Samenvatting Corporate
communication
Anouk de Groot
Inhoud
Hoorcollege 1: Introduction....................................................................................................................2
Hoorcollege 2: Media: Environment & Relations....................................................................................5
Hoorcollege 3: Stakeholder Management & CSR....................................................................................8
Hoorcollege 4: Identity & Reputation...................................................................................................13
Hoorcollege 5: Issues management......................................................................................................14
Hoorcollege 6: Crisis communication....................................................................................................17
Hoorcollege 7: Employee Communication............................................................................................19
Hoorcollege 8: Communication strategies............................................................................................21
Hoorcollege 9: Research and Measurement.........................................................................................22
Hoorcollege 10: Leadership and change...............................................................................................24
30 MK vragen en 2 open
,Hoorcollege 1: Introduction
Issues
Issue attention cycle
The five stage cycle of media attention and public interest regarding a particular issue
The Pre-Problem Stage: when most people aren’t yet aware of the issue but experts
or interest groups might be
Alarmed discovery and euphoric enthusiasm: when the public suddenly becomes
aware of and alarmed about an issue
Realizing the cost of significant progress: Disillusionment sets in once people realize
how much it will cost to solve the problem (in terms of money and sacrifices by large
groups of population)
Gradual decline of intense public interest:
o Some people get discouraged
o Some feel threatened by thinking about the problem, so they suppress the
thoughts
o Some become bored by the issue other issues start to get more attention
The post-problem stage: less attention, but things are not the same as before: new
institutions, policies and programmes are in place, and any issue that has been
through the cycle is more likely to get attention again at certain points.
Research
RQ1: What do Dutch communication professionals at organizations currently do regarding
issue monitoring and issue communication in the pre-problem and peak stage?
Monitoring and assessment: when does a topic become an issue, and how can you
raise intra-organizational awareness? The pre-problem stage is essential
The participants prefer to use bridging strategies to cope with (evolving) issues.
Bridging is like talking to people and avoiding conflicts. Effective issue communication
does not always take place in or via media
Organization’s reputation and license to operate are important, but not key
o More important: In the end the stakeholders have to be satisfied with the
decisions
o Less important: what other people think about it
, RQ2: To what extent does issue communication strategies affect corporate reputation
and/or legitimacy, and does this effect differ per issue stage and issue type?
4 response strategies:
o No response: no substantive change, no communication
o Defensive: no substantive change, defensive communication (buffering)
o Accommodative: no substantive change, accommodative communication
(bridging)
o Adaptive: some substantive change, accommodative communication
(bridging)
2 (fictious) issues
o Sustainability issue: chemical factory that discharges in water
o Social issue: housing of employees that restrict housing of other citizens
Measures
o Reputation= the general evaluation of an organization, leading to likeability
and preference
o Legitimacy = the assessment of an organization against the norms, values, and
expectations of its stakeholders, in terms of what those stakeholders deem
acceptable and favored by the organization
o Skepticism = whether the company’s response is misleading
Conclusion
Sending an accommodative or adaptive response enhances reputation and legitimacy
compared to no response
Timing matters:
o An accommodative response lowers perceptions of skepticism in the pre-
problem stage (vs. peak stage), which in turn impacts reputation and
legitimacy
o An adaptive response in the pre-problem stage (vs. peak stage) enhances
perceptions of skepticism
But only for the sustainability issue (not the social issue)
o Not important for everyone but for specific person
Conclusion: bridging strategy is preferable but be aware of consolidation versus
adaption and its timing
Defining Corporate Communication
Corporate communication = effective coordination of all internal and external
communication
Purpose = establishing and maintaining favorable reputations with stakeholder groups
communication
Anouk de Groot
Inhoud
Hoorcollege 1: Introduction....................................................................................................................2
Hoorcollege 2: Media: Environment & Relations....................................................................................5
Hoorcollege 3: Stakeholder Management & CSR....................................................................................8
Hoorcollege 4: Identity & Reputation...................................................................................................13
Hoorcollege 5: Issues management......................................................................................................14
Hoorcollege 6: Crisis communication....................................................................................................17
Hoorcollege 7: Employee Communication............................................................................................19
Hoorcollege 8: Communication strategies............................................................................................21
Hoorcollege 9: Research and Measurement.........................................................................................22
Hoorcollege 10: Leadership and change...............................................................................................24
30 MK vragen en 2 open
,Hoorcollege 1: Introduction
Issues
Issue attention cycle
The five stage cycle of media attention and public interest regarding a particular issue
The Pre-Problem Stage: when most people aren’t yet aware of the issue but experts
or interest groups might be
Alarmed discovery and euphoric enthusiasm: when the public suddenly becomes
aware of and alarmed about an issue
Realizing the cost of significant progress: Disillusionment sets in once people realize
how much it will cost to solve the problem (in terms of money and sacrifices by large
groups of population)
Gradual decline of intense public interest:
o Some people get discouraged
o Some feel threatened by thinking about the problem, so they suppress the
thoughts
o Some become bored by the issue other issues start to get more attention
The post-problem stage: less attention, but things are not the same as before: new
institutions, policies and programmes are in place, and any issue that has been
through the cycle is more likely to get attention again at certain points.
Research
RQ1: What do Dutch communication professionals at organizations currently do regarding
issue monitoring and issue communication in the pre-problem and peak stage?
Monitoring and assessment: when does a topic become an issue, and how can you
raise intra-organizational awareness? The pre-problem stage is essential
The participants prefer to use bridging strategies to cope with (evolving) issues.
Bridging is like talking to people and avoiding conflicts. Effective issue communication
does not always take place in or via media
Organization’s reputation and license to operate are important, but not key
o More important: In the end the stakeholders have to be satisfied with the
decisions
o Less important: what other people think about it
, RQ2: To what extent does issue communication strategies affect corporate reputation
and/or legitimacy, and does this effect differ per issue stage and issue type?
4 response strategies:
o No response: no substantive change, no communication
o Defensive: no substantive change, defensive communication (buffering)
o Accommodative: no substantive change, accommodative communication
(bridging)
o Adaptive: some substantive change, accommodative communication
(bridging)
2 (fictious) issues
o Sustainability issue: chemical factory that discharges in water
o Social issue: housing of employees that restrict housing of other citizens
Measures
o Reputation= the general evaluation of an organization, leading to likeability
and preference
o Legitimacy = the assessment of an organization against the norms, values, and
expectations of its stakeholders, in terms of what those stakeholders deem
acceptable and favored by the organization
o Skepticism = whether the company’s response is misleading
Conclusion
Sending an accommodative or adaptive response enhances reputation and legitimacy
compared to no response
Timing matters:
o An accommodative response lowers perceptions of skepticism in the pre-
problem stage (vs. peak stage), which in turn impacts reputation and
legitimacy
o An adaptive response in the pre-problem stage (vs. peak stage) enhances
perceptions of skepticism
But only for the sustainability issue (not the social issue)
o Not important for everyone but for specific person
Conclusion: bridging strategy is preferable but be aware of consolidation versus
adaption and its timing
Defining Corporate Communication
Corporate communication = effective coordination of all internal and external
communication
Purpose = establishing and maintaining favorable reputations with stakeholder groups
