Faculty
Professor Paul A. Argenti
Objectives
This course seeks to expand and improve your understanding of corporate communication and show how companies use communications to implement strategy. To reach these goals, we will examine a variety of cases, readings, and films that will help you understand how corporate communication relates to general management and strategy in a corporation. The course begins where AGM ended and moves the discussion forward to answer the question “What is the best way to implement strategy using the power of corporate communication in the corporation?”
Requirements
Class participation, written assignments, and a thorough knowledge of the readings are equally important requirements for this course. Class participation and your knowledge of the readings, films, and cases, will count for 50% of your grade. The final exam counts for 50%. I suggest that you work in informal study groups to prepare for all of the case discussions. I know this may be a foreign concept to second-year students who have forgotten about study groups, but class participation depends on the kind of discussion (although perhaps not the same time commitment) you had in preparing cases for AGM.
Materials
I have chosen only a few important readings for each day. Therefore, every assignment is crucial. The required book is: Corporate Communication (5th edition) by Paul A. Argenti. Your packet also includes cases and other readings for this course.
Tuck Honor Code
I trust you to behave honorably. The final exam is an individual effort. By individual effort, I mean no one else is to read, listen to, comment on, proofread, or even type your exam.
Attendance Policy
I also expect you to attend every class session. See page 23 of the MBA Student Handbook if a family emergency or personal illness precludes you from attending class. I will also make some exceptions for important interviews and family events. If you are unprepared for class, please tell me beforehand. I like to challenge students, but have no interest in embarrassing you.
Grading
Class participation and your knowledge of the readings, films, and cases. 50%
Final exam. 50%
Schedule
Wednesday 10/28
Argenti, Chapter 1
Case: Google, Inc. (see end of chapter 1)
Thursday 10/29
Argenti, Chapters 2-3 (not pages 63-66)
Case: Carson Container Company (see end of chapter 2)
Wednesday 11/04
Argenti, Chapter 4 (not pages 99-104)
Argenti, "The Challenge of Protecting Reputation," Financial Times, 2005. (in packet)
Case: Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, HBS 9-501-080 (in packet)
Thursday 11/05
Video case screening: Food Lion
Thursday 11/05
Film screening and discussion: The Corporation
Wednesday 11/11
Lisa Caputo, CMO for Citigroup and CEO and Chairman of Citigroup's Women and Company business will be visiting our class.
Thursday 11/12
Argenti, Chapter 6
Case: Adolph Coors Company (see end of chapter 6)
Wednesday 11/18
Argenti, Chapter 10
Case: Coca Cola in India (see end of chapter 10)
Thursday 11/19
Argenti, Chapters 7-9 (not pages 200-208, 223-228, 242-255)
Case: Digital Communication at Dell (in course folder)
Tuesday 11/24
Exam
Exam handed out on Thurs., 11/19 after class and due on Tue., 11/24 by 12 noon.
