and APA Requirements.
Reach out to your instructor if you have questions about the assignment.
Module 6
Choose one of the following two assignments to complete this week. Do not do both assignments. Identify your assignment choice in the title of your submission.
Critical Thinking Assignment Option #1: How to Make Better Presentations (90 points)
In this Critical Thinking Assignment, you will prepare a short presentation that you could potentially deliver to corporate trainers in your workplace. Your goal is to teach these trainers how to make a better presentation. Create a short presentation (8-10 slides) that delivers the content that you think corporate trainers need to know about delivering effective presentations. Be sure your presentation is visually appealing and follows guidance given in this week’s materials.
The presentation for this Critical Thinking Assignment must be completed using presentation software and uploaded online (to a place like SlideShare or Google Presentations) or use an online presentation alternative like Prezi, PreZentit, Zoho Show, Empressr, Screencast-O-Matic, etc. For this part of the assignment, you will submit a live hyperlink to where your presentation can be found online. You will not be submitting the presentation file—just a link to where the file is located on the internet. In addition to the presentation, you must also submit a one-page handout to accompany the presentation. Please note that you do not need to narrate the presentation or record yourself presenting.
Project format: In an MS Word document, submit the following:
• Standard assignment cover page
• URL to the presentation
• One-page handout that accompanies the presentation.
Suggested length: Aim to design the presentation to be approximately 10 minutes in length. The presentation should have 8-10 slides.
Your well-written submission must adhere to the following parameters:
• 2-3 references cited in the assignment. Remember, you must support your thinking/opinions and prior knowledge with references; all facts must be supported; in-text references used throughout the assignment must be included in an APA-formatted reference list.
• Review the grading rubric, which can be accessed from the Course Information page.
• Formatted according to CSU-Global Guide to Writing and APA Requirements.
Reach out to your instructor if you have questions about the assignment.
Assignment Option #2: Life After Death by PowerPoint (90 points) SAMPLE
Watch Don McMillan’s You Tube clip “Life After Death by PowerPoint” at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbSPPFYxx3o or read the following handout at http://bryanttraining.pbworks.com/f/death_by_ppt_POD_handout.doc.
Discuss your impressions and perceptions of the satire or handout. Be sure to: (a) identify the specific bad habits noted, (b) discuss the reasons for their incorrect usage, (c) note your own experience with using PowerPoint, and (d) record your observations and recommendations for using PowerPoint appropriately.
Your well-written paper must adhere to the following parameters:
• 3-5 pages in length, not including the title and reference pages.
• 2-3 references cited in the assignment. Remember, you must support your thinking/opinions and prior knowledge with references; all facts must be supported; in-text references used throughout the assignment must be included in an APA-formatted reference list.
• Review the grading rubric, which can be accessed from the Course Information page.
• Formatted according to CSU-Global Guide to Writing and APA Requirements.
Reach out to your instructor if you have questions about the assignment.
Module 8
Choose one of the following two Portfolio Project choices to complete. Do not do both assignments. Identify your assignment choice in the title of your submission.
Portfolio Project Option #1: (350 points)
For this Portfolio Project, you are to benchmark the best practices in business communication based on your learning in this course. This project consists of two components: a business presentation and accompanying paper.
Business Presentation (10-12 slides)
Select at least four of the below topics to include in your presentation. Be sure to include the use of electronic messages and digital media for business communication. Visuals, graphics, screenshots, etc., should be included in the presentation using online software such as Prezi or Screencast-O-Matic. Submit a URL to your presentation in your analysis paper.
Discuss best practices in these areas:
• Effective and ethical business communication
• Professionalism in the workplace
• Intercultural business communication
• Writing tips for the business professional
• The use of electronic messages and digital media for business communication
• Positive and negative messages
• Business presentations
• Business reports, plans, and proposals
Analysis Paper (7-10 pages)
An analysis of your selected best practices listed above must be included in your paper, with a detailed explanation and examples of the best practices for each component. Be sure to include the URL to your presentation in this document.
Your well-written paper must include the following considerations:
• 7-10 pages in length, including reference pages.
• Formatted according to CSU-Global Guide to Writing and APA Requirements.
• Be clear, concise, and focused on the assignment. SAMPLE
• Utilize approximately six different outside resources.
• Meet the requirements of the assignment.
Portfolio Project Option #2: Writing a Case Study (350 points)
“News is what you don’t want to tell me. Everything else is public relations.” –David Brinkley, journalist
The case study is an excellent way to help prepare students and managers to be prepared to face real-life business situations—analyzing all the relevant data, making efficient decisions, and taking appropriate action. The writing of a business case study is an important skill that demonstrates communications and analytical skills. Case studies are, in essence, narratives that tell the story of the business problem or issue at hand. These narratives, or stories, do not provide answers directly; rather, they offer as much background and situational information as possible to present the situation in as unbiased and thorough a manner as possible, writing from the viewpoints of as many of the parties as reasonably possible.
Writing and analyzing case studies allows students to demonstrate proficiency in many facets of business education—especially, in this case, in business communications and analysis. The case study is therefore a tool to offer students the opportunity to explore business communications issues in a complex manner—not simply deducing or memorizing the answer, but thinking deeply about the issues involved and how to approach a solution.
A library case study—the kind involved in this Portfolio Project assignment—does not include information that cannot be found in the public record by anyone with internet access, a library card, and rudimentary research skills. A wealth of information is available to such interested individuals, including TV and newspaper stories, blogs, government documents, federal court proceedings, and sometimes other resources—especially for organizations that are publicly traded, such as IPOs or other public disclosures.
To write your case study:
• First select a topic that is interesting both to you and to your intended audience—in this case, your instructor. Try to find a subject that is relatively timely, that is or has been in the public eye, at least until recently.
• Then, do some preliminary research on your topic, using the internet and/or online library databases. Next, consider the perspective from which you will tell the story. Who is the primary decision-maker in your scenario? Nail down the beginning and end dates of your narrative, and think about the level of detail that you want to write.
• Then, build a timeline of events that are important to your case, in chronological order.
• Identify key characters in your narrative; and identify the key issues that you’ll write about, in order of importance.
• Next, prepare your first and second drafts, keeping in mind the importance of capturing your audience’s attention with a quote, a crucial event, or an anecdote in the opening paragraphs. After grabbing your reader’s attention, offer a brief explanation of the company’s history, its industry, and its size (such as annual revenues, number of employees, market share, etc.). Introduce your reader to the key players and decision-makers. Keep in mind the “who, what, when, where, why, and how” of your story. Be sure to enumerate important assumptions; and use quotes from key players where possible. Finally, read your drafts for flow, grammar, and syntax. As much as possible, be sure that your writing is lively, accurate, and cogent. Consider any tables, graphs, figures, stock charts, maps, or other graphics to include in the appendices that will help your reader to navigate the narrative. Be sure to indicate the source of anything you use, unless you build it yourself.
Your well-written paper must include the following considerations:
• 7- 10 pages in length, including reference page(s) (not including appendices).
• Formatted according to CSU-Global Guide to Writing and APA Requirements.
• Be clear, concise, and focused on the assignment. SAMPLE
• Utilize approximately six different outside sources that will help to support your assertions and strengthen your arguments; the CSU-Global Library is a great place to find these sources!
• Meet the requirements of the assignment.
Below is an example of the title and précis of a (rather lengthy, with the appendices) student-written business case study, to give you an idea of the tone and scope of your case study.
American Apparel: The Plus-Sized Problem
Categories: Apparel and Textile, Brand Management, Conflict Management, Customer Communication, Manufacturing
Authors: Garg, P.; Fan, K.; and O’Rourke, J.S. (Editor)
American Apparel, a multinational fashion retailer headquartered in Downtown Los Angeles, looked to target the plus-size clothing customer segment in an effort to grow its stagnant sales. It launched “The Next Big Thing,” a marketing campaign requiring contestants to submit modeling shots for American Apparel’s online audience to vote on. Little did they know that their ad copy, which utilized several puns as adjectives to describe larger women, would invoke a negative response by media outlets as well as incite members of the plus-size community. Nancy Upton, a size-12-wearing student and actress based in Dallas, Texas, decided to join the contest with a satirical entry, and created a blog. What happened next was a series of corporate communication problems that revealed a deeper issue of cultural insensitivity rather than just a poor choice of wording. 17 pp. #13-08 (2013)
Course Policies
Course Grading
20% Discussion Participation 45% Critical Thinking Assignments 35% Final Portfolio Paper
0% Live Classroom
Grading Scale and Policies
A
95.0 – 100
A-
90.0 – 94.9
B+
86.7 – 89.9
B
83.3 – 86.6
B-
80.0 – 83.2
C+
75.0 – 79.9
C
70.0 – 74.9
D
60.0 – 69.9
F
59.9 or below
In-Classroom Policies
For information on late work and incomplete grade policies, please refer to our In-Classroom Student Policies and Guidelines or the Academic Catalog for comprehensive documentation of CSU-Global institutional policies.
Academic Integrity
Students must assume responsibility for maintaining honesty in all work submitted for credit and in any other work designated by the instructor of the course. Academic dishonesty includes cheating, fabrication, facilitating academic dishonesty, plagiarism, reusing /re-purposing your own work (see CSU-Global Guide to Writing and APA Requirements for percentage of repurposed work that can be used in an assignment), unauthorized possession of academic materials, and unauthorized collaboration. The CSU-Global Library provides information on how students can avoid plagiarism by understanding what it is and how to use the Library and Internet resources.
SAMPLE
Citing Sources with APA Style
All students are expected to follow the CSU-Global Guide to Writing and APA Requirements when citing in APA (based on the APA Style Manual, 6th edition) for all assignments. For details on CSU-Global APA style, please review the APA resources within the CSU-Global Library under the “APA Guide & Resources” link. A link to this document should also be provided within most assignment descriptions on your course’s Assignments page.
Disability Services Statement
CSU–Global is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for all persons with disabilities. Any student with a documented disability requesting academic accommodations should contact the Disability Resource Coordinator at 720-279-0650 and/or email ada@CSUGlobal.edu for additional information to coordinate reasonable accommodations for students with documented disabilities.
Netiquette
Respect the diversity of opinions among the instructor and classmates and engage with them in a courteous, respectful, and professional manner. All posts and classroom communication must be conducted in accordance with the student code of conduct. Think before you push the Send button. Did you say just what you meant? How will the person on the other end read the words?
Maintain an environment free of harassment, stalking, threats, abuse, insults or humiliation toward the instructor and classmates. This includes, but is not limited to, demeaning written or oral comments of an ethnic, religious, age, disability, sexist (or sexual orientation), or racist nature; and the unwanted sexual advances or intimidations by email, or on discussion boards and other postings within or connected to the online classroom.
If you have concerns about something that has been said, please let your instructor know.
SAMPLE