Communicating Strategically:

Communication was thought of as far back in history to the ancient Greece, where Aristotle defined “every speech is composed of three parts; a speaker, the subject…, and the person…addressed.” Communication has a framework to this day, which is composed of three parts; the messenger, the message and the receiver. Corporate follow the use of the three parts too; and needs to develop a Corporate Communicate Strategically. This is done through determining the objectives for a particular communication, deciding what resources are available for achieving those objectives, and diagnosing the organization’s reputation.

Determining Objectives:

The basis for defining the organization’s objectives is what type of response does the organization want from each receiver (constituencies) as the result from the communication (message). The response is the up most importance for an organization. This is why strategically thinking about your communication and placing your objectives as measurable objectives. Once your objectives are defined clearly, the next step is determining how to communicate.

Resources Availability:

Now the objectives are defined, next question to ask is what resources are available within the organization to communicate the organization’s message. Who are the constituencies, in-house or external? Cost factors, personnel, and time are important factors to consider. The organization needs to look beyond to potential difficulties that may arise when not appropriately analyzing resources. An organization does not want to affect their reputation in a negative manner.

Diagnosing the Organization’s Reputation:

Reputation is based on constituencies’ perception of the organization and the organization must know what each constituency perception is towards the organization. An organization needs to acknowledge and analyze each constituent; deciding if the constituent is primary or secondary, constituent’s interest and perception, constituent’s knowledge about the up-coming topic. Once these three steps are accomplished and developed into an effective organization strategy, then communication can begin. Communication is changing in the changing business environment, book reference: http://mgv.mim.edu.my/books/bookpref/11597.htm

Delivering Message:

Choosing how to deliver the message and what approach in structuring the message are the two-step analysis for organization to take. First, how will the message be delivered – what communication channels will be used. An organization needs to consider the old channels such as speaking or writing or the new channels such as e-mail, voice mail, Web conferencing, video conferencing, External Web sites, intranets, Weblogs, or fax. Knowing your constituency proves to be important on choosing your communication channel.

Messages: What is the best communication channel? How should the organization structure the message?

Constituencies: Who are the organization's constituences? What is their attitude about the organization? What are their attitude about the topic?

Organization: What does the organization want each constituency to do? What resources are available? Money? Human Resources? Time? What is the organization's reputation?

Constituency Responses: Did each constituency respond in the way the organization wished? Should the organization revise the message in light of the constituency response?

Two Approaches:

There are two approaches effectively structuring the messages: directly and indirectly. Direct structuring means of stating your main point first and then explaining why. Indirect structuring means stating the why before stating the main point. Organizations need to carefully choose their structuring method so it is not presented in a confusing way. This is where assessing the constituents’ responses to determine whether the communication had the organization’s desired results. Furthermore it completes the “Corporate Communication Strategy Framework” cycle as illustrated in Argenti’s Corporate Communication (4^th Ed.) on page 35.

Organizations ----> Messages ----> Constituencies ----> Constituency Responses

Back to the orgainzation to begin the cycle again...

Changing Environment of Business

Changing Environment of Business

Chapter One:

What would one believe makes the business environment constantly change? Public scrutiny, globalization and communication are three factors, which influence change.

Public Scrutiny

Public scrutiny of American businesses can be traced back to the time of employer and employee relationship beginnings. The businessperson pursued wealth and self-interests at the expense of the worker majority of the time. According to Argenti, “Dow Chemical’s manufacture of Napalm and Agent Orange, which would be used to defoliate Vietnamese jungles, led to student protests on American university campuses.” (2) In my opinion, American people are still to this day protesting the affects of Dow Chemical’s greed for profit in the production of this chemical warfare. Ponder on the illnesses American soldiers struggle with till this day as the result of contact with Napalm and Agent Orange, let alone how many other people aboard are suffering the same. http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/munitions/napalm.htm

Globalization

Globalization is a direct result of the rapid technology growth and of the rapid worldly economic growth. Corporations grew into multination or foreign owned that gave these large businesses their own culture and political influence. This effected the business environment were change was apparent for survival. In the 1980’s, I was employed with a specialty metal business, which dealt with titanium alloys. Titanium is a metallic chemical produce from the ocean floor. For more information: http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/commodity/titanium/ Interesting, as it may seem, America produced the aluminum and nickel, but collaborated with foreign counties for the purchase of titanium. This was my first experience with globalization first hand. ANother experience I had was in the 1990’s, a local company, Dyna-craft merged their ownership with an investor from Beijing, China. The corporation built new warehouses out west and opened another machine shop in nearby Apollo, PA. More information on the merger see information at this link: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E00E3D71439F932A25752C1A963958260 Other manufacturing shops were opened in parts of the United States and China. Today, the business is in China. Another commonly known example of globalization would be the automobile industry. American businesses exports and imports automobiles and automobile parts, and merged with foreign automobile industries to create the huge corporations as mentioned above. I strongly believe that the growth of communication technology opened the pathway to globalization.

COMMUNICATIONS

Communication is the essential instrument among businesses and individuals alike.
The constant division between the public and business has continued through time, and the use of communication technology permits the business communications and the public communications to take place spontaneously. The Arthur Anderson (Case 1-1) involvement of the Enron Corporation situation is an excellent case study of communications in a changing environment, which was used for the business’ advantage. (12). http://whatreallyhappened.com/WRHARTICLES/enron.html

The public has used communication technology to their advantage too. In 1997, Earth First! coordinated campaigns against large corporations. This organization is still a strong environment group that approach corporations. http://www.earthfirst.org/

Conclusion

Conclusion of this posting, Argenti offers four strategies for companies to exercise in survival of the challenges in a changing environment along with survival of public scrutiny. Businesses need to listen and respond positively to the public scrutinizes. First, “managers need to recognize that the business environment is constantly evolving.” Change is a given in the equation of life. Companies need to keep abreast of their constituencies and create a communication strategy that keeps technology innovations evolving in the face.

Second, “companies must adapt to the changing environment without changing what they stand for or compromising their principles.” (10). In other words, under strong public watchdogs, companies need to protect their reputations and image. Third strategy, “assume things will only get worse and you will be better off in today’s complex environment.” (11). Businesses need to think how the public will respond or will react to a business’s communication to the public in a given situation. As an example, corporations dumping toxic waste material in a landfill near a small community. The corporation did not think that the community would protest and have wide spread support. Finally, “corporate communications must be closely linked to a company’s overall vision and strategy.” (12). Corporations need to have a communication strategy that would be in line with their mission statement, policies and procedures.