Corporate Communication Forms and Interaction Process: Instructor Yalçın KIRDAR
Corporate Communication Forms and Interaction Process: Instructor Yalçın KIRDAR
Corporate Communication Forms and Interaction Process: Instructor Yalçın KIRDAR
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organizations built in bureaucratic form. It is the expression of strong attitude. Such institutions cannot change and do not feel the necessity to change. Only production-focused organizations continued this communication model. The change of seller and buyer market and the change in related marketing idea brought the necessity to change in this attitude, too. The existence of organizations by accepting this communication model is impossible in todays conditions. Because corporate communication became a necessity for organizations not an alternative.
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organization and to continue it, to begin the change of process and to conduct it, to provide the employee motivation and to give them authority. Management communication is an indispensable component for organizations image and esteem aimed by corporate communication. The most important tasks of institution manager are to motivate employees, to display open vision, to form effective development strategy, to develop ethic standards, to form a good management team, to increase benefits of partners.
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To form institution esteem by developing institutions image in target audience and public opinion is also one of corporate communications aims. Another aim is to create attitude change in target audience. It can only be realized by communication strategy considered for long term. 4. ORGANIZATION CULTURE Organization culture is a control of norms that show how the activities which determine employees attitude, belief, assumption, expectation, individuals behaviors and interpersonal relations are conducted in one organization (Erengl, 1997: 25). It is built on the trust of people with each other connections and cooperation on the basis of network and communities that provide conduct activity formed of intellectual capital that activates information, knowledge, property and experience that can be used to create social capital and wealth (Stewart, 1997: 72). Organization culture; is formed of shared feelings, norms, interactions, activities, expectations, assumptions, beliefs, attitudes and values of organization members. It is a system of shared values, beliefs and customs in organization in order to provide behavioral norms that mutually influence formal structure. Organization culture; is formed out of firms mission, aim, environment and necessities that are necessary for its success (Alemdar, 1994: 170). Corporate culture; is also characterized as a fact that posses dimensions irrational to human being, named as a holiness attributed morality and values that helps to integrate individuals to the collective and provides behavioral guide (Dahler, 1994: 3). Corporate culture; is a set of symbol, ceremony and mythologies that deliver basic values and beliefs of one organization to employees. It is a basic belief and assumptions shared by organization members. It is shared ideas about the management of organizations activities (David, Kathryn, 1991: 115). It is continuous shared feelings of group of people about the activities in organization. In spite of diversity of definitions about corporate culture there are several common points among these definitions. They are (Sabuncuolu, Tz, 1998: 29); First of all definitions speak about a set of values shared by organization members. This set of values; give information to members about the right or false, acceptable or not acceptable behaviors. For example; in one firm it may be unpleasant to argue with consumer. Here it is expressed in a form of shared value that is consumer is always right. According to this value not to argue with consumer is an accepted and arguing is not an accepted behavior form. However in another firm on the contrary to investigate the problem and find the guilty one whether it is an employee or consumer can be valid value. The second common point acceptance of this set of shared values in organization by organization members by not questioning. These values are not expressed openly and they are not written, however they are the main power that forms all behaviors. It is seen that the cultural structure is generally approached with functional understanding. In many definitions it is defined that the culture is aroused from decisions of organizational existence problems and common concessions. Another common point in given definition is related to the ways used in delivery and share of values. Symbols, their meanings, stories and past events are defined as cultural factors that provide both creation and delivery of common culture and direct behaviors in organization.
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Corporate culture; is defined as a model of basic assumptions which is discovered, found out and accepted because it gave effective result during adaptation of organization to external environment and internal integration, consequently as the most proper way necessary to teach to new members in understanding, thinking and feeling them (Shein, 1992: 12). These basic values that direct personal and organizational behaviors of individual, show their influence on many factors seen in organizations stories, ceremonies, the language it uses, office decoration, plan and model of its employees uniform. Any organization has its own beliefs, symbols, customs, myths and practices developed during years. Later they create common understandings among individuals about the organization and its employees behaviors. This common understanding is made out of shared feelings, norms, interactions, activities, expectations, assumptions, beliefs, attitudes and values of organization members. Corporate culture offers decisions in defining appropriate behaviors and relations in organization, motivating individuals and in crisis situations. That is why leaders and managers who want to provide high performance have to control and understand their own corporate culture. Corporate culture increases consistency in organizational behavior and is very effective in delivering information to employees about how they should behave. Corporate culture has a very important role in internal communication and interpersonal relations. Culture provides unity among employees. It develops teamwork and feeling of we. It connects individuals to each other and to the organization. It also positively develops organization climate. Development of corporate culture with wide common idea can counter groupings and disagreements within the organization. 5. ORGANIZATION CLIMATE Organization climate is defined as a system of basic belief and corporate culture that completes common shared values. Organizational climate is defined as an atmosphere or environment in organization created by organization culture (Vural, 2003: 176). Climate reflects physical structure and events of one organization, how employees portray internal environment, internal and external conflicts of organization, and kind of personal resources, work processes, communication method and forms of using authority. These are the factors of corporate culture reflected in climate. We can understand the characteristic of dominant climate in one organization looking at these: The state of belief and trust feelings, The state of openness and sincerity feelings, The state of solidarity and charity feelings, The state of participation feelings, The state of levels of satiety, hope, expectation feelings. Positive organization climate that awakens such feelings among employees will bring effective employee relations and communication which will provide as a result morale efficiency. It will reflect on communication with external target audience. Organization climate can be in open, encouraging the participation or closed, threatening forms. Positioning organization climate in organization differs according to management style, leadership models and efficiency of internal communication (Doan, 1998: 2003).
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The concept of culture focuses on shared belief, value or norms of individuals in organization and encloses the climate. The focus of social climate of organization is the perceptions of individuals about the organization. It is a psychological environment for the climate. Organization climate expresses specific part of the culture. Change is another point that divides culture from climate. Culture changes slowly. Because it is based on the past that is known and always taken into the consideration. The climate expresses actuality for realities of organization. That is why it is changing so fast. 6. CORPORATE IDENTITY Corporate identity is a philosophy, design, communication and integrity formed in behaviors of the organization to be distinguished from rivals and others. Thanks to this integrity the organization can be distinguished from its rivals and can provide the advantage to be recognized and remembered again by its target audience. Corporate identity appeared in order to communicate who are the individuals and organizations. Flags and pennants of states, uniforms and cloth that symbolize certain group can be counted as the first efforts to form identity. Every organization and institution in the community has an identity. Corporate identity occurs from activities of one organization or associate management. Corporate identity of one organization introduces who is it, what it does and how it does (Olins, 1990: 108). Corporate identity activities are the activities that are done in connection with corporate culture and the production of this culture. Corporate identity is formed depended on corporate culture defined as common atmosphere among employees in workplace created by organization climate. The form of introducing and explaining itself of one firm includes corporate identity that we can define as self-expressing power, integrated communication efforts done by the firm in order to explain itself to internal and external target audiences by using its product, service and sensitivity to the environment. Corporate identity is also defined as a form of visual and physical representation of any organization with its logo, private vehicles, air transportation, typography, color arrangements, cloth and uniform, signs, announcement boards, exhibitions, pennants, ash tray, tie, cuff link, tableware like fork and knife (Topsmer, 1991:79). However corporate identity that includes all characteristics peculiar to any organization is also influenced by corporate communication, corporate behavior and organization philosophy along with corporate design which is formed of visual details like logo, color, motto and trade sign. Value and norm system of corporate culture forms a foundation for corporate identity. That is why the culture favorable to identity that is desired to be delivered has to be discussed. In todays conditions of rivalry firms that try to be distinguished from rivals with identities, especially multinational firms are supporting this process that ranges from corporate culture to identity with corporate advertisement and public relations activities by allocating huge budgets. Corporate identity activities that benefit morale and motivation of the employee in internal environment are at the same time the easiest way to communicate with target audience in different geographic areas and cultures.
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design. Organization philosophy, corporate behavior, corporate design and corporate communication are the elements of corporate identity. 7. ORGANIZATION PHILOSOPHY Organization philosophy forms the seed of corporate identity. Organizations try to reflect definite philosophy they posses on their behaviors, designs and communications. Organization philosophy is the basic opinions about themselves. It includes target opinions and management basics desired and strived by the organization management for the development and formation of organization (Wolf, 1995: 288). Organization philosophy is formed out of values, attitudes, norms and history of organization. Organization philosophy forms a base for any behavior of organization. This behavior includes a large fan from consumer relations to basic attitudes towards the public. Organization philosophy can be fixed both orally and especially in written form it can be a resource that can direct employees. There are some points that are defined in organization philosophy. They are; economic structure and organizations public function belief, development, rivalry and attitude towards technical development, the role of profit for organization and public, responsibility against employees and shareholders, activity rules and behavior norms accepted in the frame of organizations economic activity. Organization philosophy influences all management behaviors, strategies and policies of organization. It develops a family feeling in employees of organization. While it makes easy the formation of basic attitudes towards events, it provides integration in communication with target audience. Organization vision forms the seed of organization philosophy. Organization vision is a concrete idea that makes clear the aim and target of organization to its employees and all public opinion.
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rivals in market and remembered in the memories of their target audiences with their product design (package and brand).
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that faces the organization. These behavior manners are realized based on organizations philosophy. It is seen as a form of organizations behavior to the third person. It includes matters like behaviors of individuals to target audiences, cost and distribution of one product, the form of taking charge of complaints and the form of communication. 7.3. Corporate Communication While corporate design expresses the appearance of corporate identity; corporate communication includes different methods, which have to be implemented for the image that organization wants to posses by the means of identity. Corporate communication is a corporate identity turned to communication practice. Corporate communication delivers corporate behavior activity to all market spheres. Corporate communication is an implementation of all communication measures which have an aim to influence public opinion about one organization, association and institution and organization climate by combining systematically. Corporate communication is a communication that is implemented in a long term with the aim to create, protect or change an image (Kiessling, 1996: 19). Means and methods like advertisement, public relations, market and public opinion research, and employee communication are also used for the success of corporate communication. 8. CORPORATE IMAGE Image is persons opinions about object, organization or other person. According to another definition, image is an approximate visual presentation of reality. Successful image must be both consistent and clear. The form of peoples perception of one organization and positive-negative image that comes to their mind when they hear its name influences the organizations future. Corporate image can be defined as an evaluation of peoples opinion used in deciding to buy organizations product or service or not. The person who has a positive image about organization can begin working for that organization like giving a reference of that organization to relatives (http://www.maxihaber.net/yazarlar/aaltindag/ky_aaltindag_mayis2004.htm). Corporate image has an important place in organizations relations with public opinion as an appearance that the organization or institution reflects to outside. Organizations image percepted by itself is about how one entrepreneur sees and evaluates its own organization. Other peoples opinion and ideas about organization forms foreign image. According to researches done by organization aimed image is named as desired image. Also there are concepts like product, brand, transfer, positive and negative image. Image is important for organizations affairs because of two reasons. The first one presents necessary information to find out and continue dependences, the second one is important for organizations continuity. Image that increases organizations existence probabilities influences the sale of organizations products and services and pleasure from the organization (http://www.bilesim-int.com.tr/kalitatif.php). Corporate identity influenced by corporate culture is formed out of organization philosophy, corporate design, corporate communication and corporate behavior elements. All these elements influence corporate image. Image does not always remain the same in publics eye. Changes and developments that occur in community can also entail reform of image. Image is not stable it is
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dynamic. The situation must be evaluated by doing image researches with the aim to determine how the organization is percepted. Necessary reforms, changes or activities must be done which will develop existing image. To make clear the image it is necessary to understand attitude and behaviors of target audience about organization. Corporate image can be defined as a complete perception made by corporate identity presentations on groups (Uzolu, 2002: 31). Corporate image is on consumers eyes. Organization wants to create image in its own favor by delivering messages to employees, participants, consumers and all internal and external public. Corporate image is a portrait created in recipient about organization by receiving all messages. To create the right image is an endless task. It is not only the creation of organization logo; it is determination of its life style. Image is formed out of ideas accepted as a result of the perception of organizations different sides by employees, consumers and other target audiences. Along with corporate and brand identity, marketing activity also makes contribution to image. Some of these are sponsorship, public relations, crisis management and supporting advertisements. All of these are the factors that influence image of one organization in the eyes of its target audience. Corporate image accomplishes some results. It shows the way to organization and strengthens it to achieve wide and definite aims. It provides the balance of contradictory and sometimes congruent needs between organization and its consumers. It evaluates multicultural teamwork and personnel difference. It creates the environment where information and skills are continuously developed. It gives a value to organization's brand, product and services. It creates flexible environment where change is encouraged. Corporate image can differ from person to person. Because every persons experience and relations with organization are in different dimensions. Corporate image appears as a result of works realized within and outside of organization, internal relations, physical appearance of organization and psychological perception. All conscious or unconscious activities related to organization influence the image. That is why corporate culture forms the most basic and departure point of corporate image. 9. CORPORATE REPUTATION It is seen that today organizations compete with each other by producing products, services and prices similar to each other, consequently it carries the tendency in the way of being the last factor of organization Reputation in consumers giving final decision to buy. Todays economic environments gave a name Age of Equality to organizations that compete with each other. Reputation appears as a distinguishing element from the point of target audiences of organizations that carry similar characteristics. Reputation of one firm is one of its largest values in mutually dependent global economy. This value of organization provides it to be both distinguished from rivals in market and to be preferred, and makes easy crisis situation that the organization can face. Because of this reason organizations have to continuously develop, support and protect their Reputations. There are many words and terms that try to define Reputation. Most of them briefly explain the wholeness of the concept. Every organization has a performance, product and services, activities and a series of expectations about its employees. All people and organizations that have relation with organization like consumers, investors, employees, supporters, analyzers and government officials can share these expectations. Every
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organization has its Reputation in spite of its power and importance. Corporate Reputations reflect not only rational expectations that shareholders give to organization, at the same time their emotional relations. Reputation is defined as integrity formed out of many personal and collective judgments about reliability based on common series of values, worthiness to confidence, responsibility and power of one organization or industry (www.bsmg.com/hot/reput.htm, Why Reputation Matters). Reputation includes activities, works, expectations and reactions about product and services, future expectations and reflections of the past of one firm. Organization reputation expresses changed and dynamic sides of one organization. Organization reputation is a phenomenon that can be measured and observed apart from organization. Organization reputation is a definition of both rational and emotional clear image developed by all shareholders of firm (www.shandwick.com/rm.1-2.html, Reputation Overview). Fombrun, organization reputation defines as the past activities of one firm and perceptional representation of future expectations that express application to all important fundamental stones when the organization is compared with other leading rivals (Page, 1998: 17). Fombrun states that reputation is a term that is based on perception by expressing that reputation also includes activities that will be done in the future together with activities done in the past. Organization reputation is a value of one organization that finds its expression its shareholders eyes, opinions, words and shares. It plays central role in every decision and step of shareholders. Organization reputation is a basic element that distinguishes the organization from its rivals. Shareholders are individual or group that interest success of one organization. These individual and groups are the consumers, employees, shareholders, local communities and media. Consumers in market, clients, commercial partners and rivals; investors in share market and analysts; existing and potential workers in labor market; journalists in media determine their attitudes towards the organization according to organization reputation. Reputation is gained in a long term and shows consistent behaviors. However it can be lost in a very short term. In order not to lose the reputation actions must be consistent with discourses. Reputation is to be reliable. Organizations gain reputation when the environment of confidence is created. Brand value increases by gaining reputation. It increases the organization value. Reputation is a collective term that includes identity and image, opinions of all shareholders about organization reputation (Balmer, 1998: 963-996). It is more that that. It reflects shareholders identity, image, perception, belief and experiences formed by time related to the firm. Identity and image is placed in the corporate culture and each of them is in mutual interaction. Experiences of external groups lived with organization influence the image. Identity is also influenced by work experiences of employees. Identity and image overlap if vision and leadership of firm is appropriate. If there is a causality connection between identity and image, then to manage external image may be possible by managing internal identity. 10. CORPORATE PERSONALITY One way of discharging the complexity of organization and brand is using a metaphor. The widely used metaphor is a personalizing metaphor. Parallels are drawn
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based on information related to people by supposing that the firm is a person. Because organization also has a personality like a person. This personality can be evaluated as good or bad, negative or positive in public opinion. We can associate corporate personality with individual personality. We judge people in our surroundings as good or bad, charming or antipathy under the influence of elements like their cloth, perfumes, cars, houses, decoration of their houses and tastes. We can think organizations as an organism that has a clear personality and shows determined behavior. Personalities of organizations also show the difference like manners and personality characters of people. Perspective of Individual personality is based on the reality that the organization is formed out of people. That is why individual personality can be a good beginning for identity and image researches. CONCLUSION Corporate communication is a corporate identity changed to communication practice. Corporate communication delivers efficiency of corporate behavior in all market areas. The spheres like advertisement, public relations, sales development, public opinion research and internal communication are used for the success of corporate communication in market. Corporate communication is long-term work that explains the integrity of all communication activities of organizations. Its aim is to form a positive image, to protect or change it. Three fundamental elements are looked over on the center of development of corporate image context management process. These are; corporate personality, corporate identity and corporate image. Individuals and organizations reflect their personalities on their identities. Corporate image defines views and opinions about the organization. It is a perception form of organization. In spite of it corporate identity is about the physical image of organization. Corporate identity and corporate image support each other. Corporate identity and corporate image have important influences on realizing strategies and increasing performance of organization. Corporate identity takes as a fundamental the organization philosophy, which is formed from corporate behavior, corporate design and corporate communication concepts. These concepts form a corporate image as a mean. Corporate identity and corporate culture activities motivate employees of the organization and are based on employees better recognizing and introducing their organizations. Corporate culture is an independent sphere, which interacts with corporate image and corporate identity. Conscious and strong culture, which is a system of employees shared belief, enters mutual interaction process with corporate identity and image activities in reflecting to organization climate that is common atmosphere in organization. Reputation is collective term that includes opinions of all shareholders about corporate reputation, both identity and image. It is more than that. It reflects identities, images, perceptions, beliefs and experiences of business partners about the firm.
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LITERATURE ALEMDAR Korkmaz, ERDOAN rfan, (1994), Popler Kltr ve letiim, mit Yaynclk, Ankara. BALMER J.M.T., Corporate Identity and Advent of Corporate Marketing, Journal of Marketing Management 14. DAHLER Peter, (1994), Corporate Culture and Morality: Durheim Inspired Reflection on Limits of Corporate Culture, Journal of Management Studies, January. DAVID C. Martin, Bartol M. KATHRYN, (1991), Management, McGraw Hill Inc., New York. DOAN Muammer, (1998), letme Ekonomisi ve Ynetimi, Anadolu Matbaaclk, zmir. ERENGL Bilge, (1997), Kltr Sihirbazlar, Evrim Yaynevi, stanbul. KIESSLING Waldemar, (1996), SPANNAGL Peter, Corporate Identty: Unternehmensleitbild-Organisatonskultur, 1.Aufl, Alling: Sandmann. OKAY Aydemir, (2003), Her Ynyle Pazarlama letiimi: Kurum Kimlii ve Kurum maj, MediaCat Yaynlar, 2. Edition, stanbul. OKAY Ayla, (2002), Kurumsal letiim Ynetimi: Kurumsal letiim ve Kurum Kimlii, Anadolu niversitesi Basmevi, Eskiehir. OLINS Wally, (1990), The Wolff Olins Guide to Corporate Identity, Revised Edition, Black Bear Press, London. PAGE Christiane M., (1998), Understanding Corporation Reputation: A Public Relation Perspective, Ottowa University. SABUNCUOLU Zeyyat, TZ Melek, (1998), rgtsel Psikoloji, Alfa Basm Yaym Datm Ltd.ti., stanbul. SHEIN Edgar, (1992), Organizational Culture and Leadership, 2th Edition, San Francisco, Josey Bass. STEWART A. Thomas, (1997), Entelektel Sermaye, ev: Nurettin ELHSEYN, Mess Yayn No:258, stanbul. TOPSMER Fsun, (1991), Kurum Kimlii Oluturma Gerei, Dnceler, Year:5, Number:5, E.. BYYO. UZOLU Sevil, (2002), Kurumsal letiim Ynetimi: Kurumsal Dizayn, Kurumsal Kltr, Kurumsal maj, Anadolu niversitesi Basmevi, Eskiehir. VURAL Beril Aknc, (2003), Kurum Kltr ve rgtsel letiim, letiim Yaynlar, stanbul. WOLF Jakop, WOLF Thomas, (1995), Lexikon Betriebswirtschaft, Mnchen: Wilhelm Heyne Verlag. http://www.bilesim-int.com.tr/kalitatif.php http://www.bsmg.com/hot/reput.htm, Why Reputation Matters http://www.maxihaber.net/yazarlar/aaltindag/ky_aaltindag_mayis2004.htm http://www.shandwick.com/rm.1-2.html, Reputation Overview