52666 Engagement in Organisations
Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a
particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source
of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.
Subject handbook information prior to 2025 is available in the Archives.
Credit points: 6 cp
Result type: Grade and marks
Requisite(s): 24 credit points of completed study in spk(s): STM91123 Public Relations Stream OR 30 credit points of completed study in spk(s): MAJ09480 48cp Strategic Communication Major OR 30 credit points of completed study in spk(s): MAJ09488 48cp Strategic Communication Major OR 24 credit points of completed study in spk(s): STM91124 Advertising Stream
Anti-requisite(s): 54045 Organisational Communication AND 58231 Organisational Communication
Description
In this subject, students learn about organisational identity as a brand and examine internal communication functions, practices and challenges in organisational settings. They develop their knowledge and skills to facilitate member, volunteer, and employee engagement in diverse workplace environments. Students explore organisational cultures and metaphors, and group/team dynamics. They produce informal and formal communication tactics (both online and offline) for issues and change communication in organisations. Special attention is given to how organisations engage responsibly with Indigenous Australians, including Indigenous members, volunteers, and employees.
Subject learning objectives (SLOs)
| a. | Apply theory to critically examine internal communication engagement |
|---|---|
| b. | Identify challenges or opportunities for strategic communication practice |
| c. | Plan a communication strategy that helps an organisation better engage Indigenous employees, volunteers or members |
| d. | Demonstrate knowledge of indigenous issues in strategic organisational communication |
| e. | Prepare strategic communication products to a professional standard |
Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)
This subject engages with the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs), which are tailored to the Graduate Attributes set for all graduates of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences:
- Apply theoretically informed understandings of communication industries to independent and collaborative projects across a range of media (1.2)
- Employ appropriate research and inquiry skills to independently gather, organise and analyse information across diverse platforms (2.1)
- Demonstrate a strong awareness, knowledge of, and sensitivity to, diversity, equity and global contexts (3.1)
- Apply knowledge of Indigenous issues in professional practices and engage responsibly in communicating with and about Indigenous people and communities (4.1)
- Analyse and act ethically in the personal, political and professional contexts of civil society (5.1)
Teaching and learning strategies
This subject facilitates both independent and collaborative student learning via a mix of synchronous and asynchronous learning tools. Teaching strategies promote interactive, collaborative learning and the incorporation of drop in assessment workshops allows for regular formative feedback. Students learn through virtual collaboration tasks. Professional communinication and management skills are developed.
Content (topics)
Students gain an appreciation of the role of strategic communication in internal communication, organisational identity and branding. They also consider how organisations can engage Indigenous Australian employees, volunteers or members in meaningful activities that fulfil the organisation’s Reconciliation Action plans. Students also learn how organisation communication can create indigenous cultural safety for First Nation’s members, reduce systematic bias in structures and processes through topics that include leadership, considerations of emotions in the workplace, bullying and harassment, and working successfully in virtual teams.
Assessment
Assessment task 1: Organisational Metaphor Essay
| Objective(s): | a, b, d and e | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight: | 40% | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Length: | 1,500 words | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Criteria linkages: |
SLOs: subject learning objectives CILOs: course intended learning outcomes |
Assessment task 2: Campaign Development: Internal Engagement Campaign Proposal
| Objective(s): | a, c, d and e | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight: | 40% | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Length: | 3500 words campaign (total) with each student contributing approximately 700 words of content | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Criteria linkages: |
SLOs: subject learning objectives CILOs: course intended learning outcomes |
Assessment task 3: Part 2: Campaign Pitch
| Objective(s): | c, d and e | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight: | 20% | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Length: | 12 minute presentation | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Criteria linkages: |
SLOs: subject learning objectives CILOs: course intended learning outcomes |
Minimum requirements
All lectures and tutorials are recorded and posted to the online UTS site. In this subject assessment tasks are cumulative so that each task builds understanding and/or skills, informed by formative feedback. Consequently, all assessments must be submitted in order for you to receive feedback. Students who do not submit all assessments will not pass the subject.
Attendance at tutorials and guest lectures are essential in this subject. These classes are based on a collaborative approach that involves essential workshopping and interchange of ideas with other students and the tutor to build capacities towards meeting the subject learning objectives. A roll will be taken at each class (whether on campus or online). Students who have more than two absences from class will be refused marking of their final assessment (see Rule 3.8).
Required texts
There are no required textbooks for this subject. Recommended readings will be available via UTS Library and through the subject site.
References
Ashcraft, K. L., Kuhn, T. R., & Cooren, F. (2009). Constitutional amendments: “Materializing” organizational communication. Academy of Management Annals, 3(1), 1-64.
Broad foot, K. J., & Munshi, D. (2007). Diverse voices and alternative rationalities: Imagining forms of postcolonial organizational communication. Management Communication Quarterly, 21(2), 249-267.
Broch, C., Lurati, F., Zamparini, A., & Mariconda, S. (2018) The role of social capital for organizational identification: Implications for strategic communication. International Journal of Strategic Communication, 12(1), 46-66, DOI: 10.1080/1553118X.2017.1392310
Dutta, M. J. (2011). Communicating social change. Structure, culture and agency. New York.
Fredericks, B. (2009). The epistemology that maintains white race privilege, power and control of Indigenous studies and Indigenous peoples’ participation in universities. Australian Critical Race and Whiteness Studies Association eJournal, 5 (1): 1-12. ISBN 1832-3898. See http://www.acrawsa.org.au/ejournal.htm.
Gilani, H. (2019). Corporate brand identity and employee brand citizenship behaviour: A conceptual framework. The Marketing Review, 19(1-2), 51-84.
Groutsis, D., O’Leary, J., & Russell, G. (2018). Capitalizing on the cultural and linguistic diversity of mobile talent: Lessons from an Australian study. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 29(15), 2231-2252.
Munshi, D., & Kurian, P. A. (2015). Imagining organizational communication as sustainable citizenship. Management Communication Quarterly, 29(1), 153-159.
Piehler, R., Schade, M., & Burmann, C. (2019). Employees as a second audience: The effect of external communication on internal brand management outcomes. Journal of Brand Management, 26(4), 445-460.
Sison, M. D. (2020). Public sector communicators as global citizens: Toward diversity and inclusion. The Handbook of Public Sector Communication, 345-359.