Nature and characteristics of
corporate communications
Nature and characteristics of corporate
communications
 Definitions
 Corporate communications mix: management,
organisational, marketing
 Principle activities: internal, investor, marketing, public
affairs, issues management
 Communication ethics
 Legal and regulatory environment
definitions
• Corporate communication is a management function in a company
that handles all efforts to build and maintain a positive image of the
company by building effective communication internally (between
management and employees and externally [between the company
and other parties, such as consumers, investors, media, and
government] ).
• According to Cees van Riel and Charles Fombrun in Essentials
Corporate Communication , corporate communication can be
defined as a series of activities that are included in the management
and regulation of all internal and external communications aimed at
creating a favorable starting point with stakeholders, the place on
which the company depends.
• Most of the corporate communications are formal in nature.
Orders, instructions, information, suggestions, etc. are sent,
maintaining formal procedure in a systematic way. If has to pass
through several organisational stages.
• The importance of corporate communication is to keep
messaging consistent to not only your employees but your
external audiences. If you forget to communicate with your
customers in the same fashion as your employees, your
company brand and mission gets lost.
corporate communication mix
• According to Van Riel, the corporate communication mix consists of
management, marketing and organisational communications.
- Management communication is between the management level of an
organisation and its internal and external audiences.
- Marketing communication consists of product advertising, direct mail,
personal selling and sponsorship activities.
- Organisational communication emanates from specialists in public relations,
public affairs, investor relations, environmental communication, corporate
advertising and employee communications.