Bachelor 2020/2021

Corporate Culture and Business Communication

Type: Elective course (Foreign Languages and Intercultural Communication)

Area of studies: Linguistics

Delivered by: School of Foreign Languages

Where: School of Foreign Languages

When: 3 year, 3, 4 module

Mode of studies: offline

Instructors: Михеева Наталья Дмитриевна, Alina Budnikova, Red Bushetara, Kamilla Chotсhaeva, Ekaterina Kolesnikova, Elena Lutkova, Nadezhda Vradiy

Language: English

ECTS credits: 5

Contact hours: 66

Course Syllabus

Abstract

The course is designed for third-year bachelor students, who major in “Intercultural communication”. Students will learn to explore the foundations of internal communications, analyze cultures of different organizations and gain the skills professional communicators need to create and develop corporate cultures that can become key for organizations a critical source of sustainable competitive advantage. The course provides students with hands-on experience of applying the knowledge and skills they gain through examining authentic real-world cases and working on projects.

Learning Objectives

• to analyze organizational internal communications
• to evaluate and describe corporate cultures
• to create effective oral and written messages for business communication
• to design and implement high-trust organizational cultures

Expected Learning Outcomes

• know the history and the basics of internal communications theory
• understand how communication works in organizational structures and cultures
• apply the knowledge and skills they get to research, evaluate and manage internal communication
• know the main principles of corporate branding
• understand why corporate branding can become an invisible strategic asset
• know how successful organizations communicate with their employees
• understand the role of corporate culture and culture management in organizational success
• apply the knowledge and skills they get to design sustainable corporate cultures
• know management styles and their characteristics
• develop conflict management skills
• apply knowledge and skills they get to create effective business letters

Course Contents

• Internal Communications
  Role of a specialist in internal communication. Channels. Audience. Segmentation. Communication Plan. Change Communication
• Corporate Branding
  Brand definition and characteristics. Branding typology. Product brands and corporate brands. Values, culture, and personality.
• Corporate Communication
  Dimensions of Corporate Communication. Contexts for Corporate Communication. Tools for corporate communication. Methods of corporate communication
• Managing Conflict
  Management styles and their characteristics. Internal messages. Conflict management skills

Assessment Elements

• Tests
• Written Examination
  The written examination will take place online in SmartLMS. Students need to have access to the site https://edu.hse.ru/ , as well as a login and a password to enter. Headphones and a microphone are not required. Students can enter the platform well in advance, but the assignments will be started at the set time. The examination will take 80 minutes. If during the writing of the test, the Internet does not work for some time, the student continues the test until the connection is restored. If the connection does not resume, the student takes screenshots of their answers, written in the absence of Internet connection, and sends them to the teacher and the manager of the educational programme. If the answers for the 4th task overlap for 80% or more among different students of one group, 0 points are awarded for this task to all the students who have such a coincidence. The first three tasks will be checked automatically, the fourth one is checked by the teachers within 5 days. The grades are published in SmartLMS not later than the day stated in RUZ as grades announcement.
• Communication Plan
  Oral Presentation and written communication plan in groups
• Business Communication
  Grade for Business Communication Practice

Interim Assessment

• Interim assessment (4 module)
  0.3 * Business Communication + 0.1 * Communication Plan + 0.3 * Tests + 0.3 * Written Examination

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

• Dryl, T. (2017). Internal Branding in Organization in the Context of Internal Corporate Communication / Wewnętrzny branding w organizacji w kontekście wewnętrznej komunikacji korporacyjnej. Handel Wewnętrzny, (2), 56. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbaz&AN=edsbaz.171472264
• FitzPatrick, L., & Valskov, K. (2014). Internal Communications : A Manual for Practitioners. London: Kogan Page. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=816423
• Heny Wahyu Tamara Dwi Lestari, Dindin Dimyati, & Mohammad Shihab. (2017). Strategic Communications and Corporate Branding: a Study of Jebsen & Jessen Indonesia Group. MediaTor, (1), 37. https://doi.org/10.29313/mediator.v10i1.2609

Recommended Additional Bibliography

• Flamholtz, E., & Randle, Y. (2011). Corporate Culture : The Ultimate Strategic Asset. Stanford, Calif: Stanford Business Books. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=367464
• Thill, J. V. (2016). Excellence in Business Communication, Global Edition (Vol. 12th edition). [Place of publication not identified]: Pearson. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1419459