Lecture 1
Corporate Communication
Corporate Communication
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 on.
Aim of corporate communication is to oversee and coordinate all communication
within organisations.
It is integrated around a mission, vision or identity.
Corporate Reputation
The collective evaluation of an organisation (coming from communication or past
experiences) established over time.
It is important to have good reputation not only for sales/performance, but
especially in case of a crisis so people can give you the benefit of the doubt.
UvA ComSci being first in the world attracts students and personnel.
Organisational communication is responsible for the organisation’s communication
with stakeholders, for recruitment, public affairs, public/media relations and investor
relations.
It is part of corporate communication!
Organisations
Definition: A group of people working together to reach a common goal.
This can include providing goods, services, etc.
Organisations are not inherently simply companies, but they can be non-profits,
governments, even a football team.
Organisations have changed a lot in the past years to include a more flexible
approach to employee through terceirização, like Uber.
Another example of an organisation is a protest. They are created quickly but
dissipate quickly.
Some scholars claim that as soon as people act toward a common goal like
saving a person or an animal, working in a group project, etc. they’re in an
organisation!
, Organisations are the shell that keeps people together working towards the goal
they have in common.
A traditional idea of organisations is that communication happens within an
organisation, but some scholars are providing an alternative idea: organisations AS
communication.
Without communication, no one would know what to do, there’d be no
schedules and no contact, therefore the organisation would not function.
Communicative Constitution of Organisations (CCO) are those that believe that the
image of a company is based off their communication; their slogans, their symbols,
negotiations, etc.
Under that logic, since all there is in a company are symbols, negotiations,
interactions, etc., communication = organisations.
Approaches to Communication Processes
There are five different approaches within communication corporate.
Informative Approach
The most basic approach, it consists of simply informing another party of something.
Information transmission from sender to receiver(s).
“Who says what to whom through what channel?”
There is a focus on how to reach and transmit the message to your target audience.
Little consideration to possible different interpretations.
Persuasive Approach
It acknowledges that communication should have an effect/impact on people.
It should accomplish a goal of shaping an idea in the receivers’ mind, such as
the image that a company is sustainable.
You want to not only reach your audience, but to make sure it has the intended
effect on people.
However, research shows that this can be not effective if the receiver has a very
strong opinion on the topic.
Relational Approach
It does not see communication as between sender and receiver, but both are
senders and receivers.
It focuses on building a relationship between two parties, and fostering trust!
, Ideal communication situation: communication that occurs whilst both keep the
other’s interests in mind and incorporate it into their decisions.
It views society as made up of subsystems (government, private companies, media,
etc.) that need to maintain coordination and establish relationships with each other.
Interpretative Approach
It’s based on social constructivism, devoting attention to the meanings that people
construct through communication.
It claims reality to be subjective, a result of each person’s mind and
communication they engage with.
People have different ideas about organisations as well, which is based on
interpretative communication.
Contrary to the persuasive approach, both sender and receiver shape the meanings
together. Sense-making is a collective effort, they influence each other.
For example, when a market offers a product and people use it for another
intention.
Another example is LEGO, who has a large adult following that the company
invites to suggest new toys and structure.
Critical Approach
It’s a normative theory, asking what an organisation’s communication should look
like.
It claims that communication establishes a society with power structures.
It’s political, it aims to create a society that is free of power structures and where
everyone is equal. In internal communication, it aims to create a work environment
that is equal
Some argue that multinationals hold too much power in society due to
lobbying and the impact they have on politics and society.
Historical Development of Corporate Communication
Corporate Communication
Corporate Communication
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 on.
Aim of corporate communication is to oversee and coordinate all communication
within organisations.
It is integrated around a mission, vision or identity.
Corporate Reputation
The collective evaluation of an organisation (coming from communication or past
experiences) established over time.
It is important to have good reputation not only for sales/performance, but
especially in case of a crisis so people can give you the benefit of the doubt.
UvA ComSci being first in the world attracts students and personnel.
Organisational communication is responsible for the organisation’s communication
with stakeholders, for recruitment, public affairs, public/media relations and investor
relations.
It is part of corporate communication!
Organisations
Definition: A group of people working together to reach a common goal.
This can include providing goods, services, etc.
Organisations are not inherently simply companies, but they can be non-profits,
governments, even a football team.
Organisations have changed a lot in the past years to include a more flexible
approach to employee through terceirização, like Uber.
Another example of an organisation is a protest. They are created quickly but
dissipate quickly.
Some scholars claim that as soon as people act toward a common goal like
saving a person or an animal, working in a group project, etc. they’re in an
organisation!
, Organisations are the shell that keeps people together working towards the goal
they have in common.
A traditional idea of organisations is that communication happens within an
organisation, but some scholars are providing an alternative idea: organisations AS
communication.
Without communication, no one would know what to do, there’d be no
schedules and no contact, therefore the organisation would not function.
Communicative Constitution of Organisations (CCO) are those that believe that the
image of a company is based off their communication; their slogans, their symbols,
negotiations, etc.
Under that logic, since all there is in a company are symbols, negotiations,
interactions, etc., communication = organisations.
Approaches to Communication Processes
There are five different approaches within communication corporate.
Informative Approach
The most basic approach, it consists of simply informing another party of something.
Information transmission from sender to receiver(s).
“Who says what to whom through what channel?”
There is a focus on how to reach and transmit the message to your target audience.
Little consideration to possible different interpretations.
Persuasive Approach
It acknowledges that communication should have an effect/impact on people.
It should accomplish a goal of shaping an idea in the receivers’ mind, such as
the image that a company is sustainable.
You want to not only reach your audience, but to make sure it has the intended
effect on people.
However, research shows that this can be not effective if the receiver has a very
strong opinion on the topic.
Relational Approach
It does not see communication as between sender and receiver, but both are
senders and receivers.
It focuses on building a relationship between two parties, and fostering trust!
, Ideal communication situation: communication that occurs whilst both keep the
other’s interests in mind and incorporate it into their decisions.
It views society as made up of subsystems (government, private companies, media,
etc.) that need to maintain coordination and establish relationships with each other.
Interpretative Approach
It’s based on social constructivism, devoting attention to the meanings that people
construct through communication.
It claims reality to be subjective, a result of each person’s mind and
communication they engage with.
People have different ideas about organisations as well, which is based on
interpretative communication.
Contrary to the persuasive approach, both sender and receiver shape the meanings
together. Sense-making is a collective effort, they influence each other.
For example, when a market offers a product and people use it for another
intention.
Another example is LEGO, who has a large adult following that the company
invites to suggest new toys and structure.
Critical Approach
It’s a normative theory, asking what an organisation’s communication should look
like.
It claims that communication establishes a society with power structures.
It’s political, it aims to create a society that is free of power structures and where
everyone is equal. In internal communication, it aims to create a work environment
that is equal
Some argue that multinationals hold too much power in society due to
lobbying and the impact they have on politics and society.
Historical Development of Corporate Communication
