Strategic Communication

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Strategic Communication can mean either communicating a concept, a process, or data that satisfies a long term strategic goal of an organisation by allowing facilitation of advanced planning, or communicating over long distances usually using international telecommunications or dedicated global network assets to coordinate actions and activities of operationally significant commercial, non-commercial and military business or combat and logistic subunits.

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[edit] History of strategic communication

Strategic communication at its nascent ancient application begun with the first attempts to transmit knowledge through writing either to the following generations, or to locations remote to its origin. The need to increase the distance and speed of transmission may have been one of the factors behind the domestication of the horse which remained the primary mode of communication until the invention of the semaphore, and later the telegraph.

[edit] Application objectives

Strategic communication (SC) provides a conceptual umbrella that enables organizations to integrate their disparate messaging efforts. It allows them to create and distribute communications that, while different in style and purpose, have an inner coherence. This consistency can, in some instances, foster an echo chamber that reinforces the organizational message and brand. At minimum, it prevents contradictory, confusing messaging to different groups across all media platforms.

[edit] Defence application

Strategic Communication (STRATCOMM) is getting the right message, through the right media, to the right audience at the right time and with the right effect. Effectively reaching and communicating clearly to a targeted audience with specific constraints. While originating as a military term it has branched out into the corporate world in relating to communicating with a clear purpose or message.

This is a relatively new term of art for the military counterpart to Public Diplomacy. It emerged as a major focus for defense transformation as a result of a Defense Science Board study by the same title. See also Information Operations.

[edit] Commercial application

Strategic Communications in Commercial Environment is the non-military application of strategic communication principles and techniques are a new way for organizations to respond to a changed business landscape that results from today's networked communication environment. Back in the day, organizations could segment publics and audiences and target unique messages to each one. Employees, investors, partners, citizens of local communities, potential buyers and consumers could each receive messages that were not widely known or shared by the other groups. Now, all potential publics and audiences can access information about the organization. Providing dissimilar, even contradictory information is no longer possible and may even be problematic. Consumers see information targeted to investors and partners, employees see messages sent to members of the community. In short, with little effort, almost everyone can see almost everything.

Within organizations, the need to integrate communication efforts is moving the authority for creating messages from silos (media relations, investor relations, public relations, advertising, sales and promotion, community relations, corporate training)into corporate headquarters. When organizations adopt strategic communication processes, the message-originating departments -- although they were never fully autonomous -- must report to corporate communications units that issue guidelines for all organizational communication programs and efforts.

The term "strategic communication" means more than just getting the right message to the right people...and so on. It also means ensuring that communication programs meet the objectives of the organization. In order to meet those objectives and to obtain sufficient evidence to suggest that a program can or will meet them, SC is typically supported by a detailed research plan. Once the objectives are clarified, research to define audiences, to measure current attitudes, and to test ways to change those attitudes must be undertaken. Once the coordinating unit develops concepts, there will be focus groups and/or surveys to identify the most effective concepts. Final messages are also tested. The early research that shapes the message is called "formative evaluation." After implementation of the communication program, "summative evaluation" takes place. This research answers the questions: Did the program reach its goals? What effects did the campaign have? What remains to be done?

Research support for communication programs has long been a facet of advertising and, more broadly, marketing campaigns. In the commercial marketplace, sales are often the measurement for success and failure. In PR, the metric has generally been "clip files," the number of mentions in the editorial press: the more clips and the more influential the publications, the better. The underlying assumptions of strategic communication begin by rejecting these silos and adopting more robust measurements at all stages of program development, implementation, and post-campaign evaluation.

[edit] Public administration application

Educational institutions are responding to the perceived need for new ways of planning, developing, and implementing communication programs. In the last two years, a growing number of educational institutions offer programs in strategic communication, usually at the master's level. Prospective students can search the Internet for available programs.

[edit] See also

Main list: List of basic telecommunication topics
telecommunication Portal

[edit] References

[edit] Sources

[edit] External links