Corporate Communication Practices and Trends in Hong Kong 2011-131
Daniel W.C. So, Cindy Ngai, Doreen Wu & Patrick Ng2
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU)
In connection with benchmark studies on this topic conducted about the Chinese mainland (Feng
& Goodman, 2010), the European Union (Frandsen, & Johansen, 2008), South Africa (de Wet et
al., 2008) and the United States (e.g. Goodman, 2011), this three-year longitudinal study,
conducted under the auspices of the Hong Kong Chapter of CCI (CCI-HKC) on an annual basis
from 2011 – 2014, was initiated to help contribute to the construction of reference points about
practices and trends of CC in respectively HK and major polities world-wide.
Specifically, this study attempts to
1. establish a profile of the corporate respondents3 and
2. their CC department,4 specifically
a. its major clients
b. its major roles and functions
c. its types of functions that are usually contracted out to external vendors
And for the purpose of curricular development related to the investigators’ department, the study
also takes the opportunity to identify respectively
3. the respondents’ major concerns and
4. their views about preferred attributes of graduating students who wish to adopt CC as
their career, as well as curricular contents of programmes related to the profession
Unlike the 2011-12 study, all the returns of the 2012-13 study, except for a couple of cases, are
done via the e-mode. The target population is corporations of medium-size or above that are
operating in HK. 5 The first part of this tripartite study commenced in June 2011 and was
concluded by the end of March 2012. The second part of the study commenced in October 2012
and was concluded by the end of April 2013. This is a report of the findings of the 2012-13 study
with reference to those of 2011-12 study.
1
This study was made possible by fundings provided by the Department of Chinese & Bilingual Studies (CBS) of
the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU). Also this version of the report is the one presented at the CCI
Conference of 2013 held in June. The final version will be available in July 2013 or soon thereafter.
2
The investigators wish to acknowledge hereby the valuable assistance provided by their project associates:
Chermaine Yam, and Tony Wei.
3
By respondent is meant the person who fills out the questionnaire. Most of them provide us with contact
information for follow-up as well.
4
The survey findings indicate that the unit being studied carries a variety of titles. For our convenience, we use the
label ‘CC department’ to cover them all in this report.
5
By HK norms (e.g. according to the benchmark provided by the Support & Consultation Centre for SMEs of the
Trade & Industrial Department), medium-sized corporations are those having 100 or more employees on their fulltime payroll.
1
The 2012-13 study is very much a replication of the 2011-12 study which was in turn modelled
upon the afore-cited US study.6 The only change in the 2012-13 study that requires a mention
here is that the options of item 2 in the 2012-13 questionnaire (Appendix 1 refers), which is
about the nature of the businesses in which the respondent engages, has been re-aligned with the
actual collation of the returns related to this item in the 2011-12 study. Specifically, ‘Retail’ and
‘Trading’, which appear as separate options of item 2 in the 2011-12 questionnaire, have been
conflated into a single option. At the same time, three new options have been added, viz. ‘Media
& Communication’, ‘PR/Consulting’ and ‘NGO’.
TABLE 1A: The Profile of the Target/Sampled Corporations & Participant-Corporations
2011/12
Corporate types
2012/13
Targets (N)
Participants
Targets (N)
Participants
HSI7 constituent
corporations
30
13
29
12
Corporations on CCIHKC’s contact list
55
38
61
46
Identity Unknown
n.a.
4
n.a.
2
TOTAL (response rate)
85
55 (64.7%)
90
60 (66.7%)
The Samples & the Findings of Part A of the Questionnaire’s (i.e. the multiple-choice items)
In the 2012-13 study, the participation of respectively 65 target-corporations of the 2011-12
study and 25 newly sampled corporations was sought. By the end of April 2013, 41 of the former
and 19 of the latter responded to our survey by filling out the e-questionnaire. A couple of them
also gave us a follow-up phone-interview. The response rates are respectively 63% and 76%. The
overall rate is 66.7%, which is slightly better than 2011-12 (Table 1A refers). In the 2011-12
study, 51 of the 55 participant-corporations identified themselves in their returns &/or contacts
with us; this time the number is 58.
6
As a replication of the CCI studies, the design of the questionnaire of the HK study is done with close reference to
that used in the US study of 2011. However, in order to take into account of the HK situation, and the fact that it is
the HKC’s first study, some adaptations have been made. For example, the number of items is reduced from 27 to 24,
with 19 of these items overlapping in varying degrees with their counterparts in the US study. The remaining five
items are “new” and are included for a CC-related academic program at our university.
7
The Hang Seng Index, according to Wikipedia, is “a freefloat-adjusted market capitalization-weighted stock market
index in Hong Kong. It is used to record and monitor daily changes of the largest companies of the Hong Kong
stock market and is the main indicator of the overall market performance in Hong Kong.” As of 2013 there are 50
constituent companies in the Index; these companies altogether represent about 60% of capitalization of the Hong
Kong Stock Exchange.
2
Based on indices shown in Tables 1 and 2, the samples of the two studies appear to be
comparable. For example, as shown in Table 1B (II), although the percentage of corporations
with a global staff size at the 5001 – 10,000 range in the 2011-12 sample is much higher than
that in the 2012-13 sample (12.7% vs. 6.7%), chi-square test results indicate that these
differences are not significant. So are the cases concerning budget size and personnel changes
(Tables 2C & 2D refer). Furthermore, as shown in Table 1B(I), the majority of the participantcorporations of both studies are based in Hong Kong (70.9%, 68.3%), and are medium-sized and
large corporations (74.5%, 71.6%) by HK norms (Footnote 5 refers). By their global staff size,
all of the participant-corporations in both studies may be regarded as large corporations. These
findings indicate that two samples are taken from the same population.
TABLE 1B: A Profile of the Participant-Corporations
(I)
•
•
•
Headquartered in
HK
The West (Europe + North America)
Others
2012 (N=55)
70.9%
20
9.1
2013 (N=60)
68.3%
20
11.7
(II) .umber of Full-Time Personnel in HK & Globally (including HK):
Under 100
101-1000
1001-3000
3001-5000
5001+
NA
HK
2012
25.5%
32.7
16.4
9.1
14.5
1.8
2013
28.3
33.3
13.3
6.7
18.3
---
Under 200
201-3000
3001-5000
5001-10000
10001+
NA
Global
2012
14.5%
18.2
16.4
12.7
29.1
9.1
2013
13.3
20.0
21.7
6.7
35.0
3.3
The respondents of both studies, as shown in Table 2A, are relatively young (over 70% are under
40), predominantly female (over 81%) and well educated (over 98% hold a bachelor degree or
above).8 In the 2012-13 study, the number of male respondents and bachelor-degree holders
increases from 7 to 11, and from 24 to 35, whereas masters-degree holders decreases from 26 to
23. Although these differences appear to be relatively large, chi-square test results indicate that
the differences are probably a matter of random fluctuation.
Similar to the 2011-12 study, the findings of the 2012-13 study related to the titles of the
department (footnote 4 refers) and its head indicate that the naming practice is in general
idiosyncratic and reflect CC’s para-professional status world-wide. As an indication of
professionalism is the presence of a widely accepted nomenclature, efforts should be made to
facilitate a measure of standardization in naming these and other related titles. Nevertheless, it is
encouraging to note that, as indicated in Table 2B, respectively 47.3% and 65% of the
8
For example, according to census statistics, in the year 2000 among those who are born in HK, only 13.3% held a
university degree. Whereas not only do close to 93% and 98% of the respondents have such a degree, another 49%
and 40% have postgraduate qualifications.
3
respondents indicate that their department head reports directly to the CEO. This increase,
however, is considered not statistically significant.
TABLE 2A: A Profile of the Respondents
(I) Personal & other attributes of the Respondents
2012 (.=55)
2013 (.=60)
Age: Below 40
40-54
55 or above
70.9%
23.6
5.5
71.7%
26.7
1.7
Gender: Female
Male
87.3
12.7
81.7
18.3
Education: Post-Secondary
Bachelor
Master
Doctoral
7.3
43.6
47.3
1.8
1.7
58.3
38.3
1.7
(II) Title of the Head of their Department
Extensive divergence
TABLE 2B: A Profile of the Respondents’ Department: the HoD reports to:
2012 (.=55)
2013 (.=60)
The Chief Executive Officer
The Chief Finance Officer
The Chief Operating Officer
The Chief Information Officer
None of the above
47.3%
3.6
9.1
0
40
65.0%
1.7
1.7
1.7
30.0
The findings related to budgets are tentative because of the relatively low response rates
concerned. As indicated in Table 2C, probably because of its sensitive nature, only respectively
60% and 68% of the respondents provide an estimate of the budget size of their department.
Based on these returns, one may surmise that CC departments are relatively small vis-à-vis the
size of the corporations concerned. For example, only respectively 5.5% and 5% of the
departments have a budget over HK$20M, which covers other expenses in addition to staff cost.
Given the median salary of HR managers in HK is around HK$0.44M, and that of executive
trainees around HK$0.14M, it is evident that the size of CC departments of the respondents is
small. On the brighter side, as indicated in Table 2D, respectively 30% and 25% of the
respondents report an increase in staff size in the previous financial year, and another 36.4% and
50% report that the staff size remains the same. The results of t-tests (independent samples)
indicate that there is no significant difference between the findings of the two studies concerning
budgets and personnel changes. These results indicate that the CC industry in HK remain stable
in these two years.
4
TABLE 2C: A Profile of the Respondents’ Department: Budget
Budget size
Budget Decrease/Increase
HK$
2012 (.=55)
Under 1m
1-5m
5-10m
10-20m
Over 20m
NA
23.6%
16.4
10.9
3.6
5.5
40.0
2013
(.=60)
31.7%
16.7
5.0
10.0
5.0
31.7
Changes
2012 (.=55)
2013 (.=60)
− > 10%
− 5-10%
Same
+ 5-10%
+ > 10%
NA
1.8%
0
34.5
18.2
5.5
40.0
1.7%
6.7
45.0
15.0
1.7
30.0
TABLE 2D: A Profile of the Respondents’ Department: Personnel Changes
.umber of Changes
2012 (.=55)
2013 (.=60)
− >one
− one
Same
+ one
+ > one
NA
3.6%
1.8
36.4
9.1
21.8
27.3
1.7%
5.0
50.0
8.3
16.7
18.3
As for the ‘major clients served’ by the department, the returns of both surveys are quite
consistent: the ranking of the clients according to their percentage-share in the total number of
ticks is similar in both studies (Table 3(A) refers):
1. media practitioners
2. customers
3. board of directors (tied with ‘people…’ and ‘colleagues…’ in 2012-13)
4. people affected by company businesses and/or projects (tied with ‘board…’ and
‘colleagues…’ in 2012-13)
5. CEO (moved up two ranks to the 3rd position in 2012-13)
6. colleagues of the marketing department (tied with ‘board…’ and ‘people…’ in 2012-13)
7. investors
8. members of social activist groups
9. government officers.
If a similar pattern is returned in the 2013-14 study, then there is a good chance that a standing
practice will have been identified.
In terms of major functions and major business tasks performed by the department, there are
some differences between the 2012 and 2013 returns. For the former, specifically, ‘corporate
branding & image’ moves from 2nd to the 1st rank; marketing from the 5th to the 3rd rank; ‘goods
& services branding’ from the 8th to to 4th , whereas the ranking of ‘press relations’, ‘crisis
communication & management’, ‘customer service & communication’ , and ‘advertising’ drops
5
by a measure of one to three. While the ranking of ‘corporate social responsibility’ and
‘corporate philanthropy’ remain the same.
For the latter, ‘speech writing’ moves from the 5th to the 4th ; ‘corporate newsletter for staff’ from
6th to the 5th , whereas ‘annual/quarterly report’ and ‘staff social event, which in 2012
respectively ranks 4th and 7th, tie at 6th in 2013. But there are no changes to the top-three
positions as indicated in Table 3(C).
Accordingly, unlike the ‘major clients’ category, for these two categories, patterns, be it about
standing practice or changes/trends, are not in evidence in the data of both studies. However
when the data of the 2013-14 study are available, the median values so derived should better
enable us to engage in a measure of pattern construction, and at least develop some hypotheses
about the status of the industry in these two respects.
TABLE 3: Major Clients, Functions & Role of the CC Department
Options with at least 5% of the total number of ticks (
)
Year/. (ticks) & ticks (%)
(A) Major groups served
Media practitioners
Customers
Board of Directors
People affected by company businesses/projects
CEO
Colleagues in the marketing department
Investors
Members of Social Activist Groups
Government officers
(B) Major functions performed
Press Relations
Corporate Branding & Image
Crisis Communication & Management
Customer Service & Communication
Marketing
Corporate Social Responsibility
Advertising
Goods & Services Branding
Corporate Philanthropy
(C) Major business tasks performed
Corporate Events & Exhibitions
Press Conferences, Enquiries, Releases
Corporate Website Management
Annual/Quarterly Report
Speech Writing
Corporate Newsletter for Staff
Staff Social Event
2012/219
20.5=1st
16.4=2
12.3=3
11.0=4
10.5=5
9.6=6
7.8=7
6.4=8
5.0=9
2012/355
12.7=1st
11.8=2
9.6=3
9.6=4
9.0=5
8.7=6
7.6=7
7.3=8
5.1=9
2012/232
19.0=1st
17.2=2
16.8=3
14.7=4
14.2=5
9.9=6
7.3=7
2013/234
15.8=1st
15.4=2
12.0=4
12.0=4
14.1=3
12.0=4
6.4=7
6.0=8
6.0=9
2013/394
11.2=2
13.2=1st
9.4=4
7.6=7
9.9=3
8.4=6
6.9=8
9.4=4
4.1=9
2013/232
19.8=1st
17.7=2
16.8=3
7.8=6
14.7=4
13.8=5
7.8=6
6
As for the major functions and business tasks of the department that it normally contracts out to
external agents or vendors to perform, the patterns of the returns are similar to 2011-12. For
example the total number of ticks registered corroborates the observation made last time that the
practice might be not quite endemic among the participant-corporations: two years in a row, the
number of ticks for the options of these two items (Table 4 refers) is much lower than those of
the items related to ‘major functions performed’ and ‘major business performed’.
In addition, the ranking of the ‘functions usually contracted out’ by the department, done
according to their percentage-share in the total number of ticks’ is the same in both studies:
1. Advertising
2. Corporate Branding & Image
3. Marketing
4. Crisis Communication & Management
5. Goods & Services Branding
Again, if the above ranking holds after the 2013-14 study, then there is a good chance that a
standing practice will have been identified. On the other hand, there is a measure of variation in
the returns concerning ‘business tasks usually contracted out’ by the department: in the 2012-13
returns, both ‘Corporate Website Management’ and ‘Press Conferences, Enquiries, Releases’
move from respectively the 3rd and the 4th ranks to the 2nd. ‘Annual/Quarterly Report’ drops
from 2nd to the 4th.
Also, the caveat made last year still holds this year: the number of choices for the options
‘others’ and ‘none of the above’ in respectively these two items remain undesirably high (from
34.7% to 39.6%). It is hoped that in the 2013-14 study, opportunities for follow-up measures will
be available should the pattern of the returns remain the same.
TABLE 4: Major Functions & Business Tasks involving Agent/Vendor
(A) Functions : Options with at least 5% of
Year/. (ticks) & % of the ticks
the total number of ticks (
)
Advertising
Corporate Branding & Image
Marketing
Crisis Communication & Management
Goods & Services Branding
Others (including None of the Above)
(B): Business tasks: Options with at least
5% of the total number of ticks (
)
Corporate Events & Exhibitions
Annual/Quarterly Report
Corporate Website Management
Press Conferences, Enquiries, Releases
None of the Above
2011-12/134
20.9%=1st
19.4=2
8.2=3
6.7=4
6.0=5
38.8
2012-13/154
20.1%=1st
15.6=2
11.7=3
7.8=4
5.2=5
39.6
Year/. (ticks) & % of the ticks
2011-12/95
21.1%=1
16.8=2
15.8=3
10.5=4
35.8
2012-13/110
23.6%=1st
12.7=4
14.5=2
14.5=2
34.7
7
Part B: The Respondents’ inputs to the open-ended items9
In this part, the respondents are invited to provide comments vis-à-vis the 3rd and the 4th
objectives of the study (p. 1 refers). Specifically they are asked to identify ‘the major CC
challenges for your company / industry in the coming year’, the ‘three important traits for CC
personnel’ , ‘the qualities of graduates of universities in Hong Kong’ with reference to their
comments about the traits and to make ‘recommendations for the universities’ with regard to the
foregoing two related issues.
In 2011-12, the respondents’ top-3 concerns about ‘the major CC challenges’ are (N of total
comments =42):
1. budgetary & resource stringency associated with the global economic conditions (n=13),
2. growing demands for corporate branding (n=12), and
3. media (social) relations (n=8).
In 2012-13, their top-3 concerns are (N=60):
1. budgetary & resource stringency associated with the global economic conditions (n=17),
2. media (social) relations (n=7), and
3. growing demands for corporate branding (n=5), and
3. corporate social responsibility (CSR) (n=5)
Two observations may be made here: First, two years in a row budgets and finances again are
considered to be ‘the top challenge in the coming year’. We believe if budgets and finances were
the top challenge in 2011-12, then it is understandable that they remain a top challenge this year
for the following reasons: Hong Kong entered 2011 in relatively good shape as its GDP in the
first quarter increased by 7.2% in real term compared to the same quarter of 2010. The strong
increase was underpinned by rigorous growth in private consumption, exports of goods and an
exuberant real estate market. However in the first quarter of 2012 the GDP grew only slightly by
0.4% over a year earlier, and the remainder of the year saw a sustained fall-off in export and the
introduction of government measures to curbs property sales. In sum, the overall economy of
2012-13 is not as good as 2011-12 and apparently the economic decline is registered in the
respondents’ comments.
The next observation is about the emergence of CSR as one of the top challenges. In 2011-12,
none of the respondents identify CSR as a major CC challenge. Its appearance as one of the top-3
challenges may also be related to an eruption of CSR-related issues in HK in 2012. For example,
the year saw the former and current Chief Executives together with a former Chief Secretary
being declared under the investigation of the Independent Commission Against Corruption.
There was in 2012 also a major marine accident that cost 39 lives and exposed systemic and
long-term failures in the Marine Department. In addition, in the spring of 2013, a large number
of dockyard workers at Hong Kong’s largest container terminal went on strike and their
miserable working conditions were covered extensively by the media. Apparently these and
many other similar scandals have an effect on some of our respondents.
9
The number of inputs to these four items varies from 42 to 36 in 2011-12. In 2012-13, the e-questionnaire is so
designed that all the respondents have to respond to this part albeit many of them choose to make a dummy entry:
‘not applicable’.
8
When asked to identify one to three important traits for CC practitioners, the top-3 traits in 201112 were, in order of the frequency of being mentioned, as follows (N=88):
1. good communication skills10 (n=40)
2. emotional maturity11 (n=15)
3. intellectual skills12 (n=10),
The returns of 2012-13 are the same (N=135):
1. good communication skills (n=52)
2. emotional maturity (n=42)
3. intellectual skills (n=35)
Similarly, if the above pattern holds after the 2013-14 study, then there is a good chance that a
benchmark will have been identified.
When asked to comment on the quality of local graduates with reference to the previous question,
positive comments are few in both 2011-12 and 2012-13. The communication skills of female
graduates receive three favourable comments this year. There are also another three such
comments for the graduates’ intellectual skills. The graduates’ IT & Media skills receive only one
favourable comment. However, 15 comments are about the graduates’ lack of communication
skills, particularly Chinese and English written skills (n=9). 11 comments are critical about the
graduates’ lack of emotional maturity, whereas six negative comments are about the graduates’
lack of grounding for their professional career.
When asked what recommendations they wish to give to the local universities with reference to
the previous two questions, the top-3 recommendations in 2011-12 are as follows:
2011-12 (N=64)
1. enhanced training of communication skills (n=22)
2. providing the graduating students grounding for the profession (n= 21) including the
availability of mentorship programmes, practicum and internship (11 out the the 21
comments)
3. emotional-maturity development (n=8)
In 2012-13 (N=61), there are essentially two top recommendations:
1. providing the graduating students grounding for the profession (n= 35) including the
availability of mentorship programmes, practicum and internship (11 out the 35
10
All inputs related to language (spoken &/or written) skills, story-telling skills, interpersonal skills, persuasive
skills and personal-grooming skills are grouped under this trait.
11
All inputs related to characteristics such as a pleasant &/or cheerful &/or sociable &/or outgoing disposition,
open-mindedness, forward-looking, willing to listen, willing to learn and good time-management are grouped under
this trait.
12
All inputs related to characteristics such as detail-minded, strategic-thinking skills, flexible cognitive skills,
adaptable to changes and new challenges, creativity and good IQ are grouped under this trait.
9
comments), as well as greater deployment of case-studies in subject delivery (6 out of the
35 comments)
2. enhanced training of communication skills (n=14)
For some unknown reasons, there are no comments related to emotional-maturity development
this year.
Conclusions & Observations
In the 2011-12 study, the following concluding comments were made:
1. CC practitioners in HK are mostly well educated women.
2. The department with which they affiliate is relatively small in both size and budget
3. There are no clear established titles for the department and its head, albeit close to half of
the respondents indicate that the department head reports directly to the CEO.
4. A cluster of major clients served and functions performed by CC departments in HK is in
evidence.
5. The respondents also indicate their personal and/or the corporation’s major challenges
which are mainly related to the global economy, the demand for corporate branding and
(social) media relations.
6. They further opine that competent CC practitioners should have good communication
skills, emotional maturity, intellectual skills, and socio-political awareness. This finding
further affirms that CC is essentially a people-oriented industry.
7. The respondents also indicate their concerns that most graduating students have neither
the necessary traits nor the necessary grounding for their profession
8. Many of them provide suggestions about what the local universities could do for the
profession in terms of enhancing the training of communication skills, providing
grounding for the profession especially via mentorship programmes, practicum, and
involving practitioners in the educational processes.
In the 2012-13 study, the findings indicate that the situations summarised in points 1-4 and 7
remain largely the same. In point 5, CSR emerges as one of the major challenges, whereas in the
case of point 6 socio-political awareness drops out as a trait that is essential for CC practitioners
to have. As for point 8, more respondents comment on the need for ‘providing the graduating
students grounding for the profession’ than those on the need for communication-skills training.
It appears the 2012-13 study has registered two potential trends which were not that clearly
borne out in the 2011-12 study: First, it appears there is a strong demand in the industry for
tertiary insitutions offering programmes related to CC to deliver curricular contents that will
provide graduating students a solid grounding for the profession with specific reference to
communication skills, availability of mentorship programmes, practicum and internship. In the
returns concerned, there is also an appeal for making use of more authentic case-studies in
subject delivery. In addition, there is indication that students with this sort of grounding will be
preferred recruits. All these point to a need for closer collaboration between the industry and the
universities concerned.
10
Second, as mentioned, 2012-13 is a year of corporate scandals for Hong Kong. Against this
backdrop, we believe the emergence in the findings of CSR as one of the top challenges among
the conditions of the economy, corporate branding and media relations facing the industry may
not be an accident. The data have given us a sense that there is an awareness developing among
CC practitioners in Hong Kong that the standing of a corporate brand is more and more
dependent upon how its corporate behaviour as covered by the media is perceived as socially
responsible even in times of hardness. We will pursue this point further in the study of 2013-14.
Limitations of the Study
According to the HK Vocational Training Council, there are over 22,000 people employed in the
advertising and CC industry in 2010. The survey sample of these two studies is therefore hardly
representative of the CC population of HK. Also, the participant-corporations are mostly large
corporations. Therefore the findings might have a degree of representation of CC departments of
large, multi-national corporations only. The interpretation of the findings must take these
constraints into account accordingly.
Works Cited
Feng, Jieyun & Michael B. Goodman. “Corporate Communication Practices and Trends: A China
Study 2010.” Proceedings of the International Conference on Corporate Communication, June
7-10, pp. 169 – 190
de Wet, Gideon, Ilse Niemann-Struweg & Corne Meintjes. “Corporate Communication Practices
and Trends: South Africa Benchmark Study 2007/8.” Paper presented at the International
Conference on Corporate Communication, June 6 – 9, 2008, Wroxton, England
Goodman, Michael B. “CCI Corporate Communication Practices and Trends: US Study 2011.”
Proceedings of the International Conference on Corporate Communication, June 7-10, pp. 105 –
107
Frandsen, Finn & Winni Johansen. ”Corporate Communication Practices and Trends: A
European Union Benchmark Study 2008.”
http://www.corporatecomm.org/pdf/EUPreliminary13_3_2008%20final.ppt.
11
Appendix 1
Corporate Communication International
(The Hong Kong Chapter)
Corporate Communication (CC) Practices & Trends Study 2011
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Please provide the following information about your company (Parts A & B), and yourself (Part C).
Part A
Please click the box next to the appropriate choice(s). Please click all that apply.
1. Your company is headquartered in:
o Hong Kong
o Chinese Mainland
o Japan
o Taiwan
o Asia (other polities)
o Europe
o North America
o None of the Above
2. Your company’s main business area(s) is/are:
o Finance
o Hospitality & Tourism (Including Catering)
o Manufacturing
o Public Utilities
o Real Estate
o Retail & Trading
o Media & Communication
o PR / Consulting
o NGO
o Others
o Not Applicable
3. The number of full-time personnel employed by your company in Hong Kong is:
o Under 100
o 101-1,000
o 1,001-3,000
o 3,001-5,000
o 5,001 & above
o Not Applicable
12
4. The Number of full-time personnel employed by your company globally (including Hong
Kong) is:
o Under 200
o 201-3,000
o 3,001-5,000
o 5,001-10,000
o 10,001 & above
o Not Applicable
5. Identify in the following the group(s) of people to whom your CC personnel mostly provide
service:
o Customers
o Colleagues in the Marketing Department
o Directors of the Board
o Government Officers
o Investors
o Journalists and/or News Reporters
o People Affected by Businesses/Projects of your Company
o Social Activists
o The CEO
o Not Applicable
6. Identify among the following business functions those that your CC personnel are responsible
for:
o Corporate Branding & Image
o Corporate Philanthropy
o Corporate Social Responsibility
o Crisis Communication & Management
o Influence Public Opinion for Company’s Policies
o Government Relations
o Investor Relations
o Lobbying
o Press Relations
o None of the Above
7. Identify in the following business functions those that your CC personnel are also responsible
for:
o Advertising
o Customer Service & Communication
o Goods & Services Branding
o Marketing
o Staff Development
o None of the Above
8. Identify in the following business tasks those that your CC personnel are involved by a
significant measure:
13
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Annual &/or Quarterly Report Writing
Corporate Events &/or Exhibitions
Corporate Newsletter for Staff
Managing the Corporate Web-page of your Company
Press Conferences &/or Enquiries &/or Releases
Speech Writing
Staff Social Events (e.g. the Annual Dinner Party)
None of the Above
9. Identify in the following business functions those that you use agencies or vendors (in a
substantial way) to accomplish:
o Advertising
o Corporate Branding & Image
o Corporate Philanthropy
o Corporate Social Responsibility
o Crisis Communication & Management
o Customer Service & Communication
o Goods & Services Branding
o Government Relations
o Influence Public Opinion for Company’s Policies
o Investor Relations
o Lobbying
o Marketing
o Press Relations
o Staff Development
o None of the Above
10. Identify in the following business tasks those that you use agencies or vendors (in a
substantial way) to accomplish:
o Annual &/or Quarterly Report
o Corporate Events &/or Exhibitions
o Corporate Newsletter for Staff
o Managing the Corporate Web-page of your Company
o Press Conferences &/or Enquiries &/or Releases
o Speech Writing
o Staff Social Events (e.g. the Annual Dinner Party)
o None of the Above
11. In your company, the top person responsible for corporate communication has the following
title:
12. In your company, the top person responsible for CC functions reports to:
o The Chief Executive Officer
o The Chief Finance Officer
14
o The Chief Operating Officer
o The Chief Information Officer
o Others
13. In your company, the budget for CC functions and activities (excluding staff & fixed
overhead office cost) is approximately (HKD):
o Under $1,000,000 (1m)
o $1,000,001-5,000,000(5m)
o $5,000,001-10,000,000(10m)
o $10,000,001-20,000,000 (20m)
o Over $20,000,000 (20m)
o Not Applicable
14. Compared to previous fiscal year, the number of CC personnel at your company this fiscal
year has
o increased by more than 1 person
o increased by 1 person
o remained the same
o decreased by 1 person
o decreased by more than 1 person
o Not Applicable
15. Compared to previous fiscal year, the budget for CC at your company this fiscal year has
o increased by over 10%
o increased by 5% - 10%
o no significant changes
o decreased by 5% - 10%
o decreased by over 10%
o Not Applicable
Part B
Please give your views on the following questions.
16. What do you see as the major corporate communication challenges for your company /
industry in the coming year?
17. Please identify one to three important traits for corporate communication personnel.
15
18. With reference to your input in the last question, please comment on the qualities
of graduates of universities in Hong Kong.
19. In connection with the last 2 questions, do you have any recommendations for the
universities?
Part C
Please click the box next to the appropriate choice(s) or give appropriate answer(s).
20. Your gender:
o Female
o Male
21. Your age:
o Below 40
o 40-54
o 55 or above
22. Your education:
o Post-secondary
o Bachelor
o Master
o Doctoral
o None of the Above
23. Your professional qualifications:
24. It would be helpful if you could give us the name of your company here:
THA.K YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATIO. I. THIS STUDY
16