57611 Stakeholder Engagement

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Subject handbook information prior to 2025 is available in the Archives.

UTS: Communication: Strategic Communication
Credit points: 6 cp

Subject level:

Postgraduate

Result type: Grade and marks

Requisite(s): 57605 Foundations in Strategic Communication
These requisites may not apply to students in certain courses.
There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.
Anti-requisite(s): 57214 Stakeholder Engagement AND 57811 Stakeholder Engagement

Description

This subject develops students' ability to effectively engage stakeholders, crucial for managing relationships and fostering collaboration in professional settings. Students gain insights into the dynamics of engagement, including motivation, trust, and credibility, and learn strategies for conflict resolution and building social capital. Through research and role-play, they refine practical skills for both internal and external stakeholder interactions, enhancing their capacity for achieving mutual gains in diverse scenarios. Learning is interactive, blending theoretical exploration with hands-on activities to prepare them for real-world applications.

Subject learning objectives (SLOs)

a.	Critically evaluate current theories of stakeholders, publics and engagement for strategic communication practice
b.	Demonstrate the application of theory to professional practice
c.	Understand how stakeholders and publics are constructed and engaged
d.	Recognise the complexity of relationships for organisations and stakeholders
e.	Understand the cultural competencies required by professionals when engaging with and for Indigenous Australians

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:

Professional Readiness (1.0)
Critically, creatively and/or collaboratively analyse, debate and reflect on strategic communication models, practices and solutions by planning and executing a body of research to solve complex problems (2.1)
Indigenous Competencies (4.0)
Active Citizenship (5.0)

Teaching and learning strategies

A variety of teaching and learning strategies will be used, including online lectures, collaborative workshops, visiting speakers and presentations. Current issues and scenarios are used in interactive and professionally linked exercises. Students participate in a range of activities including workshopping, brainstorming and an interactive simulation. Students receive informal feedback on their progress of Assessment 1 in week 3.

Content (topics)

This subject introduces students to research and theory building in stakeholder/public engagement. Students examine different worldviews, theories and models that inform current engagement practices. Students critically examine the ethical implications of communicating with publics, stakeholders and stake seekers to inform professional practice. In this subject students individually research identified stakeholder groups and develop multiple stakeholder engagement plans in groups.

Students explore best practice for engaging with Indigenous Australians, and reflect on their personal cultural competencies as part of this analysis.

Assessment

Assessment task 1: Stakeholder Investigation and Analysis

Objective(s):

a, b, c, d and e

Weight:

30%

Length:

1000 words

Criteria linkages:

Criteria	Weight (%)	SLOs	CILOs
Effectiveness of stakeholder public mapping for identified issue/organisation	20	b, d	1.0
Clarity and usefulness of stakeholder information	30	a, b, e	2.1
Depth of analysis of stakeholder/public interest or position	30	a, b, c, d, e	2.1
Scope and relevance of literature applied	20	a, b	1.0

SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Assessment task 2: Building Cultural Competencies - best practice in communication and engagement

Objective(s):

a, b and e

Weight:

40%

Length:

1200 words

Criteria linkages:

Criteria	Weight (%)	SLOs	CILOs
Effectiveness of use of research into best practice	20	a, b	2.1
Depth of analysis into examples of engagement by Indigenous organisations	30	b, e	5.0
Relevance and scope of reflection into own professional practice	20		4.0
Strength of rationale	30		4.0

SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Assessment task 3: Stakeholder Engagement Plan

Weight:	30%

Minimum requirements

In this subject assessment tasks are cumulative. Each task builds understanding and/or skills that is informed by formative feedback. All assessments must be submitted for students to pass the subject. Each task assesses unique subject learning objectives.

Attendance?is 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).

Referencing

Use of Generative AI needs to be referenced. Please refer to UTS Library guide. In addition, students are required to include clickable links for all references in the Reference List if available.

References

Anastasi, C. 2018, Strategic stakeholder engagement: A voice behind the curtain, Routledge, London & New York.

Boutilier, R. 2012, A stakeholder approach to issues management, Business Expert Press, New York, NY.

Butsch, R. & Livingstone, S. 2014, Meanings of audiences: comparative discourses, Routledge, Abingdon, Oxon, & New York.

Coombs, W.T. & Holladay, S.J. 2010, PR strategy and application: Managing influence, Wiley, Chichester, UK;

Blackwell, Malden, MA. Demetrious, K. 2013, Public relations, activism, and social change, Routledge, New York.

Fisher, R. & Ury, W. 2011, Getting to yes: Negotiating an agreement without giving in, Random House, London.

Freeman, R.E., Harrison, J.S., Wicks, A.C., Parmar, B.L. & de Colle, S. 2010, Stakeholder theory: The state of the art, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK.

Freeman, R.E., Harrison, J.S. & Zyglidopoulos, S. 2018, Stakeholder theory: Concepts and strategies, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, U.K.

Johnson, K.A. & Taylor, M. (eds) 2018, The handbook of communication engagement, Wiley Blackwell, Hoboken.

Ki, E.-J., Kim, J.-N. & Ledingham, J.A. (eds) 2015, Public relations as relationship management: A relational approach to the study and practice of public relations , 2nd edn, Routledge, New York.

Lewicki, R.J., Saunders, D.M. & Barry, B. 2015, Negotiation, 7th edn, McGraw Hill Eduation, New York.

Macnamara, J. 2016, Organizational listening: The missing essential in public communication, Peter Lang Publishing, New York.