FPT UNIVERSITY

DEFINING
CORPORATE
COMMUNICATION

CHAPTER 1

MSC. NGUYỄN HẢI NHẤT PHONG

 Scope and definitions

OVERVIEW Key concepts

Outline trends over time in corporate

communication
Corporate
Communication
A MANAGEMENT FUNCTION

• that offers a framework for the effective

coordination of all internal and external
communication
• with an overall purpose of establishing and
maintaining favourable reputations

• with stakeholder groups upon which the

organization is dependent
 CHANGE OVER TIME

Public Relation Corporate

communications
• Until 1970s
• Holistic: Focus on organization as whole
• Tactical • Stakeholder presentation: How an organization presents
• Communication with press itself to key stakeholders (internal/external)
 21ST CENTURY CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS
RANGE OF SPECIALIZED DISCIPLINES:

CORPORATE ADVERTISING MEDIA RELATIONS

CORPORATE DESIGN INVESTOR RELATIONS

INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS CHANGE COMMUNICATIONS

ISSUE AND CRISIS MANAGEMENT PUBLIC AFFAIRS

CORPORATE
ADVERTISING
This involves promoting a a technology company uses TV
company’s image and messages
and website ads to introduce
through advertising campaigns.
their new products.
CORPORATE
DESIGN
This field relates to creating design a bank has a unique logo and uses
elements such as logos, brand
identity, and communication
green color to convey security and
materials. trust
INTERNAL
COMMUNICATIONS
It encompasses communication and a company holds weekly meetings
interaction with employees within
the organization
to share important news and
events.
ISSUE AND CRISIS
MANAGEMENT
This discipline ensures that the a food company reacts swiftly
organization has plans and when there is information about
appropriate responses when their product being harmful to
issues or crises arise
health.
MEDIA RELATIONS
It involves creating and a technology company has a media
maintaining relationships with relations team to interact with
the media journalists and spokespersons
INVESTOR RELATIONS

This communication focuses a publicly traded company holds

on investors and investor briefings to present
shareholders. financial results.
CHANGE
COMMUNICATIONS
It deals with informing and a company undergoing
explaining organizational restructuring communicates
changes changes in the organizational
structure to employees
PUBLIC AFFAIRS
This involves interacting with a nonprofit organization
government agencies and participates in meetings with
society officials to discuss social issues
 TYPES OF ACTIVITY

MANAGERIAL TACTICAL
• Planning • Producing messages
• Coordinating • Disseminating messages
• Counselling CEOs and senior
managers
 COMPLEXITY
F A C T O R S T H AT M A K E C O R P O R AT E C O M M U N I C AT I O N M O R E C O M P L E X

Wide Wide range of

geographical range services and
products

Corporate headquarters and

various divisions and business
units
 MISSION
Overriding purpose in line
with the values and
expectations of stakeholders
“British Airways is aiming to set new
industry standards in customer service
and innovation, deliver the best
financial performance and evolve from
being an airline to a world travel
business with the flexibility to stretch
its brand into new business areas”
 VISION
Desired future state: the ‘To become the undisputed
leader in world travel by
aspiration of the ensuring that BA is the
organization customer’s first choice through
the delivery of an unbeatable
travel experience’
 CORPORATE
OBJECTIVES
Statement of overall aims ‘To be a good neighbour, concerned for
the community and the environment’, ‘to
in line with the overall provide overall superior service and good
purpose value for money in every market segment
in which we compete’, ‘to excel in
anticipating and quickly responding to
customer needs and competitor activity’
 STRATEGIES
‘Continuing emphasis on consistent quality of
The ways or means in customer service and the delivery to the

which the corporate marketplace of value for money through customer-

oriented initiatives (online booking service,
objectives are to be strategic alliances) and to arrange all the elements
of our service so that they collectively generate a
achieved and put into particular experience’... ‘building trust with our
shareholders, employees, customers, neighbours
effect and with our critics, through commitment to good
practice and societal reporting’
 SWAROVSKI
• MISSION: Thu hút và giữ chân nhân tài hàng đầu
trong ngành công nghiệp trang sức.
• VISION: Trở thành thương hiệu trang sức hàng
đầu thế giới.
• CORPORATE OBJECTIVES: Tăng doanh số bán
hàng, mở rộng thị trường châu Á.
• STRATEGIES: Tạo ra các thiết kế độc đáo, tăng
quảng cáo trực tuyến.
 MASAN GROUP
• MISSION: Cải thiện chất lượng cuộc sống của người
Việt.
• VISION: Trở thành tập đoàn hàng đầu trong lĩnh vực
tiêu dùng và năng lượng tại Việt Nam.
• CORPORATE OBJECTIVES: Tăng doanh số bán hàng, mở
rộng vào lĩnh vực thực phẩm, năng lượng.
• STRATEGIES: Mua lại các công ty thực phẩm, đầu tư
vào năng lượng tái tạo.
 CORPORATE
IDENTITY
The profile and values ‘The world’s favourite airline’ (This
corporate identity with its associated
communicated by an
brand values of service, quality,
organization innovation, cosmopolitanism and
Britishness is carried through in
positioning, design, livery, and
communications)
 CORPORATE
REPUTATION
An individual’s collective
representation of past images of
an organization (induced
through either communication
or past experiences) established
over time
‘Through the Executive Club program,
British Airways has developed a
reputation as an innovator in
developing direct relationships with its
customers and in tailoring its services
to enhance these relationships’ (long-
standing supplier of BA).
 STAKEHOLDER
Any group or individual who
can affect or is affected by the
achievement of the
organization’s objectives
‘Employees, consumers,
investors and shareholders,
community, aviation business
and suppliers, government,
trade unions, NGOs, and
society at large’
 MARKET
A defined group for whom a
product is or may be in demand
(and for whom an organization
creates and maintains products
and services)
‘The market for British
Airways flights consists of
passengers who search for a
superior service over and
beyond the basic transportation
involved’
 COMMUNICATION
The tactics and media that are
used to communicate with
internal and external groups
‘Newsletters, promotion
packages, consultation
forums, advertising
campaigns, corporate design
and code of conduct, free
publicity’
 INTEGRATION
The act of coordinating all
communication so that the corporate
identity is effectively and
consistently communicated to
internal and external groups
‘British Airways aims to
communicate its brand values of
service, quality, innovation,
cosmopolitanism and Britishness
through all its communications in a
consistent and effective manner’
TRENDS -
1980s
 TRENDS -
1990s/2000s
 DOWNSIDES

Gives impression that stakeholders can be managed or even

controlled

Models of reputation management

Corporate messages to direct outcomes in terms of awareness,

attitudes or broader reputational change

Implies a linear model of communication

Stakeholders are active agents, not passive agents or speakers-in-

waiting
 TRENDS - 2010s
• Stakeholders have become more active:
a. Voicing their expectations
b. Self-organizing
c. Advocating
• Empowered by new media technologies that are
more interactive and dialogue based
• Gradual shift towards stakeholders sharing
experiences, opinions and ideas about organizations
• Challenges and opportunities through word-of-mouth
and peer-to-peer influence
ENGAGEMENT
• Not merely about sharing opinions and
perspectives
• Also organization must be transparent
• Acting in character to bring across identity
• Fostering stakeholders to become genuine
advocates
• Without this, stakeholders organize for action
and point out lack of authenticity
TRENDS AND DEVELOPMENTS IN
CORPORATE COMMUNICATION
THANK YOU
FOR YOUR ATTENTION