FROM ‘STRATEGY’ TO ‘CORPORATE COMMUNICATION STRATEGY’: A CONCEPTUALISATION

Paper delivered at the 9th International Public Relations Research Symposium, held at Lake Bled from 4-7 July, 2002

Benita Steyn APR Lecturer

Dept of Marketing and Communication Management Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences University of Pretoria SOUTH AFRICA 0002

(27 12) 420-4040 w (27 12) 362-5085 fax bsteyn@hakuna.up.ac.za

TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. 2.
2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4

INTRODUCTION DEFINITION OF TERMS
CORPORATE COMMUNICATION PUBLIC RELATIONS STRATEGY STAKEHOLDERS AND PUBLICS

1 1
1 1 2 2

3. APPROACHES TO THE ROLE OF BUSINESS IN SOCIETY AS A METATHEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 THE SHAREHOLDER APPROACH THE SOCIAL
iii

FROM ‘STRATEGY’ TO ‘CORPORATE COMMUNICATION STRATEGY’: A CONCEPTUALISATION
1. INTRODUCTION The concept of ‘strategy’ is well-known in management theory and practice. However, the concept of ‘corporate communication strategy’ has received little attention in the public relations (corporate communication) body of knowledge. There is mention of a strategic role for the corporate communication practitioner, but few explanations or descriptions of what corporate communication strategy means in a strategic organisational context. Van Riel (1995:142) is of the opinion that academic knowledge with regard to the strategic management of an organisation’s communication is relatively limited. Although the corporate communication industry acknowledges that strategy should be an integral part of its communication programmes, few practitioners seem to understand the meaning of strategy. “Strategy and the communications world, and particularly the PR part of that world, just do not seem to go together. It is certainly unusual to come across a memorable, cogent, sustained, and effective communications strategy. Not a brand strategy. Not a marketing strategy. Not an advertising strategy — a communication strategy” (Tibble 1997:356). After conducting a study on the professional views of corporate communication practitioners in the Netherlands, Van Ruler (1997:263) concluded that practitioners are not able to cope