21st century communication trends

21st century is the century of information. To convey information, an effective communication is necessary. We can also view the 21st century as the communication century. In this way, both quality and speed of communication are essential.
The communication trends are changing rapidly along with the changes of technologies. Because of the fast development of the new technologies such as the internet, E-mail, online chatting, blog and mobile phones, the communication becomes fast and effective.Corporations today have got a wide range of options to choose from to send their messages internally or externally.Technology becomes so advanced and new software makes communication not only save our time but also make the work easy and effective.


Reference:

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2007/02/27/stories/2007022704122100.htm

http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/globalization/

crisis communications

A crisis is a major catastrophe that may occur either naturally or as a result of human error, intervention or even malicious intent. Natural crisis is unavoidable while human crisis is avoidable. In crisis by human error, a company is directly responsible, and constituencies will look to the organization’s response to the crisis before making a final judgment.
Companies have had to go through various crises. Some companies have been able to get through theses and some have just disappeared due to them.
At the time of crisis, communication goals should contribute to ending the crisis, gathering as much information as possible to protect your organization’s reputation, reducing tension, demonstrating commitment to values, communicating to media as early as possible, communicating directly with affected constituents, communicating promptly and continuously to maintain control of flow of information.

reference:

http://www.12manage.com/methods_crisis_management_advice.html

http://www.insight.co.uk/files/datasheets/Crisis%20Management%20(Datasheet).pdf

Internal Communications

Nowadays, many organizations focus their attention on their own employees, recognizing that employees have more to do with the success of a business than virtually any other constituency. Today employees are demanding more participation in conversation that is driving the company. Companies have to keep their employees well informed.

Effective internal communication should be able to communicate easily up and down that is communication between top managers and workers should have no barriers, it should be free flowing

There are several key principles such as

• Organization must have high degree of communication
• Effective internal communication starts with effective skills in communications including basic skills in listening, speaking, questioning and sharing feedback.
• A key ingredient to developing effective communication is that in any organizations, each person takes responsibility to assert when he/she has communicative problems.

Reference:

http://www.managementhelp.org/mrktng/org_cmm.htm

http://www.expresscomputeronline.com/20050207/technologylife01.shtml

Media Relations

In any of corporate communication, one of the most critical areas is the media relations department. This is the only department from where investors, suppliers, retailers, and consumers receive information and develop the image of the business. Media relation is also known by public relations.

The main goals of the media relations are to create, maintain, and protect the organization’s reputation, to enhance its prestige, and to present a favorable image. Media relation involves product public, employee, financial, community, government and political relations, consumer education, and crisis communication.

Reference:

http://docs.yahoo.com/docs/pr/release694.html

http://www.vodafone.com/start/media_relations.html

Identity, Image and Reputation

Corporate identity, image and reputation play vital roles in any organizations. It is most important that any organizations should create and maintain their identities, images and reputation among the customers, investors, employers and other people. Identity is basically created by the organization and it could be a logo, name, motto etc. constituencies then form their perceptions based on these

Today, we know that neglecting the back end can severely jeopardize the front end, and even sets up the chance of backlash. So that image is not like make-up and it needs to be ‘true’ through and through. To achieve a desired image and reputation, organization must ‘live’ it.

With the help of following, organization can build and improve business identity, image and reputation.

• Keeping in touch with consumers
• Conveying value across cultures
• Challenging new media and new work paradigms
• Retaining in competition, differentiation and positioning shifts
• Reflecting new values, unifying and motivating teams
• Providing flexibility to grow
• Strengthening equity

Reference:

https://www.nebraska.gov/sos/corp/images.html

http://www.ciao.co.uk/McDonalds_TV_Advertisement__52852

http://www.magazine-ads.com/aud.html

corporate vs product advertising

we have already understood the need for the corporations to communicate their image and identity to the constituencies. There are several reasons why business is advertising, such as to create awareness, customer interest or desire; to boost sales; to build brand loyalty; to launch a new product’ to change customer attitudes’ to support the activities of the distribution channel, to build the company or brand image, to remind and reassure customers, to offset competitor advertising, to boost public standing and to support the sales force. Basically there are two types of advertising. One is corporate advertising and another is product advertising.

Basically advertising of three types:
1) Advertising to reinforce identity or to enhance reputation
2) Advertising to enhance investments.
3) Advertising to influence opinions.

references:

www.asu.edu/studentaffairs/career/Students/ChoosingAMajor/pdf/advertising.pdf

http://corpcommcorner.blogspot.com/2006/09/10-diffrences-between-advertising-and.html

corporate communication relevance

Corporate communication includes both internal and external communication. In internal communication, organization deals with employees, employers and managers. In external communication, organization deals with existing and prospective customers, suppliers, investors, government and the wider public. Nowadays the profit is not the only goal of the organization. There are several reasons why relevance is particularly important when communicating with other corporate, such as

• To understand corporate needs
• To get corporate attention
• To target corporate selectively
• To motivate corporate
• To provide a superior corporate experience.

In corporate communication a critical question arises that is whether to keep all communications focusing on centralizing the activity under one senior officer at headquarters or decentralizing the activities and allowing individual business units to handle communications

Effective design of corporate communication has many advantages:

• It gives organization increased distinction, remembrance and recognition.
• It expresses organization’s style, quality, and personality.
• It gives tangible representation of organization to constituents.
• It helps the growth of organization in a wide range of marketing.
• It provides a focus that helps a group define its business mission and goals.

Reference

http://www.portfoliomedia.net/BannerBureau/

communication technologies

The way we communicate is changing dramatically. To understand the world we live in, we have to understand the role that technology plays in our lives and in communication. We are using new technologies to communicate from social, economic, political and cultural perspectives.

In today’s scenario, we are using various communication technologies of which some are more traditional and some are very techno savvy. New technologies are internet, 3G cell phone, fax, E-mail, voice conference, blog, wiki, VoIP, satellite radio, Wi-Fi access points and chat. Moreover, with using new technologies we are also using the traditional way to communication, such as face-to-face and paper based communication.

Of the new technologies, internet is the one which has transformed social and business ways of communication drastically. New technology such as the internet has improved the efficiency and effectiveness of communication by eliminating distant and time barriers. Internet is a medium that allows computer to share information worldwide in many areas such as business and education.

Reference:

ttp://www.wordquests.info/wireless.html
http://www.endoftimes.net/05goldenage03.html

communicaton theories

COMMUNICATION THEORIES

Communication is a learned skill. Speaking, listening and the ability to understand verbal and nonverbal meanings are skills in communication. With interpersonal communication, we examine how many people are involved, how physically close they are to one another, how many sensory channels are used . There are various communication theories explained by different people. Harold Lasswell explained the communication model in 1948. He explained the model by “who says what to whom in what channel with what effect”. Shannon & Weaver’s model was introduced in 1949. They are known as the fathers of information theories and they have focused on the noise source in communication. Schramm’s first model was introduced in 1954 and focused on signal. He has also introduced the second model with field of experience. He has also introduced the third model with feedback. He was known as the founder of information studies. Katz and Lazarsfeld’s model was introduced in 1955. It was the first model to deal with mass media and communication. The Westley-Maclean model was introduced with mass media and communication in organization. At last, Kincaid’s convergence model was introduced in1979 and included mutual understanding. It is a cyclic model. for example- A politician giving a speech to the public, politician is the source and public the receiver politician speech is the channel and public in turn asking him questions is the feedback.All of these models are very useful in organization.

REFERENCE

http://www.tcw.utwente.nl/theorieenoverzicht/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communication_theory#Communication_Theory_Framework

http://alex.halavais.net/news/wp-content/com515_syllabus.pdf

communicating strategically

This topic talks about the basic theory behind all communication, whether individual or organizational in nature. Much of this theory comes from ideas generated thousands of years ago by Aristotle. Recently communication experts have adapted these same theories to individuals as they communicate in writing and orally. The other points discussed are how communication theory developed as well as how that theory can be used to establish communication strategies in organizations.The basic theory of communication goes back thousand of years ago to Aristole. Today communication experts are using this theory.In The Art of Rhetoric we find the roots of modern communications. In ancient Greece, what we call communication was referred to as rhetoric.

Aristotle’s model had three components:

· Its constituencies

· The organization

· Message

Organizations from all sectors such as IBM, Realince,Tata etc are all making use of these strategies. It is very important for an organization to know its constituencies, to whom the message is being sent to. The constituencies are two types:

Primary- customers,employees, shareholders and communities.
Secondary-suppliers, government and creditors.

The organizations have to asses the result of communication and determine whether the communication had the desired result or not.The questions we have to ask is did the constituencies responded in the way corporation wished? And should the corporation revise the message for constituencies to respond appropriately? For example:I had ordered for a commodity and told the shopkeeper to deliver to my house but he didn't. Then i called him up again and asked him to deliver within 6pm and i received .Which shows communicating to stakeholders is very important to get the desired response.

organizations must consider the how to be able to communicate effectively to the constituencies to be effective in today's world.

Refereces:

http://www.omalco.com/iabc.htm

http://www.volresource.org.uk/samples/olcomms.htm

http://www.pointsoflight.org/downloads/pdf/networks/nonprofitgov/working_solutions_april_may_2002.pdf

The Changing Environment for Business

Today’s business environment is constantly changing. Whether it’s a large corporation or a small business organization. The way organizations adapt their behavior as manifested through their communications. Even the public’s current expectations of organization are also different from what they were 5decades ago. Technology has played a major part in strengthening channels of communication around the globe there by disintegrating national boarders, which is called “global village.” The short-term orientation of today’s managers rarely gives them an opportunity to look at the broader picture as of how there changing environment affect the company’s image with a variety of constituencies. The challenges faced by senior managers are profoundly unsettling impact of technological change. Even though technology has made business very user friendly the uncertainty level has hit the main stage. This forces the companies to determine what, if anything, they need to do to respond to such changes. On the other side of the coin the companies should learn to adapt to the changing the environment without changing their principles. Companies which are successful give equal importance to communication and strategy.

Corporate communication teams play a core role in defining a corporate mission and also communicating that mission to internal and external constituents. Today’s rapid changing environment, a clear-cut corporate mission which not only keeps its employees aligned to the company but also can set an example to the consumers weary of the constant change surrounding them.

The example for changing in environment is like few decades ago when computer was made the size of the computer was as large as room but now due to environmental changes the computer is as small as size of the book. Another classic example of changing environment is when mobil phone came into picture it was as huge as jewel box but now you can get mobil phone for the size of business card.

References:

http://www.bized.co.uk/current/pbl/2005_06/230106.htm

http://www.willipedia.org/wiki/corporate_communications

http://www.pointsoflight.org/downloads/pdf/networks/nonprofitgov/working_solutions_april_may_2002.pdf