Comm assignment

**** I only need the minimum number of pages completed. Please ignore the presentation aspect, I will handle that on my own. Just a little background about myself. I am 22 years old, African American, and I come from a lower middle class background. I am currently a college senior working my way through college at a retail job. This information should not be used in the assignment but it is helpful background information so that the assignment can correlate to real life if need be. Due not be scared off by the length of this document. Pay attention to the specific essay needs starting at the bottom of page 2.

SPCH 4311 Organizational Communication Case Paper and Presentation

Drafting—The assignment below was posted last week for review. Take time to review again and beging the process of drafting—draft due in groups May 4

Course Learning Objective (from syllabus) #4 Analyze an organizational case study with organizational theory concepts and positive practices and present your work in a final paper and presentation

Steps to take:

1. You have reflected on five major org. communication topics areas that have included key concepts and positive communication practices (culture, networks, dialectics, diversity, and motivation.).

2. You have also engaged in discussions and blogs that have involved applications in varied organizational contexts or situations.

3. Review the five communication topics we covered (i.e., the five units: culture, networks, dialectics, diversity, and motivation).

4. Identify one of these areas of greatest interest to you.

5. Determine a specific organizational communication situation that you would like to explore that is relevant to the topic you selected. For instance, you might explore organizational stories and rituals that are creating a positive culture. Or, if you are interested in motivation, you might review positive practices in an organization where you serve or work that illustrate mastery, autonomy, and purpose enacted through positive practices by a supervisor.

6. Concerning your choice of a case/situation:

· Focus on relationships and interactions that you are part of in your org. In other words, this is not about some other person or some other organization, but one you experience. It can be in the recent past (last year or so!) or present.

· It can be an org. relationship in which you experience struggles, or it can be a relationship that is positive. Of course, it can be one that has changed over time.

· You may explore ways to improve communication, or you may want to understand more clearly the communication that is already positive.

7. Determine two communication concepts from the topic you select that you believe would be useful in exploring this situation. (e.g. Culture: Rituals, Stories, Metaphor; Networks: Network roles; Dialectics: Major framing practices; Diversity: Four Diversity Practices, or Motivation: Mastery, Autonomy, Purpose)

8. Identify a minimum of six (6) scholarly communication articles (besides your book) that report communication research relevant to your chosen relationship and the theory. One of these can be from the assigned readings. (Note: 5311 students should identify 4 additional sources and fully integrate them into the paper).

9. You should plan on using the UALR library databases (Communication and Mass Media). You might thumb through the references at the back of the textbook. Keep in mind that the references must be scholarly communication references.

10. Write a case analysis that contains all of the main sections below.

11. Develop an extended outline of the paper (see guide below) to use in a draft presentation.

12. May 4-Present your paper in a video to your draft group.

13. Revise your presentation and present to the class; responding to others as assigned.

14. Revise your paper based on the presentation and submit it on the assigned day.

15. Your paper should be between 8-12 pages long and your speech, between 8-10 minutes.

Main Sections: Organize your paper in the outline format as follows in order to prepare for the presentation. The paper will follow the same format as the presentation.

I have indicated the approximate paper length and presentation time for each section.

Title your paper to include the name of the theory and focus of your case:

Ex: “A Cultural Analysis Using Story and Ritual: The Impact of Positive Communication on Creating Positive Organizational Cultures

Ex: “A Relational Dialectic Theory Analysis of Work-Life Balance Communication

I. Opening paragraph: (1/2 -3/4 page – about 1 minute)

A. In the opening sentence draw our interest to the case with a brief story relevant to your case/topic.

B. Credibility-state why this case is of important to you and others—integrate a reference here. (e.g., Gaining insight to dialectics has helped me respond or frame them more effectively. One org. scholar who studied dialectics states…)

B. Briefly explain the topic area in a one or two line definition with a reference.

C. Major claim/thesis: This _______ theory provides a way to understand and improve communication between members in organizations.

D. Preview the paper—This will be a standard section letting the reader know of the main sections of your paper/presentation

II. Label this section- Case. (1 to 2 pages– about 2 minutes)

A. State the name of the org and focus (motivation, networks, culture)

B. State the reasons you selected this focus and include a reference to show the importance of the topic or focus of your case

C. Provide short history/mission of the org.

D. Structure of org-an org chart when possible

E. Context of your interaction—who is involved, what happened, …

III. Label a section-Theory- (1-2 pages-about 2 minutes)

· Overview and define the theory/topic area with a reference

A. State, define, and briefly illustrate one of the concepts you will use with references

B. State, define, and briefly illustrate a second of the theory concepts you will use with references. Your class notes can be used, but you need another reference as well.

IV. Label a section-Analysis. (2-3 pages- about 2 minutes)

· Organize the analysis of the case around two key claims tied to theory concepts you introduced in the previous section. Each claim should be developed in a full paragraph with an application to your case including integration of specifics from the case. Your analysis should be “data rich”--Use exact quotations and vivid descriptions of communication from your experiences to illustrate your case. The case should include dialogue from conversations (as best as you can remember)

A. Key claim one: (Ex: Rituals provide a way to support relationship development. In this organization, we meet each week for a long lunch. During this lunch we…. For example, one employee said: “….

B. Key claim Two: (Ex: Rituals provide a way to support relationship development. In this organization, we meet each week for a long lunch. During this lunch we…. For example, one employee said: “….

V. Label a section- Implications. ( 2 pages -2 minutes)

A. Provide a transition from the previous section that ties to your main claim. This analysis suggests specific ways to improve our org. culture…. I have developed three specific communication applications.

· Develop 2 or 3 positive communication implications for yourself from the case. Each application should be related to your communication, not for someone else. Focus on insights that grew from your analysis of your case. Develop each recommendation into a 3 to 4 sentence paragraph including relevant references.

· The recommendations should be made with both the case and the theory. Don’t base your recommendations on “common sense” (e.g., “Basically, I need to be more patient.”).

· You should review the positive practices for the relevant unit and allow those practices to guide the applications you create.

B. First, the intentional use of positive collegial stories has potential to ….). This application is one that I have already put to use. For instance, I shared the story of… As Meyer (2000) indicates this use of stories…

C. A second implication is that I need to ….

D. Third and finally, communication related to…

V. Label a final section - Conclusion. ( 1/2 page -1 page-about 1 minute)

· Summarize the goal of your paper.

· Reflect on the value of the theory you used

· Summarize the major insights gained.

· Make a closing statement about the importance of the topic and value of the analysis.

References - all of your references listed in alphabetical (APA style) order.