DEPARTMENT: Literary and Communication Studies

COURSE CODE: CELS 322

COURSE TITLE: Corporate Communication
CREDIT FACTORS (CFs) 3
PREREQUISITE(S): None
COURSE LECTURER: Prof Felicia Yieke
fyieke@laikipia.ac.ke
0729848033/0733538046
PURPOSE: To enable students understand the dynamics of communication
in an organizational set up.

EXPECTED LEARNING OUTCOMES

By the end of the course, the learners should be able to;
1. Explain what corporate communication is;
2. Make a distinction between public relations and corporate communication;
3. Discuss the main forms of corporate communication;
4. Discuss the characteristics of strategic corporate communication;
5. Describe the role of stakeholders in corporate communication;
6. Discuss the functions of corporate communication;
7. Explain how to handle a crisis through crisis communication
8. Explain the relationship between Corporate Social Responsibility and Community
Relations

COURSE OUTLINE
1. Introduction to Corporate Communication
a. From ‘PR’ to ‘CorpComm’
2. Main Forms of Corporate Communication (External and Internal Communication)
a. Management Communication
b. Marketing Communication
c. Organisational Communication
3. Internal Communication
4. Characteristics of Strategic Corporate Communication
5. Concepts Central to Corporate Communication
a. Corporate Identity
b. Corporate Image
c. Corporate Reputation
d. Corporate Branding
e. Corporate Advertising
6. Role of Stakeholders in Corporate Communication
7. Functions of Corporate Communication
a. Media Relations
b. Investor Relations
c. Government Relations
d. Employee Relations
8. Crisis Communication
9. Corporate Social Responsibility and Community Relations
Teaching/Learning Methodologies
Lectures, tutorials, group discussions, seminar presentations, assignment, case studies,
Internet search, individual critical appraisals, resource persons, open forums, panel
discussions, competitions, mentorship, supervised individual and group exercises.

Instructional Material/Equipments
Multi-media technology. Multi-media resource, LCD projector and screen, whiteboard,
DVDs, video and audio technologies, handouts, Power Point, Internet and web based
materials.

Methods of Evaluation
CATS (30%) and Examination (70%)

Recommended Text Books

Argenti, P.A. (2009) Corporate Communication. New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin
Cornelissen, J. (2011) Corporate Communication: A Guide to Theory and Practice. USA/UK:
Sage Publications, Inc

Text Books and Journals for further Reading

Argenti, P. and Forman, J. (2002) The Power of Corporate Communication. New York:
McGraw-Hill
Belasen, A. T. (2008) The Theory and Practice of Corporate Communication: A Competing
Values Perspective. USA/UK: Sage Publications, Inc
Jackson, P. (1987) Corporate Communication for Managers. London: Pitman
Handbook of Organizational Communication. Newbury Park. CA: Sage Publications
van Riel, C.B.M. and Fombrun, C. (2007) Essentials of Corporate Communication.
Abingdon: Routledge
van Riel, C.B.M. (1995) Principles of Corporate Communication. London: Prentice Hall