Strategic Communications Audits

Nonprofit organizations are now continuously being challenged to be more strategic in their communications efforts. Communications activities must add up to more than a series of isolated events such as the dissemination of an occasional publication or press release. Being strategic requires that nonprofits be more deliberate, innovative, savvy, and less reactive in their communications practice. Nonprofits are encouraged to regard communications as essential to their overall success and integrate it throughout their organizations.1As a result of this movement, an array of new tools, resources, and trainings have been developed to help organizations better understand the concept of strategic communications, develop their own communications strategies, and evaluate them for both accountability and learning purposes. But while nonprofits are learning how to develop strategies and are gaining a better understanding of their importance, questions remain about their actual follow through in practice and nonprofits' overall capacity to implement their strategies given their relative inexperience in this field and the many priorities, including communications, that often compete for scarce organizational resources

Is communications a strategic activity in UK Education?

This qualitative exploratory paper investigates whether communications/public relations is regarded by opinion formers in UK education as a strategic business activity or a tactical marketing tool. It is based upon depth interviews with 16 senior managers with strategic roles in UK higher or further education, or Government bodies, conducted between June and September 2004. The findings seem to suggest that communications/PR is ideally seen by leaders as a strategic function, but that there are limitations to this vision becoming a reality. The research goes on to offer initial conclusions on some of the issues surrounding perception, resource, and implementation of strategic communications/PR in UK education, with implications for practitioners considered

Is Corporate Communications A Strategic Function?

Corporate communications, or public relations (PR) as hitherto it has largely been known, has become an increasingly important function in business organisations. Yet little has been published on the role and function of communication executives. This paper reports an empirical study conducted in 20 British organisations with a focus on the director of corporate communications. It examines the role and tasks of corporate communication executives and discusses their status within organisational structure and the impact of corporate communications upon the strategic planning process

Smart Chart 3.0

Whether you are just starting the communications planning process, checking in on a communications campaign already in progress, or interested in reviewing an effort you have already executed, the Smart Chart 3.0TM will help you assess your strategic decisions to ensure that your communications strategy delivers high impact.Strategic communications decisions are the building blocks of any successful communications planning and implementation effort. When used correctly, this tool will create stronger outcomes and help you use resources more effectively

MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS AS A STRATEGIC FUNCTION OF MARKETING

Today we put great emphasis on the strategic importance of marketing communication, rather than seeing it as merely a tactical process of promoting the other elements of the marketing mix. Brands exist in the minds of customers not only through their experience of a product or service, but also because of the long-term effects of communication. The purpose of this paper is to highlight the importance of marketing communications - as a strategic function - in the marketing activity of an organization.marketing communication, communications strategy, planning marketing communications, strategy push, strategy pull

Strategic Communications and Corporate Branding: a Study of Jebsen & Jessen Indonesia Group

Corporate communications hold a vital function to maintain the company's positive image and reputation in front of stakeholders. A corporate communications practitioner must be able to handle a variety of communication processes in an organization, including to determine the right strategy to reach its communications goal. The purpose of this research is to analyze the corporate communications strategy of Jebsen & Jessen Indonesia Group to create its corporate branding and reflect it with public relations strategic planning process. The researcher gathered the primary data from in-depth interview with key informant and combine it with secondary data from other relevant data. Afterwards, it was verified by triangulation to strengthen the credibility of data and continue with analysis process. This research concluded that Jebsen & Jessen Indonesia Group has implemented its corporate branding strategy accordingly to public relations strategic planning process. Some of the targets have been achieved in one year period, however there have been suggestions to improve the future corporate branding strategy formation

Signaling strategic commitment for organizational transition: how to manage potential M&As through voluntary disclosures

To ‘transit or not’ often depends upon winning over investor opinion to large strategic initiatives. M&A is one such major realignment of an organization and yet once a bid for a company has been announced there is a period of uncertainty when the bid may not be completed. This depends on share price movements determined more by investor perceptions than fundamental values. This paper investigates whether these perceptions may be influenced by ‘voluntary’ corporate communications and so link managerial practices to strategic outcomes. Drawing upon two very large M&A data sets (USA and UK) (57,000 deals; 30,000 communications) we argue managerial practice (signaling strategic commitment) shapes market response and demonstrate communication characteristics, and the use of high-reputation intermediaries, play an important role in determining share price reaction

Supporting State Policymakers' Implementation of Federal Health Reform

Outlines the capacities states will need to implement federal healthcare reform in the areas of information and analysis, strategic implementation and planning, topic-specific technical assistance, communications, and coordination and integration

LGBTQ Grantmakers 2008 Report Card on Racial Equity

A research study examining how a subset of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) grantmakers addresses racial equity in grantmaking, governing documents, policies and practices, demographics and leadership, and strategic communications

On Message: Using Strategic Communications to Advance Social Change in Black and Latino Communities

This report aims to highlight examples of efforts involving black- and latino-serving nonprofits that utilize strategic communications to enhance their advocacy work and improve opportunities in communities of color. a project of the abfe/hip initiative, this publication is informed by the findings of a nationwide scan to identify groups taking the lead to integrate strategic communications in their advocacy, organizing, and social change efforts in black and latino communities. conducted in 2007, the scan included an analysis of emerging research in nonprofit communications; a cataloging of the notable successes of several nonprofits and coalitions across the country; an online survey of grantmakers with an interest in high-priority issues in black and latino communities; and follow-up interviews with nonprofit leaders and the grantmakers funding their work. the scan also included information gathered under the guidance of a national advisory committee of media practitioners, grantmakers, advocates, researchers, and nonprofit leaders who volunteered, at the request of abfe and hip, to provide structure and lend leadership to the research