BUSINESS

COMMUNICATION
ASSIGNMENT
CREATIVE AND CRITICAL ASPECTS OF
BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

SUBMITTED TO: SUBMITTED BY:

DR. MANOJ KUMAR ABHINAV PUJARA
SHARMA MBA SEC A 1st YEAR
ROLL NO. 1
CONTENTS
What Is Business Communication ? ....................................................................................... 3
Components Of Business Communication: ........................................................................... 5
Creativity In Business Communication In Context Of Inside And Outside Relations Of
An Organization : .................................................................................................................. 12
Social Networking: An Innovation In Communication ...................................................... 12
Social Media Revolutionizing Businesses............................................................................. 13
How To Be Creative In Business Communication ? ........................................................... 14
Public Relations .................................................................................................................. 14
Defining PR..................................................................................................................... 15
Tools Of Public Relations .............................................................................................. 15
Internet As A PR Tool ................................................................................................... 16
House Journals ............................................................................................................... 16
Public Relations Society Of India ( PRSI ) .................................................................. 17
PR Campaign ................................................................................................................. 17
Corporate Communication ............................................................................................... 17
Definition Of Corporate Communication .................................................................... 17
Major Functions Of Corporate Communication ........................................................ 18
Role & Task Of Corporate Communication In An Organisation ............................. 18
Copywriting Practices ....................................................................................................... 22
Conclusion .............................................................................................................................. 24
References ............................................................................................................................... 25
What is Business Communication ?
"Communication" has returned from the Latin word "communis", which proposes normal.
Hence, correspondence means sharing of ideas in like manner. The wordbook which methods
for correspondence is to pass on or trade information and offer ideas.

It is a technique through that 2 or extra people transmit or trade contemplations and thoughts
among themselves. predictable with W. H. Newman and C. F. Summer, "Correspondence is
A trade of actualities, thoughts, sentiments or feelings by 2 or extra people."

Correspondence is the way toward transmitting data and comprehension starting with one
individual then onto the next or from one unit to other unit with the end goal of getting the
ideal reaction from the collector. Through this procedure at least two people trade thoughts
and comprehension among themselves to accomplish the ideal impact in the conduct of
someone else.

It is a two-route channel for transmitting thoughts, emotions, plans, directions, guidelines,

reports and proposals that impact the disposition towards an association's targets. The's
communicator will likely pass on the implications or thoughts without contortion.
Achievement of the pioneer and the undertaking relies on sufficiency of correspondence.

It is the obligation of the supervisors to set up and keep up the channels whereby they can
pass on their own reasoning and strategies to the subordinates, and can get their responses
and a record of their issues.

Louis A. Allen defines communication in the following manner:

“Communication is the sum total of all the things one person does when he wants to
create understanding in the mind of another. It is a bridge of meaning. It involves a
systematic and continuous process of telling, listening and understanding.”

The definition includes two viewpoints in correspondence.

Initially, there is something which is transmitted, for example, certainties, emotions,

thoughts, and so on. It suggests that there must be a collector if correspondence is to happen.

Second, the definition underlines the understanding component in the correspondence

procedure. Sharing of understanding would be conceivable just when the individual to whom
the message is sent, comprehends in a similar sense in which the sender of message needs
him to get it.

In this way, correspondence includes something more than minor transmission of the
message or transmission and physical receipt thereof. The right translation and
comprehension of the message is vital from the perspective of hierarchical proficiency.
Compelling correspondence, thusly, may be the precise transmission and receipt thereof, and
its right understanding.

In their book "Business Communication Today" C. L. Bovee, J. V. Thill and B. E. Schatzman

express: "Correspondence is the way toward sending and getting messages. Be that as it may,
correspondence is powerful just when the message is comprehended and when it animates
activity or urges the collector to think in new ways."

Correspondence made among people to pass on their own data, message or thought are close
to home correspondence; yet trade of data, certainties and thoughts identifying with business
might be named as "Business Communication". Business Communication alludes to the
correspondence identifying with business action which implies giving merchandise and
ventures to the shoppers with the end goal of acquiring benefit.

It is a procedure through which data, realities, thoughts, orders, advices, choices, and so on
are passed on, sent or traded between/among the people related with business. In this way,
Communication identifying with exchange, law, Finance, organization, the board, and so
forth of a business venture might be named as 'Business Communication'.

The achievement of a business venture depends to a great extent upon great correspondence.
Compelling correspondence clears out the impediments in accomplishing the objective of a
business undertaking. Incapable correspondence or correspondence disappointment may
cause loss of cash, time, vitality, opportunity and even altruism of a business.

Elements of Business Communication:

Business communication involves six basic elements. They are as follows:

1. Message:

This is the subject-matter which is transmitted or passed by the sender to the other party or
group of persons. This might be opinion, order, suggestion, attitude, feeling, view, etc.

2. Sender:

He/she is the person who intends to make contact for passing information and understanding
to other person.

3. Receiver:

The person to whom the message is meant for is known as receiver or communicate.

4. Channels:

Information is transmitted through certain channels (e.g., radio, television, telephone, letter,
e-mail, etc.). The media is selected by the sender considering various factors.

5. Symbols:

These are the words, actions and signs which are passed on by the sender while
communicating with the receiver.

6. Feedback:
When the receiver acknowledges the message of the sender and responds back to him/her,
feedback takes place. Without feedback communication is incomplete.

Components of Business Communication:

Business correspondence includes six essential components. They are as per the following:

1. Message:

This is the topic which is transmitted or gone by the sender to the next gathering or gathering
of people. This may be supposition, request, recommendation, frame of mind, feeling, see,
and so on.

2. Sender:

He/she is the individual who means to reach for passing data and comprehension to other
individual.

3. Collector:

The individual to whom the message is intended for is known as collector or convey.

4. Channels:

Data is transmitted through specific stations (e.g., radio, TV, phone, letter, email, and so on.).
The media is chosen by the sender thinking about different components.

5. Images:

These are the words, activities and signs which are passed on by the sender while speaking
with the recipient.

6. Criticism:

At the point when the collector recognizes the message of the sender and reacts back to
him/her, input happens. Without criticism correspondence is inadequate.

A correspondence to be business correspondence must be:

1. Pragmatic,

2. Authentic,

3. Clear and brief,

4. Target-situated,

5. Powerful.
1. Pragmatic:

Powerful business correspondence manages the functional part of the data clarifying why,
how, when and so forth questions. It stays away from unfeasible, nonexistent, superfluous or
dreary data to wipe out exercise in futility. It passes on essential data to the recipient.

2. Accurate:

All in all a business message contains raw numbers instead of by and large thought. Vital
date, place, time, and so forth ought to be plainly referenced in a business correspondence.

3. Clear and Brief:

The language utilized in business correspondence ought to be straightforward, clear, brief and
without vagueness. Now and then outlines, photos, graphs, and so on are utilized to
consolidate or elucidate the data.

4. Target-Oriented:

A business correspondence must have a particular goal and must be arranged appropriately
with the goal that the target can be accomplished.

5. Influential:

Business correspondence frequently assumes a powerful job. It influences a representative to

play out his/her obligations, a client to purchase an item or administration and so forth. The
essential attributes referenced above are identified with the message or data of the
correspondence.

The procedure of business correspondence has certain different attributes. They are:

1. Essential Part of Management Process:

Correspondence envelops those exercises by which the thoughts, suppositions and choices of
the administrators are passed on to the subordinates of various positions. It additionally
includes the trading of certainties, emotions, recommendations and reactions between the
bosses and subordinates.

Correspondence, along these lines, puts the general population without hesitation, controls
and coordinates their exercises, manages and co-ordinates them for legitimate work
execution. An administrator, in this manner, plays out the administration capacities through
correspondence and administrative positions turn into the correspondence focuses to get data
from different hotspots for its transmission to important focuses.

In this way, correspondence is an integral part of the executives work, and is, therefore, an
indispensable piece of the board procedure. That is the reason, Chester I. Bernard comments,
"the principal official capacity is to create and keep up an arrangement of correspondence".

2. Two-Way Traffic:
Correspondence does not just mean its descending development from better than the
subordinates it infers both the transmission and gathering. In this way, when passing on any
data, a supervisor should know its responses and reactions. Something else, administrative
errand of controlling and coordinating will be incapable.

A man should, in this way, talk, illuminate and request, however ought to likewise have the
capacity to tune in, answer and decipher. Correspondence, thusly, includes two-path traffic
from the directors to the workers and from the representatives to the administrators. It isn't
finished except if the message has been effectively comprehended by the recipient and its
reaction ends up known to the sender.

3. Shared Understanding:

The essential reason for business correspondence is to realize understanding between people
in the association. It is a vital component for building up human connections. A pioneer can
lead and a supervisor can coordinate successfully by building up ideal comprehension with
the subordinates, companions and bosses in the association.

The more prominent the level of understanding presents in the correspondence the greater
probability that human activity will continue toward achieving the objectives.

4. Inescapable:

The topic of business correspondence covers a wide range and reaches out to all capacities—
buys, generation, deals, money, enlistment, compensation, profits, advertise standing,
advancement, efficiency, and so on. It additionally travels through all dimensions of the
board—upward, descending and sideways. Business correspondence is, consequently, said to
be an unavoidable capacity.

6. Explicit:

A business correspondence is commonly explicit in nature. It implies that a specific

correspondence should manage a solitary subject at any given moment. This is essential for
the adequacy of correspondence. Assortment of subject in a correspondence has the
likelihood of making disarray which is risky to sound administration. It must be explicit
concerning the data expected to be passed on or got.

7. Result and not Cause:

Sound correspondence is the consequence of able administration, not the reason for it.
Business correspondence is an unfortunate obligation and goes about as an instrument in the
hands of the directors. Fruitful treatment of this apparatus relies on the capability of the
supervisors. It's anything but an autonomous action, rather a basic element of administrative
capacity.

Along these lines, great correspondence does not create great director. In any case, great chief
is almost dependably a decent communicator. Misinterpretation of the executives procedure
frequently prompts poor correspondence.
8. Inner and External:

Business correspondence is fundamentally interior. It is, in this way, a piece of regulatory

capacity and planned to apply to the individuals having a place with an association. Requests,
directions, recommendations and even open notice declaring the yearly broad gathering of an
organization are a portion of the instances of inward correspondence.

Be that as it may, these days, numerous interchanges move past the authoritative skylines and
contact the outside populace surpassing the association's own (e.g., ad). Business
correspondence may consequently be interior and outside.

9. Diverse Types:

Business correspondence might be of various kinds—formal, casual, upward, descending,

sidewise, composed, oral, and so forth.

10. Input:

A correspondence can't be finished except if and until input or reaction of the beneficiary is
made. Input might be composed, oral or gestural. In some cases insignificant quiet may
likewise establish an input.

However, talking of communication in general, we may state that following are the
requirements of an effective give-and-take of ideas and feelings:

1. Simplicity:

In practical life, most communication has to be simple, direct and without ornamentation.
You have to keep in mind the receiver’s level of understanding and his mind- frame when he
receives the message.
Pressed for time, he would prefer a simple statement to a complicated one. To simplify, one
may use tabulation, graphics, charts, etc. keeping the words to the minimum.

2. Face to face communication:

It is generally to the sender’s advantage to get face to face with the receiver. This helps to get
an immediate feedback and respond to it. Hence interactive media save time and give instant
results.
When a salesman is talking across the counter, when a spokesman is addressing a news
conference, the message acts two-way hence face-to-face communication may be used
wherever possible to the optimum advantage.

3. Use of feedback:

The sender or originator of a message should prepare himself to receive the feedback. Then
he knows what reaction the message is producing in the target audience.
If a new product is launched, surveys may be conducted to know how people feel about it. If
an ad is issued, you have to test whether it is working the desired way. Is the message clear?
Is it reaching the right audience in the right manner? The quality of reception? This is to be
assessed and considered in further planning.
4. Listening with understanding:

When you are at the other end of the communication, you have a responsibility as a listener
and receiver of messages. You have to be attentive and make an effort to concentrate. To
grasp the message fully, you have to attune yourself to it. You have to keep an open mind and
receive the message without criticizing it, approving it or disapproving it until you have heard
it folly.
Good listening requires patience and self- discipline. Good listeners help the speaker to
become a better communicator. Devoted and sympathetic listening draws the best out of the
speaker. That is why listening is called an art.
Also, while listening you have to make mental (or written) notes of the message. Then, at the
end of the listening session, you can have a ready summary of what the speaker said.
5. An environment conducive to communication:

An environment of trust needs to be created for effective communication to take place. Trust
is created by communicating one’s sincere interest in the receiver. The one who is managing
the environment has to frame the right policies and take appropriate steps to achieve this.
The management must understand what is creating “noise” or barrier to communication. It
has to take steps to remove the barriers. For example, the audience may not be properly
introduced to the credentials of the speaker. Or at the time of receiving a message the receiver
may be closed or hostile to the sender. It is necessary to set the stage for the communication.

6. Non-verbal communication:

Your gestures and posture must be in harmony with the spoken message. You have to learn
the technique of expressing yourself well through body language. The speaker should reflect
a positive attitude. You should receive the non-verbal communication, too.

7. Use of the “You” factor:

The communicator should minimize the use of I, me and mine, and maximize the use of you
and yours. This has to be in spirit as well as words.

8. Awareness of the audience’s bias:

The communicator should be aware of the audience’s pre-conceived ideas and should try to
set the record straight. Talking in a mixed gathering, he has to be especially careful that he
does not generalize or stereotype individuals or groups.
If, for example, some smokers are present in a gathering, he has to exercise care in making
remarks about smoking. The same for a group of mixed nationalities.

9. Overcoming differences of language:

The same word may convey different meanings to different people because of their varied
linguistic backgrounds.
For example, the proper English usage for writing an exam is “to take an exam.” But under
the influence of Hindi, one tends to say that the examinee is “giving an exam.” In such cases,
it is better to say, “Appearing for an exam.” Also, pronunciation of words has to be
acceptable to the audience.

The text as well as the context of the message should be understood. The use of
unconventional and technical words should be cautious, and sometimes they need to be
explained.
The same goes for short forms which are too numerous these days, with new ones coming
into circulation every day. The best practice is to go over the essence of the message and
make sure that it is understood.

Knowing your audience:

To know an audience is to know what motivates the members of it. In Shakespeare’s play
Julius Caesar, Antony has to speak to the Romans after Caesar’s murder. The Romans at that
time dislike the dead king. Antony has to gain sympathy for Caesar and create antipathy for
the killers.

He starts by befriending the listeners. He then makes an ironical remark about how people
forget the good in others (here Caesar), and partially praises the murderers! He does not want
to shock the listeners.

He then shows how good a friend Caesar was to Antony… and eventually shows how
generous Caesar was to the citizens of Rome. Antony manages to reverse the mob opinion
against the murderers and gets the Romans to hunt for them.

This is a masterpiece of persuasive communication based on common human psychology. A

businessman may manipulate minds much the same way. He starts with an appeal to the
values which the audience likes even if he has to create new values.

The audience may like the virtue of economy (limited spending), yet the businessman may
play on human psychology to sell luxury goods that simplify life and make it comfortable. He
appeals to a value (comfort) which is often deeper than the value of saving money.

Two-wheeler makers compete with each other by emphasizing different values in their target
audience: the riding joy, the speed and acceleration, the fuel efficiency, the prestige of
owning the number one product, and so on. The audience mood changes from one to the
other as it receives different messages.

So, after the businessman has made a study of what moves the audience, he adapts his
message to it.
Audience analysis guides you to:

(i) Protecting the receiver’s ego

(ii) Blending logic and emotion with suitable images of each

(iii) A choice of appealing arguments, facts and figures

(iv) Underlining the positive in your message.

You may organize the message this way:

(i) Be direct except to give bad news (e.g. declining dividends).

(ii) Outline the message.

(iii) Use headings and subheadings as you go.

As for the style of the message:

(i) Make the language easy at every level – words, sentences, quotes.

(ii) Avoid being defensive or rude.

(iii) Remove negativity.

(iv) Use the languages with which the audience is at ease – conversational and familiar.

Advice on visuals:

(i) Use charts, models, photos etc.

(ii) Get the visuals designed by graphic experts.

(iii) Use appealing colour combinations.

In the case of a mixed audience, it is best to give priority to:

(i) Those that will decide to act or not to act on the message,

(ii) The ones who will screen it. A film is made to suit the common taste of the public and
the censor board.
This illustrates how different audience reacts differently and how they perceive the same
thing told by us.

Creativity in Business Communication in context of inside and outside

relations of an organization :
“Creativity” was defined in various ways in the fields of business, literature, arts, science and
so on. It does not necessarily mean to create something totally new out of nothing. In fact,
according to the findings of Hargadon , every creative act has one thing in common, i.e.
‘doing new things with old things.’ “Innovation,” on the other hand, refers to the
implementation of creativity or creative ideas . The present world of globalization is
characterized by rapid changes and increased complexity, uncertainty and competition. It is
indispensable for organizations to adapt in their external environment and to remain
competitive. Adaptability and competitiveness is intimately related with their creativity and
capacity to innovate . The purpose of this paper is to evaluate some modern innovations, with
analysis of social networking that resulted in the transformation of business activities in the
current atmosphere.

SOCIAL NETWORKING: AN INNOVATION IN COMMUNICATION

Probably one of the most decorated innovation or creative idea of the century is the
development of social networks. A social network is a social structure made of persons,
businesses or organizations denoted as "nodes," interconnected by various factors such as
friendship, kinship, common interest, financial exchange, dislike, sexual relationships, or
relationships of beliefs, knowledge or prestige. In such network, participation of users is the
main ingredients of value creation. The architecture of such systems is neatly explained by
Tim O’Reilly who advanced a community and media phenomenon under the flag of Web 2.0.
By now we know that the dominators in social web are Wikipedia, MySpace, YouTube,
Flickr, Del.icio.us, Facebook, and Technorati. “Collective intelligence” is often associated
with the social web. This denotes the value formed by the joint contributions of all these
people writing articles for Wikipedia, sharing tagged photos on Flickr, sharing bookmarks on
Del.icio.us, or streaming their personal blogs. Thus the potential of knowledge sharing has
never been to this extreme before where so many creative and knowledgeable minds are
linked through efficient and universal network. Thus it has become possible for new
companies with limited budgets to disseminate innovative new services to millions of people
online. All these resulted in the expansion of information and diversity of perspective, and a
culture of group contribution that maintains a spring of publicly available content. Past
research shows that social networks play a vital role in determining the way problems are
solved, organizations are run, and the degree to which individuals succeed in achieving their
goals.

SOCIAL MEDIA REVOLUTIONIZING BUSINESSES

Social media is serving to form a new era in business transparency and engagement,
generating new challenge as well as opportunities. In today’ world, the effectiveness of
relying solely on carefully crafted press releases or flashy ad campaigns to promote the
product is at stake. In the age of social media, the rules have transformed drastically where
people demand a transparent and direct linkage with the companies they are involved with.
This phenomenon is forcing companies to use social media to link with the interconnected
world of people. Those who are reluctant may not lag behind in the world of competition.
Some of the major shifts that social media is bringing about in business are discussed below
as explained by Gordhamer.

A. Making connections instead of trying to sell

Currently many top rated companies are using various means, including sites like “Facebook”
and “Twitter” to socially communicate and get involved with people. This is because they
understood that in this era the aim of customer relationship should be directed towards
connecting and interacting with customers instead of trying to sell. They tend to convey more
about the people and personality of the companies rather than conveying about their products.
The consequence is that people gain confidence to do business with such companies.

Jeff Swartz, the President and CEO of the Timberland Company, understood this fact very
well and so he regularly “tweets” about his life and the social issues he is obsessive about
rather than tweeting about the shoes of his company. Additionally he uses his twitter account
to convey the message about Timberland’s Earthkeeper project about environmental
awareness. The idea behind is to make a connection with people by something that goes
beyond the products that Timberland sells. Saif Hossain ISSN : 2028-9324 Vol. 2 No. 4, Apr.
2013 669

B.Small acts matter

Most of the participants in the online world have their own broadcasting networks by the use
of sites like Facebook and Twitter. Businesses began to understand the fact that rather than
spending huge amount of money on traditional advertisements, ‘small acts can be more
valuable because people will inevitably share such experiences through the social web.’
Unlike the past, a person’s experience with a company, both good and bad, are shared with
the friends and relatives in a matter of few minutes. Thus even smaller issues become very
vital since every customer experience can now be easily transmitted in the virtual society.
According to Loic Le Meur, CEO of startup software company Seesmic, the most crucial
jobs of a CEO today is to know the comments of people across social media channels
regarding the company’s products and hence directly respond to those customer concerns.
The same rule applies for bigger companies (Southwest Airlines and Comcast for examples)
due to the fact that bad experiences are transmitted just as fast as the good ones are.
Therefore it is worth for a company to develop one-on-one customer relationships via the
social media.

C. ‘Natural Image’ not a ‘controlled’ one

The most popular companies in this age of social media are those which ‘give their
employees freedom to be themselves in online spaces.’ This does not mean that those
companies do not have employee policies. However the aim should not be to develop a very
unnatural and shiny image of the company. Companies should provide the means necessary
for its employees to be human beings that would give a friendly appearance of the
corporation. A very good example can be Ann Curry, a NBC newscaster. It is evident on
Twitter that addresses issues like women’s rights, justice in society, and quotes of famous
poets. This gives a sense of feelings to the masses that they are communicated by a person
and not by a company and thus when she talks about her television shows people are likely to
pay more attention to the message. Another excellent example is Adobe Inc. The company
propagates and facilitates the means for its employees to blog. In addition to that, Adobe does
not put many restrictions regarding the contents of its employees’ blogs. The blog of John
Nack, the Principal Product Manager for Photoshop at Adobe, is primarily focused on
graphic design and photo manipulation and the posts are not restricted only to Adobe
products. All these would fortify the companies’ images in the long run.

D. Be available everywhere

Businesses are expected to have more an email address and customer service number for the
customers to interact with them. Today’s norm is to interact and engage with businesses via
the means of communication preferred by people. It can be through Twitter, Facebook,
discussion forums, feedback site, and etc. Dell, the computer giant, understood the fact that it
is wiser to allow customers to communicate through their chosen means rather than expecting
customers to communicate through the company’s chosen means. Thus they introduced
multiple channels of support for communicating with customers and other parties concerned.
One can reach Dell through Facebook, Flicker, Youtube, Twitter, forums, blogs let alone the
traditional means of communication. The idea behind is to make it convenient for people to
communicate through their most preferred channel.

HOW TO BE CREATIVE IN BUSINESS COMMUNICATION ?

PUBLIC RELATIONS

Public Relations, commonly called PR, is an activity aimed at increasing communication and
understanding between an organisation and individuals or groups. PR is concerned with
creating goodwill, understanding and building up a favourable climate in which an
organisation can function well. PR creates a situation whereby the public is well-disposed to
a company and its products. The success of a government or company or corporate is 90%
good works and 10% publicity. Reversing this proportion will be futile.

DEFINING PR

Public relations involves ‘information, activities, and policies by which corporations and
other organizations seek to create attitudes favorable to themselves and their work, and to
counter adverse attitudes.’ The Institute of Public Relations (IPR), established in 1948, is
UK’s leading professional body for public relations practitioners. The definition framed by
the IPR in 1987 is still useful: Public Relations is the planned and sustained effort to establish
and maintain goodwill and understanding between an organisation and its publics. Scott M.
Cutlip and Allen H. Centre define PR as the management function that identifies, establishes
and maintains a mutually beneficial relationship between an organisation and its public on
whom its success or failure depends.

TOOLS OF PUBLIC RELATIONS

A. External tools

The media most relevant to public relations include newspapers, magazines, radio, television
and, increasingly, the internet. Let us examine the media options available to a Public
Relations practitioner and how best they can use them to achieve the various communication
goals.

1) Press

In the life of an organisation the press plays a significant role. The print media enable an
organisation to reach out to various categories of public. If used well the press can play a
complementary role in creating a favourable image, but if mishandled it can damage the
image of an organisation.

2) Television

Television has immense scope as a publicity medium. With satellite and digital
communication possibilities, the impact of television has become more powerful.

3) Radio

Radio is a mass medium which possesses the qualities of a direct personal medium. With the
reach of radio in the country to over 95% of the population, this medium has become an
important tool for the PR practitioners.

4) Films

Films, documentaries and other promotional materials can be handy tools for dissemination
of information to the public. Films/documentaries make a powerful impact on the audience
because of their audio-visual qualities.
5) Outdoor media

Billboards, hoarding and colourful posters on the street corners are powerful means to
convey messages to public.

6) Oral communications

Oral communication is used as a medium chiefly in employee communication for training or

informing them about the company’s policies. Oral communication may be carried out
through meetings, telephone calls, public address systems, panel discussions, counselling etc.

B. Internal media

Internal communication is basically addressed to the employees within an organisation. The

following are some of the important tools to communicate to the employees within an
organisation, its internal public.

1) Printed literature

The basic objective of print literature is to inform or persuade target audience about a
product, service or idea.

2) Annual reports

The annual report of an organisation is usually drafted by the PR department. This report is
accorded publicity and coverage in the media.

3) Direct mail

Literature can be directly mailed by post or e-mail to this select group of important public.

INTERNET AS A PR TOOL

Companies use internet to conduct their daily business, communicate with and provide
support to their customers and look for valuable information to gain a competitive advantage.
This medium provides PR practitioners a many-faceted form of worldwide communication,
primarily involving message exchange by e-mail, information delivery and persuasion by its
world-wide websites. Social media networks can also used by the PR department for
communicating with the target audience.

HOUSE JOURNALS

The primary objective of a house journal is to create a forum for exchange of views and
visions on various issues concerning an organisation and its employees. A house journal, if
carefully produced, serves as an important link between a management and its various
employees. With corporations becoming large, multi-dimensional and multi-locational, a
house journal reaches employees belonging to different disciplines, cadres and interests, thus
bridging the gap and creating a fellow-feeling among them. The Public Relations persons in
an organisation ideally would be the editor of the house journal. Before publishing the
journal, decisions about its editorial policies and objectives must be approved from the
management. If a journal is to meet its communication objectives, it must be attractive
enough to grasp attention and must be of interest to those who read it. A concerted effort in
planning, organising, publishing and distribution is a must to bring out a successful house
journal.

PUBLIC RELATIONS SOCIETY OF INDIA ( PRSI )

PRSI is the professional body of Public Relations practitioners in the country. Established in
1958, the Society has individual, associate, corporate and student memberships. PRSI brings
out a quarterly journal Public Relations to promote the cause of this profession. The Society
is affiliated to the International Public Relation Association (IPRA).

PR CAMPAIGN

An integral part of any public relations effort is PR campaign. PR campaign can be defined as
a comprehensive strategy that consists of a series of PR messages in a variety of media
centring on a single idea or theme. A campaign informs the public about change within the
company or builds awareness of business to potential customers. PR campaign is the
execution of the final product of research, brainstorming, and creativity. As such, PR
campaign needs to be researched, focused and realistic. During a campaign, the PR team
should get ready with press releases, news stories, and strategies. Traditional media as well as
the online media, social media sites such as Twitter, and Facebook will be handy in
disseminating information.

CORPORATE COMMUNICATION

Corporate communication essentially is the communication issued by a

corporate/organization to all its public(s). ‘Publics’ here can be both internal (employees,
share holders) and external (media, government, industry bodies and institutes and general
public). Corporate communication serves as a link between an organization and its publics.
Corporate communication adopts a ‘corporate’ point of view. The term is derived from the
Latin ‘corpus’ meaning ‘body’ or ‘the whole.’ Corporate Communication enables an
organization to build a comprehensive communication strategy combining its vision, mission
and values. It will also enable the organization to communicate messages, activities and
practices to all the stakeholders.

DEFINITION OF CORPORATE COMMUNICATION

JoepCornellisen in his book Corporate Communications, Theory and Practice defines it in the
following manner. Corporate communication is a management function that offers a
framework for the effective coordination of all internal and external communication with the
overall purpose of establishing and maintaining favorable reputations with stakeholder
groups upon which the organization is dependent. Corporate communication was defined by
Peter Jackson in 1987 as the total communication activity generated by a company to achieve
its planned objectives. Ed Blauw (1986) describes corporate communication as: the
integrated approach to all communication produced by an organization, directed at all
relevant target groups. Each item of communication must convey and emphasize the
corporate identity.

MAJOR FUNCTIONS OF CORPORATE COMMUNICATION

Corporate communication is a process of strategically managing and executing

communication program me to build and nurture relationship with stakeholders. Experts have
shortlisted four primary functions of corporate communication

1. Media Relations (MR)

Media relations is characterized by outward communication serving to advance the

corporation’s goals. The purpose of MR is to build a positive reputation and encourage
branding of the organization’s name in the marketplace. Corporation’s message will have to
be disseminated through various media such as television, newspaper, magazines, radio
broadcasting and the Internet.

2. Employee Relations (ER)

The tasks of corporate communication in the employee relations function are to strengthen
the organization’s reputation and credibility in the eyes of the internal stakeholders. The key
to staying competitive in today’s volatile market is the ability to attract and retain a skilled
and motivated workforce. The predominant form of communication used by ER staff is
interpersonal and relational in nature. Message delivery methods to the employees include
seminars, retreats, print and electronic newsletters, local area networks, intranet and various
mail lists.

3. Government Relations (GR)

Government relations is characterized by organizational communication aimed at achieving

compliance through regulative systems and processes. The goal is to increase accountability
through accurate information about the organization while adhering to certain system and
government standards. School of Distance Education Corporate Communication &
Advertising

4. Investor relations (IR)

Investor relations sets out to provide present and potential investors with an accurate
portrayal of a company’s performance and prospects. IR may handle the production of
financial publications, annual reports and other such documents

ROLE & TASK OF CORPORATE COMMUNICATION IN AN ORGANISATION

Corporate communication is generally acknowledged as the best possible method of building

long-term corporate identity. A well-articulated and consistent corporate communication
strategy, along with larger advertising and PR campaigns, reinforces a positive image about a
company. This practice has helped business houses, corporations and even beginners to
develop and sustain corporate brand identities. The responsibilities of corporate
communication are therefore:
a) To create and sustain powerful corporate branding;
b) To develop initiatives that minimize discrepancies between the company’s desired
identity and brand features;
c) To indicate who should perform which tasks in the field of communication;
d) To formulate and execute effective procedures in order to facilitate decision making about
matters concerning communication;
e) To mobilize internal and external support behind corporate objectives;
f) To coordinate with international business firms.

I. Traditional Tools

a) Mass Media

Mass media is most effective means to convey the messages to the people. Hence, good
relationship with mass media immensely helps an organization. Corporate communicators
should monitor the press comments and respond to them appropriately to maintain good will
and reputation. In addition, good rapport with media personnel can be of immense help.

b) Spoken word

Spoken words are traditional means of verbal communication. Still it continues as one of the
most powerful and popular methods of communication.

c) Written communication

Printed text is one of the most important means of exchanges between an organization and
the outside world. Posters, notices, brochures, advertisements, annual reports and news letters
come under this category.

d) Photograph

Photos of programmes by the organizations, pictures on developments and products etc are
used as important documents in various campaigns. It must be striking and interesting.

e) Exhibitions

Exhibitions and fairs Trade exhibitions and fairs attract consumers and they can promote the
organisation and its trade

f) Audio visual media

Corporate films, documentaries, advertisements and programmes on organizations or issues

are also produced as a part of visual communication.

II DIGITAL TOOLS
Corporate communication has acquired new dimension in the age of internet with the use of
various new media tools. A user-friendly and updated website can reach thousands of people
all over the world. Website has become the first entry point for the individuals into any
organisation. The social networks have also emerged as important tools of modern
communication. These consist of online technologies, practices or communities that people
use to generate content and share opinions, insights, experiences and perspectives with each
other.

EFFECTS OF ADVERTISING

Advertising is a business practice as well as a social service. Hence it has to be good and also
right. Truth in advertisement means that advertisers have to state the merits of the products.
Truth in advertising should be valued because an advertiser indulging in falsehood will be
spotted sooner or later resulting in loss of credibility. Like any other profession, advertising
field is also governed by laws and legislations of the government. Apart from the laws, the
violations of which can invite punishments, there are also self regulations (code of conduct)
practised by the advertising industry. These laws and self-regulations provide a general
guideline for the advertising industry to work within the moral principles and values of a
given society.

Effects of advertising on children

The impact of advertising on children, either directly or indirectly continues to arouse a

considerable amount of controversy all over the world. One of the most emotionally charged
allegation against advertising is that it is harmful to children who are regarded as immature
and totally gullible. On the other hand, advertisers argue that the primary goal of advertising
is to inform child audiences that will widen their range of choice in particular market rather
than ending up with purchasing unwanted products. Moreover, today’s children have grown
up with television and internet and they have learned to cope with these equipments. The
anxiety is on the part of parents/grandparents/teachers/religious leaders for whom television
or Internet are relatively new media.

The arguments against advertising to children usually claim that advertisement creates
artificial demands from children which parents are reluctant to gratify. This will create
additional family tensions. The specific arguments against ad are the following:

1.Television commercial suggests to children that without the product, they are inferior

2.Children between 4 -7 years cannot tell fact from fantasy from an advertisement

3.Advertisement make children nag their parents and this creates artificial demands

4.Advertisements encourages children to buy things which are too costly for the parents

5.Children in advertisements sometimes set a bad example.

6. Junk foods, such as pizzas, burgers and soft drinks, are heavily promoted during children’s
TV viewing time. This develops a craving for fatty, sugary and fast foods in kids, thereby
affecting their health adversely.

7. Many advertisements include dangerous stunts, which can be performed only by experts.
Even though the commercials broadcast the statutory warnings with the ad, the kids often try
to imitate the stunts at home, with fatal results

Code for Self-Regulation in Advertising

In recent years the number of false, misleading and offensive advertising has resulted in
consumers having an increasing disbelief in advertising. This has also resulted in a growing
resentment of advertisement. Misleading and false advertising also constitute unfair
competition. If this kind of advertising continues, then it will be School of Distance
Education Corporate Communication & Advertising difficult for fair, truthful and decent
advertising to survive. This will affect the opportunity of commercial enterprises to compete
and grow.

The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has adopted a Code for Self-Regulation
in Advertising. It is a commitment to honest advertising and to fair competition in the
market-place. It stands for the protection of the legitimate interests of consumers and all
concerned with advertising industry - advertisers, media, advertising agencies and others who
help in the creation or placement of advertisements. Some of the important directives of code
are given below.

1. Ensure the truthfulness and honesty of representations and claims made by advertisements
and safeguard against misleading advertising.

2. Ensure that advertisements are not offensive to generally accepted standards of public
decency.

3. Ensure to safeguard against the indiscriminate use of advertising for the promotion of
products which are regarded as hazardous to society or to individuals.

4. Ensure that advertisements observe fairness in competition so that they are informed on
choices in the market-place and the laws of generally accepted competitive behavior in
business.

5. Advertisements shall not be similar to any other advertiser’s earlier run advertisements in
general layout, copy, slogans, presentations, music or sound effects, so as to suggest
plagiarism.

Violations to above mentioned codes can be filed with the ASCI by the parties concerned
including the public. ASCI has asked the advertisers to withdraw some advertisements and in
some other cases demanded to modify advertisements to comply with the codes for self
regulation in advertising
COPYWRITING PRACTICES

An advertising copy refers to the text of a print, radio, or television advertising message. It
can also be defined as the use of words to promote a person, business, opinion or idea. The
term copywriter is a person who engages in promotional writing (advertisements) for print,
radio, television or other media. The purpose of such promotional text is to persuade a reader,
listener or viewer to act. For example, to buy a product or subscribe to a certain viewpoint
Most copywriters are employees within the organizations such as advertising agencies, public
relations firms, company advertising departments etc. A copywriter usually works as part of a
creative team. The copywriter has ultimate responsibility for the advertisement’s verbal or
textual content. The Internet has expanded the range of copywriting opportunities. It has also
brought new opportunities for copywriters to learn their crafts, conduct research and view
others’ work.

Elements of an Advertising Copy

1. Powerful headline

The headline of an advertising copy is said to be the most important element. The headline
of an advertisement will normally present a selling idea or will lead people to read of the
advertisement.

2. Sub-head

Sometimes important facts may have to be conveyed to the reader and it may require more
space than what should be ideally used for the headline. In order to give prominence to such
formation it can be put in smaller type than the headline, known as a subhead.

3. Body Copy

The body copy refers to the text in the advertisement which contains details regarding the
functions of the product/service and its benefits. The body copy can be short or long
depending on how much information the company is willing to tell the reader.

4. Captions

Captions are the small units of type used with illustrations, coupons and special offers. These
are generally less important than the main selling points of the advertisement in the body
copy and are usually set in type sizes smaller than the text.

5. Blurb

A blurb or a balloon is a display arrangement where the words appear to be coming from the
mouth of one of the characters illustrated in the advertisement.

6. Boxes and Panels

Boxes or panels are, in fact, captions placed in special display positions so as to get greater
attention. A box is a caption that has been lined on all sides and singled out from the rest of
the School of Distance Education Corporate Communication & Advertising copy. Boxes and
panels are generally used in advertisements containing features such as coupons, special
offers and consumer contests.

7. Slogans, Logo Types and Signatures

A slogan may refer, for instance, to the age of the advertiser’s firm, meant for inclusion in
every advertisement. A symbol of the company name, seal or trademark is called logotype
and is a typical feature of most advertisements. It is also referred to as signature, indicating
identification of the company or the brand, address, phone numbers, websites etc.

8. Strapline

A ‘strapline’ or ‘tag line’ usually appears underneath the logo. The strapline summarizes the
product’s benefits in a memorable way. Straplines often make good headlines because they
summarize a major benefit in a pithy way.

9. Extras

Some print ads may have additional special elements such as an attached business reply
envelope, tear-out portion with a coupon, tip sheet, product sample. Logo A logo is a graphic
mark or emblem commonly used by commercial enterprises, organisations etc. to aid and
promote instant public recognition.

Logos are either purely graphic (symbols/icons) or are composed of the name of the
organization. Examples of well-known logotypes (wordmarks) are the striped IBM
design and Coca-Cola written in flowing red script. It is also referred to as trademark
or brand
CONCLUSION
To conclude it can be said that creativity and innovation are essential ingredients for the
survival and advancement of organizations in today's world. Apart from the organizational
perspective, past study shows that when it comes to economy as a whole, innovation is also
linked with economic growth, improvement in living standards and a country’s
competiveness in the international market place [20]. The need for innovation is supported by
Information technology in various ways and in the modern world it is hard to separate
innovation and technology as it has tremendous contributions in all kinds of industries and
sectors. One such innovation was Social networking and Social Media. In this age of social
media, firms are required to be more and more transparent and personal. This does not
necessarily eradicate the necessity of traditional advertising and press releases, but social
networks allow an innovative type of communication to take place which changed and is
changing the nature of doing businesses. However, businesses, rather than focusing on the
number of followers, should focus on developing genuine and direct connections with their
customers. Businesses which prefer not to adjust to this new trend and culture will be in
disadvantageous situation, as competitors will gradually develop personal relationships with
the customers, eventually causing the business to lose market share. It is evident that in this
age of open communication, engaged dialogue, and transparency, business success may now
have less to do with the size of ad budgets, and more with the quality of interactions with
customers.
REFERENCES
 Hargadon, A. (2003) How breakthroughs happen: the surprising truth about how
companies innovate. Boston. Harvard Business School Press

 Callahan, R.H. (2003) The Difference Between Creativity and Innovation. Corante
[Online] Available from
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 Varis, M. &Littunen, H. (2010) Types of innovation, sources of information and

performance in entrepreneurial SMEs. European Journal of Innovation Management Vol.
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 Steiner, G.A. (1965) The Creative Organization. Chicago. The University of Chicago
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2010)

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 Varis, M. &Littunen, H. (2010) Types of innovation, sources of information and

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