BA in international business communication, spring 2006
Elective course: International Market Communication, 6th semester (3rd year): 9 ECTS
Instructor: Inger Lassen, email: inglas@hum.aau.dk
International Market Communication in Practice
The course in International Market Communication is primarily a writing course which builds on the
intercultural business communication course offered during the 5th semester. While the 5th semester course
was mainly theoretical, this course has a very strong practical component in terms of analysis and writing
tasks. Students attending the course will do case-studies, where they solve concrete writing tasks in
international business communication situations. These may include various genres mediated via web-sites
or as paper versions, and examples could be different types of promotional material such as press releases,
fund raising letters, image brochures, product brochures, annual account introductions and fact sheets.
Students hand in a number of written assignments, which may include analysis of communication situations
as well as examples of written documents.
Evaluation
The course is assessed in a set 5-day take-home test, which consists in a practical and concrete market
communication task.
Course literature: available at Centerboghandelen
Chapters 5 and 13-15 in Marketing across Cultures (Usunier) – handouts will be distributed in class.
Compendia, International Market Communication in Practice, volumes I and II (IMC) (available from
Centerboghandelen)
Compendium, Models, texts and cases (MTC) (Available from Centerboghandelen)
Week 5
a) (replaces Monday in week 6)
Wednesday 1 February: 12.00-13.45 (room 3.108)
Introduction to course
Introduction to models for analysis
Genre analysis (Press releases)
b)
Friday 3 February: 8.15-9.45 (room 3.108)
Prepare chapter 14 (MAC): Intercultural marketing communications 1: Advertising
Discussion of exercise: Borovets – a Bulgarian ski resort, pp 492-493
Genre analysis (related to assignment 2: Press Releases)
1) Showshoe Mountain implements safety awareness programs
2) Washoe county safe kids to present junior ski program …..
3) Resorts of the Canadian Rockies mandates …..
Week 6
a) Classes cancelled
b) Friday 10 February 8.15-9.45 (room 3.108)
Prepare chapter 13 (MAC): Language, culture and communication (prepare questions)
Discussion of topics in chapter 13, including the case: Supreme Canning, p 443
Prepare Bases of International Marketing (Compendium I, pp 2-22)
Week 7
a) (Monday 13 February)
Submit written assignment 1 (Borovets)
Prepare chapter 15 (MAC): Intercultural marketing communications 2: Personal selling, networking and
public relations
(Student presentation and questions by two opponents)
Discussion of Case: Union Carbide at Bhopal, pp 536-538, including questions
Prepare Indigenisation of Marketing (Compendium I, pp 23-38)
BA in international business communication, spring 2006
Elective course: International Market Communication, 6th semester (3rd year): 9 ECTS
Instructor: Inger Lassen, email: inglas@hum.aau.dk
b) (Friday 17 February)
Review written assignment 1
Prepare chapter 5 (MAC): Local consumers and the globalization of consumption, pp 136-165
(Student presentation and discussion)
Prepare at home for discussion in class: Genre analysis related to assignment (Fundraising Letters)
1) Zero Population Growth (ZGP)
2) National Multiple Schlerosis Society (MS)
3) Vendors, Business contacts, Suppliers
Week 8
a) (Monday 20 February)
Submit written assignment 2 (Union Carbide)
Prepare Product Decisions (compendium I, pp 39-80)
Prepare Clash of Communities: A Study of the LEGO product Bionicle (photocopied article)
b) (Friday 24 February)
Review written assignment 2
Prepare Company Branding and Company Storytelling (compendium I, pp 81-114)
Prepare Promotion and marketing Communications (Compendium II, pp 115-136)
(Student presentations and questions/ dicussion)
Week 9 (Friday 3 March)
Submit written assignment 3 (Lamaze Toys)
Prepare Promotion and marketing Communications (Compendium II, pp 136-153)
Prepare Danisco – figuratively speaking (compendium II, pp 154-190)
Discussion of main points
Week 10 (Friday 10 March)
Submit written assignment 6 (Exam paper) (The Body Shop International PLC)
Review written assignment 3
Prepare Analysing Genre revisited (compendium II, pp 191-197)
Prepare Integrating products, processes, purposes and participants in professional writing (compendium II,
pp 198-207)
Week 11 (Friday 17 March)
Review written assignment 6
Prepare Place Images and Place Marketing (compendium II, pp 208-243)
Discussion of main points
Evaluation
Inger Lassen, 23 January 2006