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2016/2017  BA-BINMO1073U  Introduction to organizational communication

English Title
Introduction to organizational communication

Course information
Language English
Course ECTS 7.5 ECTS
Type Mandatory
Level Bachelor
Duration One Quarter
Start time of the course Second Quarter
Timetable Course schedule will be posted at calendar.cbs.dk
Study board
Study Board for BA in Information Management
Course coordinator
  • Matthias Trier - Department of IT Management (ITM)
Teacher: Mareike Buss
Main academic disciplines
  • Communication
Last updated on 10-08-2016
Learning objectives
To achieve the grade 12, students should meet the following learning objectives with no or only minor mistakes or errors: At the end of this course, students should be able to provide a theoretically grounded analysis of a concrete case. More specifically, they should be able to:
  • explain concepts and theories relevant to organizational communication
  • identify and describe organizational communication processes and problems in a concrete case
  • analyze organizational communication processes and problems by drawing on the course readings, i. e. argue for the relevance of the chosen theoretical framework(s), explain and use theoretical key concepts, select, present, and interpret relevant evidence from the case
  • reflect on the limitations and weaknesses of the given account
Examination
Introduction to Organizational Communication:
Exam ECTS 7,5
Examination form Home assignment - written product
Individual or group exam Individual exam
Size of written product Max. 5 pages
Assignment type Written assignment
Duration Written product to be submitted on specified date and time.
Grading scale 7-step scale
Examiner(s) One internal examiner
Exam period Winter and Winter
Make-up exam/re-exam
Same examination form as the ordinary exam
Course content and structure

The course introduces the field of organizational communication research. Basic concepts, theories, and practices relevant to organizational communication are presented and critically discussed. The students are provided with an understanding of how organizational communication flows are influenced by different factors, among others organizational structure and organizational culture.
Topics include:

  • ICTs and organizational communication
  • Communication in bureaucratic and post-bureaucratic organizations
  • Organizational communication and culture
  • Social relationships and communication networks
  • Leadership
  • Participatory structures and organizational power mechanisms
  • Organizational conflict
  • Organizational change
Teaching methods
Lectures and workshops
Student workload
Lectures 15 hours
Workshops 15 hours
Feedback on written assignments 6 hours
Preparation for classes 120 hours
Exam preparation and exam 50 hours
Expected literature

Textbooks
Cheney, G., Christensen, L.T., Zorn jr., T.E.., & Ganesh, S. (2011). Organizational Communication in an Age of Globalization. 2nd ed. Long Grove: Waveland.
Griffin, E., Ledbetter, A., & Sparks, G. (2015). A First Look at Communication Theory. 9th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill. (from 1. quarter)
                                      
E-compendium (on CBS Learn)
Barker, J.R. (1993). Tightening the iron cage: Concertive control in self-managing teams.Administrative Science Quarterly, 38(3), 408-437.
Courtright, J.A., Fairhurst, G.T., & Rogers, L.E. (1989). Interaction patterns in organic and mechanistic systems. The Academy of Management Journal, 32(4), 773-802.
Cross, R., & Prusak, L. (2002). The people who make organizations go - or stop. Harvard Business Review, 80(6), 104-112.
Krackhardt, D., & Hanson, J.R. (1993). Informal networks: The company behind the charts. Harvard Business Review, 71(4), 104-111.
Martin, J., & Siehl, C. (1983). Organizational culture and counterculture: An uneasy symbiosis. Organizational Dynamics, 12(2), 52-64.
Morgan, G. (2006). Images of Organization. London: Sage. (extracts)
Orlikowski, W. J. (2010). The sociomateriality of organisational life: Considering technology in management research. Cambridge Journal of Economics, 34, 125-141.
Schein, E. H. (2010). Organizational Culture and Leadership. 4th ed. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. (extracts)
Tourish, D., & Hargie, O. (2004). Motivating critical upward communication: A key challenge for management decision making. In D. Tourish & O. Hargie (Eds.), Key Issues in Organizational Communication (pp. 188-204). London: Routledge.
Last updated on 10-08-2016