Corporate Communication
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Practitioner Roles
-Novice Technician A novice practitioner who has just started in the role of a communication technician -Experienced Technician A communication technician with at least three years of experience -Communication Manager A communication manager who oversees a specific area of corporate communication such as internal communication or media relations -Communication director A senior communication manager who directs corporate communication for the entire organization and oversees a whole department of practitioners
Planning Programs & Campaigns
1) Strategic intent-Based upon the gap between how the organization wants itself to be seen by important stakeholders groups and how it is currently seen by each of those groups. 2). Define communication objectives- Decide to develop specific programs or campaigns for particular stakeholder groups or instead develop a general corporate program or campaign that addresses all of them. (SMART) Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Timely 3). Identify and Prioritize target audiences- Practitioner use their salience model and the power-interest matrix to identify the most important stakeholder groups. 4). Identify themed messages-Need to decide what the core message should be. The core message towards a particular target audience often involves directly from how the organization wants to be seen. 5). Develop message styles- The message styles involve the creative concept that articulates the appeal of the message and brings it to life through the use of catchy slogans and visual stimuli. 6). Develop a Media Strategy- Identifying the media that can carry the message and its creative execution and can reach the target audience. the overriding aim is to identify the most effective and efficient means of reaching the target audiences within the given budgetary constraints. 7). Prepare the budget- most budgets will be spent on media buying, with the remaining amount going towards the production of the program or campaign and the evolution of results.
Strategic Management steps
1).Strategic intent, 2)Define objectives, 3).Identify and prioritize target audiences, 4).Identify themed messages, 5).Develop message styles, 6).Develop media strategy, Prepare budget.
Organizational Role
A conceptual order imposed on the many activities performed by individuals in organizations
Communication Director
A senior communication manager who directs corporate communication for the entire organization and oversees a whole department of practitioners
Organizational credibility & legitimacy
Accomplished through the linking of identity programs and external communication Organizations must communicate regularly with internal constituents regarding symbols of pride, relevant audiences, environments, market analysis, and perceptions about the organizations External information
Agenda Setting Theory & Levels
Agenda Setting Theory- Hypothesis underlying the theory is that the frequency with which the media report on an issue determines the issue's salience in the minds of the general public. Two-Levels of Agenda Setting: The first level of agenda setting relates to the salience of an organization The second level of agenda setting deals with the attributes or associations related to that organization.
Publicists
Are often very skillful in aligning a story proposal with a story expectation. This leads to a greater probability of the story being reported.
Journalism-Communication Professional Relationship
Communication professionals and journalists has often been described as adversarial Communication professional think about the needs of their companies first and less about what journalists need. Journalists often feel that professionals withhold information, are not always objective and certainly not focused on issues of public interest. 80 percent of news reports about companies is promoted and delivered by communication professionals Journalists need and often use information provided by professionals
Operational strategy
Concerned with how different functions/parts of an organization manage resources, processes and people to help deliver corporate and business-level strategic goals
Corporate Strategy & Communication Strategy
Corporate Strategy---- translating--- communication strategy--- informing corporate strategy Communication strategy Strategic Intent Themed Messages Messages styles Links
Levels of Strategy
Corporate, Business/Competitive, and Operational Corporate Strategy-Concerned with the overall purpose and scope of the organization to meet its various stakeholder's expectations and needs. Business/Competitive Strategy- Concerned with determining how the organization will complete successfully in particular markets. How to secure competitive advantage. Operational Strategy- Concerned with how different functions/parts of organization manage resources, processes, and the people to help deliver corporate and business-level strategic goals.
Competencies & Skills
Defintion: A domain of knowledge or specific expertise that an individual need to possess to properly perform a specific job Skills A task-specific ability of a communication practitioner to effectively perform a certain task. A skill may draw upon the competence or knowledge of a practitioner but conceptually distinct from it in that it often involves knowledge-in-action and a practical ability to complete a certain task or activity.
Primary Tactics Targeting Individual Investors
Direct mail that has positive reports about the company or Marketing to investment clubs.
Internal Communication Audiences
Employees: Including customer service/front line staff, home/ remote/ shift workers, supervisors/line mangers/board members, and volunteers/supporters/interns/temps/agency staff
Levels of Strategic Management
Enterprise strategy- Core of the company The basic questions to addressed: What is the role of the organization in society? What principles or values do the organization represent? What obligations are there to society at large? What are the implications thereof for the current business and allocation of resources? Corporate strategy Can best be described as the responsibility of the board and top management for the organization's financial performance. Talking about making profit and the financial side of things. Operational Strategy Strategies are translated into action. Key operating mangers or project leaders establish short-term objectives and implementation strategies that contribute to business and corporate level goals. After these strategy are planned then how are they going to put it into actions. Are we going to make commercials, but the product on social media. etc. Functional Strategy- Functional strategy contains the details of how the functional areas such as marketing, operations, finance, etc should work together to achieve higher- level strategies it is most closely associated with strategy involves what should be done in each of the key functional areas. Strategy of a specific department. Ex. what is the strategy for the marketing department or the finance strategy. This strategy will fit into the overall company's strategy. Business-Unit strategy- Organization's approach in competing in its chosen/market/product/industry segment. It usually covers a single product or a group of related products. Strategy of a specific product Ex. what is our strategy for our shoes?
Internet-Only Financial Media
Financial Media- Wall street journal, Forbes, Etc. Internet Media- Online versions of general and financial media, as well as internet only, such as Yahoo, the street and the motley fool.
Full Service
Firms that offer advice and recommendations to their clients and are compensated by commissions or management fees.
Discounted Firms
Firms that only assist in the buying and selling of securities for their customers and are compensated by commission or salary
Strategic Intent Phase
Formulates a change or consolidation of stakeholder reputations of the organization. (The gap of how the org wants to be seen and how it is currently being seen).
Alternative Message Orientations Categories
Functional Orientation Rational message style. Symbolic Orientation Emotional Message Style. Symbolic Association Message Style Industry Orientation Generic Message Style. Preemptive Message Style.
Lobbying
Lobbying is the act or intention of influencing decisions made by legislators and officials in a government by individuals or organizations on behalf of a cooperation. The stimulation and transmission of a commission, by someone other than a citizen acting on his own behalf, directed to a government maker with the hope of influencing their decision.
Four Types of Organizational Culture
Innovation Information Regulation Integration Core values Clan Hierarchy Market Adhocracy
Mutual Funds
Investors that typically represent the middle class
Investor Relations
Is a strategic management responsibility that integrates finance, communication, marketing and securities law compliance to enable the most effective two-way communication.
Strategy Formulation
Is the combination of a planned and an emerged process. An Organization should have preplanned strategies that emerge with the emerge with the actions of the stakeholders when needed. A combination of logical rational process in which visions and objectives are articulated and systematically worked out into programs and actions, as well as more emergent processes in which behaviors and actions simply arise.
Lobbying Protections
Lobbying is protected by the right of petition under the first amendment of the U.S Constitution
Corporate Citizenship
Lobbying use they're with legislators to explain the goals and concern/obstacles of the corporation they represent. That the corporations had the same right as individuals to provide funding for political campaigns-expanding the concept of corporate citizenship Ruling gives cooperation much more freedom in participating in the election process and gives lobbyists additional influence and power
Median Staff Size for DC Lobbying office
Median staff size was three professionals and one administrative staff- stable over past three years Media budget remained stable at 1.5-2$ million Economy has not significantly affected lobbying activities or utilization of consultants or contract lobbyists
Components of Strategic Communication
Open communication- Sharing all types of information Listening- interpreting a message's genuine meaning Discernment- hearing the unheard message Dialogue- sharing and understanding to create common view
Principles of Effective Internal Communication
Possess chief executive who campaigns communication Possess stated values that are practiced Ensure effective two-way communication Emphasizes face to face communication Share responsibility for employee communication Communicate good and bad news Pay attention to sender- receiver perceptual differences in communication Support employee communication activities.
Increasing Press Release Success
Press release are more liked to be used when they refer newsworthy events that are current and have a human interest; and when the release is written in a factual) as opposed to judgmental) manner and with a clear heading and lead into the topic. When writing a press release, communication professionals should keep the expectations, preferred frames and deadlines of the different media in mind. When information cannot be conveyed in a standardized, written form, or when the information involves a controversial or sensitive issue.
Message Styles
Rational Message Styles Making a claim about why their product is better than competitors based on facts. A company would use this if no other company could say the same thing. Ex. Jeep have the best brakes in the industry based on a study, no other company can stay that. So consumers would more likely want to buy a jeep. -So another company couldn't stay they have the best brakes because jeep has evidence. Symbolic Message Style: Take symbols that their consumers can relate to show that they share the same values with the consumers. Ex. American flag as a symbolic. Patriotic message and talk about how the value freedom and liberty and their an all American company. People are going to look at their values and say their similar to their own and want to buy their product more than a company they don't share values with. Emotional Message Style Trying to create a message that is going to play with your emotions. So your more likely to buy their product. Ex. The national humane society commercial with the abused animals. Generic Style Just talking about the industry in general. Ex. The car Industry or the Social media industry not talking about your product but the industry in general. Why should you get involved in this industry Preemptive Message Style Talking about the industry in general then finishing it off with talking why their product is the best. -Saying the whole industry is good but were the best to buy from.
Approaches to Organizational Communication
Rationalistic Approach Based on rule theory Looks at assumptions of behavior action-motion, information-processing coordination, & creative-standardized usage Organization members build consensus regarding the meaning of information around them Seeks to identify consistent patterns in interactions Humanistic Approach Mechanism through which structure is created Communication is the force that creates, maintains, and sustains the organization The leader takes on the role of evangelist Free from the burden of being over-controlled, employees will synergize their efforts and perform with excellence
Financial Media Examples
Relationship between cooperation and journalism if you're working in a cooperation you're going to be writing press release to create awareness in the media of your company. So, Customers and stakeholders know what's going on. Journalism kind of need that information to report on something.so they typically need each other. Media relations team people who are speaking to the media and telling them what is happening. Investor relations professional deal with the financial media. Ex. Wall street journal. Agenda setting the companies that are more well known, are often the ones talked about then the ones ranked lower
Roles of corporate communication in Government Relations
Relationship management - At its heart is the development of good interpersonal relationship with key government officials Advocacy- These relationship foster the ability to advocate for our cooperation and its stakeholders Effective communication- Master of face-to face and mediated communication that facilitates he ability to interact successfully with government officials on behalf of your cooperation Knowledge of government policies and procedures - Know and play by the rules-honestly and trust are paramount Knowledge of the industry and related associations - Know your corporation, competition, and key issues
Securities and Exchange Commission
Requires public companies to disclose meaningful financial and other pertinent info to the public. Creating a general pool of knowledge about the company
Attributes of Organizational Culture
Shared values Heroes/villains Rites and rituals Cultural communication networks
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
Significantly increased the importance of investor relations in the financial markets. The act established new requirements for corporate compliance and regulatory governance, with an increased emphasis on accuracy in auditing and public disclosure.
Roles of Communication in Corporate Strategy
Tactical Support Role- Support the implementation of corporate decisions and strategy. (Announce, get messages across, inform stakeholders of decisions.) Strategic Lead Role- Enable the achievement of cooperate decision and strategy. (Stakeholder engagement, build and maintain positioning (Reputation) in the minds of stakeholders)
Importance of Employee Relations
That organizations are realizing the importance of including employees in their planning and marketing. The images that the organization presents can be significantly impacted by an employee's communication with outside constituents. The organization must ensure that its messages and the employee messages are in sync
Definition of Profession
The articulation of a domain of expertise The establishment of monopoly in the market for a service based on the expertise The ability to limit entry to the field The attainment of social status and recognition and systematic ways of testing competence and regulating standards.
Factors influencing enacted roles
The environmental conditions in which the organization operates Gender of practitioners The educational background of the practitioner Length of professional service Size of the organization/communication team Personality, competencies and skills of practitioner
Syndicated Media Monitoring
The most common type of media research consists of monitoring media relations efforts. Two of the most commonly used monitoring techniques Syndicated Media Monitoring Services- Countering the shortcomings of output analysis, a number of media research agencies have developed media monitoring packages. These packages focus on measuring the total circulation or audience reached the tone of the news stories or articles on the organization; the extent to which key messages were picked up are communicated. Monitors the media and sees the tone of the media and what audiences it targets. Talks about you positively or negatively. Advantages is to focus on the outcome. Go to another company.
Frame alignments
The skills in the media relations is often in spotting the stories or the angles that can turn cooperate news into media news or bring a cooperate story into a global news story
Approaches to the Role of Business in Society
The social responsibility/ Ethical approach- to management prevalent in the net-industrial age was introduced in the 1960s. Business was seen to be an actor in the environment that should respond to social pressures and demands, and stakeholders were increasingly thought of in terms of morality, ethics and social responsibility. The corporate social responsiveness approach A shift from the idea that organizations should be socially responsible to what ethical behavior entailed and how companies should respond to business-related social issues. Refers to how organizations operationalize their social responsibilities. The cooperate social performance approach What organizations are able to accomplish with regard to specifying the nature of their responsibilities, adopting a particular philosophy of responsiveness and identifying the stakeholder issues to which these responsibilities are tied. The stakeholder approach Mangers undergo a major conceptual shift in how they see the organization and its multilateral relationship with stakeholders not only as those groups that management thinks have some stake in the firm. The issues approach The values and beliefs of key stakeholders are derived from broader societal influence. Awareness of, and compliance with, societal attitudes can help organizations to avoid restrictive legislation. The corporate community approach In the information age, wealth is regarded as a function of information, vision and properties of the mind. In a new economic theory of the firm propped by halal, the organization is viewed as a socioeconomic system were stakeholder are recognized as partners
Directionnel Internal Communication
Upward Communication Involves information from employees that is cast upward towards managers with in the org. Downward Communication Consist of electronic and verbal methods of informing employees about their org, its performance, and their own performance in terms they can comprehend.
