MAN 5045 Strategic Communication
MAN 5045 Strategic Communication
| Course code | Semester |
|---|---|
MAN 5046 | 2023 Autumn |
MAN 5047 | 2024 Spring |
Why strategic Communication?
It is not uncommon for the communication function in many organizations to struggle with a lack of status and influence. Precisely for this reason, it is central that managers both within and outside the communication function gain increased insight into how communication creates value for organizations, and how sbuch value creation can be managed and measured.
The program prepares participants to assume leadership roles in communication and related functions within private, public, and civil society organizations. Participants gain insight into communicative solutions to pressing organizational challenges, including, change processes, employee engagement, reputation management, and crisis resilience.
Candidates learn to apply research-based tools for planning, implementing, and evaluating communication. And they will be trained to develop solutions for how excellent communication can be organized and enacted to drive organizational performance and sustainable success in a changing world.
- What is strategic communication and how does it contribute to organizational value creation in the digital age?
- Understand how communication can create value for organizations, both by influencing stakeholders and by enabling better business decisions internally.
- Understand the positive and negative impact of public opinion, media and social media discourse, employee and consumer voice, political debates, as well as image, reputation, and legitimacy among key stakeholders for corporate success
- Distinguish and identify strategic and operational communications, in order to assess challenges, prioritize activities, and allocate resources
- Identify and situate key concepts for managing communication activities and the communication function within an organization on different levels
- Understand the constitutive role and contribution of communication in organizational transformation and change
- Understand the role and importance of communication performance management for planning, executing, and evaluating communications
- Analyze ‘communication challenges’ of organizations in light of seminal target constructs (such as reputation) or situational contexts (such as crises or organizational change)
- Analyze structures and processes underlying organizational communication
- Apply management tools for analysis, planning, implementation, and evaluation of communication campaigns
- Assess and apply business models for communication services and departments
- Management skills for planning, implementing, and evaluation strategic initiatives
- Researching skills for building evidence-based practice
- Key perspectives, concepts, and trends in strategic communication: Explore modern practices of strategic communication and understand key dimensions of how they contribute to organizational value creation in a digital society. Learn how this is done not only by influencing stakeholders but also by enabling better organizational processes and decisions internally.
- Stakeholder analysis, insights, and strategy development: Learn to analyze organizational challenges and develop communicative solutions to these challenges in light of organizational assets (such as reputation, culture, or trust) as well as situational contexts (such as organizational crises or change). Apply research-based tools to analyze, strategize, and plan communication campaigns to address these challenges.
- Channels and tactics and the measurement and evaluation of communication: Gain insights into contemporary challenges of strategic communication activities in the context of digitalization and media innovation (such as the important role of artificial intelligence and digital platforms). Apply management tools for implementing, measuring,b and evaluating impactful communication campaigns.
- Study in Berlin: This module takes you to the Hertie School of Governance, located at Friedrichstrasse, a stone's throw from the city's elegant main street Unter den Linden, and from the Brandenburg Gate. Hertie is a leading graduate school specializing in public affairs and governance. Here you learn how to manage communication to align with legal, political, and ethical norms in modern society.
- Developing and leading communication: Learn to analyze structures and processes underlying the communication function in organizations. Explore how to position a leading communication department and how to position yourself as a leader of the communication function.
Learning process
The modules primarily use lectures. In addition, students work with group tasks/cases in connection with the topics taught at the modules.
The term paper in the program is based on an individually chosen subject. The paper is given a letter grade that comprises 60% of the final grade in the course. The purpose of the paper is to give students the opportunity to show their ability to shed light on a problem through the use of individual treatment of relevant literature in connection with the chosen specialization.
The term paper will provide training in applying empirical data and relevant theory to analyze and assess a problem, as well as plan possible strategies with regard to strategic communication. The theory will provide a better understanding of what processes are in play, as well as what might be done and why. Applying theory constructively is a skill that does not come of itself and this project provides a platform for training in it. The master thesis will also provide training in the use of empirical data and relevant literature as aids for solving problems in relation to information/information management.
Each module has several shorter lectures or workshops devoted to the master thesis. During the first module, time is allocated to reviewing the procedures for project counseling, as well as an introduction to such topics as the shaping of the project's approach to the problem, etc. Students are given information concerning how the process of work on the paper should be carried out.
Teaching and learning activities
The program is conducted through five-course modules over two semesters, a total of approx. 150 lecturing hours.
Supervision of the term paper differs in each Executive Master of Management program. It will consist of personal or group supervision. Generally, the students may expect consulting within the supervision but not any process evaluation before the deadline. The total hours of supervision offered are estimated to be 4 hours per term paper.
Please note that while attendance is not compulsory in all programs, it is the student's own responsibility to obtain any information provided in class that is not included on the course homepage/ itslearning or other course materials.
The students are evaluated through a term paper, counting 60% of the total grade, and a 72 hours individual home exam counting 40%. The master thesis may be written individually or in groups of a maximum of three persons. All evaluations must be passed to obtain a certificate for the program.
The term paper is included in the degree’s independent work of degree, cf national regulation on requirements for master’s degree, equivalent to 18 ECTS credits per. programme. For the Executive Master of Management degree, the independent work of degree represents the sum of term papers from three programmes.
Module 4 is conducted in Berlin in collaboration with the Hertie School of Governance. Travel and accommodation are not included in the program fee.
Bachelor degree, corresponding to 180 credits from an accredited university, university college or similar educational institution. The applicant must be at least 25 years of age and at least four years of work experience. For applicants who have already completed a master’s degree, three years of work experience are required.
Disclaimer
Deviations in teaching and exams may occur if external conditions or unforeseen events call for this.
Qualifications
Bachelor degree, corresponding to 180 credits from an accredited university, university college or similar educational institution. The applicant must be at least 25 years of age and at least four years of work experience. For applicants who have already completed a master’s degree, three years of work experience are required.
| Assessments |
|---|
Exam category: Submission Form of assessment: Written submission Weight: 60 Grouping: Group/Individual (1 - 3) Duration: 2 Semester(s) Comment: Term paper, counting 60% of the total grade. Exam code: MAN 50451 Grading scale: ECTS Resit: Examination when next scheduled course |
Exam category: Submission Form of assessment: Written submission Weight: 40 Grouping: Individual Duration: 72 Hour(s) Comment: Individual 72 hours home exam, counting 40% of the total grade. Exam code: MAN 50452 Grading scale: ECTS Resit: Examination when next scheduled course |
All exams must be passed to get a grade in this course.
| Activity | Duration | Comment |
|---|---|---|
Teaching | 150 Hour(s) | |
Prepare for teaching | 150 Hour(s) | |
Student's own work with learning resources | 326 Hour(s) | Self study |
Examination | 150 Hour(s) | Work with the term paper |
Examination | 24 Hour(s) | Work with 72 hour take home exam. |
A course of 1 ECTS credit corresponds to a workload of 26-30 hours. Therefore a course of 30 ECTS credit corresponds to a workload of at least 800 hours.