Managerial Communication (Mgt 503)

(Sunday, 10 am to 1:15 pm)

EMBA 5
Resource Person: Faisal Nazir

Course Description:

This course follows the structure of Hattersley and McJannet’s Management Communication: Principles
and Practice and is divided into two sections: Principles of Effective Communication, and Application. In
the first half of the course until the Midterm, the focus will be on developing essential communication
skills, both spoken and written. In the second half, the focus will shift to specific areas of managerial
tasks and responsibilities which require the application of the principles learnt in the first half.
Throughout the course, case studies will be the dominant form of exercises and activities. In addition,
the participants will also be asked to give oral presentations mostly of a persuasive nature.

Prerequisite Knowledge and Skills:

Participants must have good language skills and knowledge of traditional formats of communication.
They should also be able to use computers and the internet for relevant assignments.

Course Objectives:

Managerial Communication aims to develop the ability to communicate persuasively. It focuses on both
long term and short term/immediately applicable strategies for persuasive communication.

Learning Outcomes

At the end of the course, the participants should be able to:

 Develop an understanding of the principles of effective communication from a managerial

perspective
 Plan a communication strategy to achieve various management objectives
 Enhance presentation skills, particularly to design and deliver persuasive presentations
 Analyze the existing communication practices in organizations and determine how they can be
refined
Course Policies:

The participants must make a note of the following points:

 Participants should familiarize themselves with the IBA Code of Conduct and academic policies
given on the IBA website (student handbook) and abide by the rules and regulations
 Participants must arrive on time for the class.
 Cell phones must remain powered off during the class. Mid-class break may be utilized for
making calls or sending messages.
 Meaningful participation in class discussions will be appreciated and will earn marks. However,
unnecessary interruptions and indulgence in argumentation will not be appreciated.
 Assignments/case studies must be handed-in or emailed on time.
AACSB Learning Goals and Traits
Teaching and Learning Methodology:

 Lectures including relevant video clips

 Case studies
 Role plays
 Group and Individual Presentations
 Written exams

Weekly Course Break-up:

Week 1: Management Communication in Transition; Developing a Communication Strategy

In this opening session, several tasks have to be completed. Course outline and grading plan will be
discussed, followed by an introduction to managerial communication. Teams will be formed for group
work/assignments.

Week 2: Setting Goals; Audience Analysis

This session will focus on how to make communication result oriented and on analyzing the audience. It
will also focus on identifying the primary and the secondary audiences.

Week 3: Point of View; Persuasion

Hattersley and McJannet recommend that managers state their point of view regarding any
organizational matter openly and often forcefully. Their recommendations will be discussed in this
session. Moreover, the session will also discuss the art and science of persuasion with reference to the
work of a Harvard professor, Robert Cialdini.

Week 4: Content and Argument; Structure

In this session message composition will be discussed in terms of message content and structure. The
focus will be on how to construct arguments and organize the message in order to get the intended
result.

Week 5: Choosing Media; Style and Tone

Once audience and message composition questions are answered, the next task for the message sender
is to choose an appropriate medium for the message and to adopt a proper style and tone in relation to
the audience and purpose of the message. These steps will be discussed in this session.

Week 6: Speaking
All participants are required to give a 7 to 10 minutes presentation during the course and this session will
establish the standard for participants’ presentations. Focus will be on preparing and delivering effective
presentations.

Week 7: Communication Ethics

More and more importance is being given to ethical issues in managerial communication today. In this
session the ethical dimension of managerial communication will be discussed.

Week 8: Giving and Receiving Feedback

One of the most important managerial tasks is giving and receiving feedback. This session will focus on
how best to carry out these management tasks most effectively.
Week 9: Managing Meetings
Meetings are a regular part of a manager’s work. Yet, the effectiveness of meetings is not always
assured. In this session, the focus will be on devising strategies to make meetings more effective.

Week 10: Electronic Communication

Where technology has increased the frequency and speed of communication, it has also created
problems of privacy, misuse, and information overload. This session will focus on effective use of
communication technology in business organizations.

Week 11: Cross Cultural Communication

A prominent characteristic of today’s workplace is cultural diversity. This requires managers to maintain
cultural harmony among the workforce. This session will focus on how such harmony can be maintained
in organizations.

Week 12: Managing Conflict

Managers are often called in to intervene in situations of conflict. In this session how best to manage
conflict will be the focus of discussion.

Grading Plan (Absolute Grading):

Individual Presentation 15 marks Weeks 7 to 12

Case Study/Group Presentation 10 marks Weeks 3 to 6
Participation* 10 marks Throughout
Midterm 25 marks To be Announced
Final exam 40 marks To be Announced
* This will measured by attendance record, participation in activities (e.g. role plays), and participation in
class discussions and Q & A after presentations

Course Pack:

Available from the photocopier.

Recommended Books:

Clampitt, Philip G. (2013). Communicating for Managerial Effectiveness: Problems, Strategies, Solutions
(5th ed.). California: Sage Publications Inc.

Hattersley, M. E. and Linda McJannet (2008). Management Communication: Principles and Practice (3rd
ed.). New York: McGraw Hill.

Munter, Mary and Lynn Hamilton (2014). Guide to Managerial Communication (10th ed.). New Jersey:
Pearson Education.

O'Rourke, J. S. (2010). Management Communication: A Case Analysis Approach. New Jersey: Pearson
Education.
Websites:

Harvard Business Review: http://hbr.org/

Online Writing Lab: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/
Plain English Campaign: www.plainenglish.co.uk
Business Communication Network: websearch.businesscommunicationnetwork.com

Course Website: www.sites.google.com/site/ibainstructormc/

Instructor email: mngmntcomm@gmail.com