COMMUNICATIONS IN ORGANIZATIONS - BTMM COURSES w312

Professor:  Donald L. Heller
E-mail:  dheller@temple.edu
Don Heller will check E-mail at least once a day Monday through Friday
Telephone:    215-204-6434 (Office)

Office Hours:  Tuesday and Thursday from 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM and by appointment. Please send an e-mail to set an appointment.

Office Location:  210A Tomlinson Theater at Main Campus

Course Internet location:  http://blackboard.temple.edu

DESCRIPTION:

The major theories of organizational communication are reviewed.  The role of communication in organizational processes and the impact of communication on those processes will also be examined.  Prerequisite BTMM 011.

GOALS:

- To develop the ability to understand and critique organizational communications practices and recognized cultural behavior using organizational communication theory.

- To be able to relate a specific organization’s use of its information and communication systems to its organizational communication practices.

- To develop search skills and to work with on-line documents on the World Wide Web, to conduct searches on CD-ROM databases and other resource materials.

- To become comfortable with collaborative learning by using Web-based technologies.

- To become an active learner and participator in “virtual classrooms.”

CLASS FORMAT:

The course consists of required weekly readings, four written exercises/reports, an interest paper, a final paper proposal and a final paper.  There also are required weekly postings to the discussion topics (Forums) posted to the Internet platform on Blackboard.  Also a series of on-line chat sessions will be held and participation is required in five (5) of the ten (10) sessions planned.  A face to face meeting will be scheduled and other meetings if required. 

Please review in detail the attachment (Opening letter) with additional course instructions.

A schedule of the weekly reading assignments and due dates for papers is attached. 

All material is also posted on the course Internet platform called Blackboard found at http://blackboard.temple.edu  As indicated above, it is expected work will be completed each week.  This course will not allow you to fall behind and cram at the end of the semester. If there are problems completing work, contact me immediately.

Mediated communication processes are core to the subject matter of this course.  These systems will serve as instructional and learning tools inside and outside of the classroom context.  This course will prepare you for life in organizations, be they profit, non-profit, NGO’s, or governmental.  I want you to do well, because your success is a shared one.

I am here to assist and guide you; you are here to be very active learners and participants.  Organizations, as well as this class, demand active, not passive learning and participation.

When or if you have questions or problems during the course, please contact me immediately so that I can assist you in working out the problem or answer the question. Direct course-related questions regarding assignments, evaluation and problems to me.  Any questions having to do with departmental policies and guidelines should also be directed to me.  I may need to consult with others to obtain the answer to your question.  However, always feel free to ask for information or guidance.

If you are having technical problems, contact the Temple University helpdesk at 215-204-8000. You should be aware the Temple University systems might be down between the hours of  4 AM to 8AM for routine maintenance and you should plan your time accordingly.  The University also provides a writing center and a technical group for systems. I will check e-mail regularly as indicated above and will try to respond the same day. You should also be aware that you will as an on line student have unlimited PPP access hours.  You need a user name, which will also allow access to the Temple library online databases and to retrieve articles that otherwise you, would have to pay a fee to obtain.  Look at the Computer Services Web Page for more information at:  http://www.temple.edu/cs

GRADING:

Grades will be determined by evaluation of the written assignments and participation in the forums and chat sessions.  Students must complete all the required assignments and participate. Work submitted late will not be accepted unless prior arrangements are made and may be subject to grade reduction.

            3 or 4 Exercises*          40%

            Interest Paper               15%

            Final Project                 20%

Participation                 25%  (Completing forum and participation in chat sessions and attendance at class meetings)

The following grading scale will be used:

A         94-100

A-        90-93

B+        87-89

B          83-86

B-         80-82

C+       77-79

C         73-76

C-        70-72

D+       67-69

D         63-66

D-        60-62

F          59 and Below

TEAM PROJECT

 *Team Project.  Participation in a team project is highly recommended and encouraged.

Working with virtual teams is a valuable way to learn and an invaluable experience to prepare you for the workplace.  Teamwork is not easily achieved nor even desired by some students.  Consequently, working on your project (Interest Paper and Final Paper) in teams is an option.  Those choosing this option will be allowed to skip the last of the four Exercises.  This is not meant as an reward or a punishment but rather a recognition of the additional time that will be required for team meetings.  However, if the Professor determines that a team is not making sufficient progress, those individuals will be asked to complete individual projects and to make up the exercise they were to skip.

A quote on changes in organizations and their need for virtual teams from the article “Virtual teams: Technology and the workplace of the future” as it appeared in the journal, Academy of Management Executive stated:

“A new generation of information and telecommunications technology provides the foundation for resilient new organizational forms that would not have been feasible only a decade ago”  

Andrew S. Grove of Intel has said, “There are two options: Adapt or die”.

Required Texts for undergraduate students:

Daniels, Tom D., Spiker, Barry K., and Papa, Michael (1977).

Perspectives on Organizational Communication. (4^th Ed.) Madison, WI: WCB Brown & Benchmark Publishers.

Adler, Nancy J. (2002). International Dimensions of Organizational Behavior. (4^rd Ed.) Cincinnati, OH: South-Western College Publishing.

Students may have additional assignments from the Recommended Reading and from other sources.

Reserve Readings:

Clegg, s., Hardy, C. and Nord, W. (Ed.) (1966)  The Handbook of Organizational Studies.  Newbury Park, CA: Sage.

Additional readings may be placed on reserve in the Blitman Reading Room in Annenberg Hall, sent by listserv or added to the Course Materials on Blackboard.  Readings may also be drawn from trade magazines and journals, in hard copy and on-line versions.

Other resources:

Internet/WWW

Databases

Newspapers, journals, magazines, television and radio

Your own experience and knowledge

Your classmates’ experience and knowledge

NOTES:

1.      It is Temple University’s policy to provide reasonable accommodations to students with disabilities under the ADA.  At the beginning of each semester, any student with a disability should inform the course instructor if instructional accommodations of academic adjustments will be needed.  For more information about the ADA and academic accommodations or adjustments, contact the Office of Disability Resources and Services at 215-204-1280. Any student requiring consideration due to a disability is encouraged to contact the Professor in person, by phone or e-mail as soon as possible to ensure your needs are accommodated as soon as possible and your learning experience in this class is maximized.

2.      Temple University has a published Code of Conduct.  Please review this Code as it’s provisions will be adhered to during this class.

3.      Plagiarizing is defined as taking the words or ideas of another person and presenting them as one’s own without proper credit.  Plagiarizing is considered cheating.  A student who plagiarizes will receive a zero for that assignment and/or a failing grade for the course.  If you are not certain that you are using or citing materials properly, feel free to check with me.  Remember it is better to be safe than sorry.  There is nothing wrong in citing others work, just give them credit.  You get credit for doing so and citing them can enhance your work and learning.

4.      Continued enrollment in this course is confirmation that you accept the terms and conditions of this class as outlined in this syllabus.  If any student has a problem with the syllabus, they must let me know immediately.