Communicating Strategically

Communication Theory
Most of the corporate communication theories have its roots in Aristotle’s work. Modern communication theory has three components: organization, constituency and messages that can be related to Aristotle’s speaker, the person to be addressed and the subject respectively. The Corporate Communication Strategy framework is circular rather than linear which proves that communication is an ongoing process rather than one with the beginning and an end.

Developing Corporate Communication Strategies

Setting an Organization Strategy
To develop an effective communication strategy the organization needs to define an organization strategy, which includes three subsets:

Determining objectives – The organization needs to reason out the need to communicate. It may aim to communicate messages to its employees with accuracy to avoid chaos or to its other constituencies. Response of the constituencies is important.
Determining Resource availability – Before communicating anything to the constituencies the organization needs to check the availability of resources like money, human resource and time.
Diagnosing the organization’s reputation – Organization needs to analyze what kind of reputation it has in the minds of the constituencies. Based on the kind of the reputation it can formulate the strategies.

Analyzing Constituencies
Organization needs to analyze who its constituencies are. Different companies have different constituencies based on the nature, size and reach of their business. Constituencies’ attitude towards the organization is also an important factor to be considered while formulating the strategies for communication. If the company has a good reputation it can be easier to reach the objectives and if it is lacking communication can be problematic. Constituencies’ attitude towards communication itself is also important. The topic to be communicated should be known to the constituencies’ that can make to information transfer easier.

Appropriate delivery of messages – proper channel, structure and response

The messages to be delivered should be through a proper channel, which the organization needs to decide and the approach of delivering the message too has to be determined. Various channels of communications are available for the organization to communicate. It has to make a choice depending upon the constituencies to be addressed. Structuring of the messages can be done in direct or an indirect way. The company needs to decide when to use the direct way and when the indirect one. However, the companies need to be direct with its constituencies as indirect communication can be confusing and difficult to understand. After communicating the message through a proper channel to the constituencies, organizations must access the result or take necessary feedback to determine whether the communication had the desired result. Based on the responses and feedback organization can make the necessary modifications or revise the message for easy understanding.


References and links

www.uwgb.edu/clampitp/Corpcomm/Introd. -%20Strategy%20for%20PR-CC.ppt

Internal Communications: Today’s Strategic Imperative - Dolphin, Richard R Journal of Marketing Communications; Sep2005, Vol. 11 Issue 3, p171

Communicators comment on changing communication strategies
Communication World, June-July, 1991

Experiences

Big Bazaar, a chain of hyper market in India is known for its low prices. Being a regular visitor I notice that the share has clearly defined its organization’s objective to increase the sale and offer the customer lowest prices possible. For this information to pass on to different constituencies the store advertises in newspapers and television. It takes regular feedback regarding its services from the customer and improves the service. It also keeps in mind the reputation a consumer has about the store and delivers services accordingly. The company website helps the external constituencies like the investors, government etc to know the company better.

Kingfisher airlines objective is to make the flying experience of the customer a memorable one, as it is shown in its tagline “Fly the Good times”. The company has the necessary resources like sufficient time, manpower and money to improve the in-flight experience of its customers. It has good reputation in the minds of its constituencies which makes it easier for the company to communicate. The company makes use of proper channels for advertisements regarding its services. It uses the direct approach to structure information. Customers can directly mail the CEO personally and he responds to their complaints. A feedback is taken regularly from the passengers during the flight to improve the services.