MAN 5087 Communication for Leaders
MAN 5087 Communication for Leaders
| MAN 5088 - 1. semester | |
| MAN 5089 - 2. semester |
The program provides communication practitioners the critical strategic tools necessary to achieve a top leadership role within the communication function of any type of organization: private or public sector, non-profit, governmental, or NGOs. It is also designed for managers or leaders of other functions like human resources, R&D, accounting, or marketing who want to learn about how to interact with a communication department, how to utilize their competencies for achieving departmental goals, etc.
Norway and Europe’s foremost corporate communication professors use insights from the latest research and experiences from inspiring practitioners to offer a program that builds competencies for communication leaders or other leaders who want to help unlock organizational potential.
The focus of the program is on management, i.e. evaluating and analyzing for long-term and proactive strategizing, governing and leading. The program includes subjects such as business acumen and deep understanding of organizations, management and strategy, strategic thinking; knowledge on positioning the organization based on the corporate brand; and organizing/configuring the communication function to best achieve goals. Theory is brought to life with guest lecturers from both Norwegian and international communication executives.
The objective of the MoM in Communication for Leaders is to prepare participants for leadership roles in corporate communication and to help other leaders understand the value of the communication department and how it can help build value for their own departments as well as the organization. This is done through combining knowledge and skills in these fields with personal competencies, analytical tools and instruments that will enable them to become strategic thinkers and innovators in communication. The program aims at increasing participants’ knowledge, skills and quality performance so that participants come away with state of the art knowledge of corporate communication from an international perspective. Participants will understand the intersection between corporate communication (communication processes and their outcomes, i.e. identity, image, reputation, brands) and communication management (processes of planning, organizing, staffing, executing, evaluating communication activities and campaigns; both for bringing messages across and listening).
Upon completion of the program, participants will have enhanced their strategic competencies in the following areas:
- Proactive (Future oriented): a person that is proactive and futures oriented encourages the introduction of new structures, methods and guidelines that determine future priorities. They can also use tools that can aid in forecasting foreseeable changes to meet future challenges.
- Issues oriented: this person has extensive knowledge of issues and changes in the external environment and can help their organization adjust and adapt to them, even perhaps helping the organization lead the way in setting social agendas.
- Creative and Innovative: this person is able to contribute with very original and inventive ideas.
- Gaining knowledgeable about their organization: everyone at this level of the organization must have extensive knowledge of important issues within the organization.
- Systems thinking: a real asset is being able to rise above immediate problems or situations and see the broader problem areas / issues and their far-reaching consequences.
A general awareness of the importance of communication in building relationships that increase trust between an organization and its many stakeholders, which in turn impacts overall reputation.
Module 1: Corporate Communication Leadership and Strategic Management
The module sets the scene for the course by exploring and explaining key challenges in the field of corporate communication from different dimensions. On a personal level, it is discussed how communication leaders enact their jobs and what are their routines, experiences and drivers for success. Participants are encouraged to bring in their own perspectives and questions related to their positions and industries. On an organizational level, the module will show how communication contributes to economic success and legitimacy. Different approaches to create and explain value through corporate communication are outlined. On the macro level of business, media and society, basic concepts as well as recent trends are discussed to provide a framework that helps communication leaders to adopt their job to future challenges. The module will introduce key definitions and theories. It will also outline goals for the research thesis and explain the process to run such a project. Participants are given guidance in this module to develop ideas for benchmark projects on corporate communication that can be performed as a thesis project.
Subject Areas:
Corporate Communication Today:
The profession and the function, Status quo and challenges
Key concepts and definitions
Identifying key challenges in participants organizations and daily practice
Alternative research perspectives: Macro, Meso, Micro
Social theories and corporate communication
Description of society: reflexive modernity and structuration
Legitimization, power and ethics
Democracy, interests and public spheres
Medialization and mass communication
Competing Approaches in Theory and Practice
Integrated Framework for Corporate Communication
Theory of Corporate Communication
Mapping the Future: The Communicative Organization
Module 2: Building Strategic Competencies
The key to having influence in the strategic processes of an organization depends on the ability to exhibit a strategic orientation. This module will introduce participants to processes and tools that can help them demonstrate they are able to think and act strategically. They will learn principles and theories associated with systems thinking, creativity and innovation, methods for taking a proactive stance through issues orientation and a stakeholder approach. Upon completion of the module they will be better prepared to help their organizations be clear about where they are and provide insight about where they need to be in the future.
Subjects areas:
Focus on Relational Theories
Stakeholder Theory
Situational Theory
Systems Theory
Principles of Strategic Thinking
Strategic Issues Management
Stakeholder Mapping and Analysis
Environmental Scanning
Systems Thinking for Strategic Communication
Sense Making and Systems Thinking
Module 3: Creating Legitimacy: Reputation and Corporate Branding
This modules discussions on branding, communication and legitimacy provide participants with substantial insight into the workings of branded communication, its psychological and sociological basis, fundamental concepts and its proper role in strategic management. Participants are introduced to theories of social interaction, selected consumer behavior and brand communications insights to understand the scope and objectives of professional communication.
Subject Areas:
Fundamentals of Branding / Brand Equity
Brand/Stakeholder Communities
(Corporate) Brand Positioning
Behavioral Branding
Social Media Marketing
Corporate Social Responsibility
Module 4: Managing Communication and the Communication Function
Participants will learn about the infrastructure for communication in corporations and key processes to manage communication strategically. The module explores alternative set-ups and governance strategies for communication functions. A specific focus will be lead on relationships to the executive board, marketing, human resources, management accounting, and other business partners within the company. Routines for defining communication goals and planning programs, campaigns, cross-media activities and content strategies are discussed and explained through case studies. Managing and motivating people, agencies and service providers will be discussed, including methods to assess competencies for communicators and rationales for outsourcing activities. The module will help leaders to understand key concepts of management accounting, budgeting and controlling, which link communication evaluation to business goals, as well as measurement approaches. Participants will also learn how to interact with international audiences, both on a personal level as well in an organizational capacity.
Subject Areas:
Positioning and Organizing the Communication Function
Planning Campaigns, Programs and Communication Activities
Budgeting, Cost Management and Controlling
Communication Measurement and Evaluation
Leading a Corporate Communication Department
Developing Staff Competencies in Corporate Communication
International and Intercultural Communication
Module 5: Leading the Future Corporate Communication Function (this module to be taken abroad)
Objectives:
This module will take participants abroad, to meet with fellow international communicators, and to learn from best practices. Participants will learn about the latest insights on how to interact with international audiences, both on a personal level as well in an organizational capacity. The conclusion of this module will be the presentation of the thesis projects the participants have worked on during the course, stimulated by critical discussions among the participants, the lecturers and international peers.
Subject Areas:
Personal Skills: Inspiring Followers and Developing Networks
International and Intercultural Communication
Term paper
The programme is conducted through five course modules over two semesters, a total of approx. 150 lecturing hours.
Project tutorials differ in each Executive Master of Management programme. It will consist of personal tutorials and tutorials given in class. Generally the students may expect consulting tutorials, not evaluating tutorials. The total hours of tutorials offered is estimated to 4 hours per term paper.
Please note that while attendance is not compulsory in all programmes, 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 term paper may be written individually or in groups of maximum three persons. All evaluations must be passed to obtain a certificate for the programme.
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.
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
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 |
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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 50871 Grading scale: ECTS |
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 50872 Grading scale: ECTS |
All exams must be passed to get a grade in this course.
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.