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Communicating with External Stakeholders Examples: Community Relations Government Relations External Communications Focuses on stakeholders outside the organization Typical tactics: news releases press kits newsletters company magazines, etc. Generally assumed that external communication contributes significantly to an organization’s success Hypothesis: External communication activity in companies identified as visionary is significantly greater than in comparison companies. Results: They gain and initiate more publicity (give out more news releases and have more articles in mass media) They spend more money on good causes They spend more money on lobbying The quality of their information is not necessarily better Visionary companies Are the premier institutions in their industry Are widely admired Have multiple generations of chief executives (new blood) Have been through multiple product or service life cycles (constantly renewing) Were founded before 1950 Conclusion External communication is strongly present in winning companies. Likely that good business habits drive good external communications. As companies begin to develop and prize excellence, the desire and need for good communications increases as well. Companies with good external communications exhibit traits of visionary companies. Sustainable Communications Unsustainable Communications • Manages expectations • Manipulates emotions • Acknowledges poor past performance as important • Ignores or denies mistakes or treats them lightly • Looks for option that make sense to all stakeholders • Looks out for number one • Presents supporting evidence • Does not disclose relevant raw data and back-up work • Asks questions and tries to answer questions • Disseminates ‘news’ and decisions • Focuses on core publics to create relationships • Does ‘PR’ to the ‘public’ • Treats stakeholders as customers who need to be understood • Believes stakeholders and audiences need ‘education’ • Interacts with stakeholders at their levels, with consistent commitment • Delivers a variable ‘message’ to various publics • Is always open • Is open when convenient. E. Bruce Harrison, “Achieving Sustainable Communication” Dow Europe’s EHS comm. Strategy. Sancassiani, Org. 9980 Article collection Dow, cont’d. Community Relations Home of office and operations Supplier of work force Provides setting, services, etc. Community relations programs are specialized communications programs to facilitate communication between an organization and stakeholders in its geographic locality. Grunig and Hunt Factors Recruitment methods Employee relations Waste disposal Energy use Design and maintenance of buildings and grounds Marketing and advertising strategies Corporate philanthropy Community Activities Expressive -- activities to promote themselves & to show good will to community Instrumental -- activities to improve the community or change it to make it easier to work there Check List What is level of credibility? Have there been complaints? What are present and past community relations practices? What are major strengths & weaknesses? What opportunities exist? Community Publics Community media - diffused linkage Local employees & customers functional linkage Community leaders - enabling linkage Community organizations - normative linkage Activists publics -- diffused linkage Makeup of Community Opinion Miniature of national government Power structure Opinion leaders Networking Prime movers Independents Dissidents Pyramid of Power 1. 2. 3. 4. Major employers, land owners, top officials, wealthy ‘first’ families Corporate, commercial executives, lawyers, etc. Local officials, editors, lesser city officials, association executives Business, teachers, factory managers, workers Effective Communication Targeting of opinion leaders or community leaders Two-way symmetric relations Communication objective Cultivation of organizations, their leaders and membership Reach out with sponsorship of activities Evaluation Number of government officials reporting contact with organization. Number of members of local publics reporting contact. Number of community leaders discussing controversial or policy issues. Number of managers reporting they have made changes as result of information from community about service or problems. Number of negative behaviors reported by community leaders. Government Relations (often called Public Affairs) Government at all levels Political action Issues management Lobbying Government Publics Highest level in country - Storting Next level - fylke Decreasing level - kommune, city, etc. Check List What is the makeup of the organization? What are past and present relations with government? What are strengths and weaknesses? How vulnerable is organization to legislation? Which of our activities could result in government involvement? Possible Objectives Increase knowledge of organization among politicians Create or enhance favorable attitudes toward organization Influence favorable vote on a legislation Possible Activities Fact finding Coalition building Direct lobbying Grass-roots lobbying Political support activities Political action committees (PACs) Political education activities Communications on political issues
