Organizational Communication

Presentation

It is through communication that an organization is able to cooperate for a common purpose, transmit guidelines, mediate conflicts, stimulate harmony and productivity.
It is also through communication that it relates to the outside world: in order to achieve it¿s set goals, to relate to stakeholders, to prevent or solve crisis, to influence the legal and regulatory context in which it operates ¿ in sum, to create and maintain an identity and reputation that differentiates it and protects it from negative shocks.

Students should understand the scope of organizational diversity and the complexity of communicative interactions as well as the role played by communication in the founding concepts of identity and culture. Theoretical concepts of communication will be translated into communicative strategies, aiming at achieving the objectives of each typology of organization and solve concrete communicative problems, through the construction of diagnoses, communication plans and evaluation.

Programme

Applied Communication

Level of Qualification|Semesters|ECTS

| Semestral | 6

Year | Type of course unit | Language

3 |Mandatory |Português

Code

ULP1652-8629

Recommended complementary curricular units

History of Mass Media

Media Relations

Political Communication

Communications management

Professional Internship

Não

Syllabus

1.  Communication theories
   1. Historical evolution of communication theories
   2. Communication paradigms and their application
   3. Concept of agenda-setting in an information society context
   4. Short-term and long-term effects of communication processes and their tools
2. Organizational communication
   1. Definition and typologies of organization
   2. Organizational culture and politics: mission, vision and values; organizational positioning
3. Applied organizational communication
   1. Internal communication: communicational categories and objectives
   2. External communication designed for each specific stakeholder
4. Internal and external communication tools
5. Communication strategy
   1. Diagnosis and action plan
   2. Control and monitoring

Objectives

To identify the epistemological field of communication theories, in their context and historical evolution

To stimulate the understanding of organizational diversity and the role played by communication in forming the founding concepts of identity and culture

To transmit tools, conceptual and pragmatic, for understanding the complexity of the communicative phenomenon and for applying it in an organizational environment

To perceive the role of internal and external organizational communication in the pursuit of the organization¿s mission, vision and values

To develop critical thinking about communication tools and how best to suit them to each of the organization¿s stakeholders

To foster diagnostic, planning and evaluation skills on communicative practices suitable to the organization's strategy

To encourage autonomy in the pursuit of knowledge and teamwork skills

Teaching methodologies and assessment

The teaching method is based on segments of theoretical exposition and experimental learning. Students will be encouraged to participate in the teaching-learning process, either with questions and comments during lectures, or through research and debates that induce reflexive and critical thinking. Communication professionals will be invited in order to convey new perspectives on organizational communication.

Continuous evaluation will integrate a written test (45% of the final classification); a research project, either individual or as a team, evaluated by the quality of the document and its presentation (40%); and participation in the classroom (15%).

Students who score below 8 in the practical assignment and/or 8 in the written test will not receive an approval average.

In case of non-approval in continuous evaluation, students may take an appeal exam, consisting of a written test.

References

• Almeida, V. - A comunicação interna na empresa - Lisboa - Práxis - 2000
• Argenti, P. - Corporate Communication - NY - McGraw-Hill - 2006
• Caetano, J., Fernandes, A., Rasquilha, L., Nunes, M. I., Vasconcelos, P., Beirão, I. e Vasconcelos, M. - Manual de Comunicação Empresarial - Lisboa - Plátano - 2008
• Cornelissen, J. - Corporate communication: a guide to theory practice - London - SAGE - 2017
• Grunig, J. E. - Excellence in Public Relations and Communication Management - N.Y. - Routledge - 2008
• Oliveira, D. S. - Comunicação e imagem na empresa - Lisboa - CECOA - 2005
• Rego, A. - Comunicação pessoal e organizacional: teoria e prática - Lisboa - Sílabo - 2007
• Ruão, T. - A organização comunicativa: teoria e prática em Comunicação Organizacional - Braga - CECS UMinho - 2016
• Westphalen, M. H. - La communication externe des entreprises - Paris - Dunod - 1997
• Wolf, M.  - Teorias da Comunicação - Lisboa - Editorial Presença - 2006

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