LEE KONG CHIAN SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
Year 2005/06 Term 1
COMM340 / MANAGING CORPORATE REPUTATION AND EXTERNAL RELATIONS
Instructor:
Dr Michael Netzley
Practice Assistant Professor of Corporate Communication
Tel:
Email:
Office:
68280574
Michael@smu.edu.sg
Room B1-36, Li Ka Shing Library, C2TE
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Virtually all corporations today have an in-house corporate
communication function. Depending on the business, this function may
interact with a complex web of internal and external constituencies. In
terms of tasks, the corporate communication function may be responsible
for corporate reputation, investor relations, crisis communications,
government relations, corporate philanthropy, and media relations to
name a few. This course takes a broad look at the corporate
communication function and examines the key issues facing all
communication professionals and corporate decision makers.
PREREQUISITES
None
RECOMMENDED TEXT AND READINGS
•
•
•
•
Corporate Communication (3rd ed.) by Paul Argenti. McGraw-Hill.
The Jungle (a novel) by Upton Sinclair (any edition).
Large binder for time and research documents
Various items will be posted on-line during the term
Additional readings will be assigned. Students are expected to keep abreast of current
developments in the Asia-Pacific region by reading leading business dailies/weeklies like the
Asian Wall Street Journal, Far Eastern Economic Review, The Economist, Business Times and
Business Week.
1
ASSESSMENT METHOD
Discussion Leadership and Contributions
Final Case and Analysis
Opening Paragraph
Timeline and Research
Written Case Analyses
40%
30%
10%
10%
10%
COURSE METHODS
This course has two primary characteristics. First, this is a case method course meaning that
listening, contributing intellectually, and leading the discussion will significantly impact your
final grade. There are no final exams or final presentations. Instead, you are asked to prepare a
set amount of material each week and come to class prepared to discuss the day’s issues.
Second, you are asked to research a current corporate communication issue and present your
research as an original case study and analysis note. This assignment challenges you to present
your research findings in an objective and coherent narrative, analyze the issues, and
communicate effectively in a written format.
CLASS SCHEDULE
COMM 340: Course Schedule (Tuesday)
Date
Topic
Readings
August 23
Course Intro and
overview of case
method
August 30
Changing Business
Environment
Odwalla case study (in class)
O’Rourke: Analyzing a Case
Study
Harvard:
Argenti: Preface, Chapter 1, &
Arthur Andersen case
Sinclair: Start Reading Now!
November
Guest Speaker: Ms.
Elim Chew, CEO, 77th
Street
Changing Business
Environment (cont.)
Writing a case study
Compare & Contrast
BofV with The Jungle.
Communicating
Strategically
Overview of the
Corporate
Communication
Function
Identity, Image, and
Reputation
September 6
September 13
September 20
September 27
Netzley: see on-line
O’Rourke: Writing a Case
Study
Sinclair: The Jungle
Argenti: Chapter 2 & Fletcher
case
Argenti: Chapter 3 & Dell case
Netzley
Argenti: Chapter 4
Netzley, et al: ZUJI case
Notes
Answer questions at end of
Andersen case and be
prepared to discuss
Exact Date & Place TBA
Watch Bonfire of the
Vanities in class; The Jungle
should be half completed.
DUE: Topic choice (first
come, first serve)
DUE: Group 1 Written
Case Analysis
Due: Group 2 Written
Case Analysis
DUE: Research notebook,
flawless bibliography, and
timeline of case events
DUE: Group 3 Written
Case Analysis
2
October 4
October 5
October 11
October 18
October 25
October 26
November 1
Corporate Advertising
Writing Your Opening
Paragraph
Guest Speaker: Mary
Beth Kissane
NO CLASS
Media Relations (Part
I)
Media Relations (Part
II)
Guest Speaker: Kim
Stockham from ZUJI
NO CLASS;
HOLIDAY
November 8
Investor Relations
November 15
Government Relations
November 22
Crisis Communication
Argenti: Chapter 5
Readings TBA
President, NIRI, New York
City; President and founder of
Corporate Perception Research
Argenti: Chapter 6 & Perrier
case
Netzley, et al: Newcastle case
Reading TBA
Argenti: Chapter 8 & Steelcase
case
Argenti: Chapter 9
HK/Disney case
Argenti: Chapter 10 & Dow
Case
November 28
DUE: Opening Paragraph
(85 Words maximum)
DUE: Group 1 Written
Case Analysis
12:00 noon; location TBA
DUE: First Draft of Case
(email to Michael by 12:00
and request read-receipt)
DUE: Group 2 Written
Case Analysis
DUE: Group 3 Written
Case Analysis
DUE: Final Copy of Case
and completed Notebook
COMM 340: Course Schedule (Wednesday)
Date
Topic
Readings
August 24
Course Intro and
overview of case
method
August 31
Changing Business
Environment
September
Guest Speaker: Date
TBA
Changing Business
Environment (cont.)
Writing a case study
Compare & Contrast
BofV with The Jungle.
Communicating
Strategically
Overview of the
Corporate
Communication
Function
Identity, Image, and
Reputation
Odwalla case study (in class)
O’Rourke: Analyzing a Case
Study
Harvard:
Argenti: Preface, Chapter 1, &
Arthur Andersen case
Sinclair: Start Reading Now!
Institute for Public relationsSingapore event
Netzley: see on-line
O’Rourke: Writing a Case
Study
Sinclair: The Jungle
Argenti: Chapter 2 & Fletcher
case
September 7
September 14
September 21
September 28
Argenti: Chapter 3 & Dell case
Netzley
Argenti: Chapter 4
Netzley, et al: ZUJI case
Notes
Answer questions at end of
Andersen case and be
prepared to discuss
Watch Bonfire of the
Vanities in class; The Jungle
should be half completed.
DUE: Topic choice (first
come, first serve)
DUE: Group 1 Written
Case Analysis
Due: Group 2 Written
Case Analysis
DUE: Research notebook,
flawless bibliography, and
timeline of case events
DUE: Group 3 Written
3
October 5
October 12
October 19
October 26
November 2
Corporate Advertising
Writing Your Opening
Paragraph
Guest Speaker: Mary
Beth Kissane
NO CLASS
Media Relations (Part
I)
Media Relations (Part
II)
Guest Speaker: Kim
Stockham from ZUJI
NO CLASS;
HOLIDAY
November 9
Investor Relations
November 16
Government Relations
November 23
Crisis Communication
November 28
Argenti: Chapter 5
Readings TBA
Argenti: Chapter 6 & Perrier
case
Netzley, et al: Newcastle case
Reading TBA
Argenti: Chapter 8 & Steelcase
case
Argenti: Chapter 9
HK/Disney case
Argenti: Chapter 10 & Dow
Case
Case Analysis
President, NIRI, New York
City; President and founder
of Corporate Perception
Research
DUE: Opening Paragraph
(85 Words maximum)
DUE: Group 1 Written
Case Analysis
DUE: First Draft of Case
(email to Michael by 12:00
and request read-receipt)
DUE: Group 2 Written
Case Analysis
DUE: Group 3 Written
Case Analysis
DUE: Final Copy of Case
and completed Notebook
4