Business Commons^™

"The James Gang": Keys To The Success Of Tobin James Cellars, Natalie A. Fink

Communication Studies

This study looks at what motivates people to join and sustain membership with a particular wine club in the Paso Robles area. The four flows of organizational communication were applied to discover what allows wineries to be successful in the direct-to-consumer wine market. The study will uncover the research question: Using the four flows of organizational communication, why do individuals join and sustain membership with Tobin James Cellars as part of the “James Gang” wine club? Interviews were conducted with both wine club members and employees in order to collect data to answer the research question. Strong relations amongst employees …

The 2019 Communication Studies Career Symposium, Emily Beth Bernstein

Communication Studies

The Communication Studies Career Symposium is the annual networking and professional development event for the Communication Studies Department. This year, the goal was to inspire attendees toward career paths, provide internship and job opportunities, and further their professional development.

The Effects Of Time Spent On Rapport Building: A Predictive Analysis Of A Higher Education Call Center, Alyssa L. Crary

Communication Studies

The forming of a relational connection between a caller and prospective donor in telephone fundraising is a vital step in successful engagement of charitable participation. This study aimed to fill a gap in current fundraising research by analyzing the direct connection between time spent building rapport and fundraising success. Data from a higher education call center in the Western United States was used to conduct a standard linear regression analyses. The amount of time spent building rapport was found to significantly influence payment type and amount of a philanthropic donation. A greater amount of time spent building rapport lead to …

The Big Short, Elizabeth Armon

Communication Studies

The Big Short (McKay, 2015), adapted from the non-fiction novel The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine by Michael Lewis (2010), follows three separate but parallel stories leading up to the United States housing crisis of 2008. On a macro-level, the film brilliantly depicted the creation, and the ultimate burst, of the credit and housing market bubble. However, on a micro-level the audience is given an opportunity to realize and empathize with the internal struggle that many of the main characters faced as they grappled with the fact that their financial gain from shorting the market came with the caveat …

A Feminist Exploration Of Gender And Communication In The Professional Sales Workplace, Chelsea Heil

Communication Studies

For many years, the sales profession has been largely male-dominated, however recently there has been more and more women are taking on this career choice (Dawson, 1997). In order to better understand the implications of this change, I propose to conduct a critical analysis that addresses the roles of women in the sales profession. Primarily, I will engage in a feminist exploration of gender and communication in the professional workplace with regards to the sales profession.

Analyzing Organizational Consulting As A Professional Practice: An Exploration Of The Theoretical And Attitudinal Assumptions, Kristina Rose Cosgrave

Communication Studies

This project (with both theoretical and applied portions) serves to enrich understanding about the vicissitudes of organizational consulting while simultaneously serving as preparation for working in this field. With such a wide spectrum of approaches and disciplines among professional consulting occupations, an important objective of this project is to explore underlying theoretical principles that generally influence the field of organizational consulting. In this project, theoretical insights from many pertinent organizational communication and persuasion concepts, especially Edgar Schein’s (1969, 1988, 2009) behavioral models of organizational consultation (purchase-of-expertise, doctor-patient, and process), are offered to accompany the professional correspondences with which they correspond. …

Developing And Teaching The Crisis Communication Course, Mitchell Friedman

Communication Studies

Comer (2010) noted the absence of literature offering guidance to instructors charged with developing standalone courses on crisis management. This article aims to fill this void, relating the author’s experience in developing two crisis communication classes (one offered online, one in a traditional classroom setting). Drawing on 15 years of teaching experience (including single sessions devoted to crisis communication, reputation management, and related issues in public relations and business courses) plus the investigation of scholarly contributions related to the development of such courses, syllabi, and feedback from practitioners who develop and deliver related training, the article delivers the essential components …

Leadership Development In Undergraduate Public Relations Students: A Case Study, Mitchell Friedman

Communication Studies

This qualitative case study considered the relationship between a Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) chapter at a public state university in Northern California and its local Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) affiliate chapter. Its purpose was to explore student perceptions of the contributions of this relationship to what they learned about leadership while serving as club officers. Research was conducted during the fall semester 2010.

The study explored efforts designed to help PRSSA chapter officers fulfill their individual responsibilities. Local and national PRSA representatives provided advice and counsel through diverse channels, the intent of which was to …

Sales Process And Training Overview, Thomas Holcomb

Communication Studies

Overview of the sales process as established by the National Collegiate Sales Competition (NCSC). This paper details Cal Poly's Sales Development Program and covers the ins and outs of what makes an effective salesperson. Would be beneficial for anyone who is considering sales as a career, looking to improve their sales abilities, or just searching for a senior project idea.

Intergenerational Communication In An Organizational Setting, Claire Kister

Communication Studies

No abstract provided.

Poly Projects, Mary Carolyn Ward, Neal Patrick Donahue

Communication Studies

Poly Projects is an online network of Cal Poly students who are looking to collaborate on or search for a senior project, or work with other students on independent projects. For our senior project we wanted to bring Cal Poly students together who wish to work with other majors in interdisciplinary fields. For this to be possible, Cal Poly needs to implement a place where students can communicate in order to discover ways for how they can use their skills and knowledge with other students in different majors. Poly Projects’ goal is to bring Cal Poly students together to ensure …

Hiring And Recruitment As Rhetorical Strategies: An Analysis Of The Way Businesses Approach Graduating University Students And Influence Their Choices, Sean D. Gibson

Communication Studies

To answer the question, which rhetorical strategies are most persuasive to university graduates regarding hiring and recruitment, I surveyed three classrooms with a questionnaire that gauged university graduates attraction to three different types of rhetorical strategies. The rhetoric came from three major businesses that recruit university graduates: College Works Painting, Peace Corps, and Hewlett Packard.

Each one of these businesses uses a different type of strategy to recruit university graduates. College Works Painting uses an Experience Illusion strategy based on the premise that the company will help train university graduates to become managers and leaders in business. Peace Corps’ uses …

Strategic Communications Planning For Non-Profit Organizations: A Data-Based Application Of A Seven Step Model, Christina Hoogendam

Communication Studies

Strategic communications planning is a vital part of numerous successful and efficient organizations, yet it is often times an avoided topic of discussion in other organizations. It is common for businesses to see communication planning as a task that will only be touched upon once immediate, more important jobs are completed and attended to, yet thinking strategically provides a strong framework for businesses to thrive upon. Whether an organization has been in business for twenty years or is just beginning to erect the first office-building wall, strategic communications planning should be seen as an essential building block for success.

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