This seminar provides students with the opportunity to apply their knowledge of strategic communication and public relations to real-world challenges through a hands-on research approach to practice the transfer between scientific knowledge and practical application. Thematically, students will thereby focus on employer branding approaches of diverse companies and reflect the way how companies use communication to develop their brand and reach potential employees. Students will therefore define and critically analyze an existing communication case as a starting point. In their roles as fictive consultants they will

• Select and describe the problem to be solved or improved within the scope of the organizations’ employer branding
• Use their theoretical insights from previous courses
• Develop a research tool (survey) to adress the problem
• Apply research to create a possible solution or improvement for the case
• Present their solution based on own research findings

Thus, over the course of the semester, students will go through a complete research cycle in which they will have the opportunity to apply and deepen the theoretical and methodological knowledge they have acquired from previous courses and conduct an empirical study. Under supervision, students will explore academic literature, develop their own research questions and hypotheses, develop a survey to collect data, analyze data, and finally present the results in a project report.

Over the course of the semester, students are expected to conduct a research study. The students go through each step of a research cycle with the following outcomes:

• Repetition and implementation of the basics of scientific research work
• Repetition and implementation of social science methods
• Acquisition of basic knowledge regarding strategic communication and especially employer branding
• Application of what has been learned in the context of planning and conducting the research
• Handling and analyzing of collected data
• Presentation of the results
• Reflection and writing of a final report

Attendance in >80% of the input/workshop sessions is compulsory to pass the course. Details will be explained in the first session.

The design of the course comprises three aspects:

1. Workshop-like sessions with input and group work to convey, deepen, and discuss input
2. Development of a small research project including planning and structuring, data collection, data analysis, research report
3. Presentation of the group projects in presentation sessions as well as a written report

20% Attendance, participation during class (individual)

• Participation in discussions, short presentations, etc.
• Based on the input-part of the session, students will work in workshop settings during the sessions in groups.

20% Development of project (in groups)

• Students will develop an own research project within the scope of employer branding
• Development and structuring of the project; development of research questions, hypotheses and method; data collection

30% Final presentation of project and workshop/role play (in groups)

• Students will present their results
• Every student presentation will be followed by a workshop or role play

30% Final written report (in groups)

• Analyzing collected data
• Writing a report about the completed project 

A note on plagiarism and AI-generated content:

Please note that all of your submissions have to 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.

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