COMM 3170
Introduction to Organizational Communication
Spring 2014
Class Meetings: T, Th 10:45 am-12:05 pm
Instructor: Dr. Heather Canary
Office: LNCO 2860
Hours: T, Th 2-3:30 pm;
or by appointment
Office Phone: (801) 581-7633
Email: heather.canary@utah.edu
Course Description
This course provides an introduction to contemporary theory and intellectual traditions applied to
the study of organizations, including the role of organizations in society and cultural practices.
Whatever your career goals, the knowledge you gain from participating in this course will help
you make sense of how communication is integral to the organizational experience.
Course Objectives
I have listed below my objectives for this course; however, I view this as a starting point for
class discussion. I encourage students to add their own objectives to this list. At the end of the
semester, my goal is for students to:
1. Demonstrate knowledge of various theories of organizational communication by
identifying how theories explain organizational practice.
2. Use theories and concepts covered in the course to help them understand organizational
processes and experiences.
3. Analyze communication problems and potential solutions within organizations.
4. Share knowledge with others about organizational communication through a team-based
term project and presentation.
5. Use course content to be more reflective organizational members.
6. Increase their sensitivity to ethical issues that pervade organizational communication and
decision-making and apply this sensitivity to their own organizational experiences.
Required Text
Canary, H. E. (2013). Introduction to organizational communication. Custom textbook
available online through at https://students.universityreaders.com/store/.
Additional Required Readings (listed as they appear in Course Schedule):
Rice, Ronald E. (2008). Unusual routines: Organizational (non)sensemaking. Journal of
Communication, 58, 1-19.
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Doerfel, Marya, Lai, Chih-Hui, & Chewning, Lisa V. (2010). The evolutionary role of
interorganizational communication: Modeling social capital in disaster contexts. Human
Communication Research, 36, 125-162.
Real, Kevin, Bramson, Rachel, & Poole, M. Scott (2009). The symbolic and material nature of
physician identity: Implications for physician-patient communication. Health
Communication, 24, 575-587.
Madlock, Paul E., & Kennedy-Lightsey, Carrie (2010). The effects of supervisors’ verbal
aggressiveness and mentoring on their subordinates. Journal of Business
Communication, 47, 42-62.
Kramer, Michael W. (2006). Shared leadership in a community theater group: Filling the
leadership role. Journal of Applied Communication Research, 34, 141-162.
Ladegaard, Hans J. (2007). Global culture – myth or reality? Perceptions of “national cultures”
in a global corporation. Journal of Intercultural Communication Research, 36, 139-163.
Course Components
“Tell me…I’ll forget,
Show me…I’ll remember,
Involve me…I’ll understand.”
Author Unknown
1. Attendance – Attending class meetings is critical for your success in the course and for a
stimulating class community. Attendance will be recorded for each of our class meetings
and will be part of your participation grade.
2. Participation – Although attendance is important to your learning, participation will be a
key to you getting as much out of this course as possible. I include participation points in
your final grade. Participation includes getting involved in classroom discussions
and being an active member in group situations. Basically, this will be an interactive
class and all input is valued. Class sessions will include lecture, but to a large degree I
will be facilitating class discussions that elaborate on course readings and activities.
Coming to class prepared in terms of having completed the assigned readings will be
another part of your participation grade. Those who demonstrate that they have read the
material and are prepared to discuss it in class will earn participation points; those who
do not, will not.
3. Readings – We will use required readings to structure class discussions, activities, and
assignments. Reading and understanding the assigned material is imperative for passing
the class. Students are expected to demonstrate that they have read the assigned material
in class discussions.
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4. Examinations – There will be two equally-weighted examinations. There is no
comprehensive final examination. The two exams will be take-home exams, one roughly
at mid-term and one at the end of the semester. These will be students’ opportunities to
demonstrate that they can apply knowledge gained from course readings and activities.
5. Movie Analysis – Organizations are popular subjects for movies, and many movies have
explored topics we will cover in this class, including power, organizational structure,
technology, and leadership. This assignment is NOT a movie review; rather, this
assignment will be your opportunity to merge theory with popular culture by applying
scholarly theory and research to the film content. A separate assignment sheet describes
details for this assignment.
7. Professional Interview and Paper - Each student will select a professional in his/her field of
interest to interview. The interviews will focus on communication aspects within the
interviewees’ organizations. Students will give a short (3-4 minute) presentation of their
interview to the class and submit a paper about the interview. A separate assignment
sheet describes details for this assignment.
8. Organizational Case Study – Students have been randomly assigned to project groups in the
Canvas system. Groups will be encouraged to develop into effective organizational
teams over the course of the semester through in-class and out-of-class interactions. Each
group will find an organization of interest (or portion of an organization, such as a
department or unit). Group members will conduct a case study of the organization. The
final product will be written case study report and a class presentation. A separate
assignment sheet describes details of this assignment.
9. Grading – Grades will be assigned using a point system. The maximum points
available for each course component are listed below. I do not grade on a curve.
Movie Analysis
Professional Interview Paper/Presentation
Examinations (2)
Organizational Case Study
Participation
TOTAL POINTS AVAILABLE
50 points
75 points
100 points each
200 points (sum of parts)
100 points_____
575 POINTS
The plus/minus system is used for assigning final grades. The final grades will be assigned as
follows:
A+ = 98 – 100%
B+ = 87 – 89%
C+ = 77 – 79%
D+ = 67 - 69%
A
B
C
D
= 93 – 97%
= 83 – 86%
= 73 – 76%
= 63 – 66%
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A- = 90 – 92%
B- = 80 – 82%
C- = 70 – 72%
D- = 60 – 62%
Class Expectations
1. Academic Integrity – The Department of Communication encourages honest scholarship and
follows the University guidelines for academic integrity. University Code:
http://www.admin.utah.edu/ppmanual/8/8-10.html.
SECTION V: STUDENT ACADEMIC CONDUCT
Section V. A. … students must adhere to generally accepted standards of academic
honesty, including but not limited to refraining from cheating, plagiarizing, research
misconduct, misrepresenting one's work, and/or inappropriately collaborating.
Section V. B. A student who engages in academic misconduct … may be subject to
academic sanctions including but not limited to a grade reduction, failing grade,
probation, suspension or dismissal from the program or the University, or revocation of
the student’s degree or certificate.
2. Completion of Assignments/Examinations – Students are expected to turn in assignments
and examinations on the due date. Papers submitted late will be accepted with a 10%
penalty per 24-hour period after the deadline. Presentations cannot be made up.
3. Respectful Interaction – All class participants, including the instructor, are expected to
interact in a respectful manner during class time and in online discussions. This includes
refraining from using profanity during class time and in online posts, not interrupting
students or the instructor during class discussions, and keeping comments relevant to
class discussion.
4. Electronics - All class participants are expected to turn off electronic communication devices
during class time. This is your time to fully engage with your classmates, the instructor,
and the course content. The instructor reserves the right to embarrass students who use
class time to engage in personal communication via cell phones or computers (and/or ask
them to leave class and be marked absent).
5. Disability Accommodations – The University of Utah seeks to provide equal access to its
programs, services and activities for people with disabilities. If you will need
accommodations in the class, reasonable prior notice needs to be given to the Center for
Disability Services, 162 Olpin Union Building, 581-5020 (V/TDD). CDS will work with
you and the instructor to make arrangements for accommodations.
All written information in this course can be made available in alternative format with
prior notification to the Center for Disability Services.
6. Content Accommodation Policy - The University recognizes that students’ sincerely-held
core beliefs may make it difficult for students to fulfill some requirements of some
courses or majors. It is the student’s obligation to determine, before the last day to drop
courses without penalty, when course requirements conflict with the student’s sincerelyheld core beliefs. If there is such a conflict, the student should consider dropping the
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class. I have carefully chosen material for this course that is relevant and informative. I
do NOT provide content accommodations.
Course Schedule
Date
Topic/Activity
Reading/Materials
1/7-1/9
Introduction to
Organizational Communication
Cheney et al (2011)
1/14-1/16
Communication & Org. Ethics
Organizational Team Meetings
Seeger (2003)
1/21-1/23
Cultural & Critical Approaches
to Organizations
1/28-1/30
Organizational Structure
1/30
Movie Analysis Due
2/4-2/6
Organizations as Systems
Rice (2008)
2/11-2/13
Organizational Networks
Case Study Description Due 2/11
Dulworth (2008)
2/18
Meet in Organizational Teams:
Professor Canary at Conference
2/20
Organizational Networks
2/25
Catch-Up and Team Meetings
2/27
Class In-Service (team consultations, mid-term review, etc.)
Mid-Term Examination Due through Canvas by 11:59 pm
3/4-3/6
Organizations and Identity
3/11-3/13
SPRING BREAK!!!
3/18-3/20
Interview Paper Presentations
Assignment Sheet
3/25-3/27
Relationships & Conflict in Orgs.
Madlock &
Kennedy-Lightsey (2010)
Davidson (2001)
4/1-4/3
Teamwork in Organizations
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Eisenberg & Riley (2001)
Miller (2009)
Sobo et al. (2008)
Doerfel et al. (2010)
Real et al. (2009)
Poole & Real (2003)
Date
Topic/Activity
Reading/Materials
4/8
Leadership & Followership in Orgs.
Case Study Theory Section Due
Kramer (2006)
4/10
Decision Making & Participation
Deetz & Brown (2003)
4/15
Information & Communication Technology
4/17
Diversity & Globalization
4/22
Case Study Presentations
Case Study Papers Due by 11:59 through Canvas
4/30 (Wed.)
10:30 am-12:30 pm**
Case Study Presentations
Case Study Member Evaluations Due
Final Exam Due by 11:59 pm through Canvas
**Set by the University Final Exam Schedule
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Flanagin &
Bator (2010)
Ladegaard (2007)