The Theory and Practice of Corporate Communication: A Competing Values Perspective

"It provides an integrated an broad perspective for addressing the diversity of corporate communications as a field of study and a community of practice. As an organizing scheme it helps capture the richness, complexity and interdependence of communication theories."
—BUSINESS INDIA

"Professor Belasen's integration of theoretical insights with practical experience distinguishes this book from any other on the subject. The value to students is that it will enable them to think about corporate communication in a sophisticated and critical way. Not only will they learn to do their jobs well, they will also understand why." —Gary P. Radford, Fairleigh Dickinson University

The Theory and Practice of Corporate Communication: A Competing Values Perspective offers an integrative approach to corporate communication. Author Alan T. Belasen covers theoretical aspects and uses practical examples and case applications to illustrate the broader, strategic view of the field of corporate communication. The book draws on an adaptation of the Competing Values Framework to provide a fuller and more coherent view of corporate communication in which a dynamic interplay of complementary and often competing message orientations takes place.

As an organizing schema, the Competing Values Framework for Corporate Communication (CVFCC) helps capture the richness, complexity, and interdependence of communication approaches (e.g., rationalistic, humanistic), functions (e.g., media relations, employee relations, government relations, investor relations), managerial roles (e.g., broker, director, mentor, innovator), and organizational stakeholders (e.g., employees, customers, regulators, investors, reporters). As a practical approach, it enables corporate communication executives and professionals to operate under the burden of contradictory and often inconsistent expectations coming from diverse constituencies. Responding to these expectations is vital for building a strong identity and sustaining a credible organizational image.

The CVFCC brings the whole (corporate communication) and parts (marketing communication, financial communication, organizational communication, management communication) into a more sophisticated theoretical treatment of corporate communication that goes beyond merely discussing "best practices."

Key Features

· The CVFCC is integrated throughout, providing the necessary roadmap for navigating the diverse range of activities and organizational functions that fall under the heading of "corporate communication"

· Using case studies and practical applications (from such companies and organizations as Starbucks, NASA, the American Red Cross, Johnson & Johnson, FedEx, and Oracle, among others), the book promotes the teaching of corporate communication from a strategic viewpoint

· Each chapter ends with a case study to help readers make sense of the connections between actual situations (what happened?) and theory (how do we make sense of what happened?)

· By examining recent corporate failures, learning methods for identifying effective corporate governance practices, and developing integrity programs, readers learn that corporate social responsibility requires not only ethical leaders, but also effective corporate communication strategy, strong corporate culture, and individual involvement

Alan Belasen (Ph.D., University at Albany; M.A. & B.A., Hebrew University, Israel) is currently chair of the M.B.A. program at SUNY-Empire State College and holds positions in the Department of Communica­tion at the University of Albany and in the School of Management at Union College.  Belasen has taught organizational and corporate communication topics at both undergraduate and graduate levels at the De­partment of Communication, University at Albany, and the MBA program, SUNY-Empire State College for more than 15 years.   His consulting and communication audit activities cover diverse organizations including private enterprises, not-for-profit organizations, and governmental agencies.  His most recent book, Leading the Learning Organization:  Communication and Competencies for Managing Change (Human Communication Series, SUNY Press, 2000), covers a wide range of communication processes and skills as well communication audits.