Management Communication – Fall, 2006
B45.2100.01
September 6 – October 18; no class on Monday, Oct. 9.
MW, 3 – 4:20 PM, KMC 2-80
Course Site found at http://sternclasses.nyu.edu
Professor
Office:
Phone:
Email:
Office Hours:
Teaching Fellow:
Patricia Bower
Tisch 701-A
212-998-0085
pbower@stern.nyu.edu
Tues. 4 – 5:30 PM, Wed. 4:30 – 6 PM, and by appointment
TBA
Course Overview
Effective Communication is a vital component to so many aspects of business life. From
investment banking to marketing, from entrepreneurship to corporate planning, understanding
the techniques of business communication will be an invaluable addition to every Stern
student’s portfolio of knowledge. This course is a highly-interactive and participative
experience that introduces the basics of business communication strategy and delivery.
Deliverables will include written documents and oral presentations based on cases or research
related to your own areas of interest. You will present both individually and in a team and will
receive feedback to improve your presentation effectiveness. In the final team presentation, you
will craft an oral presentation that will persuade your audience to accept your strategic
recommendations. By doing this, you will see how ideas, data and advocacy are combined
for a professional, persuasive presentation.
Pre-Work
1.) Read Guide to Managerial Communication, Chapters 1 and 2
2.) Read the Memtech Case Study (found on Blackboard) and be prepared to discuss it in
the first class. Two writing assignments will be based on this case, but for now, simply
be prepared to discuss the communication issues it raises.
3.) Complete the short Student Information Sheet (on Bb) and post it to Bb
“Assignments”
Required Materials and Texts


Munter, Mary, Guide to Managerial Communication, 7th Edition. Prentice Hall, 2005.
Available in the NYU Professional Bookstore.
SEC, A Plain English Handbook – available online at:
http://www.sec.gov/news/extra/handbook.htm. Link also available on Bb in “Course
Documents.”
Grading
Your final grade will be based on both class participation and your completion of the
following assignments:
Item
Description
Due date
Weight
1
Benchmark Presentation (Individual)
9/11/06
*
2
Memtech Case Study Memo #1 (Individual)
9/13/06
*
3
Self-Evaluations of streaming video after each
presentation posted to team discussion boards
9/13; 9/20;
10/11
*
4
Informative Presentation (Team)
9/18/06
15 %
5
Memtech Case Study Memo #2 (Individual)
9/20/06
10 %
6
Seated Slide-deck Presentation (Individual)
10/4/06
15 %
7
Performance on Final Project (Individual)
10/18/06
10 %
Performance on Final Project (Team)
10/18/06
20 %
8
Final Short Report (Individual)
10/25/06
15 %
9
Participation (includes * items above,
attendance, and discussion in class)
15 %
Letter grades are assigned to each assignment based on criteria provided in class.
Fall 2006 Management Communication, Professor Bower
Page 2
1. Benchmark Presentation (Individual)
Goal
Benchmark your presentation skills and begin to get comfortable presenting in the course.
Task
Prepare a 3-minute “benchmark” oral presentation. Choose one of the following topics:
 Tell us about the best or worst business advice you ever received.
 Describe an event at work that involved a communication breakdown.
 Share why you have chosen to do your MBA
 Share what you hope to do after you receive your MBA
Deliverable
You will deliver your presentation in Session Two. It will be videotaped for your benefit, but
not graded. It is a portion of your participation grade. You may deliver from notes, if
necessary, but don’t plan to use PowerPoint slides for this presentation. Focus on
communicating with your audience.
2. Memtech Memo #1: Writing Benchmark (Individual)
Goal:
Benchmark your business writing skills and begin to understand the principles of effective
communication and persuasion in a work-related setting.
Task
Assume that you are Lee Brown. Compose a memo to Mary that outlines a communication
strategy she can “act on” (see “Memtech” case posted on Bb). For the purpose of this
assignment, create a hard copy memo—keeping in mind that an effective email is simply a
standard memo delivered electronically. In the company setting, Lee’s message would most
likely be sent as electronic text.
Post your memo to Blackboard “Assignments” before Session Three. Please use your own
name when naming your file (e.g., “Smith Memtech1”). Also, put your own name in a header
or footer on the actual document.
Bring three (3) hard copies of your memo when you come to class in Session Three. You
will submit one copy to your professor and use the others for an in-class peer review exercise.
3. Video Self-Evaluations (Individual)
Goal
Analyze your strengths and weaknesses in presentations throughout the course.
Tasks
Read “How to Review Your Streaming Video” (available in “Course Documents” on Bb.) After
you have watched your video, post a message to your team discussion board (visible to your
team, the TF, and your professor) sharing what went well, what did not go well, and what goals
you have for your next presentation. Comment on other team members’ reflections and use this
to build both your presentation skills as well as your skills in giving and receiving feedback.
(see next page)
Fall 2006 Management Communication, Professor Bower
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Deliverables
Post your completed self- and peer-evaluations before the start of the class following each of
your in-class presentations. Try to be a specific as possible in your assessment—both to
enhance your own development as well as help your peers develop their skills.
4. Informative Presentation (Team)
Goal:
Apply and hone the skills of design and delivery of an informative message in a business team
setting.
Tasks:
1. Review Guide to Managerial Communication, chapters 5 and 6.
2. Select an industry or sector and prepare a 10-minute informative presentation about the
sector. Select a sector that’s broad enough to have several firms but not so broad that it is
hard to be specific with your information
3. Depending on your personal professional objectives, choose one of the following
audiences and objectives for your presentation:
 A team of financial services executives who follow other sectors but are less familiar
with this sector. Your objective is to let them know about trends in the sector.
 An investment banking firm that needs your analysis to help them pitch a particular
firm for acquisition. Your objective, in this instance, is not to sell any particular firm,
but rather to offer an analysis of its market and financial potential to a specific buyer.
 An internal marketing group interested in product or marketing trends in a particular
industry.
 A group of VCs who want to learn more about trends in an emerging technology.
Your objective is not to pitch a new venture, but rather, to let the VCs know what
current research reveals about a new technology that could lead to profitability if
effectively leveraged.
 Another objective and audience of your choice—with your professor’s approval in
advance.
In all of the above cases, be very clear about your role, your specific communication
objective for this presentation, and the audiences (primary and secondary) who will
receive your communication.
4. Use credible public business sources to create an informative presentation for your chosen
objective and audience.
Deliverables:




Completion of the Presentation Planner (posted in Course Documents on Bb)
A 10-minute team presentation during Session Four.
All team members must speak.
Your visual aids must include at least two financial charts or graphs
Fall 2006 Management Communication, Professor Bower
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5. Memtech Case Memo #2 (Individual)
Goal:
Demonstrate the principles of effective business communication and persuasion through a
written document.
Tasks
 Read Guide to Managerial Communication, Chapters 3 and 4.
 Read A Plain English Handbook, produced by the SEC.
 Based on our class discussion of effective business writing, revise the first memo you
sent to Mary. In this revised document, include specific points that Mary can use
when she communicates with her employees. To help Mary understand your
recommended strategy, include in your message a short analysis of the Memtech
“audience” that she must address in her communications.
Your revised memo should demonstrate your understanding of the important elements of
strategic communication, business writing style and structure, as well as effective document
design.
Deliverable
Submit to your instructor a business document (two pages max.) from Lee Brown to Mary
Thompson. For the purpose of this assignment, create a hard copy memo—keeping in mind
that an effective email is simply a standard memo delivered electronically.
At the end of your document, on a separate page, append a screen snapshot of your readability
statistics. These can be found if you go to “Tools” in MS Word → “Spelling and Grammar,”
→ “Options” → check readability statistics. Then, after you run the spell check, a screen will
automatically appear that lists your readability statistics. Hit “Print Screen” on your keyboard
and the image will save to your clipboard. Add a new page to your document and then, Paste.
Create one document that contains both of the parts mentioned above: memo and readability
statistics. Again, please use your own name when naming your file (e.g., “Smith Memtech2”).
Also, put your own name in a header or footer on the actual document.
Post your document to the “Assignments” section of Blackboard before Session Five. Your
document will be evaluated and returned to you.
Fall 2006 Management Communication, Professor Bower
Page 5
6. Informal Seated Slide-Deck Presentation (Individual)
Goal
Focus your practice on the non-verbal, verbal, and vocal qualities of a business presentation in
an informal simulated setting.
Task
Select an informative or persuasive topic which you might typically be expected to present on
to a small group of colleagues. Again, depending on your interests, you may select any topic
with instructor approval. Choose a topic related to your main field of interest, if possible—
keeping in mind that you want to focus on the strategic aspects of presentation organization,
visual design, and delivery, not on doing extensive research.
Create a presentation to deliver in a conference room to a group of your peers. You will be
filmed and will review your presentation video to determine how you are progressing toward
personal goals in the course. (As an option you may schedule a time to review the video with
the professor or teaching fellow if you wish.)
Deliverables
 An 8-minute presentation (including about 2 minutes of Q/A) during Session Nine.
 You will determine who your “audience” is intended to be and should provide a short
briefing to your group before your presentation begins.
 Your slide deck must include at least two financial charts or graphs which you create
yourself to support your message.
 Use a flip-book or laptop computer to deliver your presentation.
 Print out five copies of your slide deck (as well as appendices or handouts if you wish)
and bring them with you to class. One copy will go to your professor.
7. Final Presentation (Team and Individual)
Goal
Apply the course principles for effective presentations to a specific business situation.
Tasks: Choose one of the following options:
Option one
Choose a firm within the sector you presented on for your Team Informative Presentation
in Session Four. Determine a specific approach your team will take for the firm; select
audience and intent appropriate for your approach; prepare a team presentation to
persuade your chosen audience to accept your recommendations.
Some possible approaches and intents include:
 Consulting – recommend to senior management how to redirect a firm’s strategy
 Financial Services – recommend to investors why to invest in a firm
 Entrepreneurship—pitch a specific business idea to Venture Capitalists
 Marketing – suggest to a firm how to respond to a competitive issue; or pitch a new
marketing plan for an existing product; or pitch a new product not yet under
development
Fall 2006 Management Communication, Professor Bower
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
Global Business – provide strategic direction for a firm’s global expansion
Option two
Use a case that you are studying in another class. Depending on the case
 Determine a specific approach your team will take for the firm.
 Select an audience and intent appropriate for your approach.
 Prepare a team presentation to persuade your chosen audience to accept your
recommendations.
In all of the above cases, be very clear about your role, your specific communication
objective for this presentation, and the audiences (primary and secondary) who will
receive your communication.
Deliverables
 Team presentation lasting 20 minutes, which includes about 5 minutes of
questions/answers. All team members must speak.
 2 copies of slide deck printed out (one for the TF and another for the professor).
 Presentation times and speaking order will be assigned.
Preparation
Each team will have an opportunity to schedule a private meeting with the professor to
discuss final presentation strategy, organization and design. These meetings will substitute
for class on Monday, October 16. A schedule will be set during earlier class sessions.
Presentation reminders
 Organize your presentation so that you can effectively and efficiently communicate
your key messages in the allotted time.
 Remember to provide a preview of the presentation in the opening.
 Employ visual aids that enhance and support your message.
 Use graphs and charts in your PowerPoint presentation to communicate quantitative
data clearly and visually.
 Expect questions to come at any time in your presentation and prepare for them.
 Have back-up data available to answer specific questions, if necessary.
Fall 2006 Management Communication, Professor Bower
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8. Final Short Report (Individual)
Goal
Synthesize all that we’ve learned about effective communication applying course principles in
your own workplace.
Tasks
Write a short, (2 pages maximum) individual report that outlines the strategy you presented in
your Final Team Presentation. Depending on the specific audience/receiver(s) of this report:
1. Write an internal memorandum-report to a specific audience
2. Write a short report with a cover letter to an external audience.
Reminders
 Be sure to organize the document effectively, attend to professional business writing
style, and employ effective formatting. Please single-space.
 Although addressed to the specific audience as noted above, submit the report to your
professor via Blackboard “Assignments” by the due date on page 2. As always, please
use your own name when naming your file (e.g., “Smith Final Report”). Also, put your
own name in a header or footer on the actual document.
9. Attendance and Participation (Individual)
Goal
To recognize and compensate you for the value of contributions brought to the class and to
your team.
Components
Simply attending class is not participation. The following items are expected of all students in
the course. Your thorough completion of the following will factor into the participation
portion of your grade:
 Punctual attendance at all 12 class sessions
 Active participation in course content and case discussions
 Considerate but realistic participation in colleagues’ presentations as an engaged
member of the “mock audience”
 Participation in team and paired assignments
 Completion of the self- and peer-video evaluations on Blackboard Discussion Board
 Timely submission of assignments, as instructed.
Fall 2006 Management Communication, Professor Bower
Page 8
Management Communication Agenda
Pre-work
Read: Memtech Case
Read: Guide to Managerial Communication, Chapters 1 and 2.
Submit: Student Information Sheet to Bb “Assignments”
1.
9/6/06
Course Overview and Objectives
Principles of Communication Strategy: Memtech Case Discussion
2.
9/11/06
Individual Benchmark Presentations
Delivery Techniques
3.
9/13/06
Business Writing
4.
9/18/06
Informative Team Presentation
Effective Visual Design
5.
9/20/06
Informal Business and Interpersonal Communication
6.
9/25/06
Visual Design Exercises
7.
9/27/06
Principles of Persuasion
Introduction to Seated Presentations
8.
10/2/06
Dealing with Questions; Impromptu Presentations
9.
10/4/06
Individual Seated slide-deck presentation
10/9/06
No class—Columbus Day
10.
10/11/06
Handling Challenging Questions—in-class exercise
11.
10/16/06
Preparation for Final Presentation: conferences with professor
12.
10/18/06
Final Team Final Presentations – (3 at 20 minutes each)
13.
10/25/06
Final Paper due
Fall 2006 Management Communication, Professor Bower
Page 9