This course explores language and communication in a range of business and organisational settings, including, for example, for-profit ventures, the public sector and non-governmental organisations. In this context, it addresses the benefits and potential dangers of using Artificial Intelligence for communication and language-focused tasks.

It builds on the key concepts and methodological skills introduced in Business Communication and Language and further explores the different levels of communicative and linguistic choice making with regard to the macro-level settings of external and internal business communication, but also at the intersection of these settings. The course focuses on topics and sites of strategic language use, such as digital discourse, leadership, problem- and conflict management, and introduces students to the theories underpinning these topics from a language perspective. Moreover, it explores the impact and potential applicability of Artificial Intelligence in the context of business communication and language across various settings, topics, and sites.

Students will acquire methods and tools to analyse critically language and communicative practices, such as leadership discourse and workplace interaction, by studying real data and practical examples from a range of business and organisational settings.

On successful completion of the course, students will be able to

1) recognise how language is used in a range of business and workplace environments and discuss the extent to which communicative practices construct organisations;

2) describe and critically discuss communicative practices and strategic language use in organizational communication with reference to relevant theories and academic literature;

3) successfully apply different linguistic methods to analyse language and communicative practices in specific business settings;

4) communicate their findings clearly, fluently, and effectively, and to present arguments in a professional and engaging manner, drawing on relevant scholarly sources to support their discussion.

As with all PI courses, attendance is a requirement to pass this course. As a special concession, you may miss up to 2 meetings of your LV. However, if you miss a third, you will automatically fail the course. This condition applies whatever the reasons for your absences may have been.

Language and Communication in Specific Business Settings is taught over nine sessions in which three broad subject areas are discussed: internal business communication, external business communication, and boundary spanning business communication.

Language and Communication in Specific Business Settings is a PI class, which means that you need to satisfy the attendance requirement mentioned above (see 'Regelung zur Anwesenheit'). Assessment and your final score are made up of three elements: 

Group project: poster presentation (40%)

Group project: written assignment (40%)

In-class participation (20%)

Please note that the work you submit must be your own work, it has to comply with WU policies regarding plagiarism, cheating and collusion, and it may be subject to potential plagiarism checks. Using ChatGPT, Bard, or other AI-generated content is prohibited.

Please log in with your WU account to use all functionalities of read!t. For off-campus access to our licensed electronic resources, remember to activate your VPN connection connection. In case you encounter any technical problems or have questions regarding read!t, please feel free to contact the library at readinglists@wu.ac.at.

susanne.kopf@wu.ac.at