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2023/2024  BA-BHAAI1102U  Persuasive Business Communication - Live Case

English Title
Persuasive Business Communication - Live Case

Course information
Language English
Course ECTS 7.5 ECTS
Type Elective
Level Bachelor
Duration Summer
Start time of the course Summer
Timetable Course schedule will be posted at calendar.cbs.dk
Min. participants 30
Max. participants 100
Study board
Study Board for BSc in Economics and Business Administration
Course coordinator
  • Viktor Smith - Department of Management, Society and Communication (MSC)
Main academic disciplines
  • CSR and sustainability
  • Communication
  • Marketing
Teaching methods
  • Face-to-face teaching
Last updated on 22-11-2023

Relevant links
Learning objectives
To achieve the grade 12, students should meet the following learning objectives with no or only minor mistakes or errors:
  • Apply theories, models, best practices, and tools associated with persuasive communication on a live business case
  • Demonstrate strategic insight into setting and pursuing commercial goals and uncovering and analysing competitive or stakeholder challenges that could be alleviated with persuasive communication
  • Understand how a company can engage its audiences through a variety of persuasive communicative means and techniques. This includes understanding the basic psychological mechanisms that underlie consumers’ attitude formation and decision-making and the potential impact of different sorts and mixes of communicative resources across a variety of media and channels
  • Recognize the extent to which present-day consumers scrutinize companies’ businesses and communicative practices, also on issues well beyond their products/services and how communication can heighten customer satisfaction. This includes how a company communicates its values through CSR, issues management and stakeholder relations
Course prerequisites
none
Examination
Persuasive Business Communication - Live Case:
Exam ECTS 7,5
Examination form Home assignment - written product
Individual or group exam Individual exam
Size of written product Max. 10 pages
The written assignment must be max. 10 pages, excluding appendices.
Assignment type Project
Release of assignment An assigned subject is released in class
Duration Written product to be submitted on specified date and time.
Grading scale 7-point grading scale
Examiner(s) One internal examiner
Exam period Summer, Course and exam timetable are/will be available on https:/​/​www.cbs.dk/​en/​study/​cbs-summer-university/​courses-and-exams
Make-up exam/re-exam
Same examination form as the ordinary exam
Retake exam: 72-hour home project assignment, max. 10 pages, new exam question.
If the number of registered candidates for the make-up examination/re-take examination warrants that it may most appropriately be held as an oral examination, the programme office will inform the students that the make-up examination/re-take examination will be held as an oral examination instead.
Description of the exam procedure

On the basis of their work with a live case in class, including group presentations of a campaign proposal to an external client (see below for further details), the students will write their final individual exam papers. The papers should further motivate and explain the theoretical, methodological and practical considerations behind the development of the proposed campaign and suggest possible improvements.

 

 
Course content, structure and pedagogical approach

This course examines how businesses excel (or stumble) based on how well they tap the widening power and reach of persuasive communication nationally and across borders in today's digital age.

 

Students explore how different theories of persuasion and communication strategies and tools based on them are implemented in companies’ increasingly multimodal and transmedial marketing communication and other communicative efforts to engage consumers, B2B partners, and other stakeholders. This includes understanding the potential impact of different sorts and mixes of communicative messages and resources (words, texts, pictures, films, colours, immediate sensory experiences) across a variety of media and channels. It also includes corporate storytelling, relationship building, leadership, advocacy, negotiation and other strategic elements  applied  to strengthen companies and brands, building positive reputation, driving sales and enhancing customer loyalty.

 

Lectures, readings, and video clips also provide insight about communicating persuasively when developing new markets, managing ongoing business issues, and dealing with controversies and cognitive dissonance among target groups.
Description of the teaching methods
Lectures, slide decks, video clips and class discussion build upon the required readings. Small-team exercise and activities are assigned at various sessions. The classes will include an extensive element of team teaching where two (or more) instructors complement each other and engage dynamically with the class.

Throughout the course, the students will be working with a live case developed in collaboration with an external company or other real-life partner. The students will form their own virtual communication ‘agencies’ and develop and pitch alternative (competing) proposals for a persuasive marketing campaign for an external client. On that background, the students will subsequently write their individual exam papers in which they further motivate and explain the theoretical, methodological and practical considerations behind the development of the proposed campaign.

The course content and progression has been tailored to support the participants' development of the Nordic Nine competencies which constitute an overarching benchmark for all courses taught at CBS. Particular emphasis is placed on the ability to think across discipline boundaries, engage in constructive but critical dialogue in the course of teamwork, and combine value creation via persuasive communication with social responsibility. Read more about Nordic Nine here: https:/​/​www.cbs.dk/​nordic-nine.
Feedback during the teaching period
Discussion and student questions are encouraged at all sessions.

Students will analyze and themselves propose concrete persuasive communication solutions accompanied by class-wide discussion and instructor's critique.

The student will have the opportunity to hand in a concise preliminary outline (synopsis) for their individual exam papers based on their live case work for individual feedback.
Student workload
Preliminary assignment 20 hours
Classroom attendance 38 hours
Preparation 121 hours
Feedback activity 7 hours
Examination 20 hours
Further Information

6-week course.

 

Preliminary Assignment: The Nordic Nine pre-course is foundational for the summer university and identical for all bachelor courses. Students will receive an invitation with all details by the end of May. The assignment has two parts. 1.) online lectures and tutorials that student can access at their own time and 2.) one synchronous workshop which will be offered both online and in-person at several dates and times before the official start of the summer university courses. Sign-up is first come first serve. All students are expected to complete this assignment before classes begin.

 
Expected literature

O'Keefe, D. J. (2015). Persuasion: Theory and Research. Sage Publications. 

 

Kotler, P., Hessekiel, D., & Lee, N. R. (2012). Good Works!: Marketing and Corporate Initiatives that Build a Better World... and the Bottom Line. John Wiley & Sons.

 

Fill, C., & Turnbull, S. L. (2019). Marketing Communications: Touchpoints, Sharing and Disruption. Pearson.

 

Additional mandatory and recommended readings in the shape of articles, book chapters, cases, etc. on timely issues and communication topics will be listed in the final course plan and on the course site.

 

The materials will be made  available free on Canvas in so far as they are covered by a CBS Library license. Some materials may need to be purchased.

 

Students are responsible for independent reading and other desk and field research tied to their specific Live Case campaign proposal and final exam paper.
Last updated on 22-11-2023