KOM10 Artificial intelligence for business communication

• Topics

  Clear and persuasive communication is essential in professional life. In this course, you will develop your skills in written and oral business communication. You will be introduced to key communication models and principles that help business professionals adapt messages to different audiences and contexts. Through practical activities, you will work with a variety of business communication tasks, such as presentations, meetings and reports.

  Developing these skills today also requires an understanding of how generative AI (genAI) influences professional communication. GenAI is increasingly integrated into how businesses communicate both internally and externally. The course therefore develops your AI literacy as an integral part of professional business communication competence. You will gain a foundational understanding of large language models and learn how genAI can support different stages of the communication process. A central focus is the co-creation of communication materials with AI. You will use genAI tools to develop and refine written and oral communication, while being responsible for the quality of the final message. This involves making informed decisions about when and how AI should be used, rather than simply accepting its output.

  By the end of the course, you will be prepared to communicate professionally in modern business environments. You will have developed practical written and oral communication skills, as well as the critical AI literacy needed to use genAI effectively and responsibly in business communication.

• Learning outcome

  Knowledge

  Upon completion of the course, you will have knowledge of:

  • key elements of the communication process.
  • principles of clear and audience-oriented written and oral business communication.
  • the basic functioning of large language models and their relevance to business communication tasks.
  • the role of human agency and professional judgement in AI-assisted business communication workflows.
  • ethical considerations related to the use of genAI in business communication.

  Skills

  Upon completion of the course, you will be able to:

  • plan and deliver engaging and effective business presentations.
  • participate effectively in business meetings.
  • produce clear, well-structured and audience-oriented written business communication materials.
  • adapt written and oral communication to different audiences, purposes and business contexts.
  • integrate genAI effectively into communication workflows while maintaining professional standards.
  • evaluate the appropriateness, accuracy and reliability of AI-generated content.
  • critically evaluate how genAI influences business communication processes and outcomes.

  General competence

  Upon completion of the course, you will have the ability to:

  • collaborate effectively in groups.

• Teaching

  KOM10 is a highly interactive course in which communication, collaboration, and participation are central to the learning experience. The teaching will consist of introductions to relevant topics and various case activities. Participation in the lectures will prepare you for the mandatory course requirements and the exam assignments.

  In week 10 (March, 8 - March, 12), the course will be joined by a group of students from the University of Michigan - Ross School of Business. You will get the chance to explore how GenAI is transforming communication in global business and expand your network.

• Recommended prerequisites

  Good oral and written English language competency (CEFR level B2 or higher)

• Credit reduction due to overlap

  KOM10 cannot be combined with KOM11.

• Compulsory Activity

  In groups of 3 to 4 students, you will have to complete the following three assignments:

  • One business meeting.
  • One business report.
  • One business presentation.

  The business meeting and the business report will be completed in the same group. The business presentation will be completed in a different group constellation.

  The mandatory activity (work requirement) is only valid in the semester in which it was obtained.

• Assessment

  The final assessment consists of two parts:

  • One individual filmed business presentation incl. slide deck and AI communication reflection form (60%). All three components must be submitted. Failure to submit any one of them will result in a fail. Due to the nature of this assessment, students have the right to appeal their grade.
  • One group business presentation of 25 minutes incl. Q&A (40%). The groups will be the same as those for the business meeting and the business report required to complete the compulsory activity (see above). Grades will be awarded groupwise. Due to the nature of the assessment, students cannot appeal their grade.

  Both parts must be passed in the same semester.

• Grading Scale

  A-F

• Computer tools

  The course requires the use of various GenAI tools including those provided by NHH such as MS Copilot Chat and SIKT KI Chat. During the semester, you are free to create user accounts for additional tools to complete in-class activities, the compulsory assignment and the exam tasks.

• Literature

  Hancock, J. T., Naaman, M., & Levy, K. (2020). AI-Mediated Communication: Definition, Research Agenda, and Ethical Considerations. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 25(1), 89-100. https://doi.org/10.1093/jcmc/zmz022

  Kobiella, C., López, Y. S. F., Waltenberger, F., Draxler, F., & Schmidt, A. (2024). "If the Machine Is As Good As Me, Then What Use Am I?" - How the Use of ChatGPT Changes Young Professionals' Perception of Productivity and Accomplishment. Proceedings of the 2024 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, Honolulu, HI, USA. https://doi.org/10.1145/3613904.3641964

  Mieczkowski, H., Hancock, J. T., Naaman, M., Jung, M., & Hohenstein, J. (2021). AI-Mediated Communication: Language Use and Interpersonal Effects in a Referential Communication Task. Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction, 5(CSCW1). https://doi.org/10.1145/3449091

  Van Quaquebeke, N., & Gerpott, F. H. (2024). Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Workplace Communication: Promises, Perils, and Recommended Policy. Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies, 31(4), 375-381. https://doi.org/10.1177/15480518241289644

• Retake

  Retake in KOM10 will not be offered during the non-teaching semester (autumn).

  For further information about NHH's retake policy, please see Retake of exams.