- University of La Serena
Strategic communication
What is Corporate Strategic Communication?
It is a discipline and set of practices which allows organizations to get closer to the desired positioning and favorable reputations, through the management of relationships, conversations and perceptions of and with interest groups (internal, external and linked), contributing to the quality of the organization and its public valuation.
In the last decade, with the exponential technological evolution and social networks, strategic communication in organizations has taken on a new impetus, being stressed to abandon unidirectional, vertical and mass broadcast communication models (communicate everything that is done so that everyone knows), to give way to a communication of shared beliefs, which promotes the communication of what is relevant, understood as what really mobilizes favorable attitudes and authentic recommendation behaviors. That is to say, Strategic communication based on identity, to achieve reputation.
What is a DirCom?
The DirComs are the units responsible for advising and accompanying organizations in the management of their relationships with prioritized interest groups, through the intentional generation of messages consistent and coherent with the brand identity. That is, a dircom It is the unit specialized in aligning being (identity), doing (management) and saying (communications) to contribute to excellent reputations.
A decade ago, the Corporate Executive Board identified more than 30 responsibilities that were entrusted to a Corporate Communication Department: corporate advertising, media relations, internal communication, communication with investors, social media management, marketing, public affairs, events , training communication skills in management teams, crisis management, among others.
By the way, the functions depend on the size and nature of the organization. However, beyond the list of tasks that can be assigned, what is really relevant is the change in the conception of a DirCom in communication in organizations.
We stop thinking that the communication of massive and unidirectional messages, by itself, has the power to change and persuade the opinion of interest groups; and we understand it as an area specialized in managing intangibles -such as brand identity and reputation- from the powerful capacity of communication to trigger processes of influence on perceptions, attitudes and behaviors of different stakeholders.
Why does the University of La Serena need to strategically manage corporate communication?
To comply with its institutional ideology - expressed in vision, mission, values and strategic development plan - the University of La Serena requires the support of its internal community to a common purpose, and the knowledge and appreciation of its ideas and activities. in the local, national and global territorial environment that you choose as a priority.
To do this, in addition to individual and unit work and contribution, a ULS brand is required that speaks and behaves like a corporate citizen consistent with that ideology and permanently attentive to contingent social changes and trends, in order to ensure its relevance.
Strategic communication, as a discipline and practice, is a specialized function in this matter, generating listening and attracting changes and new sensibilities within the university; and guiding the university community so that every time it acts, it does so under the singularity of its corporate voice.
Evolution of the Communications Function in Organizations
The origin
Public relations are considered by specialized literature to be the precursors of the communication function in organizations.
They arose from the need for companies and institutions to respond, voluntarily or forcefully, to the accountability demanded by interest groups, mainly external.
With an eminently tactical emphasis, their work focused on protecting organizations from "bad press." Hence the term flak or shield was coined to describe the professionals dedicated to defending the organization from the "missiles" that came from the media. This task was quickly entrusted to journalists who, converted, left the media to join companies and become the first communication experts.
Specialized Agencies
The Strategic Dimension
New Bríos