The Functions of Corporate
Communications
Corporate Communications
and Strategic Management
Professor Leif Åberg
University of Helsinki,
Department of Communication
second session, Amsterdam, April 1999
The Dualistic Nature of
Organizational Communications
 a function, under
a communications manager
 also inherent in all management
The Purpose:
 to present a model that integrates these
two aspects
 with special attention to linking
organizational communications with
strategic management.
Part One:
Integration Within the
Communication Function
The Four Functions of
Organizational Communications
1 supporting core operations
2 profiling
3 informing
4 socializing
1 supporting core operations
 communication is necessary for production of
commodities - products and services - and for
their distribution to customers
2 profiling
 communication is necessary when a long
term corporate, product, or manager profile is
being created and disseminated
3 informing
 communication is necessary for purposes of
informing internal and external audiences
about the developments within the
organization
4 socialization
 communication is necessary for the
socialization of individuals into good
’organization citizens’
The Fifth Function, not under the
Organization’s Direct Control
5 need for informal social interaction
 social interaction is inherent in the human
nature
 grapevine and informal social networks
Dimensions of the
Functional Model
1. content:
task, product, services
2. direction:
external
internal
entire organization
Total
communications
external internal
marketing market- operative
interorgani- ing
work
zational
instructions
operative
comm:s
Total
communications
product
or service
profiling and
image surveys
Total
communicorporate or
cations
manager profiling
and image
surveys
Total
communications
external
PR
environmental
scanning
internal
PR
internal
scanning
induction to work
training, tutoring
Total
communi- induction to
cations organization
training, handbooks
interexternal nal
market- mar- work
ing ket- instructions
ing
product/
sercives
induction
profile &
to work
Total
surveys
coprporate/ communi- induction to
manager
cations organization
profile &
surveys
external internal
PR & PR &
scanning scanning
External
social
networks
Internal
grapevine
Responsibilities of the
Communications Manager
interexternal nal
work
marketmarCoordinates
ing ket- instructions
ing
product/
sercives
induction
profile &
to work
Total
surveys
Cocoprporate/ communi- induction
to
ordinates
manager
cations organization
profile &
surveys
Controls
external internal
directlyPR & PR &
scanning scanning
Basic forms of communicating
within the organization: before
Face-to-face
Written
Electronic
Basic forms of communicating
within the organization: now
Face-to-face
Written
Electronic
End of Part One:
Integration Within the
Communication Function
Part Two:
A Strategic Management
Perspective
What is Strategic Management?
It is about directing the resources
to direct, there has to be a direction
resource= a potential that can be used
can be used, but is not necessarily used
effectively
 a direction, where to? To the future!
 But future is in the mind of the beholder
 key concept: visioning, and sharing a
common vision




Visions
 to build a solid vision, the organizations
must combine managerial processes and
processes that emerge from human
activities
 metaphor: a kite!
The art of flying a kite:
the kite will fly,
 if it is windy,
and
 if one, running against the wind,
manages to bring about
the essential initial driving force
Once the kite is up,
it is vital to maintain an
active balance between
managerial processes and
processes related to
human behavior
This active balancing is
achieved through
communication
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Kite
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TCATSCAN-IING
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A) Tools for Revealing the Vision
 core story links the past with the future and
defines the current position
 strategic keywords: using, e.g.,
a 3x3x3-diagram
 strategic core messages: elaboration of the
strategic keywords
 slogan: one core message, used for
identification of the company
 emblem: e.g., logo+name, or an auditive
emblem
Core
Story
VISION
EXTERNAL
LEGITIMACY
INTERNAL
LEGITIMACY
GOOD
HERITAGE
The S-group continues to
develop the cooperative form
of enterprise best suited to the
needs of the people VISION
in order to produce a more
humane direction in the
development of the
Today, through customerfree-market economy
ownership, chain operations
and efficient structures, the
S-Group uses its influence
make living in Finland
The S-Group hastoalways
less expensive
and
played an important
role
in quality
in the social andricher
economic
this is opened
development of Finland.
using a 3x3x3It hasGOOD
been innovative and
diagram
responsive
to the challenges
HERITAGE
of the time
Core
Story:
S-Group
A 3 x 3 (x 3) Diagram
You receive benefits
You’re working
for good cause
You can influence
Customer-ownership
”Your benefits
in Finland”
Unique structure
Regional
Networks
Efficiency
Personnel
Chains
National
Logistics
Example of a Good Slogan
 ”Ahlstrom Pumps : The Heart of Your
Processes”
This slogan reflects all three of our basic core
competences
 Heart … because it is our superior products that keep
the life flowing through our customer’s manufacturing
processes
 Your … because our customers are our primary focus
 Process … because that is where we have the
knowledge and experience to far exceed our
competition.
B) Scanning
 the recognition of the first weak signals of
essential external and internal changes as
early as possible, in order to make
corrective action possible
 environmental and internal scanning
Trends
Random
fluctuation
Environmental
responses
to our
actions
?
1 Recognition
of possible sources
of essential
weak signals
6 Control of
consequences
Scanning
5 Taking
action
4 Recommendations
for actions
2 External and
internal
monitoring
3 Interpretation
C) Communication of Change
 the core story affects the perceptions of
the legitimacy of own actions, and
brings about positive expectations
about the future
 communication of change must be
taken seriously: it is an ongoing
process, calls for extensive and
sophisticated communications efforts,
and is a joint process by managers and
communications professionals
Summary:
a Truly Integrative Model
1 Integrates within the
Communications Function
 areas of direct responsibility of the PR
Manager: internal and external PR
activities, profiling and branding
 communications activities that must be
coordinated: PR, profiling and branding
with external and internal marketing
 consultation with managers concerning
operational communications issues
2 Integrates PR with Strategic
Management, focusing on
 making the vision known
 communicating change
 strategic scanning
Thank you
for your
attention!
Leif Åberg