Theory on strategic communication management is the key to unlocking the boardroom
The Authors
Gerhard Bütschi, Digital Management AG, Zürich, Switzerland
Benita Steyn, Department of Public Relations Management, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Cape Town, South Africa
Abstract
Purpose – The 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/approach – The paper discusses how good theory should guide research towards crucial questions and enlighten the profession.
Findings – Academics 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/value – The paper highlights how theory on strategic communication management is the key to unlocking the boardroom.
Article Type:
Research paper
Keyword(s):
Public relations; Corporate communications; Strategic management; Research.
Journal:
Journal of Communication Management
Volume:
10
Number:
1
Year:
2006
pp:
106-109
Copyright ©
Emerald Group Publishing Limited
ISSN:
1363-254X
Introduction
A central mission of scholars and educators is to conduct research that contributes knowledge to a scientific discipline on the one hand, and to apply that knowledge to the practice of the discipline on the other hand (Van de Ven, 1989). Based on an intimate understanding of the practical problems facing the profession, good theory should guide research toward crucial questions and enlighten the profession. Theories should be constructed in order to do something useful with it, i.e. to facilitate practice (Corman et al., 1995). Good theory should be judged by its usefulness rather than by validation (as is the custom). There is nothing as practical as a good theory (Weick, 1989).
Problems in corporate communication practice
A domain such as corporate communication/public relations is held together more by agreement on the problems that theories used in the domain should solve than by agreement on the theories themselves (Grunig, 1989).
Prominent practitioners are increasingly drawing attention to major problems experienced in practice. The previous Chair of the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management, Muzi Falconi (2004) regards it as a major challenge for practitioners to be:
… more accountable for their day to day work, managing with competent, sober and accurate care, the increasingly relevant resources assigned to them.
If corporate communication is a management function, it should value and measure its employed resources against objectives – in terms of efficiency as well as effectiveness.
The findings of a survey in the UK (UK Institute of Public Relations, 2004) also point in this direction, criticising the function's inability to manage assigned resources efficiently. Communication leaders such as the Secretary General of the International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO) concur:
The PR industry – including both in-house and agency practitioners – is possibly now at the furthest point of divergence from the rest of the organisation and must re-align so as to win the respect of senior management (Quarendon, 2003).
Voices for increased effectiveness of corporate communication are also being heard. In a speech to the Executive Board and Council of the GA, Bütschi (2004) said that every functional area in the organisation – be it core operations or support – must respond to a continuously changing environment by constantly innovating and adapting its contribution to overall organisational effectiveness. Recent developments such as a focus on the triple bottom line, social responsibility, transparent communication and reputation risk management pave the way for corporate communication to gain prominence.
The findings of a study amongst 103 chief executives in South Africa indicate that they are not satisfied with the performance of their senior communication managers. Inter alia, they are seen to lack training, expertise and experience in the total communication function. CEOs expect them to be pro-active and play a strategic role at the macro organisational level by interpreting strategic issues and providing strategic guidance with regards to stakeholder communication. Some CEOs acknowledged that they do not know enough of communication to lead the function to excellence (Steyn and Puth, 2000). These issues are at the core of an effective contribution by corporate communication.
Problems to be solved by academics
The literature (academic and practitioner) indicates confusion in the field, characterised by the search for an own identity. Although this is surfacing as a problem in practice (most notably through encroachment by marketing), it is in essence a theoretical problem. It is becoming increasingly obvious that a redefinition of the field is required (Steyn, 2004). The corporate communication/public relations function is in need of a new paradigm – a new pattern of thinking about and studying organisational and communication problems, and of evaluating practice. A strategic approach is suggested as being one such an alternative (Steyn and Bütschi, 2004).
The authors agree with Fawkes and Tench (2004) that theory is at the heart of defining the field of corporate communication and that coherent theoretical structures can only be developed by academic investigation. Academics should therefore engage in theory building in order to produce new models, concepts and theories relevant to twenty-first century corporate communication. They should be innovative, think outside the box, adopt “risky” research strategies and try out new methods.
A research agenda for strategic communication management
In the opinion of the authors, academics should engage in basic and introspective research (Pavlik, 1987) to develop theory on macro issues in the field of corporate communication such as its purpose in the new business paradigm; contribution to organisational effectiveness; scope of delivery; vertical and horizontal strategy alignment; and the impact it is expected to make.
Theory is also needed on how corporate communication is to break through the strategy barrier to higher levels of strategic thinking and conceptualisation; its role in developing an organisation's enterprise strategy; the activities to be performed by a practitioner in the role of the strategist; and on the development of corporate communication strategy that supports enterprise/corporate strategy. Employing technology as a strategic tool to achieve functional synchronisation; aligning reputational risks and other strategic issues with communication plans; and developing the elusive ROI case also merit researchers' attention.
Theory should also be developed on the core competencies, processes and structures needed to streamline the function; on improved benefits to be delivered to stakeholders (internal as well as external); on new ways to exploit corporate communication assets to add more value; and on ways to evaluate performance. Rather than treating evaluation as the sum total of communication activities implemented successfully or objectives achieved at implementation level, measures should be developed to indicate organisational effectiveness enhanced through strengthened relations and improved reputation, as well as increased revenue through communication initiatives and efficiencies.
Conclusion
Academia should lead and support industry with their innovative solutions to practical problems, work closely with practitioners and form partnerships with industry. Problems in practice should be the inspiration for, and the testing ground of new theories directed towards increased efficiency and effectiveness. In the opinion of the authors, theory on strategic communication management is the key to unlocking the boardroom. It will go a long way in creating the knowledge necessary to rectify current criticisms and to create an appreciation of the value that corporate communication can add.
References
Bütschi, G. (2004), "Software supported communication management offers new perspectives", speech by the CEO of Digital Management AG Switzerland to the GA Executive Board and Council, Quebec, 9 June, available at: www.digitalmgmt.com (virtual library), .
Corman, S.R., Banks, S.P., Bantz, C.R., Mayer, M.E. (1995), Foundations of Organizational Communication: A Reader, 2nd ed., Longman, New York, NY, pp.5.
Fawkes, J., Tench, R. (2004), "Does practitioner resistance to theory jeopardise the future of public relations in the UK?", paper presented at the 11th International PR Research Symposium, pp.4-6.
Grunig, J.E. (1989), in Botan, C.H., Hazelton, V. (Eds),Public Relations Theory, Lawrence Erlbaum, Hillsdale, NJ, pp.19-23.
Muzi Falconi, T. (2004), "Stormy prospects ahead for public relations", article by the previous Chair of the Global Alliance, available at: http://globalpr.corpex.com/knowledge/stormypr-Jan-04.pdf, pp.3.
Pavlik, J.V. (1987), Public Relations: What Research Tells Us, Sage, London, .
Quarendon, S. (2003), "PR must ‘realign’ with rest of business to seize on economic recovery", The Gauge Delahaye Newsletter, available at: www.iccopr.com, Vol. 16 No.5, pp.–3.
Steyn, B. (2004), "A metaphorical application of the concept ‘paradigm’ to the public relations domain", Communicare, available at: www.digitalmgmt.com (virtual library), Vol. 23 No.1, pp.54-78.
Steyn, B., Bütschi, G. (2004), "A model for developing corporate communication/public relations strategy-– an online application", paper presented at the 11th International PR Research Symposium, .
Steyn, B., Puth, G. (2000), Corporate Communication Strategy, Heinemann, Johannesburg, pp. 13, 155, .
UK Institute of Public Relations (2004), "Unlocking the potential of public relations", research survey, available at: www.ipr.org.uk/unlockpr/index.asp, .
Van de Ven, A.H. (1989), "Nothing is quite so practical as a good theory", Academy of Management Review, Vol. 14 No.4, pp.486-9.
Weick, K.E. (1989), "Theory construction as disciplined imagination", Academy of Management Review, Vol. 14 No.4, pp.516-31.
About the authors
Gerhard Bütschi is the Chairman and CEO of Digital Management AG, a Swiss company that translates research into software solutions for managing stakeholder relationships. He is also a Visiting Lecturer and Research Supervisor at the Department of Marketing and Communication Management at the University of Pretoria, South Africa.
Benita Steyn supervises research and lectures on the web-based Masters Programme in Public Relations Management at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology. She is also a Director of Digital Management AG Switzerland. Benita Steyn is the corresponding author and can be contacted at: b.steyn@lantic.net