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MASTER OF ARTS IN CORPORATE AND
ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION Fall 2005 Wednesdays, 6:00 - 8:30pm, NAB Instructor: Gary P. Radford, Ph. D
Office: Mansion, M34 If important changes are to take place, discussions in the workplace must be greatly enriched. An active discussion among nonbusiness school academics and corporate members with each willing to give up part of their language and thinking routines can help. This is not just a case of making academics think and talk more clearly and practically. Discussion among business leaders are as often reduced to short choppy expressions of empty slogans as academic talk is to complex convoluted displays. The frustration of style differences must give way to the pursuit of mutual insight. (Stanley Deetz, 1995) Business talk has to gain depth and complexity appropriate to the talents of its participants . . . Learning sessions cannot be reduced to largely embarrassing “entertrainment” sessions, filled with humor and spirit, but lacking serious conception or attention. The rhetoric of these sessions is often more appropriate to the worst of political campaigning than to serious business discussions. But the replacement of this talk cannot be an arid, detached treatise or a mere report of studies. Academics must be willing to get their hands dirty and make the hard choices that come along in work contexts. (Stanley Deetz, 1995) Course Description The term "corporate communication" embraces many aspects. According to Michael Goodman (2000), corporate communication is first and foremost "a vital management function in contemporary organizations". Goodman (2000) states that corporate communication refers to the totality of a corporation's efforts to lead, motivate, persuade, and inform its various publics, which include consumers, investors, employees, and the media. Goodman notes that "corporate communication can include such traditional disciplines as: public relations, investor relations, employee relations, community relations, media relations, labor relations, government relations, technical communication, training and employee development, marketing communication, management communication". Finally, Goodman states that corporate communication is inherently strategic in nature and offers the corporation a vital tool with which to gain a competitive advantage. Corporate communication is the means by which a corporation is linked with the outside world. However, more than this, corporate communication has come to be the means by which much of our understanding of the world is produced. Joel Bakan (2004) has noted that over the last 150 years the corporation has risen from relative obscurity to become the world's dominant economic institution. As Bakan (2004) writes, "the corporation's dramatic rise to dominance is one of the remarkable events of modern history." The practice of strategic corporate communication has been an integral part with this rise. In this course, we will study the forms and practices of corporate communication and their impact on contemporary global society. We will attempt to follow Stanley Deetz’s call for an integration of the insights of practicing corporate communication professionals with those of academics who specialize in the study of communication theory. Deetz suggests that the practitioner and the academic speak about the same topics but use different “languages.” Academic-speak tends to consist of “complex convoluted displays” of little interest to the practicing professional. At the same time, business-speak tends to consist of “short choppy expressions of empty slogans” of little interest to academics. In this course, we will attempt to bridge the divide between the professional and the academic by using speakers experienced in the professional world who are nevertheless well versed in the academic foundations of their subjects. By the end of the course, students will have a rich understanding of corporate communication, both as a practical and strategic activity and as a key communication process within contemporary global society. Required Text Bakan, Joel (2004). The corporation: The pathological pursuit of profit and power. New York, NY: Free Press. SYLLABUS August 2005 31st: "Introduction to the Course" - Gary P. Radford September 2005 7th: "What is Corporate Communication? An Overview" - Gary P. Radford 14th: “Blogs, PodCasting and Current TV: The Impact of Citizen Journalism and "Transparency" on Corporate Communications Practice” - Adam Yates, Director of Corporate Communications, FujiFilm USA 21st: “Current Trends in Public Relations” - Mike Cherenson, Chief Public Relations Counselor and Strategist, The Cherenson Group 28th: Screening: "The Corporation" - Gary Radford October 2005 5th: “Communicating and branding technology innovation” - James Irwin, Assistant Director, Americas IT Implementation, Communication & Learning, Ernst and Young 12th: “Corporate Communication: Discipline or Job Description?” - Jeffrey Dunsavage, Director, Internal Communications, Telcordia 19th: “Advancements of Technical Communication in the Software Industry” - Michelle Fields, Senior Technical Product Manager, Oracle Corporation 26th: "Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media" (Video) November 2005 2nd: Site Visit to MSNBC Studios, Secaucus, NJ. Host: Roderick Jussim 9th: “Why Communication Fails: Media Richness Theory and Message Interpretation” - John Barrows, Vice President, Corporate Communication and Public Affairs, Cendant Car Rental Group 16th: “How Do You Know What You Know?” - Stuart Goldstein, Director of Corporate Communication, Depository Trust and Clearing Corporation (Note: This class will take place at the Depository Trust and Clearing Corporation, 55 Water Street, NYC. The class will begin at 4:00pm.) 23rd: Thanksgiving Holiday, no class. 30th: Brian Lewis, Senior Vice President of Corporate Communication, Fox News Channel December 2005 7th: "Network" (Video) 14th: "What Have We Learned? Course Wrap Up" - Gary Radford Bio-Sketches of Presenters John R. Barrows heads the corporate communications function for the Cendant Car Rental Group, operator of the Avis and Budget brands, and one of the largest general-use vehicle rental companies in the world. John's department handles employee and executive communications, product publicity, government affairs, philanthropy and media relations. Prior to joining Cendant John served as Director, Corporate Communications for Nabisco, Inc. He has also worked in agency public relations for Ogilvy & Mather in addition to other positions over the course of a 25-year career in marketing, public relations and corporate communications. John was awarded Best of Silver Anvil in 2000 for the best overall public relations program of 1999 by the Public Relations Society of America. John has a bachelor of science degree in newspaper journalism from Syracuse University and a masters degree in communication and information science from Rutgers. Michael Cherenson is Accredited in Public Relations (APR) by the Universal Accreditation Board and Public Relations Society of America. A 15-year industry veteran and the author of three studies on the impact of reputation, Chernson’s expertise extends to all disciplines of public relations including corporate, marketing, internal and crisis communication, government relations, event management and interactive public relations. At The Cherenson Group, he serves as chief public relations counselor and strategist and oversees all public relations activities for the firms' diverse clientele. In October, 2003 Cherenson was elected to a three-year term on the national Board of Directors of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), the world's largest professional organization for public relations professionals, with nearly 20,000 members. Cherenson currently serves as chair of the PRSA’s Advocacy Advisory Board and liaison to the Public Relations Student Society (PRSSA). A past President of the New Jersey Chapter of the PRSA, Cherenson was honored with the PRSA-NJ's Service Award in 2002. He is a graduate of Ithaca College (NY), Ithaca, NY, and is an alumni of the prestigious Graduate School of Political Management (GSPM) at George Washington University, Washington, DC. Jeffrey Dunsavage is responsible for internal communications - developing strategies and tools for communication and team building across strategic business units - at Telcordia Technologies. Telcordia, formerly Bellcore, is a privately held independent company that provides essential products and services to the telecommunications industry. Working closely with the company's CEO, business unit heads, and human resources partners, the director of internal communications plays a critical role in helping employees understand industry changes, corporate strategy, and how these elements affect Telcordia's employee-owners. A corporate communications professional with more than 20 years' experience, Jeff received his BA degree in liberal arts from St. John's College in Annapolis, Md., and his MA in corporate and organizational communication from Fairleigh Dickinson University. Michele-Andrea Fields is a Senior Technical Product Manager for Oracle Corporation. She is responsible for writing all technical documentation, including installation instructions, implementation guides, and other technical documentation for the Process Manufacturing product. Michele is also the Product Manager for all migrations and upgrades for the Process Manufacturing and Oracle E-Records communities. Michele travels all over the world meeting with clients to create project plans, as well as giving training classes for the migration processes. In addition, she acts as a liaison between the development staff and support staff to ensure accurate information is disseminated to our client base. Michele also built and maintains an internal Oracle E-Records system where the Process Manufacturing team uploads all documentation, including functional and technical designs, test scripts, white papers, documentation, and curriculum. This system offers electronic signatures and record-keeping to help in our audits by potential and current clients. Oracle is the world’s largest enterprise software company. Oracle technology can be found in nearly every industry around the world and in the offices of 98 of the Fortune 100 companies. Oracle is the first software company to develop and deploy 100 percent internet-enabled enterprise software across its entire product line: database, business applications, and application development and decision support tools. Oracle is the world’s leading supplier of software for information management, and the world's second largest independent software company. Stuart Z. Goldstein has been a senior Corporate Communications counselor for over 20 years, including serving as spokesperson at two Fortune 500 companies. In addition, he’s been a lobbyist, run political campaigns in New Jersey for over a decade and early in his career wrote for a newspaper. At The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC), he heads Corporate Communications and serves on the operating committee of the company. The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC), through its subsidiaries, provides clearance, settlement, custody and information services for equities, corporate and municipal bonds, government and mortgage-backed securities, over-the-counter credit derivatives and emerging market debt. DTCC is also the leading processor of mutual funds and insurance transactions, linking funds and carriers with their distribution networks. In 2003, DTCC settled $923 trillion in securities transactions. Mr. Goldstein manages a staff of 20 as well as PR agencies based in the U.K. and U.S. Previously, Mr. Goldstein was director of Corporate Communications at American Express and vice president and deputy director of National Public Affairs at Citicorp. He began his career in New Jersey State Government as an assistant for Legislative Affairs to the State's Public Advocate and later was appointed as a State Ombudsman. In addition to his experience as a lobbyist, he ran political campaigns in New Jersey for ten years. Mr. Goldstein’s research on best practices in Corporate Communications and the introduction of innovative strategies using technology have been the basis for a number of articles he’s authored for publications in the U.S. and overseas (www.stuartzgoldstein.com). His most recent article, “Information Preparedness, An Integrated Model for Communication in the Information Age,” appeared in Strategic Communications Management magazine. He's also completed a book chapter for the Public Relations Society of America’s Practical Public Affairs in an Era of Change, which was published in 1996. His writings have been frequently cited, most recently in Managing Learning and Communication Systems as Business Assets (Fall 2004), Managing Media Relations (Fall 1999) and Risky Business: Protect Your Business on The Web (Spring 1998). James Irwin is a technology communication and implementation manager for Ernst & Young, directing change management, learning, and deployment projects benefiting over 105,000 personnel in 140 countries. Ernst & Young is a global leader in professional services, including accounting and auditing, tax reporting and operations, tax advisory, business risk services, technology and security risk services, transaction advisory, and human capital services. Country practices also provide legal services in those parts of the world where permitted. James previously served as vice president and general manager of a software development firm; as managing editor for all of Comcast Corporation’s New Jersey online properties, where he was honored by Ziff Davis Media for building the best Web site operation in the nation’s cable industry; and as a partner in a San Francisco consulting firm which was a regional leader in specialty business communication and public relations. He is a co-founder of media studio Walking Tour Films, serves on the executive board of the New Jersey Communication Association, and is an associate editor of the Atlantic Journal of Communication. Brian Lewis was appointed Vice President, Media Relations, FOX News, in April 1996 and was promoted to Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications in December 2000. At FOX, Lewis oversees all public relations and corporate communications activities for FOX News and its properties. His responsibilities include raising the awareness and strategic positioning of the news division; creating and implementing crisis management plans; and interacting with parent company, News Corp., to ensure a cohesive corporate message. His accomplishments include launching the FOX News Channel to critical acclaim and unprecedented consumer awareness; creating and implementing successful marketing campaigns favorably positioning FNC against competing networks & corporations; handling all crisis situations that threatened the network and positioning FNC to be the most talked about network in television. Overseeing a staff of professionals in New York City and Washington, DC, Lewis is responsible for managing a multi-million dollar budget and reports directly to the company’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. In addition to being responsible for all external communication for the company, Lewis is directly involved in the marketing and advertising for FOX News. Prior to joining FOX, Lewis spent five years at CNBC as Vice President, Media Relations and Corporate Communications. At CNBC, he created and implemented a public relations campaign that helped triple ratings and firmly established the network as the leading provider of business news. In addition to his duties at CNBC, he handled the public relations for the launch of America’s Talking (now MSNBC). He was previously Director of Media Relations & Corporate Communications for the Financial News Network (FNN), and was one of only 38 FNN employees retained by CNBC following the merger of the two networks. Lewis formerly held public relations and marketing positions at Wishner Communications and Howard J. Rubenstein Associates. He graduated from St. John’s University and earned his Master of Arts Degree in organizational communications from Fairleigh Dickinson University. A frequent lecturer on various public relations topics, Lewis has taught at the Fordham Graduate School of Business and is currently an Adjunct Professor at the Graduate School at Fairleigh Dickinson University. In addition, Lewis serves on several advisory boards, including the Corporate and Organizational Communication Board of Corporate Advisors at Fairleigh Dickinson University. Dr. Gary P. Radford is a Professor of Communication Studies and Director of the MA in Corporate and Organizational Communication at Fairleigh Dickinson University. He is the author of On the Philosophy of Communication (Wadsworth, 2005), On Eco (Wadsworth, 2003), and Transgressing Discourses: Communication and the Voice of Other (SUNY Press, 1997). He is also the editor of the Atlantic Journal of Communication, a fully blind and peer reviewed scholarly journal in communication studies. Adam Yates is director of corporate communications for Fujifilm and is an adjunct professor of communications at Manhattanville College in Purchase, NY. His responsibilities at Fujifilm include corporate and product public relations, and encompass such corporate brand communications as Web operations, corporate sponsorships, internal communications and the corporate airship program. Prior to joining Fujifilm, Mr. Yates was managing partner for a NJ-based creative marketing communications agency. Previously he was marketing communications manager for Becton Dickinson's Medical Products Group. In addition to product communications and event marketing, while at BD Mr. Yates was involved in the development of the company's community relations and strategic giving programs. Mr. Yates joined BD after holding several positions in public policy and communications with Hoffmann-La Roche's Public Affairs Division. Mr. Yates started at Roche as a graduate student intern while completing his M.A. degree in Corporate and Organizational Communications from Fairleigh Dickinson University. Reading List Bagdikian, Ben H. (2000). The media monopoly (6th edition). Boston, MA: Beacon Press. Bakan, Joel (2004). The corporation: The pathological pursuit of profit and power. New York, NY: Free Press. Bowman, Scott (1996). The modern corporation and American political thought: Law, power and ideology. University Park, PA: Pennsylvania State University Press. Chesebro, James W. (2001). The role of academia - and specifically the discipline of communication - in the “real” world. The Speech Communication Annual, 15, 1-14. Deetz, Stanley A. (1992). Democracy in an age of corporate colonization: Developments in communication and the politics of everyday life. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press. Deetz, Staney (1995). Transforming communication, transforming business: Building responsive and responsible workplaces. Cresskill, NJ: Hampton Press. Ewan, Stuart (1976). Captains of consciousness: Advertising and the social roots of the consumer culture. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. Ewan, Stuart (1990). All consuming images: The politics of style in contemporary culture. San Francisco, CA: Harper. Frank, Thomas (1997). The conquest of cool. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press. Goldman, Robert and Papson, Stephen (1996). Sign wars: The cluttered landscape of advertising. New York, NY: Guilford Press. Goodman, Michael (2000). Corporate communication: The American picture. Corporate Communications: An International Journal, 5(2), 69-74. Herman, Edward (1981). Corporate control, corporate power. Cambridge, England: Cambrisge University Press. Herman, Edward and Chomsky, Noam (1988). Manufacturing consent: The political economy of the mass media. New York, NY: Pantheon Books. Klein, Naomi (2000). No logo. London, England: Flamingo. Linn, Susan (2004). Consuming kids: The hostile takeover of childhood. New York, NY: New Press. Marchand, Roland (1998). Creating the corporate soul: The rise of public relations and corporate imagery in American big business. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press. Miller, Mark Crispin (1988). Boxed in: The culture of TV. Evanston, IN: Northwestern University Press. Milner, Murray (2004). Freaks, geeks, and cool kids: American teenagers, schools, and the culture of consumption. New York, NY: Routledge. Mitchell, Lawrence E. (2002). Corporate irresponsibility: America’s newest export. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press. Mitchell, Neil J. (1997). The conspicuous corporation: Business, public policy, and representative democracy. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press. Quart, Alissa (2003). Branded: The buying and selling of teenagers. New York, NY: Perseus Press. Ritzer, George (1996). The McDonaldization of Society: An investigation into the changing character of contemporary social life. Thousand Oaks, CA: Pine Forge Press. Rothenberg, Randall (1994). Where the suckers moon: The life and death of an advertising campaign. New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf. Savan, Leslie (1994). The sponsored life: Ads, TV, and American culture. Philadelphia, PA: Temple University Press. Schiller, Herbert (1989). Culture Inc.: The corporate takeover of public expression. New York, NY: Oxford University Press. Schlosser, Eric (2001). Fast food nation. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin. Schor, Juliet B. (2004). Born to buy: The commercialized child and the new consumer culture. New York, NY: Scribners. Twitchell, James B. (1996). Adcult USA: The triumph of advertising in American culture. New York, NY: Columbia University Press. Useem, Michael (1984). The inner circle: Large corporations and the rise of business political activity in the US and UK. New York, NY: Oxford University Press. Weaver, Paul H. (1988). The suicidal corporation. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster. |
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