Current Trends In Corporate Communication · Dr. Michael B. Goodman, Director ... Key Study...

http://www.corporatecomm.org 1

ANA Corporate Communication Committee Meeting

March 26, 2002Corporate Communications Institute

at Fairleigh Dickinson UniversityDr. Michael B. Goodman, Director

http://www.corporatecomm.org

Current Trends InCorporate Communication

http://www.corporatecomm.org


Practices & Trends 2001

The Research Team:• Michael B. Goodman• Jill Alexander• Jim Hutton• Gary Radford• Jennifer Lehr• Christina Genest• Lisa Mobus• Jeanette Cruz• Jennifer Brown


Goals of the Study

• Describe state of the art in Fortune 1000 companies• Continue the CCI Benchmark Study • Snapshot of Corporate Communication practices• Identify trends in Corporate Communication• Build a database for further study


Methods of the Study

• Survey: 18 Questions• Mailed To Fortune 1000 companies: March 2001 • Follow-up post-card reminder: April 2001• Second survey mailing: May 2001• Response rate: 18%• Interviews: May - June 2001• Number of interviews: 30 +


Key Study Insights

Relationships with the community matter a great deal.


Key Study Insights

Culture is vital to organizational health.


Key Study Insights

Communication is strategic – now more than ever.


Key Study Insights

The age gap between managers and employees must factor into planning.


Key Study Insights

People in the workforce care more about themselves than the company.


Key Study Insights

Speed is faster then it ever was.


Key Study Insights

The company is expected to be a good citizen and make money.


Key Study Insights

Media relations is more complex – no more old boy system.


Key Study Insights

Internet is just a tool; Internet is a strategy –truth is on the continuum.


Key Study Insights

Company will have a crisis; prepare for the ones you can’t conceive of.


Key Study Insights

Writing is still the core skill for Corporate Communication.


Demographics & Practices

• Competition & technology drive actions• Evolving roles & responsibilities• Accelerating pace of work• Increasing strategic importance• Critically important for business units• Trends: globalization, technology, social responsibility,

employee focus, reputation management• Core competencies expand to strategic abilities• Practitioners are younger, smarter, and better paid • Impact of terrorism and September 11 to be determined


Key Functions

• Advertising & Image Building

• Change & Corporate Culture

• Media Relations• Investor Relations• International

Communication• Communication Policy• Internal Communication &

Technology

• Crisis Communication• Corporate Citizenship &

Ethics• Executive Communication

Issues – Building a Communication Culture

• Leadership and Communication

• Public Relations


Role Of Corporate Communication In Companies

Percent of Respondents who RANKED the following functions #1:20.0 % - Manager of company’s reputation15.1% - Source of public information about the company14.1% - Manager of relationships (Co. & Key non-customer constituencies)

13.8% - Advocate or “engineer of public opinion”12.4% - Manager of the company’s image11.9% - Driver of company publicity11.4 % - Manager of relationships -- co. & ALL key constituencies

2.7% - Support for marketing & sales8.1% - Other

Note: Four New Options For 2002


Selected Comments

…The role of corporate communication [is to] manage a company's brand reputation ... and the long-term reputational implications of a corporation's strategy to ensure the brand retains its integrity - regardless of the financial environment…


Selected Comments

…Employee communications is being recognized (finally) as very important. The key here is that our people are watching behavior. Actions speak louder…


Selected Comments

…Communication professionals, even at the most senior levels, must be both strategic (thinkers) and execution (doers) focused…


Selected Comments

…The profession is evolving along with business toward meeting the new dynamics of globalization and e-commerce…This transformation is raising the profile of the profession and requiring new skill sets. Continuing education will be critical to success...


Selected Comments

…Today's communication leader must be skilled in all disciplines, including IR (Investor Relations), and be in a strategic position on the senior management team to be effective and valuable…


Selected Comments

…Corporate communications responsibility is to ensure employees were well-informed about the company, and that the company's perspective is represented in the media…


Selected Comments

…Corporate communication underpins virtually every aspect of the company… to realize a very viable exponential ROI, communications must be viewed as a strategic function reporting to either the CEO, CFO or head of marketing…


Selected Comments

…Our constant challenge is to be included as a strategic partner to our executives...


Interview Questions...

Eight questions sent by e-mail -- option to have a telephone interview or send return e-mail:

• The three or four critical issues • Importance of Corporate Communication to - YOU; CEO• Top three trends in corporate communication in companies• Trends unique to the industry• Downsizing; growing; restructuring; streamlining• Core Competencies: individual practitioners; the corporation

as a whole• Internet Responsibility -- CC, IS


When All Is Said & Done

With all the changes in the nature of work, the tools, the people, the companies, maybe some simple guidelines might be helpful

How about Nordstrom’s? They have two:#1 Use your best judgment#2 See Rule #1

Judgment, wisdom, understanding, integrity – develop and rely on them!


Corporate Communications Instituteat Fairleigh Dickinson University

Dr. Michael B. Goodman, Directorwww.corporatecomm.org

Thank You For Your Time & Attention


Corporate Communications Instituteat Fairleigh Dickinson University

Dr. Michael B. Goodman, Directorwww.corporatecomm.org

Survey Data


Number of Employees2000 & 2001

5.12.2

25.5

38.7

9

1.4

7.6

34.5

16.8

11.7

4.1

13.8

1.4

12.4

05

1015202530354045

lessthan500

up to1000

1k -4.9k

5k -9.9k

15k -19.9

20k + 20k -24.9k

25k -29.9k

30k -39.9k

40k +


Gender Of Corporate Communication Executives

56

44 46.1

53.9

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Male Female

20002001


Age of Corporate Communication Executives

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

20-34 35-39 40-44 45-49 50-54 55-59 60-64 65+


Education Of CorporateCommunication Executives

1.5 2.2 0.7

50.4

0.7

8.8 8.8

0.7

19.512.4 13.9

3.8 2.20.51.13.2

39.5

11.916.2

1.10

102030405060

Ph.D JD CPA BA BS BBA MA MS MBA somecol

20002001


Salary 2000 & 2001

3

28.5

32.8 32.8

1.1

23

32

18 16.9

9

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

< 50,000 50k -99.9k

100k -149k

150,000 + 150k -199k

200k -299k

300k +


Reporting Lines

47.5

9.8

5.5

0

7.1

30

05

101520253035404550

CEO CFO COO CIO Counsel Other

2001


Corporate Communication Function & Budget (1)

Advertising

56.2

43.8 42.3

57.7

42.2

57.8

37

63

0

20

40

60

80

100

Yes - Function No - Function Yes - Budget No - Budget

20002001

* Statistics Show If Respondents Own The Function and Its Related Budget



Annual Report

79.6

20.4

69.3

30.7

80.5

19.5

73.2

6.8

0

20

40

60

80

100


20002001



Corporate Communication Functions & Budget (3)

Communication Policy & Strategy

86.9

13.1

95.6

4.4

90.3

9.7

95.7

4.3

0

20

40

60

80

100

Yes No Yes No

20002001




Community Relations

66.4

33.6

56.9

43.1

64.3

35.7

55.444.6

0

20

40

60

80

100


20002001




Corporate (Organizational) Culture

48.9 51.139.4

67.6

33

67

26.1

73.9

0

20

40

60

80

100


20002001




Corporate Identity

75.2

24.8

67.9

32.1

69.7

30.3

59.8

40.2

0102030405060708090

100


20002001




Mission Statement

38

61.3

29.9

70.1

42.2

57.8

34.8

65.2

0102030405060708090

100


20002001




Philanthropy (Citizenship)

46.753.3

41.6

58.452.4

47 44

56

0102030405060708090

100


20002001




Crisis & Emergency89.8

10.2

77.4

22.6

92.4

7.6

80.4

19.6

0102030405060708090

100


20002001




Employee Relations

43.856.2

82.5

17.5

39.5

60.5

81.5

18.9

0102030405060708090

100


20002001




Ethics Code

8.8

91.2

11.9

87.6

0102030405060708090

100

Yes - Function No - Function

20002001



Corporate Communications Functions & Budget (12)

Executive Speeches90.5

9.5

86.1

13.9

89.2

10.8

81

19

0102030405060708090

100


20002001




Government Relations

21.9

78.1

19.7

80.3

27.6

72.4

23.9

76.1

0102030405060708090

100


20002001




Internet Site

73.7

26.3

59.1

40.9

72.4

27.6

44

56

0102030405060708090

100


20002001




Intranet Site

72.3

27.7

58.4

41.6

73

27

62

38

0102030405060708090

100


20002001




Investor Relations

27

73

19.7

80.3

31

69

28.8

71.2

0102030405060708090

100


20002001




Issues Management

58.4

41.648.2 51.8

58.9

41.152.7

47.3

0102030405060708090

100


20002001




Marketing Communications

52.647.4

26.3

73.7

42.7

57.3

22.8

77.2

0102030405060708090

100


20002001




Media Relations93.4

6.6

88.3

11.7

96.8

3.2

95.1

4.9

0102030405060708090

100


20002001




Public Relations93.4

6.6

80.3

19

94.6

5.4

83.2

16.8

0102030405060708090

100


20002001




Reputation Management

71.9

28.1

66.8

33.2

0102030405060708090

100


20002001



Use Of Agencies or Vendors (1)

75.9 73.7

4.4

18.224.1 26.3

95.6

81.8

66.5 68.1

4.3

21.6

33.5 31.9

95.7

78.4

0102030405060708090

100

Advertising Annual Report Policy Strategy

Yes 2000No 2000Yes 2001No 2001



10.3 6.9

43.1

2.9

89.7 93.1

56.9

97.1

9.24.3

35.7

5.4

90.395.7

64.3

94.6

0102030405060708090

100

CommunityRelations

CorporateCulture

CorporateIdentity

MissionStatement

Yes 2000No 2000Yes 2001No 2001



2.2

28.5

72.2

97.8

71.5

9397.8

6.5

32.1

7.12.7

93.5

67.9

92.997.3

0102030405060708090

100

Citizenship Crisis &Emergency

EmployeeRelations

Ethics Code

Yes 2000No 2000Yes 2001No 2001



18.2 19

46

22.6

81.8 80.3

54

77.4

21.1 18.4

40.5

24.3

78.9 81.6

59.5

75.7

0102030405060708090

100

Exec Speeches Gov Relations Internet Intranet

Yes 2000No 2000Yes 2001No 2001



188.8 6.6

38.7

8291.2 93.4

61.3

2011.4

7

32.6

8088.6

93

67.4

0102030405060708090

100

InvestorRelations

Issues Mgt LaborRelations

MarketingComm

Yes 2000No 2000Yes 2001No 2001



40.1 43.1

0

16.1

59.9 56.9

0

83.9

33.5

44.9

14.6 12.4

66.5

55.1

85.4 87.6

0102030405060708090

100

MediaRelations

PublicRelations

Reputation Mgt Training &Dev'mt

Yes 2000No 2000Yes 2001No 2001


About The Presenter

Michael B. Goodman, Ph.D., is the founder and director of the Corporate Communication Institute at Fairleigh Dickinson University. Over the past 20 years, he has has taught business communications and literature courses at New York University, New York Institute of Technology, and SUNY at Stony Brook. He is the author of seven books on business communications and is currently at work on "While You Were Looking the Other Way -- Sixteen Forces That Are Redefining Communication" with several professional colleagues. Since 1981 he has been a consultant to aerospace companies, medical institutions, manufacturers, and corporations on corporate communication, managerial communication, problem-solving, new business proposals, change, and corporate culture. Email: [email protected]. For more information go to: www.corporatecomm.org

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