Strategic Communications

All communication situations are different. But there are some general questions you can ask about any communication situation that will help you respond more effectively to it.

Questions for Analyzing Communication Situations

Motivation: The Why Question

Audience: The Who Question

Description: The What Question

Application: The How Question

(Information above taken from http://www.chass.ncsu.edu/ccstm/scmh/model.html)

It is important that all business have the ability to have a plan to communicate the right message to their employees, investor, and potentially the customers. It is so important that all managers, employees are able to say clearly what they have to say and in the right and effective way to get the point across. We strategically communicate everyday including in government

(Information above taken from http://www.state.gov/r/pa/scp/)
(Information from http://www.acq.osd.mil/dsb/reports/2004-09%20Strategic_Communication.pdf).

In today’s competitive world, time is the most important factor. Strategic Communication means getting the right message, through the right media, to the right audience at the right time. Now a days economies are global, and businesses have not only restricted themselves to one location or country but also spread their operations over seas.The main goal for any organization should be to send the message across to different constituents through the right medium without distorting the meaning. The corporations should try to establish constructive dialogue with employees and strategic partners. The businesses should be dynamic, create alliances, achieve desired actions, and achieve communication under different situations and build valuable human assets for them.

When you have to apply Strategic Communication to any business, you need to have Strategic Communication Planning. In today's fast-moving workplace, organizations' goals and objectives must evolve in order to provide the best route for success. The success of those organizations often hinges on the ability to communicate effectively with the workforce and stakeholders. Strategic communications characterizes the challenges and provides the goals, objectives, an implementation plan, and an approach to carry out purposeful and effective communication.

Examples: There are many companies like Conferenz which use Strategic Communication as the base line for there business. They have many meetings to plan their Strategic Communication. They have seminars, training programs on Strategic Communication.
Link: http://http/www.conferenz.co.nz/creating-an-effective-strategic-communications-plan-6.html
Toyota has build their employees as their assets and together they have grown to become the world’s largest manufacturer, the employees are given education, training, financial support, role-plays, demonstration and feedback nurturing them as their valuables. Toyota communicated to the world that they build fuel efficient cars, and today as the fuel prices are sky high people are buying Toyota.

From my point of view it is essential in putting together a strategy in any line of work. To be able to know what you want to communicate to the people is the key. As a business we have to be able to effectively say and portray the right message and image.

The Changing Environment of Business

The business environment has changed dramatically with the changes taking place in today’s competitive world. Only businesses those are flexible and are able to adapt to the changing environment will exploit new opportunities and avert threats more successfully than their competitors. Globalization has really affected the business environment. Technology has strengthened communication channels around the globe. The media and the Internet are powerful channels for view on business to be expressed and debated. Corporate communication must be closely linked to a company's overall vision and strategy. From my point of view, it is very important for companies that the companies must have a good representation in the media; therefore the communicator for a company has to stand for principles, missions and statements of the company. If companies communicate the new values and the mission in the right way, I am sure that they can be seen as innovators and increase their good reputation.

The changing environment of business leads to an uncertain and complex environment where businesses have to operate. Often the management of a company had to find out those former beliefs and values are no longer valid in the new environment. Those beliefs suddenly produce no longer the solution that they produced a few years ago. The patterns of the past are less likely to recur in the same format in the future. This can lead to serious problems for companies and the need to adapt quickly to the changing environments.
(Information above taken from: http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-10232001-152437/unrestricted/03chapter3.pdf)

I realize that most companies have a chain of command or communication, whether that company is flat or tall structure. When I was working in Datacraft it had order of communication, you must first communicate the problem you are having to your direct supervisor, then your supervisor will communicate the problem to the assistant manager and general manager, and they would communicate the problem to the board. If the problem was not sorted by the supervisor then you could communicate to the general manager.

New technologies also bring some changes in business. Ten years ago, Internet was not popular on the world. Nowadays, people use website and e-mail to help them deal with business. Many use Internet to sell and buy products, new technologies bring more work chances for people. Goods can be sold to different countries with the help Internet. The Internet provides a great platform for the international business to communicate. Instant messenger is a fantastic tool for people to communicate at the same time on the different place. I think that the Internet system is the primary factor to effect the environment of business.