Redesigned COM 306-1st Semester Snapshot-Summer 2017

If you have any questions regarding the move to our new facility, please direct them to our HR Specialist, Danny Howell, who is Priscilla’s second-in-command. AdVice Corp plans to hire cultural ambassadors (Birnbach, 2008) to help facilitate the transition of the merger. These ambassadors are knowledgeable about the potential conflicts and difficulties surrounding the merging process. They have experience in answering employees’ concerns and questions. I understand that this announcement contains a lot of information, but we want to keep employees up-to-date and kept in the loop. We aim to maintain clear communications with everyone to ensure that we are all on the same page. I would hate for any of our employees to hear rumors through the grapevine versus an official statement from our Executive Team. I understand that this merger will come with difficulties; however, employee cooperation is greatly appreciated. Please contact me with any questions. Thank you. Best regards, Van Pham AdVice Corp, Communications Director (555) 555-5555 [email protected] References Birnbach, N. (2008, May 28). Three stages of merger communication. Retrieved from https://www.iabc.com/three-stages-of-merger-communication/ Bradt, G. (2015, June 29). The root cause of every merger’s success or failiure: Culture. 99

Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/georgebradt/2015/06/29/the-root- cause-of-every-mergers-success-or-failure-culture/#36c0d690d305 DeSantis Breindel. (n.d.). Stronger together: How brand drives M&A success. Retrieved from https://www.desantisbreindel.com/insights/how-brand-drives-post-merger- success/ Dye, F. (n.d.). Definition of compliance department in a bank. Retrieved from http://work.chron.com/definition-compliance-department-bank-21990.html Minority Business Development Agency. (2012, April 20). 5 types of company mergers. Retrieved from https://www.mbda.gov/news/blog/2012/04/5-types-company- mergers Renaud, R. (2017, May 30). Why do companies merge or acquire other companies? Retrieved from http://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/06/mareasons.asp Society for Human Resource Development. (2016, July 19). Managing human resources in mergers and acquisitions. Retrieved from https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/tools-and- samples/toolkits/pages/mergersandacquisitions.aspx 100

COM 306 - Organizational Communication and Conflict Management - Module 6 Recap of the Theories you learned about Review of Org Management Theories By this point, you have acquired a general overview of the most noted organizational management theories. Below is a video and a recap of the theories you have learned about. Module 6 Organizational Theories Review Video The Classical Model: An organization has defined jobs and a definite measure of authority. It considers employees' motivation to work strictly as a function of economic reward. The Scientific Management Approach: Planning and control achieve efficiency. The Bureaucratic Approach: An organization is part of a broader society. Just as in a government, lines of authority must be clearly established. The Administrative Approach: Calls for a formalized administrative structure, clear division of labor and authority. A universal set of management principles should be established and applied across all organizations. The Neoclassical Model: An organization deals with people and groups. It examines human relationships to determine productivity and displays genuine concern for human needs. The Participatory Approach: Views organizations as social systems. Employees take integrated roles in decision-making to improve operations. The Human Relations Approach: Recognizes that human beings do not always react rationally in terms of rewards. The Motivational Approach: Believes that individuals take pride in their work, and that this feeling should be nurtured through encouragement and exploration. The Modern Organizational Model: Organizations are adaptive systems. They must adjust to environmental changes to survive. The Systems Theory: Addresses the inter-dependency and interrelations of organizational components. The Cultural Theory: Views organizations as structures of meaning created through the everyday acts of their employees. Situational (or Contingency) Theory: Believes that personalities and contextual factors influence management. Leadership is a psychological process rather than a social process. Change is inevitable... Follow-Through and Follow-Up To build credibility and ensure delivery of the task in point, managers must follow through on actions and promises. It's not enough for a manager to listen, think, empathize, devise actions, and make promises. A manager also needs to follow through on those actions and follow up on their status and impact. For example, if you assure an entry level employee that their voice is as valuable as everyone else's, prove it. If you write a 101

memo that promises an email update by Friday, write and send that email update by Friday. If a coworker has a question and you offer to find the answer, find it. Tips for following through and following up: Keep employees informed about major company changes. Do not concern employees with the small details that don't impact them. Keep your communications short, but informative. Be honest and open about how this change may affect them. Don't give employees a boilerplate update. Individualize your communications. Listen to their reactions and consider best responses. Keep the channels of communication open. Encourage employees to express their thoughts or ask questions as they arise. Hold follow-up meetings with employees to hear firsthand how things are going. Stay positive. Discuss the positive long-term outcomes that your company anticipates. Change is inevitable if a company is to grow. But how a company communicates that change to its employees will dictate how well that growth can be achieved. Communication Manager's Purpose What is a Communications Manager's overall, ongoing purpose? To serve as an informed, approachable contact for employees who are unclear of or unhappy with company communications issues. To serve as a kind of conduit and messenger, supplying company news from organizational leaders to the general staff. To refine communications during times of conflict. To foster human connectivity across the organization. 102

COM 306 - Organizational Communication and Conflict Management - Module 6 Employee Conflict Activity Scenario: Three months have passed since the merger with Ad Appreciation was Employee Conflict Icon announced. The employees from both companies have met (at a special introduction gathering), and they are beginning to work together. The office relocation is currently underway. Employees are in the process of packing their belongings for the movers to haul to the new location. Just when it seems like everything's going smoothly, Chief Operating Officer, Carolyn Murphy, telephones you from the new location. She just realized that the new location is one manager's office short. The space is primarily cubicles, but there are private offices for the directors and executives. One of the employees, who has always had a private office, will have to move to a cubicle at the new location. The employee to lose an office will Josephine Hartman, Marketing Manager. Josephine is not a director or executive, so this was an easy decision. The hard part, however, will be informing Josephine of the change. In the four years she has worked at AdVice Corp, Josephine has always had her own office. This will be a real adjustment. To make the matter even more complex, a member of Josephine's Marketing Team, who reports to her directly, has been promoted. Max Hutchinson, Digital Marketing Specialist, is replacing Ian Weber as Communications Manager. (Displeased with the merger, Ian gave notice.) This means that Josephine is one team member short and her former subordinate now shares the same status as a manager. Think things can't get worse for Josephine? Think again. Human Resources has determined that the function of Digital Marketing Specialist is inconsequential, and that the Marketing Department can do without this position. Here's where you enter the scene. Guess who gets to break all of this news to Josephine? You got it! Your goal is to: Inform Josephine of the news about the office change. Explain why she is the one who must move to a cubicle. Inform Josephine of Max's promotion. Explain how Josephine will have to make due with one less team member. Ask her to express her thoughts and feelings about this news. Assure her that she is a valued member of the organization, and show appreciation for her cooperation. Here's where you enter the scene. You will write this detailed communications piece, supplying specifics about the merger to all AdVice Corp employees. First, however, you are charged with a preparatory assignment. The Executive Team has asked you to anticipate conflicts that the AdVice Corp employees might experience, once they learn of the merger. By having a carefully considered list of foreseeable conflicts, the Executive Team will be prepped for whatever employee problems arise as a result of this breaking news. [On a personal note, you are pleased to learn that Ad Appreciation, Inc. does not have a Communications Director, so your job is not at risk. Granted, that is, you continue your excellent work in company communications.] Your Assignment 103

1. This is your sixth and final individual assignment. Reflect upon your readings, video and/or audio to formulate your written reflection. 2. In the Module 6: Employee Conflict Discussion Board, write a \"script\" of what you will say to Josephine. Start with breaking the news, and follow through on the bulleted points above. It is up to you set the tone. After your \"script,\" addressing the students in this class, include an explanation of your logic for the tone you have taken in your \"script.\" 3. How might you apply your favorite of all the organizational management theories we have covered into your communications piece? 4. Your reflection should be between 300 and 600 words. Each sentence must have its own unique purpose. In other words, do not repeat yourself to meet the word count. 5. Carefully proofread your reflection. You will lose points for typos, misspelled words, slang, and poor grammar. Remember, you are a Communications Director. Write professionally, as if your reflection were to be read by your company’s leaders. 6. Include a minimum of two credible references to support your logic. Deliver the work in APA format for grading. 7. Your post is due Week 6, Wednesday at 11:59 p.m. CT. 8. Peer Feedback: Respond to a minimum of two classmates' posts. Offer feedback on the content and tone of their \"scripts.\" Peer feedback due Sunday at 11:59 p.m. CT. 9. You will be penalized 5% for posting your initial post and/or your peer feedback after their respective due dates. [This assignment is worth 5 points.] 104

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COM 306 - Organizational Communication & Conflict Management - Module 6 Team Conflict Scenario Background Scenario: At last! The office relocation is complete. Everyone has moved into their new work spaces and offices. Equipment is in place. Boxes are unpacked. A fresh new coat of paint is on the walls. What a large space this is! Occupying two whole floors. Whereas AdVice Corp was down to 230 employees, now merged with Ad Appreciation, they equal 375! AdVice Corp and Ad Appreciation are now obsolete brands. Business is all about AdVice Appreciation now! With all this fresh paint, what could go wrong? Oh right, 375 employees… More employees, more conflicts. Sure enough, there’s a conflict on Day 1. Whoever said, \"two’s company\" didn’t have it straight. At least not when it comes to two National Sales Teams. You see, not all AdVice Corp and Ad Appreciation teams consolidated. While most of the two companies' respective departments merged, the Sales Department got more of a \"makeover.\" Michael Grossman is now Sales Director-West, and the former Sales Director of Ad Appreciation, Grace Kohler, is now Sales Director- East. AdVice Corp's National Sales Team now services only clients based West of the Mississippi River, whereas Ad Appreciation's National Sales Team now services only clients East of the Mississippi River. (The Regional Sales Teams simply merged and operate in the Chicago metropolitan area as usual.) It has gotten complicated--and emotional--on the national sales side. Many sales representatives (who have clients based outside of their new geographical area) are being forced to hand over their hard-earned accounts to the other company's team. Sure, both teams are also gaining new clients from the other team. But it's difficult to relinquish accounts that they worked so tirelessly to win. There is mutual resentment between teams. Here's where you enter the scene. Michael and Grace have asked for your assistance in smoothing things over between the two national sales teams. They are asking you to use your communications expertise to pitch the advantages of the new West/East team structure. Group Discussion Instructions All GROUPS are tasked with the same assignment. Note: two of the students in each GROUP will need to step out of their Communications Director role for this assignment to \"play a different part.\" In addition to the Communications Director, there will be one National Sales Manager-West and one National Sales Manager- East. Module 6: Team Conflict Discussion Board. This is your sixth and final Team Conflict Assignment. INSTRUCTIONS: Designate one classmate in your group to serve as National Sales Manager-West (NSMW). Designate a second classmate in your group to serve as National Sales Manager-East (NSME). The third classmate in your group will serve as the Communications Director (CD). Note: If you have four classmates in your group, the fourth individual may join the CD, acting as one person. (If you served as CD in the previous module's Team Conflict Assignment, play a different role this time.) In your Team's Discussion in this module complete the following: 106

Communications Director (CD): Kick off the meeting with a welcome. Describe the benefits of the new West/East structure. Invite NSMW and NSME to share their feedback, including any concerns, about account handovers. This is THREAD 1. National Sales Manager-West (NSMW): State your feedback, including concerns, about the account transitions. Remember, you are speaking on behalf of your team. You must state at least two complaints and reasons therefore. This is THREAD 2. National Sales Manager-East (NSME): Now it's your turn. State your feedback, including concerns, about the account transitions. Remember, you are speaking on behalf of your team. You must state at least two complaints and reasons therefore. This is THREAD 3. Communications Director (CD): Address their concerns. Acknowledge that transition is difficult. Sell them on the advantages of the new structure. Ask them how they will work together. This is THREAD 4. National Sales Manager-West (NSMW): Respond to the CD's comments. State two advantages of the transition that you agree with. Describe how you will work together. This is THREAD 5. National Sales Manager-East (NSME): Respond as well to the CD's comments. State two advantages of the transition that you agree with. Describe how you will work together. This is THREAD 6. Team Postings are due by Wednesday 11:59 p.m. CT. Peer Feedback: What do you think of the CD's communications approach, and what are your thoughts on the NSMW's and NSME's responses? Do you feel this team conflict was resolved? Why or why not? Respond individually, not as a group. Your peer feedback is due Sunday at 11:59 p.m. CT. 107

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COM 306 - Organizational Communication & Conflict Management - Module 6 Company Conflict Assignment Assignment Directions: Eight months up and running, and AdVice Appreciation is thriving! The merger is already proving a lucrative venture, and efficiencies have been falling nicely into place. Employees are motivated; they feel charged! Everyone is optimistic about their careers and the health of the company. Employees feel refreshed with the new brand...it's like a brand-new start! Overall, this merger has been an enormous success. With all of these new processes, reporting structures, policies, and systems, there needs to be some kind of centralized repository of information that is accessible internally. AdVice Appreciation needs...a company Intranet! Do you know who has been made project manager of this initiative? You guessed it! You! The purpose of the new AdVice Appreciation Intranet is to: Create a sense of unity among employees. Ensure easy reference to reporting structures. Contain employee directories--complete with employee profile and responsibilities. Supply the latest market and advertising industry news. Announce new accounts. Recognize employees. Supply employee news. Supply Executive Team updates. Post company policies. Announce quarterly financial results. You must write an overview of this new Intranet project that incorporates the points detailed above. In your overview, describe the project's purpose, and how it will serve the organization. You have the creative freedom to design the sitemap. A sitemap is the structure of the Intranet site. For example, the categories and subcategories in the drop-down menus. Describe the categories (e.g., \"About\" \"Policies\" \"Directory\") that you have determined will be the site's framework. The important thing is to state why that category should be included. For example, if you write that the Intranet needs a \"Company Calendar\" page, explain how that page will benefit employees. This is your sixth Company Conflict Assignment, and will serve as the last chapter (Chapter 6) in your final communications plan. Note: This is an internal document for Executive Team and HR eyes only. This is not for company dissemination. Write an intranet project overview per the requirements detailed above. Your project overview should be between 600 and 800 words. Deliver the work in APA format for grading. Carefully proofread your reflection. Your instructor will deduct points for typos, misspelled words, slang, and poor grammar. Remember, you are a Communications Director. Write professionally. Imagine that your plan will be reviewed by company leaders. 110

Upload your assignment to Module 6 Assignment Submission Folder in this module by Sunday at 11:59 p.m. CT. You will be penalized 5% for submitting your assignment late. Remember, the Communications Manager's purpose as a project manager: To devise a start-to-finish strategic project that will enhance company communications. To carefully consider all components of the project, and to compose well-written material that employees can refer to for answers and clarity. To oversee the project's creation, implementation, launch, and maintenance. Group Areas: Group Work: 111

Anna Ricchiuto COM-306 Professor Schaefer 6 August 2017 Communications Plan AdVice Appreciation Intranet To ensure that AdVice Appreciation’s information is easily accessible by all staff, we will be creating a company Intranet. This will not only improve the organization of company information and documents, but it will also improve our employees’ engagement and communication with one another. By logging into a common space each day, our staff will regularly stay connected to one another and to our company’s goals and objectives. The Intranet will also be a great place for our staff to collaborate and share ideas. Overall, incorporating an Intranet into our company will create a sense of unity amongst our employees while also ensuring that everyone is informed on all company matters. Information and Document Management The Intranet software will further optimize our company’s information and document management. Instead of having to search through email archives, employees can access all important information and documents in organized folders on our company’s Intranet. From reporting structures to individual employee profiles and responsibilities, staff will be able to easily reference important company information. Some categories include: • About: Here, we will give some background information on our company as well as how to use the Intranet software. • Policies: This section will hold all AdVice Appreciation’s company policies and procedures in one location for employees to quickly search for and retrieve. • Directory: This section will house the employee profiles of all our staff, complete with their titles, responsibilities, and contact information. News and Announcements There will also be various sections on the Intranet where AdVice Appreciation news and announcements will be posted. Here are some of the following categories that will be included: • Market and Advertising Industry News: This section will house any interesting news articles and videos that pertain to the marketing/advertising industry. This will help our employees stay up-to-date on the latest trends and continue to grow their knowledge of the industry. • New Accounts: This section will announce any new accounts that AdVice Appreciation has acquired. Employees can easily reference this section to stay on top of our client base. 112

• Employee News: This section serves as a place to share information about and give recognition to our employees. Whether someone’s retiring or helped land a new account, we want to make sure they feel their work is valued. This category on our Intranet will give employees the recognition they deserve and help boost their incentive to work even harder. • Executive Team Updates: Here, Executive Team members will be able to stay connected with one another and get updates on what is going on with their team. • Quarterly Financial Results: This section of the Intranet will house all quarterly financial results for employees to easily reference. Project Management If not monitored closely, projects can often become disorganized and prevent us from reaching goals and deadlines. With the Intranet system, however, we will be able to easily manage projects of all types in one location. The Intranet will enable us to track AdVice Appreciation projects from all departments in real time. We can effortlessly monitor staff progress and quickly resolve issues that could have otherwise become major roadblocks. 113