57026 Strategic Communication and Negotiation

Handbook description

This subject analyses and critiques communication campaigns and develops expertise in using strategic planning and applying it to communication management. This involves applying understandings of environmental scanning, stakeholder analysis and issues management. There is an emphasis on understanding consultative processes and learning effective approaches to community consultation. Students develop an understanding of and expertise in negotiation strategies. They study techniques of negotiation and conflict to enhance the development of expertise in managing different expectations and results. Students learn a practical approach to negotiating agreement and apply it to their communication and public relations work.

Subject objectives/outcomes

At the completion of this subject, students are expected to be able to:

1. Demonstrate ability to use strategic planning in communication management
2. Use issues management as a proactive approach to preparing communication strategies
3. Explain effective processes for community consultation
4. Identify relevant techniques for negotiating with publics
5. Demonstrate expertise in using negotiation.

Contribution to graduate profile

• A good understanding of the nature of communication and communication management through a broad range of theories and paradigms
• A sensitivity to ethical and legal issues related to communication
• A capacity to critically reflect on the role and responsibilities of communicators
• An understanding of contexts of communication
• Competency in understanding, identifying and communicating with publics to build and maintain relationships
• A capacity to critically reflect on their learning and professional communication practice
• The capacity to manage technical, political, moral and aesthetic communication issues
• The ability to implement communication strategies and evaluate their effectiveness
• The ability to apply communication theories to the analysis of case studies and professional practice
• The ability to analyse issues and engage in principled negotiation and consultation
• The ability to provide strategic advice to senior management and to manage issues and crises
• The capacity for lifelong learning
• The ability to understand and practice leadership in communication management

Teaching and learning strategies

There will be some presentations to students and the subject includes an online component and negotiation skills workshops, providing the opportunity for students to experience simulated workplace situations and develop strategies to deal with problems. The subject may be offered in condensed mode.

Content

• Principles of strategic planning applied to communication management
• Issues management
• Crisis planning and crisis management
• Understanding consultative processes and alternative dispute resolution techniques
• Effective approaches to community consultation
• Understanding negotiation principles
• Techniques of negotiation
• Practical approaches to negotiating agreement
• Application of negotiation to communication management.

Assessment

Assessment item 1: Issues Management Report

Assessment item 2: Case Study Project

Assessment item 3: Participation in online discussion forum

Minimum requirements

Students are expected to read the subject outline to ensure they are familiar with the subject requirements. Since class discussion and participation in activities form an integral part of this subject, you are expected to attend, arrive punctually and actively participate in classes. If you experience difficulties meeting this requirement, please contact your lecturer. Students who have a reason for extended absence (e.g., illness) may be required to complete additional work to ensure they achieve the subject objectives.

Attendance is particularly important in this subject because it is based on a collaborative approach which involves essential workshopping and interchange of ideas. Students who attend fewer than ten classes are advised that their final work will not be assessed and that they are likely to fail the subject.

Indicative references

There is no set text for this subject however a collection of e-readings has been produced.

Additional references:

Books/Journals
Aula, P. 2008, Strategic reputation management: towards a company of good, London; Routledge.

Carpenter, S.L. and Kennedy, W.J.D. 2001, Managing Public Disputes, San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Crump, L. Glendon, A. I., 2003. Towards a paradigm of multiparty negotiation, International Negotiation, vol. 8, pp. 197 – 234.

Doorley, J. 2007, Reputation management: the key to successful public relations and corporate communication, New York: Routledge.

Fisher, R., Ury, W, & Patton, B. (1991) Getting to Yes. (2nd Ed.) Century Business.

Galloway, C. & Kwansah-Aidoo, K. 2005, Public relations issues and crisis management, Southbank, Vic. : Thompson Learning.

Griffin, A. 2008, New strategies for reputation management: gaining control of issues, crises & corporate social responsibility, London; Kogan Page.

Hallahan, K. 2001, The dynamics of issues activation and response: an issues processes model, Journal of Public Relations Research, Vol. 13no. 1, pp. 27-59.

Hanycz, C. M., Farrow, T. C., Zemans, F. H. 2008, The theory and practice of representative Negotiation, Emond Montgomery Publications, Toronto.

Heath, R. L. & Palenachar, M. J., 2009 Strategic issues management: organizations and public policy challenges, Los Angeles: Sage Publications.

Heath, R.L. & Vasquez, G. M. (eds.) 2001. Handbook of public relations, London: Sage.

Holtz, S. 1999, 'Activism on the Internet' in Public relations on the net, AMA Publications, New York. Pp. 176-197.

Manager, V. 2004, Integrating issues management at Nike. SCM vol. 8, iss. 6, p. 4.

McComas, K. A. 2003, Trivial pursuits: participant views of public meetings, Journal of Public Relations Research, Vol. 15, I 2, pp. 91 – 115.

Millar, D. P. & Heath, R. L. (Ed), 2003 Responding to crisis: a rhetorical approach to crisis communication, Mahwah, N.J. Lawrence Erlbaum

Murphy, P. 1996, Chaos theory as a model for managing issues and crises, Public Relations Review, vol. 22, n.2 pp. 95 –113.

Rahim, M.A. 2001, Managing Conflict in Organisations, 3rd edition. Westport, CT: Quorum books.

Regester, M., 2008, Risk issues and crisis management in public relations: a casebook of best practice, London; Kogan Page

Steyn, B., Puth, G. 2000, 'Environmental scanning' in Corporate Communication Strategy, Heinemann Publishers, Sandown.

Susskind, L. & Field, P (1996) Dealing with an angry public: the mutual gains approach to resolving disputes. New York: Free Press. (Chapter 3)

Susskind, L. & Field, P. 1996, Dealing with an angry public: the mutual gains to resolving disputes. The Free Press, New York.

Taylor, M., Vasquez, G. M., & Dorley, J. 2003, Merck and AIDS activists: engagement as a framework for extending issues management, Public Relations Review, vol. 29, pp. 257-270.

Thompson, L. L. 2009, The mind and heart of the negotiator, Prentice Hall: Upper Saddle River, N.J.

Ulmer, R. R. 2009, Effective crisis communication: moving from crisis to opportunity, Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications.

Ury, W. (1991) Getting past No: Negotiating with Difficult People. Century Business.

Ury, W., Brett, J & Goldberg, S. (1993) Getting Disputes Resolved: Designing systems to cut the Costs of Conflict. California: Jossey-Bass Inc.