CCOM 2000 - Quiz 2

Corporate Stakeholders (ch. 4)

"is any group or individual who can affect or is affected by the achievement of the organizations' objectives

Corporate reputation (ch 5)

'A perceptual representation of a company's past actions and future prospects that describe the firm's overall appeal to all of its key constituents when compared to other leading rivals' (Fombrun, 1996: 72)

Measuring Image and Corporate Reputation (ch 5)

'Corporate image is the immediate mental picture that audiences have of an organization. Corporate reputations, on the other hand, typically evolve over time as a result of consistent performance, reinforced by effective communication, whereas corporate images can be fashioned more quickly through well-conceived communication programs' (Gray and Balmer, 1998: 687).

Distinctiveness (ch 5)

-A corporate image may help stakeholders find or recognize an organization -Nike symbol

Impact (ch 5)

-A corporate image proved a basis for being favored by stakeholders -Can have an impact on the organization directly (on its performance) - stakeholders monetarily support the organization (i.e. buying products from the company; investing in the company

Corporate Identity in Relation to Corporate Reputation

-A good corporate reputation has a strategic value for the organization that possesses it and ensures acceptance and legitimacy from stakeholder groups

Step 4: Identify Themed Messages (ch 6)

-After identifying a target audience, they need to decide what the core message should be -Message evolves from how the organization wants to be seen

Aligning Identity and Image (ch 5)

-Alignment: 'a state in which the internal identity of the firm reflects positively the expectations of key stakeholders and the beliefs of these stakeholders about the firm reflect accurately the internally held identity' (Fombrun and Rindova, 2000) -Alignment: impact (competitive advantage) versus inconsistency (employee disengagement, customer dissatisfaction, etc.)

Consistency (ch 5)

-Any individual may have more than one stakeholder role in relation to an organization -When organizations project a consistent image of themselves, they avoid potential pitfalls that may occur when conflicting images and messages are sent out

Research and Evaluation Cycle (ch 7)

-Benefit of seeing research and evaluation as a cycle -Results of evaluation used to make adjustments -There are different stages of a cycle (not just before or after a campaign) -Of crucial importance is measuring the impact level of communications

The Uniqueness Dilemma: To Be Distinct or to Be the Same? (ch 5)

-Brand managers and communication practitioners draw heavily on the idea of uniqueness of distinctiveness -It encapsulates the idea that the organization needs to express its uniqueness in the market and with other stakeholders. -Corporate values are seen as important for communicating a unique or distinct identity to stakeholders -Organizations in specific industry sectors may become more similar in the kinds of corporate identity that they project -Convergence may be more or less appreciated by stakeholders dependent upon their expectations regarding appropriate corporate behavior -Researchers evidence suggests that it is... -Important for organizations to claim the same generic values (e.g., customer care, or ethical conduct) as its rivals in order to meet expectations of stakeholders that the organization is financially solid, socially engaging and ecologically sound in its business practices -Crucial for organizations to claim some distinctive values in order to differentiate the organization from rival companies in the eyes of stakeholders.

Informal Research (ch 7)

-Casual interactions with key stakeholders or experts -Helps develop a better understanding of problems informing a communication programme

Process of Communication Strategy (ch 6)

-Concept of strategy: a plan (i.e. a specific guide or course of action in the future), a ploy (i.e. a specific maneuver to outwit an opponent or competitor), a pattern (i.e. consistency in behavior over time), a position (i.e. the location of products in certain markets), or a perspective (i.e. an organization's fundamental way of doing things) -Process of strategy: rational, emergent, analytically planned versus visionary, etc. -Level of strategy process: corporate - business unit - functional (communications)

Overview of Reputation Surveys (ch 7)

-Corporate reputation: subject's collective representation of past images of an organization established over time -Two broad types of reputation research: -Publicly syndicated rankings -Rankings are performed annually by various research firms or media organizations and involve a standardized comparison between firms -Company-specific reputation research

Levels of Strategy (ch 6)

-Corporate strategy: concerned with the overall purpose and scope of the organization to meet its various stakeholders expectations and needs -Business/competitive strategy: concerned with determining how the organization will compete successfully in particular markets - how to secure competitive advantage -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

Emotional Message Style (ch 6)

-Definition: attempts to provoke involvement and positive reactions through reference to positive (or negative) emotions -Conditions: effective use depends on the perceived authenticity of the professed emotion and on the relevance of the emotion to stakeholders -Content: appeals to specific positive or negative emotions (e.g., romance, nostalgia, excitement, joy, fear, guilt, disgust, regret)

Symbolic Association Message Style (ch 6)

-Definition: claims based on psychological differentiation through symbolic association -Conditions: best for homogeneous organizations where differences are difficult to develop or easily duplicated or for messages in areas such as CSR or social capital that are difficult to communicate in concrete and rational terms -Content: transformational in the form of endowing the organization with a particular image through association with culturally shared and recognized values or symbols

Preemptive Message Style (ch 6)

-Definition: generic claim with suggestion of superiority -Conditions: changing industry allowing a company to take a position on an issue connected to that industry -Content: claim of industry-wide leadership on a relevant issue or capability

Generic Message Style (ch 6)

-Definition: straight claim about industry or cause with no assertion of superiority -Conditions: monopoly or extreme dominance of the industry -Content: general claim (stimulate demand for product category or raise awareness of cause)

Rational Message Styles (ch 6)

-Definition: superiority claim based upon actual accomplishments or delivered benefits by the organization -Conditions: most useful when point of difference cannot be readily matched by competitors -Content: informational in the form of a claim that is supported by information as the grounds for the claim

Latent Stakeholder Categories (ch 4)

-Demanding stakeholders have urgent claims, but lack legitimacy and organizational power -Discretionary stakeholders have legitimacy but no organizational nor urgency -Dormant stakeholders have organizational power but no legitimacy or urgency

Expectant Stakeholder Categories (ch 4)

-Dominant stakeholders have legitimate claims and organizational power, but little or no urgency -Dangerous stakeholders have urgent claims and organizational power, but lack legitimacy -Dependent stakeholders have urgent claims and legitimacy, but lack power

Alternatives to the Hierarchy of Effects Theory (ch 7)

-Elaborated Likelihood Model (ELM) suggests people process messages differently depending on their involvement with an issue. -Central route emphasizes logical and careful consideration, or systematic processing. This route is desirable if a target audience can be reached easily and when the audience has a moderate to high degree of involvement with an issue or with the organization in question. -Peripheral route forgoes logical arguments in favor of more emotionally based strategies of processing. With this route, an audience simply short-circuits the processing of the message to their own beliefs or interests, which may range from logical elements of the content of the message to the presentation and other factors associated with a message.

Identity Construction and Maintenance (ch 5)

-Everything in the chart/map needs to align, otherwise the organization will fail

Identifying the Distinctive Nature of the Organization's Identity (ch 5)

-Fombrun and Van Riel found that organizations with the strongest reputations are on average characterized by: -High levels of visibility (the degree to which corporate themes are visible in all internal and external communication) -Distinctiveness (the degree to which the corporate identity or positioning of the organization is distinctive) -Authenticity (the degree to which an organization communicates values that are embedded in its culture) -Transparency (the degree to which an organization is open and transparent about its behavior) -Consistency (the degree to which organizations communicate consistent messages through all internal and external communication channels in corporate communication

Step 1: Strategic Intent (ch 6)

-Formulates a change or consolidation of stakeholder reputations of the organization

Old Approaches to Org-Stakeholder Relationship (ch 4)

-Fragmented amongst various departments -Focus on managing relationships -Emphasis on "buffering" the organization from stakeholders interfering with internal operations -Linked to short-term goals -Idiosyncratic implementation dependent on a department's interests and the personal style of the manager

Corporate Stakeholders - Other Perspectives (ch. 4)

-Freeman: equity stakes, economic/market stakes, and influencer stakes -Clarkson: primary and secondary stakeholder groups -Primary: ones that you need to function and keep your business -Secondary: support the business -Charkham: contractual and community stakeholders -Contractual: legal relationship with business -Community: no monetary, no legal contracts

Step 6: Develop a Media Strategy (ch 6)

-Identify the most effective and efficient means of reaching the target audiences within the given budgetary constraints

Corporate Communication as Corporate Branding (ch 5)

-In recent years, idea of 'corporate branding" 'as a guiding concept in corporate communication. The idea of an organization as a brand as a logical extension of the product branding approach, with a focus on product and brand benefits and on individual consumers. -The distinction between corporate and product branding follows from Olins' framework on monolithic, endorsed and branded identities.

New Approaches to Org-Stakeholder Relationship (ch 4)

-Integrated management approach -Focus on building relationships -Emphasis on "bridging" and creating opportunities and mutual benefits -Linked to long-term business goals -Coherent approach driven by mission, values and corporate values

Step 5: Develop Message Style (ch 6)

-Involves the creative concept that articulates the appeal of the message and brings it to life through the use of catchy slogans, an appropriate framing in words and visual stimuli

· Monolithic, Branded, and Endorsed Identities

-Looks at the relationship between the Organization, the Brand, and Communication (Ads), Symbolism (Logo) and Behavior -Monolithic - refers to a corporate brand: a structure where all products and services, buildings, official communication and employee behavior are labeled or branded with the same company name. -Branded - refers to a structure whereby products and services are brought to the market each with their own brand name and brand values. -Endorsed - refers to a structure where different businesses and products have their own branded identity but are at the same time endorsed or "badged" by the parent company name.

Step 7: Prepare the Budget

-Most of budget goes to media buying, remaining goes to production of campaign/program and the evaluation of results

Stakeholder Communication, Identity, and Image (ch 5)

-New social order: multiple stakeholders = multiple stakeholder expectation -Organizations acquire legitimacy through strategically projecting a particular positive image of the organization -It's how organizations get trust

Step 3: Identify and Prioritize Target Audience

-Once the practitioners identify the stakeholder groups, they need to segment those groups into more specific target audiences that are prioritized for a particular program/campaign

Step 2: Define Communication Objectives (ch 6)

-Practitioners need to define objectives in terms of whether they are seeking to change or consolidate a particular stakeholder's awareness, attitude, more general reputation with them, or behavior Communication objectives should be as tightly defined as possible: Specific Measurable Achievable Realistic Timely

Background to Communication Strategy (ch 6)

-Role of corporate communication until recently hardly recognized in strategic management literature -Communication as tactical rather than strategic activity: -'Variations in approach to the role of communications strategy making and the extent to which it supports overall business strategy' (DTI and IPR, 2003).

Example: Starbucks Coffee Company and Stakeholder Engagement

-Should the company develop relationships with all of its stakeholders or only a select few? -Stay close with farmers -Employees and customers -Suppliers -Mystarbucks.com -Get feedback from consumers and stakeholders -App: fast; loyalty program

Birkigt and Stadler Model of Corporate Identity (ch 5)

-Symbolism: corporate logos and company house style -"we" feeling -Nike: trust the company; no-brainer you know what shoes you are buying -Communication: all planned forms of communication -Employees hear one thing from management but see another as a consumer -Behavior: all behavior of employees that leaves an impression on stakeholders

Formal Research (ch 7)

-Systematic data-gathering methods -Sensitive to issues of representativeness in sampling: -Focus groups -Surveys -Content analysis

Roles of Communication in Corporate Strategy (ch 6)

-Tactical support role: support implementation of corporate decisions and strategy -announce, get message across, inform stakeholders of corporate decision, support smooth implementation of corporate strategy -Strategic lead role: enable the achievement of corporate decision and strategy -Stakeholder engagement, build and maintain positioning (reputation) in the minds of stakeholders, managerial (enabling) function for corporate strategy

Theories on Effective Messages and Persuasion (ch 7)

-Target messages -Set reasonable goals and objectives that are achievable -Base goals on a sound knowledge of the current levels of awareness, beliefs and behaviors of target audience.

Importance of Alignment Between (ch 5):

-The organizational culture as experienced by employees -The corporate vision as articulated by senior managers -Corporate image or reputation in the minds of external stakeholders

Aligning Identity and Image - Toolkit for Assessing (ch 5)

-Vision: Senior management's aspirations for the organization -Culture: The organization's values -Image: the image or impression that outside stakeholders have of the organization

Stakeholder Identification - Central Questions

-Who are the organization's stakeholders? -What are their stakes? -What opportunities and challenges are presented to the organization in relation to these stakeholders? -What responsibilities (economic, legal, and ethical) does the organization have to all its stakeholders? -In what way can the organization best communicate with and respond to these stakeholders and address these stakeholders' challenges and opportunities?

Reputation (ch 5)

A subject's collective representation of past images of an organization (induced through either communication or past experiences) established over time.

Endorsed Brands (ch 5)

Brands and products endorsed by parent brands

Sub Brands (ch 5)

Brands that augment and are connected to the parent brand

Step 2: Objectives (ch 7)

Communication objectives for each stakeholder

Mapping Organizational Stakeholders (ch 4)

Competitors help with credibility because they give you advantages

Step 4: Measurement and Evaluation (ch 7)

Continuous measurement

The Link Between Corporate Strategy and Communication Strategy (ch 6)

Corporate strategy (internal), translated so that the stakeholders (external) can understand what is being said; this is where the communication strategy comes in The link is called boundary spanning

Step 3: Planning and Execution (ch 7)

Design and execution of the campaign

Corporate Image Management (ch 5)

Emphasis on how organizations symbolically construct an image (as a caring 'caring citizen', for example) for themselves through their communication and how, in turn, that image leads them to be seen symbolic terms by important stakeholders

Basic Stakeholder Map (ch 4)

Employees, trade associates, communities, consumers, and political groups all have a direct care for the business

Key Characteristics of Stakeholders - Power (ch 4)

Extent it has or can gain access to coercive, utilitarian, or normative means to impose its will in the relationship

Key Characteristics of Stakeholders - Legitimacy (ch 4)

Extent that the actions of the entity are desirable, proper, or appropriate within some socially constructed system of norms/values

Key Characteristics of Stakeholders - Urgency (ch 4)

Extent that the claim is time-sensitive or critical to stakeholder

Alternatives to the Hierarchy of Effects Theory - Part 2 (ch 7)

Framing assumes that messages consist of: -The activation of an overall framework in terms of certain keywords or formulations -The manifest or latent reasoning or arguments as part of that frame -The connection with deeper and culturally shared categories of understanding that supports and legitimizes the framing as a whole

Definitive Stakeholders (ch 4)

Have legitimate urgent claims, and sufficient organizational power

Corporate Stakeholders - Levels (ch. 4)

Levels: persons, groups, neighborhoods, organizations, societies -Examples: employees, customers, clients, governments, competitors -Competitors: the better you know your competitors, the more of an advantage you have

House of Brands (ch 5)

Parent company with stand-alone, disconnected brands

Branded House (ch 5)

Products organized around the parent brand umbrella

Step 1: Audit (ch 7)

Research to identify issues and set benchmarks

Stakeholder Communication Strategies: 1 (ch 4)

Stakeholder Effects: Awareness Type of Strategy: Informational Tactics: Press releases, newsletters, reports, memos, free publicity

Stakeholder Communication Strategies: 4 (ch 4)

Stakeholder Effects: Commitment Type of Strategy: Dialogue Tactics: Early incorporation, collective problem-solving

Stakeholder Communication Strategies: 3 (ch 4)

Stakeholder Effects: Involvement Type of Strategy: Dialogue Tactics: Consultation, debate

Stakeholder Communication Strategies: 2 (ch 4)

Stakeholder Effects: Understanding Type of Strategy: Informational/Persuasive Tactics: Discussions, meetings, advertising, and educational campaigns

Step 5: Results (ch 7)

Taking a stock of results against initial objectives

Key Driver (ch 5)

The degree to which the values that an organization communicates are not only authentic but also distinctive

Image (ch 5)

The immediate set of meanings inferred by a subject in confrontation/response to one or more signals from or about a particular organization. -It's the net result of the interaction of a subject's beliefs, ideas, feelings and impressions about an organization at a particular point in time.

Corporate Identity (ch 5)

The picture of the organization that is presented to external stakeholders (through symbolism, behavior, products and services and communication)

Organizational Identity/Corporate Personality (ch 5)

The values that members of an organization share and that describe key attributes of the organization (internal)