L/615/2697 Corporate Communication Strategies - ATHE Level 7 Diploma in Strategic Management

Aim: This unit will enable learners to develop knowledge and understanding of the importance of corporate communications and the link with corporate objectives.

Learners will have the opportunity to develop skills in auditing corporate communications and planning a corporate communication
strategy.

Learning outcome 1: Understand the importance of corporate communications
Learning outcome 2: Be able to plan corporate communications audits
Learning outcome 3: Understand the purpose and impact of a corporate communications strategy

Indicative Content

1. Understand the importance of corporate communications

• Purposes of corporate communications: Providing information to stakeholders, communicating corporate vision and strategy, Reinforcement of public image - acts as an effective bridge between organisations and the general public, allows effective and timely distribution of information, Links to Public Relations strategy, Emphasises the importance of two-way communication.

• Corporate communications and corporate branding: Promote the organisational brand and brand image, Reinforces the stakeholders' view of organisational performance and value, emphasises confidence in organisational quality and performance, Demonstrates adherence to the organisational corporate brand guidelines, Clarifies: Brand Strategy, Brand Position, Brand Identity, Brand Message.

• Corporate communications and corporate objectives: Communication and reinforcement of organisational strategic objectives, Reinforcement of corporate culture, promotes accountability, Prioritisation of stakeholder communication and influence, Promotes transparency and accountability of communications

2. Be able to plan corporate communications audits

• Planning: Selection of appropriate research techniques, Identification of formal and informal internal and external information and communication flows, Identification of information and data management processes, Identification of knowledge management processes, Identification of information channels and barriers, Identification of communication risks,

• Conducting an audit - Internal: Informal versus formal, for example, water-cooler, email, video conferencing and meeting, Vertical versus horizontal, for example, management communications, corporate newsletters, departmental, interdepartmental and team meetings, Control of organisational information and data, Processing data.

• Conducting an audit - External: Supplier and customer communications, for example, networking, conferences, partnerships and JVs, Public communications, for example, marketing and advertising, news items and online, for example, web-pages, forums, social media such as Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr etc., Institutional relationships (including professional, government and industry bodies, universities and communities), Knowledge development and management, for example, supply chain integration and crowd sourcing.

• Evaluating Effectiveness: Benchmarking, Questionnaires, Focus groups, Participant observation / ethnography, Surveys, Interviews, Processing research.

3. Understand the purpose and impact of a corporate communications strategy

• Strategic Objectives: Strategy formulation, Strategy implementation, Strategy measurement, monitoring of strategic aims, Communications as infrastructure, Strategic drift, Monitoring versus evaluation, Feedback processes, Planned and emergent strategies.

• Audience Analysis: Stakeholder analysis, International and cultural issues, Evaluation of communication channels (relating to stakeholder groups).

• Planning Processes: Setting and measuring outcomes, Action plans, Timescales, Cost / Benefit analysis, Feedback systems, Control loop, Formal and informal knowledge channels, Quantitative and qualitative measures.

• Monitoring, Review and Feedback: Development of communication and stakeholder engagement plans, Surveys, Focus Groups, Interviews, measuring communication outcomes, Monitoring online customer interaction, Quantitative and qualitative measures, Measuring ROI.