Lahore University of Management Sciences. MGMT 212 Business Communication Fall Semester

Transcription

1 MGMT 212 Business Communication Fall Semester Instructor Anjum Fayyaz Room No. 410 SDSB Fourth Floor Office Hours 1100 to 1200 hours (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday) Telephone Secretary/TA Malik Imran Abbass (Ext: 5224) TA Office Hours TBA Course URL (if any) Suraj.lums.edu.pk COURSE BASICS Credit Hours 3 Lecture(s) Nbr of Lec(s) Per Week 2 Duration 75mins Recitation/Lab (per week) Nbr of Lec(s) Per Week - Duration Tutorial (per week) Nbr of Lec(s) Per Week - Duration COURSE DISTRIBUTION Core Elective Open for Student Category Close for Student Category Yes COURSE DESCRIPTION Business Communication trains students on how to communicate in a professional context. Students will learn how to deliver coherent presentations, compose formal documents and engage in directed discussions. The course welcomes students from all academic backgrounds who wish to burnish their skills in writing and speaking. The assignments encourage attention to detail, research and iteration. Business Communication course will equip students with the effective writing and oral communication skills. As the course starts with a TQM slide on belief and application of tools, it is based on belief on customer focus, employee empowerment, continuous improvement and systematic management. Values and Ethics are some of the major features being focused throughout the course as the effective communication and presentation is based on a relationship with the audience through trust building and networking, which is not possible through unethical means. Students would be able to apply analytical thinking and problem solving skills once they are active listener through a 2-way communication.during the course, students would be required to use information technology to prepare well not only for the individual lectures but also for their assignments and presentations.course is designed in such a way that students would be able to work in teams and would be required to interact with the organizations to get the exposure of the diverse and multicultural environments. Students will also get an exposure to the organizations to learn about their ecosystem while developing a business plan and producing a sales pitch. They will learn about the key business disciplines through case-lets, business plan development and guest speakers.the whole course revolves around sense-making communications to produce desired results, which would result in a right decision, at the right time in the right situation for the right target audience. This course would help the participants learn how to manage their relationships through problem solving and decision making. 1

2 COURSE PREREQUISITE(S) N/A Lahore University of Management Sciences COURSE OBJECTIVES Realize the modes of communication that are common in the professional world and the contexts in which they arise Develop writing and discussion styles that are distinctive yet encompass the rudiments of precision, brevity, formality and courtesy Become comfortable working on assignments that involve planning, market research, teamwork and multiple iterations Become comfortable critiquing the work of self and others as part of a process of incremental improvement LEARNING OUTCOMES Students will realize the relative significance of content, language and formatting in deliverables Students will have a grasp of jargon and concepts that are commonly used in communicating in the professional world Students will feel more comfortable marketing both themselves and their ideas in the professional world UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM LEARNING GOALS & OBJECTIVES General Learning Goals & Objectives Goal 1 Effective Written and Oral Communication Objective: Students will demonstrate effective writing and oral communication skills Goal 2 Ethical Understanding and Reasoning Objective: able to identify and address ethical issues in an organizational context. Goal 3 Analytical Thinking and Problem Solving Skills Objective: able to identify key problems and generate viable solutions. Goal 4 Application of Information Technology Objective: able to use current technologies in business and management context. Goal 5 Teamwork in Diverse and Multicultural Environments Objective: able to work effectively in diverse environments. Goal 6 Understanding Organizational Ecosystems Objective: Students will demonstrate that they have an understanding of Economic, Political, Regulatory, Legal, Technological, and Social environment of organizations. Major Specific Learning Goals & Objectives Goal 7 (a) Discipline Specific Knowledge and Understanding Objective: Students will demonstrate knowledge of key business disciplines and how they interact including application to real world situations (Including subject knowledge). Goal 7 (b) Understanding the science behind the decision-making process (for MGS Majors) Objective: Students will demonstrate ability to analyze a business problem, design and apply appropriate decision-support tools, interpret results and make meaningful recommendations to support the decision-maker 2

3 Indicate below how the course learning objectives specifically relate to any program learning goals and objectives. PROGRAM LEARNING GOALS AND OBJECTIVES Goal 1 Effective Written and Oral Communication Goal 2 Ethical Understanding and Reasoning Goal 3 Analytical Thinking and Problem Solving Skills Goal 4 Application of Information Technology Goal 5 Teamwork in Diverse and Multicultural Environments Goal 6 Understanding Organizational Ecosystems Goal 7 (a) Discipline Specific Knowledge and Understanding Goal 7 (b) Understanding the science behind the decision-making process COURSE LEARNING OBJECTIVES Students will demonstrate effective writing and oral communication skills able to identify and address ethical issues in an organizational context. able to identify key problems and generate viable solutions. able to use current technologies in business and management context. able to work effectively in diverse environments. Students will demonstrate that they have an understanding of Economic, Political, Regulatory, Legal, Technological, and Social environment of organizations. Students will demonstrate knowledge of key business disciplines and how they interact including application to real world situations. Students will demonstrate ability to analyze a business problem, design and apply appropriate decision-support tools, interpret results and make meaningful recommendations to support the decision-maker. COURSE ASSESSMENT ITEM 1. Individual writing assignments 2. Individual presentations This goal will not be measured directly but it will be assessed through group dynamics and team work. It will be assessed through interactive discussion and group assignments as well as business communication games. Students will be assessed on the application of IT during their presentations and assignments. Group assignments, business communication case-lets and interactions with the entrepreneurs while developing their business plans. This will not be addressed directly but students will learn this aspect through guest lecturers and interactions with the entrepreneurs. Guest speakers, case-lets and group assignments Students will learn the understanding indirectly how to manage their relationships through problem solving and decision making while doing their group assignments. GRADING BREAKUP AND POLICY Attendance (10%): There will be an explicit policy for class attendance and in-class discipline. Class Participation: (10%) Students are expected to come prepare pre-assigned readings and share their opinions on different subjects. CP grading is relative. The ability to engage in dialogue and illustrate principles through personal experiences is rewarded. Quizzes: (20%) Based on readings and class discussion Short Assignments: (10%) Includes CV writing, making a LinkedIn profile and an assignment Individual Presentation: (10%) An opportunity to get personalized feedback on your presentation skills early in the semester Research-Based Team Presentation: (20%) An exercise in developing a sales pitch Individual Writing Assignment: (20%) A post-mortem of your performance in the course 3

4 EXAMINATION DETAIL Lahore University of Management Sciences Midterm Exam Yes/No: No Combine Separate: Duration: Preferred Date: Exam Specifications: Final Exam Yes/No: No Combine Separate: Duration: Exam Specifications: WEEK/ LECTURE/ MODULE 1 Introduction Course Overview TOPICS SESSION OBJECTIVES Understand what aspects of communication are necessary for graduates Overview of policies, instruments and grading for the course Overview of expectations from both instructor and students 2 Presentation Skills I Selecting content, storyboarding it and transferring it to an effective and aesthetically pleasing form 3 Presentation Skills II Delivery style with a focus on engaging the audience and handle Q&A 4 Business Plans I The components of a business plan 5 Business Plan II The tone and formatting expectations for a business plan 6 Sales Pitch The context of a Sales Pitch The content and style that suits a Sales Pitch 7 Individual Student Presentations 1 These sessions will allow each student to present 8 Individual Student Presentations 2 once as an individual. Individual feedback will be 9 Individual Student Presentations 3 provided in the hope that shortcomings can be 10 Individual Student Presentations 4 ironed out before the final presentation. 11 CV How to compose and evaluate a CV/Cover Letter LinkedIn The value of LinkedIn profiles 13 Different scenarios in which formal use arises 14 Film/Television as a Communication Medium Will watch a business-themed movie/television clips to understand how different concepts are presented The use of marketing jargon Marketing Communications The use of LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and viral 15 campaigns The emotional and functional components of visual marketing 4

5 16 Business Plan Evaluation I Understanding scalability and sustainability in the 17 Business Plan Evaluation II evaluation of business ideas. Reviewing examples from non-profits and online funding campaigns to understand how investors evaluate business ideas. 18 Case Studies: 1 We will prepare and discuss 4 business cases that 19 Case Studies: 2 illustrate communication challenges in 20 Case Studies: 3 organizations. The focus will be on understanding 21 Case Studies: 4 how to communicate with internal and external 22 Case Studies: 5 stakeholders, the use of press releases and the challenges of inter-departmental communications. 23 Interview Skills Preparing for an interview and answering related questions 24 How do we structure a talk with limited visual aids? Advanced Skills What are the elements of an inspirational speech? 25 Team Presentations: 1 26 Team Presentations: 2 27 Team Presentations: 3 28 Team Presentations : 4 TEXTBOOK(S)/SUPPLEMENTARY READINGS Handouts, exercises and readings will be updated through the semester The final team presentations where all students are expected to be active members of the audience 5