DIGI 855 Communication and Strategic Change

Today’s global marketplace sets the stage for increasingly complex environments. In this course, the intersection of communication and strategic change invites a more thoughtful exploration of how digital, social and organizational elements can be engaged together to advance sustainable solutions.

To navigate the complexities of the marketplace requires careful consideration of prevailing ideas and the ability to determine the best ideas for building solutions at both local and global levels. The work in this course will advance higher-order thinking through scholarly voices that are foundational to this program. The student will be invited to reflect on aspects of organizational change and consider how to offer actionable solutions that are backed by careful research and thoughtful analysis.

Textbook readings and lecture presentations

No details available.

After reading the Course Syllabus and Student Expectations, the student will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview.

This discussion is designed to introduce students to one another. After posting a 2-3 minute personal video introduction, the student will provide two replies of 150-200 words each to their classmates’ videos.

Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, the student is required to  provide a thread in response to the provided prompt for each Discussion. Discussion threads must be 600 words and demonstrate course-related knowledge. In addition to the thread, the student is required to reply to two other classmates’ threads. Each reply must be 300 words. (CLO: A, C)

These assignments are dedicated to a close read of a significant foundational text for our program. The purpose is to engage foundational communication ideas about the power of the Word, the tension between word and image, and creating a proper relationship between Word and image in order to offer solutions, insights, and a more circumspect approach to strategic communication change in organizations in this historical moment. The student will submit a five-page paper focused on the foundational text in current APA format for each of the following essays. (CLO: A, C)

• Ellul on Communication and Change Management: The Power of the Word Assignment
• Ellul on Communication and Change Management: The Triumph of the Image Assignment  
• Ellul on Communication and Change Management: Reconciling Word and Image Assignment.

This assignment is designed to jumpstart student research for the scholarly research paper. The goal is to state a research topic and provide a brief, clearly sourced rationale for the project. (CLO: A, B, C)

The purpose of this assignment is to help the student advance the Research Paper project through guiding feedback from the professor. It includes a draft introduction and a minimum of 15 sources that will be cited in the final paper. (CLO: A, B, C)

The student will write a 18-25 page research-based paper in current APA format. This paper will explore a topic that connects a given organization to communication change management theory and practice using foundational voices from this course and additional scholarly research. Students are required to include 25-30 references, including the course texts and the Bible. (CLO: A, B, C)

This assignment engage course material and a biblical worldview in a very personal and practical way. The student will act as an organizational leader and prepare a philosophy for communicating change in a specific organizational context. (CLO: B, C)