Corporate Communication PDF

1. De ning Corporate Communication De nition of corporate communication It is a management function that offers a framework for the effective coordination of all internal and external communication with the overall purpose of establishing and maintaining favou...

1. De ning Corporate Communication De nition of corporate communication It is a management function that offers a framework for the effective coordination of all internal and external communication with the overall purpose of establishing and maintaining favourable reputations with stakeholder groups upon which the organisation is dependent.  The future of any company critically depends on how it is viewed by key stakeholders, which can be: - Shareholders - consumers - Investors - employees - Customers - members of the community in which the company operates. - Consumers All organisations, of all sizes and operating in different sectors and societies, must nd ways to successfully establish and nurture relationships with stakeholders on which they are economically and socially dependent. This objective of building, maintaining and protecting the company’s reputation is the core task of corporate communication practitioners. In other words, corporate communication can be characterised as a management function that is responsible for overseeing and coordinating the work done by communication practitioners in different specialist disciplines (media relations, public affairs, internal communication).  the sustainability and success of a company depends on how it is viewed by key stakeholders and communication is a critical part of building, maintaining and protecting such reputations. Key concepts in corporate communication - Mission: purpose of the organisation in line with the values and expectations of major stakeholders - Vision: the desire future of the organisation, inspirational view of the general direction that the organisation wants to go in - Objectives: more precise, “short-term” statements of direction which are to be achieved by strategic initiatives or strategies. - Strategy: actions and communications that are linked to objectives - Corporate identity: the basic pro le that an organisation wants to project. - Corporate image: set of associations of an individual in response to a single/message from or about an organisation at a single point of time - Corporate reputation: an individual’s collective representation of past images of an organisation established over time - Stakeholder: any group or individual who can affect or is affected by the achievement of the organisation’s objectives. - Communication: the tactics and media that are used to communicate with internal and external groups How this function has developed in companies during the decades:- Until the 70’s: largely used in a tactical support role for other functions such as nance and marketing in the organisation, in order to announce corporate decisions, publicise events or promote products. - During the 80’s: the real “shift” because communication started to be used in a more strategic sense to realise the organisation’s objectives and to build reputational capital with stake holders. - 2000’s – present: new era of “stakeholder engagement” which brings with it new points of emphasis around interactivity, transparency and advocacy. During the 70’s practitioners used the term “public relations” to describe communication with stakeholders, it largely consisted of communication with the press. When the stakeholders, internal and external, started fi fi fi fi fi to demand more informations from the company, practitioners looked at communication as being more than just “public relations”. The new function of corporate communication started to take hold, incorporating a whole range of specialised disciplines (corporate design, advertising, issues and crisis management, media relations, investor relations).  Most important characteristic: it focuses on the organisation as a whole and on the important task of how an organisation present itself to all its key stakeholders, both internal and external. In other words, is a management function that is responsible for overseeing and coordinating the work done by communication practitioners in different specialist disciplines (media, public affairs, internal communication). The traditional one-way structure of corporate communication has been replaced with a dynamic process in which leaders talk with employees and not just to them. Undoubtedly, more interactive forms of communication are enabled by new technologies and social media. 2. Corporate Communication in contemporary organisations When communications practitioners are pulled together, the communication function as a whole is more likely to have an input into strategic decision making at the highest corporate level of an organisation. Both marketing and public relations emerged as separate “external” communication disciplines. - Marketing exists to sense, serve and satisfy customer needs at a pro t - Public relations exists to produce goodwill with the company’s various publics so that these publics do not interfere in the rm’s pro t-making ability. Since the 80’s, organisations have increasingly started to bring these row disciplines together under a new management function, aka corporate communication. Companies started to make greater use of “marketing public relations” (MPR), which involves the use of public relations techniques for marketing purposes in order to generate awareness and brand favourability. In 2010s the rise of social media and the desire to feed all those channels with marketing content, have helped the creation of “branded content”, which is a bit of both. It involves the generation of content on an online marketed platform that features both product-related content as well as general interest content.  MPR and BRANDED CONTENT use public relations techniques but are directly or indirectly focused on the marketing of a company’s product and services.Whilst, “corporate” activities whiting public relations, sometimes labelled as “corporate public realisations” (CPR), involve communication with investors, employees, the media and the government. Marketing and public relations activities and their overlap Starting on the left of the gure, marketing of course involves a range of activities such as distribution, logistics, pricing and new product development (area 'C' in Figure 2.2) besides marketing communications. Marketing communications, in the middle of the gure, involve corporate advertising ('A') and mass media advertising (F'), marketing and sales promotions ('B'), and product publicity and sponsorship (E). Two of these activities - corporate advertising (A) and marketing public relations (product publicity and sponsorship) and branded content (E') - overlap with public relations. Corporate advertising involves the use of radio, TV, cinema, poster or internet advertising to create or maintain a favourable image of the company and its management. Although it is a form of advertising, it deals with the 'corporate' image of the company and is as such distinct from mass media advertising (F'), which is focused on the company's products or services to increase awareness or sales. Complementary relationships between marketing and relations activities fi fi fi fi fi 1) Company’s image, created through public relations programmes, can positively re ect on its product brands, thereby increasing the awareness of the product brand as well as enhancing consumers’ favourable impression of the brand. 2) The guardian role of public relations as a “watchdog” or “corrective” for marketing in bringing other viewpoints and the expectations of other stakeholders besides customers to bear on strategic decision-making. Back in 1978, Kotler and Mindak articulated three models of integration between marketing and PR, each of these models articulates a different view of the most effective form of integration. Model c: IMC (Integrated Marketing Communications) involves a view of marketing as the dominant function which subsumes public relations, which becomes part of a wider marketing function for satisfying customers. Public relations is reduced to activities of product publicity and sponsorship, ignoring its wider remit in communicating to employees, investors, communities, the media and government. Model d: Strategic Public Relations suggests that “marketing should be put under public relations to make sure that the goodwill of all key publics is maintained”. All communication programmes should be integrated or coordinated by a public relations department.Model e: it favours a view of marketing and public relations as merged into one and the same “external communication” function. In the view of Kotler and Mindak, “the two functions might be easily merged under a vice president of Marketing and PR, who is in charge of planning and managing the external affairs of the company. But, instead of following this model, most of the organisations often still want to keep them separate but then actively coordinate public relations and marketing communication programmes (model b). Drivers for integrated communication The importance of integrating marketing communications and public relations has resulted from a variety of factors, or “drivers”: - Market- and environment- based drivers Stakeholder roles overlap Internal communication is inseparable form external communication Demands for greater transparency ➔ The environment in which the organisations operate has changed considerably over the past two decades. The integration is important when one considers the multiple stakeholder roles any one individual may have. As a result, internal communication to employees cannot be divorced form external communication. (new technologies have also erased the dividing line between ext. and int. communication). Organisation are also facing transparency about their operations. - Communication-based drivers Greater amounts of message clutter Increased message effectiveness through consistency and reinforcement of core messages Complementarity of media and media cost in ation Media multiplication requires control of communication channels Nowadays, it is more dif cult for an organisation to be heard and to stand out rm its rivals. Integrated communication strategies are more likely to break through this communication clutter. Through consistent messages it is more likely to be known. Organisation have increasingly put considerable effort into managing their corporate image. Messages in various media can complement one another, leading to a greater communication impact, considering the opportunities afforded by the Internet and social media. fi fl fi fl - Organisational drivers Improved ef ciency Increased accountability Provision of strategic direction and purpose through consolidation Commonalities and overlap between communication disciplines The need to become more ef cient, moreover by using management time more productively and by driving down the cost base, organisations have been able to substantially improve the productivity of their communications. In other words, grater integration increases the accountability of the communication function in many organisations. The increasing realisation that various communication disciplines shared many commonalities in expertise and tools and also overlapped to a large extent.The organisation of corporate communication Corporate communication is a management framework to guide and coordinate marketing communication and public relations. Within this framework, coordination and decision-making take place between practitioners. Organisations increasingly view and manage these disciplines together forma a holistic organisational or corporate perspective, bringing the range of communication disciplines into a single department so that the knowledge and skills of practitioners are shared. ➔ The general idea is to consolidate most communication disciplines into a single department so that communication can be strategically managed from a central corporate perspective. CorpComm = “umbrella”, coordination function for all specialist areas CCO takes up on responsibilities of marketing, employ, media etc - the most important role, he coordinates internal and external communication - Top management of the team and reports to the CEO of the company Key role of CCO: he is the voice of the org he shakes the strategies, he contributes to the direction of the org CCO needs to be aware of the changes of the stakeholders and aware of the changes of technologies, media of communication has a seat at the table when managing crisis, important decision contributes to identity, reputation, economic returns of teh company some CC manager have higher roles in the company, closer to CEO depends on the company’s view / importance given to CC => they help the organization at a strategic level, to build, maintain, protect Some organizations have different ranges of CC in one, others have separate units / functional areas 2 structures that manage the organization of CC VERTICAL STRUCTURE -Characterises the structure of CC or of any organization - Way in which: 1. tasks and activities are divided and arranged into departments 2. departments are located in the hierarchy of authority Provides clear lines of authority and specialisation CCO reports directly to the CEO and the senior management team (or is even member of this team) Whoever is above you, you must report to (Authority), vertical way/lines -there are charts presenting the position of each task to reach the Mission HORIZONTAL STRUCTURE -How different people work together -Allows for cross-functional teamwork and exibility-they work across departments, allowing coordination and collaboration Can take various forms, e.g.: o Multi-functional teams o Standardised work processes o Informal channels o Council meetings o Communication guidelines fi fi fl   In MKTNG and CC it’s essential to have horizontal lines, they enable the companies to respond fast to issues, control, ensure messages -Horizontal lines avoid ghts, internal problems, caused by the Vertical Lines Vertical Lines and Horizontal Lines balance each other Coordination mechanisms Multi-functional teams: permanent or task force types -permanent types permanent, investor relation team which are very important stakeholders -task force team are created to solve a speci c problem, crisis, ideas Multifunctional teams, mechanism for coordination and integration of Different Communication disciplines there are also Ad Hoc teams, created to solve speci c tasks -Documents help with coordination improvements ow charts, process maps, formats -Informal channels = email, systems Council meetings are an ex. Of the horizontal structure used in multinational companies unites different communication systems discuss strategies, review past performances -Communication guidelines = agreed-on, procedures, design regulations, core values od the identity of a company Standardised work processes: e.g. ow charts, process maps and checklists they can help creating understanding across units, and teams, it’s something written to rely on Informal channels: email, phone, videoconferences, coffee machine, canteen, internal conferences and meetings etc. daily communication with people within your departments Council meetings: to discuss strategic communication issues and evaluate current and past performance multinational organizations are very dif cult to organise Communication guidelines: common work procedures, design regulations etc. DECENTRALIZATION -the more you decentralize, the less coordination you have (no authority) 3. CM in a Changing Media Environment Changing Media Environment Advances in media are both challenges and opportunities for organizations to communicate and engage with stakeholders new trends highlight the democratisation of the production and change models of communications many employees become Corporate Communicators themselves involving the organization in these developments might create new ways of reaching stakeholders, conversate more, elaborate key messages, interact more Bene ts and examples of new media IT’S A GAME CHANGER FOR CORPORATE COMMUNICATION These new media are more about proactive engagement within digital and web- based conversations, rather than control increasing internet access of individuals around the world= every individual clicking on a website, engages with it, so however has access to internet can become a publisher of content Of course, old medias (like newspaper) has suffered a signi cant decline in interest and use, as readers and users ock to the internet and to alternative sources. Social Media (SoME) = A group of Internet-based applications built on the ideological and technological foundations of Web 2.0 and that allow for the creation and exchange of user generated content. Social Media involve all kinds of digital technologies through which users can share, create, videos, photos, reshare. It became so popular in the early 2000 and the rst SoME was My Space, 2003 and then Facebook = takes the name from these Social Networks. Web 2.0= General ideological and technological shift in the use of online technologies Different from web 1.0, characterized by static pages (e.g. website) not yet providing interactive content. Old media communicated in a one way messaging techniques through which the organization speaks to the audience. The process of communication is largely initiated and determined by the     fi   fl fi  fl fi  fl fi fi fi fi  sending organization. => stakeholders just receive, can only decide to consume the message or not New media are a form of crowd-casting, enabling stakeholders of an org. to self organise as a crowd, to produce and disseminate content. - stakeholders aren’t passive BUT active participants, they engage - crowd-casting may involve organizations rst disseminating details of a speci c issue/ seeding a convo in a community From the organisation’s perspective it may include Push and Pull elements, where the org. rst engages a community of stakeholders and builds a network of participation Push= builds a network of participants Pull=harness the net for new insights SoMe change the way people communicate Democratization of the production and dissemination of news and information thanks to: I. Widespread internet and mobile access , it’s growing on a global level II. Availability of technology: every individual can become a global publisher of content decline in the use of old media III. Anyone of use can become a publisher of content, anytime anywhere through Social Media  ex. We become citizen journalist when witnessing something on the street/manifestation, we share it on the internet= Active role in collecting, publishing information SoMe change the way people communicate (about organizations): Starbucks example -Opened in 2008, but still really successful -Posts on SoMe are contribution of the users, of the customers, posting what they’re having, sharing their drinks -“My Starbucks idea” campaign in which they invited customers to create their innovative drinks/their idea ex free wi. Customization of drinks.Differences between the traditional and the new media environments: Shift and changes from classical model of CC 1. Organizations are realising they can’t have official relationship with media ➔ they shifted to online sites offering content of organizations (because everyone can become a publisher of content) 2. From a command-and-control model ➔ to more Interactive and free- owing conversations with stakeholders 3. From professional Corporate Communicators only ➔ to employees becoming informal corporate voices, any employee can be a voice in CC -The positioning model of communication is one where practitioners start with their own objectives, develop comm and plans, a Pr strategy and maintain a reputation => this no longer works with social media environment -shift to a wide generation of content about organizations = content generation de nes corporate communication as a joint activity between stakeholders => this model is more messy and open-ended, because with socials, there’s often unpredictable consequences. Social media presence is divided (from an organizational perspective) into: Owned Paid Earned Media this distinction is used to highlight how companies have become their own content generators in the form of media or channels -Directly Owned, such as company’s websites, blogs with branded contents -Partially owned, refers to channels, properties on Facebook, Youtube -Paid and Earned, refers to channels and media through which companies try to increase traf c to their owned properties, or simply try to spread a word on their company and its products and services Paid media refers to paid-for adverts, links or promotional banners on other social , such as Google Ads or even when brands pay in uencers to refer to a website, responsibility of Marketing professionals   fi fl fl fi fi fi fi fi  Earned media refers to online-generated word of mouth about an org., manifesting viral tendencies, mentions, shares, to third party website. This kind has been the responsibility of PR professionals  One emerging form of coordination is to have content creators across all 3 types of media , so that a coherent brand /organisational story can emerge. Content can be ampli ed through a mix of social sharing and traditional media relationsDifferences between owned, paid and earned media in an online setting Classifying social media Classifying social media Based on theories in the elds of: media research (social presence, media richness) social processes (self-presentation, self-disclosure) FIRST DIMENSION 1. Social presence theory: social presence = acoustic, visual and physical contact that can be achieved between individuals as they are communicating - in uenced by the intimacy (interpersonal vs. mediated) and immediacy (asynchronous vs. synchronous) of the medium - when social presence is high it leads to involvement, interaction and so more commitment 2. Media richness theory: richness = amount of information than can be transmitted in real time. A de ning characteristic of many social media is that they mimic personal face-to-face interactions and have almost comparable levels of richness. - some media are more effective in reducing ambiguity and uncertainty in communication - rich media allows a frequent updating of info, giving people the ability to share feedbacks, so they can build up common understanding SECOND DIMENSION, it considers the intentions and objectives of individuals when they use Social Media 1. Self-presentation theory: desire to in uence (in a positive way) the image or impressions other people form 2. Self-disclosure theory: conscious or unconscious revelation of personal information that is consistent with the image one would like to give (Ex. With strangers, when dating, for the sake of conversations). ➔ very important dimension, they make you understand how people communicate an image of themselves Scheme that considers both dimension It shows us which social media has higher engagement, high social presence or low. Blogs and Vlogs Controlled web-based medium, low media presence because they’re often just text-based exchanges Diary/journal style, reverse chronological order Bloggers control the information they publish and moderate non -authors’ comments Vlogs: similar to blogs, but with video content Corporate communication opportunities: monitor and engage with in uential bloggers and vloggers create and maintain a corporate blog (run by one or more company “spokesblogger/s”) “Fake blog”: written by an individual paid by a company -Corporate blogging allows stakeholders to engage in a direct/ un ltered conversation with the org. Collaborative projects Joint and simultaneous collaboration between individuals in an online setting Two main types: Wikis (e.g. Wikipedia); Social bookmarking applications (e.g. Pinterest) Corporate communication opportunities mainly related to company-speci c wikis: E.g. internal platforms for developing projects or content relevant to employees and their daily work Social networking sites = application that ensure presentation of our self image to others Personal information pro les Network or community of friends and/or colleagues , LinkedIn Relatively rich medium: Pictures, video, links, audio, instant messages, email… -E.g. Facebook, LinkedIn Corporate communication opportunities: communication fl fi fi fl fl fi fi fi fi  campaigns brand communities, to present a personal image for the company/brand data/research on consumers social commerce/distribution channel Content Communities - Applications for sharing media content – of different types, e.g.: Corporate communication opportunities: E.g. companies can set up a YouTube channel for: recruitment, keynote speeches, press announcements, corporate or brand adverts etc. But also risks, issue around copyrighted material and corporate documents shared without permission but still lots of advantages Virtual game worlds - “Massively multiplayer online role-playing game” (MMORPG) - Game rules restrict behaviors and avatars - Run online and supported by game consoles such as Microsoft Xbox and Sony PlayStation Corporate communication opportunities, e.g.: In-game advertising Brand or product as a main character or “tool” to complete the game Virtual words are the highest in presence and richness mimic human face to face interaction in a virtual environment. Virtual social worlds - Users (or “residents”) adopt a persona/virtual ego, an avatar and they interact with a three- dimensional virtual environment - Users live a virtual life with no rules restricting the range of possible identities and interactions Corporate communication opportunities: Externally, through ads and agship stores Internally, to foster interaction and knowledge exchanges between employees, organise meetings etc -This classi cation highlights different SoMe and their part in CC Social Media’s advantages are so clear, empowers individuals, citizens, to get involved in corporate issues. but the risks are to be considered as well, personal opinions and immediacy of the medium can be dangerous for an org. CORP COMM OPPORTUNITIES there are no rules and it’s still not clear how SoMe might evolve, how far technologies can push an org => there are no clear tested principles on their use, so struggling with SoME is normal Companies ought to track their use of Social Media Tools, track their effects. Opportunities ➔ Social media allow companies to engage more directly with costumers, employees and other stakeholders. These tools are more interactive and inclusive. The traditional one- way outreach of marketers is being complemented by the opportunity of having two-way conversations with stakeholders that might build reputational capital and brand equity. ➔ It allows the company to present a more human image of itself and to have a conversational voice (engaging and natural style). ➔ It may create a whole new range of stakeholder behaviours in support of the organization. They can now share experiences, opinions and ideas, disseminating corporate news among each other, wether bad or good. ➔ Individuals can self-organise and may become advocates for the organization. ➔ The in uence organisation have with nudging and priming is more indirect and not forced: they offer content that is suggestive and emotive, and they may trigger reactions, rather than clerks y directed to persuade. The advent of SoMe is another step in the integration of Marketing and Pr under the whole umbrella of CC - Socials might unify even more these two, engage directly with customers, employees and stakeholders (traditional one way marketing is being replaced) - SoMe used in a strategic way For some communicators SoME are seen as a vehicle for disclosing or exposing information that may be   fl fi   fl  harmful to an organisation. For some others, SoME are a conversation starter and as ways of co- creating corporate reputation with an organisation’s stockholders. In the co-creation view, reputation is an intangible asset that is established in relationship and thus co- constructed with stakeholders, reputation is shaped by the organisation as well as by the community it embraces. When communicators/practitioners and organizations operative form an opportunity pov they embrace the technology and move beyond the question of wether employees should or should nor be allowed to comment online. So, social media are changing the environment for CC. Communication practitioners need to work out with the best possible mix of on- and off-line media is for their organization and the brands they work for. 4.Stakeholder Management and Communication Managers of many corporate organizations realise that, more than ever, they need to listen to and communicate with a whole range of stakeholders groups to build and maintain the reputation of their companies. Stakeholder management The stakeholder perspective in business marks a move away from a neo-classical economic theory of organizations to a socio-economic theory. - Neo-classical: the purpose of organizations is to make pro ts in their accountability to themselves and to shareholders.- Socio-economic: not only shareholders are considered, but the concept is extended The evolution of stakeholder thinking From neo-classical theory: The organisation is the centre of the economy, where investors, suppliers and employees are depicted as contributing inputs => power lies in the organisation, on which the other parties are dependent and that the interest of these other parties and their relationship to the organisation are only nancial. purpose of organizations is to make pro ts accountability to themselves and shareholders -> focus on their interest and the people who invest in the stock market, and posses somehow, part of the org. “the business of business is business” and the “soulless corporation” (Friedman & Miles, 2006) Relations are based on nancial, economic relations input-output To stakeholder (or socio-economic) theory: - All persons/ groups who held legitimate interests in an organisation do so obtain bene ts, without any priority for one set of interests and bene ts over another - All the groups which have a legitimate “stake” in the organisation are recognised and the relationship of the organisation with these groups is not linear but one of interdependency. - accountability extends to groups important for the continuity of the organization and the welfare of society - organizations have moral/normative duties, not only economic/instrumental ones Accountability in the stakeholder model - Instrumental reasons: point to a connection between stakeholder management and corporate performance - Normative reasons: underline concepts such as individual or groups “rights”, “social contracts”, morality and so on The nature of stakes and stakeholder ▪ Stakeholder: is any group or individual who can affect or is affected by the achievement of the organisation’s purpose and objectives ▪ Stake: an interest or a share in an undertaking, that can range from simply an interest in an fi fi fi fi fi fi  undertaking at one extreme to a legal claim of ownership at the other extremeFreeman considered three types of stakes: - Equity stakes: held by those who have some direct “ownership” of the organisation, such as shareholders, directors, minority interest owners. - economic or market stakes: held by those who have an economic interest, but not an ownership interest, such as employees, customers, suppliers, competitors - in uencer stakes: held by those who do not either an ownership or economic interest in the actions of the of. (Consumers, advocate, environmental groups, trade organizations and government agencies). Clarkson divided stakeholders into two groups, thinking about wether the interest is primarily Eocnomy or moral in nature: - Primary stakeholders: important for nancial transactions and necessary for an organization to survive, without whose coni thing participation the organisation cannot survive - Secondary stakeholders: those who generally in uence or affect, or in uenced and affected by, the organisation, but they are not survival in strictly economic terms. They have a moral or normative interest in the organisation and have the capacity to mobilise public opinion on favour of against a corporation’s performance. A second way of viewing stakes is to consider wether stakeholders ties with an organisation are established through some form of contract or formal agreement: - Contractual stakeholders: those groups who have some form of legal relationship with the organisation of the exchange of goods or services. => customer, employees, suppliers = nature if their interest is economic in providing services or extracting resources form the organisation - Community stakeholders: those groups whose relationship with the organisation is non- contractual and more diffuse. Nonetheless it is real in terms of its impact => government, regulatory agencies, trade associations, media = important in providing the authority for an organisation to function, monitoring and public evaluating the conduct of business operations.Stakeholder communication The various stakeholders of the organization need to be identi ed and they must be addressed according to the stake that they hold. It’s important that an organization provides each stakeholder group with a speci c information and builds a strong reputation across exchanges with all of these stakeholders. For instance, nancial investors and shareholders will be provided with nancial information concerning the organisation’s strategy and operations, whilst customers and prospects need to be supplied with information about products and services. In order to do so, managers and communication practitioners typically start by identifying and analysing the organisation’s stakeholders, their in uence and interest in the organisation. In this way they have clearer idea what the information needs of stakeholders are, what speci c positions these have on an issue or in relation to a corporate activity, and what kind of communication strategy can be used to maintain support or counter opposition. There are 2 general mapping devices that managers use to identify stakeholders => mapping system that needs to be carried out on ongoing basis and performed in relation to issues / corp. decisions Stakeholder salience Stakeholders are identi ed/classi ed based on their salience to the organisation fl fi fi fi fi fl fi fl fi fi fi fl  => this is de ned as how visible/ prominent a stakeholder is to an organization based on its possessing one/more attributes = - POWER: to in uence an organization, to make decision that they would have not made otherwise. The ability of those who posses power to bring out the outcomes they desire. It has means to impose - LEGITIMACY: a stakeholder who possess credibility, authority, rightful, entitled to claim something. A generalised perception or assumption that the action of an entity are desirable, proper , appropriate - URGENCY: degree to which stakeholder claims call for immediate attention -> and their overlapping, means they can have a combination of these attributesLatent stakeholders groups which are groups possessing only one attribute: o Dormant stakeholders: perspective customers, they have the power to impose their will on others, but they don’t have a legitimate relationship/urgent claim, so their power stays dormant. But because of their potential to acquire a second attribute, practitioners should be aware of their impact on the organisation. o Discretionary stakeholders: they possess legitimate claims based on interactions with an organization but who have no power to in uence the organization, nor any claims. o Demanding stakeholders: when they only have urgency, but they have no power or legitimacy to enforce them. they can cause trouble, but not any of serious attention from communication practitioners. Expectant stakeholders are groups with two attributes: o Dominant stakeholders: who have loads of authority, powerful and legitimate claims giving a strong in uence to the org. Owners or institutional investors in the org o Dangerous stakeholders: employees who sabotage their own organization, have urgent claims but lack legitimacy. They may resort to coercion and even violence. o Dependent stakeholders: when employees have no power, they depend on the organization, they rely on others for the power to carry out their will, through the advocacy of the stakeholders. Have urgent, legitimate claims. The seventh and nal type of stakeholder group that can be identi ed is: o De nite stakeholder: those who have legitimacy, power and urgency. They need to be communicated with. Communication practitioners and other managers have a responsibility to give it priority and attention. Shareholders, for example, who are normally classi ed as dominant stakeholders, can become active when they feel their legitimate interests are not being served by the managers of the company in which they hold stuck. Based on the classi cation, communication practitioners can develop communication strategies to most appropriately deal with each stakeholder. ➔ Dominant and de nite stakeholders (employees, costumers and shareholders) need to be communicated with an on going basis: newsletter, corporate events and nancial reports, investors brie ng and the annual general meeting for shareholders. ➔ Organisation typically do not communicate on an ongoing basis with latent stakeholder groups, including dormant, demanding and discretionary stakeholders.The power-interest matrix -a second mapping device based on the same principles as stakeholder salience model => the objective is to categorise stakeholders on the basis of the power they posses, and what they are likely to have or show, an interest in the org.’s activities - Key players, their position towards the org. must be given key consideration, the need to be constantly communicated with - Keep informed, those who have high level of interest but low power and in uence, but need to be fi fl fi fi fl fi fi fi fl fi fi fi fl communicated with so they stay committed and spread good feedbacks - Keep satis ed, lack of interest, but they can exercise their power in reaction to some corporate activities/ decisions => practitioners must be sensitive to the possible movement of stakeholders from one quadrant to another this mapping devices give insights into whether stakeholders should only be kept informed of decisions of the org. or its stance on a particular issue, or instead stakeholders should be actively communicated with on an ongoing basis This shows the difference between a strategy of simply providing information / disseminating info with stakeholders in order to raise their awareness or use a strategy of actively communicating with stakeholders -Informational Strategy, it informs someone about something, such as press releases, reports on a company website, they create awareness of organization decisions, contributing to a degree of understanding -Persuasive Strategy, through campaigns, meetings, discussions with stakeholders, tries to change and tune knowledge, attitude and behavior of stakeholders. -Dialogue Strategy, in which org. and stakeholders mutually engage in an exchange of ideas and opinions. Stakeholders continuously communicate and are even involved into decisions. This strategy is characterised by mutual understanding and mutual decision. There’s a difference within: involving stakeholders, through social media conversation. -engaging stakholders to get their ongoing commitment through joint partnerships (most intense form of comm.)These three strategies have been described as a One way model, INFORMATIONAL There’s no listening to feedback, the aim is to make info available, not persuade them, it’s balanced (symmetrical) Two way asymmetrical model, PERSUASIVE It’s asymmetrical, unbalanced in favour of the org, it attempts to change the stakeholder’s attitudes and behaviour Two way symmetrical model, DIALOGUE Communication ows both ways, but the goal is to exchange views, reach mutual understanding A rich exchange involves the ability to provide immediate feedback between the 2 parties, the ability to personalise the message and adapt it, based on responses and the way the message is articulated.  face to face communication is the richest medium, it allows immediate feedback Stakeholder engagement The development of the relationship between the organization and its stakeholders is important, it strengthens the goodwill and reputation of the organization and to generally build more long-term and lasting relationships.  Opportunity to change the very nature of the relationship: - from management to collaboration - from exchange to engagement The old approach of stakeholder management consist of different practitioners and departments fi fl  “managing” interactions with stakeholders. The approach is to “buffer” the claims and interests ofstakeholders to prevent them from interfering with internal operations and instead trying to in uence their attitudes and opinions. The new approach involves emphasis on stakeholders relationships across the organisation. The aim is to build long-term relationships, or “partnerships” and to seek out those stakholders who are invested in more direct engagement and possibly collaboration. Dialogue strategy What makes a difference is the Dominant Logic, a collective cognitive construct that re ects how top managers conceptualise their business, which they reinforce though decisions, strategies and actions. - default logic may be a commercial one, where economic consideration and social value are seen to come at the expense of economic returns - Logic of senior managers may be one of collaboration for competitive gain, where companies collaborate with stakeholders to create value, gain advantage, reputation, and capacity for innovation - Extended logic, one of social value creation, not only for corp. organization, but also other actors and groups in society. The most complex for managers to work out, they have to think in a bidirectional way, recognise the interdependence between the wellbeing of the org but also society => Joint Value Creation ➔ while collaborating with stakeholders, companies devote time and resources to them they must develop a trusting relationship with stakeholders For competitive advantages to be achieved, the bene ts of engaging with stakeholders must exceed the costs -> the costs of stakeholder engagement include the time that managers spend on communicating and managing relationships with stakeholders. 5.Corporate Identity, Branding and Corporate Reputation One of the primary ways in which org. manage relationships with stakeholders is by building and maintaining their corporate reputations. -> which are established when org. communicates an authentic, unique and distinctive corporate identity towards stakeholders => such strong reputation leads stakeholders to support the org., invest, work for it => for customers it’s the way the org. presents itself and pushes consumers to buy/etc Organizations symbolically construct an image for themselves through their communication and how in turn that image leads them to be seen in particular symbolic terms by important stakeholders. CC is a matter of exchanging information with stakeholders and also as a casa of symbolically crafting and projecting a particular image of the organization. Investing in the development of corporate image for the organization has strategic advantages for organizations: o Distinctiveness, corp. image helps stakeholders to recognise the org. , creates awareness, triggers recognition, instil con dence. A clearer picture of the org, a strong image inside the organization (“we” feeling) , allows people to identify with their organisation.o Impact, corp. image provides a basis for being favoured by stakeholders. In turn, this may have a direct impact on the org. performance when stakeholders have to support the org., buying products and services. o Consistency, when they project a consistent image of themselves, they avoid crisis, con icts. Their consistency is essential, they have to keep sending out a strong image. fl fi fi  fl fl corporate image is an important part of corp comm, it’s the way the company aims to develop and build strong symbolic reputations with its stakeholders. The term corporate branding describes the way in which companies aim to develop and build strong symbolic reputations with their stakeholders. The term corporate identity nowadays encompasses all forms of communication and all forms of outward- facing behaviour in the marketplace. The Birkigit and Stadler’s model - Symbolism: corporate logos and the company house style - Communication: all planned forms of communication, including corporate advertising, events, sponsorship, publicity and promotions. - Behaviour: all behaviour of employees that leaves an impressione on stakeholders.  Through these 3 actions organizations communicate and project an image of themselves to their stakeholders. Implication of this model: - corporate identity is seen as a broad concept that encompasses more than corporate logos/ advertising campaigns. - this model suggests that corporate identity should emerge from an understanding of the organisation’s core mission, strategic vision and a more general corporate culture of an org Mission, what and who of the organisation. Vision, what business it is and what it wants to be appreciated for. Corporate personality It is the soul, the persona, the spirit, the culture of the organisation manifested in some way. Is based on a deeper patterns of meaning and sense-making if people within that same organization and includes the core values that de ne the organization. Corporate Identity - Is the tangible manifestation of a corporate personality. - It not only involves the visible outward presentation of a company, but also the set of intrinsic characteristics or “traits” that give the company its speci city, stability and coherence. Strategically projecting a particular positive image of the organization to build, maintain and project strong reputations with stakeholders, leads to stakeholders accepting and supporting the organization. We as customers, are stakeholders but also the Key Employee ➔ We identify the company thanks to the logos but also much more set of prede ned messages which represent the company, fonts. Gives organizations rst-choice status with investors, customers, employees and other stakeholders Originally corporate identity focused on logos and visual design -> Now encompasses all forms of communication, not just outward embodiment of company but also intrinsic characteristics/traits of company that provides speci city. Organisational Identity It is a notion added by French sociologist to distinguish the core values that internal people share within the organization. When internal members of an organisation strongly identify with those features and values, this leads to a sense of “oneness with the organisation”, meaning that they feel they belong to the organisation and personally embody its values.  Making sure that the corporate identity that is presented is rooted in the organisational identity not only offers a distinctive edge in the marketplace, but also ensures that the image that is projected is authentic, rather than cosmetic and also carried and shaped by members of the organization. fi fi fi fi fi Corporate Branding Surveys’ results declared that companies with strong reputation are characterised by high levels of Visibility, Distinctiveness, Authenticity, Transparency, Consistency in Corporate Communication  the idea of distinctiveness and uniqueness needs to be expressed throughout corporate identity. - Visibility = you have to be visible with your name - Distinctiveness = you have to distinguish yourself - Authenticity = about values - Transparency = credible and transparent - Consistency = every time I communicate smth I have to be coherent ➔ A key driver for the strength of an organization’s reputation is the degree to which the values that it communicates are not only authentic but also distinctive. ➔ Corporate branding has become so important in a company because it highlights the importance of distinctiveness, the org. is perceived as a brand, so a logical extension of the product branding approach.Types of Identity Structure - Monolithic , the corporate identity refers to a corporate brand structure, products and services, employee behaviour, are all label and branded with the same company name.  Disney, Coca-cola, Nike …alla a fully branded identity structure, the brand brings products and service to the marked each with their own brand name and values  Single all-embracing identity (products all carry the same corporate name) Sony, BMW, Virgin, Philips  companies with strong monolithic identities and so, reputation, can have a strong market value and save money - Endorsed Businesses and product brands are endorsed or badged with the parent company name General Motors, Kellogg, Nestlé, Cadbury - Branded Individual businesses or product brands each carry their own name, you don’t see the name (and are seemingly unrelated to each other) Procter & Gamble (Ariel, Ola) Electrolux (Zanussi), Unilever (Dove). Points of parity, features and associations not necessarily unique to the brand but that may be shared by other competing brands. May not be the prime reason for liking or choosing a brand, but their absence can certainly be a reason to exclude or discount a brand. Points of difference, is a feature/an association that stakeholders and consumers nd relevant and believe they cannot nd in other brands. Ir forms the basis for superiority over competing brands. The focus in corporate branding is on how an organization can formulate an enduring corporate identity that is relevant to all its stakeholders. ➔ Shultz emphasises that the core of corporate branding is the alignment between the company’s vision, culture and image: related to how the organization and its identity are seen by employees (culture), and the company’s external stakeholders and the vision of senior managers that adds a strategic dimension. ➔ The role of all employees is much more important in corp. branding because they are all brand ambassadors of the organization -> workers are given manuals or instructions to ensure that they live and enact it as daily job Aligning identity, image and reputation To manage the company’s reputation strategically, it’s important to achieve alignment or transparency between internal identity and external image.  Transparency, a state in which internal identity of the rm re ects positively the expectations of the stakeholders and beliefs of these stakeholders, about the rm re ect accurately the internally held identity. Corporate practitioners are aware of the importance of alignment between the organisational culture, fi fi fi fl fl fi  experienced by employees, the corporate vision, the corporate image /reputation in the minds of external stakeholders (if these aren’t aligned, there’s problems). In order to analyse the alignment between the org. visions, culture and image/reputation we take in consideration the toolkit of Hatch an Schultz, based of 3 : THREE TOOLKIT ELEMENTS Vision: senior management’s aspirations for the organization Culture: the organization’s values as felt and shared by all employees of the organization Image: the image or impression that outside stakeholders have of the organization✓ 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 Diagnostic questions => they relate to a speci c interface between the elements and are meant to identity the alignment between them. Vision-culture gap: diagnostic questions that involves the interface between vision and culture -> how managers and employees are aligned ✓Does the organization practice the values it promotes? ✓Does the organization’s vision inspire all its subcultures? ✓Are the organization’s vision and culture suf ciently differentiated from those of its competitors? If there’s a misalignment ex. Senior managers might establish a vision that is too ambitious for the organization to implement and it’s not supported by its employees Image-culture gap: diagnostic questions which involves the interface between culture and image, it is meant to identify potential gaps between the values of employees and the perceptions of stakeholders outside of the organisation. ✓What images do stakeholders associate with the organization? ✓In what ways do its employees and stakeholders interact? ✓Do employees care what stakeholders think of the organization? leads to confusion amongst stakeholders about what a company stands for, ex. Employees of the organization may not practice what the company preaches in advertising. Image-vision gap: diagnostic questions which addresses the interface between vision and image ->if management is taking the organization in a direction that it’s stakeholders support ✓Who are the organization’s stakeholders? Who do I talk to ✓What do the stakeholders want from the organization? ✓Is the organization effectively communicating its vision to its stakeholders? when org. do not suf ciently listen to their stakeholders and create strategic visions that are not aligned With these questions, organizations may monitor the alignment between their vision, culture and image so they can make adjustments, allowing to spot gaps that need to be repaired. Corporate organizations bene t from continuously analysing the alignment between their vision, culture and image and so in the context of changing and shifting stakeholder expectations over time. As stakeholders' expectations are continuously shifting, this may be the downfall for some companies, but, at the Sam stime, it also creates opportunities for others to change their identities and make the most of the changing scene in the industry.  When should organisations decide to go for a full scale of their identity in a changing environment? This requires not only a great deal of foresight, but also a considered judgement. Hatch and Shultz are against hyper-adaptation which leads organisations to quickly fashioning images to meet with eeting stakeholder expectations.6.Communication Strategy and Strategic Planning  fl fi fi fi fi  The process of communication strategy Managing corp comm requires communication strategy that shows a direct direction for the org, describes the activities of practitioners to reinforce the reputation amongst stakeholders.  starts with formulating a desired reputational position, how it wants to be seen and then it’s put into communication programs and campaigns aimed at internal/external audience. Communication strategies involve: - Bringing stakeholder reputations in line with the vision of the organization -> tries to align what is the mind of stakeholders, and what’s in the mind of the company.  Corporate reputation (how the company is) and Vision (how it wants to be seen) - Reinforcing existing reputations of stakeholders if broadly in line with how the organization wants itself to be seen. If the reputation is the same desired by the organization, we just need to reinforce it, because otherwise it fades away. Example: Apple is the company with the highest reputation in the world Strategy making 1. Strategy formation consists of a combination of planned and emergent processes. It combines rational process, in which visions, objectives are articulated and worked into programs and actions, and more emergent processes in which actions emerge /fall within the scope of the organisation. pre structures/ annually planes programs and campaigns or more ad-hoc response. 2. Strategy involves a general direction and not simply plans/tactics the whole organization’s direction and positioning in relation to stakeholders in its environment for a longer period of time. 3. Strategy is about the organization and its environment. It emphasises for managers to make long- term strategic choices, that are feasible in the organization’s environment, ex. Balancing mission and vision with what the environment allows from a strategic perspective, corp. comm is an important Boundary-Spanning function between the org. and the environment => acts as an Interface, helps to gather, relay and interpret information Strategic intent  The change or consolidation in the company’s reputation that is intended  Suggests a set of communication tactics and activities that aim to affect awareness, knowledge and behavior of important stakeholders  tactics are the single actions that allow you to follow that route towards the goal (strategy), without a strategy, tactics aren’t effective At a corporate level where strategy is concerned with corp mission and vision, communication practitioners can: aid senior managers in developing strategies for interaction with the environment support strategic decision-making through their environmental scanning activities = assist corp. strategy in analysing the org. position and identifying emerging issues that may have signi cant implications. comm practitioners can also bring identity questions and perspectives into the strategic management process Comm. Practitioners facilitate the implementation of corp. strategy by helping to communicate the org’s strategic intentions to internal and external stakeholders ➔ In a successful company, the corp. communication strategy and the overall strategy of the org are AlignedThe depictions that are made at the level of the corporate communication strategy need to be translated onto speci c communication programmes for different stakeholders. Rollins, CEO of Dell: “ the job of a senior manager is to determine which elements of the overall strategy you want to communicate to each constituency. Break messages up into pieces and try to give the right fi fi piece to the right audience.” => Model of strategy and communication strategy are seen as interrelated layers in the strategy making structure: ➔ The corporate strategy is the company that wants to go somewhere ➔ The communication strategy is the translation of corporate strategy into communication goals => what happens in communication can help the company to develop their strategies Strategy making fares better when it doesn’t follow a rigid structure, hierarchical top-down process, it should be more exible Comm. Practitioners pass their ideas in relation to stakeholders at the functional level of the CEO and senior management level and they start revisioning corporate strategy in terms of how the org. needs to build and maintain relationships with org. stakeholders who have power to in uence the successful realisation of corp. goals. -Comm Practitioners need to have knowledge of the industry in which the org operates, and of the nature of strategy making process => strategic view of how communication can contribute to corp and market strategies -Senior comm. professionals are actively consulted concerning the effects of certain business actions on a company’s reputation with stakeholders. BUT many comm practitioners do not always meet the requirements for competencies and skills associated with manager role Strategy formation consists of a combination of planned and emergent processes: Strategy involves a general direction and not simply plans or tactics Stratge Strategy is about the organization and its environment Strategies depends on the type of company: Top down= from the top management to the audiences Bottom Up= you do a series of action in order to lead the audiences to decide the strategy of the company ->They take feedback from normal people/users Strategic messaging and content platforms The content of a communication strategy is in uenced by the process by which it is offend and by the different individuals and layers in the organisation who have had a stake in it. Strategic intent  Reputation-vision gap forms the basis for the formulation of a strategic intent  The strategic intent is the change or consolidation in the company’s reputation that is intended.  It is translated into strategic messages- or content platforms- that are designed to change or reinforce perceptions in line with the vision of how an organization wants itself to be known.STAGES IN FORMULATING THE CONTENT OF A COMMUNICATION STRATEGY Strategic Intent -> themed messages ->messages styles 1. Where we want to go 2. Message are the building blocks of what we say, it’s like story telling 3. What styles to adapt to communicate properly, like the de nition of the messages is focusing on what I want to say and how Themed messages are direct translations of strategic intent: they emphasise an aspect that the organization wants to become associated with in the minds of important stakeholder groups. These messages are in turn fl fl fi fl  marked as relevant content areas that the organisation wishes to publish and communicate; content that it hopes will then translate into real changes to its reputation. ➔ news story, advert, blogs, post , any form of communication translated into different message style Alternative message styles There are various ways to communicate themes messages. That can be divided into three categories: - Functional orientation Functionally orientated messages refer to tangible, physical or concrete capabilities or resources of an organisation.  Rational message style De nition: a superiority claim based on actual accomplishments or delivered bene ts by the organisation Conditions: most useful when the point of difference cannot be readily matched by competitors Content: informational in the form of a claim that is supported with information as the ground for the claim - Symbolic orientation Symbolically oriented messages appeal to the psychological needs, preferences and experiences of stakeholders.  Symbolic association style De nition: a claim based on psychological differentiation through symbolic associations Conditions: best for homogeneous organizations where differences are dif cult to develop or easily duplicated, or for messages around areas such as CSR ( corporate social responsibility) or social capital that are dif cult 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 recognised values or symbols.  Emotional message style De nition: attempts to provoke involvement and positive reactions through a 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 speci c positive or negative emotions (romance, nostalgia, guilt, disgust, regret, joy, fear) - Industry orientation An industry oriented message style does not necessarily use any particular type of functional or psychological appeal, but is designed to achieve an advantage over competitors in the same industry Generic message style De nition: a straight claim about industry or cause with no ascoltino of superiority Condition: a monopoly or an extreme dominance industry Content: a general claim (to stimulate demand for product category or raise awareness of cause)  Pre-emptive message style De nition: a generic claim with a suggestion of superiority Condition: changing industry, allowing a company to take a position on an issue connected to that industry Content: a claim of industry-wide leadership on a relevant issue or capability The message styles should not be seen as mutually exclusive, in fact organizations may use different styles to communicate different messages to different stakeholders. Planning and executing communication programmes and campaigns A communication programme involves a coherent set of activities targeted at internal and external audiences, which may include outreach activities etc.. fi fi fi fi fi fi fi fi fi  Communication program -a formulated set of activities towards targeted internal and external audiences, which may include outreach activities, community initiatives and other ways in which organizations and their employees communicate with stakeholder audiences, and has no pre-set endpoint => It’s broader concept Communication campaign -restricted to the use of a mediated form of communication (e.g., mass media advertising) towards speci c stakeholder audiences and they are restricted to a single point in time and they build a decision point for stakeholders => they are short-lived and focuses on a single event or activity, such as a product launch. The process of planning communication programmes and campaigns Step 1: Strategic intent Formulates a change or consolidation of stakeholder reputations of the organization Is based upon the gap between how the organization wants to be seen by important stakeholder groups and how it is currently seen by each of those groups It articulates a set of general goals at the level of the reputation of the organization. Step 2: De ne communication objectives Appeal to stakeholders with a particular message so that they react favourably to it and change or consolidate a speci c supportive behaviour towards the organization Should be as tightly de ned as possible: SMART Decide to develop speci c programmes or campaigns for each stakeholder or whether develop a general corporate programme that addresses all of them Should be as tightly de ned as possible: - Speci c: specify what it is that the practitioner wants to achieve - Measurable: able to measure enter they are meeting the objectives or not - Achievable: achievable in the light of current stakeholder reputations of the organisation and the competitive landscape - Realistic: in the light of the resources and budget that are provided- Timely: specify the time frame in which they need to be achieved Step 3: Identify and prioritise target audiences Segment those groups into more speci c target audiences that are prioritised for a particular program or campaign To select and prioritise stakeholders, use of stakeholder salience model and power-interest matrix (lectures on stakeholder management) Step 4: Identify themed messages Decide upon a core message that can be translated into a speci c campaign format and message style Themed messages may relate to the organization as a whole or to more speci c areas such as products and services, CSR or nancial performance Step 5: Develop message styles Use multiple message styles simultaneously to communicate with different target audiences Organizations often use the same message style to communicate about certain speci c areas (e.g. CSR) the use of a particular message style depends on certain conditions and expectations of stakeholders Step 6: Develop a media strategy Identify the most effective and ef cient means of reaching the target audiences within the given budgetary constraints Decide upon the right mix of media for a particular communication program or campaign Step 7: Prepare the budget Most of the budget will be spent on media buying fi fi fi fi fi fi fi fi fi fi fi fi fi  Based upon the budget, practitioners may have to revise the previous steps and select a different mix of media and/or adjust communication objectives ➔ Finally the entire programme of campaign will be evaluated. It’s effectiveness depends on the basis of the process and communications affects. Summing up – Some key terms Boundary-spanning: the role of CC to act as an intermediary between the organization and external stakeholders Corporate communication strategy: the general set of communication objectives and related communication programmes chosen by the organization to support the corporate strategy Strategic intent: the general direction of an organization, articulated in objectives, together with the general pattern of actions to achieve those objectives Themed messages: messages identi ed as central to the organizational reputation and designed to change or reinforce stakeholder perceptions in line with the corporate vision Message styles: the ways in which a message is given form and delivered to a target audience (e.g. rational, symbolic association, emotional, generic, pre-emptive) 7.Research and Measurement Today’s agenda Practical issues around research and measurement ✓ Research and evaluation as part of corporate communication ✓ Methods for evaluating the effects of communication programmes and campaigns ✓ Methods for measuring corporate reputation Theories on measuring the effects of communication Research and measurement as the cornerstone of professional corporate communication Research can improve value given to corporate communication by senior management: necessary for corporate communicators to be taken seriously so that they become part of decision-making on corporate strategy and actions Research is important to gather feedback on communication strategies and more generally to get a sense o fughe overall pro le and reputation that are attributed to an organisation. Research gives a direct assessment, indicating if objectives were achieved, guiding communication practitioners to either reinforce or revamp their communication to stakeholders. ✓ Evaluative role: track changes in corporate reputation ✓ Formative role: demonstrate whether communication strategies are working and/or need to be revised Research - Data - Information - Insights – Evaluation Research: “Any creative systematic activity undertaken in order to increase the stock of knowledge, including knowledge of man, culture and society, and the use of this knowledge to devise new applications” (OECD de nition Glossary of Statistical Terms) Data = Data is a raw and unorganised fact that required to be processed to make it meaningful Information = Information is a set of data which is processed in a meaningful way according to the given requirement. Information is processed, structured, or presented in a given context to make it meaningful and useful fi fi fi  Insight = the act or result of apprehending the inner nature of things or of seeing intuitively (Merriam- Webster) Evaluation: use of research for informing and assessing the conceptualisation, design, execution and effects of communication programmes and campaigns Research and evaluation Communication practitioners use research throughout the planning, execution and evaluation stages of a particular programme or compaigns. Using research throughout the planning process helps in delivering results and imps improving on past performance. It also gives much needed credibility with other senior managers in the org. Research gives them an indication of what communication is contributing to the organisation and its objectives in light of the budget and resources investe in corporate communication. ➔ Research simply is about collecting information, which can be done through various methods: Informal research o Casual interactions with key stakeholders or experts o Helps develop a better understanding of problems informing a communication programme o It is likely to be unrepresentative Formal research Systematic data-gathering methods that are sensitive to issues of representativeness Focus groups Taped and recorded Qualitative analysis; not number counting Surveys Structured questionnaires Involves advanced statistical analysis Content analysis: to describe communication content in a quantitative, numerical form. Describes numerical analysis of communications materials  Research and evaluation cycle seen as part of a cycle of interrelated activities: - Audit: taking stock and analysing of data. Also called “formative research”, because it is the data on which practitioners will build their communication programme or compaigns - Objectives: setting objectives in line with the organization’s general business objectives, specifying them in measurable terms - Planning and execution: deciding on the design and execution of the programme, probably involving a pre-testing of messages and of the choice of media channels and tactics. - Measurements and evaluation: monitor the execution, to see if the desire results are achieved or if the campaign needs to be adjusted. - Results: assessments of the overall post-programme/campaign results, identifying may potential issues or Lea pruning points that may inform the audit stage and a new circle of activity. Evaluation is here broadly de ned as the use of the research for informing and assessing the conceptualisation, design, execution and effects of communication programmes or campaigns. The Barcelona Principles 2.0 - 2015 Goal setting and measurement are fundamental to communication and public relations: A holistic approach that includes traditional and social media; keeping aware of changes in variables. Making goals qualitative and quantitative as well as integrating SMART criteria evaluation across all channels  fi  Measuring communication outcomes is recommended versus only measuring outputs: Applying standards best practices in target audience research. The effect on organizational performance can and should be measured where possible :[ Demand for models to evaluate the impact on target audiences and survey research (ex. Pro tability, customer quality, revenue, market share, and customer retention) it’s about understanding what is happing in the audiences, you need to learn and research Measurement and evaluation require both qualitative and quantitative methods: Measuring impressions among stakeholders, target audience, and the quality of media coverage. Measuring positive, negative, and neutral progress not only success AVEs are not the value of communication. Advertising Value Equivalent = how much it would cost to have to same kind of space you have in an article, if you had to buy that space (but with advertising costs) Instead use negotiated advertising rates relevant to the client, quality of coverage, and physical space or time of the coverage related to the portion of the coverage that is relevant Social media can and should be measured consistently with other media channels (ex number of likes, and what kind of engagement you receive in a speci c post) Focus measurement on engagement, “conversation” and “communities”, not just “coverage” or vanity metrics Measurement and evaluation should be transparent, consistent and valid Ensure integrity, honesty, openness, and ethical practices. Recognize and potential biasing effects in the research itself, or broader societal context It’s easy to direct the mind of the people and in uence them, but what differentiates manipulation Methods and measurements Research focuses on the number of people in the target audience who have seen the message, digested it and have in turn changed their views of and behaviours towards the organisation in a favourable way. The table describes a number of research Methods that communication practitioners can use for such effects: Qualitative methods are open in their design, inviting respondents to describe an organization on their own words, which generally leads to rich descriptions and insights - Interviews: are semi-structured (general questions about campaign elements, ample space do the respondent to articulate their views in detail), the advantage of the interview methods is that it is tuned to individual respondents and allows them to answer freely. - Focus groups: bring together an entire group of people form the target audience, which is asked to articulate its general views of the organization during a brainstorming. After that, the group is shown examples form the communication programme or campaign and asked whether this changed or reinforced their views. It only captures the views of a limited group of people. Quantitative methods are more closed techniques of data collection and analysis and ask to rate the organization and its campaigns on a set of ore-de ned questions comparison. - Survey: more structured design. Respondents respond to various statements describing the campaign, indicating to what extent they agree or disagree with. Easy to administer, but not able to capture richness and detail of more open methods. - Panel study: longitudinal study that permits practitioners to collect data over time. They record changes in each sample member over time, by having the same participants complete questionnaires. It allows them to document the effectiveness over time of a particular     fi fl fi fi   programme/campaign.Besides choosing a particular method, communication practitioners also need to determine what general effect form the basis of their research and evaluation. Being precise about the effect of effects that are of interest and about how such effects can be measured is crucial. Some effects are based on directly identi able or observable variables, other effects relate to broader concepts or constructs, such as a company’s trust, legitimacy or reputation. These effects are typically a composite of more speci c cognitive, emotional and behavioural variables. Trust, for instance, depends on knowledge and a strong emotional effect. Measuring corporate reputation Many communication practitioners measure reputations with stakeholders to understand what stakeholders think of an organization, whether this is in line with the projected corporate identity of the organization. This kind of research is carried out in a continuous basis to capture stakeholder support for the org. Moreover, comm. Pract. Carry out this kind of reputational research to nd out what values the company is known and respected for. This will provide them with an important strategic indication as to whether the company’s identity is at all valued: if not, managers may want to rede ne their organisation, strategies and operations with values that di matter to stakeholders and make a difference (chapter 5); or if the company has been successfully communicated: if not, management needs to rethink the company’s stakeholder engagement programmes and the visibility and effectiveness of the communication campaign (chapter 6). Getting feedback from reputation research is an important step in the process of developing and re ning corporate communication strategies. Such feedback can be gathered through two broad types of reputation research: Publicly syndicated rankings Company-speci c reputation research A corporate reputation is not just a general impression but an evaluation of the rm by stakeholders. Can be de ned as a subject’s collective representation of past images of an organisation over time. While, corporate image is an immediate set of associations of an individual in responses to one or more messages form or about a particular organization, at a single point of time. qualitative techniques are more open in nature; they allow selected stakeholders to delve into their associations with the organization as they see them. This usually provides very rich and anecdotal data of stakeholder views of the company. Quantitative research leads to more discrete data that can be statistically manipulated, but is less rich and may also be less insightful. The choice of either qualitative or quantitative research techniques is based on content issues as well as pragmatic and political considerations. Qualitative techniques are chosen when the attributes upon which an organization is rated are simply not yet known, or when there is a need for a comprehensive, detailed fi fi fi fi fi fi fi fi  and rich account of stakeholders' perceptions of and associations with the organization.Quantitative surveys are preferred when the attributes upon which an organization is rated are to a large extent known, allowing for a structured measurement across large sections of stakeholder groups. Many organizations also opt for quantitative surveys as these are relatively easy to administer and process, and as they provide them with a "tangible' indication? Theories on measuring the effects of communication In the early 70s, Mendelssohn elaborated a more realistic diagnosis of effects and a more optimistic prognosis for communcation practitioners: Campaigns often failed because communicators over promised, assumed audiences would automatically receive and accept messages. Mendelssohn also offered a prescription for communicators: target your messages and set reasonable goals and objectives, that are achievable and demonstrate a sound knowledge of the current levels of awareness.  Essentially, it’s a critique of traditional linear models of communication and communication effects McGuire formulated the effect model, which is based on the assumption that campaign messages have to achieve several intermediate steps before a member of a target audience moves form exposure to a message to actual desired behavioural change. Exposure: necessary step for any effect in a target audience Communicators need to be clear about the message and the message style, and need to design messages in such a way that they attract attention, with catchy or counter-intuitive phrases. Messages will sustain attention and will trigger the interest or involvement of the target audience. The bene ts offered in a message, whether functional or emotional, essentially need to outweigh the cost and must seem realistic and easy to obtain. The hierarchy of effects model has a limitation: it incorporates the assumption that recipients of a campaign will process messages in a logical way, carefully considering the message in a rational manner. However, some messages and message styles appeal to emotions or symbolic values and association. Tow alternative theoretical models: - ELM (elaboration likelihood model) -> people process messages differently depending on their involvement with an issue. - Framing model -> assume that messages consist in three parts: the activation of an overall frame in terms of certain keywords, the manifest or latent reasoning or arguments as part of that frame and the connection with deeper and culturally shared categories of understanding and legitimise the farming as a whole. => it is about selecting and highlighting certain dimension of an issue 8. Media Relations Media relation involves managing communication and relationships with the media – all the writers, editors fi  and producers ho contribute to and control what appears in the print, broadcast and online news media.From a corporate communication standpoint, these new media are important as channels for generating publicity and because their coverage of business new may in uence many important stakeholders, including investors, customers and employees. ➔ The news media are an important “conduit” for reaching stakeholders. Journalism and news organization The production of news content typically involves two levels: - Journalists (individual basis): consult sources and write news stories - Other parties (e.g. Copy editors): edit stories before they make it into print, based on their news routine  At the level of new routines there are many people involved in the writing process who affect the story: o Fact checker: veri ed that names (people, org., places) mentioned are spelled correctly o Copy editors: check that quotes are appropriately attributed to minimise con ict and controversy o Layout and design specialists:check if word don’t go over a certain limit and if the story is designed within the format of the outlet and attract people. o Newspaper editor: decide if an article should be a front-page article (for much broader audience) or be a business news story. When there is a strong set of news routines within a news organization it means that the journalist is writing for the needs of the editorial desk so which they are assigned. While, when news routines are absent or less strong there may be more exibility for a journalist (e.g. internet blog)  For journalist, writing for the needs of the desk is their way of ensuring that their story makes it into print. Moreover, they don’t have a say in the nal printed story, nor on the headline or which paragraphs will be included with their story. These decision lie with their editors, including the front page editors, national editors, business/ nancial editors and arts/community editors. New routines within a media organization may also re ect a certain ideology or political orientation that is shared by journalists and editors of that organisation. This is sometimes described as “Media logic” , which refers of the ideological frame of reference of a news organisation, which in uences how editors and journalists se, interpret and cover political, corporate and social affairs. Example: - The New York Times -> “the editor’s paper - The Washington Post -> “the reporter’s paper” The effect of news coverage on corporate reputation Media coverage= the attention and exposure received by a person, brand, event, or topic in various forms of media, including print, broadcast, and digital platform. Media coverage does not strictly determine a company's reputa