Bachelor
2022/2023
Business Communications
Type:
Compulsory course (Marketing and Market Analytics)
Area of studies:
Management
Where:
Graduate School of Business
When:
3 year, 3 module
Mode of studies:
offline
Open to:
students of one campus
Language:
English
ECTS credits:
3
Contact hours:
30
Course Syllabus
Abstract
In today’s personal and professional world, communication is one of the most critical skills to develop. Your effectiveness in communicating ideas, feelings, instructions and thoughts is crucial to your success, especially in business. Communication is an activity, skill and art that incorporates lessons learnt across a wide spectrum of human knowledge.
Business Communication course is designed to introduce skills and practices that will help you communicate and develop communication strategy for your business and/or for business of your clients/stakeholders. As part of the program, we will explore how to communicate in written and oral form. We will look at the standard practices for communicating within and across business sectors. We will practice some of the fundamentals of business writing, including memoranda, email, business letters, and discuss how to be persuasive and engaging in these writings. Additionally, we will explore oral presentation as it exists in different professional contexts and settings.
Theoretical part of the course includes key concepts, frameworks and theories which being applied in combination with practical tasks will contribute to the development of your communication skills and competencies.
This course is designed to give students a comprehensive view of communication, its scope and importance in business as well as the role of communication in influencing the decision making process, also development of effective internal communications program.
Learning Objectives
- ● To learn about personal effectiveness and how to get prepared to the communication event. Communication barriers and effective ways to overcome them.
- ● To receive theoretical basis of the conflictology and basic principles in managing conflict situations.
- ● To study business communication concepts that serve as a basis for effective spoken and written communication in a business setting.
- ● Special attention will be paid to leadership styles and how they are related to the corporate culture and the communication strategy of the organization.
- ● To learn about Cross cultural differencies and their impact on communication processes with international colleagues
- ● To practice in making self presentations (elevator speech), how to present a project or an idea to the shareholders / managements/ colleagues
Expected Learning Outcomes
- Will learn how to conduct recruitment interviews and communicate with candidates. Another learning outcome refers to the application of business etiquette in the organization and collaboration in cross cultural context
- Will acquire practical skills in: using of various formats of business communications (e-mail, meeting notes, phone call, video conference, dialog in person, public speaking) designing of a communication strategy of the organization and the approaches to assess its effectiveness.
- Students will learn about business communication as a possibility to influence decision making, also to use verbal and non verbal communication. Special focus will be paid to the presentation skills and public speaking skills.
- Students will learn major theories and concepts of communications, including internal communication. Will learn 8 essential components of business communication.
- How to interprete properly communication from your partners using emotional intelligence. Special focus will be paid of ethics in communication and fact checking
- Will learn on how to manage communication in times of crisis, uncertainty and changes. Students will learn about decision making process and heuristics.
Course Contents
- Introduction to Business Communication
- Business Communication is about influencing others
- Business Communication in decision making
- Communication channels in the organization
- How to develop an effective Communication strategy
- Business etiquette and Cross-cultural Communication
- Business Communication and Emotional intelligence
Assessment Elements
- GseminarFor each seminar, the student receives 0-3 points for active participation in the discussion of the topics: 0 — did not attend and did not work out the lesson; 1 — passive presence; 2 — elements of active participation (participated in the discussion, asked questions, demonstrated proficiency in the material of lectures and/or recommended literature); 3 — full involvement in the seminar (actively participated in the discussion, regularly asked questions, demonstrated an advanced level of proficiency in the material of lectures and/or recommended literature). Additionally, following the results of each seminar, online voting is organized with the award of an additional social rating point. The leaders of the social rating receive an additional 1 point for the seminar.
- GclassAt the beginning of each lecture, a short control survey (online) is conducted based on the materials of the previous lecture and recommended literature on the topic studied (the main list). The test includes questions of three levels of difficulty: Level A (50% of questions, weight 1): for direct reproduction of basic definitions, models, concepts and conclusions (the content is contained on the lecture slides). Level B (40% of questions, weight 2): to understand basic definitions, models, concepts and conclusions (it is necessary to demonstrate the ability to operate with the content of the lecture, compare and analyze the lecture material). Level C (10% of questions, weight 3): to understand illustrations, practical applications and examples of the use of definitions, models, concepts and conclusions (open question).
- Gessay (grade for the individual essay, HWI)The essay (in English of not less than 10 000 signs) is performed individually, according to the recommendations (published in the materials for students). The list of topics is published in the materials for students, correction of topics is possible in agreement with the professor of the course. To prepare the essay, it is recommended to use sources from the list of additional literature as well as selected by the student.
- Gproject (grade for the group project, HW2)During the course, students perform a group project (analytical problem presentation on the topic of the seminar). Mini-groups of 3-4 people (random formation of groups by the teacher, the list is published after the first seminar). The list of topics is published in the materials for students.
- Gexam (test)The final exam is conducted in the form of a structured test with questions of three levels of complexity, overall 40 questions are included in the test. The time limit is 40 minutes. The test includes questions of three levels of complexity: level A — closed questions with a choice of answer options based on the material of lectures and seminars. 50% of questions, weight — 1. level B — partially open questions (with a missing piece of information). 40% of questions, weight — 2. level C — practical tasks (case analysis with analytical mini-essay). 10% of questions, weight — 3. The questions are similar to the questions of the tests at lectures (grade for class activity).
Interim Assessment
- 2022/2023 3rd module0.12 * Gproject (grade for the group project, HW2) + 0.12 * Gessay (grade for the individual essay, HWI) + 0.4 * Gexam (test) + 0.12 * Gclass + 0.24 * Gseminar
Bibliography
Recommended Core Bibliography
- Cultures and Organizations, Software of the mind. Intercultural Cooperation and Its Importance for survival. (2010). McGraw-Hill. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsnar&AN=edsnar.oai.library.wur.nl.wurpubs.392270
- Daniel Kahneman, Jack L. Knetsch, & Richard H. Thaler. (1991). Anomalies: The Endowment Effect, Loss Aversion, and Status Quo Bias. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 1, 193. https://doi.org/10.1257/jep.5.1.193
- Mayer, J. D., Salovey, P., & Caruso, D. R. (2004). Emotional Intelligence: Theory, Findings, and Implications. Psychological Inquiry, 15(3), 197–215. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327965pli1503_02
- Schwartz, B. (2007). The Paradox of Choice : Why More Is Less. HarperCollins.
- Social psychology, Myers, D. G., 1999
- Ting-Toomey, S., & Dorjee, T. (2017). 7. Multifaceted identity approaches and cross-cultural communication styles: Selective overview and future directions. De Gruyter. https://doi.org/10.1515/9781501500060-007
Recommended Additional Bibliography
- Author(s) Daniel Kahneman, Amos Tversky, & Kahneman. (1979). Prospect Theory: an Analysis of Decision under Risk. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.FDDF9A06
- Cialdini, R. B. (2016). Pre-Suasion : A Revolutionary Way to Influence and Persuade (Vol. First Simon & Schuster hardcover edition). New York: Simon & Schuster. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=nlebk&AN=1966411
- Daniel Goleman. (2006). Emotional Intelligence : Why It Can Matter More Than IQ: Vol. 10th anniversary ed. Bantam.
- Pratkanis, A. R. (2007). The Science of Social Influence : Advances and Future Progress. New York: Psychology Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=358198
- Sergy, L. (2013). Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion. Library Journal, 138(20), 51. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=asn&AN=92752800
- Деловые и межкультурные коммуникации : Учебник и практикум для академич. бакалавриата, Таратухина Ю.В., Авдеева З.К., 2017