CQUniversity Unit Profile

COMM13119 - Organisational Communication

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All details in this unit profile for COMM13119 have been officially approved by CQUniversity and represent a learning partnership between the University and you (our student).
The information will not be changed unless absolutely necessary and any change will be clearly indicated by an approved correction included in the profile.

General Information

Overview

Communication is an integral part of any organisation. It is especially important for managers or those individuals who may be working within a communications department. This unit will introduce you to the structure of organisations to develop an understanding of the different types of communication processes used. You will learn that issues and crisis management skills are also important to prevent organisations from making critical communication errors. In this unit you will develop a communication strategy as a means of applying communication theory to organisational policy and practice.

Details

Career Level: Undergraduate

Unit Level: Level 3

Credit Points: 6

Student Contribution Band: 10

Fraction of Full-Time Student Load: 0.125

Pre-requisites or Co-requisites

Pre-requisite: 36 credit points

Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).

Offerings For Term 2 - 2019

Online

Attendance Requirements

All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).

Website

This unit has a website, within the Moodle system, which is available two weeks before the start of term. It is important that you visit your Moodle site throughout the term. Please visit Moodle for more information.

Class and Assessment Overview

Recommended Student Time Commitment

Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.

Class Timetable

Regional Campuses

Bundaberg, Cairns, Emerald, Gladstone, Mackay, Rockhampton, Townsville

Metropolitan Campuses

Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney

Assessment Overview

1. Group Work

Weighting: 50%

2. Written Assessment

Weighting: 50%

Assessment Grading

This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of 'pass' in order to pass the unit. If any 'pass/fail' tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully ('pass' grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the 'assessment task' section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University's Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.

CQUniversity Policies

All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.

You may wish to view these policies:

Grades and Results Policy
Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
Review of Grade Procedure
Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - Domestic Students
Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - International Students
Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
Student Feedback - Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure

This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.

Previous Student Feedback

Unit Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

Analyse and assess major theoretical perspectives relevant to communication within organisations
Apply key research skills and techniques to develop an appropriate communication strategy for an organisation
Analyse an organisations's communication policies and practices.

Alignment of Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Graduate Attributes

N/A Level

Introductory Level

Intermediate Level

Graduate Level

Professional Level

Advanced Level

Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes

Assessment Tasks	Learning Outcomes
	1	2	3
1 - Written Assessment - 50%
2 - Group Work - 50%

Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes

Graduate Attributes	Learning Outcomes
	1	2	3
1 - Communication
2 - Problem Solving
3 - Critical Thinking
4 - Information Literacy
5 - Team Work
6 - Information Technology Competence
7 - Cross Cultural Competence
8 - Ethical practice
9 - Social Innovation
10 - First Nations Knowledges
11 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures

Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes

Assessment Tasks	Graduate Attributes
	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11
1 - Written Assessment - 50%
2 - Group Work - 50%

Textbooks and Resources

Textbooks

Prescribed

Communicating for Managerial Effectiveness

Edition: 6th (2017)
Authors: Phillip Clampitt
Sage
Thousand Oaks Thousand Oaks , USA
ISBN: 9781483358512
Binding: Paperback

View textbooks at the CQUniversity Bookshop

IT Resources

You will need access to the following IT resources:

CQUniversity Student Email
Internet
Unit Website (Moodle)

Referencing Style

All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: American Psychological Association 6th Edition (APA 6th edition)

For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.

Teaching Contacts

Celeste Lawson Unit Coordinator
c.lawson@cqu.edu.au

Schedule

Module 1 - Organisational structures

Begin Date: 15 Jul 2019

Module/Topic

Knowing about the components of communication does not necessarily mean we understand the communication process. In this foundation module, we will revisit the basic theory of communication learned in earlier units. This will allow us to introduce propositions or assumptions that frame how we communicate. If we now add information about organisations and how they are structured, we can start to see why organisational communication is such a complex skill.

Chapter

Clampitt, Chapters 1, 2 and 3

Events and Submissions/Topic

Moudle 2 - Conflict and crisis management

Begin Date: 22 Jul 2019

Module/Topic

Issues are events or factors that have the potential to negatively impact on organisations. If managed poorly, issues can affect an organisation’s reputation and, at worst, can result in a crisis. Issues can generally be predicted and planned for. If the issue begins to affect the organisation, actions can be taken to reduce the negative impact. This is known as issues management, and it is a complex field. The management of issues is a significant part of the communication function of an organisation. This module will explain the nature of issues and explore the link with organisational communication. The topic will identify various techniques to identify and manage issues.

Chapter

Readings as advised on Moodle

Events and Submissions/Topic

Module 3 - Organisational culture and communication channels

Begin Date: 29 Jul 2019

Module/Topic

A thorough understanding of organisational communication can not occur without an understanding of organisational culture. Culture is the shared understanding of experiences, and culture can affect the way people communicate within an organisation as well as what they communicate about. This module will explain organisational culture including how to recognise culture in an organisation.

Chapter

Clampitt, Chapters 4 and 5

Events and Submissions/Topic

Module 4 - Teamwork, feedback and managing data

Begin Date: 05 Aug 2019

Module/Topic

This module starts to combine the elements of each of the previous modules to identify effective communication strategies. We consider how we make sense of all the information that is provided to us, so we can determine who to send it to, why and how. This module will explore the benefits of teams within organisations, especially as decision- makers. The module will then consider feedback as a means by which a manager can keep employees informed. When employees are kept informed, they are likely to be happier in their job, which can contribute to reducing conflict. Allowed to escalate, conflict can progress to significantly affect the organisation. Knowing how to address conflict can reduce the impact on both the individual and the organisation.

Chapter

Clampitt, Chapters 6 and 7

Events and Submissions/Topic

Module 5 - Boundary spanning, leadership and change

Begin Date: 12 Aug 2019

Module/Topic

Boundary spanning is the technique used to communicate across boundaries in an organisation. In this module we learn about the five main boundaries in organisational communication – context, language, culture, location and structure. We look at how change affects an organisation, how people react to change and techniques for managing change with the least impact on the organisation. This module explains what is meant by the term “leader” and the role of leadership within different organisational structures. Leaders operate in the context of organisational change and organisational communication.

Chapter

Clampitt, Chapters 8, 9, 10 and 11

Events and Submissions/Topic

Vacation Week

Begin Date: 19 Aug 2019

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Module 6 - Communication audits and communication strategies

Begin Date: 26 Aug 2019

Module/Topic

A communication audit is a form of research for an organisation. It will show the organisation how the communication is working (or not), which methods are effective and which are being misused. This module describes several common methods of gathering data in order to conduct an audit and make recommendations for change. The module then explains how to convert these recommendations into a workable communication strategy.

Chapter

Clampitt, Chapter 12

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 7

Begin Date: 02 Sep 2019

Module/Topic

This is a intensive unit. All required content is covered in the first six weeks of term.

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Crisis Communication Case Study Due: Week 7 Friday (6 Sept 2019) 5:00 pm AEST

Week 8

Begin Date: 09 Sep 2019

Module/Topic

This is a intensive unit. All required content is covered in the first six weeks of term.

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 9

Begin Date: 16 Sep 2019

Module/Topic

This is a intensive unit. All required content is covered in the first six weeks of term.

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 10

Begin Date: 23 Sep 2019

Module/Topic

This is a intensive unit. All required content is covered in the first six weeks of term.

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 11

Begin Date: 30 Sep 2019

Module/Topic

This is a intensive unit. All required content is covered in the first six weeks of term.

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 12

Begin Date: 07 Oct 2019

Module/Topic

This is a intensive unit. All required content is covered in the first six weeks of term.

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Review/Exam Week

Begin Date: 14 Oct 2019

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Communication Assessment and Strategy Due: Review/Exam Week Monday (14 Oct 2019) 5:00 pm AEST

Exam Week

Begin Date: 21 Oct 2019

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Term Specific Information

This unit is presented in an intensive style, with the unit's content condensed into the first six weeks of term. From weeks seven to twelve, there is no additional content and students will be directed in assessment based study, which includes a significant research component.

Assessment Tasks

1 Group Work

Assessment Title

Crisis Communication Case Study

Task Description

Assessment Type

Group Work

Task Description

This assessment requires students to review a crisis and present findings on that crisis within an organisational communication context. You will work in teams due to the size of the task.

Each team will research a crisis topic. These topics are specified by the Unit Coordinator. Within your team, you will be required to:

Conduct research on a crisis topic;
Synthesise information about a crisis and an organisation’s response to that crisis so it can be understood by others;
Collate your findings in the form of an online presentation;
Submit your presentation.

Crisis communication will be covered in the Module 2 materials for the unit.

Online presentation

As a team, you will be required to submit a recorded presentation with a slideshow. You can use PowerPoint, Prezi or some other form of slide presentation. Voiceover must be provided on the presentation, and the format of the presentation must be seamless as if produced by one voice. There is no limit to the number of slides. As a guide, aim for a presentation of between 10 and 15 minutes, although there is no time limit. You can choose to have one team member voice the presentation, or each student can provide a contribution to the voiceover. All slides must follow the same theme, and be professionally laid out. It is expected that the voiceover will contain the bulk of the information for the presentation, while the slides will contain dot point or pictorial accompaniment. Information on how to record voice on PowerPoint is provided on Moodle. Information about how to lay out professional presentation slides is also provided. The final assessment must include the following elements:

Summary of crisis event;
How the organisation responded;
The result;
The issues/lessons for the organisation;
References

It is expected the team will:

Conduct thorough research of media (and social media if relevant) about the event (perhaps presented as a graph or infographic). Students will need to identify the extent of media coverage received about the event, and the media coverage during the reactive phase.
Conduct thorough research on the organisation, its structure and its executive. This is required to assess the appropriateness of the response to the crisis. For example: was a spokesperson assigned for the duration of the crisis, and was the spokesperson the best choice for the task?

Examples are provided on Moodle. This assessment is worth 50%.

All presentations require a list of references on the final slide. Any use of photographs must be attributed.

Working in teams

Teams are required for this assessment. Team members are responsible for communicating with each other and negotiating tasks. You will nominate to join a team by Week 4, and teams will be allocated by topic. The topics will be listed on the unit Moodle site. Information about working in teams will be provided, and individual tasks for team members will be suggested.

All team members will conduct a self and peer assessment, whereby each team member will evaluate the performance of themselves, and their peers. This will be worth 20% of the overall mark (10 marks). (You may opt out of a team in extenuating circumstances only. Students not participating in a team will be ineligible for the peer mark.) Details of how to conduct a self and peer assessment will be provided.

The assessment will be submitted via Moodle. Total file size is a maximum of 100MB. Please be mindful of this restriction if you use graphics in your presentation. You may have to resize photo/graphics quality to reduce the overall size of the presentation.

A detailed marking criteria is available on Moodle.

Assessment Due Date

Week 7 Friday (6 Sept 2019) 5:00 pm AEST

Submitted by one team member only.

Return Date to Students

Week 9 Wednesday (18 Sept 2019)

The assessment will be returned within 10 days of submission

Weighting

50%

Assessment Criteria

A marking criteria sheet is available on Moodle. Elements include:

Summary of crisis
Organisational response
The result
Issues/lessons
Structure of presentation
Evidence of research
Referencing
Presentation
Attention to requirements of task

Self and peer assessment details will be provided via Moodle.

Referencing Style

American Psychological Association 6th Edition (APA 6th edition)

Submission

Online Group

Submission Instructions

Maximum file size is 100 MB. Submitted by one team member only.

Learning Outcomes Assessed

Apply key research skills and techniques to develop an appropriate communication strategy for an organisation
Analyse an organisations's communication policies and practices.

Graduate Attributes

Communication
Problem Solving
Critical Thinking
Team Work
Information Technology Competence
Cross Cultural Competence
Ethical practice

2 Written Assessment

Assessment Title

Communication Assessment and Strategy

Task Description

Assessment Type

Written Assessment

Task Description

You are required to identify an organisation with which you are familiar. This could be a club, a church, or your workplace, for example. This group must operate as an organisation as defined in Module 1.

You will conduct a communication assessment of this organisation. (Please note that some organisations may require you to obtain permission to conduct an assessment. Discuss your choice of organisation with the Unit Coordinator if you have any concerns or queries.)

The material in Module 6 will explain what is usually involved in a communication assessment. The communication assessment will draw on theoretical material covered in the first six weeks of the unit. The communication assessment must be very well supported by the various theories covered in the unit.

The communication assessment will answer the following questions about communication between workers in the organisation selected:

What are the existing channels of communication (such as email, meetings, newsletters, reports)? The assessment may focus on one aspect of communication, rather than attempting to address all communication methods in use.
What are the communication goals for the communication channel (such as sharing information, providing recognition)?
What types of messages are typically transmitted in this channel (such as business results, future plans, personnel news)?
Who are the target audiences for the channel (such as managers, line employees)?
What are the problems or issues identified with the communication channel, goals, messages or audience?

You will then prepare a communication strategy to address one particular communication issue identified in the communication assessment.

Using the information gathered in the communication assessment, develop a communication goal. The communication goal must link with the organisation’s goals.
Develop a series of key messages. The messages must support organisational goals. Identify relevant internal audiences and channels for the messages.
Align the messages, the audience and the communication channels as a series of communication strategies which address the identified issue or problem.
This strategy is for an internal audience NOT external. (That is: it is not designed to obtain new customers or clients, but to communicate to staff.)

Hint: The messages must be written to suit the organisation, and they must be in response to an issue identified in the communication assessment.

Students are NOT required to implement the strategies.This is a theoretical assessment only.

Presentation

This assessment will be presented as a report in the style and manner of a real Communication Strategy as discussed in the unit material. Write the report as if it was being developed for the person in charge of the organisation. The structure of the report will include:

Introduction: Background to the organisation (including style/type of organisation, its worldview, culture); and any relevant issues identified that may influence the communication assessment and communication strategy (for example that the organisation is virtual and communication must be undertaken electronically, or that the organisation is informal and follows an ad hoc process). In this section, you set the scene for the communication channel or problem being investigated.
Communication Assessment: This section addresses the communication assessment dot points posed above. Additional subheadings can be added as appropriate (for example: Communication channel, Communication messages, Target audiences).
Communication Problem: Identify ONE communication-related issue or problem from the communication assessment. Explain the problem.
Communication Strategies: This section will craft a strategy to address the problem identified. See the dot points above. The following content must be included as a minimum: the communication goal, key messages, audience and channels. Use subheadings as appropriate for your strategies. It is likely you will identify multiple strategies to fully address the communication problem.
Considerations for implementation: Students are not required to implement the strategies. This section is prepared as if the Communication Strategy was being provided to the organisation for implementation. This section lists issues or considerations of which the organisation must be aware in order for the strategy to be potentially achievable.
References: Students are expected to provide evidence of the organisational goals and structure (through a website, annual report or other document). Where possible, students are expected to provided references that support the choice of strategies. APA referencing style is required.

Word count is between 3,000 and 3,500 words. This is strict and assessable. Please note that the word count is designed to be challenging. Focus on a specific issue, rather than attempting to solve all communication problems. This will help meet the word count.

A detailed marking criteria is available on Moodle.

If extenuating circumstances mean that a student can not identify a suitable organisation from their own experience, a negotiated and hypothetical topic may be provided. This option is only as a last resort, as selection of an appropriate organisation is part of the assessment requirements. The Unit Coordinator will provide further details on an as-needs basis.

Assessment Due Date

Review/Exam Week Monday (14 Oct 2019) 5:00 pm AEST

Late penalties will apply from Tuesday.

Return Date to Students

Exam Week Friday (25 Oct 2019)

The assessment wil be returned within 10 days of submission.

Weighting

50%

Assessment Criteria

A detailed assessment criteria is available on Moodle. Elements will include

Background to the issue
Communication channel - goals, messages and audience
Communication problems
Gathering data
Structure
Linking with communication assessment
Communication goals
Message strategy
Evidence of research and integration of theoretical perspectives
Writing standard
Referencing
Presentation
Attention to requirements of the task, including word count

Referencing Style

American Psychological Association 6th Edition (APA 6th edition)

Submission

Online

Submission Instructions

Submitted as a single document via Moodle. Maximum file size is 100MB.

Learning Outcomes Assessed

Analyse and assess major theoretical perspectives relevant to communication within organisations
Analyse an organisations's communication policies and practices.

Graduate Attributes

Communication
Problem Solving
Critical Thinking
Information Literacy
Information Technology Competence
Cross Cultural Competence
Ethical practice
Social Innovation

Academic Integrity Statement

As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.

Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.

When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.

Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.

As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.

What is a breach of academic integrity?

A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.

Why is academic integrity important?

A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.

Where can I get assistance?

For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.