masukucaven: May 20, 2009

Question: Critical analyse, evaluate and explain the implications of new media
for corporate communications management theory and practice
In this presentation careful attention and judgment after outlining, weighing and giving detailed
information, for and against about the implications of new media for corporate communications
management will be explained. However, theoretical framework such as systems approach, press
gentry, public information model, two way asymmetric and two way symmetric will be
discussed in relation to the new technological influence in the daily mundane of corporate
communications. For the clarity seek key terms and new media technology such as electronic
mails, (E-mails), chat rooms, cell phones, Usenet Newsgroups (Forum), website, videotext,
teleconferencing, weblogs and so forth will be explored at length. Clear examples to support and
evaluate new media implication will be dealt with through out in this presentation.
New media are not at all new. New media are nothing but hybrids versions or reconfigurations of
conventional media. Therefore it may be questioned whether the recent media change can be
regarded as a “media revolution” giving rise to a new era.
The term “new media” assumes that they is old media which Biagi (1999:24) perceived as mass
media which among includes newspapers, books, magazines, radio and television. Old media is
linear that is, it is one as to many. Here the public only consume information disseminated to
them without giving feedback to the source. It views the public as passive and respond to the
deciphered information positively. New media could be described as what is clearly not old. This
term “New Media” is used to describe all forms of emerging communication media, which
combines text, graphics, sound and video, using computer technology to create a product that is
similar to but clearly different from traditional media (Cutlip et al 1994). Due to technological
advancement as pointed out by McLuhan in his theory of “technological advancement “,
corporate organisations that operate at global level such as Debeers, Eskom, Barclays bank”,
Edgars and so forth have adopted new media to communicate with their internal and external
public. New media as compared to the old media is symmetrical, that is it resembles the Osgood
and Schrammr model of communication which is reciprocal and tallies well with systems
approach and symmetrical model of public relations recommended by Grunig. New media has
numerous implications to the day to day practice of corporate communication management.
Another salient term that needs to be defined contextual are as follows; Management and
communication. Management in corporate organisation focuses on the entire organisation from
both a short and long term perspective. Again we have various types of management in corporate
organisation such as Executive, Expert, and Decision support, operational and so forth.
Furthermore, management according to Clear and Weidman (1997) is the managerial process of
forming a strategic vision, setting objectives, crafting a strategy and implementing it to create the
corporate image. Lubbe and Puth (1994) say that a good corporate image sells a company to
potential employees, opinion leaders, workers and the community. Communication is one of the
contested terrains that can be explained in a multiplicity of ways. For the clarity of this
presentation Harold Lasswell 1950’s model of communication explains everything especially
with regard to corporate communication. Communication here looks at who say WHAT, to
WHOM, HOW, WITH WHAT EFFECTS. Generally communication is the exchange of ideas,
opinion by two or more individuals, companies in order to reach a mutual understanding.
Weblogs/Blogs:
Weblogs/Blogs is one good example of new media that is used by corporate communication
management to communicate with the internal and external public. A weblog/blog is a journal
which consists of ‘articles’ or ‘postings’ in chronological sorted order. The posting can be easily
viewed by any web browser and the content of many blogs can be read by RSS readers. Disney,
News Corporation, DeBeers, South Africa 24.com, Ezine.Com in America are some among the
corporate blogs that can be accessed and viewed on-line. Many corporate organisations such as
Disney, News Corporation, DeBeers have adopted this new media technology to reach wider
publics.
Blogs are also used by these corporate organisations to inform the general public about the
organisation structures, goods and service delivery, growth, policies as well as searching the
markets. Laudon and Laudon (2005:283) asserts that corporate organisation uses blogs internal
for sharing information across teams, and external for providing timely products support
information or engaging in dialogue with company stakeholders. Weblogs as new media is
symmetrical. Instead of giving power to media alone as a source of information, blogs allows
general publics to contribute about the goods and service delivery. There is reciprocity in that all
the readers can pass a comment which can be negatively or positively and such feedback can
assist in the formulation of policies. Reciprocal communication fosters health communication
which hints the organisation on what the community wishes to see the organisation doing to
them. Again two way communication through blogs assist in the formulation of policies. For
instance, organisations such as Mimosa, Zimasco, Makwiro Platinum and so forth, which
pollutes the environment, can get views on how the communities surrounding them are affected.
Nevertheless, internal blogs can be used to foster communication among team members or across
departmental borders. The information contained in many mails an sent around to many recipient
could be much better dispersed o a central platform. For instance, organisations with operational
marketing, public relations, executive department can tally well with the systems approach
theory which encourages an open system communication. Here departments can communicate
between or amongst themselves through weblogs. Again different corporate organizational
department for example, marketing department for DeBeers Company can communicate with
Disney public relations department. Progress of team effort can be documented in blogs posting
very easily and safely. Comments to update the current status can be made.
Furthermore, blogs due to its informal and information sharing characters, it can capture hidden
knowledge which would have otherwise been not said. Linda Hewitt (2008), one of the global
corporate communication strategy consultants in America notes that through weblogs research
can be conducted on-line; various sources can be consulted to elicit information. Information can
be presented electronically using relational database, tables, pie charts, histograms or power
point. Such information can be accumulated, searched and easily retrieved. Again information
can be pushed to readers and can appear instantly on their desktop.
On the other hand, such new technology like weblogs needs to be updated timely. Again
installation of equipment that enables internet service is expensive. Buying a terminal, installing
basic software that enables certain operations to be executed, a line, modem and installation of
the application software such as power point, database, adobe Photoshop and subscribing to the
website designers can be expensive and unaffordable. Despite the fact that it is a two ways
process new media have its shortfalls. Sending employees to training courses for them to be
competent and to install several application software is cumbersome and prolongs over a period
especially where there is scarce resources. Moreover, only people with access to the internet can
view blogs. Computer illiterate can hinder effective communication both internal and external.
Employees still can find it difficult to partake in such activities. There are some organisations
that are still obsolete and prefer face-eyeball conversation. Weblogs welcomes every person with
the potential to contribute. Revolutionizing information crafting can be dangerous in that
individuals can craft negative messages that can tarnish the image of an organisation. For
instance, the scam of corruption, embezzlement of organizational funds, NGOs funds and
personal foreign money by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) governor, can impact
negatively to the organisation itself. Foreign investors can loss trust to have transaction
processed with RBZ and even having business partnership with RBZ. Again stake holders who
are the public of an organisation such as RBZ can be scared away by such un professional
behavior. Media ethics are not recognized and social responsibility by the public to a certain
organisation may be ignored.However, weblogs are important to corporate communication
management for communicative purposes, research, policy making and for creating and
reinforcing corporate image despite its shortfall.
Internet:
Internet which networks the entire world and enables individuals and organisations to
communicate global is another form of new media that is of importance to be used by corporate
communication management. Internet, unlike the old media is symmetrical. All corporate
organisations have adopted the internet for communication, advertisements, marketing and for
the sales of their products. All corporate organisations have adopted the internet to reach and
communicate with the public at local and global level. Nancy and Larry (1988; 199) asserts that;
“Internet as a means of communication for corporate management enables organisations and
individuals of electronic society to talk openly t others” Through internet everyone is a player
who can communicate at will. Internet cuts across geographical boundaries and can be used and
accessed by thousand if not millions of other players. Nancy and Larry (1988) says that “internet
is a digital wild west, without law and order, like wild west, anyone can come along”.
Corporate communication management such as Saatchi and Saatchi through intranet, which is a
local network that links the computers within an organisation website, can enable employees to
communicate at various levels among themselves. Internet offers a variety of activities such as
electronic mail, Newsgroup, World Wide Web (WWW), video conferencing, voice
conferencing, data conferencing, Forums, Voice mail and so forth (O’Brien 2000:36). Intranet as
a new media is reciprocal and supports the system approach theory. Again it dispels the press
agentry model of public relation. Agentry model is one way of communication, which acts as an
agent of company to the public to be engaged in discussion through forums. Again intranet
enables corporate communication management to fulfill health, and balanced communication
within an organisation. Perhaps intranet can be criticized for its lack of face-to-face
communication. Such communication is hailed for maintaining a strong rapport between and
among individuals. Again not all employees like engaging themselves in forums. Other internal
public have no time to communicate with their colleagues.
Internet is a new media for communication and offers various mediums such as, chat rooms,
websites, weblogs, electronic mail, Newsnet groups and many more to be mentioned. As a new
media of corporate communication management internet plays a vital role as suggested by Levy
(1995:58) who described the internet as being based on ‘unlimited channels of communication,
community building, electronic commerce and is a full blown version of interactivity that blurs
the line between provider and consumer”. For instance, NICOZ Diamond as a corporate
organisation through the internet has created a website; www.nicozdiamond.co.zw, Murray and
Roberts which operates across the globe have a website and electronic mail through which the
public can contact and communicate with them. For example in Zimbabwe they can b contacted
at construction @ mrcz.co.zw, in Malawi promat@ecomw.net and in Gweru their e-mail is
jsouter@caridorngweru.co.zw. Internet enables corporate organisation to advertised, sale their
products, outline their area of specialization and to specify their social responsibility. For
instance Murray and Roberts in their on-line website clearly indicated the social responsibility to
the Zimbabweans. The good example can be shown by the following statement that was directly
quoted from the Murray and Roberts’s website;
“Murray and Roberts appreciates its environs and believes in giving back to society. We
have an on-going program on HIV/Aids awareness… amongst our employees and the
societies they live in”.
Judging from the above message posted electronically to the Murray and Roberts website, it can
be argued that new media have liberated and revolutionized communication. Murray and Roberts
used internet website to create the organisation image. This website is friendly user and allows
the general public to pass comments. Such feedback is good for the organisation to come up with
policies that addresses the problems of the employees and the community where this company is
work. The architecture of Murray and Roberts enables the employees to have access to their
website and the mail list for the targeted publics such as workers, banks, politicians, students
from tertiary education, the community members and other construction companies like SISK
and Goddard can friendly communicate back through mails. Website allows the message to be
ready and comments to be forwarded back to achieve a two way process. The problem with the
internet, especially in the developing states like Zimbabwe is that only few people especially
those in urban areas have access to it. Again people do not have time to view the entire corporate
organisation website until there is something that he wants to view. In addition, job vacancies,
advertisement for the goods, physical address, phone number and the internal structure of the
organisation can be displayed on the website. Images and colours sometimes communicate
strong message to people more than the words. Computer Illiteracy can be another set-back when
looking at the use of the internet and website. In can be argued that new media technology such
as the internet caters for those who are connected. Rural population who lacks the internet
service can not contribute to the website
Use of database application software with three components namely hierarchical, network and
relational model. Oliver and Chapman (1996:358) defines database as a single organized
collection of structured data, stored with a minimum of duplication of data. The data is common
to all users of the system, but is independent of program that uses the data. Corporate
organization use database to communicate internal and external. Oliver and Chapman (1996)
suggest that database normally are set up in order to meet the information needs of major parts of
an organization. Again database is usually built up section by section which makes it possible to
add new files of data, add new field to records already present in the base and create relationship
between the items of data. Database complies well with symmetric model in that it is ritual. The
public can respond to the database information.
The importance of dbase in corporate communication management is that it consolidates records
previously stored in separate files, into a common pool of data records that provides data for
many applications. The data stored in dbase are independent of the application programs using
them and the type of secondary storage devices on which there are stored. The advantage of this
application software is that it provides the controlled interface between the user and the data in
the dbase. Again information in dbase can be communicated to the internal and external public
through system approach theory. Network model according to O’Brian allows many to many
relationship among records and can be disseminated to the external public as well as internal on
the internal, weblogs, website, chartrooms, newsnet groups following prepared departmental
communication system.
It can be argued that although the networks and storage technology allow a more individualized
and decentralized media use, they are nevertheless subject to central controls restraining choices
and modes of application. Most of the mechanisms filtering the content of new media are less
visible than the old fashion gatekeeper of conventional media. Nevertheless, a number of
centrally operating agents select and filter the content of ne media. For example the suppliers of
data bases, the cable television companies( or authorities deciding on cable system access, the
content providers of the internet and of mobile phone systems, the internet search engines, the
web masters and the moderators of web-mediated chats
The Website
The web (www.com) goers step further than e-mail in that it shares text graphics, video, and
audio on-line. This makes the web important multimedia package which integrates text, video,
graphs and sounds. Corporate communication management uses this media to communicate with
internal and external public. Any organization with a computer a modem and a telephone can
print information (download) and use it for free. This new media technology revolutionized the
communication competence of corporate communications fosters symmetrical public relations
model. The website as new medium brings about new languages and interaction rules shaping
and, to a certain degree, standardizing communication in the new media environment. Examples
are the speech conventions which have emerged for language use in electronic mails for SMS
messages via mobile phones, internet news group and chat rooms. English as the universal lingua
franca of the computer-based world diffuses into national languages and, moreover, contribute to
the displacement of language which had an international relevance in the past, like French and
Spanish.
Video tapes and closed circuit Television
The television, which has become an every day feature in many people’s lives is a new media
technology for personalized messages either on prepared tapes or live. This modern medium
gains the face-to-to face communication which assist to bring closer understanding between
management and staff. This new media inputs a lot in corporate communication management. It
can allow volumes of information to be stored on secondary storage devices such as compact
disk, MP3, DVD videos, I-Pod and in the computer hard drive. For instance, Meikles Africa
which spreads its tentacles across the globe have videos that indicates some of their department
stores groups which among includes TM Supermarkets, Meikles, clicks, Cape Grace, Barbour,
Greatmans and have some shares to Kingdom. Video that displays the products sold in these
shops; the structure of each store, prices of goods, working hours and Meikles hotel building
speaks volume about the image of Meikles shops.
Video tapes apart from being used as secondary storage devices can also be used to entertain the
public. Images and colours while there are appealing to the public, it also communicate
immensely to different organizations and individuals. Unlike the public information public
relation (PR) models, people can get information and communicate back to the source. Public
information theory empowers the journalist and media practitioners to give information to the
public without allowing them to give feedback. The good example that supports the public
information model can be witnessed, through the Fingaz magazine that gives detailed
information about top companies in Zimbabwe. New media has been castigated for creating
employees who are lazy to research using secondary sources such as library.
Research is an important tool in corporate communication. Again through video tape events and
activities can be captured, accessed as they are required. This media is close to reality and limits
distortion in various ways. Video tapes can be used in gathering, such as the Trade Faire , shows
and so forth. Images are the best form of communication and allow the less educated to get the
message clear about the size of an organization, its commitment to the community and its goods
and service delivery.
However, this new media have been criticized for marginalizing the rural population. There are
few individuals in rural area who can afford to purchase television sets. Again the lack of
electricity makes it difficult for rural population to access the new media. However, video tapes
in circuit television can be used both for mass communication hence they are flexible. For
instance, videos for Meikles holdings can be played at Zimbabwe television (ZTV) and the
general public can view it on their homes together with their families. This new media is less
consuming as it can allow more work to be executed and stored safely. Messages flexibility
through video tapes and TV Circuit allows information to be tailored automatically to different
levels of employees (Cutlip 1994)
Again an increasing reliance on screen-based multimedia communication emphasizing iconic
encoding and the visual modality may have far-reaching cognitive consequences, which was
already voiced when television appeared. More recently similar worries have been expressed
with reference to the hypertext structure of web site as a new phenomenon. Although the new
networks and storage technologies allow more individualized media use they are nevertheless
subject to central controls restraining choices and mode of application.
Teleconferencing
Teleconferencing is another form of new media technology that has the impact to corporate
communications management theory and practices. Here technology advances in satellite
communication have expanded the range of possibility for meetings and speech (Davis and
Olson 1984). For instance, corporate mangers that are enable to take time to travel to participate
in person can be beamed to the meeting via satellite teleconferencing (Cutlip 1994:273). In
addition, Cutlip notes that simultaneous session in several cites can be linked electronically with
speakers show on large screen television equipment. Cutlip (1994) argued that teleconferencing
saves travel time and costs, meeting facilities, and boarding of participants can more that off-set
the cost of using this new technology. Bawden and Blackman (1990) states that, teleconferencing
in corporate communication management enables to reach people at many locations all at the
same time with the same message. O’Brien (2000) claims that not all satellite teleconferencing is
limited to internal communication.
Teleconferencing has been criticized for grooming employees and management who are too lazy
and rely much on technology in addressing the problems at hand. While efficiency and
effectiveness can be recommended, incompetent can act as a drawback among the employees
who can be grappling in catching up with new technology. However, such technology can
improve production, but hinders professionalism especially if taken and used to the extremes.
New technology can impress the potential employees, investors and opinion leaders to do
business with well established companies that are in the lead in acquiring and using new
technology. Issues that affect the globe can be quickly outlined and policies that address such
problems can be initiated. Teleconferencing is a two way process and allows new ideas from the
internal and external public to be voiced. Again communication in revolutionized and a market
place of ideas can be generated.
Seital (1995:472) says that “the capture, manipulation, transmission, and use of information have
become a critical function of public relation/corporate communications. In corporate
communication new media technology helps the organizations to gain efficiency, improve
quality and lead the field (Sietal 1995). New media technology which have changed the
landscape of corporate communication involves a computer technology which integrate a
microchip processing power, denser storage, and faster retrieved illuminate the hardware scene,
the software and turning the computer into a television, a telephone a moving map and an
illustrators canvass, replaying video images and music, organizing databases and cording
activities across time and space in real time. These new firms of media technology such as
computers, cellular phones, facsimile machines, e-mail, video news releases, audio text leads to
the adoption of one, and then the another.
These new media are ritual and allow multi-tasking within the communication field.
Communicators can disseminate and at the same time store large information. The importance of
storage reduces the keeping of paper work and larger storage reduces the keeping of paperwork
and larger fields. Here corporate organization needs large storage devices for the information
they disseminate and receive from elsewhere. New Media technology enables them to keep such
information. The challenges that new media storage devices faces like the computer hardware,
Mainframe, Minicomputer and so forth is that it can be infected by the computer virus off by
computer virus such as the green caterpillar. If computer machines are affected by the virus the
whole organization server may be affected also.
The advantage of computers is that information can be served in the file cabinet in the server.
Information from the server can be retrieved even though terminals are affected. Again another
challenge especially the on-line computers is that at times the network can be down. For instance
the Standard Charted bank and Barclays bank may be affected by the off-line network. It can be
argued that despite all these challenges new media is viable and flexible to be used for
communication by corporate organization. It is flexible, durable and improves the quality and
quantity of the delivery of information. For instance, internet broad band allows individual
surfing the net to get to the website by just a click. Again subscribing and getting a broad band is
expensive and not easy. The International and telecommunication Union (ITU) politicize the
space allocation
Sietal (1995) cellular phones are one modern technology that has improved the communication
services of corporate organization. A mobile phone enables corporate employees to link with
others organizations across the globe. Managers can be contacted and talked with anytime even
when they are not at work or within the country. This enable workers to continue with their
duties under the instruction of their bosses without having them physical present. A mobile
phone enables managers and public relation practitioners to communicate through with other
workers from other organizations through the word of mouth or messages. A cellular is mobile
(can be easily carried around) New media technology like mobile phones can entertain and be
used as a tool for communication and storage.
Sietal (1995) noted that wireless communication from geostationary like satellite permit direct
mobile phones to satellite communication satellite. Here public relation professionals have a
freedom to communicate with anyone, anytime and anywhere. A mobile phone is flexible and
affordable, therefore many organization buy the mobile phones for their workers including the
public relations managers for easy communication. Mobile phones at times can be connected to
the internet for chatting. The challenges faced by the employees and the external public is that at
times they always behind in catching up with modern technology.
It can be argued that despite all those short comings, mobile phones are affordable. A mobile
phone is the best modern technology for communication which apart from being mobile is also
flexible, reliable and cuts across the geographical boundaries For instance, Delta Beverage in
Zimbabwe can communicate with Delta Beverage in Zambia, Canada, South Africa , Ghana and
all over the world using a mobile phone. Mobile phone allows messages to be forwarded or can
enable people to communicate interchangeable..
It can be concluded that they are many various forms on new media technology that can be used
for communication by corporate management to meet the needs of both the internal and external
public. Some of the new media technology that was not mentioned in this presentation because
of lack of space and time includes the use of satellite dish, tele-fax, smart phones and so forth.
However, it can be observed that new media technology have lead to the revolution of the free
dissemination of information which leads to the “Super highway” flow of information talked
about at Algiers by Japan. All new forms of technology are symmetrical as opposed to the old
media which is linear. Clear examples which support the assessment and evaluation of new
media for corporate communications management theory and practices were explored.
Management deals with planning, initiating policies, controlling and managing the entire system
of the organization and as such they need the best technology that can disseminate information
accurately, reliable, effective and efficiently.
New media technology is perceived and suggested by Lippmann (2003) as fostering the
“reciprocity model”. The reciprocity model is a compliment rather than an alternative to the
notion of dependency. New media in corporate communication is more ritual than linear, that is
it provides feedback loops, transactions, anticipations and co-orientations among persons or
groups involved in media communications. New media enable corporate organization to expand
the supply of content and at the same time compress and accelerate communication in society.
The availability of media messages at relatively low costs is still increasing, particularly on a
global scale. Although the commercial success of new media varies, they in addition contribute
to the expansion of the media economy
Therefore the use of internet, weblogs, websites, mobile phones, satellite television and
teleconferencing is important in sending information to both the internal and external public. The
corporate communication theory which among include the agentry press model, public
information model, two-way asymmetrical, two way symmetrical and systems approach theory
were explored in this presentation. One salient issue is that in management “expert information
system” an important type of information for professionals and expert in certain field like
computer engineering, marketing, economics and politics can be designed and stored in new
media technology. Again images can be captured through digital cameras, down loaded and
forwarded via the internet. All the functions offered by new technology new media assist in the
storage facility, processing, production and dissemination of information around the world and
corporate organization is important especially to issues that have to do with planning, initiating
of policies, communication, storage and revolutionizing the communication process. The public
sphere of information which offers free market flow of ideas can be achieved and both the
internal and external public can learn much faster about issues that can improve their professions
and life style. Key terms were also defined in passing for clarity seeks. It can be concluded
therefore that they are other new technology that are not mentioned here because they are beyond
the knowledge of the presenter. Again new media in corporate communication management
fosters the “prosumer” where the public are now producers and consumers. Such liberty can
tarnish the image of the corporate organization especially if it remains for too long uncheck
Referencing
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Bawden D and Blackman K (1990) Information technology strategies for information
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Clear and Weidenman (1997) Dynamics of Public Relation and Journalism. Capetown. Juta.
Cutlip SM et al (1994) Effective Public Relation, New Jersey. Prentice Hall.
Davis, M. GM and Olson, N.H (1984) Management Information system. New Jersey: McGraw-
Hall.
Laudon KC and Laudon JP (2005) Management Information system. Eighth Edition. India.
Prentice hall.
Lubbe BA and Puth C (1994) public Relations in South Africa: A management Reader. South
Africa. Heinemann.
Nancy Long and Lary long (1985) Introduction to Computers and Information System. Fifth
Edition. USA. Prentice Hall.
O’Brien (2000) Introduction to Information System: essentials for the internet worked
Enterprise. Ninth Edition. Irwin McGraw Hill
Oliver and Chapman (1996) Data Processing and Information Technology. Ashford Colour
Press, Gasport.
http://www.indianchild.com/management/what-is-management.htm
http://ihg-talking point.com: Linda Hewitt Corporate Communication Strategy. September 29,
2008

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