A paper of Theory and Practice of Corporate Communication
UNIVERSITI PUTRA MALAYSIA
DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATION
FACULTY OF MODERN LANGUAGES & COMMUNICATION
KOM5317
Theory and Practice of Corporate Communication
Course
Term
Group
Lecturer
Office
Email
Class Days/Time
Credit Hours
: KOM5317 Theory and Practice of Corporate Communication
: Semester 2, 2023/2024
At the end of the course, students should be able to:
1. compare main practice of corporate communication practice (C5, CTPS);
2. customise corporate communication messages for internal and external audiences (P6);
and
3. implement corporate communication campaign that fits the situation and organisation
operation (A5, CS, TS, LS).
MAIN TEXTBOOKS
1. Argenti, P. A. (2007). Corporate communication (4th ed.). McGraw
Hill.
2. Cornelissen, J. (2017). Corporate communication: A guide to theory and practice (5th
ed.). Sage Publication.
3. American Psychological Association. (2010). Publication manual of the American
Psychological Association. (6th ed.). Author.
4. Hopkins, M. (2016). CSR and sustainability: From the margins to the mainstream.
Greenleaf.
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On top of the aforementioned methods of instruction, the conduct of this Course is guided by
the Outcome-based Education (OBE) framework, advocated and supported by the Malaysian
Qualifications Agency (MQA)1.
What is OBE? Outcome-Based Education (OBE) is an approach that focuses on attaining
intended learning outcomes where students develop behaviors that are authentic to their
discipline and are assessed holistically within the context of their learning. Bloom
recommended three learning outcome domains, i.e., Cognitive, Affective and Psychomotor, as
educational objectives (Bloom et al., 1971). Outcome-Based Education (OBE) requires a
curriculum that prioritizes assessment methods and tasks that enable comprehensive qualitative
and holistic evaluation. An OBE should have these attributes:
• It is centered around the needs of students and stakeholders;
• It is outcome-driven, where the curriculum is designed to achieve specific Course
Outcomes (COs);
• Each CO is assessed using an appropriate assessment task;
• CO attainment and delivery methods are integrated, and different methods cater to
students’ diverse capabilities, traits, and talents.
Disclaimer: As a student, it is your responsibility to attend classes regularly and maintain
decorum in the classroom, including demonstrating good manners towards the lecturer.
However, while these attributes are essential in cultivating a conducive learning environment,
they cannot be the exclusive determinants of your success or failure in this course. The crux of
your academic achievement hinges on whether you can fulfill the course’s learning outcomes
in adherence to the Outcome-Based Education (OBE) framework advocated by the Malaysian
Qualifications Agency (MQA). This involves demonstrating mastery of the course content by
performing well in assessments such as assignments, tests, and final exams, all of which are
designed based on the OBE framework. It is critical to note that the OBE framework is
renowned for its highly objective assessment system, where your academic performance is
evaluated based on rubrics and the assessment questions are designed vis-à-vis the explicit
learning outcomes stipulated in the course outline rather than subjective criteria. If you can
answer the questions designed according to the OBE framework, you have assuredly fulfilled
the learning outcomes, and there is no question of why you would fail.
1
The Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) is the national quality assurance agency that oversees qualifications and quality
of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Malaysia. The Malaysian Qualifications Framework (MQF) serves as an instrument
that develops and classifies qualifications based on a set of criteria that are approved nationally and benchmarked against
international best practices. To ensure quality and as a reference point, MQF systematically clarifies the earned academic
levels, learning outcomes of study areas and credit system based on student’s academic load. MQF also provides educational
pathways that enable students to progress through credit transfers and accreditation of prior experiential learning, in the context
of lifelong learning (Malaysian Qualifications Agency [MQA], 2017).
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ASSESSMENT METHODS
Assignment Component
CO Alignment
Assignment 1: Media monitoring CO2: customise corporate communication messages for internal and external audiences (P6)
Assignment 2: Media Plan
Value (%)
30*
CO3: implement corporate
communication campaign that fits the
situation and organisation operation
(A5, CS, TS, LS)
Oral Presentation
Final exam
20*
10
CO1: compare main practice of
corporate communication practice (C5,
CTPS)
40
Total
100
*All members in the group will receive the same grade.
COURSE RULES, REQUIREMENTS AND EXPECTATIONS
1. Restriction on the use of the text of the lecture, including voice and video recordings
In accordance with the Universities and University Colleges Act 1971 Universiti Putra
Malaysia (Discipline of Students) Rules 2005, under the Part II General Discipline, Rule 5
clearly states that:
“Subject to subrule (2), a student shall not make use of the text
of any lecture or instruction imparted to him in the University
except for the purpose of pursuing his course of study; in
particular, he shall not reproduce, in any manner, the whole
or any part of such text for the purpose of publication,
distribution or circulation, whether for payment or not.”
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, audio and video recording have become common in
online teaching and learning. However, in compliance with the Rules, students must obtain
permission from the lecturer before recording any lecture, whether in audio or video format or
both. Failure to do so will violate the Rules and may lead to disciplinary action.
2. Class attendance and attendance policy
In accordance with the University Rules and Regulations, attending lectures, tutorials and
laboratory sessions (minimum 80% and above) at the ascertained times is compulsory for all
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students. If a student fails to meet the minimum attendance requirement of 80% or above for a
registered subject in a semester, the lecturer has the right to bar the student from taking the
final examination. However, this only applies if the student has not provided sufficient reasons
or evidence for their absences or obtained prior approval from the Faculty/Department. Please
note that for international students, failing to meet the minimum attendance requirement of 80%
or above may result in your student visa not being renewed or extended. Therefore, it is
important to attend all classes regularly.
Excused absences are defined by the University as (1) a death in your family; (2) your
own sick leave; and (3) university-approved trips and activities. In accordance with the
University’s policy, students are required to provide the lecturer with verification in the form
of an original medical certificate (photocopies or emails will not be accepted), a formal letter
from an advisor or coach confirming participation in a trip or activity (on letterhead), or other
relevant documentation that verifies the validity of the absence. This is necessary to ensure that
your absence meets the required criteria and is not counted against you. All relevant documents
shall be submitted to the lecturer by hand only. The lecturer shall not entertain any leave
application without the above-said documents. It is your responsibility to take your own
initiative to submit those relevant documents to the lecturer before you are barred from sitting
the final examination. Do not assume that the lecturer is under obligation to ask or request for
those documents from you.
If you have missed a class, you are responsible for obtaining lecture notes or hand-outs
from your classmates to keep up with the class. To use the class time and academic
consultation/supervision time effectively, I shall NOT repeat materials already explained.
Additionally, part of attendance is arriving on time. In the professional world,
repeatedly arriving late results in consequences. The same goes for the educational setting and
this course. Thus, students who arrive more than 30 minutes after class begins will be marked
as “tardy” (T) unless the students are able to provide the lecturer with convincing reasons and
evidence. When a student has been tardy three (3) times, there is a 5% penalty to the overall
grade.
3. Course expectations
a) The success of this course and its usefulness to you depend in large part upon your
active participation. Lack of participation in classes, meetings, activities and
discussions will definitely affect your total marks. Do not forget that participation
is a continuous assessment for this course. Care A LOT about your team and
members because a good project is usually the result of a healthy team spirit.
b) Using mobile phones, text messaging, checking emails and social media accounts
(Facebook, Instagram, Weibo, etc.) and studying for different classes during this class
are STRICTLY PROHIBITED. Mobile phones should be set on silent or vibrate
during lectures. For any violation of the above-mentioned, the involved student(s) will
be asked to leave the classroom/lecture hall/virtual meeting room.
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c) Students are expected to behave maturely, and uphold the highest standards of courtesy
and professionalism to the lecturer, classmates or coursemates at all times. This
includes employing institutional and academic titles (Abang, Kak, Mak Cik, Pak Cik,
Encik, Puan, Sir, Miss, Madam, Dr. Prof., etc.) when addressing faculty, administrators,
other university personnel, invited guests or classmates. Students are also expected to
be polite in class, respect one another during class discussions and be courteous
audiences when their classmates make presentations at all times. Discussion with
classmates during the lectures is allowed, provided it is not distracting the lecturer and
other students.
d) Beverages and snacks are permitted (in-person lecture) if they do not distract other
students.
e) You are expected to read, in advance, the reading materials assigned for each class
meeting. This will help you keep up with the rest of the class and do well in class
exercises.
f) Students must be willing to share ideas and keep an open mind regarding suggestions
and corrections.
g) A quiz can be given at any time in the semester. Grades received on any quiz will count
as an in-class activity.
4. Email Etiquette
a) When emailing me, please include a salutation, a body and a closing. Sometimes,
students send me emails that say things like, “When is the deadline for assignment
submission?” I teach up to four courses a semester and have up to 120 different students.
b) In an email, the “subject” area is where you indicate what we lecturers may expect to
see in the content. For example, I had an experience where a student wrote the entire
content in the subject section and nothing in the content. It’s true.
c) Please have a salutation (e.g., Hi Dr. Tham or Good Morning Dr. Tham), a body (i.e.,
the request or comment. E.g., “I hope this email finds you well. Please find the attached
for your best perusal.”) and a closing. The closing should have your name, the course
name or number, and your contact details (e.g., Claire Wong, KOM5317 TPCC.,
Contact Number).
IMPORTANT NOTE: Please note that the average response time for emails is between 24 and
48 hours. Thus, immediate replies should not be expected. Moreover, in order to facilitate a
smooth and efficient communication process, please refrain from sending last-minute emails
requesting information on assignments. In addition, please be aware that emails received after
office hours (i.e., 5 pm, GMT+8) may not be answered until the next working day. If an email
is sent after 5 pm on Friday (GMT+8), a reply should be expected on Monday morning
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(GMT+8). However, if Monday is a public holiday in Malaysia, a reply should be expected on
Tuesday.
5. Assignment submission guidelines
All assignments submitted for this course MUST comply with the following:
a) All assignments must be typed on a computer unless otherwise specified.
b) All assignments must be written in either American or British English. Do not mix both.
c) All work must be completed in a professional manner. The copy must be clean and
proofread for spelling and grammar; checked for spelling errors. EDIT your work
before it is submitted.
d) Use Arial, font size 12, 1.5 spacing. Margins: Top (2.0 cm); Right (2.0 cm); Left (3.0
cm); and Bottom (2.0 cm). JUSTIFY the right-hand and left-hand margins of your
assignments.