COMS 4320
MANAGERIAL COMMUNICATION
Spring, 2012
Instructor
Dr Sasha Grant
Office
Phone
Mailbox
Email
Fine Arts Building, Room 2115
817-272-0733
19107
sgrant@uta.edu
Office Hours
Tuesday, 12:30 pm-1:30pm, or by appointment
Class Location
Fine Arts Building, Room 327A
Class Hours
Tuesday, 11:00am-12:20pm
Thursday, 11:00am-12:20pm
Required Text
Hattersley, M., & McJanet, L. (2008). Management Communication: Principles and
practice (3rd ed.). Boston, MA: McGraw Hill.
Course Description
Communication is an applied art, not a science. Thus while the course aims to introduce aspects of
communication theory relevant to managerial work, its major goal is to give you opportunities to practice
your communication skills and receive feedback from peers and the instructor in a candid but supportive
atmosphere. Assignments will ask you to analyze communication situations, identify the different
viewpoints of the parties involved, develop cogent arguments based on the available data, and generate
communications with an effective structure, style and tone. The course also aims to encourage an
understanding of managerial communication as a two-way process designed to establish and maintain a
common understanding so that organizational goals can be achieved.
Course Objectives
 To develop an awareness of the process and importance of audience analysis within organizations.
 To develop awareness of a manager’s point of view and responding constructively to others’
perspectives within organizations.
 To develop an awareness of achieving goals within a particular organizational context.
 To develop an understanding of manager message designs through content and argument.
 To develop an understanding of structuring manager communication.
 To develop an understanding of the importance of media choices for managers.
 To develop an awareness of message style and tone; and how they affect perceptions of manager
communication.
 To develop an understating of the importance of managers giving and receiving feedback.
 To develop an understanding of managers’ preparation and participation in meetings.
 To develop an awareness of challenges managers face when communicating change to employees.
 To develop an appreciation of the importance of establishing solid personal and corporate ethics.
 To develop an awareness of how electronic communication impacts on managers and their
communication with others within the organization.
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Tentative Schedule of Topics, Assignments and Activities
Week
1
Date
Topic
Reading
PHASE ONE: PRINCIPLES OF EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
Chapter 1
Jan 17
Introduction to the course
Case: “Fair is fair,” Isn’t it?
Review the aspects of communication (source, goal,
audience, context, message, media, feedback). Analyze the
case from the Dean’s point of view. What goal(s) might he
adopt? With whom might he communicate? What is his
relationship with each audience? What do they know about
the situation? What message might he send to each? Through
what media? In your view, what should he do and what
should he say to whom?
Jan 19
TBA
2
Jan 24
Jan 26
Effective (business) writing
Case: Yellowtail Marine
Consider the study questions following the case (p. 36).
Write a memo to the class in which you rank the issues facing
Gilcrist and explain your rationale
Chapter 16
Chapter 2
3
Jan 31
Audience analysis
Check progress on Memo 1
Case: Weymouth Steel Corporation
Consider the study questions following the case. How should
Weymouth’s managers communicate the need for layoffs?
Explain and defend your strategy in a memo to Harrison
(your boss)
Memo 1 due in class
Chapter 3
Point of view
Check progress on Memo 2
Setting Goals
Case: Smith Financial Corporation
Revision of Memo 2. What point of view did Miller
communicate to his co-workers? What was their view of
him? How well did he take their point of view on the
company and their common tasks into account?
Memo 2 due in class
Chapter 4
Message content and argument
Case: Cuttyhunk Bank A, Cuttyhunk Bank B
Consider the questions of the “A” case. Analyze and evaluate
the arguments in Wilson's April 23 and May 14 letters using
Toulmin's argument models.
Argument exercise in class
Chapter 5
Structure
Case: McGregor’s Ltd. Department Store
Do you agree with the change McGregor wants to make? If
so, how should the changes to the discount policy be
announced?
Chapter 6
Feb 2
4
Feb 7
Feb 9
5
Feb 14
Feb 16
6
Feb 21
Feb 23
2
Choosing Media
Case: The Timken Company
Consider the study questions. What should Timken's goals be
for the campaign, and how can they achieve them?
Effective speaking
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Mar 8
Style and Tone
Case: Vanrex, Inc
Consider the study questions.
Exercise: Apply the "paramedic method" to a paragraph of
Rubin's report or a document that has recently crossed your
desk.
TBA
9
Mar 13
Mar 15
SPRING BREAK
SPRING BREAK
10
Mar 20
7
Feb 28
Mar 1
8
Mar 6
Mar 22
PHASE TWO: APPLICATIONS
Giving and receiving feedback
Case: Bailey and Wick
Does Bailey and Wick have a problem with giving feedback
to junior associates? Why or why not? If so, what should be
done about it?
Group work: Plan and Presentation
Chapter 17
Chapter 9
Communicating Change
Case: Hammermill Paper Company
How should headquarters announce the new Hammermill
Paper planning process and what concerns of the division
managers should they attempt to allay?
Group work: Plan and Presentation
Chapter 11
Communicating with External Audiences
Case: Oxford Energy
How should Oxford Energy present its case to the people of
Derry? How would you evaluate Rettger’s performance.
Review Draft Business Plan in Groups
Group work: Plan and Presentation
Personal and Corporate Ethics
Case: Hal of Erhardt & Company
Case: McArthur Place
What should Hal and Emily do and why?
Group work: Plan and Presentation
Chapter 12
Chapter 15
Apr 19
Electronic Communication
Discussion: Communication technology in today’s
workplace
Group work: Plan and Presentation
15
Apr 24
Apr 26
Business Plan Group Presentations
Business Plan Group Presentations
16
May 1
May 3
Business Plan Peer Review
Summary & Review
11
Mar 27
Mar 29
12
Apr 3
13
Apr 5
Apr 10
Apr 12
14
Apr 17
Chapter 14
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Structure and methods
The course has two phases. Phase I concentrates on general concepts and techniques of effective oral and
written communication in organizations. We will discuss these elements in class and apply them in
exercises and writing assignments based on short cases. Phase II of the course focuses on common
communication problems in contemporary business. We will discuss guidelines for dealing with them
effectively and apply the guidelines to specific cases. Your major Phase II project will be to present a
business plan to a group of potential investors. Details of this assignment are outlined below.
Requirements and Grading
All assignments must be turned in for satisfactory completion of the course. Your performance in the
course will be evaluated as follows:
Assessment
Memo 1
Memo 2
Argument exercise
Business Plan Group Presentations
Business Plan Peer Review
Participation: exercises, contributions to
discussion, role-plays, peer editing
Note:
A = 90% - 100%
B = 80% - 89%
Due Date
Feb 2
Feb 9
Feb 16
Apr 24-26
May 1
C = 70% - 79%
Grading
10%
10%
10%
35%
15%
20%
D = 60% - 69%
Attendance
Regular attendance is expected; please notify me if you foresee an unavoidable absence. More than two
absences, for whatever reason, necessarily reduce your opportunities to contribute to discussion and other
in-class activities and therefore adversely affect your participation grade. Missed class
participation/attendance/class activities cannot be made up. No excuse – no matter how legitimate- can
make up for the fact of not being in class. We will have frequent case study discussions that will
contribute to 20% of your course grade. Attending class and being an active participant is the way to earn
this portion of your grade. Missing class and/or failing to get involved in the class discussion may
significantly lower this portion of your course grade. If you have concerns with your grade or
performance, please talk with me during the semester; when we can do something about your effort to
help you earn the grade you want.
UNIVERSITY POLICIES
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
The University of Texas at Arlington is on record as being committed to both the spirit and letter of all
federal equal opportunity legislation, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). All instructors
at UT Arlington are required by law to provide "reasonable accommodations" to students with
disabilities, so as not to discriminate on the basis of that disability. Any student requiring an
accommodation for this course must provide the instructor with official documentation in the form of a
letter certified by the staff in the Office for Students with Disabilities, University Hall 102. Only those
students who have officially documented a need for an accommodation will have their request honored.
Information regarding diagnostic criteria and policies for obtaining disability-based academic
accommodations can be found at www.uta.edu/disability or by calling the Office for Students with
Disabilities at (817) 272-3364.
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Student Support Services
UT Arlington provides a variety of resources and programs designed to help students develop academic
skills, deal with personal situations, and better understand concepts and information related to their
courses. Resources include tutoring, major-based learning centers, developmental education, advising and
mentoring, personal counseling, and federally funded programs. For individualized referrals, students
may contact the Maverick Resource Hotline by calling 817-272-6107, sending a message to
resources@uta.edu, or visiting www.uta.edu/resources.
Academic Integrity
At UT Arlington, academic dishonesty is completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated in any form,
including (but not limited to) “cheating, plagiarism, collusion, the submission for credit of any work or
materials that are attributable in whole or in part to another person, taking an examination for another
person, any act designed to give unfair advantage to a student or the attempt to commit such acts” (UT
System Regents’ Rule 50101, §2.2). Suspected violations of academic integrity standards will be referred
to the Office of Student Conduct. Violators will be disciplined in accordance with University policy,
which may result in the student’s suspension or expulsion from the University.
Drop Policy
Students may drop or swap (adding and dropping a class concurrently) classes through self-service in
MyMav from the beginning of the registration period through the late registration period. After the late
registration period, students must see their academic advisor to drop a class or withdraw. Undeclared
students must see an advisor in the University Advising Center. Drops can continue through a point twothirds of the way through the term or session. It is the student's responsibility to officially withdraw if
they do not plan to attend after registering. Students will not be automatically dropped for nonattendance. Repayment of certain types of financial aid administered through the University may be
required as the result of dropping classes or withdrawing. For more information, contact the Office of
Financial Aid and Scholarships (http://wweb.uta.edu/ses/fao).
Electronic Communication Policy
UT Arlington has adopted MavMail as its official means to communicate with students about important
deadlines and events, as well as to transact university-related business regarding financial aid, tuition,
grades, graduation, etc. All students are assigned a MavMail account and are responsible for checking the
inbox regularly. There is no additional charge to students for using this account, which remains active
even after graduation. Information about activating and using MavMail is available at
http://www.uta.edu/oit/cs/email/mavmail.php.
Student Feedback Survey
At the end of each term, students enrolled in classes categorized as lecture, seminar, or laboratory will be
asked to complete an online Student Feedback Survey (SFS) about the course and how it was taught.
Instructions on how to access the SFS system will be sent directly to students through MavMail
approximately 10 days before the end of the term. UT Arlington’s effort to solicit, gather, tabulate, and
publish student feedback data is required by state law; student participation in the SFS program is
voluntary.
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