Challenges for Corporate Communications in the Digital Age
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Transcript of Challenges for Corporate Communications in the Digital Age
CHALLENGES FOR CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS IN THE DIGTAL AGE
PROF. DR. ANSGAR ZERFASS CONTENT STRATEGY FORUM CONFERENCE 2014
What I would like to share with you today. A simple question. Some empirical insights. The big picture. Inspirations for thoughts and discussions.
A simple question.
1
Why should a corporation
invest into communication
and content?
Why should a corporation invest into communication and content?
Strategic communication
“… the purposeful use of communication by an organization to fulfill its mission” (Hallahan et al., 2007)
However:
§ Communicate with whom? How? How much? § To which specific end? § Who shall take care, with which responsibilities? § Why produce content, if you are specialized in other goods?
Communication spendings reduce cash flow and revenues. But most results are long-term and immaterial; they do not enter the balance sheet and cannot be depreciated.
Today‘s challenges for corporations
Business environment § Declining trust in corporations and top management § Rising demand for transparency § Unsettledness of employees caused by permanent change § Pressure on existing business models § Stronger regulation and influence by authorities
Communication environment
§ Trends towards
speed, online, videos, emotions, stories,
personalization § Rise of participative
patterns („social“ communication)
§ Fragmentation of public spheres § New content
formats and modes of production
"""
Stakeholders demand
communication
""""
Corporations seek advantages
through communication
Maintaining interpretive dominance
Initiating understanding and acceptance
Regaining trust and reputation
The wrong answer.
2
Trying to learn mainly from the media
Empirical insights.
3
Largest study series of corp comm trends worldwide. 16,500 respondents from more than 40 countries. 55,000 reports printed and downloaded since 2007.
Study on the CEO’s view on corp comm. 602 CEOs and executive board members. Interdisciplinary research collaboration.
Current status of strategic communication
87% of communication professionals report a rising importance of communication for organisational success within the last 12 months
62% confirm that the influence and status of the communication function has increased
But only 15% say that communication budgets have been increased above the average of other functions
European Communication Monitor 2013
Barriers affecting professionalisation of communication
84% lack of understanding of communication within top management
75% difficulties of communication professionals to prove the impact of communication on organisational goals
46% - 33% missing management and business competencies by communication professionals
European Communication Monitor 2012
CEOs value their own communication performance higher than professional activities
66% "
say that professional corporate communications managed by communication departments and agencies is (very) important for success
88% "
think that the personal communication performance of top managers is (very) important for corporate success
Zerfass & Sherzada 2014
Reasons why.
4
Digital gatekeepers are very relevant, but not for for every corporation
New and relevant gatekeepers for organisations:
58.1% Employees who are very active on the social web
53.2% Consumers who raise their voice on the social web
51.4% Bloggers and online community managers
European Communication Monitor 2013
… nevertheless they are seldom addressed
37.7% of organisations have developed adequate strategies and instruments to communicate with those new gatekeepers
European Communication Monitor 2013
Key expectations of top executives are not geared towards external communication
Relevance Performance
Discipline % M % M Δ M
Internal communication (with employees, managers)
95.7 4.54 58.8 3.60 0.94
Marketing communication (with customers, resellers, suppliers, etc.)
90.4 4.35 68.1 3.72 0.63
Financial communication (with investors, banks, owners)
60.6 3.63 64.8 3.64 -0.01
Political communication (with the government, authorities, parties)
34.2 3.02 31.9 2.94 0.08
Communication with society (NGOs, critics, local communities, universities, associations, etc.)
27.7 2.89 25.7 2.90 -0.01
"
Zerfass & Sherzada 2014. Means: scale 1-5.
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Linking business strategy and communication Building and maintaining trust Coping with the digital evolution and the social web Dealing with sustainable development and social responsibility
Top issues for strategic communication in Europe 2007-2014
European Communication Monitor 2014
The big picture.
5
Build immaterial assets § Brands § Reputation § Organisational culture Facilitate business processes § Influencing customer preferences § Generating public attention § Motivating employees
Adjust organisational strategies § Identifying opportunities § Integrating public concerns Secure rooms for manoeuvre § Managing relationships § Managing crises
Corporate communication
Corporate value and legitimization
„inbound“
„outbound“
How corporate communication creates and secures corporate value
Zerfaß 2014
§ Every employee who communicates with relevant stakeholders might contribute to corporate communications, not only the communication function
§ Outbound communication needs to be consistent and aligned to corporate goals, but also flexible regarding specific situations and publics (polyphony)
§ Inbound communication needs a holistic perspective and interpretive competencies (architectures of listening)
“To be able to meet this challenge requires that professional communicators move their … focus from leading communication processes to developing the organisation’s communication skills on all levels” (Hamrefors)
Zerfass & Franke 2013
Specific challenges within nowadays‘ „communicative organisations“
European Communication Monitor 2012
But it is still a long way to go!
37.0%
29,0%
14,7%
19,3%
Managing communication activities and co-workers (planning, organising, leading staff, budgeting, evaluating processes and strategies, justifying communication spending, preparing for crises)
Operational communication (talking to colleagues and journalists, writing press releases and print/online texts, producing communication media, monitoring results of our activities, organising events etc.)
Coaching, training and educating members of the organisation or clients (on the vision, mission and other communication related issues as well as upgrading their communicative competence, preparing them for communicating with the media, stakeholders etc.)
Aligning communication, the organisation / client and its stakeholders (studying business and social research reports, identifying organisational goals, monitoring public issues and stakeholder expectations, debating visions and business strategies with top management and other departments, developing scenarios, building legitimacy)
European communication professionals spend their productive time at work for …
Questions.
Comments.
Ideas.
© July 2014 Prof. Dr. Ansgar Zerfaß Professor of Communication Management University of Leipzig, Germany Professor in Communication and Leadership BI Norwegian Business School, Oslo, Norway [email protected] www.communicationmanagement.de