6 ECTS credits
156 h study time

Offer 1 with catalog number 1009366BER for all students in the 2nd semester at a (B) Bachelor - advanced level.

Semester
2nd semester
Enrollment based on exam contract
Possible
Grading method
Grading (scale from 0 to 20)
Can retake in second session
Yes
Enrollment Requirements
Studenten die dit opleidingsonderdeel opnemen, moeten geslaagd zijn voor minstens 30 ECTS-credits op bachelorniveau. Studenten communicatiewetenschappen moeten ook geslaagd zijn voor 'Communicatiewetenschappen I'. Studenten in een schakelprogramma, voorbereidingsprogramma of master kunnen dit opleidingsonderdeel opnemen.
Taught in
Dutch
Faculty
Faculty of Social Sciences & SolvayBusinessSchool
Department
Communication Sciences
Educational team
Katia Segers (course titular)
Activities and contact hours

24 contact hours Lecture
130 contact hours Independent or External Form of Study
Course Content

The academic and professional discipline of “Corporate communication” encompasses the whole set of instruments and activities that link a company or organisation to the outside world. Corporate communication is a strategic tool that allows organisations and companies not only to guarantee continuity (the 'licence to operate'), but also to develop its competitive advantage. Today, corporate communication is more and more refered to as 'reputation management' or 'conversation management'.

More specifically, corporate communication entails every communication towards and dialogue with internal and external stakeholders through the different specialists within the organisation: specialists (organisational communication and marketing communication managers) and generalists (management communication), aiming at informing, motivating and persuading the different stakeholders. ‘Stakeholders’ of a company or organisation include consumers, shareholders and investors, staff, consumer organisations, competitors, B-to-B partners, media, ...

Each of the three fields of corporate communication (management, marketing and organisational communication) will influence the content and success of the organisation's Sustainable Corporate Story. Today's SCS's is very much dependent on the way in which an organisation deals with and communicates about its Corporate Social Responsiblity. CSR has become the main driver of an organisation's reputation.

In this course we study the different aspects and practices of corporate communication and its impact on society. Insights from scholarly literature are gained through intensive individual reading and classroom discussion of critical texts.  The course is based on the handbook (Van Riel, C., 2010, Identiteit en Imago), but is conceived as a combination of lectures, a reading exercise and guest lectures by leading professionals, such as Chris Van Roey (UBA), Ann Caluwaerts (Telenet, Frédéric Petit (Infrabel), Eveline De Ridder (Whyte), Kris Hoflack (Vlaams Parlement), ….

This course aims at offering students a rich insight in the field of corporate communication as well as to develop critical reflection on the broad field of corporate communication, both within the academic and professional field.

Course material
Handbook (Required) : Identiteit en imago, Recente inzichten in corporate communication – theorie en praktijk, Cees B.M. van Riel, 4de herziene druk, Academic service, 9789052617640, 2010
Digital course material (Required) : Reader with scientific articles
Practical course material (Required) : Own notes of the classes and guest lectures
Additional info

Not applicable.

Learning Outcomes

General competencies

 This course contributes to the following general learning results of the bachelor in communication sciences:

  •  Students have specific knowledge and understanding of the diverse paradigms, main theoretical currents, concepts and research traditions within communication scientific approaches to media, strategic communication and marketing.
  •  Students show insight in the position and mutual relations of the diverse paradigms, main theoretical currents, concepts and research traditions within the discipline and in relation to other theories, methods, concepts and models in other disciplines (interdisciplinarity).
  •  Students have knowledge and insight regarding applicable research methods in the discipline.
  •  Students have knowledge and understanding of the structures, operation and processes of media and communication organisations, media and communication practices, and media and communication markets and their relations with media, strategic communication and marketing.
  •  Students can detect and analyse trends and issues within a media landscape and estimate their societal, professional and policy implications on the basis of a theoretical framework of reference and analysis linked to communication scientific approaches to media, strategic communication and marketing.
  •  Students show a critical attitude with regard to sources and literature. 
  •  Students can develop their own scientifically grounded judgement and act in the spirit of free inquiry – i.e. with an open, critical-constructive and a-dogmatic attitude. Students do not seek ‘ultimate truths’, yet respond to scientific debate and the relative uncertainty of insights from an open position.
  •  Students can critically and self-critically, with a long term perspective, from an interdisciplinary angle, and cautious of monocausal interpretations, gauge the impact of social, cultural, economic, ethical, technological, political, legal and other factors to communication processes.
  •  Students reflect upon their own position as scientists, construe assumptions and identify and explicitate critically their presuppositions.
  •  Students demonstrate an honest attitude, ethical stance and engaged position, permitting a relevant contribution to current scientific and societal debates.
  •  Students act upon an open attitude in a culturally diverse international context. They critically reflect on their own (geographical, social, cultural, local, personal, …) position
  •  Students develop an attitude of willingness to listen and respect to one another in order to engage in debates on the basis of scientifically and empirically grounded arguments.
  •  Students can – with guidance – learn and act independently, creatively, critically and entrepreneurially.
  •  Students demonstrate an interested, studious and inquisitive attitude and have an open attitude to life long and independent learning.

Grading

The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Oral Exam determines 100% of the final mark.

Within the Oral Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:

  • Poster Presentation with a relative weight of 1 which comprises 100% of the final mark.

Additional info regarding evaluation

The oral exam consists of the presentation by the student of a scientific poster that reflects his / her own (limited) research on a topic of choice within a theme that can vary annually and is communicated and explained at the latest during the last lesson before the Easter holidays.
During the exam - which will be conducted orally and digitally via Teams - the student presents her/his poster for a maximum of 8 minutes, followed by a question and answer session.

Allowed unsatisfactory mark
The supplementary Teaching and Examination Regulations of your faculty stipulate whether an allowed unsatisfactory mark for this programme unit is permitted.

Academic context

This offer is part of the following study plans:
Bachelor of Communication Studies: Standaard traject (only offered in Dutch)
Bachelor of Political Science and Sociology: - afstudeerrichting sociologie, minor communicatiewetenschappen (only offered in Dutch)
Master of Psychology: Afstudeerrichting arbeids- en organisatiepsychologie (only offered in Dutch)
Bridging Programme Master of Science in Communication Studies: Standaard traject (only offered in Dutch)
Preparatory Programme Master of Science in Communication Studies: Standaard traject (only offered in Dutch)