This is a temporary version. The final version will be available on 15/07/2025.

Business Communication and Reporting Techniques (B-ODISEE-OBF74A)

3 ECTSEnglish20 First termFirst term
Matranga Francesco (coordinator) |  Humbert-Todd Françoise |  Matranga Francesco
Kernteam Business Management (BA)

Aims

Competency  3: the graduate  handles  internal and external oral and written communications

3.2 writes reports and phrases a message, a personal opinion or point of view, integrating business information and numerical data.

3.4 interprets and assesses business sources, messages or instructions correctly.

3.5 writes informative and convincing texts adapting the style to the audience and combining different media.

In the business world, being able to communicate a message to others is essential. Managers need to present their ideas in the form of reports, presentations, speeches and letters/emails. All of these elements both theoretical (analyses) and practical (implementation) aspects.

Part technical, part analytical and practical the goal of this course is to cement a student’s ability to assess, critically analyze, develop a position into an argument and deliver it clearly as a message to a pre-defined audience.  By the end of the course, students will be able to conduct an analysis and present a market analysis research report.  The course requires both individual and team work.

Previous knowledge

Students need to have taken the Year 1 course Academic Writing their ISP.

Identical courses

This course is identical to the following courses:
OH3154 : Business Communication and reporting techniques (No longer offered this academic year)

Is included in these courses of study

Tolerances

This course unit is a non-tolerable course unit in the following study programme(s):

Activities

3 ects. Business Communication and Reporting Techniques (B-ODISEE-OBF74a)

3 ECTSEnglishFormat: Lecture-practical-assignment20 First termFirst term
Humbert-Todd Françoise |  Matranga Francesco
Kernteam Business Management (BA)

Content

The Business Communication course will cover the following non-exhaustive list of topics. 

How to transform your written work into presentations

Developing and structuring your ideas

Reporting on relevant data, making sure you get your message across to the audience.

Making speeches, presentations, TED-Talks, pitches

Effectively presenting your ideas, facts and figures orally

Working in a team, running meetings.

Managing conflict and providing feedback

The art of networking

Introduction to the Bachelor Thesis.

Course material

Each module will contain a selection of on-line sourced materials, articles, videos and text sourced from books.

All materials used during the course and related projects that are uploaded in Toledo will be considered as an integral part of the course. 

Language of instruction: more information

English

Format: more information

Assignments - Collaborative (professional) learning

Sessions will include a balance of lectures, discussions and workshop/practice sessions.

Presence in class is highly recommended because assignments and presentations will mostly be delivered (group and/or individual) during lesson hours.

There is no exam in EP1/EP2 for this course, evaluation is based in on-going assessment.  Active participation during the contact hours and willingness to perform autonomous work is crucial to meet the requirements of this course. 

Evaluation

Business Communication and Reporting Techniques (B-ODISEE-O73912)

Type : Continuous assessment without exam during the examination period
Description of evaluation : Presentation, Self assessment/Peer assessment, Participation during contact hours
Learning material : None

Explanation

AssessmentGrading scale
TOTAL1-20/20 scale

COURSE EVALUATION PRINCIPLES

Students will be assessed continuously throughout the year, so there will be no exams at the end of EP1 and EP2.  Active participation during contact hours and willingness to perform autonomous work is a prerequisite to pass this module.

QUOTA FOR IN-CLASS EVALUATION ACTIVITIES

  • Upfront notice: course assignments that need to be submitted via TOLEDO/Ultra are NOT in scope of this paragraph on “Quota”. For assignment submission, the rule is simple: “deadline is deadline” and all assignments count (no late submission accepted, no catch-up).
  • Part of this course grade will be determined based on series of group and/or individual  in-class evaluation activities throughout Semester 1 and 2.
  • The dates for in-class evaluation activities will be communicated long in advance via Toledo/ultra and by the lecturer.
  • Each in-class evaluation activity will be graded separately and yield an individual score (incl. peer grading where applicable)
  • Total grade on in-class evaluation activities:
    • A maximum of 25% of the in-class evaluations, with the lowest scores, will be excluded from the total grade calculation.
    • The remaining (minimum) 75% of the in-class evaluations will be used to calculate the total grade for in-class evaluation activities.
    • Students are strongly encouraged to participate to all in-class evaluation activities to increase their chance to obtain a passing grade
  • As a result, for these in-class evaluation activities: no catch-up for in-class evaluations, no retakes will be offered for any reason, including short-term illness with a medical certificate.

ADDITIONAL COURSE EVALUATION GUIDELINES (as part of BBM-program policy)

  • Absence Policy. What do you have to do when you are ill during assignments/tests/presentation or absent during an exam? Please apply the BBM-absence policy as published online at https://www.odisee.be/en/bachelor-business-management-brussels/reporting-your-absence
  • Groupwork with "Peer grading": all evaluation activities that contain group work, will apply "peer grading" (captured via formalized process), to differentiate individual score vs. group average, based on collected peer feedback.
  • Assignment submission. All assignments will have to be submitted on Toledo / TurnItin. Emailed assignments will NOT be graded.
  • AI & document authenticity Policy: You need to submit authentic, original work for your course assignments, presentations and open book exams (a.o. no copy/paste from AI tools). The BBM-AI & authenticity policies are published online at https://www.odisee.be/en/bachelor-business-management-brussels/bbm-practical-information. Deviation from this policy is only possible if the course lecturer explicitly allows use of AI-tools via TOLEDO/Ultra announcement or in course material or assignment instructions.

Information about retaking exams

EVALUATION PRINCIPLES SPECIFICALLY FOR RETAKE:

The retake exam in EP3 will account for 100% of the grade and will be an oral exam encompassing all the study material from the course lectures, in-class discussions and presentations from both Semester 1 and 2.

ADDITIONAL COURSE EVALUATION GUIDELINES (as part of BBM-program policy): identical as in 1st exam opportunity