Corporate communication as a strategic management function

Corporate communication as a strategic management function

The purpose of this section is to introduce corporate communication as a management function since I

have chosen that as a framework from which to examine my research topic, workplace safety. Firstly, a

definition of corporate communication and the ways to organize it as a function are introduced to be

able to better understand the corporate communication function’s significance in organizations.

The rest of the section is devoted to stakeholder communication (the focus being on internal

stakeholders) that can be regarded as being the most important task of corporate communication and

the main interest of my own research project. Corporate communication is a fairly new discipline within

the communication field and has its roots in public relations, which traditionally means communication

business communication, which focuses on skills and writing, and organizational communication, which

is interested in organizational behavior (Argenti 1996, 83, 85) or even sees communication as a

constitutive element of the organization itself (e.g. Cooren & al. 2011). Christensen and Cornelissen

(2011) suggest building a link between corporate communication and organizational communication by

stating that these disciplines are actually two sides of the same coin. Based on their review of previous

research, they claim that these two disciplines, corporate communication as a management function

and organizational communication as a constitutive power of organizations concentrating on collective

sense making and social coordination, could benefit each other (Christensen & Cornelissen, 2011, 17).

They refer to scaling up communication between individuals (micro) to the organization (macro)

(Christensen & Cornelissen 2011), which is one way to link these two disciplines and can be seen in

corporate communication can support advancing strategic issues, namely workplace safety, across the

organization.

Joep Cornelissen defines corporate communication as follows: Corporate communication can be defined

as a management function that is responsible for coordinating internal and external communication

with the purpose of establishing and maintaining relationships with stakeholder groups upon which the

organization is dependent (Cornelissen 2011, 5.) According to Cornelissen’s definition, corporate

communication is regarded as a function that is strategic as defined by Argenti & al. (2005) – it is

fundamental for the survival of the organization as it cherishes the long-term relationships with key

stakeholders. I look at corporate communication’s role in building and maintaining relationships with

stakeholder groups as the most important element of the function. This is also why corporate

communication as a function can be seen as strategic: building and maintaining relationships with

stakeholders is in fact protecting reputation which is critical and one of the most important strategic

objectives of a company in general and its communication practitioners in particular (Cornelissen 2011,

3).

and these can be seen at least in large organizations. The sub-functions according to Argenti (1996, 78)

include image and identity, corporate advertising and advocacy, media relations, financial

communications, employee relations, community relations and corporate philanthropy, government

relations and crisis communications. Even though this list may not be all-encompassing, it is clearly

communication by an organization to achieve its mission meaning the same thing – the purpose of

communication, messages and corporate functions working to achieve the mission need to work in an

integrated way. They draw attention to the fact that at least management, marketing, public relations,

technical and political communication and information/social marketing campaigns integrate their

messages when talking to all more fragmented audiences. Safety communication cuts across these

different functions and increases the need for integrated messaging.

The organizing and organizational status of corporate communication has been widely debated and

there are several different models showing how the communication function should be positioned with

regards to management and marketing (see e.g. Welch & Jackson, 2007, 179-183). Positioning of the

function intrigues academic interest and there are several possibilities to do it – both in theory and in

2007) separates six communication specialty areas usually found in organizations. These areas typically

have shared purposes and objectives, and the strategies for achieving those objectives are similar, but

tactics vary (Hallahan & al., 2007, 5). Also resources are shared and people across different

functions in the organization work to achieve the goals. These specialty areas according to Hallahan (as

cited in Hallahan & al. 2007) are management communication, marketing communication, public

relations (in this case meaning building and maintaining relationships with key constituents, thus

defined similarly to the definition of corporate communication given above), technical communication,

political communication and information/social marketing campaigns. Hallahan & al. (2007, 5)

emphasize strategic communication meaning that these communication specialty areas should be

managed in coordination with the focus on how the organization itself presents and promotes itself

through the intentional activities of its leaders, employees, and communication practitioners.

If we think about internal communication regarding safety issues, it cuts across many of the specialty

areas defined by Hallahan (2007). It is management communication as it provides information needed in

day-to-day operations. It is also technical communication as it involves educative material to avoid

errors and promote effective use of technology. And furthermore, especially at the corporate level,

within an organization is actually organized accordingly. Marketing can be managed in a separate

organization at the corporate level or business unit level, but still the most senior communication

practitioner manages integrated corporate communication with the company’s reputation in mind

(Cornelissen 2011, 25).