COM2602 – Study Notes
Study Unit 1 –Communication and the Organisation
Overview
Communication is the glue that binds the organisation together.
It is the lifeblood of an organisation
It plays a vital role in the organisation’s existence.
Communication Dimensions:
Business Communication
Management Communication
“Academic” organisational Communication
“Professional” Organisational Communication
Corporate Communication
Public Relations
Marketing Communication
Strategy
Strategy extensions and levels
Strategy Communication
Communication Strategy
Communication of Strategy
Communication in the organisation
Communication has internal Dimensions (Communication between departments)
Communication has external Dimensions (Communication with students etc)
Sometimes achieves short-term effects
Sometimes achieves Long-term effects
What is an Organisation:
The term “Organisation” implies a certain structure or arrangement of parts or sections.
Can also be interpreted as a collection of individuals who work together towards a common
purpose.
Fields of Communication in the organisation
Business Communication:
Definition: Communication used to attain a business goal
Origins:
One of the oldest forms of communication.
Reaches back to the earliest times of commercial activity.
Became more formalised at the land grant colleges in the USA from the 1860’s
It became firmly established in the 1970s and the first journal on the subject was published
in the 1980s.
Major Emphasis
Business communication is communication used to attain a business objective.
Many business communication courses offer skills orientation and emphasise business
writing, speaking and technical communication.
, Originally, the scope of business communication was not universal; it focused more on
communication within organisations defined as businesses than on the communication
practised by other organisations.
Today, academia also pays more attention to communication relating directly to business,
and less to communication falling outside the business context.
Areas of Interest/Scope
Internal and external communication
Primary interest in written communication – Includes some oral communication
Dyadic communication is strongly emphasised
Small degree of interest in communication between groups
Methods/Means
Orientated towards practical intervention in practice
Aimed at better performance
Generation and integration of theory
Attempts to understand and describe business communication not extensive
Objectives/Goals
Overwhelmingly focused on methods and skills
Demonstrates few of the characteristics of a discipline
Limited theoretical foundation
Management Communication:
Definition: Management’s use, adaptation, and creation of languages, symbols and signs for
profitable management of the corporate enterprise.
Origins:
Like a number of other fields that fall within the scope of applied communication,
management communication has its roots in rhetoric, although it also draws strongly from
management.
It became firmly established in the 1970s and the first journal on the subject was published
in the 1980s.
Major Emphasis
The dominant focus areas of this type of communication are, first, writing and second,
speaking and presentations.
Some attention is also given to other topics that exist at the intersection of management and
communication.
Management communication is interested in external communication to only a limited
degree, as its emphasis is on internal communication.
It focuses on communication at the levels of both the individual and the group.
Areas of Interest/Scope
Limited interest in external communication
Emphasis on internal communication
Communication at the levels of the individual and the group
Methods/Means
Strongly focused on the application of communication theories, methods and techniques of
management
, Greater emphasis on intervention and less on research and theoretical analysis and
synthesis
Objectives/Goals
Focuses fairly strongly on methods and skills
Has a substantial theoretical base
May be characterised as a discipline and a coherent field of study
As a discipline, does not demonstrate the same depth as e.g. academic organisational
communication
Corporate Communication:
Definition: Communication both inside and outside an organisation, with a clear management
perspective
Origins:
Corporate communication has developed in parallel with a number of other academic fields,
but most specifically with public relations.
It flourishes as a functional corporate activity and as an academic field within faculties of
business, marketing and management, and less so in departments of communication.
Corporate communication has developed primarily from the need that has been identified
within companies to address the full scope of communication both inside and outside the
organisation, and to do so with a clear management perspective.
Major Emphasis:
It has been described as the technical information system of the corporation; the marketing
of an organisation’s products and corporate image; the development and maintenance of
the corporate image through design; and the communication that is required to achieve the
overall objectives of the corporate strategy.
The field typically covers corporate image and identity, corporate advocacy and advertising,
media relations, financial communication, employee communication, community relations
and corporate philanthropy, government relations and crisis communication.
In addition, corporate communication focuses on the management of communication with
all stakeholders (internal and external).
Communication in the corporate field is mostly oriented towards groups.
Areas of Interest/Scope
Management of communication with all stakeholders (internal and external)
Communication mostly orientated towards groups
Limited interest in dyadic communication
Methods/Means
Traditionally focused on intervention
Extensive increase in research and theoretical development in the last two decades
Objectives/Goals
Strongly focused on the generation of effective and efficient skills and methods of operation
Demonstrates, through recent work, significant disciplinary traits with a sound theoretical
foundation
, Public Relations:
Definition: The management, through communication, of perceptions and strategic relationships
between an organisation and its internal and external stakeholders’
Origins:
Public relations originated as a practical means of generating favourable publicity and
interest in a topic, product or event and was (and is still) practised as one-way persuasive
communication.
However, despite this it is being approached more and more as a ‘participative dialogue’ or
twoway communication these days.
Public relations is an organisational activity as it exists as a business process and, in many
cases, as a distinct department or unit within an organisation.
It also exists as an outsourced function offered by consultants, specialists and public
relations companies.
Major Emphasis:
These deal primarily with the management and implementation of organisational
communication, in very much the same areas as those covered by corporate
communication.
It focuses on the management of perceptions and strategic relationships between an
organisation and its internal and external stakeholders through communication.
Academically it has been studied and taught primarily in faculties of journalism and
communication studies.
A mix of theory and practical skills is taught
Areas of Interest/Scope
More active in external communication
Limited internal focus
Addresses communication at the interface between an organisation and its stakeholders
Emphasis on mass and group communication
Interpersonal communication forms a smaller, but significant, area of focus.
Methods/Means
Focused on practice and professional application
Has generated extensive body of theory and research
Most theoretical interest on application in narrow areas of practice
Objectives/Goals
Very similar to corporate communication
Marketing Communication:
Definition: The various types of planned messages used to build a brand.
Origins:
The evolution of marketing communication runs parallel to the evolution of marketing.
Marketing has been traditionally seen as a transaction – with the transactional elements of
marketing being given more focus, the communication activity that contributed most
directly to the marketing transaction gain precedence.
Traditionally these have been advertising, personal selling, sales promotion, publicity and
public relations.
Study Unit 1 –Communication and the Organisation
Overview
Communication is the glue that binds the organisation together.
It is the lifeblood of an organisation
It plays a vital role in the organisation’s existence.
Communication Dimensions:
Business Communication
Management Communication
“Academic” organisational Communication
“Professional” Organisational Communication
Corporate Communication
Public Relations
Marketing Communication
Strategy
Strategy extensions and levels
Strategy Communication
Communication Strategy
Communication of Strategy
Communication in the organisation
Communication has internal Dimensions (Communication between departments)
Communication has external Dimensions (Communication with students etc)
Sometimes achieves short-term effects
Sometimes achieves Long-term effects
What is an Organisation:
The term “Organisation” implies a certain structure or arrangement of parts or sections.
Can also be interpreted as a collection of individuals who work together towards a common
purpose.
Fields of Communication in the organisation
Business Communication:
Definition: Communication used to attain a business goal
Origins:
One of the oldest forms of communication.
Reaches back to the earliest times of commercial activity.
Became more formalised at the land grant colleges in the USA from the 1860’s
It became firmly established in the 1970s and the first journal on the subject was published
in the 1980s.
Major Emphasis
Business communication is communication used to attain a business objective.
Many business communication courses offer skills orientation and emphasise business
writing, speaking and technical communication.
, Originally, the scope of business communication was not universal; it focused more on
communication within organisations defined as businesses than on the communication
practised by other organisations.
Today, academia also pays more attention to communication relating directly to business,
and less to communication falling outside the business context.
Areas of Interest/Scope
Internal and external communication
Primary interest in written communication – Includes some oral communication
Dyadic communication is strongly emphasised
Small degree of interest in communication between groups
Methods/Means
Orientated towards practical intervention in practice
Aimed at better performance
Generation and integration of theory
Attempts to understand and describe business communication not extensive
Objectives/Goals
Overwhelmingly focused on methods and skills
Demonstrates few of the characteristics of a discipline
Limited theoretical foundation
Management Communication:
Definition: Management’s use, adaptation, and creation of languages, symbols and signs for
profitable management of the corporate enterprise.
Origins:
Like a number of other fields that fall within the scope of applied communication,
management communication has its roots in rhetoric, although it also draws strongly from
management.
It became firmly established in the 1970s and the first journal on the subject was published
in the 1980s.
Major Emphasis
The dominant focus areas of this type of communication are, first, writing and second,
speaking and presentations.
Some attention is also given to other topics that exist at the intersection of management and
communication.
Management communication is interested in external communication to only a limited
degree, as its emphasis is on internal communication.
It focuses on communication at the levels of both the individual and the group.
Areas of Interest/Scope
Limited interest in external communication
Emphasis on internal communication
Communication at the levels of the individual and the group
Methods/Means
Strongly focused on the application of communication theories, methods and techniques of
management
, Greater emphasis on intervention and less on research and theoretical analysis and
synthesis
Objectives/Goals
Focuses fairly strongly on methods and skills
Has a substantial theoretical base
May be characterised as a discipline and a coherent field of study
As a discipline, does not demonstrate the same depth as e.g. academic organisational
communication
Corporate Communication:
Definition: Communication both inside and outside an organisation, with a clear management
perspective
Origins:
Corporate communication has developed in parallel with a number of other academic fields,
but most specifically with public relations.
It flourishes as a functional corporate activity and as an academic field within faculties of
business, marketing and management, and less so in departments of communication.
Corporate communication has developed primarily from the need that has been identified
within companies to address the full scope of communication both inside and outside the
organisation, and to do so with a clear management perspective.
Major Emphasis:
It has been described as the technical information system of the corporation; the marketing
of an organisation’s products and corporate image; the development and maintenance of
the corporate image through design; and the communication that is required to achieve the
overall objectives of the corporate strategy.
The field typically covers corporate image and identity, corporate advocacy and advertising,
media relations, financial communication, employee communication, community relations
and corporate philanthropy, government relations and crisis communication.
In addition, corporate communication focuses on the management of communication with
all stakeholders (internal and external).
Communication in the corporate field is mostly oriented towards groups.
Areas of Interest/Scope
Management of communication with all stakeholders (internal and external)
Communication mostly orientated towards groups
Limited interest in dyadic communication
Methods/Means
Traditionally focused on intervention
Extensive increase in research and theoretical development in the last two decades
Objectives/Goals
Strongly focused on the generation of effective and efficient skills and methods of operation
Demonstrates, through recent work, significant disciplinary traits with a sound theoretical
foundation
, Public Relations:
Definition: The management, through communication, of perceptions and strategic relationships
between an organisation and its internal and external stakeholders’
Origins:
Public relations originated as a practical means of generating favourable publicity and
interest in a topic, product or event and was (and is still) practised as one-way persuasive
communication.
However, despite this it is being approached more and more as a ‘participative dialogue’ or
twoway communication these days.
Public relations is an organisational activity as it exists as a business process and, in many
cases, as a distinct department or unit within an organisation.
It also exists as an outsourced function offered by consultants, specialists and public
relations companies.
Major Emphasis:
These deal primarily with the management and implementation of organisational
communication, in very much the same areas as those covered by corporate
communication.
It focuses on the management of perceptions and strategic relationships between an
organisation and its internal and external stakeholders through communication.
Academically it has been studied and taught primarily in faculties of journalism and
communication studies.
A mix of theory and practical skills is taught
Areas of Interest/Scope
More active in external communication
Limited internal focus
Addresses communication at the interface between an organisation and its stakeholders
Emphasis on mass and group communication
Interpersonal communication forms a smaller, but significant, area of focus.
Methods/Means
Focused on practice and professional application
Has generated extensive body of theory and research
Most theoretical interest on application in narrow areas of practice
Objectives/Goals
Very similar to corporate communication
Marketing Communication:
Definition: The various types of planned messages used to build a brand.
Origins:
The evolution of marketing communication runs parallel to the evolution of marketing.
Marketing has been traditionally seen as a transaction – with the transactional elements of
marketing being given more focus, the communication activity that contributed most
directly to the marketing transaction gain precedence.
Traditionally these have been advertising, personal selling, sales promotion, publicity and
public relations.
