LahoreUniversityofManagementSciences

MGMT212BusinessCommunication
FallSemester2015

Instructor
RoomNo.
OfficeHours
Email
Telephone
Secretary/TA
TAOfficeHours
CourseURL(ifany)

AnjumFayyaz
410SDSBFourthFloor
1000to1100hours(Tuesday,Thursday)
anjum.fayyaz@lums.edu.pk
04235608134
MalikImranAbbas(Ext:5224)
TBA
Suraj.lums.edu.pk

COURSEBASICS
CreditHours
Lecture(s)
Recitation/Lab(perweek)
Tutorial(perweek)

3
NbrofLec(s)PerWeek
NbrofLec(s)PerWeek
NbrofLec(s)PerWeek

Duration
Duration
Duration

75 mins

COURSEDISTRIBUTION
Core
Elective
OpenforStudentCategory
CloseforStudentCategory

Yes(Max40students)

COURSEDESCRIPTION
Business Communication trains students on how to communicate in a professional context. Students will learn how to deliver
coherentpresentations,composeformaldocumentsandengageindirecteddiscussions.Thecoursewelcomesstudentsfromall
academicbackgroundswhowishtoburnishtheirskillsinwritingandspeaking.Theassignmentsencourageattentiontodetail,
researchanditeration.

BusinessCommunicationcoursewillequipstudentswiththeeffectivewritingandoralcommunicationskills.Asthecoursestarts
withaTQMslideonbeliefandapplicationoftools,itisbasedonbeliefoncustomerfocus,employeeempowerment,continuous
improvementandsystematicmanagement.ValuesandEthicsaresomeofthemajorfeaturesbeingfocusedthroughoutthecourse
as the effective communication and presentation is based on a relationship with the audience through trust building and
networking,whichisnotpossiblethroughunethicalmeans.

Students would be able to apply analytical thinking and problem solving skills once they are active listener through a 2way
communication.Duringthecourse,studentswouldberequiredtouseinformationtechnologytopreparewellnotonlyforthe
individuallecturesbutalsofortheirassignmentsandpresentations.Courseisdesignedinsuchawaythatstudentswouldbeable
toworkinteamsandwouldberequiredtointeractwiththeorganizationstogettheexposureofthediverseandmulticultural
environments.

Students will also get an exposure to the organizations to learn about their ecosystem while developing a business plan and
producingasalespitch.Theywilllearnaboutthekeybusinessdisciplinesthroughcaselets,businessplandevelopmentandguest
speakers.Thewholecourserevolvesaroundsensemakingcommunicationstoproducedesiredresults,whichwouldresultina
rightdecision,attherighttimeintherightsituationfortherighttargetaudience.Thiscoursewouldhelptheparticipantslearn
howtomanagetheirrelationshipsthroughproblemsolvinganddecisionmaking.

LahoreUniversityofManagementSciences
COURSEPREREQUISITE(S)

N/A

COURSEOBJECTIVES

Realizethemodesofcommunicationthatarecommonintheprofessionalworldandthecontextsinwhichthey
arise
Developwritinganddiscussionstylesthataredistinctiveyetencompasstherudimentsofprecision,brevity,
formalityandcourtesy
Becomecomfortableworkingonassignmentsthatinvolveplanning,marketresearch,teamworkandmultiple
iterations
Becomecomfortablecritiquingtheworkofselfandothersaspartofaprocessofincrementalimprovement

UNDERGRADUATEPROGRAMLEARNINGGOALS&OBJECTIVES

GeneralLearningGoals&Objectives
Goal1EffectiveWrittenandOralCommunication
Objective:Studentswilldemonstrateeffectivewritingandoralcommunicationskills
Goal2EthicalUnderstandingandReasoning
Objective:Studentswilldemonstratethattheyareabletoidentifyandaddressethicalissuesinan
organizationalcontext.
Goal3AnalyticalThinkingandProblemSolvingSkills
Objective:Studentswilldemonstratethattheyareabletoidentifykeyproblemsandgenerateviablesolutions.
Goal4ApplicationofInformationTechnology
Objective:Studentswilldemonstratethattheyareabletousecurrenttechnologiesinbusinessand
managementcontext.
Goal5TeamworkinDiverseandMulticulturalEnvironments
Objective:Studentswilldemonstratethattheyareabletoworkeffectivelyindiverseenvironments.
Goal6UnderstandingOrganizationalEcosystems
Objective:StudentswilldemonstratethattheyhaveanunderstandingofEconomic,Political,Regulatory,Legal,
Technological,andSocialenvironmentoforganizations.

MajorSpecificLearningGoals&Objectives
Goal7(a)ProgramSpecificKnowledgeandUnderstanding
Objective:Studentswilldemonstrateknowledgeofkeybusinessdisciplinesandhowtheyinteractincluding
applicationtorealworldsituations.
Goal7(b)Understandingthesciencebehindthedecisionmakingprocess(forMGSMajors)
Objective:Studentswilldemonstrateabilitytoanalyzeabusinessproblem,designandapplyappropriate
decisionsupporttools,interpretresultsandmakemeaningfulrecommendationstosupportthedecisionmaker

LahoreUniversityofManagementSciences
Indicatebelowhowthecourselearningobjectivesspecificallyrelatetoanyprogramlearninggoalsandobjectives.Major
contributionofthiscourseislinkedtoGoal1;willalsocoverGoal5partially.

PROGRAMLEARNINGGOALSAND
OBJECTIVES
Goal1EffectiveWrittenandOral
Communication

Goal2EthicalUnderstandingand
Reasoning
Goal3AnalyticalThinkingandProblem
SolvingSkills
Goal4ApplicationofInformation
Technology
Goal5TeamworkinDiverseand
MulticulturalEnvironments

Goal6UnderstandingOrganizational
Ecosystems
Goal7(a)DisciplineSpecificKnowledge
andUnderstanding
Goal7(b)Understandingthescience
behindthedecisionmakingprocess

COURSELEARNINGOBJECTIVES
Studentswilldemonstrateeffective
writingandoralcommunicationskills

COURSEASSESSMENTITEM

N/A

1. Individualwritingassignments
2. Individualpresentations

Oral part will be covered through

individual and group presentations
whereas written part will be handled
through CV writing, cover letter and
specialskills.
N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Studentswilldemonstratethattheyare
abletoworkeffectivelyindiverse
environments.

N/A

Group
assignments,
business
communication
caselets
and
interactions with the entrepreneurs
whiledevelopingtheirbusinessplans..
It will be covered through group based
exercisesandgrouppresentations.
N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

LEARNINGOUTCOMES

Studentswillrealizetherelativesignificanceofcontent,languageandformattingindeliverables
Studentswillhaveagraspofjargonandconceptsthatarecommonlyusedincommunicatingintheprofessional
world
Studentswillfeelmorecomfortablemarketingboththemselvesandtheirideasintheprofessionalworld

GRADINGBREAKUPANDPOLICY

Attendance(10%):
Therewillbeanexplicitpolicyforclassattendanceandinclassdiscipline(studentscomingontimewillhavecomparative
advantageoverthestudentscominglate.Astudentcoming5minuteslateintheclasswillhavetosingasong.Astudentcoming
morethan15minuteslateintheclasswillbemarkedabsentandwillbeaskedtositononesidecalledpunishmentcorner.S/he
willbemarkedabsentbutcanattendtheclass).

ClassParticipation(10%):
Studentsareexpectedtopreparepreassignedreadingsandsharetheiropinionsondifferentsubjects.CPgradingisrelative.The
abilitytoengageindialogueandillustrateprinciplesthroughpersonalexperiencesisrewarded.

LahoreUniversityofManagementSciences
Quizzes/Assignments/Inclassexercises(25%):
Basedonreadingsandclassdiscussion(expectatleast34unannouncedquizzes);IncludesCVwriting,makingaLinkedInprofile
andanemailassignment

ShortAssignments(10):
Interviewinganentrepreneur(ForcedGroupsbytheinstructor).

IndividualPresentation(10%):
Anopportunitytogetpersonalizedfeedbackonyourpresentationskillsearlyinthesemester

GroupPresentations(5%):

Developingabusinessplan(Groupbased)(10%):
Groupsbychoice

DevelopingCommunicationStrategyofadepartmentorasubsectionofabiggerdepartment(ideallylikeacasestudy)(20%):
Tohelpstudentsinimprovingtheirwriteupandfacilitatetheminwritinginacasestudystyle(Groupsbychoice).

EXAMINATIONDETAIL
Midterm
Exam

FinalExam

Yes/No:No
CombineSeparate:
Duration:
PreferredDate:
ExamSpecifications:
Yes/No:No
CombineSeparate:
Duration:
ExamSpecifications:

WEEK/
LECTURE/
MODULE

2
3
4
5
6

OBJECTIVES/
APPLICATION

TOPICS
Introduction
CourseOverviewAnnouncementoffirstassignment
(distributionoffirstassignmentondayoneinterviewan
entrepreneur)

UnderstandingBodyLanguage(Gestures) Asmall
exerciseongestures
PresentationSkillsforprofessionals someflavorof
publicspeakingonrandomtopics+Asmallcasestudyon
ABCCompany
BusinessPlansIsomeguidanceontheentrepreneurial
process
Communicationcasestudies(ReliableSuppliesLimited
andNationalOxygenLimited)+fewvideoclipsonhowto
writeabusinessplan.
SalesPitchRoleplaybythegroupsofstudents
4

Understandwhataspectsofcommunicationare
necessaryforgraduates
Overviewofpolicies,instrumentsandgradingforthe
course
Overviewofexpectationsfrombothinstructorand
students
Tounderstand whatdosomeofthegesturesstand
forinourdaytodaylife?
Deliverystylewithafocusonengagingtheaudience
andhandleQ&A
Thecomponentsofabusinessplan
Thetoneandformattingexpectationsforabusiness
plan
ThecontextofaSalesPitch
ThecontentandstylethatsuitsaSalesPitch

LahoreUniversityofManagementSciences
7
8

Individual/GroupStudentPresentations1
Individual/GroupStudentPresentations2
Individual/GroupStudentPresentations3

9
10
11
12
13

InClassExerciseoncommunicationandcoordination
CaseStudies:1Apple,Inc.
CaseStudies:2JCPenneyInc.
CaseStudies:3LAZBOYInc.
CaseStudies:4ToyotaInc.

14
15
16
17
18
19
20

21

22
23
24
25
26
27
28

Howtoscreenabusinessplanclassrunbythestudent
groups
WorkonBusinessPlan
HowtomakeaCV,CoverLetterandidentifyyourspecial
skills
ListeningSkillsExercises
MockInterviewsInclassinterviewswith23volunteers
togeneratehandsonlearningonhowtobehaveinan
interview
EmailEtiquettes

Thesesessionswillalloweachstudenttopresent
onceasanindividualaswellasagroupmember.
Individualfeedbackswillbeprovidedinthehopethat
shortcomingscanbeironedoutbeforethefinal
presentation.
Understanding howtobehaveinagroupwhen
developingaproject.
Wewillprepareanddiscuss4businesscasesthat
illustratecommunicationchallengesinorganizations.
Thefocuswillbeonunderstandinghowto
communicatewithinternalandexternal
stakeholders,theuseofpressreleasesandthe
challengesofinterdepartmentalcommunications.
Tohelpstudentsunderstandhowtoevaluatea
businessplan
Basedonthedeadlineofthebusinessplanwhichis
expectingtobesubmittedaroundthistime.
Inordertolearn,howtodevelopandalignthese
threedocumentsbeforeapplyingtoanyjob.
Asmallworkshoponlisteningskillstomeasureones
listeningcapabilities.
Withthehelpofanoutsiderecruitmentconsultant

Thelecturecoversthetoptipsforemailetiquette
thateveryoneneedstobeawareofandfollow.
MarketingCommunications
Theuseofmarketingjargon.TheuseofLinkedIn,
Facebook,Twitterandviralcampaigns
Theemotionalandfunctionalcomponentsofvisual
marketing
VisioningExerciseandroleofcommunicationinachieving Visioninginteractiveworkshop
thesame.
WorkonCommunicationStrategyAssignment
Studentswillprepareacasestudytypedocument,
whileworkingonthecommunicationstrategyofa
WorkonCommunicationStrategyAssignment
department/subdepartment
TeamPresentations:1
Thefinalteampresentationswhereallstudentsare
expectedtobeactivemembersoftheaudience
TeamPresentations:2
TeamPresentations:3
WrapUp
Discussiononlessonslearnt

TEXTBOOK(S)/SUPPLEMENTARYREADINGS
Handouts,exercisesandreadingswillbeupdatedthroughthesemester