Units

---

Sample subject outline - Semester 1 2013

Note: Subject outlines often change before the semester begins. Below is a sample outline.

Rationale

AMB373 Corporate Communication focuses on public relations practice in a corporate setting. A key responsibility of this role is to anticipate and respond to issues that influence stakeholder relationships and organisational reputations. AMB373 provides foundational skills and knowledge of the issues management process and decision making to understand and respond to stakeholder opinion.

Aims

This unit aims to develop understanding of how issues are created, managed, and responded to in a corporate environment. A key focus of responses is to influence or respond to stakeholder opinion and maintain organisational reputations and relationships in the public relations practice context of corporate communication.

Objectives

Course Learning Goals (Undergraduate)
The QUT Business School has established the Assurance of Learning (AOL) Goals to meet contemporary industry needs and standards. Achieving these learning outcomes will assist you to meet the desired graduate outcomes set at QUT - aligned with other internationally renowned business schools. Students will develop the following capabilities relevant to a contemporary global and sustainable business environment:

Have knowledge and skills pertinent to a particular discipline (KS)

1.1 Integrate and apply disciplinary theory and skills to practical situations
1.2 Incorporate the use of technology appropriate to the discipline and context

Be critical thinkers and effective problem solvers (CTA)

2.1 Identify, research and critically analyse information relevant to a business problem or issue, be able to synthesise that information in order to evaluate potential solutions, make recommendations or otherwise effectively address the problem or issue

Be professional communicators in an intercultural context (PC)

3.1 Communicate effectively through written tasks appropriate to varied contexts and audiences
3.2 Communicate effectively through professional oral presentations appropriate to varied contexts and audiences

Be able to work effectively in a Team Environment (TW)

4.1 Demonstrate effective team skills in order to contribute appropriately to the production of a group output

Have a Social and Ethical Understanding (SEU)

5.1 Apply ethical reasoning, standards or codes of practice relevant to the discipline and make decisions that are informed by social and cultural understanding


Unit Objectives
Upon successful completion of this unit, you should be able to:

1. Analyse and evaluate the role of public relations in a corporate setting
2. Analyse and evaluate the influences on decision-making in corporate communication
3. Synthesise the critical links between strategic issues of an organisation and corporate communication
planning
4. Evaluate current issues in corporate communication and apply ethical, social and intercultural perspectives to practice judgements
5. Communicate effectively to different audiences using a range of genres.


The specific course learning goals and unit objectives that apply to this unit are shown in the assessment section of this unit outline.

Content

This unit introduces students to the practice of public relations in a corporate setting examining areas including:

internal processes for issues management

issues and crisis management

corporate reputation

relationship management

organisational change

corporate social responsibility and ethical decision making; and evaluating practice.

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

Three approaches are applied in this unit to support student learning. Firstly, lectures provide the theoretical foundations and explore contemporary examples of public relations challenges faced by senior practitioners in large organisations. Secondly, independent learning will be fostered in tutorials where students will explore case and organisational examples and work collaboratively with peers to identify issues. This will also provide the opportunity to discuss and identify current practice via exercises and case studies and the opportunity to apply creative and critical thinking to current practice methods. Students can apply and add to this decision-making framework in tutorials and assessment. Finally, professional practice will be modelled through the integration of organisational examples and senior practitioners as guest speakers presenting current issues and solutions in practice.

This unit uses the SafeAssign tool in BlackBoard. SafeAssign is a text matching tool that assists students to develop the academic skills required to correctly use and cite reference material as well as to check citations and determine possible instances of plagiarism. You will be expected to submit draft and/or final versions of one or more assignments using SafeAssign. Your Unit Coordinator will provide detailed information on how the software will be used in this unit.

Assessment

Students will receive feedback in various forms throughout the semester which may include:

Informal: worked examples, such as verbal feedback in class, personal consultation

Formal: in writing, such as checklists (e.g. criteria sheets), written commentary

Direct: to individual students, either in written form or in consultation

Indirect: to the whole class

Assessment name: Research Sample
Description: You will select an organisation and issue (from provided list) and undertake research to find current news media articles reporting on the issue. You will select a key article and analyse this article according to the specified content areas. Selected article must be current (January to April 2013). You are to use research sample template headings available on the AMB373 Blackboard site (under assessment link).
Length: 1000 words
Formative or Summative: Both
Relates to objectives: Unit Objectives:3 and 4 and AoL: CTA (2.1),PC (3.1)
Weight: 20%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Week 6

Assessment name: Board Presentation/Issue Brief
Description: You will provide an issue brief addressed to the organisation's board of management that documents the issue, affected publics, organisational impacts, and recommendations supported by evidence/ analysis from your research. In addition, you will also digitally record a 3-5 minute video briefing to your organisation's board of management, to highlight the more important key points of the issue, its impacts and to persuade them to take key actions. The presentation is to be uploaded to YouTube and the link is to be submitted via Blackboard. Please refer to the AMB373 Assessment Guide for further information on structure, content, and marking criteria
Length: 1250 word issue report
Duration: 3-5 minute presentation
Formative or Summative: Both
Relates to objectives: Unit Objectives:1, 2 and 5and AoL: KS 1.1 and 1.2, CTA 2.1, PC 3.1 and 3.2
Weight: 45%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Week 10

Assessment name: Examination (written)
Description: Short answer and essay style questions will be asked in response to a specific organisational issue scenario. You will also be required to draft a written tactic to support identified recommendations
Duration: 2 hours exam 15 minutes perusal
Formative or Summative: Summative
Relates to objectives: Unit Objectives: 1,2,3,4 and 5 and AoL: KS (1.1), CTA (2.1), SEU (5.1)
Weight: 35%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Central Exam Period

Academic Honesty

QUT is committed to maintaining high academic standards to protect the value of its qualifications. To assist you in assuring the academic integrity of your assessment you are encouraged to make use of the support materials and services available to help you consider and check your assessment items. Important information about the university's approach to academic integrity of assessment is on your unit Blackboard site.

A breach of academic integrity is regarded as Student Misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties.

Resource materials

Prescribed text or readings:
1. Unit readings are prescribed for each week. Readings are available via the unit's course materials database (CMD).

Other Resources

· Additional readings may be posted during semester on the unit's course materials database (CMD).
· Students should be reading and listening to current affairs and news reports in traditional, industry and social media channels.
· Relevant academic journals include Asia Pacific Public Relations Journal, Journal of Public Relations Research, Journal of Communication Management, Management Communication Quarterly, Public Relations Review

Risk assessment statement

There are no out-of-the-ordinary risks associated with lectures or tutorials in this unit. You should, however, familiarise yourself with evacuation procedures operating in the buildings in which you attend classes and take the time to
view the Emergency video.

Disclaimer - Offer of some units is subject to viability, and information in these Unit Outlines is subject to change prior to commencement of semester.

Last modified: 20-Dec-2012