Corporate Communication and Public Relations
A.Y. 2021/2022
Learning objectives
To understand the role of communication as a strategic management tool to build, develop, manage and protect the company's reputation.
By the term "company" the course considers private or public organizations, n.g.o., institutions, associations, third parties etc.
To know the basic elements of the corporate communication discipline: processes, methodologies, tools and methods to implement effective communications responding to the organization's goals while determining the pursuit of its business objectives and results, maintaining consistency with the company's positioning and values.
The Public Relations discipline is specifically approached through a specific in-depth analysis, as an essential modality for managing efficiently and effectively the company's relations with its different key external and internal interlocutors (stakeholders) and recipients of business communication.
Furthermore, the course correlates and systemises all the knowledges and principles already acquired by the student during other courses (such as, for example, marketing, advertising, digital communication, human resources, etc.) including them in more complex strategies of business communication.
All this, considering the changes and the evolution of the scenarios in terms of companies and organizations, consumer / customer / user / citizen, distribution (stores and networks), associations, access to technologies and the digital world.
The course program is divided into the following macro topics:
-Communication as a strategic management tool to affirm the company's values and culture, during constantly changing scenarios (from the company's vision as the centre of the world to the individual centric vision).
-Communication as a carrier of internal and external company's relations, depending on the scenarios' evolution and the development of the role of the influential interlocutors for the company and, in general, of the "enlarged" society.
-The process of defining and affirming the distinctive communication positioning of the company and the brand: consistency and integration between the various communication disciplines.
-Identity and corporate personality - visibility and image - corporate reputation.
-Definition and transmission of the company's mission and guiding values, internally and in the world surrounding it.
-The different branches of business communication: corporate, product, internal / organizational, public affairs, lobbying, financial, issue management (preparedness planning - crisis communication), social responsibility, business to business.
-The diffusion of digital technologies and the impact they have on business communication, also in terms of disintermediation.
-Word of mouth marketing (not only in the digital environment).
-The evolution of civil society: Sustainability - Corporate Social Responsibility - Cause Related Marketing.
-Criteria and methods to measure and evaluate the company's communication and reputation.
By the term "company" the course considers private or public organizations, n.g.o., institutions, associations, third parties etc.
To know the basic elements of the corporate communication discipline: processes, methodologies, tools and methods to implement effective communications responding to the organization's goals while determining the pursuit of its business objectives and results, maintaining consistency with the company's positioning and values.
The Public Relations discipline is specifically approached through a specific in-depth analysis, as an essential modality for managing efficiently and effectively the company's relations with its different key external and internal interlocutors (stakeholders) and recipients of business communication.
Furthermore, the course correlates and systemises all the knowledges and principles already acquired by the student during other courses (such as, for example, marketing, advertising, digital communication, human resources, etc.) including them in more complex strategies of business communication.
All this, considering the changes and the evolution of the scenarios in terms of companies and organizations, consumer / customer / user / citizen, distribution (stores and networks), associations, access to technologies and the digital world.
The course program is divided into the following macro topics:
-Communication as a strategic management tool to affirm the company's values and culture, during constantly changing scenarios (from the company's vision as the centre of the world to the individual centric vision).
-Communication as a carrier of internal and external company's relations, depending on the scenarios' evolution and the development of the role of the influential interlocutors for the company and, in general, of the "enlarged" society.
-The process of defining and affirming the distinctive communication positioning of the company and the brand: consistency and integration between the various communication disciplines.
-Identity and corporate personality - visibility and image - corporate reputation.
-Definition and transmission of the company's mission and guiding values, internally and in the world surrounding it.
-The different branches of business communication: corporate, product, internal / organizational, public affairs, lobbying, financial, issue management (preparedness planning - crisis communication), social responsibility, business to business.
-The diffusion of digital technologies and the impact they have on business communication, also in terms of disintermediation.
-Word of mouth marketing (not only in the digital environment).
-The evolution of civil society: Sustainability - Corporate Social Responsibility - Cause Related Marketing.
-Criteria and methods to measure and evaluate the company's communication and reputation.
Expected learning outcomes
Two intermediate tests (half and at the end of the course) have the role to mainly evaluate:
at the first, the knowledge of the discipline's basic elements (corporate communication and public relations) including the discipline's terminology correct utilization;
then the verification of the student's critical abilities in using the knowledge learned from the texts and during the lessons, as well as having the elements to deal effectively with practical-professional issues for a communicator.
The formulation of the tests and the topics dealt with in them intends to verify particularly the candidate's critical ability in reworking the theoretical-practical contents acquired during the course.
Also the practical exercise required during the course (realization of a Communication Audit of an organization chosen by the student but agreed with the teacher) has the further purpose of putting to the test the analytical, synthesis and proposal skills whose fundamentals are been addressed during the lessons.
at the first, the knowledge of the discipline's basic elements (corporate communication and public relations) including the discipline's terminology correct utilization;
then the verification of the student's critical abilities in using the knowledge learned from the texts and during the lessons, as well as having the elements to deal effectively with practical-professional issues for a communicator.
The formulation of the tests and the topics dealt with in them intends to verify particularly the candidate's critical ability in reworking the theoretical-practical contents acquired during the course.
Also the practical exercise required during the course (realization of a Communication Audit of an organization chosen by the student but agreed with the teacher) has the further purpose of putting to the test the analytical, synthesis and proposal skills whose fundamentals are been addressed during the lessons.
Lesson period: First trimester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course cannot be attended as a single course. Please check our list of single courses to find the ones available for enrolment.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Lesson period
First trimester
Teaching method: More specific information on the delivery modes of training activities for the academic year 2021/22 will be provided over the coming months, based on the evolution of the public health situation. In the case the COVID situation will forbid face-to-face lessons, also this year the lessons are held on the Microsoft Teams platform and must be followed in sync on the basis of the days and times scheduled for the first quarter of 2020 / 2021: Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, from 08:30 am to 10:15 am; any eventual change will be communicated to students via e-mail (attending at the course), Ariel platform (course website) and university web alerts.
The course program and the reference teaching materials (slides, texts, readings) do not undergo substantial variations either with face-to-face or remote teaching methods .
Learning verification takes place through two intermediate tests (in the middle and end of the calendar lessons); these are written tests (on the Exam.net platform) which are articulated in the request to argue or answer open questions on topics strictly related to what has just been addressed during the lessons; tests that have the function of verifying mainly two aspects:
→ primarily knowledge of the discipline's founding elements (corporate communication and public relations) including the correct use of the terminology of the subject;
→ then the verification of the critical skills of the student / or in using the knowledge learned from the texts and during the lessons, also addressing practical-professional issues for a communicator.
The formulation of the questions / arguments intends in particular to verify the candidate's ability to personal and critical re-elaboration of the theoretical-practical contents acquired during the course.
The student active lesson's participation has always been an important part of the exam evaluation, a consideration that becomes essential with the distance learning.
For this reason the student, who intends to consider himself frequenting, is required to prepare and present during a lesson a theme / topic dealt with by the teacher in the previous weeks' lessons; exposure which can reduce the examination load. Furthermore, the preparation of a Communication Audit on a company chosen by the student and agreed with the teacher is also required. Methods and times of the student's speech during the lessons and of the Communication Audit are defined from the very first lessons of the course.
The evaluation criteria take into account the student's ability to articulate the answers with terminological accuracy, the hierarchical adequacy in the argumentation, the interpretative skills, the sensitivity in highlighting the complexities and the enrichment with considerations and representations of the communicative context.
Periodic verification of teaching methods: with a certain frequency, especially during the first dozen lessons, there will be opportunities for discussion with the students to verify the functionality of the teaching methods that the emergency phase forces to adopt; then, if necessary, the necessary adjustments will be made in the management of the lessons or intermediate tests.
The course program and the reference teaching materials (slides, texts, readings) do not undergo substantial variations either with face-to-face or remote teaching methods .
Learning verification takes place through two intermediate tests (in the middle and end of the calendar lessons); these are written tests (on the Exam.net platform) which are articulated in the request to argue or answer open questions on topics strictly related to what has just been addressed during the lessons; tests that have the function of verifying mainly two aspects:
→ primarily knowledge of the discipline's founding elements (corporate communication and public relations) including the correct use of the terminology of the subject;
→ then the verification of the critical skills of the student / or in using the knowledge learned from the texts and during the lessons, also addressing practical-professional issues for a communicator.
The formulation of the questions / arguments intends in particular to verify the candidate's ability to personal and critical re-elaboration of the theoretical-practical contents acquired during the course.
The student active lesson's participation has always been an important part of the exam evaluation, a consideration that becomes essential with the distance learning.
For this reason the student, who intends to consider himself frequenting, is required to prepare and present during a lesson a theme / topic dealt with by the teacher in the previous weeks' lessons; exposure which can reduce the examination load. Furthermore, the preparation of a Communication Audit on a company chosen by the student and agreed with the teacher is also required. Methods and times of the student's speech during the lessons and of the Communication Audit are defined from the very first lessons of the course.
The evaluation criteria take into account the student's ability to articulate the answers with terminological accuracy, the hierarchical adequacy in the argumentation, the interpretative skills, the sensitivity in highlighting the complexities and the enrichment with considerations and representations of the communicative context.
Periodic verification of teaching methods: with a certain frequency, especially during the first dozen lessons, there will be opportunities for discussion with the students to verify the functionality of the teaching methods that the emergency phase forces to adopt; then, if necessary, the necessary adjustments will be made in the management of the lessons or intermediate tests.
Course syllabus
Understand the role of corporate communication as the management's strategic tool to build, develop, manage and protect the company's reputation; corporate communication that is as an essential element in the management of the relations with the various stakeholders external and internal the organization; corporate reputation and stakeholders' relationships that are critical to the pursuit of the business objectives and results.
· Know the basics of discipline, processes, tools and methods for achieving effective communication in responding to the organization's goals, while maintaining coherence and consistency with the company's positioning and values.
· During the course is specifically studied in deep the public relations' role in managing the effective relations with the different stakeholders, external and internal, priority for the organization in achieving his reputation and goodwill objectives.
· In general, the teaching also plans to contextualize the principles already acquired by the student during other courses (such as marketing, advertising, digital communication, human resources etc.) correlating them within the overall strategy of corporate communication.
· Know the basics of discipline, processes, tools and methods for achieving effective communication in responding to the organization's goals, while maintaining coherence and consistency with the company's positioning and values.
· During the course is specifically studied in deep the public relations' role in managing the effective relations with the different stakeholders, external and internal, priority for the organization in achieving his reputation and goodwill objectives.
· In general, the teaching also plans to contextualize the principles already acquired by the student during other courses (such as marketing, advertising, digital communication, human resources etc.) correlating them within the overall strategy of corporate communication.
Prerequisites for admission
Prerequisites: it is suggested that the student has previously faced some at least introductory university course on topics as: marketing and consumers, organization and human resources, advertising communication, public relations, market research, media and public opinion.
Teaching methods
See the chapter "Didattica in fase emergenziale".
Teaching Resources
Mandatory: because the lesson slides that will be made available on the Ariel website of the course are supplementary to the texts adopted.
The two texts adopted are mandatory:
· Pastore, M. Vernuccio, Impresa e comunicazione, Apogeo, 2008, (2nd ed.) - It is a rather extensive and complete manual, the salient / essential parts for this course / exam are:
> part one "Management e comunicazione" (pages 3/50)
> part two "Le aree della comunicazione d'impresa" (pages 53/156)
> part four:
- chapter 12 "Le relazioni pubbliche" (pages 325/349)
- chapter 19 "Il codice etico e il bilancio sociale" (pages 445/456)
- chapter 20 "La comunicazione organizzativa: strumenti e tecniche" (pages 457/472)
- chapter 21 "La comunicazione digitale" (pages 473/507)
- chapter 22 "Tendenze emergenti nel communication mix" (pages 509/533)
(N.B. The other parts / topics covered by the Pastore-Vernuccio text should already be known by the student, however, because topics from other subjects of the course)
· B. Facchetti, La comunicazione integrata, editore Youcanprint, luglio 2020
> NOTA DELL'AUTORE: Tutto cambia, cambia anche questo manuale?
> LE TENDENZE DELLA COMUNICAZIONE
> chapter 2°: La comunicazione integrata: cosa è
> chapter 3°: I destinatari della comunicazione integrata
> chapter 4°: Il rapporto tra immagine, identità, reputazione
> chapter 5°: La necessità costante di un piano di comunicazione
> chapter 8°: La comunicazione on line
> CONCLUSIONI Qualche suggerimento per i nuovi comunicatori professionali
Suggested, but not mandatory, readings:
· A. Mazzei, Strategia e management della comunicazione d'impresa, Franco Angeli, 2015 - which updates and actualize most of the contents and discussions of Pastore and Vernuccio, as they are also in the form of a manual.
· L. Ferrari, M. Ruotolo, R. Vigliani, Da target a Partner, isedi, 2006 - of which it is useful to scroll at least the parts relating to: "Verso il nuovo paradigma" (pages 3/50); of the second part chapter 4° "Oltre Tolomeo" (pages 69/79), chapter 7° "Comunicare in modo olistico" and chapter 8° "Valutare gli effetti" (pages 169/212).
· L. Ferrari, M. Bartoccioli, M. Ruotolo, L'impresa nell'era della convergenza, Unicopli, 2012, of which the concept taken up in the subtitle is interesting: "Da emittente di messaggi a nodo di conversazioni".
The two texts adopted are mandatory:
· Pastore, M. Vernuccio, Impresa e comunicazione, Apogeo, 2008, (2nd ed.) - It is a rather extensive and complete manual, the salient / essential parts for this course / exam are:
> part one "Management e comunicazione" (pages 3/50)
> part two "Le aree della comunicazione d'impresa" (pages 53/156)
> part four:
- chapter 12 "Le relazioni pubbliche" (pages 325/349)
- chapter 19 "Il codice etico e il bilancio sociale" (pages 445/456)
- chapter 20 "La comunicazione organizzativa: strumenti e tecniche" (pages 457/472)
- chapter 21 "La comunicazione digitale" (pages 473/507)
- chapter 22 "Tendenze emergenti nel communication mix" (pages 509/533)
(N.B. The other parts / topics covered by the Pastore-Vernuccio text should already be known by the student, however, because topics from other subjects of the course)
· B. Facchetti, La comunicazione integrata, editore Youcanprint, luglio 2020
> NOTA DELL'AUTORE: Tutto cambia, cambia anche questo manuale?
> LE TENDENZE DELLA COMUNICAZIONE
> chapter 2°: La comunicazione integrata: cosa è
> chapter 3°: I destinatari della comunicazione integrata
> chapter 4°: Il rapporto tra immagine, identità, reputazione
> chapter 5°: La necessità costante di un piano di comunicazione
> chapter 8°: La comunicazione on line
> CONCLUSIONI Qualche suggerimento per i nuovi comunicatori professionali
Suggested, but not mandatory, readings:
· A. Mazzei, Strategia e management della comunicazione d'impresa, Franco Angeli, 2015 - which updates and actualize most of the contents and discussions of Pastore and Vernuccio, as they are also in the form of a manual.
· L. Ferrari, M. Ruotolo, R. Vigliani, Da target a Partner, isedi, 2006 - of which it is useful to scroll at least the parts relating to: "Verso il nuovo paradigma" (pages 3/50); of the second part chapter 4° "Oltre Tolomeo" (pages 69/79), chapter 7° "Comunicare in modo olistico" and chapter 8° "Valutare gli effetti" (pages 169/212).
· L. Ferrari, M. Bartoccioli, M. Ruotolo, L'impresa nell'era della convergenza, Unicopli, 2012, of which the concept taken up in the subtitle is interesting: "Da emittente di messaggi a nodo di conversazioni".
Assessment methods and Criteria
The thematic intervention during lessons by the student who intends to be considered attending, as well as the two intermediate tests (at the middle and end of lessons' calendar) have the role to mainly evaluate: - at the first, the knowledge of the discipline's basic elements (corporate communication and public relations) including the discipline's terminology correct utilization; - then the verification of the student's critical abilities in using the knowledge learned from the texts and during the lessons, as well as having the elements to deal effectively with practical-professional issues for a communicator. The tests' formulation and the topics dealt with in them intends to verify particularly the candidate's critical ability in reworking the theoretical-practical contents acquired during the course. Also the practical exercise required during the course (realization of a Communication Audit of an organization chosen by the student but agreed with the teacher) has the further purpose of putting to the test the analytical, synthesis and proposal skills whose fundamentals are been addressed during the lessons.
SPS/08 - SOCIOLOGY OF CULTURE AND COMMUNICATION - University credits: 9
Lessons: 60 hours
Professors:
Guzzi Franco Carlo, Ruotolo Mario