Strategic Communication Management Research Articles

Strategic communication management in the non‐profit sector: a simplified model

A model for strategic communication management was developed in South Africa on the basis of the excellence study and relationship management theories. This normative, theoretical model has been applied as part of a project in non‐profit organisations (NPOs), government institutions and small‐to‐medium sized companies. However, the operational reality of organisations' communication practices has not been measured against the model. It was therefore the objective of this article to comprehend the participating NPOs' operational and strategic communication management context. It was discovered that although NPOs can theoretically apply the normative Steyn and Puth model, it is not practically feasible, because of the NPOs' unique constraints. Thereafter, the development of a simplified model on the basis of sound theoretical principles for NPOs to implement strategic communication management was carried out, notwithstanding their constraints and limited resources. The steps/actions indicated in the simplified model are aligned to the NPOs' real and current practice, within the requirements of strategic communication management. By simplifying the model, and focusing on what NPOs are already doing, misconceptions about the complexity and feasibility of communication management might be clarified. It is also recommended that staff members of NPOs, who are responsible for communication and relationship management, be trained to strategically manage communication and stakeholder relationships. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Public relations as strategic communication management

On the account of system character of communication, that leads to active co-operation of elements of communication management.

Safeguarding reputation through strategic, integrated and situational crisis communication management

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to address the often missing theoretical foundation of crisis communication from an integrated perspective on the micro, meso and macro level. Based on the theory of structuration, a systematic, integrative framework is developed for safeguarding organizational legitimization and multidimensional reputation through communication during crisis situations which is applicable both for profit and non‐profit organizations.Design/methodology/approachGidden's theory of structuration was chosen as a basis to develop the integrative model of crisis communication that proposes a communicative impact on reputation on a situative level of message strategies (micro level), an organizational level (meso level) and a societal level (macro level). A well‐organized crisis communication management on all of these levels is seen as the key communicative driver to safeguard long‐term organizational reputation.FindingsThe paper shows that successful crisis communication management must be conceptualized and addressed on distinctive levels of complexity. While on a message level (situative crisis communication) it creates meaning, crisis communication must be seen as management task on an organizational level (integrative crisis communication). However, in order to fully safeguard reputation in the long term and trustworthiness in the short term, crisis communication has also a societal component when addressing moral standards and norms (strategic crisis communication).Research limitations/implicationsThe paper is a conceptual contribution which build the basis of a follow‐up empirical, experimental study where the proposed model is successfully tested.Practical implicationsFor PR managers, this paper gives reasons to conceptualize crisis communication management, not only on a message strategy level, but also to take into consideration the organizational and societal levels.Originality/valueThe paper stands in line with the theoretical discourse of organizational crisis communication. So far, few approaches conceptualize organizational crisis communication thoroughly on an integrated level of different perspectives so that the paper provides an important input, pushing the discussion forward.

Verwaltung im Meinungsstreit: Politisierung als Herausforderung für die Behördenkommunikation

Governmental strategies of public communication are an important part of Public Management. Governance requires an integration of policy analysis and planning, decision-making and strategic communication management. For this purpose, communication management must be understood mainly as argumentation and deliberation management and as public storytelling in convergent media.

Revealing preconditions for trustful collaboration in CSCL

This paper analyses preconditions for trust in virtual learning environments. The concept of trust is discussed with reference to cases reporting trust in cyberspace and through a philosophical clarification holding that trust in the form of self-surrender is a common characteristic of all human co-existence. In virtual learning environments, self-surrender might fail, due to a setting that affords strategic communication and impression management. To obtain the kind of unconditional commitment necessary for learning, one might benefit from the insights from open-source communities, in which self-articulation of goals and volunteerism promote productivity. Balancing free will in connection with study initiatives with inquiry teaching methods might encourage a practice which favours mastery-oriented learning strategies and the seeking of knowledge for its own sake.

Taliban and Jihadist Terrorist Use of Strategic Communication

For Taliban and Jihadist terrorists, strategic communication is a vital part of their asymmetrical war fighting campaign. As long as the Eastern Bloc existed, military conflicts were largely determined by the policy of the United States and the Soviet Union, and were therefore part of the larger East-West conflict. Since this symmetricalglobal conflict was decided in favor of the West, numerous asymmetrical conflicts have erupted around the globe. Terrorist actions, like the attack in Mumbai, India in November 2008, have become a worldwide menace. In particular, Islamic jihadist terrorism has spread beyond the borders of the regions in which it originated and has taken on a global dimension. The terrorist use of airliners as massive flying bombs in the attacks on New York and Washington on 11 September 2001 was a sad climax in this new dimension of asymmetrical conflicts. To offset this threat requires knowledge of what motivates, feeds, and sanctions jihadist terrorists and their followers. Research and analysis of the root causes and underlying conditions, motivators, and enablers of terrorism—including the propaganda strategies of terrorists—are vital to shaping appropriate countermeasures to the threat from Islamist terrorism. The complex set of interactions and dependencies between media and terrorism still need to be investigated more fully. In particular, further research is needed into the ways that terrorists utilize the Internet. One way to begin this investigation—and the approach this paper takes—is to study the communication techniques that jihadists use according to the elements that are used to generate a strategic communication management plan. The theoretical terrorist communication plan described in this essay shows that jihadist terrorists know how to apply strategic communication management techniques in disseminating their messages. The mass media, and especially the Internet, have become the key enablers and the main strategic communication assets for terrorists and have ensured them a favorable communication asymmetry. With these assets, terrorists

STOPE‐based approach for e‐readiness assessment case studies

AbstractThe STOPE‐based approach is used here for practical e‐readiness assessment case studies. The approach integrates and evaluates the various e‐readiness assessment issues, over its well‐structured domains: strategy, technology, organization, people, and environment. The case studies considered concern three Saudi organizations: a government organization, a bank, and a private sector company. The results obtained provide e‐readiness indicators that illustrate the strengths and weaknesses of each organization with regard to e‐readiness strategic development issues, information and communication technology (ICT) issues, management and organization issues, people issues, and environment issues within which the organization operates. The work shows how the approach can be practically used, and it also provides practical results that direct the organizations concerned toward enhancing their e‐readiness in response to the current trend of globalizing e‐business. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Media Reputation of the Insurance Industry: An Urgent Call for Strategic Communication Management

The power of the media has become a parameter for business success in recent years, as media reality – the image of reality that is created by the media – has become a key factor influencing all of a company's stakeholders. These include customers, suppliers, employees, politicians, regulators and the general public. Based on a long-term analysis of German media coverage (1998–2006) and an international comparative analysis of media coverage in the U.K., France, Spain, Italy, Austria, the U.S. and Asia (2004/2005), the following article outlines the changing reputational risk environment regarding the insurance industry. This analysis shows why companies must take a proactive stance on corporate communications. This is confirmed by the experience of Media Tenor, an international media research and consulting institute and Perception Partners Inc., a consulting firm specializing in reputational risk.

Theory on strategic communication management is the key to unlocking the boardroom

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to argue that academics should have an intimate understanding of the practical problems facing the corporate communication/public relations profession.Design/methodology/approachThe paper discusses how good theory should guide research towards crucial questions and enlighten the profession.FindingsAcademics should build theory that guides research toward crucial questions to enlighten the profession. The research agenda should include macro issues such as the purpose of corporate communication in the new business paradigm; its contribution to organisational effectiveness; scope of delivery; strategy development and alignment; functional integration; return on investment; and the core competencies, processes and structures needed to enhance performance. This will create the knowledge to rectify current criticisms and fulfil top management expectations of the corporate communication function.Originality/valueThe paper highlights how theory on strategic communication management is the key to unlocking the boardroom.

The Significance of Crisis Communication in the Aftermath of 9/11: A National Investigation of How Tourism Managers Have Re-Tooled Their Promotional Campaigns

SUMMARYAfter September 11, 2001 (9/11), the United States immediately embarked upon a new way of life, or, as the media describes it, a “new normalcy” (Chura, 2002; Stark, 2002). Throughout Corporate America, managers had to instantaneously re-group, re-strategize, and re-tool their internal and external communication plans. The terrorist attacks on the United States created a crisis in the tourism industry, and have proved challenging even to experienced managers of corporate communication.This investigation examines the post-crisis communication efforts among convention and visitors bureaus (CVB) managers responsible for promoting travel to their destinations. Two theoretical underpinnings serve as the framework for the study: crisis communication theory and strategic communication management. The study examined the tools tourism managers use to promote travel to their destination, how they have redesigned their promotional messages, and how they have redirected their target market focus in the wake of 9/11. Further, this research investigates how the tools used (advertising, tourism marketing, public relations, new media) serve as predictors for redesigning promotional messages and redirecting target markets.

The use of balanced scorecards in the strategic management of corporate communication

This article introduces the balanced scorecard model from Kaplan and Norton and makes a proposition about its application on communications by showing the case of the Corporate Relations & Communications division of Siemens Corporation in Argentina.

The promotion of strategic community management utilizing video‐based information networks

This paper describes the importance of strategic community creation as a new management style. It verifies that video‐based information networks utilizing information and multimedia technologies enhance the quality of competencies and knowledge possessed by strategic communities, and it also verifies, through case studies, these networks are valid as organizational learning support systems within the strategic communities. Innovations in the area of veterinary medicine utilizing video‐based information networks over the past four years in Japan are taken as examples. This paper describes how knowledge and competencies within strategic communities comprising “industry, government, and academia” are enhanced, how the new virtual methods of telemedicine and distance learning are incorporated into the business process, and how “concepts of regionally linked cooperative bodies” are realized.

Transforming an Old Economy Company Through Strategic Communities

This paper describes how established companies can create strategic business communities in order to usher in innovation. The paper focuses on the case of NTT DoCoMo, Japan’s largest mobile telecommunications carrier, which has utilised strategic community management principles in its efforts to cultivate and expand the mobile Internet market in Japan. In doing so, new markets were created, in turn leading to further opportunities for NTT DoCoMo. The paper distinguishes between strategic communities and other organisational forms such as projects and communities of practice and discusses the advantages of each. It concludes with the assertion that strategic community management is an effective methodology aimed at strategic innovation by major enterprises.

Strategic Community Management with Customers: Case Study on Innovation Using IT and Multimedia Technology in Education, Medical and Welfare Fields

This paper discusses the management processes for forming strategic communities by means of strategic partnerships between businesses and customers, for introducing into the Strategic communities the knowledge of customers with a high degree of learning experience with respect to the products and services provided by the businesses, thereby creating new business models and at the same time extending the results of the strategic communities to many other associated customers. Innovations in the fields of education, medicine and welfare utilizing IT and multimedia technology over the past four years are taken as examples in this case study. Here a strategic community of business and innovative customers has established a new business model in the fields of education, medicine and welfare on the basis of IT and multimedia technology. The results of the activities of the strategic community of innovative customers were then extended to many other related customers in a chain of community creation, and the new systems were widely proliferated throughout Japan.

Strategic community management promoted by innovation communities

AbstractFor the last few years, the videoconferencing system and multi‐point connection service market represented by multimedia technology have enjoyed strong growth in Japan. Behind the recent upturn in this market was the strategic alliance of NTT, Japan's largest telecommunications carrier, and PictureTel of the USA, followed by the birth of business communities centered around or outside NTT, thus intensively creating and boosting a new market referred to as interactive video communication. This paper reviews the challenges that faced NTT, one of the big businesses in Japan, followed by PictureTel and other players within and outside NTT, all of which created various strategic business communities. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Creating new business through strategic community management: case study of a multimedia business

Creating new business through strategic community management: case study of a multimedia business

Creating new business through strategic community management: case study of a multimedia business

For the last few years, the videoconferencing system and multi-point connection service market represented by multimedia technology have enjoyed strong growth in Japan. Behind the recent upturn in this market was the strategic alliance of NTT, Japan's largest telecommunications carrier, and PictureTel of the US, followed by the birth of business communities centred around or outside NTT, thus intensively creating and boosting a new market referred to as interactive video communication. This article reviews the challenges that faced NTT, one of the big businesses in Japan, followed by PictureTel and other players within and outside NTT, all of which were lined up to create various strategic business communities. The article gives careful consideration to the measures taken by these players who achieved success in such a way as to alter employee consciousness, vitalize organizational morale, entrench the new NTT 'Phoenix' brand (videoconferencing system) in the Japanese market and create an emergent new video multi-point connection network service market. And it was under the innovative leadership of community leaders that communities' core competencies were elevated, and innovation of the multimedia business achieved, as a function of the creation and harmonization of new value outlooks within the business community, inside as well as outside the companies.

Innovation through Strategic Community Management: The Case of NTT DoCoMo and the Mobile Internet Revolution

This paper describes strategic community management that can be implemented by large established companies through the creation of a variety of strategic business communities. The paper focuses in particular on the case of NTT DoCoMo, Inc., Japan’s largest mobile telecommunications carrier, which has utilized strategic community management principles in their efforts to cultivate and expand the mobile Internet market in Japan over roughly the past two years.This paper also deals with the development of an emerging mobile Internet market spawned by the creation of strategic communities supported by strategic communities which consist of informal in‐house organizations and diverse strategic heterogeneous alliances with outside firms including customers, and elucidates strategic community management as an effective methodology aimed at strategic innovation conducted by major enterprises.

Creating new business through strategic community management: case study of a multimedia business

For the last few years, the videoconferencing system and multi-point connection service market represented by multimedia technology have enjoyed strong growth in Japan. Behind the recent upturn in this market was the strategic alliance of NTT, Japan's largest telecommunications carrier, and PictureTel of the US, followed by the birth of business communities centred around or outside NTT, thus intensively creating and boosting a new market referred to as interactive video communication. This article reviews the challenges that faced NTT, one of the big businesses in Japan, followed by PictureTel and other players within and outside NTT, all of which were lined up to create various strategic business communities. The article gives careful consideration to the measures taken by these players who achieved success in such a way as to alter employee consciousness, vitalize organizational morale, entrench the new NTT 'Phoenix' brand (videoconferencing system) in the Japanese market and create an emergent new video multi-point connection network service market. And it was under the innovative leadership of community leaders that communities' core competencies were elevated, and innovation of the multimedia business achieved, as a function of the creation and harmonization of new value outlooks within the business community, inside as well as outside the companies.

Public relations in contemporary India: current demands and strategy

As world trade, free market systems, trading blocks, and industrialized, industrializing, and subsistence economies attempt to reposition themselves regionally and internationally, a new energetic and vibrant ethos permeates world order. Simultaneously, reflections at the onset of the third millennium of most nations have created new visions, directions, and challenges. With this has come an overwhelming responsibility on public relations as a part of strategic communication in accomplishing the goals and dreams of nations and its peoples. In the last decade India has undergone an initial audit, among others, on its economy, policies, operations, and style of governance; the impact of globalization, its economic reform policies of 1991, and Vision 2020 pressurizes and creates an imposition on public relations as part of strategic communication management. This article discusses India’s new direction and the persistent and insistent demand for public relations. The strategic plan of the professional body in running the gauntlet in this new milieu and the pertinaciousness and urgency of the challenges ahead for public relations are explained. Raveena Singh is program director of Public Relations at the University of Canberra, Australia, and coeditor of the Asia Pacific Public Relations Journal.