1 Title of Paper Student Name Columbia Southern University Paper Format • 1 inch margins • Double spacing • Suggested font-Times New Roman 12 pt. • Paragraphs indented .5 inch (usually default Tab) 2 Title of Paper The first paragraph should introduce the organization and the issue you plan to address. This should be brief, as you will go into more detail later in the paper. The thesis statement needs to be the last sentence in the introduction. Each paragraph should be at least three sentences in length. Each paragraph should only include one topic. Summary The second paragraph should be a summary of the situation. Look at the following example from Unit I, which summarizes the issue with the Volkswagen Corporation as a model: Scientists from the University of West Virginia tested Volkswagen diesel vehicles and found that the company was able to cheat on emissions tests with software that indicated the vehicles’ emissions were far lower than they actually were. Over 11 million vehicles were equipped with the “defeat devices” (Varandani, 2015). The use of devices designed to fool U.S. regulators has resulted in a federal lawsuit against the company. As reported by the National Public Radio (NPR) in “U.S. Files Lawsuit Against Volkswagen Over Emissions Trickery,” the vehicles are actually putting up to 40 times more pollution into the air than U.S. standards allow (as cited in Chappell, 2016). Over 600,000 vehicles produced by Volkswagen violate the U.S. Clean Air Act. Statements by Michael Horn, the CEO of Volkswagen’s U.S. business concerns, and Volkswagen CEO Matthias Mueller further damaged the reputation of organization. The scandal resulted in the resignation of many top-level Volkswagen employees and a drop in the company’s stock price. Volkswagen faces billions of dollars in potential fines and also the cost of retrofitting its vehicles with systems to limit emissions. Communication Strategy 3 Begin this section of the essay by discussing the potential audience for your strategy. Remember that you are creating a strategy that fosters change and innovation in the organization based on what you have learned throughout the course. You need to explain how the strategy addresses the needs of your audience. With the Volkswagen Corporation issue, for example, the audience could be the senior executives in the company, the U.S. federal government, and/or past/future U.S. consumers of the product. In the following paragraph, the scope of the audience is limited to the customers who have purchased the vehicles in question, but it is only one potential option. It is likely that U.S. customers who purchased diesel vehicles with the emissions defeat device will need to bring their vehicles into service centers for government-mandated system changes. Normally, the U.S. federal government requires corporations to bring vehicles up to regulation. It is probable that making changes to the software or components will bring compromises in fuel economy, performance, and/or reliability. Potential Audience Backlash from this situation could negatively affect future sales. Some customers will be inconvenienced by the recall while others will have doubts about the efficiency of future products. In addition, consumers did not have the use of the environmentally friendly car they thought they were purchasing, and resale values are apt to fall. Audience Reaction The Volkswagen Corporation needs to address these customer concerns. Setting up a dedicated website to communicate with customers will be a good first step in mitigating the criticism. The website will provide regular updates on Volkswagen’s progress in bringing the diesel models into full compliance. Once the technical issues are resolved, the recall program can be linked into the website. Current customers will be able to register online and schedule the repairs required by the recall at dedicated Volkswagen service centers and dealerships. In 4 addition, any independent testing of the new, compliant emissions systems will be made available on the website for the general public to review. Communication Strategy Since the website is a global communications channel, it will help spread Volkswagen’s message that the organization is changing its policies and making industry-leading innovations in clean technology. Providing transparency to the compliance process through regular updates will alleviate customer anxiety, and having a centralized location for customers to register for repair will make the process more convenient. Finally, providing independently verified test results in a public forum will reassure used car buyers that the vehicles are now clean burning diesels, which will help improve resale value. How the Strategy Addresses the Needs of the Audience Conclusion In many ways, the conclusion acts as the final word in the paper. A good conclusion is the matching bookend to your introduction, and it is never a straight reiteration of everything that you have just presented in the paper. 5 References Chappell, B. (2016, January 4). U.S. files lawsuit against Volkswagen over The word “References” should be centered at the top of the page and is not boldface. emissions trickery. NPR. http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwoway/2016/01/04/461927119/u-s-files-lawsuit-against-volkswagen-over-emissionstrickery Varandani, S. (2015, December 17). Volkswagen emissions scandal: European parliament backs inquiry into German automaker, probe could last a year. International Business Times. http://www.ibtimes.com/volkswagen-emissions-scandal-european-parliament-backsinquiry-german-automaker-probe-2230060 This is an example of a reference list. All in-text citations must have a corresponding entry on the reference list. It is formatted with a hanging indent and double-spacing. UNIT VIII STUDY GUIDE Creating a Communication Strategy that Fosters Change and Innovation Course Learning Outcomes for Unit VIII Upon completion of this unit, students should be able to: 8. Create a communication strategy that fosters change and innovation. 8.1. Develop a solution that will solve an organizational issue and meet the needs of the people involved. 8.2. Compile a report that includes potential audience analysis, a purposeful message, and a type of channel that could be used for feedback. Course/Unit Learning Outcomes 8 8.1 8.2 Learning Activity Unit Lesson Unit VIII Presentation Article: “Human Roles and Communication Strategies of Corporate Identity Performance: Enhancing Global Image, Leadership, and Legacy of a High-Tech Leader” Article: “Stepping up to the plate: Developing an Effective Business Communication Strategy” Unit VIII Mini Project Unit Lesson Article: “Stepping up to the plate: Developing an Effective Business Communication Strategy” Unit VIII Presentation Unit VIII Mini Project Unit Lesson Article: “Stepping up to the plate: Developing an Effective Business Communication Strategy” Unit VIII Presentation Unit VIII Mini Project Reading Assignment In order to access the following resources, click the links below. Law, S., & Verville, J. (2011). Human roles and communication strategies of corporate identity performance: Enhancing global image, leadership, and legacy of a high-tech leader. Academy of Marketing Studies Journal, 15(2), 17–32. https://libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com.libraryresources.c olumbiasouthern.edu/docview/915080810?accountid=33337 Neal, K. (2010). Stepping up to the plate: Developing an effective business communication strategy. Information Management Journal, 44(2), 38–41. https://libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com.libraryresources.c olumbiasouthern.edu/docview/227765267?accountid=33337 Click here to view the Unit VIII Presentation. Click here to view the Unit VIII Presentation transcript. BBA 2026, Organizational Communication 1 Unit Lesson UNIT x STUDY GUIDE Title Introduction Part of the focus of the case study in the Unit VII Lesson centered on how Tim Cook created a communication strategy for Apple that fosters change and innovation in the technical industry. Although it was not the primary focus of Unit VII, the ideas overlapped during the discussion of how Cook addressed the FBI’s legal request to create software that would unlock the iPhone encryption and put their customers’ data at risk. This is a theme that has run through the course from the start; none of these ideas exist in isolation. Each unit lesson, each group of readings, and each assignment has been designed to work together. What has been discussed in each unit has a direct and immediate connection to the other seven. The focus of this unit, therefore, is not the “final” element but, rather, is one part of the whole process of organizational communication. Understanding and Analyzing Business Communication Situations In the modern business environment, organizations can experience a distinctive competitive advantage when employees strategically manage a corporate communications strategy (Law & Verville, 2011). The best way to approach any organizational communication situation is to be conscious of the context in which it occurs and the options that are available. Develop a solution that will both solve the organizational issue and meet the needs of the people involved. In “Stepping Up to the Plate: Developing an Effective Business Strategy,” Ken Neal (2010) recommends using strategic and persuasive business techniques to create a communication strategy that fosters change and innovation in an organization. Neal describes a three-step process, which has been outlined below: 1. Show how the recommended change will benefit the personal needs of executives. 2. Create a level of professional standing within the organization. 3. Decide how to construct a message in the most persuasive manner for the audience. Neal (2010) focuses on influencing one’s superiors in the organization, but it is important to know what exactly is at stake in the situation for the entire organization and who will be affected. An employee should think about his or her own personal needs, fellow employees, supervisors, and anyone associated with the company. The message will be most effective if the sender thinks of the entire organizational context and the larger context of shareholders, customers, and regulators. Neal (2010) recommends communicating strategically: analyzing the audience, being purposeful in the message, and listening to feedback. The first task is audience analysis, which involves determining how much the audience knows about the topic and how they are likely to respond to the message. This leads into being purposeful in how the message is constructed: What must this message do to solve the organizational issue, and what information does it need to include? Finally, with feedback, the sender can learn what he or she needs to do to build support for the message and learn any objections to the information by different members/segments of the audience. Neal (2010) provides an example of an employee suggesting that his company implement a records retention schedule: 1. What am I trying to achieve? The employee wants the senior management in the organization to approve a new schedule for records retention. 2. How will my audience react to what I am trying to achieve? The executives do not believe this is an important issue for the organization at the current time. 3. Will my message be resisted? The company has other priorities that demand time and resources. 4. What do I know about my audience that will help me tailor my message? Senior management does not want the company to be legally liable for failing to be compliant and meet government regulations. To demonstrate the importance of the proposal, examples will be used from other companies that did not have adequate records retention systems. BBA 2026, Organizational Communication 2 In the scenario, Neal (2010) points out that the records manager was able to put together a business UNIT x STUDY GUIDE case that cost $10,000 but saved the company four million to five million dollars in fines Titleby focusing his message on the need for security. The records manager was able to foster change and innovation in his department because he had the communication skills to “sell” the new records retention schedule program. Case Study: How Microsoft Created a Communication Strategy that Fosters Change and Innovation In “Human Roles and Communication Strategies of Corporate Identity Performance: Enhancing Global Image, Leadership, and Legacy of a High-Tech Leader,” Sweety Law and Jacques Verville (2011) discuss the way that corporations establish their identities through strategic communication and codes of conduct. The authors focus on Microsoft’s Unlimited Potential website and the communication strategies that the company utilizes. Communication experts Balmer and Gray explain in the article that creating a communication strategy for managing the identity of an organization can create a competitive advantage (as cited in Law & Verville, 2011). In order to function within the process, the message needs to be clear, complete, and correct. It has to save the readers’ time and build goodwill. The Unlimited Potential website has a neat, orderly, and user-friendly interface with access to videos, transcripts, news articles, press releases, and blog entries. The company solicits feedback from visitors through social media, such as Twitter (Law & Verville, 2011). This strategy offers an organized approach to the organization’s “collective voice” and helps to maintain Microsoft’s image, reputation, and identity (Law & Verville, 2011). The setup of the website fulfills Neal’s (2010) recommended communication strategy of determining what the audience needs, creating a purposeful message, and listening to feedback. The change and innovation comes from some of the projects that Microsoft’s Unlimited Potential program is trying to fund. One example Law and Verville (2011) discuss is a blog-style entry about a Microsoft employee’s experience with iCafes in China and the impact that Microsoft’s shared access strategy can have on the nation. Although the iCafe PCs have advanced software and a web service infrastructure in place, people in China are not using the iCafes for social and economic opportunity. Instead, they are using the shared computers to play online games, such as World of Warcraft, or to stream movies. The breakdown of the information in the blog-type entry fits Neal’s (2010) categories as well: 1. What am I trying to achieve? The PCs are economic and educational tools that are not being used to their potential. Right now, people use the iCafe PCs for social activities. Adding elements, such as skill training and education, will be part of the strategy (Law & Verville, 2011). 2. How will my audience react to what I am trying to achieve? A large market already exists for the social aspect of the iCafe PCs in China. According to a report in Euromonitor, 300 million people already use iCafes. Each iCafe in China holds, on average, just over 100 PCs (Law & Verville, 2011). 3. Will my message be resisted? There is a potential for cultural backlash in China because of the social aspect already associated with the iCafes: Certain parents may not want their daughters to visit the iCafes to learn business software in an atmosphere where others are gaming or watching movies. In addition, iCafe owners may not want to give up revenue from their established customer base to promote business training and education. Incentives for the owners would have to compensate for this loss and potential alienation of their core customers (Law & Verville, 2011). 4. What do I know about my audience that will help me tailor my message? Unemployment is an issue in China. A Microsoft employee in China, Nigel Burton, explains that approximately 400 million citizens of China have relocated from the countryside into the cities over the last 20 years. This shift from an agrarian lifestyle to one where people depend upon jobs in manufacturing and construction has created difficulties because of the global recession. With less call for manufactured goods, more people are losing their jobs in manufacturing. This recession also has decreased the need for new construction. The Chinese government views iCafes as a potential asset to retrain the workforce, and the government has requested aid from companies such as Microsoft (Law & Verville, 2011). It is important to note that this information is not being presented by employees simply to corporate executives; this scenario and justification are being laid out for any interested individuals who read the website. As Law and Verville (2011) explain, Microsoft’s Unlimited Potential website is probably the first of its kind to link the corporate identity and performance to both philanthropic and business goals in this manner. Each blog entry, each video, and each press release is designed to highlight the organization’s BBA 2026, Organizational Communication 3 communication strategy, but it also shows how the employees are engaged inUNIT the process of creating x STUDY GUIDE and maintaining a corporate identity through communication. The stories about iCafes Titlein China and bringing technical solutions to non-electrified classrooms in Africa indicate the way the company puts its employees, partners, and potential customers in the middle of its operations, and the company fosters global change and innovation. References Law, S., & Verville, J. (2011). Human roles and communication strategies of corporate identity performance: Enhancing global image, leadership, and legacy of a high-tech leader. Academy of Marketing Studies Journal, 15(2), 17-32. Neal, K. (2010). Stepping up to the plate: Developing an effective business communication strategy. Information Management Journal, 44(2), 38-41. Learning Activities (Nongraded) Nongraded Learning Activities are provided to aid students in their course of study. You do not have to submit them. If you have questions, contact your instructor for further guidance and information. Apply What You Have Learned In your current (or past) place of employment, reflect on any projects within your company that has fostered change and innovation. How did the company communicate that change to their employees, to their customers, or to their stakeholders or partners? BBA 2026, Organizational Communication 4 Instructions For this assignment, you will create a communication strategy that fosters change and innovation in an organization. Explain the context in which it occurs and the options that are available. Develop a solution that will solve the organizational issue and meet the needs of the people involved. Feel free to use the same organization you researched for the Unit VI and Unit VII Assignments. You are not limited to this organization, but it may be easier to complete the assignment since you have already researched it for Unit VI and/or Unit VII. You can use the same sources for all assignments, if applicable. In the report, you will provide a potential audience analysis, create a purposeful message, and discuss a type of channel that you could use for feedback. Include answers to Neal’s (2010) communication questions, which are listed below: 1. 2. 3. 4. What am I trying to achieve? How will my audience react to what I am trying to achieve? Will my message be resisted? What do I know about my audience that will help me tailor my message? (p. 40) Do not include the question/answers in a bullet or list format. Instead, integrate the responses in your paragraphs. Use the standard five-paragraph format (introduction/body/conclusion). Include at least two academic sources. APA format should be used. The assignment should be a minimum of two pages in length. Content, organization, and grammar/mechanics will be evaluated. 1 Managing Organizational Performance Student’s Name University Course Professor Date 2 Managing Organizational Performance Introduction Amazon firm was founded by Jeff Bezo and operates in the retail e-commerce industry (Singh & Pathak, 2021). Amazon is a modern marketer and has more channels at its disposal than ever before to influence purchasers. It is critical to maximize the impact of as many of these channels as feasible. However, marketing via several channels presents a challenge: the more channels you use, the more difficult it gets to ensure that your messaging remains consistent and complementary. Perhaps, Integrated marketing enables Amazon to tell a consistent story about their brand and maximize their efforts’ impact. Summary Integrated marketing is an approach that ensures the delivery of holistic and unified messages across different channels in the market. Singh and Pathak discuss how an integrated marketing communication strategy has helped ensure that the Amazon company brand’s message is consistently communicated across all of the brand’s marketing platforms. Consistency is assured by integrated marketing, regardless of the channel through which clients contact a business (Singh, & Pathak, 2021). Without complete integration, the brand’s message risks being misinterpreted or coming across as disconnected and chaotic to your customers. Singh and Pathak feel that customers should receive the same experience and message whether they view marketing information via a desktop or a mobile device. Customers who utilize an automated chatbot on your website to make product-related inquiries should receive the same responses as they would from a human sales representative (Singh and Pathak, 2021). Due to the complexity of modern marketing channels, integrated campaigns rarely materialize without much forethought and work, but the return on investment is unquestionably worthwhile. 3 Analyses Consistent narrative in Amazon’s sales is achieved through an integrated marketing communication strategy. The average adult sees over 350 advertisements a day, but only onethird of them get more than a few seconds of attention (Ngamsutti, Jhundra-indra, & Raksong, 2018). Few of those commercials end up being recalled a day later. Using a cohesive narrative across numerous delivery channels has helped Amazon’s advertising and other marketing materials leave a lasting impression. Potential clients are more likely to remember a billboard ad if the copy reminds them of another online advertisement they saw. They become more inclined to interact with ads if they have lately had experiences with the brand on social media that resemble those ads. The benefits of integrated marketing are not limited to business owners. Thus, boosting the service level of Amazon through consistency in customer experience. Additionally, customers continue to enjoy the dependability and consistency of a consistent brand narrative across all channels. They better understand what a firm does and how it may benefit them by being more familiar with it (Bijmolt et al., 2021). It is fitting to say that omnichannel and integrated marketing work in tandem to provide the highest client support possible. By enabling one to reuse the same content across many channels, channel integration helps Amazon reduce the cost of marketing content generation. Through cost minimization, Amazon has boosted its value chain. For instance, it may provide the same talking points to sales representatives at numerous locations or events to ensure consistency in its messaging. Not only are these practices more effective because they preserve narrative coherence, but they also help save money on administrative costs. Besides, the level of continuity has increased due to market campaigns. If the narrative associated with Amazon’s brand is more consistent through 4 integrated marketing, the campaign’s overall performance continues to improve (Ngamsutti, Jhundra-indra, & Raksong, 2018). One and a half times as many businesses that get the best marketing outcomes have an integrated technology solution in place to assist them in telling the same story across all of their channels. Further, cross-media creativity is a challenge in integrated marketing communication strategy. Amazon is believed to mature after overcoming procedural, data, and technological obstacles. The firm is then confronted with the age-old marketing dilemma of engaging and inspiring customers with concepts and imagery (Bijmolt et al., 2021). The process becomes tough when convincing clients through social media. To sort the challenge, the company has begun and must implement a permanent solution. Through such efforts, the company decided to use a different approach where the right person receives the right ad at the right moment in time. Perhaps, money should not be devoted as the primary aspect, but utilize more time in creativity. Integration Techniques Having worked in a retail company like Amazon, this strategy might have been used in the firm. The use of various techniques could make the strategy effective. Market channels combination is the first way. There are several strategies for channel integration. Utilizing the same visual elements in a variety of contexts is a common practice. Another thing to consider is the consistency of the language used to discuss and portray the brand. When merging marketing channels, utilize a range of approaches, but be sure to choose those that make the most sense in light of your marketing requirements and resources (Bijmolt et al., 2021). If one employs visual components in some channels but not in others, it becomes more difficult to apply them consistently. Without a doubt, it is critical to select 5 material and strategies that work for various channels, regardless of whether they are interactive or not. Most importantly, it is aspect customer data collection and analyses. A firm’s integrated marketing plan should be guided by data on the clients’ behavior, updated regularly to reflect new facts. By collecting and analyzing data from your marketing channels, you can identify the most productive channels. If data indicates that a channel is underperforming, it means that it lacks messaging consistency. These ideas prove that understanding which areas of communications may require additional resources to improve consistency. Conclusion It is wise to note that before launching a campaign, it is impossible to tell which integrated marketing methods will be most effective, so a firm must test content ahead of time. To understand which factors have the greatest impact on the audience, marketing technology companies offer A/B testing options. Indeed, integrated marketing enables Amazon to tell a consistent story about their brand and maximize their efforts’ impact. 6 References Bijmolt, T. H., Broekhuis, M., De Leeuw, S., Hirche, C., Rooderkerk, R. P., Sousa, R., & Zhu, S. X. (2021). Challenges At the Marketing–Operations Interface in Omni-Channel Retail Environments. Journal of Business Research, 122, 864-874. Ngamsutti, S., Jhundra-indra, P., & Raksong, S. (2018). Factors Influencing Integrated Marketing Communication Strategy. Human Behavior, Development, and Society, 19, 64-74. Singh, A., & Pathak, G. S. (2021). Revisiting Marketing Strategy in Emerging Markets: A Study of Amazon. Com Inc. International Journal of Economics and Business Research, 22(23), 113-126. 
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