APPLIES TO ACADEMIC YEAR 2015/2016 Norwegian version

ORG 3641 Organisational Communication and Leadership

Responsible for the course
Sut I Wong Humborstad

Department
Department of Communication and Culture

Term
According to study plan

ECTS Credits
7,5

Language of instruction
Norwegian and english

Introduction
Already in 1938 stated organisational researcher Chester Bernard that "the structure, extent and scope of the organisation is almost entirely determined by communication techniques". Communication is crucial for organisations to work. Today's organisations are living by sharing knowledge, explore it, find new solutions, and develop a common understanding of it. Only then can they decide and take actions in the community. Leadership is then increasingly to motivate, create meaning, adapt and understand their employees. Employees must build good relationships to be oriented, creative, and understand wholes in their work. All this is about communication. Communication creates both organisational and individual performance. Individuals are motivated, dedicated, productive and loyal. Organisations are efficient, innovative, and profitable.

Communication is complex in the sense that it is difficult to control what individuals want to communicate, and what individuals perceive of what is actually communicated. Meanwhile, communication is continuous in the sense that you can never turn it off.

Therefore vast resources are used of organisations on communication. The more people who are competent at what they communicate and how they can best understand, the better your organisation will perform.

To improve students' understanding of effective management, the course aims to provide basic insights into how communication works and creates profitable organisations. The course addresses both, communication between human interaction at the micro level (eg. Conflict, mutual understanding, effective relationships ...) and communication as structural mechanisms at the macro level (eg. Organisational networks, power and communication, communication channels ...). Students will develop their own skills to understand, operate, and manage better in organisations.

Learning outcome
Through literature, lectures, updated examples, quizzes, practical exercises, discussions, work requirements and final exam, students developed their knowledge and skills in the field of communication for leaders and organisations.

Acquired Knowledge
Through participation in lectures, group work and other activities based on the required reading, students will display knowledge and understanding of the following topics:

Macro Areas

• Communication as processes in organisations.
• How organisational structure and culture conducive to communication.
• Critical organisational issues that are important to organisational functioning and that depends on communication.
• The relationship between leadership, strategy and communication.
• Intercultural Communication

• Theories and Models of Leadership
• Interpersonal communication
• Communication in the impact and influence
• conflict

• Techniques for active listening
• Plan and convey messages for different recipients
• Facilitate effective meetings
• Interdisciplinary communication skills
• Conflict resolution through creative communication processes

• Communication and organizations
• Organizational Theory and Communication
  

• Organizational Structure and Communication
• Technology and Communication in Organizations
  Communication for Learning
• Cross-cultural communication and diversity
• Communication in change processes

• Communication and Leadership
• Interpersonal communication
• Communication in groups
• Conflict