Strategic Communication

Dr. Caven Masuku ( PhD in Corporate Communication) Historic evolution of strategic communication The historical development of strategic communication and public relations, precisely balance and unify interests of an organisation and the public (Kristensen, 2010). Langer (2005:19) argued that this expansion and the adaptation of strategic communication to many different spheres of society as well as to a variety of academic discipline makes it difficult to arrive at a clear definition and mutual understanding of the sector’s professional identity. The ambiguous professional status adds to difficulties of strategic communication in gaining respect and power both in society at large and within organisational hierarchies (Grunig 2000; Berger, 2007). According to Steyn (2007:143), “In the strategic management literature, communication is regarded as an enabling function, facilitating the successful implementation of strategic decision.” In practice, studies reflect that strategic management and strategic communication are by no means integrated, and communication initiatives frequently become reactive routines (Davis, 2007). The strategic communicationtheory gives explanation on how organisations in the 21st century use and expanding variety of methods to influence the behaviours of their constituencies. What people know, how people feel, and the way people act relatively to the organisation (Hallahan, Holtzhausen, Van ruler, Verčič & Sriramesh, 2007). Hallahan (2004) suggests that strategic communication scholars can recognise that purposeful influence is the fundamental goal to communications by organisations. Some forms of communication are grounded merely in protecting information (technical communication), others are concerned with maintaining mutual satisfaction relationship (public relations). But all these, are not enough to achieve strategically important goals. Therefore, strategic communication focuses on communication that contributes to organisations purpose for being. Falkheimer (2014:124) observed that the overall aim of “strategic communication” is to enforce, shape or defend the legitimacy of organisations (between managers and workers), as well as that between organisations and society. Christensen et al. (2008:2) says that strategic or corporate communication “is a mindset, a certain way of thinking about and approaching communication as strategic management function that embraces all the organisation’s communication activities.” The development of strategic communication as a management function and process has strong support also among practitioners, according to empirical research (Tench et al., 2013). Contemporary managers in post-bureaucratic organisations are supposed to be strategic communicators of vision, values and goals as well as facilitators of organisational change (Heide & Simonsson, 2011). Strategic communication concentrates on the core drivers of organisational success. It also expands the traditional set of institutionalised communication measures in order to manage meaning in all kinds of interactions with internal and external stakeholders (Zerfass & Huck 2007). Strategic communication as an emerging paradigm is perceived as professional communication involving organisations. There is no single overarching conceptual framework to inform the work of many disciplines relating to the field of strategic communication (Hallahan et al., 2007). Hallahan (2004) discovered that corporations worldwide recognised that different communication discipline share common purpose and that their objectives and strategies are similar. Organisations seek integration as well as maintaining effectiveness through synergy, enhanced efficiencies and reduced redundancies. Strategic communication management is well thought of as integrating practitioners in areas such as corporate and internal communication, human resources, knowledge management and intranets, and corporate social responsibility. Strategic communication from an academic perspective The term ‘strategic communication’ has been used in academic research for many years and scholars are now in the process of exploring coherently this in terms of a unified body of knowledge (Hallahan et al., 2007). In this study, strategic communication is examined as a social phenomenon, particularly how it is applied in today’s society and how it relates to other communication disciplines. The researcher deconstructs the term “strategic communication” to determine whether it necessarily implies manipulative or deviant communication practices that allows for alternative, critical readings that accommodate many different types of scholars. Hallahan et al. (2007) declare that the term ‘strategic’ was first used in organisation theory in the 1950s and its purpose was to describe how organisations compete in the market place, obtain competitive advantage and gain market share (in its negative sense, the term compete in the market place, obtain competitive advantage and gain market share is understood as having originated in warfare and is in its strictest sense defined as the art of war). On the other hand, the term ‘strategic’ is associated with power and decision making (Jamali & Carroll, 2017). The interpretation of ‘strategic’ allows students of strategic communication to explore links between culture, communication and organisation change. De Klerk and Verwey (2013) note that although strategic communication emphasizes the role of communication as management practice, it does not necessarily imply power and control of management over stakeholders. It allows study of participatory communication practices that include stakeholder communication, change management, and complex analysis of stakeholder environments (Zarfass & Huck, 2007). ‘Strategic commmunication’, further includes the study of all communication practices, including public relations, advertising, and marketing as well as others (De Klerk & Verwey, 2013). Given the above argumentation, strategic communication is a unifying paradigm for studying purposeful communications by organisations to provide an important opportunity to reinvigorate and refocus on how organisations present and promote themselves in interacting with their audiences (Hallahan et al., 2007). Steyn and De Beer (2012) say strategic communication is a scientific worldview or paradigm that conceptualises communication management in the strategic context of the organisation. Farewell (2012) states that strategic communication originated from programs used in governmental and military domains a process that sprout from an organisational strategic plan to fulfil two-way communication in the organisation and the community. Verwey (2015) notes that strategic communication allows two-way communication, opportunities to listen to stakeholders and innovative and engaging opportunities to obtain valuable information from stakeholders. Karagoz (2015) says strategic communication is a strategy that influences attitude and behaviour. Strategic communication is not a passive, source-based communication process conveying the most favourable messages to the concerned audiences that aims to inform public opinion. It is, in fact, an active communication process based on sharing determined messages with the public opinion in the frame of vision and goals, influencing and manipulating the perception of public opinion positively (Ozkan, 2015). Some disciplines such as public relations, information management, public diplomacy, media, perception and reputation management are employed integrally in the strategic communication practices (Guncan, 2010). Onat (2012) posits that in strategic communication, there is a determined super-ordinate goal, target and a variety to gain that independence from communication processes. De Klerk and Verwey (2013) state that strategic communication embodies planning, developing tactics, correcting coding to provide effective perception of the message, conveying it to the targeted audiences in smooth and effective manner using the most developing technology. Research findings from a study conducted by Tindall and Holtzhausen (2011) suggest that strategic communication can be viewed as a common denominator for all forms of communication practices across different contexts. Deetz(2001) indicates that part of the problem with the term ‘strategic’ is that it has previously been positioned within management discourses as an intentional rational basis for decision making, and for predicting and controlling the destiny of your organisation (De-Klerk & Verwey, 2013). Strategic communication sits at the intersection of management strategy and communication, and is believed to be relatively underdeveloped in research (Stephen & Thomas, 2015). Both strategic and modern communication scholarship are relatively new in the social sciences. Argenti, Howell and Beck (2005:83) define strategic communication as “aligned with the company’s overall strategy, to enhance its strategic positioning.” Stephen and Thomas (2015) states that strategic management is defined as the process by which general managers of complex organisations develop and use strategy to co-align their organisation’s competences and the opportunities and constraints in the environment (Jemison, 1981). Strategic communication enables gathering, understanding, and interpreting the often conflicting expectations of specific stakeholders (Steyn & Beer, 2012). In a post-modernist era, strategic communication provides corporations with societal (outside in) perspectives by feeding intelligence with regard to strategic stakeholders and societal issues. Strategic communication in the postmodernism era enables communication by corporations to ensure inclusiveness of all voices that are affected by the organisation to the benefit of stakeholders and the organisation (Steyn & Beer, 2012:4). De Klerk and Verwey (2013) argued that postmodernism is regarded as a critical perspective that moves away from idealism and is characterised by ‘pluralism’, temporality, fragmentation, de-differentiation and ambiguity, all of which defy attempts to generalise and extrapolate from past experience. Verčič and Sriramesh (2007) assert that strategic communication is the purposeful use of communication by an organisation to fulfil its mission. It can be argued that although the roles of communication as management practice, it does not necessarily imply power and control of management over stakeholders. Zarfass and Huck (2007:107) state that “strategic communication concentrates on the core drivers of organisational success.” It also expands the traditional set of institutionalised communication measures in order to manage meaning in all kinds of interactions with intended and external stakeholders. Tindall and Holtzhausen (2011:75) suggest that strategic communication can be perceived as a “common denominator for all forms of communication practice across different contexts.” Strategic communication deals with communication management and itsbehavioural strategic management paradigm focuses on participation of public relations executives in strategic decision-making so that they assist inmanaging the behaviour of an organisation. It is less documented in developing nations how mining organisationsfulfill their mission of sustainability with host communities. Further, strategic communication for sustainability stakeholder relationships is a grey area in developing countries as most studies conducted are indeveloped nations. Strategic communication, it can be argued, is purposeful communication that recognises various communication functions differentiated by tactics that share common purposes and similar goals and strategies (Overton-de Klerk & Verwey, 2013). Wang (2007) regards strategic communication as a single coordinated effort in which all communication activities are integrated to create synergy. Judging from the above, strategic communication is broad in scope. Existing knowledge from conducted studies in Europe admit that the concept of strategic communication has become broader in its application, since products and services are developed in consumers’ minds due to the results of any interactions for business purposes (Wand, 2007). Strategic communication is an emerging and over-riding, converging communication function of the organisation, which can be informational, persuasive, discursive and relational to an organisations’ mission (Overton-de Klerk & Verwey, 2013). Further, strategic communication is evolving and an emerging process of discourse and negotiations intended to create buy-in from the facilitation of discussion and discourse for change to evolve, bottom-up and spontaneously, out of the communication process (Stroh 2007). Rensburg (2012) says the bottom-up approach is the new emphasis on organisational listening and embedding, particularly on the side of leaders. This is relevant in that it educates the researcher on how effective strategic communication can be to an organisation communication with both internal and external stakeholders. There is a gap in that, most of the examples cited are from developed countries. In strategic communication there is a shift of power and control from management to individual stakeholders, allowing them to make decision based on the value systems they are able to support (Overton-de Klerk & Verwey, 2013). In developing nations, it is not known how mining organisation engage with the poor communities where they do business, neither is it understood how they listen to the communities complains if at all. All the above scholars’ contribution are important in reflecting the changes brought by strategic approach to communication and how ritual communication, which is two-way, is important and enhanced for sustainable development by the mining corporation with the community near their station. Furthermore, strategic communication in post bureaucratic context acknowledges and fosters multiple propositions and perceptions so as to allow for conflict and rhetoric that ultimately advance the organisation, to the benefit of all stakeholders (Janssens & Zanoni, 2005). According to Holmnan, Devane and Candy (2007), strategic communication enhances high involvement. It is a systemic approach to improvement, where high involvement means engaging stakeholders in changing their own system. There are some terms that are sometimes used which are synonymous to strategic communication such as public relations, professional communication, organisational communication, spin, information work, and even marketing (Kristensen, 2010). The above terms overlap, especially given that strategic communication is decorated with different sub-categories which are both an academic field of emerging field drawn from several traditions (Langer, 2005; Jansen 2002), and as a “profession” or practice that is still developing (Pieczka. 2000, 2002). Strategic communication is a concept that is understudied in developing nation, especially on how it can be used for sustainable stakeholder relationships. Further, it is not known how strategic communication is an overlap with public relations for both academic and professional reasons. Scholars cited in this paragraph are relevant in that they elaborated extensively on the core issues that should be taken serious when discussing on strategic communication. The knowledge gained from all cited scholars enriches the study by enabling the understanding of involvement of all stakeholders in changing the system of sustainability to benefit the surrounding communities through systemic approach which is ritual and not one way. Strategic communication, unlike political communication, corporate communication, organisational communication, or professional communication is not narrow (Kristensen 2010; Dalfet et al., 2001; Fober, 2000). Strategic communication has developed and expanded considerably during the 20th century (Toth2006; Wright & Turk 2007; Ottesting 2002 & Pieczka 2000). Media centric and management inspired paradigm have dominated the academic approach to strategic communication (Pieczka 2002). The academic disciplines such as political science, cultural studies, law, medicine, management and the natural science have integrated strategic communication into their research and education programmes (Langer 2005; Stromback et al 2008). Strategic communication is based on a flexible theory whose core aim has a double conflicting nature concerning the relation of professions to the state and the market (Kristensen, 2010). On the other hand, strategic communication complies with the functionalistic, altruistic idea that places clients and the public good at the professional work (Laursen et al 2004). This theory is relevant to the study as it would allow the study to analyse and understand sustainability for stakeholder relationships from both an academic and professional context. Judging from the above, it can be observed that strategic communication has two starting points for research which could either be from an organisational perspective, meaning that strategic communication is related to significance to organisational effectiveness, cultural management and governance. On the other hand, strategic communication can be on societal perspective, which means that strategic communication is analysed based on its consequences for social change, public opinion or behaviour, democracy and culture (Falkheimer 2014: 124). The “strategic” in strategic communication The question being asked may be why “strategic” applied in conjunction with communication to describe current communication practices in society in general and organisations in particular. The term “strategic” is problematised by many scholars and is associated with the modernist approach to management. Deetz (2001) argued that critics of this approach perceive strategic communication as a privilege to management discourse and emphasises upper management’s goals for the organisation as a given and legitimate. The term strategic implies that organisations and their functions are evaluated in terms of economic contribution and rational to economic goals. Strategic operate in the pretext that make the role of communication in a modernist approach a approach that enable information transfer from the supervisor to the subordinate in order to gain compliance and to initiate networks that reinforce the organisation’s power in relations with the public. This study benefited by drawing knowledge on how Holtzhausen’s (2008) claims that strategic communication covers the full spectrum of economic and social sector such as trade and industry, politics, non-profit and governmental agencies, activist groups, even celebrities in the sports and entertainment industries. Critique of strategic communication theory Norms for strategic communication are influenced by socially constructed standards of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and guide how strategic communication fosters organisation public relations (Lock et al., 2016). “Astroturfing,” is an activity which the organisation subsidizes the lobbying cost of a sympathetic special interest group after the organisation learns the state of the world (Lyon & Maxwell, 2004:573), that comprise of grassroots-based citizen groups that are conceived, initiated by corporations, industry trade associations, political interests or public relations firm (Sourcewatch, 2013). Instead of being authentic, transparent, and deliberative, front groups are used to claim about an organisation, other matters in a manner deliberatively and manipulatively disguising (Mckie, 2013). New communication technologies and social media, increases the use of astro-turfing in a seemingly legitimate organisations with little more than socially mediated presentation (Hick & McNutt, 2002). Astroturfing is a fake imitation that makes something to appear “real”, a narrative of something that is not what it seems. Synthetic turf and astroturf originated in the 1970s in the United States of America (Irmisch, 2011). It does not grow naturally but it is manufactured and has to be installed. Thus, it becomes a metaphor for certain public affairs activities that have spread globally. Research conducted in USA, Germany and Switzerland demonstrate how strategic communications undermines OPRs potential to add value that strategic communication need to be vigilant resisted against such tactics that cause organisations to lose their license to operate.