BUAD 302COMMUNICATION STRATEGY IN BUSINESS

Syllabus—Spring 2017—T/Th—8 am – 9:50 am

Professor: E.L. Dipprey Office: ACC 404 Mailbox: ACC 400 Email: dipprey@marshall.usc.edu (this is the best way to contact me)

Office Hours: 10:30 am – 12:00 pm Thursdays and by appointment. (I am frequently in my office and welcome appointments. Please make appointments when you see me in class or via email. Appointments regarding assignments need to be made early [see Syllabus]). Appts. on Tuesdays are usually not available.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

You are working in an increasingly complex world characterized by explosive growth in access to and quantity of information—and your professional life will likely revolve around how you generate, organize, evaluate, and manage the communication of this information. Almost without exception, today’s business professionals attribute their success largely to their ability to write well, to speak dynamically, and to cultivate business relationships through strong interpersonal communication skills.

Armed with astute communication strategies, business professionals can effectively exercise influence—an essential management skill—and produce desired results.

Whether making a presentation, creating and executing an integrated persuasive appeal, or engaging in group problem solving—you should be able to convey ideas and feelings to your audience clearly, accurately, and persuasively. This course is designed to sharpen your existing skills as a strategic thinker, writer, and speaker and to employ those skills to realize an actionable understanding of strategic communication.

The class is structured to emphasize experiential learning so that our study of managerial communication theory can be applied to exercises and activities mirroring real-world challenges you will face in your professional lives.

BUAD 302 LEARNING OBJECTIVES

At the end of this course, you will be a more articulate and influential business communicator. You will understand the rhetorical reasoning that supports the strategies you learn such that you can successfully meet all types of new communication challenges.

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Business Communication Strategy—TheoryDemonstrate understanding of the elements of business communication theory and apply this understanding to communications in a wide range of business contexts.

Business Communication Strategy— ApplicationApply communication theory to develop business communication strategies, including evaluation of purpose, audience, context, and channel choice. Demonstrate the ability to analyze, compare and critique these strategies, and effectively communicate this assessment.By the end of your BUAD 302 experience, you should have acquired knowledge and skills in the following areas:

1. Identify and discuss communication theories, models, and principles that impact business communication across diverse industries and fields in a global landscape by analyzing specific communication behaviors, strategies, and goals through case studies and group discussions.

2. Apply communication theories and principles to achieve communication goals by evaluating the purpose of your message, conducting audience analysis, and selecting the appropriate communication channel to successfully construct and deliver presentations individually and as part of a team in various business contexts.

3. Utilize critical thinking skills to develop and implement communication strategies across diverse business environments by analyzing, comparing, and evaluating the effectiveness of these strategies via scenario-based simulations and exercises.

4. Develop an understanding and awareness of ethical principles and intercultural and diversity factors that impact the communication process as business leaders, managers, colleagues and employees by analyzing and explaining ethical challenges and incidents in their cultural and organizational contexts.

5. Acquire and apply an understanding of small group communication dynamics, including learning to evaluate and articulate obstacles that impact effective team communication and developing collaborative deliverables.

After only fifteen weeks, you probably will not reach a level of professional excellence in all business communication areas; mastery sometimes takes years and always takes dedication. You will, however, clearly understand the strategic objectives toward which you are working, understand the necessary processes involved in meeting those objectives (and helping others meet them), appreciate your strengths and challenges, and feel increased confidence in your communication decisions and in the execution of those decisions.

REQUIRED MATERIALS

Required reading includes the text cited below as well as articles and cases distributed in class or via Blackboard. We will not be using the electronic “connect” materials related to the text.

Cardon, Peter W. Business Communication: Developing Leaders for a Networked World. 2nd edition. New York: Mc Graw-Hill, 2016.

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According to the publisher, a $90 e-book can be purchased at http://connect.mheducation.com/class/u-communication-library-course COURSE NOTES

Please note that BUAD 302 is not a speech course focused on delivery strategies designed to reach large audiences.

Sometimes students get this impression because many of the assignments are executed orally (thus allowing you to develop your small group communication skills). This is a course focused on developing your ability to design and execute messages that achieve strategic goals in business—a more complex and useful objective than the mere delivery of information.

BLACKBOARD

Major assignments, most handouts, and some readings will be posted to Blackboard. Other than the Syllabus (found in the Syllabus Section), you will find all documents in the Content Section.

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING CENTER (ELC) ACTIVITIES

Meetings in the ELCMany oral presentations, both graded and ungraded, will be videotaped in the Experiential Learning Center (ELC) in Fertitta Hall. Please note that we will meet in the Fertitta Hall ELC (Basement Level) on the dates listed on the Due Dates page.

Occasional ELC presentations and exercises might be scheduled for the ELC in Popovich Hall (3RD Floor). These will be clearly indicated on the Due Dates page.

You will also be videotaped while participating in assignments, exercises (e.g. a mock interview), and simulations in the Center. Because our time in the ELC is precious, punctual ELC attendance is important.

Professional dress is required whenever our class meets for a presentation or mock interview in the ELC (or a graded presentation in the classroom). The dress code for ELC exercises is usually casual. What an audience sees when you speak influences what it hears and thinks.

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PRIMARY ASSIGNMENTS, DUE DATES, AND ASSOCIATED PTS. (1,000 Pts. Possible)

ASSIGNMENT DUE DATE POINTS

Intrapersonal Comm. Exercise (ELC) 17 January

Company Presentation (ELC) 31 January 175

Case Presentations: C&O (ELC) 14 February 150

Employment Comm. (Res.+C.L.) Wkshp. 16 February

Gates Fdn. Peer Evaluation Wkshp. 23 February

Funding Presentation: Gates (ELC) 28 February 225

Career Center Orientation (In-class) 2 March (Tent.)

Spring Break 13 - 17 March Required (!)

Q & A Strategies Exercise (ELC) 21 March

HBR Article Presentations (In-class) 28 & 30 March 25

Mock Interview Exercise (ELC) 11 April

Career Survey Documents 13 April

Mock Interview Memos 20 April

Technical Presentations (In-class) 25 April & 27 April 275

Exam (In regular classroom) 10 May (Wed.) @ 8 am 150

Professionalism/Participation* Throughout term Can only negatively affect (Includes self-and-peer analyses) grade

SCHEDULE SUBJECT TO CHANGEChanges will be clearly announced

*Note: Daily attendance and full participation are baseline expectations. You do not receive credit for simply attending and participating in all classes. All satellite assignments and activities, in-class and otherwise, are also required. Failure to submit and/or attend and participate in any one of these assignments or activities will result in a deduction in your grade (for each missed assignment). In-class work cannot be made-up. Extra credit is not available. For further grading information and policies related to assignments, please refer to subsequent sections of the BUAD 302 syllabus.

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GRADING

Because of the Marshall School’s suggested targeted mean (3.0 for undergraduate core business classes), your ultimate grade in the course is determined by the absolute quality of your performance, the overall percentage score within the class, and your standing in the overall class (i.e. your ranking) at the end of the course. Striving for excellence will yield maximum learning and an enhanced opportunity to achieve the final grade you desire. But the influence of the Marshall grading averages is ineluctable. Most students who work hard throughout the semester with strategic focus will achieve a final grade in the ‘B’ range for the course.

To reframe this explanation: Final grades represent how you perform in the class relative to other students. Historically the average grade for this class is about a ‘B’. Three perspectives are considered when assigning final grades.

Your average weighted score as a percentage of the available points for all assignments (the points you receive divided by the number of points possible).

The overall average percentage score within the class. Your ranking among all students in the class.

In terms of grading in BUAD 302:

The grade on any individual assignment will be determined by its overall impact on its specified audience. Content (organization and development of argument), and expression of content (delivery), cannot be separated.

Be wary of a common misconception that 302 grades are largely determined by the ability to deliver presentations with confidence and conviction. This is an important skill that most everyone will develop over the course of the semester, but this is much more than a skills course. A more important and difficult challenge is the strategic one around which this course is built—the development of appropriate analytical, organizational, and persuasive strategies that allow for the realization of complex communication objectives.

In the interest of equity to all students, grades are determined by the work product you deliver. Effort, time invested, and improvement—although important factors in your development—do not form the basis of individual or final grades.

When evaluating group work, your individual performance (delivery) will be considered separately from the group; however, the group is collectively responsible for the content, organization, and overall impact of the project.

A WORKING DEFINITION OF ‘A’ QUALITY WORK

Outstanding or exceptional work represents an ‘A’ in terms of absolute quality.

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‘A’ work reflects mastery of course concepts, tools, and techniques, plus a solid understanding of implications, applications, or interrelationships, as may be appropriate.‘A’ work also reflects your ability to apply and express that understanding with meaningful language. In business, this would mean your manager would accept the work with no revision, be willing to put his or her name on it, and send it forward.

To put it another way, an ‘A’ on a written or oral communication signifies that the communication: Contains an articulate, astute, early statement of the purpose, main idea, and the key

supporting arguments Demonstrates strategic content development (argument and evidence) and intelligent

organization based on careful audience and situational analysis Recognizes and addresses complexities through thoughtful analysis; incorporates and

discusses necessary counter arguments Includes influential supportive details; makes evidence “speak” for the audience Employs a style and tone appropriate to the audience and context Utilizes articulate language, appropriate persuasive tools, and memorability devices Maximizes symbiosis between content and expression of content Achieves the desired impact on the audience while maintaining a positive relationship with

that audience for successive communication challenges.

REVIEW OF GRADES

If an assignment is returned to you and you believe that some error has occurred in the grading, you can, within one week of the date the assignment is returned, request—using a memo—that I re-evaluate the assignment. If necessary, I am glad to clarify my commentary on returned as-signments (after you have had time to digest the commentary), but if you wish to discuss your grade, you must initiate the discussion with a memo. Any reference and discussion of grades (written or otherwise) must be initiated and conducted with diplomacy and thoughtfulness.

If you are requesting a grade review, the original assignment or presentation evaluation form should be attached to your memo. The memo should fully and carefully explain why you think the assignment should be re-evaluated. Arguing that “I worked hard and put in a lot of time” or simply saying “I don’t understand why I received this grade” are neither full nor careful explana-tions. Remember that the re-evaluation process can result in three types of grade adjustments: positive, none, and negative.

REPORTING OF GRADES

I will not post final grades, and they will not be given out by the department or by me. I cannot provide your final grades before they are available through the university.

GRADING INSIGHT FROM PREVIOUS STUDENTS

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The assignments in this course are not “long”—presentation limits may be set at five minutes; a memo may be only one or two pages. In business, an audience’s time is precious and difficult to elicit; messages must achieve maximum impact in a short amount of time.Perhaps the most frequent, post-302 comments I hear from students are reflected in the following:

“I didn’t realize it would take so much thought, analysis, evaluation, polish, and time to meet all of the expectations packed into a five-minute presentation or short memo.”

“At the beginning of the semester I would quickly draft a presentation and then put all of my time into delivery practice. My time would have been much better spent re-examining my arguments and organizational structure to determine if I was fulfilling the intent of the assignment. This refocusing on content development also resulted in an improved delivery.”

“Consider each graded presentation assignment as an exam on the material covered in the class up to that point. Graded presentations are not for practice, but to demonstrate mastery of material.”

“Do not mistake Professor Dipprey’s kindness and encouragement for weakness or lax standards. She will hold you to a rigorous standard in terms of both quality of submitted work and behavior. She’s very nice, but she’s not your mom!”

Please remain aware that astute audience analysis, organizational clarity, and persuasive content must interact productively with effectively executed elements of delivery throughout a presentation. This takes thought and time. To test for this level of polish, only a portion of certain assignments will be evaluated to determine a score.

PARTICIPATION AND PROFESSIONALISM

Robust participation, attendance, and professionalism are baseline expectations. You do not receive “credit” for simply coming to class and participating. Hence, participation and professionalism (or lack thereof) will only negatively affect your grade if expectations are not met. Please pay particular attention to the astute preparation of self-and-peer evaluation expectations after most assignments and exercises (these will be clearly outlined).

TO SUCCEED IN THE COURSE / MORE ON PROFESSIONALISM

Professional behavior is expected and includes turning in assignments on time, coming to class fully prepared even if you were unable to attend a previous class, and initiating timely and diplomatic communication with me about any troubles you are having with any aspect of the course. Also, as in business, attention to detail will facilitate your success in this class.

In short, I expect you will actively participate in and take responsibility for your own learning—and to respect and promote the learning process of your colleagues.

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These behaviors, along with peer-and-self evaluations, will be considered as part of the “professionalism” portion of your overall grade, together with the customary expectations about attendance, participation, and punctuality.

Lack of civility, in any context, will not be tolerated.“Behavior that persistently or grossly interferes with classroom activities is considered disruptive behavior and may be subject to disciplinary action. Such behavior inhibits other students’ ability to learn and an instructor’s ability to teach. A students responsible for disruptive behavior may be required to leave class pending discussion and resolution of the problem and may be reported to the office of Student Judicial Affairs for disciplinary action.” (USC Student Affairs Guidelines)

ATTENDENCE / IF YOU NEED TO MISS A CLASS SESSION

I anticipate that you will be present in every class, and ready to begin work at the time class is scheduled to start. Should you need to be absent – either because of an illness or because you believe that there is something you must do that is more important than attending class – I will expect to receive an e-mail message from you prior to the start of class. You do not need to tell me why you will be absent. Keep in mind that this e-mail in advance of class does not “excuse” your absence – it simply shows me that you are taking responsibility for choosing to do something else during class time. Multiple absences, even when accompanied by conscientious notification, may be viewed as unprofessional behavior.

If you miss a class session, you still need to come to the next class fully prepared. Please contact a classmate before the next class meeting. Ask them for announcements, lecture notes, readings, assignments, etc. If you discussed the missed class session with a classmate, and you still feel you need further clarification or interpretation of the material covered, I will be glad to help. But please don’t send me an e-mail asking me to tell you what you missed in class. Of course, if a major illness or emergency arises, I will work with you to accommodate the situation.

Again, remember that absence from class, a pattern of lateness, or lack of participation and/or inattention will adversely affect your grade (in the same way that such behavior would adversely affect your performance evaluations in a professional setting).

ASSIGNMENT SPECIFICS AND LOGISTICS

Please recognize that BUAD 302 is a difficult and intimidating course for many students. I expect the class to operate as a learning community. Please have respect and offer support to your colleagues as they work to develop their individual skill levels.

In this class, as in business, you’re expected to complete your projects on time. Assignments are due at the beginning of the class period on the date assigned. Any assignment turned in late may receive half credit as a starting point.

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All written assignments and graded presentations must be completed; failing to complete even a single assignment may result in an “F” in the course.

Please check your USC e-mail account regularly in case I send any assignment clarifications.

Please indicate your full name ( and name you preferred to be called if appropriate) and class meeting time on all submitted documents (and e-mails ) .

MISSING CLASS ON A DAY AN ASSIGNMENT IS DUE

Due to ELC scheduling constraints, making up ELC presentations is not possible. If it is absolutely necessary for you to miss an ELC presentation and a make-up opportunity is granted, you will need to deliver your presentation to the class at the beginning of the subsequent class session. If you are unable to attend class on the day a written assignment is due, make arrangements for it to be delivered to the classroom or to my mailbox in ACC 400 by the start of class. Please ask my permission before submitting a written assignment via e-mail if you miss class on the day work is due.

PROTOCOL FOR MEETINGS / QUESTIONS RELATED TO ASSIGNMENTS

Please have your assignment-related questions prepared early. We will discuss each assignment multiple times; it benefits everyone to discuss questions in the classroom.

Of course, you can also make appointments to discuss questions and ideas in office hours—but please book these appointments as far in advance as possible. I hold generous office hours (especially before major assignments), but I will hold these office hours the week before the assignment is due. I will also stop answering assignment-related email questions after the class session preceding the due date for the assignment. Holding last minute meetings—and answering last minute emails—related to assignments only promotes procrastination and creates false urgency for everyone involved. You must begin working on assignments when you receive them.

Also, in general, all substantive questions need to be discussed in person (versus via email) thereby allowing us to take advantage of the nuance and richness only available through in-person communication. Discussing such complex things as development of argument over the email is next-to-impossible—and it frequently leads to students asking me to do the work for them.

If we meet to discuss assignments, I am here to help. However, we will not have a productive meeting unless you have devoted significant thought and time to the assignment before we meet. Remember that I expect you to generate specific questions and ideas regarding your work versus just asking me to “look it over” or asking me to tell you “if you’re on the right track.”

ORAL ASSIGNMENTS TIPS AND INSIGHTS

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You learn as much from observing and critiquing presentations as you do from making presentations. Be an attentive, active listener when others are making presentations. You will be asked to critically evaluate the performance of your classmates as well as yourself throughout the semester. My assessment of your level of overall professionalism in class will be deeply influenced by the thoughtfulness with which you listen to and evaluate the work of others—and the astuteness of your self-evaluations.

In terms of presentation delivery, I am particularly interested in your ability to connect with your audience (we’ll be focused on smaller audiences composed of 30 or fewer members), engage them in your ideas, and retain your credibility. It is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to make this connection when you are reading your presentation or reciting it word-for-word after committing it to memory. Reading verbatim – or even appearing to read or recite – a presentation will lower your grade significantly as will an inability to establish sustained eye contact throughout a presentation.

It is permissible to use notes, but you must resist the temptation to write out your presentation in complete sentences and memorize it. Doing this is virtually guaranteed to deal a deathblow to your effectiveness as a presenter.

Many 302 students report that even with much rehearsal, the delivery aspects of their presentations do not develop as quickly as they would like. Most of the time, this is due to inadequate preparation of the content and organization of the material. To deliver a message with conviction and confidence, you must believe in the value of your content and its relevance and worth to your audience. A hastily prepared presentation rarely yields such a delivery.

WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT LOGISTICS

The Marshall School of Business computing environment supports the Microsoft Office bundle of productivity tools. All assignments must be prepared with these tools – or tools that produce compatible files – and printed on a laser or inkjet printer.

All assignments should be prepared on an 8 ½” x 11” paper. I expect all of your written work to be formatted with 1” margins, and using a 12-point typeface. All parts of multi-page assignments should be stapled together in the upper left corner. Please do not enclose any of your work in binders or folders. Again, please indicate your full name and the time your class meets on all documents.

Where a bibliography, reference notes, or other stylistic requirements are used, the information must conform to a standard style manual (APA or MLA). Your written assignments should be free of spelling, punctuation, or grammar errors. Any errors in mechanics reduce the effectiveness of written communication and will dramatically lower your grade.

MARSHALL ADMINSTRATIVE MATTERS AND GUIDELINES

ADD/DROP POLICY

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In compliance with Marshall School of Business policies, BUAD 302 classes are open enrollment (R-clearance) through the first week of classes. All classes are closed (switched to D-clearance) at the end of the first week.

Please be advised that you will be dropped from the class if you don’t attend the first two sessions in classes that meet twice a week, or if you don’t attend the first session in classes that meet once a week.

If you are absent six or more times prior to the drop date (the last day to withdraw from a course with a grade of “W”), you may be asked to withdraw from the class (by the drop date). These policies maintain professionalism and ensure a system that is fair to all students.

TECHNOLOGY POLICY

Important Note: Please silence all electronic devices before class and stow them in your bag or backpack. Please do not check your electronic messages in class. I also ask that you do not work on your computer during class (even for taking notes); this has proved to be an unfailing distraction to other students in the class.

My request regarding wireless devices is in keeping with the Marshall School’s Wireless Environment Protocol. It states:

Laptop and Internet usage is not permitted during academic or professional sessions unless otherwise stated by the respective professor and/or staff. Use of other personal communication devices, such as cell phones, is considered unprofessional and is not permitted during academic or professional sessions. ANY e-devices (cell phones, PDAs, I-Phones, Blackberries, other texting devices, laptops, I-pods) must be completely turned off during class time. You might also be asked to deposit your devices in a designated area in the classroom. Videotaping faculty lectures is not permitted due to copyright infringement regulations. Audio taping may be permitted if approved by the professor for persons with disabilities. Use of any recorded or distributed material is reserved exclusively for the USC students registered in this class.

FOOD IN THE CLASSROOM

Please do not consume food in the classroom. This is another unfailing distraction to other students in the class.

USC ADMINSTRATIVE MATTERS AND GUIDELINES

STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

Any student requesting academic accommodations based on a disability is required to register with Disability Services and Programs (DSP) each semester. A letter of verification for approved accommodations can be obtained from DSP. Please be sure the letter is delivered to me as early

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in the semester as possible. DSP is located in GFS 120. The phone number for DSP is (213) 740-0776. Their email address is ability@usc.edu.

STATEMENT ON ACADEMIC INTEGRITY AND COPYRIGHT NOTICE

USC seeks to maintain an optimal learning environment. General principles of academic honesty include the concept of respect for the intellectual property of others, the expectation that individual work will be submitted unless otherwise allowed by an instructor, and the obligations both to protect one’s own academic work from misuse by others as well as to avoid using another’s work as one’s own. All students are expected to understand and abide by these principles. SCampus, the Student Guidebook, (www.usc.edu/scampus or http://scampus.usc.edu) contains the University Student Conduct Code (see University Governance, Section 11.00), while the recommended sanctions are located in Appendix A.

Students will be referred to the Office of Student Judicial Affairs and Community Standards for further review, should there be any suspicion of academic dishonesty. The Review process can be found at: http://www.usc.edu/student-affairs/SJACS/. Failure to adhere to the academic conduct standards set forth by these guidelines and our programs will not be tolerated by the USC Marshall community and can lead to dismissal.

It is a violation of USC’s Academic Integrity Policies to share course materials with others without permission from the instructor. No student may record any lecture, class discussion or meeting with me without my prior express written permission.  The word “record” or the act of recording includes, but is not limited to, any and all means by which sound or visual images can be stored, duplicated or retransmitted whether by an electro-mechanical, analog, digital, wire, electronic or other device or any other means of signal encoding.  The professor reserves all rights, including copyright, to their lectures, course syllabi and related materials, including summaries, PowerPoints, prior exams, answer keys, and all supplementary course materials available to the students enrolled in their class whether posted on Blackboard or otherwise.  They may not be reproduced, distributed, copied, or disseminated in any media or in any form, including but not limited to all course note-sharing websites.  Exceptions are made for students who have made prior arrangements with   DSP and the professor .  

Students are expected to be familiar with USC’s Academic Integrity Policies (i.e., copying, fraudulent possession of an exam, plagiarism, submission of purchased papers, submitting the same assignment to more than one instructor) and be aware of recommended sanctions (i.e., an ‘F’ for the course, suspension or expulsion) associated with violating such policies. See Appendix A in the SCAMPUS Guidebook (cited above) for more detail.

STATEMENT ON ACADEMIC CONDUCT AND SUPPORT SYSTEMS

Academic Conduct

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Plagiarism – presenting someone else’s ideas as your own, either verbatim or recast in your own words – is a serious academic offense with serious consequences. Please familiarize yourself with the discussion of plagiarism in

SCampus in Section 11, Behavior Violating University Standardshttps://scampus.usc.edu/1100-behavior-violating-university-standards-and-appropriate-sanctions/. Other forms of academic dishonesty are equally unacceptable. See additional information in SCampus and university policies on scientific misconduct, http://policy.usc.edu/scientific-misconduct/.

Discrimination, sexual assault, and harassment are not tolerated by the university. You are encouraged to report any incidents to the Office of Equity and Diversity http://equity.usc.edu/ or to the Department of Public Safety http://dps.usc.edu/contact/report/. This is important for the safety whole USC community. Another member of the university community – such as a friend, classmate, advisor, or faculty member – can help initiate the report, or can initiate the report on behalf of another person. Relationship and Sexual Violence Prevention and Services (RSVP) https://engemannshc.usc.edu/rsvp/ provides 24/7 confidential support, and the sexual assault resource center webpage https://sarc.usc.edu/reporting-options/ describes reporting options and other resources.

Support Systems

A number of USC’s schools provide support for students who need help with scholarly writing. Check with your advisor or program staff to find out more. Students whose primary language is not English should check with the American Language Institute http://dornsife.usc.edu/ali which sponsors courses and workshops specifically for international graduate students. The Office of Disability Services and Programs www.usc.edu/disability provides certification for students with disabilities and helps arrange the relevant accommodations. If an officially declared emergency makes travel to campus infeasible, USC Emergency Information http://emergency.usc.edu / will provide safety and other updates, including ways in which instruction will be continued by means of blackboard, teleconferencing, and other technology.

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS / COURSE CONTINUITY

In case of a declared emergency if travel to campus is not feasible, USC executive leadership will announce an electronic way for instructors to teach students in their residence halls or homes using a combination of Blackboard, teleconferencing, and other technologies.

Please activate your course in Blackboard with access to the course syllabus. Whether or not you use Blackboard regularly, these preparations will be crucial in an emergency. USC's Blackboard learning management system and support information is available at blackboard.usc.edu.

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COURSE CALENDAR / LEARNING LINKS (Note: Schedule Is Subject To Change)

This following represents the overarching themes and organization of the course including the weekly flow of lectures, discussions, and activities.  Since BUAD 302 is in great part a discussion-based course, and each class unfolds in its own unique way, there will be some deviation from the Learning Links plan.  However, the Primary Due Dates should remain firm.

Date Concepts Due Dates Advances Following Course Objectives

1/10 Course introduction; Building a learning community; Managing the communication process—focus on audience analysis; Listening in the business context

1, 2

1/12 Building a learning community continued; Organizational strategies designed to influence

Read: SyllabusSubmit: Completed Student Profile + Signed Syllabus Contract + Signed Transportation Waiver

1, 2

1/17 ELC: Know Thyself Exercise—Intrapersonal communication and the objective assessment of worth to the marketplace

2, 3

1/19 Debrief intrapersonal communication exercise; Organizational strategies designed to influence continued

Read (text): “Dear Students” Letter; Ch. 1 Establishing Credibility; Ch. 2 Principles of Interpersonal Communication; Ch. 5 Creating Effective Business Messages (through pg. 141)

1, 2, 3

1/24 Advancing persuasive messages through non-verbal communication and delivery strategies

1, 2, 5

1/26 Applied persuasion in employment communication—the integrated persuasive appeal; Building a written argument (cover letter and resume)

Read (text): Ch. 14 Planning Presentations; Ch. 15 Delivering Presentations

2, 3, 4

1/31 ELC: Company Presentation—presenting a strategic oral message; Self-and-peer evaluations

Deliver: Company PresentationSubmit: Presentation Outline

2, 3

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2/2 Debrief company presentation; Persuasion—exerting effective and ethical influence through the process of learning and negotiating

Read: C&O Case 1, 2, 3, 4

2/7 Persuasion continued—making evidence “speak”; The integrated persuasive appeal in employment com. continued—building an oral argument (interviewing)

Read: Necessary Art of Persuasion HBR Article (This article will be the focus of the class session.)

1, 2, 3, 4

2/9 Interviewing continued 2, 3, 4

2/14 ELC: C&O Presentation—presenting a competitive, persuasive case; Weighted peer evaluations

Deliver: C&O Presentation 2, 3, 4, 5

2/16 Debrief C&O; Employment communication workshop—analyzing written arguments with constructive and actionable feedback to peers

Read (text): Ch. 16 Employment CommunicationBring: Five copies of ad + cover letter + resume for peer-evaluation workshop

2, 3, 5

2/21 Argument as the centerpiece of persuasion; Gates presentation preparation

Read: Writing an Argument HBR Article (This article will be the focus of the class session.)

2, 3, 4

2/23 Analyzing arguments with constructive and actionable feedback to peers

Bring: Four copies of polished Gates outline (specific arguments and evidence) for peer evaluation workshop

1, 2, 3, 4, 5

2/28 ELC: Midterm Presentation/ Gates Foundation—Presenting an argument; Self-and-peer evaluation of arguments and evidence; Mid-term course evaluations

Deliver: Gates PresentationSubmit: Presentation Outline

2, 3, 4

3/2 Career Center orientation(tentative)

2, 3

3/7 Ethical use of persuasion—examining The “Science” of Persuasion according to Cialdini

Read (text): Ch. 10 Persuasive Messages (through pg. 281)

1, 2, 3, 4

3/9 Managing the communication process re-examined—business writing review

1, 2, 3

3/14 & 3/16 Spring Break Required rest, relaxation, and recreation

3/21 ELC: Q&A Strategies Exercise—credibility and trust in high relief

2, 3

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3/23 Advancing persuasion through visual aids; Discuss Mock Interview assignment; Introduction to Technical Interpretation assignment; Interpreting and communicating expertise to a lay audience—an applied communication challenge often central to persuasion

2, 3

3/28 HBR Article Presentations (In-class); Teaching in the professional context; Developing assessment tools; Critical challenges in organizational communication—Active Listening, Communication Across Cultures, Collaboration and Conflict, Emotional Intelligence, Self-Branding, Consequences of Technology in Interpersonal Communication, Meeting Management, Traps in Decision Making and Problem Solving, Visual Display of Quantitative Information, Advanced Presentation Strategies

Deliver: HBR Article PresentationBring: HBR Presentation assessment tool [31 copies] and exam questions [1 copy]Read: HBR Articles as assigned for Article Presentation Assignment. These HBR articles include: Active Listening; Communicating Across Cultures; Want Collaboration? (Collaboration and Conflict); What Makes a Leader (Emotional Intelligence); The Brand Called You; Stop Wasting Valuable Time (Meeting Mgmt); Hidden Traps in Decision Making; The Human Moment; The Cognitive Style of PowerPoint; Advanced Presentation Strategies; and additional articles as assigned

1, 2, 3, 4, 5

3/30 HBR Article Presentations (In-class); Teaching in the professional context; Developing assessment tools; Critical challenges in organizational communication—See above for topics

Deliver: HBR Article Presentation Bring: HBR Presentation assessment tool [31 copies] and exam questions [1 copy]Read (text): Ch. 3 Team Communication, and Difficult Conversations; Ch. 4 Communicating Across Cultures

1, 2, 3, 4, 5

4/4 Developing and advancing ideas through small-group process and team strategies; Lessons from cognitive psychology—understanding memory limitations in absorbing, processing, storing, and retrieving information

Bring: Your job description, cover letter, and resume for the Mock Interview exercise. Deliver these items to your interview partner.

1, 5

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4/6 Personal and professional ethics; Advancing persuasion through group presentation strategies

2, 4, 5

4/11 ELC: Mock Interview—Executing the integrated persuasive appeal

Complete: Mock InterviewBring: Your own job description + signed cover letter + resume and partner’s interview script (the one you developed) + partner’s job description

2, 3, 5

4/13 Advancing persuasion through leveraging language; Assess technical presentation progress and goals with team

Submit: Career survey documents 3, 5

4/18 Learning through creation of assessment tools—Create-the-Exam exercise

1, 2, 3, 4, 5

4/20 Exam tips; Technical presentation preparation; Creating peer assessment/retention evaluations; Technical team conferences with professor

Submit: Mock interview self-evaluation memo

2, 3, 5

4/25 Technical Interpretation Presentation (In-class)—Learning links realized

Deliver: Technical PresentationSubmit: Presentation slides for professor [one hard copy, color, six slides/page, single-sided] Bring: Peer content quiz [31 copies]

2, 3, 5

4/27 Technical Interpretation Presentation (In-class)—Learning links realized

Deliver: Technical PresentationSubmit: Presentation slides for professor [one hard copy, color, six slides/page, single-sided] Bring: Peer content quiz [31 copies]

2, 3, 5

5/10 @ 8amWednesday; Regular classroom

Final Exam—Assessing learning links

Complete: Final exam 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

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ALIGNMENT OF BUAD 302 WITH MARSHALL’S PROGRAM GOALS

Following, you will find the explanation of the alignment of BUAD 302 Course Learning Objectives (cited on page two of this document) and assignments with Marshall’s Six Undergraduate Program Learning Goals to further understand how BUAD 302 integrates with the larger Marshall curriculum.

Alignment of Course Learning Objectives with Marshall’s Six Undergraduate Program Learning Goals

Goal #

Marshall Program Learning Goal Description Covered in this Course

(Goals 3, 5, 6 and relevant selected sub-goals)

Emphasis/Relation to

Course Objectives

Relevant Course Assignments

3 Our graduates will demonstrate critical thinking skills so as to become future-oriented decision makers, problem solvers and innovators.Specifically, students will:3.1 Students will understand the concepts of critical thinking,3.2 Critically analyze concepts, theories and processes by stating them in their own words, understanding key components, identifying assumptions, indicating how they are similar to and different from others and translating them to the real world.3.3 Be effective at gathering, storing, and using qualitative and quantitative data and at using analytical tools and frameworks to understand and solve business problems.3.4 Demonstrate the ability to anticipate, identify and solve business problems. They will be able to identify and assess central problems, identify and evaluate potential solutions, and translate a chosen solution to an implementation plan that considers future contingencies.

Moderate(Course learning

objectives 2, 3, 4)

All course assignments require critical thinking skills. These include:

Company PresentationC & O Case PresentationGates Foundation PresentationHBR Article PresentationTechnical Interpretation PresentationPeer Evaluations and Self Analyses for all major assignments—Post-assignment (Written)Evaluation of Peer Arguments—Pre- assignment (Written)Integrated Persuasive Appeal: Resume/Cover Letter (Written) and Mock InterviewMock Interview Analyses (Written)Career-Survey Documents (Written)Final Written ExamELC Ethics ExerciseELC Organizational Comm. ExerciseELC Difficult Questions StrategiesELC Intrapersonal Comm. ExerciseAssigned Readings (text, articles, and cases)Quizzes on Readings (Written)Class DiscussionsBuilding –an-Argument Exercise (Written)Create-the-Exam Exercise (Written)

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5 Our graduates will demonstrate ethical reasoning skills, understand social, civic, and professional responsibilities and aspire to add value to society.Specifically, students will:5.1 Understand professional codes of conduct.5.2 Recognize ethical challenges in business situations and assess appropriate courses of action.

Moderate(Course learning

objectives 2, 3, 4, 5)

ELC Ethics ExerciseDiscussions and readings of ethics in persuasion (Cialdini/Conger)Discussions of personal and organizational ethics and professional codes of conductAssigned Readings (text, articles, and cases)

6 Our graduates will be effective communicators to facilitate information flow in organizational, social, and intercultural contexts. Specifically, students will:6.1 Identify and assess diverse personal and organizational communication goals and audience information needs. 6.2 Understand individual and group communications patterns and dynamics in organizations and other professional contexts.6.3 Demonstrate an ability to gather and disseminate information and communicate it clearly, logically, and persuasively in professional contexts.

High(Course learning

objectives 1-5)

All major assignments and activities require audience, purpose, and

situational analysis, and the tailoring of content and expression of content

accordingly. These include:Company PresentationC & O Case PresentationGates Foundation PresentationHBR Article PresentationDeveloping Assessment Tools Assignment (Written)Technical Interpretation PresentationPeer Evaluations and Self Analyses for all major assignments—Post-assignment (Written)Evaluation of Peer Arguments—Pre- assignment (Written)Integrated Persuasive Appeal: Resume/Cover Letter (Written) and Mock InterviewMock Interview Analyses (Written)Career-Survey Documents (Written)Final Written ExamELC Ethics ExerciseELC Organizational Comm. ExerciseELC Difficult Questions StrategiesELC Intrapersonal Comm. ExerciseAssigned Readings (text, articles, and cases)Quizzes on Readings (Written)Class DiscussionsBuilding –an-Argument Exercise (Written)Create-the-Exam Exercise (Written)Self-Assessment Tools (Written)Employment Comm. Workshop (Written)Small-Group Process and Team Strategies Document (Written)

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AND LASTLY… Welcome.

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