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McDaniel Europe Campus in Budapest
COM 3326 – Organizational Communication
Fall 2011
Berne Weiss
bweiss@hu.inter.net
Course Description
Using metaphor as the tool, the course will examine theory that addresses the communicative practices employed by organizations in their internal and external activities, and the ways that theories are turned into practice. The class is specifically designed to attain several objectives: to develop an understanding of both historical and current approaches to the study of organizational communication; to understand the development and application of theory to organizational communicative problems; and their communication practices. For the term project students will select an organization to profile: they are responsible for conducting on-site field studies, and preparing written and oral presentations of their findings.
Readings: Images of Organization by Gareth Morgan. Other readings as assigned
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Sept 2 Introduction to the course
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Sept 3 Film: Modern Times; Read Preface and Introduction to text
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Sept 9/10 Organization as Machine; Read chap 2, prepare 2 discussion questions
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Sept 16/17 Organizations as Organisms; Read chap 3, prepare 2 discussion questions
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Sept 23/24 Organizations as Brains; Read chap 4, prepare 2 discussion questions
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Sept 30/Oct 1 Organizations as Cultures; Read chap 5, prepare 2 discussion questions
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Oct 7/8 Organizations as Political Systems; Read chap 6, prepare 2 discussion questions
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Oct 14 Film: Antz
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Oct 15 Midterms due, hard copy
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Oct 21 Feedback, conferences on term projects
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Oct 22 Constructing metaphors
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Oct 28/29 Organizations as Psychic Prisons; Read chap 7, prepare 2 discussion questions
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Nov 4/5 Organizations as Flux and Transformation; Read chap 8, prepare 2 discussion questions
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Nov 11/12 Organizations as Instruments of Domination; Read chap 9, prepare 2 discussion questions
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Nov 18/19 Term Project Presentations
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Nov 25 Metaphor and Organizational Life; Read chap 10 and 11; Term project papers due
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Dec 2/3 Film: The Corporation
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Dec 9 Feedback
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Dec 10 Finals due
Grades will be based on
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Term Project (presentation and paper) 30%
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Midterm 25%
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Final 25%
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Class Participation 20%
Students are expected to be present and on time for each class. See the Student Handbook for policy on absences.
Class begins at 10:15. When the door is closed you can't interrupt, and you will be marked absent.
Plan to be 10 minutes early.
I don't have regular office hours, but I can always make time to meet with you.
You are required to keep up with the reading, and come to the class sessions with two discussion questions based on the reading. Discussion questions should be open-ended questions focused on the ideas and issues presented in the reading. You will also have the opportunity to lead one or two class discussions.
You will be expected to complete a term project, which will be an organizational profile based on research and interviews. The project will be both a paper and a class presentation. Presentations are scheduled for Nov 18 and 19. Papers are due Nov 25
You will also have a midterm and a final exam. Both will be in the form of take-home essays. You will get the essay questions approximately a week before the essays are due.
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