The Functions of Corporate

Communications
Corporate Communications
and Strategic Management

Professor Leif Åberg

University of Helsinki,
Department of Communication
second session, Amsterdam, April 1999
 The Dualistic Nature of
Organizational Communications

 a function, under
a communications manager
 also inherent in all management
The Purpose:

 to present a model that integrates these

two aspects
 with special attention to linking
organizational communications with
strategic management.
 The Four Functions of
Organizational Communications

1 supporting core operations

2 profiling
3 informing
4 socializing
1 supporting core operations
 communication is necessary for production of
commodities - products and services - and for
their distribution to customers
2 profiling
 communication is necessary when a long
term corporate, product, or manager profile is
being created and disseminated
3 informing
 communication is necessary for purposes of
informing internal and external audiences
about the developments within the
organization
4 socialization
 communication is necessary for the
socialization of individuals into good
’organization citizens’
The Fifth Function, not under the
Organization’s Direct Control

5 need for informal social interaction

 social interaction is inherent in the human
nature
 grapevine and informal social networks
 Dimensions of the
Functional Model
1. content:
task, product, services

2. direction: internal
external

entire organization
 Total
communi-
cations
 external internal
marketing market- operative
interorgani- ing work
zational instruct-
operative ions
comm:s
Total
communi-
cations
 product
or service
profiling and
image surveys
Total
communi-
corporate or
cations
manager profiling
and image
surveys
 Total
communi-
cations

external internal
PR PR
environmental internal
scanning scanning
 induction to work
Total training, tutoring
communi- induction to
cations organization
training, hand-
books
 inter-
external nal
market- mar- work
ing ket- instruct-
ions
product/ ing
sercives induction
profile & to work
surveys Total
coprporate/ communi- induction to
manager cations organization
profile &
surveys
external internal
PR & PR &
scanning scanning

External Internal
social grapevine
networks
Responsibilities of the
Communications Manager

inter-
external nal
work
Coordinates
market- mar-
ing ket- instruct-
ions
product/ ing
sercives induction
profile & to work
Total
surveys Co-
coprporate/ communi- induction
ordinates to
manager cations organization
profile &
Controls
surveys
external internal
directlyPR & PR &
scanning scanning
Basic forms of communicating
within the organization: before

Face-to-face

Written Electronic
Basic forms of communicating
within the organization: now

Face-to-face

Written Electronic
What is Strategic Management?

 It is about directing the resources

 to direct, there has to be a direction
 resource= a potential that can be used
 can be used, but is not necessarily used
effectively
 a direction, where to? To the future!
 But future is in the mind of the beholder
 key concept: visioning, and sharing a
common vision
 Visions

 to build a solid vision, the organizations

must combine managerial processes and
processes that emerge from human
activities
 metaphor: a kite!
 The art of flying a kite:
the kite will fly,

 if it is windy,
and
 if one, running against the wind,
manages to bring about
the essential initial driving force
 Once the kite is up,

it is vital to maintain an
active balance between
managerial processes and
processes related to human
behavior
This active balancing is
achieved through
communication
Åberg’s
Kite
Åberg’s
Kite
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Åberg’s
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